Weekly Takes - Monday, December 8th Edition

Weekly Takes - Monday, December 8th Edition 

1. My three stars from the Leafs best win of their season over the Panthers on Tuesday…

1. Auston Matthews

2. Troy Stecher

3. Dakota Joshua

A dominant performance. The dream way for them to play. A statement win.

Now they need to go on a heater and have a bunch of performances like this one to make people think they are even half-decent.

2. My three stars from the Leafs big win over the Hurricanes on Thursday…

1. Matthews

2. Matthew Knies

3. Jake McCabe

The Leafs best best back-to-back performances of the season. They look like the Leafs of old.

Again, it is going to take a lot more to show that they are “back”, but this is a great start.

Matthews looks back and the forward lines look set, outside of needing a first line right winger.

3. My three stars from the Leafs shootout loss to the Habs on Saturday…

1. Dennis Hildeby 

2. Max Domi

3. Scott Laughton

I’ll say this. Hildeby looks like a future starting goalie to me.

As for the game itself – an awful second period, shades of the Leafs in October and November. Overall, a solid week that has put them back into contention.

The power play remains a disgrace, however. Marc Savard needs to be on borrowed time.

4. I like the Jays signing of Cody Ponce, who instantly becomes their tallest starting pitcher and their second hardest thrower behind Dylan Cease. 

All they need him to be is their number five arm. The upside is there for him to be more than that, however.

This also means the end of the road for Jose Berrios. The Jays are not going to run a six-man rotation. Nor should they.

5. The Steelers beating the Ravens is the worst-case scenario for their future, as barring a late-season collapse and Ravens surge (a Ravens surge feels… unlikely) Pittsburgh is almost certain to win their division, host the Bills in a playoff game, and get blown out.

Aka: Another playoff appearance with an above .500 season, but no hope to contend for a Super Bowl. No man’s land, with the Steelers almost certain to pick-up Tomlin’s 2027 option if things play out the way I expect.

6. The Colts losing Daniel Jones not only ends any hope they had at winning the Super Bowl, but it puts their 2027 first-round pick in serious danger of being a top 15-ish pick.

The Jets are primed to land their franchise quarterback in the next two years, surely.

7. The two takeaways from the Texans-Chiefs game…

1. Kansas City is obviously dead/Travis Kelce needs to retire

2. The Texans are far from perfect, but their defence can carry them a long way in the playoffs. The most wide-open AFC playoffs ever.

8. Alabama making the CFP over Notre Dame – and dare I say – even Texas, is embarrassing.

The issue is not going to be solved by expanding the playoff even more (dear God, do not do this) but rather blowing up the committee. 

It is shameful that Alabama would have moved up to potentially #3 with a win over Georgia, but they do not drop at all by losing in blowout fashion.