National Football League

[Alpe d'Huez]

For a brief period some players, mostly with big body types were wearing a device that looked to limit the range of motion for the lower leg. Not sure if that knee joint limiter thing works.

RGIII wore one in that fateful playoff game. He came into the game with a strained LCL from this play, then sat. It got to the playoffs, they put that brace on him and tossed him out there. His knee buckled even with the brace, and tore both the LCL and ACL (same as Mahomes). But RGIII had previously torn that same ACL. One amazing rookie season, and that was it, his career effectively over. So I wouldn't expect a brace to do much.

If Jefferson is punished I don't know how fair it would be. But they would do it I think because it was for retribution. A payback, revenge hit. The league hates those.

Eagerly await Thursday night's game. Huge implications. Injury bug finally hitting the Rams. Neither Adams or Fiske participated in practice at all. May miss the game. Seattle almost back to full strength. Only Cross on the OL is questionable, and they will need him.

 

[Sciatic]

RGIII wore one in that fateful playoff game. He came into the game with a strained LCL from this play, then sat. It got to the playoffs, they put that brace on him and tossed him out there. His knee buckled even with the brace, and tore both the LCL and ACL (same as Mahomes). But RGIII had previously torn that same ACL. One amazing rookie season, and that was it, his career effectively over. So I wouldn't expect a brace to do much.

If Jefferson is punished I don't know how fair it would be. But they would do it I think because it was for retribution. A payback, revenge hit. The league hates those.

Eagerly await Thursday night's game. Huge implications. Injury bug finally hitting the Rams. Neither Adams or Fiske participated in practice at all. May miss the game. Seattle almost back to full strength. Only Cross on the OL is questionable, and they will need him.

Regardless what folks think of Darnold, I think the big concern about the Hawks is the OL performance that has deteriorated the past few games. Probably overall not terrible, but they recent games gives local fans PTSD flashbacks from a decade of subpar line performance. Hoping for better on Thursday.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

They've been missing Charles Cross, starting LT, who is listed as questionable for Thursday.

Pete Carroll, even more so than Kyle Shanahan, always put more emphasis on playmakers and D, than the OL. This ended up costing the Seahawks in how you speak.

The Raiders currently have the worst OL in the entire NFL, and are likely to finish 2-14, if that tells anyone anything.

I find it interesting that Mahomes had surgery on Monday, while Micah Parsons and the Packers medical staff are going to wait until the swelling goes down before he has ACL surgery. There is a lot of online info on this, including some of rushing Mahomes surgery in order to get him into rehab as fast as possible so he can return by the start of next season.

In 2017 Carson Wentz had very similar surgery and came back just less than 10 months later. But Wentz himself said it took him almost two years to fully heal. He wasn't as mobile as Mahomes though. One can argue Wentz was never the same after this surgery, as he ended up with a slew of minor and major injuries after that. So who knows what will happen?

 

[Nomad]

RGIII wore one in that fateful playoff game. He came into the game with a strained LCL from this play, then sat. It got to the playoffs, they put that brace on him and tossed him out there. His knee buckled even with the brace, and tore both the LCL and ACL (same as Mahomes). But RGIII had previously torn that same ACL. One amazing rookie season, and that was it, his career effectively over. So I wouldn't expect a brace to do much.

Great find & good analysis. I remember watching that game seeing those events unfold. What a travesty...great potention RGIII had. Elite passing skills, elite running skills, great leadership qualities coming out of Baylor. Intelligent. ROY as a week #1 starter. It's so hard to see how quickly major injuries can derail a QB's career.

 

[movingtarget]

https://www.nfl.com/news/dolphins-benching-tua-tagovailoa-to-start-rookie-quinn-ewers-at-qb-vs-bengals

At the moment, Tua and Murray seem to be at a similar crossroads.

 

[movingtarget]

https://www.nfl.com/news/joe-burrow-can-t-see-world-in-which-he-s-not-with-bengals-in-2026

Certainly sounds like he is open to a move.

 

[Nomad]

https://www.nfl.com/news/dolphins-benching-tua-tagovailoa-to-start-rookie-quinn-ewers-at-qb-vs-bengals

Wow...not good for Tua's future. Being benched by a 7th rd pick & last QB drafted in this class. Lol Ewers started the season on the roster as QB3 (McDaniel decided to keep 3 QBs on the active), supplanted Zach Wilson as the backup in week #7 (time for Wilson to move onto the UFL or CFL?), and now gets his first start. Clearly a lack of confidence in Tua.

Out of the 13 drafted & two signed undrafted QBs, 8 have now started at least one game; Ward, Dart, Shough, Grabriel, Sanders, Brosmer, Cook & now Ewers (not counting Leonard since he technically didn't start but came in to relieve Jones when he injured the Achilles, and has since remained the backup with the signing of Rivers).

This is unprecedented with the lower round & undrafted picks. It spells desperation on the coaches part. In Tua's case, McDaniel is benching a 6 yr veteran who was a 5th OA pick for a 7th rd pick & last QB drafted in this class.

 

[Nomad]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6891557/2025/12/15/colts-anthony-richardson-cleared-philip-rivers-starter/

AR5 has been cleared for football activities but Steichen has not opened the 21 day practice window for him to return to the active roster. Rivers is your starter again for MNF vs the 9ers with Leanard the backup (I bet Aikman is going to have fun with that. Lol).

 

[Nomad]

The Raiders currently have the worst OL in the entire NFL, and are likely to finish 2-14, if that tells anyone anything.

Worse than the Tennessee Titans??? If that's the case, then it doesn't matter who starts at QB for their remaining 3 games - they all would do bad. Lol

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Have you managed to sit through any Raiders games? They are that bad. Pete Carroll is stuck in 2019, and made his nepo son the offensive line coach. Making it worse, their two best offensive linemen are also on IR: Kolton Miller, and Jackson Powers Johnson. Pete brought in Stone "Feet" Foresyth to play LT. He was bad when on Seattle a few years ago.

Some pundits proposed Burrow go to the Raiders. Let's see: Far worse OL. No Higgins or Chase to throw to. And the guy is made of glass. But owed a heap of cash. What could possibly go wrong?!

I think Tua needs to retire after this season. He could talk the Dolphins into some sort of settlement where they pay him, and he's gone. Sort of like what Derek Carr did with the Saints. The only reason for Tua to stay in the NFL is to maybe go to winning team next year as a backup to try to win a ring.

Murray someone will take a flyer on, but he's entering the Geno Smith, Jimmy Garoppolo, Marcus Mariota phase of his career.

 

[Nomad]

No, I haven't really watched much of the Raiders except the two games against the Broncos. The reason why I suggest the Titans' OL may be worse is not only are the Titans 2-12 - same as the Raiders - but Cam Ward is officially the worse performing QB so far this year.

He's dead last in QBR, 2nd to last in passer rating, sub-60 Comp Pct, only 11 TDs thrown (26th worse), and sacked 49 times (same number as Smith). So, it looks like Ward is playing behind a college OL. Lol. If it's not the OL, then Ward is totally overrated & never should have been taken #1. You can't have a #1 OA play that badly unless there's a totally dysfunctional OL. Remember, Ward came with a Mahomes Superman package & is suppose to be the answer to the Titan's QB woes.

 

[movingtarget]

Bears consider move to Indiana with effort to secure public funding for stadium in Illinois stalled

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Indiana, huh? And another wimpy dome. Bilking the taxpayers since the Halas and McCaskey families don't want to put up much of their own cash. And why would they if they can get plyable politicians to do their bidding?

As to Cam Ward, he's a rookie. And Geno Smith has thrown double the interceptions he has, while playing less games. I also barely recognize the Titans receivers. Geno has Brock Bowers to throw to, plus Tyler Lockett, plus they had Jacobi Myers before the Raiders traded him at the deadline. Geno is also a savvy vet, making $40m this year, with $66m guaranteed in his contract. If the Titans called the Raiders and offered to trade Ward for Smith, the Raiders would be foolish to say no. Both offensive lines are terrible, but Cam is very likely to improve.