National Football League

[Sciatic]

This going for it on 4th down drives me nuts sometimes. A lot of the time it's the appropriate calculation. But there are other times--like I just watched the Chargers do, it's silly. They got nowhere on 2nd and 3rd down from the 2, and showed no signs of budging the Pats there. In addition, in situations like this I think the "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" makes sense. The got the fluke interception on the batted pass, just take the 3. BTW, I typed this before I knew the Pats would have a 50-yard gain on the next play

 

[Nomad]

Very entertaining game Jags & Bills. Hard hitting affair with players getting dinged up left & right. Allen took a hard hit to the head but luckily was cleared of any concussion by an independent neurologist. And I guess sitting out last week was to his advantage as he basically singlehandly beat the Jags. Over 300 yds of total O becoming the first player in NFL history to complete 80% of his passes & rush for multiple TDs in a playoff game. Impressive game winning drive late in the 4th where a 4th & inches "tush push" turns into a bulldozing 11 yd gain to the GL:

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/uwnxF2zvVkM?si=77sKoA9eTs9njz2L

Somewhat of a choke job by Lawrence throwing to Meyers into tight coverage where the ball was tipped & picked after the Bill's go ahead score (also Little choked hooking a 54 yd attempt earlier in the game). Lawrence was left with a minute at his 22 (no TOs) needing only about 25-30 yds for a game tying FG attempt. Didn't need to throw that pass - it wasn't 4th down or anything like that. A 13-4 season & division title all for nothing. People aren't going to remember the 13-4 season - they're going to remember the game losing pick that Lawrence threw. And there's no guarantee that they'll be this good again next year. Lawrence could get bit by the injury bug like he did two seasons ago.

Nice win by the 9ers without Kittle (done for the year - Achilles), Purdy looked good...CMC looked good...the D looked good. No repeat for the Eagles. Lol. I have to admit Hurts looked absolutely awful in their last possession with 2 mins left & 3 TOs needing a TD to win. Sure, he was under pressure but he just couldn't complete a pass nor run for any positive yardage. He didn't look anything like a SB MVP.

 

[Sciatic]

Two entertaining games. Panthers made the Rams work for it. Thought the Bears were dead in the water but the GB offense and defense tanked in the second half as did their kicker. 7 missed points and once again GB have special teams problems in the playoffs. Some are saying that the GB coach is a goner after failing again in the playoffs but it's unlikely. Only last week they were talking about meeting with him re extension talks. Be surprised to see either winner in the SB.

If the Packer's kicker didn't miss the 2 field goals and an extra point I don't think the Bears could have come back. Not really a coaching issue there?

 

[SHAD0W93]

Good win by the Niners but bad losing Kittle. Crazy that the only two score game has been Nomad’s favorite team and qb.

 

[Oldman]

Looks like the SB could go through Seattle all the way. Except the SB. No real surprises in today's games: Eagles achieved what they could...not enough. SF didn't look startling and are not stronger for their next test. LA is being enigmatic but should get better.
AFC: Houston/Denver.

 

[Oldman]

Good win by the Niners but bad losing Kittle. Crazy that the only two score game has been Nomad’s favorite team and qb.

Glutton for punishment....

 

[Nomad]

Pats dominate. Maye was a beast out there - 334 yds of total O. Defense crushed the Chargers keeping them out of the endzone. Vrabel was so excited he cut his lip when he kissed a player on his helmet. Lol.

Sad state of affairs for Herbert - now 0-3 in the postseason & Harbaugh goes to 0-2. That offense looked bad out there. And Herbert couldn't shake off the pressure & make any plays.

Do you fire Harbaugh? (two Harbaughs in one year. Lol). He's been unable to take this team past the WC round for 2 straight years now. He's has a top 10 paid QB who is supposed to take this team to the promised land.

 

[movingtarget]

Pats dominate. Maye was a beast out there - 334 yds of total O. Defense crushed the Chargers keeping them out of the endzone. Vrabel was so excited he cut his lip when he kissed a player on his helmet. Lol.

Sad state of affairs for Herbert - now 0-3 in the postseason & Harbaugh goes to 0-2. That offense looked bad out there. And Herbert couldn't shake off the pressure & make any plays.

Do you fire Harbaugh? (two Harbaughs in one year. Lol). He's been unable to take this team past the WC round for 2 straight years now. He's has a top 10 paid QB who is supposed to take this team to the promised land.

Still waiting for Herbert to do something in the playoffs...............

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Chargers got beat in almost every way. Can't fully blame their OL on this one. Herbert had some nice runs, but just didn't play well in the clutch, again. He simply cannot have games like this and be thought of as elite. But their whole offense was an issue. And Harbaugh was completely, totally outcoached by Vrabel.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Do you fire Harbaugh? (two Harbaughs in one year. Lol). He's been unable to take this team past the WC round for 2 straight years now. He's has a top 10 paid QB who is supposed to take this team to the promised land.

A good option is keeping Nim and brining in McDaniel as OC. Jim got the chargers playing defense very well, the offense has been average or worse since Herbert’s rookie year and worsened under Jim. Herbert is the current Rivers to the others. Allen, Mahomes. Jackson, and Burrow all make that a closer game.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

You mean Jim (Harbaugh) but the issue in question is Greg Roman is their OC and he's already highly regarded.

The problem here though was Harbaugh. He was simply out coached, all game. Look at their last drive. They kept substituting players on offense, and at one point when it looked like they absolutely should hurry up as some Pats players were gassing, he sub'd anyway, and following the rules the refs let the Pats sub. I'm sure Vrabel was thinking, "I'm happy to let you swap guys, give up 10-15 yards on these plays, as they chew 20-30 seconds off the clock with 2 minutes left, and us up by two TDs." It was just bad coaching by the HC, not the OC. And the HC is Harbaugh.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Jim, John, tomato, tomato, either one the team makes the same mistakes ad nauseam . Does Jim call the offense as well or just defense? But he as a “defensive guru” he should know that the team needs to keep pressing on the opposing defense when their backs are to the wall. Have the brothers ever coached a team together? Maybe they could tag team for someone as split HC or DC.

 

[movingtarget]

Chargers couldn't generate any offense and Herbert took a a battering. Quite a few mistakes from both QB's but the Patriots defense won out. Mistake riddled game.
Eagles offense imploded in the second half with multiple drops and bad throws. Barkley had two big runs but the 49ers run defense was better than expected. 49ers offense showed more flair than the Eagles and Purdy got the job done even with the two bad throws to the defense while Hurts was mediocre.
Similarly Allen got the job done for the Bills while Lawrence made some crucial errors. All of the games so far could have gone either way except for the Patriots game as the Chargers never got into the game .

Another divisional battle coming up for the Hawks and 49ers while the Rams and Bears could end up being a high scoring shoot out as neither team is looking too convincing on defense.

 

[Potomac]

Commanders appoint somebody named David Blough as OC.
Yawn

 

[Unchained]

Chargers got beat in almost every way. Can't fully blame their OL on this one. Herbert had some nice runs, but just didn't play well in the clutch, again. He simply cannot have games like this and be thought of as elite. But their whole offense was an issue. And Harbaugh was completely, totally outcoached by Vrabel.

Couldn't agree more on Chargers being outcoached in every way. Too many of the games over the weekend went against age old coaching adage, score when you can and instead went after 3rd and long or going for it on 4th down. Maye wasn't great and he played twice as good as Herbert.
The great and every expanding camera coverage and every angle show over and over and over that referees and calls are ultra subjective, bordering arbitrary. Holding is clear on @50+% of all replays and spotting the ball should not be done with human calculations anymore. An Apple airtag or it's equivalent can tell you where the ball traveled to on the field or if it went out of bounds.
The Chargers should shoulder extra shame with all the other games and teams, coaches showing up prepared.
No real reason but I am going to pull for Steelers and Rodgers.. wouldn't mind seeing some fairytale carry on a little more since Philip Rivers is already back sipping Geritol shots in Alabama.
Some of the slow motion replays of injuries were hard to take.

 

[Oldman]

Pats dominate. Maye was a beast out there - 334 yds of total O. Defense crushed the Chargers keeping them out of the endzone. Vrabel was so excited he cut his lip when he kissed a player on his helmet. Lol.

Sad state of affairs for Herbert - now 0-3 in the postseason & Harbaugh goes to 0-2. That offense looked bad out there. And Herbert couldn't shake off the pressure & make any plays.

Do you fire Harbaugh? (two Harbaughs in one year. Lol). He's been unable to take this team past the WC round for 2 straight years now. He's has a top 10 paid QB who is supposed to take this team to the promised land.

After criticizing Cam (Superman in his mind) Newton over his Drake Maye "game manager" characterization he redeemed himself today. On ESPN's Get Up he sat quietly until the Pat's game became the topic and praised him.
He's still Cam Newton but that was a good step.

 

[Unchained]

After criticizing Cam (Superman in his mind) Newton over his Drake Maye "game manager" characterization he redeemed himself today. On ESPN's Get Up he sat quietly until the Pat's game became the topic and praised him.
He's still Cam Newton but that was a good step.

Just imagine if Maye would have had a decent first half. Guy didn't stop trying even when things were not clicking.
Herbert threw up @3-4 grab balls, not throwing to anyone just throwing it for throwing sake. Patriots defense was just better man on man and Harbaugh had the imagination of a tiny town Pop Warner coach..and it was embarrassing when TV color team made hilarious comments about best play of the night for Chargers was when Herbert fumbled and running back scooped it up for a big gain.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I eagerly await Nomad's thoughts on the Chargers performance. Hopefully this time he won't hold back.

 

[Unchained]

I eagerly await Nomad's thoughts on the Chargers performance. Hopefully this time he won't hold back.

This weekend was like that Sesame Street segment, one of these things doesn't belong here, it's not like the others. Everything the Chargers offered up was sub par.
One thing that made me furious watching the Chargers and Pats as the final game and despised the commentary.. In majority of games over the weekend, especially in man coverage, teams used designed run plays for the quarterback. In Charger schemes they have student body right or left, mostly left and you could see with tight end and all receivers clumped up on one side, New England defense was obviously sending linebacker over to hedge coverage and it left almost @15-20 of open field. Harbaugh, Herbert and Roman made not so subtle decision to have Herbert look for open receiver instead of running as soon as ball was in his hands. Watching other quarterback runs over the weekend, it was only slightly different but that half to over a second was crucial. An intentional quarterback keeper would have kept defense more honest. Herbert is a decent runner, would have more effective if he was more deliberate instead of a secondary thought.. Usually offensive line is ok to sub standard but last night, defensive coordinator for Pats gave Chargers dozens of opportunities just to run off guard or tackle with 3-4 down linemen.. Once Chargers saw that they could bait Pats defense over to one side of the field with some motion and just simply lining up all to one side, they should have exploited it until coaching correction was made by New England. Really really disappointing..
I saw some color guy retire.. Don't remember which network..
Chris Collinsworth..enough already.. Go play golf or start a bitcoin business or anything.He and Terry Bradshaw should car pool to retirement party..

 

[Nomad]

I eagerly await Nomad's thoughts on the Chargers performance. Hopefully this time he won't hold back.

I already briefly commented on him pointing out that he couldn't shake off the pressure & make plays. He's now 0-3 in the postseason. And Harbaugh is 0-2 since taking over the Chargers.

Because of the beat up offensive line (3 starters out I believe including their two stud tackles), he was pressured every single time. And nobody could get open, so he took off running when he wasn't getting sacked. He ended up being the team's leading rusher which is not good & means their running game was nonfunctional (that's on Harbaugh).

This whole situation with Herbert this year is weird. Remember Greg Roman at the beginning of the season wanted Herbert to run more adding that Allen type dual-threat dimension to his game. And Herbert did just that rushing for a career high 498 yds (2nd to Allen's league-leading 579). But it didn't translate to any more wins during the season & it certainly didn't help last night.

I think they need to focus on Herbert's passing more than his running. He's a gunslinger with the 3rd strongest arm amongst starters (Mahomes & Allen). He threw for over 5000 yds in his 2nd yr. And he was ROY of the year setting all kinds of rookie passing records. No reason why he shouldn't be able to pass as well as Stafford, Allen, Mahomes, etc.

Here's Steve Young's take on Herbert. He says he's an elite passer but needs more weapons to be better successful in the postseason:

View: https://youtu.be/HkGDPSJaVQ0?si=eDLwr2lxCUTfIclG

 

[Nomad]

Similarly Allen got the job done for the Bills while Lawrence made some crucial errors.

Allen was a one-man wrecking crew out there. The Bills came in with the #1 rushing offense vs the #1 rushing defense & the Jags won that battle. They "cooked" James Cook limiting him to just 46 yds - well below his 100 yd average. Allen won the game with his arm completing 80% of his passes. He threw some incredible passes off balance & falling backwards. He accounted for all their TDs (3). He flawlessly engineered the game winning drive.

All this with two new injuries he sustained in the game (fingers & a knee). Rappoport gives an update on all his injuries:

Bills star Josh Allen’s laundry list of playoff injuries gets Ian Rapoport rundown

While the Bills have advanced to the Divisional Round of the playoffs, Josh Allen isn't playing at 100 percent.

sports.yahoo.com

I think one of the biggest challenges of Allen's career is this game at the Mile High City. He's never played at Denver, so this is a first. He's going to have play his best game ever against the ferocious Denver D that you know will pin their ears back & blitz him like crazy every play. And the Broncos are going to be pumped to avenge their embarrassing loss to the Bills last year in the playoffs.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I agree with you on this Denver game. I think they will roll the dice and go after Allen. If they don't blitz every day, they will at least bluff it almost every play. And I expect to see a handful of jailbreak blitzes. Payton and Vance Joseph know they can't just let Allen move around in the pocket. They give him an extra second and he can throw the ball all over the field and will. find the one guy open for a half second. They have got to disrupt him.

My concern about Denver is if they fall behind, or the game becomes a back and forth, I don't see Nix pulling them out of it or keeping up with Allen. Will that happen? Who knows? Most intriguing matchup this coming weekend IMO.

Very disappointed that you didn't at least call Herbert a big stiff. Their OL actually played pretty decent for 3Q, and Collinsworth even pointed it out in the 2nd half. Maye had less problems with the Charger defense, which was higher rated than the Pats defense, if one wants a comparison. Herbert was an anemic 19-31 for 151 yards. A passer rating of 74, and QBR of just 25.

However, it is rightfully Harbaugh that is taking the most heat this morning across media and social media. This loss falls upon him more than anyone else, for the reasons we've pointed out, and we all saw. They only got deep into Patriot territory twice all game, and once was after that tipped ball interception (where they ended up turning the ball over), that's it. We can blame Greg Roman, who got praise all season, but Harbaugh is the guy in charge. And he was completely out coached by Vrabel.

 

[Nomad]

Good analysis of the Bills-Broncos game...couldn't agree with you more.

Herbert is not a "big stiff" because he's as mobile & athletic as Allen. You saw those runs last night - the way he can accelerate through the open lanes, the moves he can put on defenders. He was even putting stiff arms on defenders with his broken hand.

I don't see how the OL was playing that well when the Patriots blitzed nearly half of Herbert's dropbacks, generating 45% pressure on those plays, compared to 29.2% on standard downs (Next Gen stats).

But I'll say this: If Herbert doesn't improve in the postseason, he'll end up another Steve Grogan. Lol. Do you remember Grogan back in the 1970s Patriots? (Chuck Fairbanks era). Grogan had elite size (for that era), a cannon arm & was mobile & athletic (He was the first big QB with a elite arm strength that could run effectively). But he couldn't win in the postseason & injuries finally took their toll on him.

 

[SHAD0W93]

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/BVcs1JfEyyM?si=ysrOdZNminUZ3tRw

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Nick deserved every second of that!

Ahhh yes, Steve Grogan, the poor stiff who threw the hospital pass to Darryl Stingley, and the good Lord looked kindly upon him, as no one remembers him from that play. They only remember Jack Tatum.

Herbert is just one loss from tying Andy Dalton, to go 0-4 in the playoffs. He's absolutely capable of catching, and passing Dalton. Especially if Harbaugh sticks around as the Chargers coach, in his life's quest of getting Herbert to the HOF. Herbert reminds me a little of Steve DeBerg. Some decent years for the Chiefs, but for a big dude, never did all that much.

In tonight's game, Steelers look about finished. Solid game for Houston, especially their impressive D.