Steve Brownlee

Let me turn the clock back to the 1960s and ’70s today.

It’s making me think back to that time — and a specific coach, George Allen — when I heard about some of the bartering that took place last week just before the NFL trading deadline.

Players I’d heard of, players that I knew were pretty good and I think still are, were being traded for fifth-, sixth- or seventh-round draft picks, or were a part of trades where the player was being moved with a seventh-round pick in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round picks.

Something like that, anyway.

That wouldn’t seem so out of balance if the traded player had some real issue, like disrupting team harmony, or threatening to kill the coach, or even being hobbled by one major or a series of nagging injuries.

But these are good players, in particular I remember the Detroit Lions getting former Packer and most recently Cleveland Brown Za’Darius Smith, who has been a leading pass rusher this season.

He was involved in the seventh-round for fifth- and sixth-round picks, by the way.

So getting to George Allen, you might remember his days as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams in the 1960s and Washington Redskins (way before Commanders or even Football Team was their nickname) in the ’70s.

He often spurned his draft choices, using them to trade for reliable, proven veterans. Or in the case of quarterback Billy Kilmer, apparently a journeyman signal caller who Allen liked because of his toughness.

An online biography of Allen said he is the only NFL coach to have gone without a losing season for anybody whose head coaching career lasted at least 12 years.

With the little bit that today’s proven players are costing in draft picks, wouldn’t Allen’s strategy be one to at least consider today?

Exactly what do teams expect to get out of a fifth- or sixth-round draft choice? Someone who’s a project, who COULD prove eventually to be good, but not so bad that if he doesn’t work out, they can cut their losses?

And for contending teams looking to shore up specific weaknesses, that could be what pushes them over the top.

Like the Lions, for instance, getting Smith after NFL-leading sack master Aidan Hutchinson went down with what is likely a season-ending broken leg.

Would it make sense to use this a strategy to employ often and consistently?

Teams only get one pick in each round each year, so there’s a limit to how many low picks you have. Unless, of course, you trade away some high-round picks for a backpack’s worth of lower picks.

And you don’t get the advantage of low rookie salaries, either. But having a veteran presence at lots of positions sure would seem worth it, especially if you don’t have top-of-the-league salaries for positions like QB, receiver, pass rusher or offensive tackle.

Of course, Detroit DOES have those kinds of salaries at those key positions, so maybe it wouldn’t work there.

Green Bay also pays QB Jordan Love a pretty penny, but I don’t remember other positions with extremely high salaries. So wouldn’t that complement all the youth that the Packers have?

Just a thought on a rainy day.

Here’s this week’s picks, with four NFC teams on the bye — the Giants, Cardinals, Buccaneers and Panthers.

—————–

Today, 8:15 p.m.

Washington at Philadelphia — Here’s one I’m bummed out about not being able to watch, although checking my NFL Network listings, I see the replay is on at 12:45 a.m., 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday.

I don’t totally trust Philly, but then again, I could see the Commanders’ loss coming last week, and wasn’t even that aware of how bad Washington’s defense is. Give me the Eagles, 33-26.

—————–

Sunday, 1 p.m.

Green Bay at Chicago — Wow, what a fortuitous time for Green Bay to play in Chicago. The Bears are in utter disarray, and I don’t really see how a change at offensive coordinator is going to change that. Maybe it will, but I’m counting on it not. Packers, 34-14.

—————–

Jacksonville at Detroit — If there ever was a trap game, this is it. However, any trap laid by the Jaguars will have teeth made out of tissue paper. But I won’t pick Detroit to cover the 13-point spread — barely. Lions, 35-24.

—————–

Las Vegas at Miami — Vegas comes in on long rest off the bye, while Miami has had a short week after beating the Rams in L.A. on Monday night. But I’m thinking the cross-country trip will cancel that out. Dolphins, 27-23.

—————–

Los Angeles Rams at New England — The perfect invocation of “reverse momentum” — the Rams looked listless in that loss to Miami, while the Patriots went into Chicago and beat what had been a pretty good team early in the season. Reverse momentum says that since the L.A. team looked bad, now they’ll look good. And the Dolphins looked good, so now they’ll be bad. Rams, 30-21.

—————–

Cleveland at New Orleans — The Saints achieved their goal, ending their long (wasn’t it a seven-game) losing streak with a new head coach. Now it’s back to earth. Browns, 26-20.

—————–

Baltimore at Pittsburgh — As much as the Steelers looked good last week, and the Ravens’ defense looked bad last Thursday vs. Cincy, I don’t see most teams being able to keep up with Baltimore’s offensive weapons. Ravens, 35-27.

—————–

Minnesota at Tennessee — The Vikings have been casting about, QB Sam Darnold throwing interceptions all over the place. But Minny won last week’s without scoring a touchdown in their 12-7 victory over Jacksonville. It won’t be quite that bad this week. Vikings, 20-11.

—————–

Indianapolis at New York Jets — The NFL flexed this game out of the Sunday night slot, thank goodness, since both these teams deserve to be put in a quiet room whey they play their games. Originally I was only making my choice based on the home team, but I have additional fortitude in making my pick now that I hear that Anthony Richardson is being reinstalled as Colts’ QB. Jets, 23-20.

—————–

Sunday, 4 p.m.

Seattle at San Francisco — I thought it would take some time to reintegrate Christian McCaffrey into San Fran’s offense — it would be like a first preseason game for him, considering he hasn’t played since last season. It didn’t, so I’ll take the 49ers, 30-22.

—————–

Atlanta at Denver — I see the Broncos’ Sean Payton as the kind of coach who won’t get bitter or frustrated when his team loses a tough game, like Denver did on its game-winning field goal that was blocked vs. KC on Sunday. What Payton will get is more determined. Broncos, 24-19.

—————–

Kansas City at Buffalo — I mentioned in this space last week that the Chiefs’ habit of pulling out victories from the jaws of defeat over and over just isn’t sustainable. But last Sunday’s opponent Denver wasn’t good enough to take advantage of that. Buffalo should be. Bills, 27-24.

—————–

Sunday, 8:20 p.m.

Cincinnati at Los Angeles Chargers — Even though a great offense should prevail in a regular-season game the way that a great defense should be more sustainable in the playoffs, I just don’t like taking the defense-less Bengals on the road. Thinking that the home team can generate a little more offense than they usually do, Chargers 29-23.

—————–

Monday, 8:15 p.m.

Houston at Dallas — Houston won’t let forcing five turnovers go to waste this week like they did against the Lions last Sunday night. And I like the Cowboys’ chances of committing five turnovers. Texans, 33-21.

—————–

Last week — 10-4, 71 percent. Season — 99-53, 65 percent.

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 552. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.