Atlanta Falcons (4-5) at Carolina Panthers (2-7), November 10, 2022, 7:15 pm CST

Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC.

TV: Amazon Prime Video

Radio: ESPN Radio 97.5 FM

Once upon a time, in a simpler time when COVID was still brand new, the New And Improved XFL re-debuted (this is a word now, shut up) on the national stage after a 20 year absence. And in an unusual twist of fate called “knowing where people love football and putting a team there,” the city of Houston got one of those teams, called the Houston Roughnecks.

Many of you remember the Roughnecks and all the jokes about them being the best football team in Houston, which was and is an objectively true statement. And the Roughnecks will return in the re-re-debut of the XFL next spring.

But it won’t be the same. It can’t.

Why?

Because the Roughnecks were undefeated in the truncated season they played, and one of the primary reasons the Roughnecks hadn’t lost was their quarterback; a diamond in the rough named P.J. Walker. He was amazing as a Roughneck. I didn’t watch a ton of XFL, but whenever the Roughnecks were on, I would tune in just to watch Walker play.

Now Walker has become the default option for the Carolina Panthers who have fired their head coach, traded their best running back, and traded FOR Baker Mayfield in a single season. Default: the sweetest word in the English language.

Where was I? Oh, right, we get to watch P.J. Walker tonight as his Carolina Panthers, who have become very bitey with Walker under center, take on the Atlanta Falcons.

This is your Thursday Night Football open thread, complete with picks for tonight’s game brought to you by DraftKings Sportsbook.

Please do not take financial or life advice from a football blog. I don’t know what I’m doing and it’s all guesswork anyway.

Enjoy the game, y’all.