Back in the days of SportsIntel.net, we did an "After Action Review (AAR)" of our picks. AAR is a term that we took from the military, and I think it's fair to ask that people giving prognostications relating to money be held accountable for the results. So let's see how you fared if you rolled with my predictions.

Colts @ Bengals (+6.5); O/U 34.5

RESULT: Indy won 27-14.

AAR: Just like I said, the Colts won and the over came in ("comfortable" was a stupid word to type regarding the total). Cincy did NOT cover up that 6.5 though. The Bengals got the ball with a couple minutes left and could have tried to score another TD, but instead sent a young QB out to kneel the clock away. In case it wasn't clear from the original post, BETTING ON PRESEASON NFL IS JUST F#$KING DUMB. Now I sound mad that I was wrong; what a crybaby.


Bears @ Chiefs (+1); O/U 32

RESULT: Bears won 34-21.

AAR: Just like I said, the Bears won by 17 (ok fine it was 13, nerd!) Mahomey didn't play, but neither did Caleb Williams. Again I had the over and it came in, but I'd be lying if I said this played out the way I expected. No team has ever won three straight SuperBowls and I have a sinking suspicion that KC is going to have a bad bad bad hangover year. I hope I am wrong, but something tells me that every order of saucy BBQ in the City of Fountains will come with a complimentary slice of humble pie in 2024.

The final week of the NFL preseason has three more games lined up for Friday so join me for more picks now!!

One thing I want to do here at The SportsDad is go on the record with my NFL game picks. In a past life I really enjoyed gambling so let's take a peek at the lines and see if we can dole out some wisdom!

Disclaimer: Betting on the NFL Preseason is some real degenerate behavior. I mean we barely know who is going to be playing and half the bros on field won't be on NFL rosters when September rolls around! But, just like the pros, we need to get some reps in the preseason so we are ready for the real deal. Week 3 of the preseason is the proverbial dress rehearsal so these games might be kinda fun to watch.

Both teams finished 9-8 last year, just one game out of the final playoff spot. Joe Burrow got hurt in Week 12, missing the last 6 games of the season and the Bengals went 3-3 in those games as Jake Browning played surprisingly well. In fact, one of those victories was a 34-14 home spanking of the Colts. This game should probably be kinda spicy, as the kids say. It won't be though. The real story here is that Indy will play its starters some while Cincy will sit theirs.

I think the Bengals have a better roster overall so I'm calling this one for the team that could actually win a division this season. I don't buy the Anthony Richardson hype even though the dude can fly.

The Pick: Cincy covers, but Indy wins 21-20. If I was betting this game, I wouldn't touch the spread, but taking the over seems comfortable.

The Bears finished the 2023 season strong, going 4-2 down the stretch. Actually, if you throw out the horrific 0-4 start, they never lost by more than a single score on the way to a 7-10 season. This should be a team on the rise! But Chicago historically can't figure out its QB situation although years of drafting high have put this roster in a good place talent wise. The fact that they jettisoned Justin Fields in favor of a rookie QB who likes to paint his fingernails leads me to believe that quarterbacking will never be their jam.

On the other side we have the two time defending champs. Last September they hosted the Bears and it was a bloodbath. But there is no reason to think that the Chiefs are interested in winning this game. With a veteran group of coaches and players, the objective is to peak in January.

The Pick: The Bears are a preseason juggernaut even though I think Caleb Williams will be waiting tables in LA about 3 years from now. Chicago wins on the road 27-10.

Come back tomorrow to find out how our selections fared!!

Overview

Cost: $72.99/month; $83.98/month with the expanded sports package (which you need to get NFL RedZone). The nice thing is that it's month to month so you aren't locked into any commitment.

App Pros: It's a very stable app with ease of viewing across devices. You get three streams so it's pretty easy to share passwords. Not nearly as glitchy as services like Sling or Fubo.

App Cons: Because Google/YouTubeTV assumes it knows what you want to watch, it's often very simple to get to the event you are looking for HOWEVER you can't just easily navigate to a channel (ie FS1 or ESPN2 or TBS) unless it happens to be populated on your home menu.

Programming Pros: It's easy to put on up to 4 games on one screen. This innovation is so phenomenal that I don't expect it to last as a free feature.

Programming Cons: Not having MLB Network is a hassle (but MLB is at least partially to blame for this). The extra $10.99/month during NFL regular season to get RedZone is a little annoying but at least you have the option.

"Boomer" Complaint: Sometimes you have to navigate pretty deep to get to what you want. Then it's 5+ clicks of the "back" button to find your way to the home menu. (I admit this might be more of an issue with my smart TV which runs Amazon Fire software)

DVR: Unlimited with user-friendly navigation.

On Demand: Yes, with tons of free content.

Local Network Channels Included? YES

Takeaway
This is my streaming service of choice even though it's a little more expensive. Like most things that Google makes, the interface is pretty slick, but it's probably stealing all of my data, storing my preferences, and judging me for the things I watch when there are no live sports on.

Right now is the greatest time in history for broadcast sports. Volume of content, access, variety, picture quality . . . you name it. For someone like me who wants to watch ALL the sports, the current set up is the best it has ever been. Even as traditional TV dies a slow death at the hands of the internet, sports as a broadcast property continues to flourish.

If there was ever an opportunity to let The Sports Junkie flag fly, it should be now! And yet I find myself watching less sports than ever; thanks largely to the glut of commitments that come with middle age. I'm not saying I have given up on following all the sports I hold so dear, but rather that I'm learning to pick my spots. After all, I chose these commitments without a gun to my head.

Oh I used to love starting a fall Saturday with College Game Day and then watching 12 straight hours of football. But that is junkie behavior (also there is no way Dad is being left in peace for that long). At some point you realize that you might have to pick between watching the 4th quarter and watching the 1st quarter which any fan can tell you is a simple choice.

Although I am not ruling out the eventual return of The Sports Junkie, I am saying that, for now, I am leaning into being The SportsDad. The plan is to cover the things I am interested in while providing advice on what and how to watch. I want to share my rare blend of endless sports devotion and cord cutting experience to help those who want to consume sports on a time budget. Thanks for stopping by!