NFL Thread

[Carey]

FYI: SNF will be announcing the playoff schedule at the end of the Packers/Lions game.  I'll try to get it on here (if it's not already posted here).  In brief: 2 games Saturday, 3 on Sunday, and 1 on Monday.  NBC & FOX get 2, and one each for CBS & ESPN

[Popples]

Thank you, Lions!

[Carey]

First time someone winning a SNF game ends their season with that game. Still dumb for the league to put Packers/Lions on SNF. Totally stupid

[Court]

I love seeing Rodgers lose. Good for the Lions. 

At this point, the Cowboys are losing to Tampa if Dak can't get his interceptions under control. And I'm a lifelong fan but I don't trust them. I'll also be pissed if we can't beat stupid Tom Brady because I don't want him in the playoffs 

[twoods]

Suck it Packers!

[Carey]

1 minute ago, Court said:

I love seeing Rodgers lose. Good for the Lions. 

At this point, the Cowboys are losing to Tampa if Dak can't get his interceptions under control. And I'm a lifelong fan but I don't trust them. I'll also be pissed if we can't beat stupid Tom Brady because I don't want him in the playoffs 

While San Francisco has dominated the Seahawks this year, the former probably would've been better off facing Green Bay.  The 49ers own the Packers.

As mentioned, if Tampa beats Dallas, then so be it.  I have to disagree with the Brady stuff.  People will whine & cry about how unfair it is that Dallas had to travel to Raymond James Stadium despite a superior record.  The Cowboys are playing like crap, TB12 is undefeated against America's team, and that includes Week One as a road team

[Lamb18]

So happy the Lions won!

Playoffs should be fun. I would love for the Vikings to win all their games but I don't think they'll win more than two.

But who knows?

[Carey]

Playoff Schedule Time!

Saturday:

Seattle at San Francisco: 4:30 on FOX
Los Angeles at Jacksonville: 8:15 on NBC

Sunday:

Miami at Buffalo 1:00 on CBS
New York at Minnesota 4:30 on FOX
Baltimore at Cincinnati 8:15 on NBC

Monday:

Dallas at Tampa Bay: 8:15 on ESPN

[Lamb18]

Ha ha, headlining the local news is Packers losing and showing disappointed Packer fans.

[stonehaven]

Ugly Packers loss....Completely ugly and I thought it was sad that Detroit won while GB lost and yet the focus still was on Rodgers on whether he'll ever play again. The mancrush the sports media has on him just won't die. Following him into the tunnel? The focus should have been entirely on Detroit and that epic win!

I'm a Packers fan but that was an ugly loss that we deserved. Pushing one of the Detroit's staff? For what reason? Hope the guy is fined.....

So, I root for a Vikings/Bills Super Bowl.

[Salacious Kitty]

16 minutes ago, Court said:

I love seeing Rodgers lose. Good for the Lions. 

At this point, the Cowboys are losing to Tampa if Dak can't get his interceptions under control. And I'm a lifelong fan but I don't trust them. I'll also be pissed if we can't beat stupid Tom Brady because I don't want him in the playoffs 

Talk about a game in which the vast majority of the nation roots for Stadium Implosion. 😂

[Carey]

I can actually see the Giants beating the Vikings.  2 Teams headed into opposite directions, though the NFC South winner has a negative point differential.  Amazing how they were almost a 2 seed.

I'm still pissed about the Chargers.  I don't think it's happening, but I'd love to see the Chargers boot Staley for a nice upgrade (Payton, Harbaugh), but only if they lose to Jacksonville.  There's no reason to play people when your seed is secured.  Nobody cares about the "We not afraid of the injury jinx" nonsense.  Hope that Williams & Bosa are okay; at least Herbert is fine

[roamyn]

It figures.  The one team that hired an AA coach last year, fires him right away.  Yes, the Texans sucked, but that’s not all on Lovie.  And he had them playing their hearts out these last few games.

He’s probably better off in the long run, tho.

If the Chargers lose to Jacksonville (a good possibility), dopey they fire Staley or give him one more chance?

[twoods]

They will probably fire Staley if they lose to a Jags team they should beat. I also don’t understand why he played the starters in a game that was inconsequential. Hoping that Mike Williams just has back spasms and is good to go, but what if Herbert got injured? The Chargers curse lives on.

Edited January 9, 2023 by twoods

[Fukui San]

Please remember that last year during hiring season the scuttlebutt was that the Texans were eyeing former player with no coaching experience Josh McCown as head coach. But then Brian Flores came out with his accusations of racism against the Dolphins which put the spotlight on hiring practices on owners leaguewide. That might have put the damper on the plan to hand a coaching job to a completely unqualified white player. And Lo and behold, the Texans hired Lovie Smith, who was not a much discussed coaching candidate at all. And the Colts beat them in the race to hand a coaching job to a completely unqualified white player. 

Lovie was there to mind the store for a year until the heat was off. We’ll see if they go ahead and hire Josh McCown. 

[mojoween]

Losing teams hosting their first playoff games should not be as big of a deal as the media cries about.  The rule is that you win your division.  Not you must win it over .500.  Don’t want to go on the road and play a team with a losing record?  Win your division. 

[SuprSuprElevated]

14 hours ago, AimingforYoko said:

And Jeff Saturday.

As a casual Indy fan, I wanted him to do well.  Is a partial season long enough to judge? I don't know, but I'm sure that he won't get the job, particularly after that Minnesota disaster.

I would feel the same about Lovie, but his last two hc jobs were inarguably disastrous.  His Chicago record was less so, but only one conference championship in 9 seasons won't garner a lot of support with a storied franchise, or anywhere really.

Edited January 9, 2023 by SuprSuprElevated

[SuprSuprElevated]

10 hours ago, Calvada said:

Bears with the #1 pick in the draft is interesting. Are they convinced Fields can be the answer at QB long term?  Or do they take Bryce Young?  Or trade one OSU QB for another and select Stroud?  Would another team trade for Fields?  Is there a team that is willing to trade up to #1?  And what would that cost?  Or do the Bears stay at #1 and take someone other than Young or Stroud?

Bears fan here, and all I can say is that whatever move they make, it will be the wrong one.

[SuprSuprElevated]

7 hours ago, stonehaven said:

Hope the guy is fined.....

Oh he'll be fined alright, but it will be yet another insignificant amount (by player standards), that will do nothing to prevent such idiocy in the future.

[mojoween]

Whatever the Texans do doesn’t matter to the Bears, so what are the chances Chicago keeps the #1 pick and doesn’t trade it (because who are they going to trade for?) and then Houston takes Bryce Young?

[blueray]

13 hours ago, BlueSkies said:

The Bengals/Bills playoff game should be as well if they both win next week 

I was thinking this as well. If both teams win next week. Then I believe KC will play the winner of the 4th & 5th game. Then the two teams play each other.

[ScorpioSoul]

Please stop making everything about race. I am just so sick of the pearl clutching every time a team fires or doesn't hire a black coach. Yes the Saturday thing was strange, but he has ties to the team. I do like Saturday and do think he could be a a good head coach. **SOME DAY**. Now? No. If he is really serious about coaching, he needs to put out feelers and get an o-line coach job and go from there.

[merylinkid]

Ugh.   All Seattle had to do was lose and the Lions would actually be in a playoff game.   Then they had to go and win.   By the Lions winning, SEATTLE is in.   But if the Lions had lost Green Bay was in.   There was no good option there.

Cowboys were PUTRID yesterday.   They play down to their opponent.  And the stupid GM running around saying it was GOOD to lose, they will learn from it.   No its is not good to lose the last game of the season heading into the playoffs with your starters in.   Please, please, please can we have a semi-competent GM?

Everyone wants to see the Bills playoff game.   So they stick it at 1 p.m. on Sunday.   Not one of the night games.  Nope, they get the crappiest slot.   Just ugh.  Seriously no one wants to see Jags-Chargers, they could have stuck the Bills game there.

[DrSpaceman73]

2 hours ago, mojoween said:

Losing teams hosting their first playoff games should not be as big of a deal as the media cries about.  The rule is that you win your division.  Not you must win it over .500.  Don’t want to go on the road and play a team with a losing record?  Win your division. 

I disagree. You're already getting into the playoffs with a losing or .500 record.  The better record should host. They should be happy to just be in the playoffs. 

Some divisions are much tougher to win than others. Just being in a bad division shouldn't get you a chance to host a playoff game. 

No reason Jeff Saturday should even be considered for continued coaching of the team. Colts quit playing firctge year at halftime of the Minnesota game weeks ago. 

Glad rodgers is out. Hopefully brady follows 

[Kip Hackman]

54 minutes ago, mojoween said:

what are the chances Chicago keeps the #1 pick and doesn’t trade it (because who are they going to trade for?)

Who are they going to trade for? A boatload of draft picks from a team desperate for a QB.  Like Indy or Carolina.

[Carey]

Just now, Kip Hackman said:

Who are they going to trade for? A boatload of draft picks from a team desperate for a QB.  Like Indy or Carolina.

Exactly.  I think Seattle also has the ammo for Young

[kathyk24]

9 hours ago, twoods said:

How do the Texans expect to win if they don’t give coaches a chance? Don’t the players deserve consistency?

Exactly the Panthers fired their head coach as well. How do you expect them to win after their best player was traded during the season? I remember Mike Golic saying that players never want to lose a game so firing a coach for winning is stupid.

[ScorpioSoul]

 I don't know who 95 is for the Packers, but he should have been ejected too. He purposely bumped the medical person after Walker shoved him.

[bluegirl147]

39 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

Everyone wants to see the Bills playoff game.   So they stick it at 1 p.m. on Sunday.   Not one of the night games.  Nope, they get the crappiest slot.   Just ugh.  Seriously no one wants to see Jags-Chargers, they could have stuck the Bills game there.

The two games I would actually want to watch Cincy/Baltimore and Dallas/TB are Sunday and Monday night.  Neither one I will get to watch to the end because I have to get up Monday and Tuesday morning for work.  I will probably watch the Buffalo/Miami game unless Buffalo makes it a blowout which will probably happen.

42 minutes ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Glad rodgers is out. Hopefully brady follows 

If Brady was playing anyone but the Cowboys I would be rooting for him to lose.  As it is I just hope these two teams beat the hell out of each other and whoever wins loses in the next round.

[roamyn]

FINALLY!!!

The Browns have fired Joe Wood, the defensive coordinator.   You couldn't have done that mid season, Kevin & Andrew?

[SuprSuprElevated]

1 hour ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

No reason Jeff Saturday should even be considered for continued coaching of the team. Colts quit playing firctge year at halftime of the Minnesota game weeks ago.

Right, but the finishing impression is bad, and of course the players won't be the focus. They rarely are.  Coaching changes are the low-hanging fruit.

Edit - I read your post incorrectly, thought you said no reason he shouldn't be considered. My answer stands.

Edited January 9, 2023 by SuprSuprElevated

[xaxat]

Why does Nick Caserio still have a job? He has fired consecutive head coaches that he hired after only one season. And the Texans are going to give him another shot?

The coaches may have been part of the problem, but they are not the primary problem.

 

[Chit Chat]

10 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

Also seeing Rodgers upset and disconsolate gives me joy.

He sure looked like a man who wouldn't be stepping back onto that field ever again.  I've never seen him hug so many guys and appear to be so emotional.  I doubt that he'll retire though.  Mr. Chat was joking that Brady will probably leave the Bucs, then they'll get Aaron Rodgers.  Please, no!   

5 hours ago, mojoween said:

Losing teams hosting their first playoff games should not be as big of a deal as the media cries about.  The rule is that you win your division.  Not you must win it over .500.  Don’t want to go on the road and play a team with a losing record?  Win your division. 

I was surprised to see how many teams this far into the season have records similar to the Bucs (8-9).  On one hand, that makes me feel better, but on the other hand, a lot of teams kind of suck!  Mediocrity seems to be the norm in the NFL.  

[Magog]

17 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Now that my Steelers and Commanders are out, I don't care who wins the SB--as long as it's not the Cowboys.   

I also don't want the Cowboys winning the Super Bowl. Most certainly, I don't want to have to tolerate another Super Bowl with Tom Brady & those scummy Buccaneers. And the Chargers can also get bent & hopefully the Jaguars will finish them off. 

10 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

So happy the Lions won!

 

10 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

Ha ha, headlining the local news is Packers losing and showing disappointed Packer fans.

The Packers losing & Aaron Rodgers being very sad about it really warms my heart this morning. It feels like an angel got its wings.

 

10 hours ago, Carey said:

Monday:

Dallas at Tampa Bay: 8:15 on ESPN

😒

It makes me sick to my stomach that I have to root for one of these losers. Because they both suck, are very unrootable, & whoever wins that game, might go on a run in the Playoffs. I wish that there was a way that both Tom Brady & the Cowboys lose. But since that its not possible, I don't know who I have to suffer by rooting for one of those losers. 

[roamyn]

14 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

He sure looked like a man who wouldn't be stepping back onto that field ever again.  I've never seen him hug so many guys and appear to be so emotional

After the game, the announcers said it sounded like Aaron told one of his teammates "I think I'm gonna keep this jersey". 

Why else would he say that unless he already knew he was leaving?

[Chit Chat]

2 minutes ago, roamyn said:

After the game, the announcers said it sounded like Aaron told one of his teammates "I think I'm gonna keep this jersey". 

Ah, I didn't hear that!  

19 minutes ago, Magog said:

I don't want to have to tolerate another Super Bowl with Tom Brady & those scummy Buccaneers.

To be frank, it's highly unlikely that our "scummy" Bucs will make it to or win the Super Bowl.  We're enjoying the ride for as long as it goes.  There are several other teams on fire right now, so we have no illusion that they'll get that far.  However, we'll never abandon ship, and we still hold out hope that our guys will pull it together and go far in the playoffs!  

[JTMacc99]

15 hours ago, mojoween said:

The Eagles should be a little concerned about how their starters looked against the Giants junior varsity squad.  Good lookin’ out, Blue!

I don't hate how the NFC playoffs are lining up right now for the Giants.

They are three point underdogs right now going to Minnesota on Sunday. I'll take my chances with that game. The Giants coaching staff has shown itself to be really smart, so I would think they'll head in with solid game plans. If the players can play a tight game, and with guys who were injured last time coming back, I can see the first Giants playoff win in a very long time. 

Can't see the Seahawks beating the Niners given their record against them so far this year.  

So that would send the Giants to Philadelphia the following week and the winner of Tampa/Dallas to go lose to SF.

Again, based on what the Eagles look like right now, I'll take my chances again with that game. 

[DrSpaceman73]

1 hour ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

Right, but the finishing impression is bad, and of course the players won't be the focus. They rarely are.  Coaching changes are the low-hanging fruit.

Edit - I read your post incorrectly, thought you said no reason he shouldn't be considered. My answer stands.

Everything has to change with the colts. New coaching staff and players. Rumor is the gm will stay but even he is at risk for being fired.  

Qb and o line have to be fixed in twrms of the players. The rest of the units are actually pretty solid.  

But the coaching staff has to be overhauled top to bottom. 

[JTMacc99]

54 minutes ago, Magog said:

It makes me sick to my stomach that I have to root for one of these losers. Because they both suck, are very unrootable, & whoever wins that game, might go on a run in the Playoffs.

What you need to do then, is root for the Giants against the Vikings. If the Giants win, they'll end up going to play the 1 seed Eagles the following week, and the winner of the Bucs/Cowboys game will be sent to an almost certain elimination in San Francisco. 

[Black Knight]

3 hours ago, merylinkid said:

Everyone wants to see the Bills playoff game.   So they stick it at 1 p.m. on Sunday.   Not one of the night games.  Nope, they get the crappiest slot.   Just ugh.  Seriously no one wants to see Jags-Chargers, they could have stuck the Bills game there.

It'll let Damar Hamlin watch the game, so I'm good with it. He's in the eastern time zone, and he probably can't stay up as late as night games can go, and if somehow he did/was allowed to and the Bills won, he'd be so excited he'd probably have trouble going to sleep for hours afterwards.

[Popples]

One of my co-workers is going to be so happy.

 

[Carey]

Arizona has never had a HC last over a half dozen years.  No way I should've or will call them Steelers WEST anymore

[roamyn]

This one is not surprising, but getting a HC to want the job - at this point in time - is not going to be easy.  They don’t have a QB next year, unless they go out and get a “rent a QB”.  But they’d have to do it soon, and what QB is going to want to come in for a year w/o knowing who the HC is?

All I can say is, that’s what you get AZ for firing a perfectly good coach for one who had very little (and terrible at that) experience.

[JTMacc99]

13 hours ago, Carey said:

Playoff Schedule Time!

Saturday:

Seattle at San Francisco: 4:30 on FOX
Los Angeles at Jacksonville: 8:15 on NBC

Sunday:

Miami at Buffalo 1:00 on CBS
New York at Minnesota 4:30 on FOX
Baltimore at Cincinnati 8:15 on NBC

Monday:

Dallas at Tampa Bay: 8:15 on ESPN

I think this lineup makes sense.

• Of course Dallas and Tom Brady get the Monday night game. That's the best ratings matchup this weekend.
• Seattle at San Francisco gets the mediocre Saturday afternoon slot. They can't be the 1:00 game because west coast teams, and it's too boring to be a primetime game with the 9.5 point spread indicating it could be uncompetitive at best. (This would have been Sunday night had the Packers won.)
• Chargers at Jacksonville has the Los Angeles TV market, so it shouldn't be slotted into 1:00 on Sunday, which is where it belongs as far as national interest goes, so it goes to Saturday night. 
• That leaves our three Sunday games. The Giants/Vikings has the NY market and is a 3 point game. The Bengals/Ravens have small TV markets, is a 6 point spread, but the Bengals have Joe Burrow and are last year's AFC champions. And Buffalo/Miami is a 10.5 point spread, and is right up there with the Niners/Seahawks on the "least likely to be a good game" scale. 
• So the Bills get to lead off the Sunday lineup rather than putting them in the night game where there's potential for blow out and people turning off the game. The likely competitive game with the big TV market ends up in the middle game, and Burrow and the Bengals go to primetime. 

[mojoween]

I can’t find an explanation for this, does anyone know?  If Sean Payton left the Saints at the end of the 2021 season, why would a team hiring him at the beginning of the 2023 season owe New Orleans draft picks?

[Fukui San]

28 minutes ago, mojoween said:

I can’t find an explanation for this, does anyone know?  If Sean Payton left the Saints at the end of the 2021 season, why would a team hiring him at the beginning of the 2023 season owe New Orleans draft picks?

Sean Payton "retired". He was not fired. So his contract rights are still with New Orleans, I believe.

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, JTMacc99 said:

Of course Dallas and Tom Brady get the Monday night game. That's the best ratings matchup this weekend.

Given our history of night games, this doesn't bode well for the Bucs!

[Popples]

 

[Chit Chat]

Quote

Damar Hamlin has been discharged from the hospital and is returning home to Buffalo, per the physicians at the University of Cincinnati Health.

Wow!  Good for him!  I'm sure he has a long road ahead of him with rehab and more medical tests, but this is really good news!  I figured he'd be in the hospital for a few weeks.  

[DrSpaceman73]

Sean Payton is under contract with saints through 2024.