This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners! Happy Monday! Hope you’ve had an excellent weekend.
How about my Detroit Lions, baby? Well, OK. I’m an Eagles fan. These are not my Lions, technically. But aren’t they though? I told y’all, man. I told y’all Dan Campbell would have these Lions looking good. And, boy, do they ever.
I probably shouldn’t be puffing my chest out after Detroit got into a shootout with the awful Chicago Bears, but man, that was some exciting football. That’s Detroit winning a game it should never have won. Three interceptions from Jared Goff and the Lions still find a way to get it done? That’s the mark of a good team right there. That’s something I never thought I’d say about Detroit.
This is a game the Lions would’ve lost in literally any other year. Goff would’ve folded after being booed. The run game wouldn’t have worked. Aidan Hutchinson would’ve tripped over himself on the final sack. Everything just would’ve gone wrong.
Instead, Dan Campbell got these boys capital B Believin’. And I would too if my coach talked to me like this.
*DC howl* pic.twitter.com/brY2EQhud2
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 20, 2023
I am ready to run through a wall.
Look, I have no idea how far these Lions get. I don’t know where they go or how they stack up against the other playoff teams in a tough NFC.
But what I do know is this: For the first time since 1962, the Lions have an 8-2 record through 10 games. They’ll be a good team on Thanksgiving day. That’s something I’ve never seen before.
Way to go, Detroit. Y’all deserve this.
Never miss a snap with 4th & Monday
What’s the sneaky-good NFL game of the week? Looking to dominate your fantasy league or survivor pool? Get pigskin prognostications, plus the top storylines each week with 4th & Monday, USA TODAY Sports’ expert guide to NFL action, game results and must-see moments.
Sign up here for our NFL newsletter and get that exclusive content delivered to your inbox each Friday and Monday during the season and every Monday in the offseason.
Tommy DeVito’s mixed bag
Tommy DeVito got his first NFL win! That’s fun! What’s not so fun for Giants fans, though, is that he might’ve just played them out of a top-four draft pick
Robert Zeglinski has more in his weekly NFL awards column.
“After throwing for 246 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-19 New York Giants win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, it’s starting to look like this stereotypical kid from North Jersey (I mean this literally) might really belong in the NFL. And as great as that is for anyone who loves rooting for the underdog to impossibly save the day, DeVito playing well is bad news for the Giants.
Why? Because they are 3-8, have nothing to “save” anymore in 2023, and need a legitimate quarterback of the future. History may well prove me wrong, but I’m pretty comfortable asserting DeVito isn’t about to become the next Tom Brady. Suppose he continues to play well and somehow win more games for Big Blue. In that case, he’s just gonna be known as the guy who prevented the organization from drafting a legitimate long-term replacement like Southern California’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Heck, with this victory over the Commanders, DeVito might have already achieved the dubious honor.”
I’m going to give the Giants some points for not outright tanking here. That’s not a good look, generally, but especially so in the NFL where players are laying their bodies on the line every game.
Still, this win hurts the Giants.
But, hey. Look on the bright side, NY. Caleb Williams might slip because he didn’t talk to the media this weekend or something. There’s still hope.
So F1 went OK, huh?
After a (literal) bumpy start to F1’s debut in Las Vegas, things smoothed out to make for a pretty solid event. Even Max Verstappen was (again, literally) singing the city’s praises by the end of the weekend.
Max Verstappen cantando "VIVA LAS VEGAS" en el team radio, es el mejor de todos 🦁🐐 pic.twitter.com/M5gyRLYTwQ
— Ayrstappen TRICAMPEÓN DEL MUNDO (@Ayrstappen) November 19, 2023
Verstappen won the event, as he’s done for most of this year in F1. But it wasn’t a boring race. It came with controversy. Verstappen had to overcome a penalty and a collision with George Russell to get there. There was drama. The actual event was good.
Everything surrounding it is still a bit too over the top. Racers (including Verstappen) complained about all the neon lights and signage. The events were way too late at night and Las Vegas gets cold this time of year.
There are some tweaks to be made for this event for next year. But it can work. After Thursday night’s catastrophe caused by one lone street cap, that’s a huge win.
Quick hits: No Taylor Swift tonight for Trav … The worst QB performances of Week 11 … and more
— Christian D’Andrea has the worst quarterback performances of the week here for you and CJ Stroud (!!!!) is included. I thought dude was perfect.
— Taylor Swift won’t be at the Chiefs-Eagles game on Monday night because of a postponed show. But her parents might show up! Charles Curtis has more.
— YOOOOO THIS IS SO GROSS WHAT IN THE WORLD, MIKE FORD.
— The Bears executed a perfect tank job on Sunday for their season and their bettors. Prince Grimes has more here.
— Quentin Johnson is never living this dropped touchdown down. Sheesh. Christian has more.
— How many players does it take to cover Tyreek Hill? More than four, apparently. Andrew Joseph has more.
That’s all, folks! Thanks so much for reading TMW this morning. We appreciate you for rocking with us. Let’s chat again on Tuesday. Til then, peace.
-Sykes ✌️
