National Football League

[Alpe d'Huez]

Cardinals are favourites with the bookies...

"Favourites"?? Wait a minute, shouldn't you be watching soccer or cricket or something?

Now for a complete 180...

Ray Carruth to be released from prison on Monday. In case you're young, or can't recall, back in 1999 Carruth was a promising WR for the Panthers, but he also had been dealing with injuries, and worried about not getting a big contract. Around the same time he got a woman he was dating named Cherica Adams pregnant. Not wanting to pay child support (which he was already doing with another child), he conspired with a couple thug friends to gun Cherica down, killing both her and the child, later named Chancellor. Cherica died, Chancellor survived, but has cerebral palsy. Rae and the thugs were caught, and while he didn't pull the trigger, Rae was deemed culpable and spent the last 18 years behind bars. He denied most of it for some time, his attorneys using some story about a drug deal gone bad. Then after losing his appeals, went silent, then reached out to the grandmother who is raising Chancellor in recent years to apologize. He then openly apologized and said he took full responsibility for everything that happened, and spoke about gaining custody of Chancellor. But when there was a lot of criticism over that, he rescinded that request and said he only hopes that if he outlives the grandmother, he's able to take care of his son. A truly sad story all around, ne can only hope that Rae's heart is in the right place, and he truly does understand what he did. By all counts Chancellor has done remarkably well, and maybe that's what matters most. Maybe that's all that matters.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Not sure I'll be able to get my picks and thoughts in, but this looks like a very interesting week as we get into the middle of the season.

TEN@LAC - As I said before, the Chargers are for real, third best team in the AFC, and Bosa isn't even back yet.
HOU@JAX - Went with the home team. Both teams have been a bit of a letdown.
CAR@PHI - Despite some hiccups, the Eagles are one of the better NFC teams still. Carolina, sketchy.
MIN@NYJ - Vikings have been inconsistent, but still good. Darnold playing better every week tells me this game will be close.
NE@CHI - A normal team would be let down here, not the Patriots.
BUF@IND - With Derek Anderson set to start, how can't you pick Indy, even with all their problems?
CLE@TB - Forget last week's beating by the Chargers, the Buccaneers D is just what Cleveland needs.
DET@MIA - If Tannehill were healthy, I'd take the Fins at home.
NO@BAL - The game to watch! If this is a low scoring, grinding game, the Ravens will win. Brees also was sacked or hit a fair amount recently. However, Brees (and Payton) can adapt that, the Saints are coming off a bye, and at full strength just explosive, plus their defense is playing like they should, and the Ravens cannot play catch up, or score with consistency.
DAL@WAS - I thought the Cowboys may have a letdown last week. Maybe it's here. Skins (and Smith) too inconsistent, making this a hard pick. Home was an advantage.
LAR@SF - The Rams should, and will win this, but expect it to be close, once again.
CIN@KC - Another game to watch! The Bengals cave against the Steelers every time, but they've played quite well against everyone else, and can move the ball on offense. They'll need to here against KC's arsenal of weapons. But the Chiefs defense gives up way too many yards, a shocking amount. Bengals are however on the road, and have more than average injuries.

NYG@ATL - As beat up as the Falcons are on defense, the Giants aren't good enough to take advantage of that to win the game.

 

[jmdirt]

You have a good shot at a high win % with that row. I could see a several of them going the other way just because of one or two pig plays, a key injury, or something unexpected.

Edit:

 

[movingtarget]

Carlos Hyde Traded

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000976029/article/trade-browns-send-carlos-hyde-to-jaguars-for-pick

 

[jmdirt]

PI needs to be looked at this off season and IMO changed from a spot of foul penalty. Its not a 100% chance that the receiver is going to catch any ball let alone a 30+ yarder. Nothing quite like a 40 yard penalty to make/break a game.

The center/snapper moving the ball needs to be looked at too. It drives me nuts how much they move the ball around, but that's just how it is...until its randomly a penalty. That is a maker/breaker too.

How to call holding in the trenches needs to be discussed as well. We all know that they can call holding on every play...blah, blah, blah. The only time they call it is on blatant take downs/grabs (when they should), and on big plays (about 50% when they shouldn't).

Some entertaining stuff today with (potentially) the best to come in a few minutes.

EDIT: The night cap was entertaining, but not too competitive.

 

[Koronin]

Is Cleveland trying to set a record for most OT games in one season? Just the amount of OT games this year seems unusually high.

 

[movingtarget]

Browns in another close one. 49ers had a shocker and prove to be the the masters of the turnover.CJ Beathard is either on or off, there is no in between ! Bills also took a beating.

 

[Unchained]

Does anyone know what it costs a player to throw the ball to fans in the stands?

 

[jmdirt]

Re:

Does anyone know what it costs a player to throw the ball to fans in the stands?

About $5,000 that goes to the NFLPA Players Fund. But the balls belong to the teams so what is the fine for? Who is being harmed by giving a fan a ball? The Panthers owner paid Cam's fines when he was giving TD balls to kids.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re:

PI needs to be looked at this off season and IMO changed from a spot of foul penalty. Its not a 100% chance that the receiver is going to catch any ball let alone a 30+ yarder. Nothing quite like a 40 yard penalty to make/break a game.

The center/snapper moving the ball needs to be looked at too. It drives me nuts how much they move the ball around, but that's just how it is...until its randomly a penalty. That is a maker/breaker too.

How to call holding in the trenches needs to be discussed as well. We all know that they can call holding on every play...blah, blah, blah. The only time they call it is on blatant take downs/grabs (when they should), and on big plays (about 50% when they shouldn't).

I certainly share your frustration with rule violations that result in penalties in all 3 of those areas. Most egregious to me are the consequences for defensive PI, and lack of offensive holding calls.

Regarding changing defensive PI from spot foul to 15-yard penalty from line of scrimmage & automatic 1st down, the NFL was considering that rule change as recently as March of 2018 by more than one report (2nd link below having better discussion): (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000917735/article/nfl-could-change-defensive-pi-to-15yard-penalty)

(https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/2018/3/1/17061816/should-the-nfl-change-defensive-pi-to-a-15-yard-penalty-jarvis-landry-combine-draft-joe-flacco)

Not enough time to comment much on those articles ATM, and there's a lot more on the www about this topic, but this is something that could not just affect the outcome of games, but will absolutely affect how certain players play the game. If any have been around as long as I have, dating myself, you may recall why the NFL's DPI spot foul came into existence. Before the spot foul existed defensive backs would deliberately foul on deep routes to prevent a touchdown, knowing the penalty was only a 15 yarder. Those kind of deliberate fouls often occurred during 2-minute drills.

As to offensive linemen holding calls, the OL guys get away with far too much. I have gone back to look at photos I've taken and have discovered as many as 3 holds by the OL taking place simultaneously without any penalty call. Perhaps the worst, or at least most effective, being grabbing and latching onto a defender's shoulder pads just under the defender's chin. That area of the pads might as well be a handle for executing a frontal horse collar.

To sum up my opinion, I'd like to see rule changes in these areas. Specifically for DPI, the competition committee needs to get rid of the spot foul but leave some teeth in the penalty to prevent some deliberate DPI fouls that would occur at opportune times (e.g. 2-minute drills). On top of a 15-yard penalty, the TEETH I propose would be to institute consequences similar to hockey, where the violator has to leave the game for a couple plays or set amount of time but without his team having to play short-handed. In other words, the violator would be replaced by a backup. I'd stop short of saying ALL penalties require the violator to exit the game a few plays - I mean, like multiple false starts by visiting team OL - that would not be good. Obviously, this is an idea in its infancy.

RLY out of time now

 

[jmdirt]

Cooper might be the missing piece for DAL.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Re: Re:

Does anyone know what it costs a player to throw the ball to fans in the stands?

It's $6,683 for the first offense, double that for all subsequent offenses. The reason why is because about 10 years ago someone heaved a football into the stands, and it hit a woman who wasn't paying attention, in I believe the eye. This rule needs to be revisited though, because Cam Newton handing a football to children shouldn't be a fine at all, and isn't anything close to a player tossing a hard throw 30, 40 rows up.

https://operations.nfl.com/football-ops/nfl-rules-enforcement/fines-appeals/

As to defensive PI, On3@my is right, and I agree. It needs to be turned into 15 yards and an automatic first down. In order to prevent players from just fouling late in games, they could enforce the penalty, plus after the two-minute warning have the clock reset when it happens. That would make defenders think twice, even on plays like hail marys.

As to holding, he's pretty much right again. I don't know how much more it can really be called, or we'd see a lot more 9-6 games, with lots of sacks, and runs stuffed at the line of scrimmage. But the hold of grabbing the interior pads near the chest and jamming it up under the chin is one of the worst holds that's simply not called enough, and I'm guessing because referees can't easily see it.

As a Raider fan, I think trading Cooper away was actually a good trade. They get another 1st round pick out of it. Now, if they hadn't traded Mack away...

Giants can't score when it matters, poor play calling, weak execution, even with all the Falcons defensive players banged up.

 

[jmdirt]

Re: Re:

Does anyone know what it costs a player to throw the ball to fans in the stands?

It's $6,683 for the first offense, double that for all subsequent offenses. The reason why is because about 10 years ago someone heaved a football into the stands, and it hit a woman who wasn't paying attention, in I believe the eye. This rule needs to be revisited though, because Cam Newton handing a football to children shouldn't be a fine at all, and isn't anything close to a player tossing a hard throw 30, 40 rows up.

https://operations.nfl.com/football-ops/nfl-rules-enforcement/fines-appeals/

As to defensive PI, On3@my is right, and I agree. It needs to be turned into 15 yards and an automatic first down. In order to prevent players from just fouling late in games, they could enforce the penalty, plus after the two-minute warning have the clock reset when it happens. That would make defenders think twice, even on plays like hail marys.

As to holding, he's pretty much right again. I don't know how much more it can really be called, or we'd see a lot more 9-6 games, with lots of sacks, and runs stuffed at the line of scrimmage. But the hold of grabbing the interior pads near the chest and jamming it up under the chin is one of the worst holds that's simply not called enough, and I'm guessing because referees can't easily see it.

As a Raider fan, I think trading Cooper away was actually a good trade. They get another 1st round pick out of it. Now, if they hadn't traded Mack away...

Giants can't score when it matters, poor play calling, weak execution, even with all the Falcons defensive players banged up.

I don't want them to call more holding, I just don't want them only to call it on big plays. In the refs' heads the're like "I'll let that one go, I'll let that one go, oops big play better call it...".

 

[Nomad]

I've been watching football for a long time and have never, ever seen anything like this before: 2 players from the SAME team at the SAME position tearing their ACL in the SAME game. Tampa Bay LB Kwon Alexander tears his ACL in first half and one of the backups, Jack Cichy, tears his ACL in the 2nd half. Bizzare!

https://www.buccaneers.com/news/kwon-alexander-jack-cichy-out-for-the-season

Tannehill still out with a shoulder injury to his throwing arm with no time table on his return. Gase says surgery not an option but I wonder what will happen in the off-season. And Marshawn Lynch put on IR and pretty much done for the season. Bad year for injuries and it's only the halfway point.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000976165/article/ryan-tannehill-expected-to-sit-out-thursday-vs-texans

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

I've been watching football for a long time and have never, ever seen anything like this before: 2 players from the SAME team at the SAME position tearing their ACL in the SAME game. Tampa Bay LB Kwon Alexander tears his ACL in first half and one of the backups, Jack Cichy, tears his ACL in the 2nd half. Bizzare!

https://www.buccaneers.com/news/kwon-alexander-jack-cichy-out-for-the-season

Same here. That is pretty bizarre. Only pair of injuries that even comes kinda close was in a D3 game, where sometimes one offensive and one defensive starter share the same jersey number (low budget D3, haha), when two players with the same jersey number were injured (LT had an MCL, the MLB a Lisfranc) in the first half of the same game and out for season. Got a back-side picture of that one in second half with both #50's standing next to each other, with jerseys on but without the shoulder pads, on the sidelines with crutches looking on.

I once saw a HS game where two players at the same defensive line position were knocked out (bell rung and had to come off the field) on consecutive plays (back-to-back same trap plays to the same gap, so the replacement DL also had to leave the field). At the time, I thought that was pretty bizarre.

 

[movingtarget]

I've been watching football for a long time and have never, ever seen anything like this before: 2 players from the SAME team at the SAME position tearing their ACL in the SAME game. Tampa Bay LB Kwon Alexander tears his ACL in first half and one of the backups, Jack Cichy, tears his ACL in the 2nd half. Bizzare!

https://www.buccaneers.com/news/kwon-alexander-jack-cichy-out-for-the-season

Same here. That is pretty bizarre. Only pair of injuries that even comes kinda close was in a D3 game, where sometimes one offensive and one defensive starter share the same jersey number (low budget D3, haha), when two players with the same jersey number were injured (LT had an MCL, the MLB a Lisfranc) in the first half of the same game and out for season. Got a back-side picture of that one in second half with both #50's standing next to each other, with jerseys on but without the shoulder pads, on the sidelines with crutches looking on.

I once saw a HS game where two players at the same defensive line position were knocked out (bell rung and had to come off the field) on consecutive plays (back-to-back same trap plays to the same gap, so the replacement DL also had to leave the field). At the time, I thought that was pretty bizarre.

It seems that ACL injuries are becoming just as common in female sports now especially for teenagers or younger but there seems to be a rethink over whether surgery is always necessary as surgeons often want people to believe. They are probably knocking back work constantly or referring patients to other doctors.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

When girls youth soccer is going on around here (& with club ball, that's most of the year) it seems I see as many girls in knee braces as I do guys.

Well, Seahawk fans will appreciate this quote about offensive line performance over weeks 3 thru 6:

The Seahawks run game isn't the only area that's excelling as a result of improved line play. According to Pro Football Focus, from Week 3 through Week 6, Seattle's O-line ranked first in overall pass blocking efficiency after allowing just 13 pressures on 106 pass-blocking snaps. ESPN, meanwhile, highlighted Seahawks offensive tackles Duane Brown and Germain Ifedi as the fifth-best offensive tackle duo in the NFL when it comes to Pass Block Win Rate, which measures how regularly an offensive lineman can hold a block for 2.5 seconds or longer.

https://www.seahawks.com/news/monday-round-up-espn-ranks-pass-blocking-of-nfl-offensive-tackle-duos

After giving up 12 sacks in their first 2 games, the O-line has given up just 7 in their last 4 games.

 

[jmdirt]

I've been watching football for a long time and have never, ever seen anything like this before: 2 players from the SAME team at the SAME position tearing their ACL in the SAME game. Tampa Bay LB Kwon Alexander tears his ACL in first half and one of the backups, Jack Cichy, tears his ACL in the 2nd half. Bizzare!

https://www.buccaneers.com/news/kwon-alexander-jack-cichy-out-for-the-season

Same here. That is pretty bizarre. Only pair of injuries that even comes kinda close was in a D3 game, where sometimes one offensive and one defensive starter share the same jersey number (low budget D3, haha), when two players with the same jersey number were injured (LT had an MCL, the MLB a Lisfranc) in the first half of the same game and out for season. Got a back-side picture of that one in second half with both #50's standing next to each other, with jerseys on but without the shoulder pads, on the sidelines with crutches looking on.

I once saw a HS game where two players at the same defensive line position were knocked out (bell rung and had to come off the field) on consecutive plays (back-to-back same trap plays to the same gap, so the replacement DL also had to leave the field). At the time, I thought that was pretty bizarre.

It seems that ACL injuries are becoming just as common in female sports now especially for teenagers or younger but there seems to be a rethink over whether surgery is always necessary as surgeons often want people to believe. They are probably knocking back work constantly or referring patients to other doctors.

My undergrad degree is in Kinesiology so I still read a few journals, and there are frequent articles about 1) too much surgery, 2) over training on under trained , developing bodies, and the combo of those two (along with other factors).

 

[Unchained]

I have read that there are @30% more injuries to gir!s proportionately..and that there are anatomical differences that make girls more prone to injuries in @ soccer,field hockey and basketball...true?
I have always wondered why they can't construct a device that can prevent knee injury...?doesn't seem like the race of motion is that crazy..but if the NFL has a bigger fish to fry..head injuries..
Do those gals in the lingerie football league have a DL list?

 

[Nomad]

Bad news from Dove Valley: Chad Kelley arrested on a felony charge and consequently CUT. I shake my head at this one as Kelly played very well in preseason beating out Paxton Lynch for the backup spot. In fact, there's been some speculation here on the airwaves that Kelly could start some games if the Bronco's season goes south and they fall out of playoff contention. With Kelly's checkered past in college this wasn't the kind of situation that puts you in the good graces of Elway. A wasted talent who may have lost his best opportunity to play in the NFL. I can't imagine what his uncle, Jim Kelly, must be thinking right now.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25071072/broncos-release-qb-chad-kelly-arrest

 

[jmdirt]

Re:

I have read that there are @30% more injuries to gir!s proportionately..and that there are anatomical differences that make girls more prone to injuries in @ soccer,field hockey and basketball...true?
I have always wondered why they can't construct a device that can prevent knee injury...?doesn't seem like the race of motion is that crazy..but if the NFL has a bigger fish to fry..head injuries..
Do those gals in the lingerie football league have a DL list?

Generalizing about anatomy/physiology and gender is a tough one. Do all female athletes have the same anatomical structure. Do all female athletes have significantly different pelvic structure than male athletes? How much effect does pelvic structure have on injury rate? etc...

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Bad news from Dove Valley: Chad Kelley arrested on a felony charge and consequently CUT. I shake my head at this one as Kelly played very well in preseason beating out Paxton Lynch for the backup spot. In fact, there's been some speculation here on the airwaves that Kelly could start some games if the Bronco's season goes south and they fall out of playoff contention. With Kelly's checkered past in college this wasn't the kind of situation that puts you in the good graces of Elway. A wasted talent who may have lost his best opportunity to play in the NFL. I can't imagine what his uncle, Jim Kelly, must be thinking right now. Sad situation.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25071072/broncos-release-qb-chad-kelly-arrest

Sheet! Well, just two words, one name: Ryan Leaf.
There's hope.

 

[movingtarget]

Bad news from Dove Valley: Chad Kelley arrested on a felony charge and consequently CUT. I shake my head at this one as Kelly played very well in preseason beating out Paxton Lynch for the backup spot. In fact, there's been some speculation here on the airwaves that Kelly could start some games if the Bronco's season goes south and they fall out of playoff contention. With Kelly's checkered past in college this wasn't the kind of situation that puts you in the good graces of Elway. A wasted talent who may have lost his best opportunity to play in the NFL. I can't imagine what his uncle, Jim Kelly, must be thinking right now. Sad situation.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25071072/broncos-release-qb-chad-kelly-arrest

Sheet! Well, just two words, one name: Ryan Leaf.
There's hope.

Seems like Chad Kelly had some issues with his behavior in college which was why he tumbled down the draft board. There are always a few like that every year. He has wasted his opportunity and it also shows that sometimes, teams not giving a player the benefit of the doubt in the draft can be a good decision. Hopefully he wises up and will be lucky enough to get a second chance. And what's worse is that it's happened with a team that has continual QB issues it seems. A team that was probably thinking they could develop him into a good player.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

I have read that there are @30% more injuries to gir!s proportionately..and that there are anatomical differences that make girls more prone to injuries in @ soccer,field hockey and basketball...true?
I have always wondered why they can't construct a device that can prevent knee injury...?doesn't seem like the race of motion is that crazy..but if the NFL has a bigger fish to fry..head injuries..
Do those gals in the lingerie football league have a DL list?

Generalizing about anatomy/physiology and gender is a tough one. Do all female athletes have the same anatomical structure. Do all female athletes have significantly different pelvic structure than male athletes? How much effect does pelvic structure have on injury rate? etc...

Interesting question. My sister has a knee defect (I guess defect, something about the kneecap floating or something, sorry not exactly sure). She's had issues with it most of her life. First three problems I remember with her and the knee were roller skating and her knee gave out with no warning. Trying out for cheer leading had it happen and something else sports related. A friend of my mom's (also female) has the same defect my sister has. I played sports through college (granted in college it was inter mural) and never had issues. Don't know if this is something more comment in gals than guys, but if it is that could be part of an explanation. (I played competitive basketball, softball and volleyball. Should have gone out for the swim team instead of basketball).

 

[jmdirt]

Watson looked good last night. The MIA secondary wasn't too motivated, but the DL made him scramble before passing to wide open receivers.