(The Fantasy Football Running Diary is an ongoing series by Tim Metzler, in which Tim records and shares what is happening in the NFL every Sunday. It may also include updates on his personal life.)

Paying attention to everything that’s happening in the NFL is a challenge. You’re busy. Don’t sweat it. You keep doing you and let me do the work for you. This Running Diary will recap as many events as I can keep track of on Sunday, November 21st. Let’s do this!

12:05 – So it begins!

12:06 – I’m excited for quite a few matchups this week. The Packers vs Vikings is always good. And Lamar Jackson was a game-time scratch from today’s matchup against the Bears. Lamar Jackson seems to get sick every year. Multiple times. I’m not talking Covid. I’m talking just plain and simple sick. Get that man some vitamin C.

12:07 – Packers are the first team to score with a Mason Crosby field goal. 

12:15 – Big minute! Three scores at once. Jaylen Waddle runs for a short TD. Cam Newton hits DJ Moore for a TD. Is Cam back in North Carolina for good? Maybe. And, of course, Jonathan Taylor continues his streak of domination. He’s got one TD already. Possibly more on the way.

12:30 – What did I say? Colts go up, 14-0, over the Bills. Jonathan Taylor has 2 TDs already.

12:35 – The Jets are fighting back! 7-7 against the Dolphins. Joe Flacco hit Jamison Crowder for the TD.

12:36 – Vikings are doing what they do best: Run. Dalvin Cook pushed in a TD to go up on the Packers. The NFC North isn’t out of reach just yet.

12:42 – Deebo Samuel continues his legendary season. 25 yard rush TD and the 49ers are up 10-0 on the Jaguars.

12:47 – The Bills Strike Back! Stefon Diggs catches a beauty from Josh Allen. They’ll need more of that to catch the Colts.

12:50 – Jalen Hurts has 2 rushing TDs today. That’s 7 total this season. The Eagles franchise single-season record is 9 rushing TDs from a QB. Guess who? Michael Vick. How about the NFL record? It’s Cam Newton with 14.

12:53 – Whoops! Looked away and missed Brandon Aiyuk catching a short TD pass from Jimmy G. The question is: are the 49ers good or are the Jaguars really bad? Either way, good to see Aiyuk finally performing. Too many managers were lost to madness after taking Aiyuk in the 5th/6th and seeing no payout until the season was already lost.

1:08 – Cam Newton is owning his return as the starting QB for the Panthers. He just ran for a 24 yard TD. I can’t even run 24 yards without getting winded.

1:10 – Is it just me or does it feel like the Cleveland Browns are going to miss the playoffs? Forget winning the Super Bowl. I don’t think they even sneak in as a wild card team. Baker Mayfield is 8/15 with an INT. AGAINST THE LIONS. THE. LIONS.

1:14 – Good gracious! Jonathan Taylor has 3 TDs. The first half isn’t even over yet. I feel partially responsible for this.

1:22 – At the start, I mentioned the Vikings vs Packers game as one to watch. It’s been mostly a showing of Kirk Cousins playing great and the Packers getting hit on the head. But the score is 10-16 going into half-time.

1:53 – Just had a great conversation with my friend Jesse. He’s got over 15 years of Fantasy Football experience. My dad, with over 30 years of fantasy experience, also agrees with the following assertion: Trevor Lawrence is in big trouble. Listen, yes, he’s a generational talent… but he’s stuck in the worst situation possible. Urban Meyer is not a good NFL coach. He’s overpaid, overhyped and egotistical. Just look at how Laviska Shenault has been heinously misused. He should be in the slot, but instead he’s playing outside. Lawrence has had one QB1 game, which was Week 1. Other than that, he’s thrown more interceptions that TDs and has seen his completion percentage steadily decline with every game. The problem here is that he doesn’t need to be perfect, he just needs to improve. He’s not doing that though. Statistically, he’s getting worse. I believe he’s got a long and fantastic career ahead of him, but he needs to get to the off-season in one piece. For a generational talent, he looks a lot like a generational bust. Fire Meyer, Draft O-linemen, and restock the WR corps. This is a guy that never lost growing up and played with phenomenal supporting casts. He needs help.

2:03 – While I was writing that diatribe on T-Law, I missed noting a delightful big play TD from Andy Dalton to Darnell Mooney. This Bears team is clearly better with Fields on the bench. He’s still the future, but he needs more time to develop. Mooney, on the other hand, is about to be drafted in the 5th round of most 2022 Fantasy Drafts.

2:05 – The 3rd quarter is in full swing for most of these games. The Packers and Vikings are separated by a score. The Texans are stealing candy from the Titans, who look a lot like babies today. 19-0. Yikes. The WFT vs the Panthers feels like a family affair. Ron Rivera vs his old team, Cam Newton back at the helm, even Christian McCaffrey was spotted without an injury today. That’s almost as uncommon as seeing Big Foot.

2:11 – This is unfair. Jonathan Taylor has 3 rushing TDs and 1 receiving TD. I can’t with this guy. He’s crushing me in multiple leagues.

2:31 – Davante Adams gets his second TD of the day, putting the cheeseheads on top of the Vikings, 24-23. The Vikings are in the same spot they always are: one score away. 

2:36 – Jonathan Taylor has 5 TDs. That’s it. That’s the note. I have no words. More surprising is that he’s done this against the Bills defense.

2:44 – UPSET ALERT! The Vikings are on top of the Packers with about 2 minutes left. 31-24.

2:47 – COMEBACK ALERT! The Titans are down 13-19 agains the Texans. Plenty of time left though.

2:49 – Wow. The Packers hit on a deep bomb to Marquez Valdez-Scantling. Now it’s the Vikings with more than 2 minutes to form a winning drive.

2:57 – GOOD GRACIOUS! Andy Dalton, on a 4th-and-11 to save the game, hits Marquise Goodwin for a lead-stealing TD. Andy Dalton is the QB1 in Chicago.

3:01 – The battle of the unvaccinated QBs ends with Kirk Cousins on top. The Packers still own the NFC North, but the Vikings made them bleed. 34-31, Minnesota wins.

3:03 – The Browns are going to beat the Lions, but it’s been ugly. Forget OBJ, this team is in need of a dominating win.

3:05 – The Texans are about to gut the Titans. After Jonathan Taylor’s day, I’m inclined to say that the Colts are the team to beat in the AFC South.

3:07 – Oh my word. The Bears defense just collapsed. The Ravens take back the lead with 20 seconds left. This the most “Bears” thing ever.

3:08 – Washington spoils Cam Newton’s homecoming. They win 27-21. Classic.

3:11 – The misery for Buffalo is over. The Bills lost 15-41 to the Colts. I can’t tell if the Bills are good. They lose games that should be easy wins, but they dominate games that should be tougher

3:13 – The Ravens down the Bears with a final sack. This was a tough loss for the Bears. Every for the Bears, this one was hard to watch. Gutted.

3:15 – The early games are all but over. I have some work to do besides watch football, so I’ll check back in later today. Good luck with your matchups!

7:06 – Yo! How’s your day been? Good? Bad? That Chiefs vs Cowboys game was trash. I had it on in the background and even have both Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes in a superflex dynasty league. Rough week for guys that should be better than they’re playing. Mahomes is on an interception streak the size of a massive red flag. Dak hasn’t been right since injuring his calf earlier this season. Anyway, Chiefs win this one, but it feels dirty.

7:07 – The Bengals took down the Raiders. Burrow has been struggling as of late, but Joe Mixon is getting hot at the right time. Guy had a couple TDs today to keep the game out of reach for Las Vegas.

7:08 – Russell Wilson continues to struggle in his return from finger surgery. The Cardinals took down the Seahawks with Colt McCoy in for the still injured Kyler Murray. Luckily Murray has a bye week next week and should be good to go in time for the fantasy playoffs push. James Conner scored another TD, keeping him squarely in the “Steal of the Draft” zone.

8:42 – Honestly this day has felt like it’s been 10pm since 4pm. The days are so dark so early. I hate it. 

8:43 – Anyway! This late game is going to half-time. Justin Herbert seems to be getting his control and accuracy back. The last few weeks, he’s had issues with getting the offense going. Not today. The Chargers lead the Steelers, 17-10. 

8:59 – The intermission ends and the Chargers start the second half with the ball. 

9:05 – Oh snap! A big catch from Keenan Allen leads to a TD reception for Austin Ekelar. Herbert with 2 TDs. Ekelar with 3 TDs. He’s giving Jonathan Taylor’s 5 TD day a run for its money. Let’s see how the Steelers respond. I’m going to guess they forget how to run the ball.

9:09 – Steelers punt on 4th down. They ran the ball once for no gain. Please see previous note for why I’m gloating to myself.

9:39 – The 4th quarter arrives and the Chargers are up 27-13.

9:41 – The Chargers finished each of their first 5 drives with a score of some kind. This 6th drive will end in a punt.

9:44 – Oh my. Blocked punt and the Steelers are back in this. Red Zone to get within one score? We’ll see.

9:46 – Najee Harris! In for 6! Okay. We have ourselves a game now. 27-20, Chargers leading.

9:58 – Austin Ekelar gets TD 4 for the night. This game is over but it doesn’t feel over.

10:09 – My word, it’s NOT over yet! Big Ben turns back time and hits Eric Ebron to pull back within 7 of the Chargers. Just under 5 minutes to go, but the Steelers appear to be without Najee Harris, who’s in the injury tent. Kid has 237 carries so far this season. Have to wonder if the workload is taking a toll.

10:13 – Batted pass is caught! Interception! Steelers in position to tie this game up! WHAT IS HAPPENING!?!

10:17 – Screen pass to Pat Freiermuth turns into a TD and this game is all tied up! 34-34!

10:21 – Chargers go for it on 4th down and fall short! Loss of possession in their own territory. Pittsburgh is a field goal away from taking the lead after entering the 4th quarter with a 17-point deficit. Wow. I’m shook.

10:26 – And that’s officially a comeback. Field goal is good and the Steelers take the lead. 37-34. However, there’s 3:34 left on the clock and the Chargers are upset. Hero Herbert time?

10:29 – MIKE WILLIAMS TOUCHDOWN!!! 53 yards and the Chargers are back on top. I’m losing my mind. This is the longest 5 minutes of football I’ve seen.

10:35 – Well, all good things must come to an end. The Steelers get sacked into submission. Chargers win, but this game was as enjoyable as possible.

10:45 – That’s it! The week is one game away from being done. Trade deadlines in most leagues have all passed now. Good luck to you as we all enter the home stretch. The fantasy playoffs are in sight!