Did you see the game this past weekend? You know the one I'm talking about: The Broncos' 51-48 victory over Dallas on Sunday. We're only five weeks into the season, but it's probably the best game we'll see this year, including the playoffs. I'd be happy to be wrong, but you don't get many back-and-forth contests like that.
And fantasy football almost ruined it for me.
I went into the game with my own fantasy football biases (rooting for Dez Bryant and hoping Matt Prater didn't get many field goal attempts). And, in the beginning, that's how I watched it. I wasn't just a fan; I was a fan with an agenda. And as entertaining as it was, I was limiting my enjoyment based on who was catching passes, and whether or not a player was kicking an extra point or a field goal.
Shame on me for doing that. And if you only watched that game through the prism of your fantasy fortunes, shame on you, too. Because you missed the actual game, and it was fun to watch. We can get so caught up in our own match ups, we don't get to fully appreciate what the NFL offers by itself.
Sometimes, that's a good thing. My condolences to you if you sat through the Cardinals-Panthers game. That one was made for fantasy football, and the extra excitement our game brings to the table was really needed. Die-hard Carolina and Arizona fans were likely watching, but I bet even they were keeping up with what was going on in Dallas.
We know that fantasy football usually enhances watching a game. Boring affairs become watchable, and match ups with a little drama become must-watch contests. But sometimes the game stands completely on its own, and the fantasy games could actually get in the way if you let them.
I caught myself doing that on Sunday, and made a conscious effort to just enjoy things as they unfolded. Was I smiling when 88 kept racking up yards? Sure. But when it was Terrance Williams or Jason Witten, I wasn't disappointed. Another catch, another score, and the game got better and better. And when Tony Romo threw that fateful interception, I wasn't lamenting lost opportunities for my receiver. I wasn't upset that the Broncos wisely ran the clock down for a last-second field goal instead of scoring a touchdown. By that point the fantasy game didn't really matter. Aside from preferring overtime, I thought it was a fitting end to a great game. The last play yielded the winning points. Can't get much better than that.
I understand that the game had a big fantasy impact in every league. Facing Manning (or a half-dozen other players) could have ruined your week. Having Demaryius Thomas was also frustrating, since he was uninvited to the scoring party. And if you're letting Miles Austin rest on your bench, you have to wonder what might have been. But I hope you were able to separate that from what you were seeing, and watch some excellent offensive football. Both teams have character, and seeing Dallas respond to the offensive onslaught -- even in a losing effort -- was impressive. Sometimes the game is enough, and that was what we saw in Dallas on Sunday.
I know that's the case just based on my friends' reactions. I know a few Dallas fans, and none of them seemed terribly distraught over the loss. Sure, some are almost resigned to seeing an untimely Romo turnover and most of them probably expected Manning to work some kind of magic at the end. But they all simply responded with some version of "What a game!" and offered praise for the opposing team. Even the ones who are overly-critical of Romo (he gets more negativity thrown at him than he deserves, in my opinion) still had kind words to say about his performance mixed in with the expected disappointment. Don't get me wrong. They were unhappy that their team came up short. But even right after a tough defeat, they realized that it was a memorable game beyond the win or loss.
That's because my friends are football fans. Not just fantasy owners, or Dallas homers or Denver haters. When a good game presents itself, it piques their interest. When a great game is on, they pay attention. And when a classic is unfolding, they care about the game as much or more than the outcome. I don't always live up to that standard, but I try not to be concerned about the fantasy impact when an amazing game is on. Whether you won or lost based on the outcome, I hope you were able to do the same.
Are you able to separate fantasy from the actual games when you're watching a special one, or are they always intertwined for you? Share your thoughts below.