Football Fridays {week eleven}

Welcome back to Football Fridays! Every other week, join us for game insights, spectator commentary, and recipes to make the fall season more than just "man time."

the game:

This is the last week of byes. After this, each team plays every week until their season is over.
Byes This Week: Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans all have "off" this week.

Sunday: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Redskins - this will be a battle of the rookie quarterbacks, with both teams trying to make it to the post season. Both teams are 3-6, the Eagles with a 5 game losing streak. This game is gonna be ugly.

Sunday: Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots - All will see how Luck fares against one of the best defenses in the league. For Indianapolis fans, this game is a big rivalry. Go Colts!

Sunday Night: Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - Forever a strong rivalry. This game will be battled in the stands between fans just as much as it will be on the playing field. Either way, this will likely be the most exciting game to watch all weekend.

Monday Night: Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers - Sometimes I wonder how certain teams get the Monday night slot. We will just leave it at that.


the talking point:

This might be the best round of rookie quarterbacks since the 2004 draft with Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger. Now we have Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III (RG3), Brandon Weeden and Nick Foles who got his first game action with the Eagles last week when Vick went down with a concussion.

RG3 and Foles will face off (assuming Vick is still sidelined) to continue to battle the NFC East, but Andrew Luck is the real story. His name is being tossed around as rookie of the week. And could he be the next Peyton Manning for Indy fans?


the food:

My absolute favorite, buffalo chicken dip. In fact, it has become such a family staple, my brother who is still in college has begun to make it each weekend. You know something is good when your brother calls you from the grocery store for a list of ingredients! Here are some of his pictures of his cooking skills. (I am sure you could make your version look much nicer!)

ingredients:
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup of franks hot sauce, the best there is!
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into bite size cubes

directions:
pre-heat oven to 350°
cook and brown chicken in a skillet over medium high heat
as chicken begins to brown, add hot sauce
in a separate bowl, mix cream cheese, salad dressing and blue cheese chunks
stir in chicken with remaining sauce that has not yet soaked up
pour mixture into baking dish - any size/depth will do
sprinkle top with mozz cheese - amount will vary based on the surface area of your baking dish
bake for 20 minutes

extras:
serve with carrot sticks, celery, tortilla chips, or sliced baguettes



the tradition:


I am excited about Thanksgiving next week. My in-laws have a great room that everyone gathers in, with a wood stove, and it is perfect for post-meal lounging. I am looking forward to curling up with my family and watching some football. Are you planning to watch any of these games?

Houston Texans at Detroit Lions

Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys

New England Patriots at New York Jets

Enjoy your weekend and happy football watching!