It's rare that I'm not involved in some type of fantasy game when the NFL is playing (the preseason doesn't count because it literally doesn't count). I watch meaningful week 18 contests with nothing on the line, but even the postseason usually includes some type of fantasy game.
But this year it didn't, and I'm seeing the real games differently as a result.
There were fantasy games to play, of course. But a friend who runs one I like decided to take the year off, I didn't see another one I liked and I didn't bother with a daily fantasy game. So I was stuck watching football just for football. And I think I enjoyed this past weekend more than if I had been actually playing an additional game.
That's not a criticism of fantasy football; it's a criticism of me. When I have players I'm rooting for or against, it's hard for me to put that aside and enjoy a game on its own. I'm always focused on the jersey number when a big catch is made. I'm calculating the distance for a field goal before they line up to see if a bonus is involved. A handoff at the goal line might have me smiling, while a quarterback sneak has me frustrated. Even when my favorite team is playing, a touchdown that helps my opponent can be an unwelcome sight. I should be able to enjoy the game and also calculate the fantasy implications, but it's difficult for me. I have friends who can do that, and I'm envious of their ability to separate the two.
So it turned out to be a bit of good fortune that I didn't have a game to play in the postseason, because I've truly enjoyed what I've watched. This past weekend was especially engaging. Not really Houston/Kansas City, because Andy Reid has chosen to forfeit exciting football for winning football. I guess that's a good move for his team, but not for fans watching at home. Fortunately, the other three games were all great. Washington upset Detroit, and not on a fluky play or controversial call. They simply beat them over the course of 60 minutes. The Rams had the ball with about 30 seconds left and a chance to win, but couldn't convert in Philadelphia. The Ravens were a dropped two-point conversion away from forcing a tie at the end of their game against Buffalo, validating everyone's expectations of a classic playoff game. Long touchdown runs, a pick-six, and games that only ended at the very end. Four players scored two rushing touchdowns, Saquon Barkley eclipsed 200 rushing yards, and fans are already looking forward to the conference title games. That's what we saw this past weekend.
And the best part was that I got to enjoy all of it without regard to who scored what. I didn't care that DeAndre Hopkins got shut out, or that Jameson Williams' only impactful play was an interception. I wasn't happy or sad that James Cook lost two more touchdowns to Josh Allen. I just watched the games. I felt badly for Dan Campbell in his post-game press conference, and I really felt badly for Mark Andrews, who will probably remember that drop for decades. But I didn't feel anything about a fantasy team that didn't exist. And I think it's good to experience football like that every now and then. It reminds me why I like the game in the first place. I'm looking forward to Sunday's games and I have exactly zero players to watch and no lineups to score. I can't wait.
It won't be long before I'm thinking about September, of course. And there's a good chance I'll find a game to play in next year's playoffs, too. I'm just saying that these have been exciting contests even without an associated game. And if you're a normal person who can enjoy regular games without tying everything to fantasy football, you're a better manager than I am. I encourage you to really pay attention to what we're seeing and not obsess over who's doing it. I'll try to get better at it next season, but hopefully you can do it now. This has been a pretty good couple of weeks for the NFL. Enjoy the games.
Can you separate fantasy from the real games, or are you always thinking about your team? What do you think about the matchups so far? How are your playoff fantasy teams doing? Share your thoughts below.