National Football League

[Unchained]

How many times can Joe Flacco win comeback player of the year?! What an incredible game, and a huge, huge win for the Bengals. Tomlin was right. What on earth was Cleveland thinking giving up on Flacco? And trading him to the Bengals?

Absolutely great game.. Fun to watch from start to finish..

 

[movingtarget]

Fun game. Quality QB play from the two veterans. Chase was huge for the Bengals. Flacco's reaction to Chase dropping an easy catch was priceless. RB Warren also had a really good game for the Steelers.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Flacco and Rodgers were wheeling and dealing in the fourth Icy Hot Bowl. The way the game was going I thought the Bengals shot themselves in the foot leaving time for Rodgers to throw one up there. Tomlin might be found outside the Browns front office sometime in the early morning.

If the Bengals can keep winning, Burrow might return in December for a divisional win or wildcard.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/joe-burrow-makes-surprise-appearance-at-bengals-vs-steelers-qb-on-track-for-mid-december-return-per-report/

 

[Nomad]

Overreactions after Bengals' win over Steelers: Joe Flacco saves season? Aaron Rodgers to rethink retirement?

Which overreactions from the Bengals' win over the Steelers have merit?

www.cbssports.com

Flacco's 342 passing yds was his 45th game of 300 + passing yards & his 18th career highest in a game. His 47,073 total career passing yds is now 14th among the NFL All-Time passing yardage leaders (with his SB MVP - future HOF?)

 

[Nomad]

Vikings to start Wentz vs. Eagles; McCarthy QB3

Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz will make his fourth consecutive start Sunday against the Eagles, according to coach Kevin O'Connell, who added that J.J. McCarthy will be designated as the emergency third quarterback.

www.espn.com

Looks like O'Connell would rather stick with Wentz hoping for a Joe Flacco type performance than inserting McCarthy back into the starting lineup. Lol.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

If Russell Wilson has been playing his way out of the HOF (as Tony Gonzales and Richard Sherman alluded) then somehow, some way, Flacco may be playing his way into it. Might take a good 20, 30 years, but he could. The issue Wilson may have is he, like maybe Wentz, still thinks he's got what Flacco has. He may only be one step or so behind, but that step means everything at this point.

I doubt Wentz is seeking, or will get, any kind of revenge against the Eagles. But this could be an interesting game for both teams.

Reportedly high winds will be the story at the upcoming Miami-Browns game. Maybe 30mph steady, with gusts up to 45 or so. Since neither team run the ball all that well, and neither QB is known for a cannon of an arm... Browns had a guy with a pretty good arm and a lot of experience, but they traded him to the Bengals.

And if Cleveland gets the dome they want, these kinds of fun games will cease to exist in the future.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I’m surprised that KC area media published this.

https://amp.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article312531502.html

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

LAR@JAX- in Wembley!
MIA@CLE - Windstorm! Could be wild fun!
PHI@MIN - Eagles haven't lost 3 in a row in ages.
NYG@DEN - Broncos can't afford to lose this game.
IND@LAC - Winner in a good spot.
ATL@SF - If 49ers get past this game, they have several winnable games coming up before the bye.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I’m surprised that KC area media published this.

https://amp.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article312531502.html

More fines for Lions players.

Lions hit with more discipline as NFL fines two defensive players

Lions' Anzalone and Lacy cited for unnecessary roughness while Chiefs' Mahomes and Smith-Schuster avoid penalties despite controversial actions.

www.mlive.com

Eagles vs Vikings and Colts vs Chargers should be good games. I still think the Raiders are going to get steamrolled.

 

[movingtarget]

Be interested to see what the 49ers can scheme up against against the Falcons offense. Kittle back for the 49ers should help on the offense and the blocking.

Rams and Jags could be a good one. Probably tip the Rams.

Eagles look out of sorts, give the Vikings a shot.

Give the Colts the edge over the Chargers. Jonathan Taylor back in good form.

Giants should give Denver a game. Denver for the win.

Miami and the Browns could be a chaotic game. Close win for Miami.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

And in one game Lawrence fell back to earth as a mediocre quarterback. A lot of meaningless yards, and inability to escape the pass rush. Stafford showed how it's done though. At least the Jags got Hunter involved.

I still think the Raiders are going to get steamrolled.

Raiders missing their two best players on offense (LT Miller, TE Bowers), plus WR Myers is doubtful and hurt, and Geno has had a terrible year. This looks like a game the Raiders look okay for a quarter, run the ball okay, their D keeping them down maybe 10-7. Then Geno throws an int, and it's 17-7, another 3 and out, some weak ST play, it's 24-7. Then later on Geno throws his second and 3rd picks, and at 33-10 the Chiefs just run the ball and clock out. The game never really close, and the score makes the Raider D look worse than it is. Then tomorrow Sam Darnold has a clean, well played game against the Texans, and the Raiders wonder again why they didn't sign him, and instead signed the interception machine that is Geno Smith.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I didn’t watch the game but I know for a fact that the Raiders didn’t even leave Vegas.

McDaniels can be fired any day now. His Dolphins run is unfortunately over and they need a reset from Tua.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Yep, in both cases. Raiders just don't have the players, especially on the OL, and Geno Smith is completely washed, done. Ugly play by KC taking out Maxx Crosby's knees, and he may be out, so that leaves no solid players on the DL in a sport where the trenches mean everything.

Won't be surprised at all if McDaniel is fired tomorrow. Next season, some team will be very happy to have him as their OC though, so I wouldn't worry too much if I were him.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Denver had no business beating the Giants, who absolutely had the game won and shot themselves in the foot, more than once. Giving up all 33 points in the 4th quarter. Timid play calling, bad mistakes. Unreal collapse.

Colts look for real. Their ability to move the ball almost at will against a stiff Chargers defense was something. Game was not as close as the score, and a fairly dominant performance by Indy, in LA.

Cowboys offense on fire, overwhelming the Commanders! Daniels left the game, Injury update later. Didn't look terrible, but we'll see.

Don't look now, but the Bears have won 4 games in a row. Beating both Dallas, and Washington.

Packers had to work hard to beat Arizona. For a long while Green Bay just could not put sustained drives together.

Eagles looked like themselves beating the Vikings, who pushed Hurts to beat them, and he did.

 

[Nomad]

The Bronco game was a joke - I'm fully convinced games are scripted. Explain to me how a team can play so poorly both offensively & defensively in the first 3 quarters scoring 0 points, then at a flick of a switch come alive scoring 33 fkn points? Nix was terrible for 3 quarters like he was a 7th rd backup or something then all of a sudden he magically comes alive in the 4th Qtr throwing & running with vengeance. Lol. And how suspicious when the Giants scored the go ahead TD with 37 seconds left, then miss the extra-point allowing the Broncos to kick the winning FG instead of tying the game & going into OT. Lol.

I can see a team playing very poorly in the 1st half down by a ton of points making halftime adjustments & mounting a comeback in the 2nd half (we've seen this scenario many times before). But for a team to wait & explode in the 4th Qtr scoring 33 points is not real. C'mon man, this is so obvious that the powers to be in the NFL wanted a very close & climactic game for ratings (otherwise this would have been a blowout game with the Giants & a rookie QB coming into the Mile High City).

The financial engine of the NFL is advertising revenue. The league sells the rights to televise the games to the big networks & streaming services. They in turn rely on a plethora of businesses who are paying big money to advertise during the games (that's why we're bombarded with marathon commercial breaks). The NFL brought in an estimated $20B last year. They need as many games to be close as possible to keep people watching & cash cow coming.

 

[Nomad]

And in one game Lawrence fell back to earth as a mediocre quarterback. A lot of meaningless yards, and inability to escape the pass rush.

Yeah, he's a major underachiever bordering on being a bust. He can't put points on the board - only 7 pts & that was his lone TD throw to Hunter in the 4th Qtr. Now I see why he's rated as only a Tier 3 with a lot of negative comments about him coming from opposing GMs, HCs & coordinators. Lol. And it's doesn't look like Coen can do anything special with him. Khan must be pulling his hair out with this team. Lol

OTOH, I can see why Stafford is still a Tier 1 at his age: 5 TDs passes & no picks/turnovers. McVay had those guys ready to play. Despite the long flight & distractions associated with playing overseas, the Rams took care of business.

 

[Nomad]

Won't be surprised at all if McDaniel is fired tomorrow. Next season, some team will be very happy to have him as their OC though, so I wouldn't worry too much if I were him.

Well, he's a dopey coach anyway. He looks stoned half the time on the sidelines (maybe he is?). IMO, he seems to lack the masculinity that you want to see in a HC. He doesn't come across with any authority or leadership traits.

McDaniel finally benched Tua for none other than Ewers who was promoted to backup before the game. What a blow to Zach Wilson who thought he was going to be the backup & maybe get some playing time. Lol. He's got to be one of the biggest 2nd OA busts in the history of the league. Why he doesn't jump ship to the UFL where he could easily start is beyond me.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

The Bronco game was a joke - I'm fully convinced games are scripted.

LOL! Glad you saw it also. It was pretty ridiculous. Not only did Denver flip a switch and turn Nix into Tom Brady, the Giants all of a sudden flipped the other direction. Totally different team than the first 3Q. I've never felt it was scripted (WWE style), but am certain there are aspects that are slanted, angled, titled, to make it both more competitive, and to help teams the league overall wants to win.

Lots of old timers were convinced Super Bowl 3 (Jets over heavily favored Colts) was this way, if not outright rigged. Turn Namath into a star, help the merger, etc. At the very least my guess is someone in the league gave the Jets the Colts playbook a couple days before the game, and/or had spies inside, or spygate level access to walkthroughs, gameplans. But it was also odd the way Shula refused to play Unitas until it was too late.

Well, he's a dopey coach anyway. He looks stoned half the time on the sidelines (maybe he is?).

Yale grad, so you never know. 😉

What a blow to Zach Wilson who thought he was going to be the backup & maybe get some playing time. Lol. He's got to be one of the biggest 2nd OA busts in the history of the league. Why he doesn't jump ship to the UFL where he could easily start is beyond me.

I've said similar. The issue is he'd make $80k in the UFL, and a couple mil sitting on the bench in the NFL (and have access to world class facilities, trainers, etc.). Some desperate team should take a chance on Zach though for next season. Since I don't think he's playing in Miami. I wouldn't mind if the Raiders got rid of all their QBs, drafted someone with their almost certain high 1st round pick, then sign both Zach Wilson and Will Levis cheap, and see what happens. Pete won't want to do that though, because he's old. He doesn't want to rebuild. Will be interesting to see what Brady/Spytek do.