2018 NFL Monday morning recap week 17

Steelers: Our family left today, but I was too tired to make the trip to my buddy's Steelers party. I listened to the game on SNR and watched via the Redzone channel. Didn't honestly expect much and knew the Ravens wouldn't lose. It will be interesting to see what the Rooney's do with the staff, if anything.

• No Antonio Brown. He was sent for testing later in the week on a knee injury. Just one of the better reasons for signing Eli Rogers a few weeks back. No Boswell whose groin injury in last week's game got him on injured reserve. Signed kicker Matt McCrane. A few other injuries also had others out.
• The guys on the radio said the team had absolutely no pep. They were actually hoping when flags were thrown that it was on us because then it showed them the Steelers were alive. Oh, boy.
• As usual, the Bengals did their usual fighting and same nasty plays. Whatever. The NFL allows it, so I'm done talking about it. 
• Another decent game by JuJu Smith-Schuster who was voted by his teammates for the team MVP. Well deserved. Love that kid.
• Ben passed the mark for a 5,000 yards passing season. One of a handful to have that distinction. And yet, we still didn't make the playoffs? Yeah, that right there says something.
• One of the reporters who cover the Steelers reported that some of the veterans aren't happy with the discipline of players. I'm not shocked. I've believed that for years.

Other:

• I loved how the Buffalo Bills thanked their veteran Kyle Williams, who announced his retirement this week. Not only did they make sure the defensive tackle caught a pass, but they stopped the game with a minute+ left so the team and fans could thank him. It was as Scott Hanson said on the Redzone Channel, "the human side" of the league.
• I also loved how Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald earlier in the week thanked one of the retiring AP Cardinals writers. Fitzgerald started off his weekly press conference with a gift for writer Bob Baum of his own Cardinals jersey and words of gratitude for his work. Fitzgerald is one of my favorites, and this is just one of the reasons why. Class. Act. 
• The problem with the teams who've made the playoffs is playing their first string guys and risking them getting injured. The Saints and the Cowboys opted to sit their key players in Brees and Elliot, respectively. Neither game mattered, so why would they risk it? Other teams had no choice as they played for byes, seeds, or home-field advantages.
• In the Browns/Ravens game, Lamar Jackson tried to hop the pile for the one-yard touchdown for the Ravens but fell short. The ball was knocked out, and the Browns recovered, but the official blew the play dead as the Browns were heading down the field. Yep. Another touchdown ruined by an official. Maybe plays like that need to be allowed to play out and worked out after. It should be an interesting offseason when the rules are assessed.
• Speaking of the Browns. Add another contender to our division next year. Baker Mayfield is the real deal. He was under pressure so often and still made huge plays. It's always fun to see an underdog finally get their day even if they are our enemy, and I say that even though I believe Jarvis Landry missed that pass on purpose at the end when the Browns were coming back. 
• Plenty of exciting games for the end. The Eagles are in. The Ravens are in. What I loved were the teams that had nothing to gain, giving great games to those who did or just playing because it was their job. The Cardinals. The Browns. The 49ers. The Lions. 
• Heads have already started rolling. The Bucs fired their coach, as did the Jets and the Broncos. There will be more to come.