Who Needs Monday Night Football When You Have Mets-Phillies

I get it. The world was starving for the NFL season to begin and tonight represents the final game of Week 1. The Minnesota Vikings at the Chicago Bears is a tasty prime time matchup, a good way to close the schedule. How will Ben Johnson fare in his first game as head coach? J.J. McCarthy makes his NFL debut after being injured all of last year. So many storylines, so much intrigue….

Who cares? The Mets start a four game series against the Phillies tonight at Citizens Bank Park.

Big series this week between these two teams. Credit: northjersey.com

There is angst in the house. Matthew expects the Phillies to win three of the four games, the only Mets’ win coming on Nolan McLean‘s start this evening. Caitlyn got the awful news that both Alec Bohm and Trea Turner have hit the injured list. Personal rivalries aside, this is a big series. Even though the Phillies lead the Mets by seven games in the National League East, a Mets sweep would put them at only three back and owning the tiebreaker. For whatever reason, the blue and orange uniforms bring out the worst in them, much like the Red Sox seem to spook the Yankees this season. Realistically, the Phils will remain in first place through the end of the season. They also have designs on the #2 seed and a first round bye. The Mets are running out of time to get into the first Wild Card spot and play their opening round at Citi Field. The series is getting some love nationally with tonight’s game being broadcast on MLB Network and Thursday’s game televised on Fox.

I am just as happy as the next person that the NFL is back. It is America’s most popular sport. But the calendar still says Summer and the clock is ticking on the regular season. Therefore, nothing is taking a back seat to Phillies-Mets to start the week and Yankees-Red Sox to close the week.