The ratings are in and this NFL season is one of the best

The only thing the backlash against the player protests changed is a guarantee that the networks won't air the national anthem. Ever. The fact is, it's time to get over the kneeling protests. Some players are going to kneel, but they're still going to play — and football season is still fun.

For all the rhetoric tossed around about who's going to watch and who isn't, NFL ratings are trending mostly upward, week after week, depending on the match-up.

Touchdown celebrations are back, football commercials are back, and the Cleveland Browns are back. That's just the start of it. Despite a goofy new roughing the passer rule that would get Clay Matthews flagged even if he wasn't in the game, much of this NFL season is has been a lot of fun so far, and it's still early.

There's a lot to love about this NFL season. Just remember: If you actually made into the stadium in time to see the national anthem, you'd probably be in line for beer or nachos (or the Texas Torta if you're in Dallas) anyway.

Touchdown Celebrations

I know I mentioned this already but the days of the "No Fun League" are gone. Players are allowed to be happy when they score touchdowns again. This includes Lambeau Leaps, spiking the ball, fusion dances and whatever else players can come up with!

Rob Riggle

There's nothing more distressing than watching every announcer on CBS, Fox, and the NFL Network predict the Bengals are going to lose every Sunday morning here in LA while I'm waiting for my local sports bar to stop serving breakfast. The highlight of the pregame hours is Riggle's Picks on Fox. If you're not familiar, comedian and Marine Corps veteran Rob Riggle picks his winners for the day via sketch comedy and invites a few surprise guests to join him.

He also takes the time to ridicule the hosts of Fox's NFL coverage as well as player news, coaches, and teams in the NFL during the season. Just remember that Riggle's beloved Kansas City Chiefs are always picked before you pick along.

Shannon Corbeil doesn't even know how to play football. Why is she so good at this? WHY

Office Football Pools

Even if you're not into following all the NFL action every Sunday or you don't have a team to pull for, you can still have at least a mild interest in joining an office football pool like ours, which is a double elimination pool and would really great if the goddamn Eagles had actually tried to win on Sunday instead of giving up at the last second as I watched the defending Super Bowl Champs lose to the Titans who barely beat the now 1-3 Texans. Awesome. Just great, Jawns.

You'll always have that win over the Patriots, Detroit.

(DallasCowboys.com)

Squeakers

Cincinnati at Atlanta was decided by an AJ Green Touchdown in the last seconds of the game. Texans-Colts, Raiders-Browns, and Eagles-Titans were all decided by field goals in overtime while four other games were won by a score or less.

Week 4 in the NFL was as fun as watching drunk Packers fans and Vikings fans yell at each other in a Buffalo Wild Wings during Week 2 – except we then we had to watch that game end in a tie. No ties in Week 5!

Time to give Le'Veon Bell whatever he wants.

(BaltimoreRavens.com)

The Steelers Suck

There's nothing more satisfying than watching Pittsburgh struggle, except for maybe seeing them last in the AFC North, below Cleveland. Watching the Steelers barely beat the Buccaneers, tie the Browns in their season opener, and get destroyed by the Chiefs and Ravens is something I've waited for as long as I've waited for Andy Dalton to become elite.

Seems like forever.

The Patriots Also Struggle

I might be one of very few NFL fans outside of the greater Boston area who doesn't really have a problem with Tom Brady but every time I think about the Patriots in another Super Bowl, I immediately get tired, bored, and wonder what else I have to do that Sunday.

I love that the Eagles were able to overcome and pull out a win in Super Bowl 52 (except they can't seem to do that when they play the Titans, but whatever), and I'm excited that the picture for Super Bowl 53 might include some new teams or teams that haven't made an appearance in a while.