Cup of coffee in the big time: We’re just not going to mention the Survivor Series sweep?

I enjoyed last night’s edition of WWE SmackDown Live quite a bit. Charlotte Flair and Daniel Bryan delivered on the mic, there was some fun wrestling and overall it was an easy watch.

There was one glaring issue: the Survivor Series sweep meant nothing.

The assumption was the sweep would lead to some sort of change or focus, likely at the authority level. Paige and Shane McMahon were both on the show and neither had a word to say about what should be — in storyline — their most embarrassing moment in their current role.

Instead, Shane sat and listened to The Miz praise him and Paige fined Charlotte for attacking referees during her beating of Ronda Rousey.

Aside from New Day bringing up the dismissal of SmackDown’s tag win on the kickoff show, there was nothing to indicate the sweep meant anything beyond “hey, SmackDown’s roster sure got their asses kicked.”

I’ll cling to the idea it will mean something later on, because otherwise it just seems like an odd way to approach Survivor Series.

At least the show delivered us two gifts: a far more interesting Charlotte, refreshed from losing so much steam against the force that is Becky Lynch, and The New Daniel Bryan.

Charlotte is far better exhibiting heelish tendencies than she ever has been as a face. She’s an elite athlete and is in so many ways her father’s daughter.

And Daniel Bryan is an elite talent doing anything in or around a wrestling ring, but he’s a genius as a heel. His promo was pitch perfect and he seems so beautifully unhinged in the role he embraced last night.

Much as with the actual Survivor Series event, we’ll just have to take the great with the confusing.

• SmackDown Live recap and reactions can be found here, and we have all the video highlights you need right here.
• What is the plan for Lars Sullivan on the main roster?
• Rumors of The Elite starting a wrestling company look a little more legitimate now.
• Braun’s injury/angle has knocked him from Mixed Match Challenge.
• Is it ok to use Roman Reigns’ leukemia in promos?
• Raw’s ratings didn’t take a hit from one of the bigger Monday Night Football games in recent years.
• Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Cormier may not happen if you listen to UFC President Dana White.
• Sad Enzo is sad.
• Are you guys ready for John Cena back in your WWE sports entertainment?

See y’all in a few days! Happy Thanksgiving!