“Weekend Wins” is a monthly column by Katie Mest, finding the subtle wins of life and the NFL season. In its second edition, Katie reflects on the perfect fall day and shares her same-game parlay picks for the Cowboys-Eagles game.
The more weekends I make it to, the more I value simplicity.
Work weeks are hectic. Before you know it, a busy Monday morning morphs into Friday’s plea for the day to stop dragging so the weekend can finally begin.
If you’re lucky, your weekend plans allow you to rest, and they provide opportunities to rejuvenate you and fill your cup to prepare you for a new week. We don’t always get that chance, but we need to treasure it when we do.
The Fall Effect
Last Saturday, I had the perfect fall day.
The foliage is reaching its peak in Central Pennsylvania, and I was blessed with a two-hour trip through its landscape to head up to the in-laws’. The colors only became more vibrant as we drove farther north, and the topic of discussion kept finding its way back to our declarations of fall as the most beautiful season.
And how could it not be?
Bundled up in flannels and vests, we felt the cool air mix with the warmth from the sunshine. Waves of rusty orange and scarlet red were rushing past the car windows, and Pennsylvania’s mountains provided a flawless canvas for its never-ending stream of oaks and hickories.
We were already in good spirits for the day, and it wasn’t even noon.
Simple Pleasures
The plan was to spend the day watching college football and hangout with Seth’s younger brother while he was home before he embarked on his next Marine training.
The result was hours of burned wood on the campfire to keep us warm as the outdoor TV followed football games in states much warmer than ours. Drinks flowed as easily as the conversation, and the food was everything you could wish for in a visit home. We were even treated to fresh deer jerky – tying together the ultimate Pennsylvania fall day.
It’s incredible how powerful simple pleasures can be in improving moods and gaining perspective. We’ve had so many busy weekends that have been fun, yet energy-depleting. I am trying to hold onto this past Saturday’s feeling as long as I can.
Luckily, I can already claim this next weekend as a win since my household is taking on its annual pumpkin-carving day. The itinerary includes movies, a coffee run and pumpkin cake, so we are already starting on a high note for this weekend.
Here’s to hoping our fantasy players and bets can follow suit. To keep it simple, my bets are staying home in Pennsylvania for the Cowboys-Eagles matchup.
NFL Sunday Night DraftKings Same Game Parlay
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles: Sunday @ 8:20 PM
• Eagles: Moneyline Win (-285)
• Jalen Hurts: Over 44.5 Rushing Yards (-150)
• A.J. Brown: Over 64.5 Receiving Yards (-135)
I am betting on the Philadelphia Eagles as they face off against their division rivals on their home turf. The Cowboys’ defense has allowed the seventh-most rushing yards to QBs this season, consequently leaving plenty of opportunity for Jalen Hurts to rack up some yardage. While they have not given up any rushing touchdowns so far to QBs, Hurts is crafty enough in his run game to change that.
Following a season-low performance last week, A.J. Brown is looking to rebound. He averages nine targets per game and should subsequently get some looks for primetime playmaking. After the uneventful Thursday night game, I am certainly hoping for an exciting matchup with the Birds coming out on top.
Total parlay odds: +265
Here’s to Week 6, the freakin’ weekend and new opportunities to win. Follow me on Twitter @km_betweenFF.