NFL Thread

[Bastet]

Since all they had to do was beat the 49ers, it was a pretty safe bet, but I'm glad the Rams earned a first-round bye, because they have several players who sorely need that week of rest.

Whoever wins the Cowboys/Seahawks game will likely be one and done, but I sure hope it's Seattle rather than Dallas!  If the Seahawks knock off the Cowboys and the Bears dispatch with the Eagles, I will love the NFC side of the coin and be happy with any of them going to the Super Bowl (Rams being my first choice, obviously, but I think it will be the Saints or the Bears, and I'd happily root for either of them).

I don't like anyone on the AFC side, so I'm just rooting for anyone but the Patriots. 

[AimingforYoko]

While I do not think he will be fired, the clock is starting on Mike Tomlin. No way this club should've missed the playoffs.

[voiceover]

When Pat hit Ty for that 3rd & long TD...pretty sure *I broke the NFL sound record.

[roamyn]

Dirk Koetter & Todd Bowles have been fired already.  Not even waiting for Black Monday.  Mike McCarthy better not be hired by the Browns.  His offensive style is similar to Hue’s:  old fashioned, grind out.  Baker & the rest of the offense seems to thrive on the fast playing college style.  I’d say, given the dearth of coaching talent, I’d give the job to Greg Williams, even considering how the defense suffered once he took over HC.

[Jx223]

10 minutes ago, roamyn said:

Dirk Koetter & Todd Bowles have been fired already.  Not even waiting for Black Monday.  Mike McCarthy better not be hired by the Browns.  His offensive style is similar to Hue’s:  old fashioned, grind out.  Baker & the rest of the offense seems to thrive on the fast playing college style.  I’d say, given the dearth of coaching talent, I’d give the job to Greg Williams, even considering how the defense suffered once he took over HC.

Bruce Arians said he would like to coach for the Browns. He also has a connection with Freddie Kitchens and said that he would be willing to keep Greg Williams as a DC. Maybe the Browns will consider Bruce as possible candidate for the HC position.

[xaxat]

3 hours ago, Parker said:

Why would it make you unhappy?  Aren't we supposed to judge people on their excellence and not their color?

The problem is that the NFL is not a strict meritocracy. Who you know matters. That's why the Rooney Rule was instituted, to help coaches of color expand their network connections.

But they still are playing on an uneven field. They are only now developing the kind of coaching trees that counterparts have and the certainly haven't generated the kind of generation contacts seen with families the Ryans, Shanahans and Philips.

(Lot of nepotism in this league.)

[mojoween]

Someone on Twitter said Mike Tomlin is getting fired. That would be foolish by the Steelers.

[Jx223]

I am glad that the Colts made it in the playoffs over the Titans. I think they will be a more interesting team in the playoffs than the Titans would have been. 

Here is our playoff matchups for Wildcard weekend.

Saturday will be Cowboys vs Seahawks, and Colts vs. Texans

Sunday will be Chargers vs. Ravens and Eagles at Bears.

I could see the Seahawks beating the Cowboys. I think that the Colts vs. Texans could actually go either way. I could see the Chargers beating the Ravens and I think that the Bears might beat the Eagles. (Though I give Philly a chance against them.)

Edited December 31, 2018 by Jx223

[mojoween]

Five out of six NFC teams are fine and dandy.  Two out of six AFC teams are tolerable.

It’s funny because there are tons of players currently in the playoffs who get the slurpfest from the media, but I was probably one of the few people who is not actually a fan of Tennessee chanting “Titan up!” last night in my living room.  There is something about Andrew Luck I just cannot stand.

[Danny Franks]

Very satisfying conclusion to the regular season - Ravens make the playoffs, banishing (just about) ghosts of the last two years. Lamar Jackson continues to win, even while still clearly needing to develop more. The Steelers miss the playoffs, in heart-breaking fashion. Excellent.

I still think the Chiefs are the favourites for the Super Bowl, and I'm fine with that. They've got good fans, a really good team, and an incredible prospect, in Pat Mahomes. Hopefully they can get over the hump, after cruising into the playoffs in each of the last two years, before choking.

My ideal scenario now would be for the Colts and Ravens to win next week, giving the Ravens another shot at the Patriots. As for the NFC, I want the Rams to go all the way. They're really the only team in that bunch that I care for.

Edited December 31, 2018 by Danny Franks

[DrSpaceman73]

That was a lackluster game between Tenn-Indy.  Glad the Colts won, though the game should not have been that close.  Too many Colts penalties and turnovers.  Really once Mariotta was announced to be out, there was no reason for the Colts to lose that game.  No way you can lose a play in game to Blaine Gabbert, even on the road. 

Pretty shitty I thought though of the NFL to flex that game to sunday night and THEN make that winner play on Saturday in next weeks games. 

[merylinkid]

Why why why did we have to play the Seahawks next week.   We are so one and done.

The Steelers should have won more games during the season so they didn't need the Browns to beat the Ravens.   Which they had a chance.

Blaine Gabbert gonna Blaine.   They should never have been allowed to stick around.

 

Still a chance for a Rams-Chiefs Super Bowl.   If Andy Reid doesn't screw it up.

[Magog]

1 hour ago, merylinkid said:

Why why why did we have to play the Seahawks next week.   We are so one and done.

Although you never know when it comes to the Playoffs, I really hope that this happens on Saturday Night. 

 

Is the Colts - Texans game on Saturday Afternoon worth watching? I feel like it could be nap-inducing. Neither one of them has a chance of getting to the AFC Championship Game or at least beating the Patriots if they meet.

[Carey]

11 hours ago, mojoween said:

Someone on Twitter said Mike Tomlin is getting fired. That would be foolish by the Steelers.

Yes it would be.  However, it would be fair enough based on how they handle changes to their coaching staff.  People in the area were saying that they needed to make defensive changes last year, and possibly fire everyone on that side.  However, they made no changes and as a result, they paid the price.  To be fair, the defense did improve, but they blew leads in four out of their final 6 games where they actually had a chance to have hit a number 1 or 2 seed.  This defense for the Steelers won't get the benefit of the doubt and shouldn't since they haven't earned it, but IMO, the fact that they blew it 4 times is connected to how awful the offense of the Steelers was down the stretch

 

Therefore, there is no need to fire Tomlin unless he is unwilling to make any coaching changes.  Sort of what happened with Mike Munchak in Tennessee.  Speaking of Munchak, that would be another reason why you'd fire Tomlin: so he could take over.  Probably the only in-house change that would be acceptable right now, since their recent ones have been pretty bad (Coach Randy, Keith Butler, etc).  Personally, the only change that might help on the offense would be to boot Randy or move him back to QB coach and promote Munchak to OC.  If Pittsburgh loses Mike Munchak they're done in 2019

[Popples]

Bengals fire Marvin Lewis after 16 seasons.

[stealinghome]

Wow, I thought Lewis would NEVER be fired in Cincinnati. Interesting.

Quote

While I do not think he will be fired, the clock is starting on Mike Tomlin. No way this club should've missed the playoffs.

Agreed. Very premature, but if the Steelers miss the playoffs again next year, he's gotta be out. The problem with Tomlin is that he's just good enough as a coach that chances are slim you find someone better. But this year was a cluster and even at the end of last year, you could tell he was having problems.

[Carey]

I shouldn't be shocked that Marvin Lewis got fired, but I am since he should have been let go long ago but wasn't, and then it got to the point where Cincinnati would never let him go.  The man doesn't get the benefit of the doubt to say that he was crushed with injuries and that's why they sucked this year.

 

With that, it makes Tomlin the second-longest tenured active coach with one team.  Unless they miss the playoffs next year (which is possible given how good the AFC North is projected to be), and then Harbaugh gets that honor

 

Meanwhile, the coaches in Miami, Arizona, and Denver are now vacant as well.  It's been a long time since Black Monday has been as advertised.  All I need to see is if Sean McDermott gets booted and then it would add to what New England has done within it's greatness within the AFC East

Edited December 31, 2018 by Carey
Black Monday is back to being Black Monday

[Crs97]

I believe the Browns’ first couple of games this season ended with the NFL announcing that the refs had screwed up a call that hurt the Browns badly so this should come as no surprise:

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/early-whistle-costs-browns-td-lamar-jackson-fumble-234641390.html

Appreciate the consistency if nothing else . . .

[MarkHB]

18 hours ago, Silver Raven said:

Jets end their season the way their entire season went.  The last play of the season was a fumble and a lost ball.

I did feel badly for them over that; it was just humiliating. But I probably felt worse for Gronk losing what might be one of the last big plays of his career to a relatively lame OPI call that wasn't even on him.

[Bastet]

8 hours ago, mojoween said:

There is something about Andrew Luck I just cannot stand.

Same here!  I can't explain it (surely it's not just the gods-awful facial hair), but he bugs me.  So since I didn't care about either team, I decided to root for the Titans because of that.  I sure showed him.

[Kip Hackman]

I don't like Andrew Luck, but I love the Capt. Andrew Luck Twitter page.

 

[Danny Franks]

39 minutes ago, Kip Hackman said:

I don't like Andrew Luck, but I love the Capt. Andrew Luck Twitter page.

 

They really should have given him a crazy, 19th century middle name, to round out the parody.

[basiltherat]

The thing about Luck I believe is that he has this Cro-Magnon/Neanderthal thing going for years and now EVERYONE has those damn ugly beards.

Oh, and the alter ego's middle name should indeed be "Jubilation"

[roamyn]

5 hours ago, Crs97 said:

I believe the Browns’ first couple of games this season ended with the NFL announcing that the refs had screwed up a call that hurt the Browns badly so this should come as no surprise:

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/early-whistle-costs-browns-td-lamar-jackson-fumble-234641390.html

Appreciate the consistency if nothing else . . .

The 1st Squealers game and the Raiders game.  Our former kicker lost us the 2nd game (to the Saints).

interestingly, when the Saints won their only Super Bowl, the three teams they lost were, Cowboys, Rams, Panthers.  And guess what the three games they lost this year...yep Cowboys, Rams & Panthers.

[ganesh]

The Saints beat the Rams.

[Sew Sumi]

Saints v. Rams would be vastly entertaining. Over/under around 80 or so. 

[roamyn]

1 hour ago, ganesh said:

The Saints beat the Rams.

Ok, I have the wrong team.  I’ll look up the right one.  My point is, they lost to the same teams this year and 2010.

ETA:  it was the Buccs.

[Parker]

My pseudo team, the Falcons, continue to make a mess of things since that Super Bowl meltdown against the Pats.  They win the last meaningless game and drop six spots to 14th in the draft when a loss would have given them the 8th spot in the draft.  In fact, winning the game before cost them two more spots.   They could have had the 6th pick in the first round and pick 38 in the second.  Instead it's 14 and 46.   So, they blow the SB and win meaningless games.  

I can't wait till they fire their coach and try to move on with a better coach.  One more bad season and maybe we can move in the right direction.  They are wasting the careers of Ryan and Jones with this nonsense.

[mojoween]

So does Houston have a working defense or nah?

[twoods]

Stay classy, Houston fans. No reason to boo your team so early. Maybe your dumb asses deserve to lose if you can’t even encourage your team a little.

[ganesh]

That Colts challenge was dumb ass. You going to risk a time out on a play in the 1st quarter in the middle of the field up 14 0? Other than that Luck is playing like a hall of famer with the protection he's getting. 

Wow these announcers are talking not good. "The Colts are going to be passing a lot." Six straight run plays. They are largely not insightful. 

[Crs97]

Did Houston forget they had a game today?

[Jx223]

That half went by fast. So far the Colts look really good. (Especially Andrew Luck) I had thought they would win today's game, and it definitely looks like they are on their way to doing that. I wonder what adjustments the Texans might make in the 2nd half, to try and come back in this game.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Jx223

[mojoween]

If Houston had gotten the offense going in the second half they might have had something.

Did the Texans defense step it up or were the Colts just playing really safe?  I have to admit that I was half paying attention after halftime and it seemed like every time I looked up Deshaun was running or a receiver was not making a catch.

[DrSpaceman73]

2 hours ago, ganesh said:

That Colts challenge was dumb ass. You going to risk a time out on a play in the 1st quarter in the middle of the field up 14 0? Other than that Luck is playing like a hall of famer with the protection he's getting. 

Wow these announcers are talking not good. "The Colts are going to be passing a lot." Six straight run plays. They are largely not insightful. 

It was actually a closer play than it looked at first on the field and it was a critical 3rd down.  Not a bad challenge. 

Just dominated the Texans in the first half.  Second half was conservative offense and defense for the Colts and Houston couldn't come back

On to KC.  Chiefs have a HORRIBLE history vs. the Colts in the playoffs.  Not that I think it means much in this game, but its pretty disastrous.  So much so I almost pity them for it.  I would detest the Colts for it if I were a Chiefs fan. 

Colts 4-0 vs Chiefs in the playoffs since 1995.  That includes blowing a 28 point lead, a 38-31 at home loss where the Colts never punted all game and a 10-7 game where the Chiefs missed 3 FGs, also in KC. 

7 minutes ago, mojoween said:

If Houston had gotten the offense going in the second half they might have had something.

Did the Texans defense step it up or were the Colts just playing really safe?  I have to admit that I was half paying attention after halftime and it seemed like every time I looked up Deshaun was running or a receiver was not making a catch.

Colts were playing conservative on both sides of the ball in the second half

Watson short hopped several passes to open players. 

[ganesh]

I'm just here to watch the games and hope to talk about it with like minded people within the context of sports as entertainment. I don't have any rooting interest beyond a clean, entertaining game. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by ganesh

[DrSpaceman73]

4 minutes ago, ganesh said:

No, it was a challenge in the first quarter on a play at midfield where your defense was playing well enough that it wasn't make or break the game at that point. It was shortsighted and wasteful. It doesn't matter how close it was. It wasn't like it was going to give them 1st and goal. 

Whatever, I don't agree. 

Any third down call can be critical in a playoff game.  If the Texans continue that drive and score it becomes a one score game early and a much different game. 

They didn't, but no way of knowing that at the time. 

And if that's the biggest criticism you can come up with for the Colts coach, a missed challenge, I'll live with it

Edited January 6, 2019 by DrSpaceman73

[mojoween]

10 minutes ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

That includes a 38-31 at home loss where the Colts never punted all game

That was back when I liked the Colts because Peyton and if I recall correctly I was tickled because the punter’s name was Hunter.

I am easily amused.

[DrSpaceman73]

4 minutes ago, mojoween said:

That was back when I liked the Colts because Peyton and if I recall correctly I was tickled because the punter’s name was Hunter.

I am easily amused.

Yep, Hunter The Punter Smith

The kicker who ran down Deion Sanders on a punt return and denied him a TD. 

[ganesh]

The over on the Colts Chiefs is going to be like 70.

Edited January 6, 2019 by ganesh

[Haleth]

18 minutes ago, mojoween said:

That was back when I liked the Colts because Peyton and if I recall correctly I was tickled because the punter’s name was Hunter.

I am easily amused.

His band is often the pre game entertainment at Lucas Oil. 

[twoods]

Besides that ridiculous challenge on the third down play by Hopkins, the Colts did a good job today. Jumping out to a big lead and not making mistakes in the second half.  What a difference a great offensive line makes in just a few seasons. Luck had some great throws and the running backs had big holes to run through. It will be an entertaining matchup with the Chiefs. 

[emma675]

Ugh, that ankle injury on Hurns was gruesome. Even before the replay, when he was laying on the ground, I thought something looked off, like his foot was backwards or something. Turns out, it might have been. Poor guy.

Edited January 6, 2019 by emma675d

[BitterApple]

I have a pretty strong stomach but I thought I was going to lose my dinner when they replayed Hurns' ankle snapping. That was brutal.

[Popples]

54 minutes ago, mojoween said:

That was back when I liked the Colts because Peyton and if I recall correctly I was tickled because the punter’s name was Hunter.

I am easily amused.

Well then, I know you can't wait for Cameron Dicker the Kicker to be NFL eligible in a couple of years! 😀

[topanga]

43 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

I have a pretty strong stomach but I thought I was going to lose my dinner when they replayed Hurns' ankle snapping. That was brutal.

Maybe I have no soul. Hurns’s injury looked painful but didn’t make me squeamish. Then again, I work in healthcare and have seen horrible injuries just like this. 

Nice touchdown pass from Dak. I still wonder if the Cowboys’ offense is going to sit back and let the defense do all of the work

[Carey]

IMO, it's not so much the injury of someone that's gruesome; it's the talk of gruesome injury that has me disinterested in viewing it.  That, and a lot of other things.  That includes the emotions of family, friends, and teammates.  And worse yet, it might be life-threatening.  Torn ligaments and broken bones suck, but when there's an infection involved or something related, that's the part that gets me.  Still sucks for Hurns

 

And things suck for Seattle's kicking game.  They might need it today, and probably would help next week too.  However, if Seattle wins tonight, chances are that you'll probably need Russell Wilson more than you'd need Sebastian Janikowski in order to advance to January 20 and maybe February 3

[mojoween]

I cannot believe I am going to have to say this AGAIN but fuck. The. Goddamn. Cow. Boys.

[Bastet]

I hate everyone.

As I said before, I think the winner of this game will be one and done in the playoffs, so I'm not worried about the Cowboys ruining the NFC for me, but goddamn.  Just having them around for another week is disgusting, and that's before I get to the Seahawks being the team knocked out because of that.

There were several penalty calls/non-calls that benefited Dallas, but ultimately Seattle fell down on the job.  

And, again, networks, stop showing the fucking reanimated corpse that is Jerry Jones when most other owners couldn't be identified in a line-up by the average viewer.

[Jx223]

I am glad that Dallas won this game. I had thought that the Seahawks were going to win it but after a lot of grinding by both teams, Dallas managed to get the win. Zeke made some nice plays. And I also give Dak credit for making some big plays for them at the very end to help them get the win.  

Edited January 6, 2019 by Jx223