2021-2022 NFL Thread

[Pariah]

The San Diego, er, Los Angeles Chargers sure tried to give that game away tonight, but they just couldn't do it. And I swear I heard a lot more cheers for the Steelers than I did for the home team.

[unclevlad]

Quote

Vis a vis? Come on, man, this isn't the "Sophisticated As Hell Thread". Keep it simple for us lowbrows, will ya? 

 

Where's the fun in that?

 

And definitely, I heard WAY more cheers for the Steelers.  Not the first time, tho.  The Chargers aren't an LA team, they just have a house there.  LA belongs to the Dodgers, Lakers, and Rams.  The Clips have finally developed a following;  the Angels...eh, they're Orange County.  If the Clips are any measure, it'll take at least a decade for the Chargers to really settle in.

 

Yes, it was a horrible move.

And yeah, when the Steelers went ahead, I was already composing a post, writing the Chargers off for the year.  They played an excellent game for about 48 minutes, then tried to implode.  And ya gotta admit, the tipped-ball interception was a pretty freaky play, and a great play by the defender to scramble and dive to get it.  Before the punt block, they were...checking...estimated 97% likely to win.  Couple that with having lost 3 of 4, and this would've been a really, really bad loss.  Right now, oddly enough, the top 4 teams are all division leaders;  then there's 3 teams at 6-4, so they're the WCs.

 

Oh, and don't look now, but the Pats lead the AFC East.

[Pariah]

Not strictly NFL news:

 

USFL reveals its eight franchises for 2022 reboot

 

NORTHERN DIVISION

Michigan Panthers

New Jersey Generals

Philadelphia Stars

Pittsburgh Maulers

 

SOUTHERN DIVISION

Birmingham Stallions

Houston Gamblers

New Orleans Breakers

Tampa Bay Bandits

 

Oh, and the XFL is apparently looking at a 2023 return, presumably after the USFL folds halfway through its 2022 spring season. 

[unclevlad]

The XFL showed that another league is *possible*.  Its timing was just unfortunate.  And they're going for that latter spring into early summer window, which is quiet.  Baseball's opening week is fun, but after that, the season's SOOOO long.  College basketball's over.  

 

From a fan perspective, tho...playing all the games in one city?  Say...what?  How does that spark fan interest?  In the world of watchmaking, there's a term:  zombie brand.  It's when a brand name with a good reputation in the past, but folded in the 70s when quartz watches disrupted the industry, is bought up by knock-off artist types making cheap junk.  That's what these feel like:  they're trying to sucker the old fans...if there are any, my gosh, that was 40 years ago!...with a product that seems to have no connection to the name.

 

Oh, and they haven't said what city would be the host.  Uhhhh....huh.....

 

I'll put it at 50-50 that they never play a single game.

[unclevlad]

To the surprise of few, the Giants realized in 20-odd games what Jerry Jones took 10 years to realize:  Jason Garrett doesn't run offense very well.  He got fired today.

 

Question that comes to my mind is how long it'll be before someone else hires him as a coach.  Or whether he maybe goes to media route, but he's never seemed to come across very well on camera.

 

My, my.  Chargers at Broncos.  Fairly important game for the late slot.  The coverage map isn't out...apparently it'll be released tomorrow...but the problem is, it's a CBS game, and CBS has only the 1 game this week.  The other CBS games are Titans-Pats and Steelers-Bengals...both important.  And, well, Houston and the Jets...eminently forgettable.  Have to think Titans-Pats, as matchup of division leaders, will be the national, but Chargers-Broncos will draw a big western-states audience.

 

Chicago at Detroit...yeah, that's a turkey game.....

 

Edit:  Just saw.  The Adrian Peterson desperation play just ended.  Peterson got cut.

[unclevlad]

Is it tacky to be chortling at another's pain?

 

You might've heard about a certain Green Bay QB's toe problem.  Well, reports are...it IS Covid-related.  It arises from an immune-system over-reaction.

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2021/11/24/nfl-week-12-picks-aaron-rodgers-covid-toe-thanksgiving/

 

Sounds distinctly unpleasant.  Ergo completely fitting....

[Starlord]

5 hours ago, unclevlad said:

Is it tacky to be chortling at another's pain?

 

You might've heard about a certain Green Bay QB's toe problem.  Well, reports are...it IS Covid-related.  It arises from an immune-system over-reaction.

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2021/11/24/nfl-week-12-picks-aaron-rodgers-covid-toe-thanksgiving/

 

Sounds distinctly unpleasant.  Ergo completely fitting....

 

Story has been updated to say it is just a fracture.

[unclevlad]

44 minutes ago, Starlord said:

 

Story has been updated to say it is just a fracture.

 

But Rodgers is bitching, when HE started the whole "Covid toe" angle???  Those were HIS words.  Oh, but now it was a joke....?

 

There's a word for crap like that...entrapment.

 

If he has any friends, they need to tell him to STFU.  Like RIGHT NOW.  He's just digging his hole deeper every time.

[Starlord]

Hes a self-entitled eccentric loon, like many millennial NFL QBs (a good number of which unvaccinated), that's not gonna happen.

 

FYI, Joe Burrow (amazing human being that he is) is vaccinated. 

[Pariah]

My goodness, the Detroit Lions are a horrid football team. Yeah, I know, I've seen the record, but still ... yikes. This organization is incompetent from top to bottom.

 

For example, I never knew that it was against the rules to call back to back timeouts, because I never seen anyone actually do it. The Lions did it today and got a penalty.

 

Back to back holding calls on multiple occasions. Missed receivers. Twelve players on the field for an extra point. An extra point. How does that even happen?

 

Seriously, we need to relegate this team to the CFL. Or maybe even the Big 10. Right now I feel like the Detroit Lions are probably the third best team in Michigan.

 

 

[unclevlad]

HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS!!!!!

 

(There's a reason I didn't watch a single play of the first game, Mr. P.  3 hours of your life you'll never get back....)

[Old Man]

9 minutes ago, unclevlad said:

HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS!!!!!

 

(There's a reason I didn't watch a single play of the first game, Mr. P.  3 hours of your life you'll never get back....)

That was a surprisingly good game, especially for Thanksgiving. 

 

edit: Early headline: "Hochuli allows Raiders to win his 28-penalty show "

[unclevlad]

Altho Bill Cowher's first comment was also true.  Too many flags.  I wasn't paying that much attention to the pictures...prepping everything.  Duck needs regular fat removal, herbs for the hash browns, process the squash for the soup.  But the comments about ticky-tack calls were numerous.  28 flags...insane.

 

But it's also why I don't consider either team a contender:  too many mistakes.  Hey, look at the end of the game.  Stupid penalty on the Raiders when the kicker makes the kick.  Stupid penalty on the Cowboys for jumping offside...no snap.  ANOTHER jump...killed the play but the kicker DOINKED the right upright.  THAT gave the Raiders a first down.  They chose to kick, which...is arguable.  But not wrong, given there were 4 minutes left...can't likely run out the clock...and the kick was now inside 30 yards.  That's gonna be made 95+% of the time.  Continue to play...is there a 5% chance of something Really Bad (fumble, holding call, sack) significantly dropping that?  Versus, are you really going to increase your win chance with plays?  So...yeah, OK, kick is fine with me.

 

I'm actually willing, somewhat, to forgive the Raiders, much tho saying that is revolting.  But hey, lose the HC, lose your big-play receiver...both totally out of the blue, both in really stunning manners...they're doing a heck of a lot better than I expected.  And hey, Cowboys...you're supposed to be this great run team, you can't have 70% pass plays.  

 

 

[Pariah]

Interesting comment near the end of the game: The Cowboys have lost three of their last four, all to AFC West teams.

[unclevlad]

Not an excuse for the Cowboys but more of a general observation:  Covid is going to play a role on who makes the playoffs.  Cooper was out for them.  Forget who offhand but one team has 4-5 people...players and coaches...out.  Heard earlier that the league's probably going to increase restrictions.  OH...Vikes.  6 players listed.  There's 25 players on the Covid list across the league currently.

 

The Saints are playing desperate football.  Fake punt didn't come close to working, so Bills have the ball in very nice field position.

[unclevlad]

ESPN bottom line noted this...

 

This is the 3rd time the Lions have gone winless through 11 games since 2001. 

 

In that period, they're the worst team in the league at 110-219-2.  My personal measure of a horrible season was 5-11;  not sure if I'll go with 6-11 or 5-12 now.  But doesn't matter yet.  The Lions have been horrible, by that measure, 11 times.  Yes, I'll count this year in there.  From 2001-2021, so 21 seasons.   7 of those (again assuming they don't turn things completely around this season) have been *3* wins or less...and with modern NFL scheduling divisional #4 teams get to play several other #4 teams that are often bad.  Which means they've generally been putrid *with a bad schedule*.

 

 

[Cancer]

Quote

As long as we don't get a rigged Pats vs Bucs Super Bowl I'm gonna be relatively happy.

 

Certain communities will be having their last shreds of comfort ripped from them like a remote control from a sleeping grandpa.

[Old Man]

9 hours ago, Cancer said:

 

Certain communities will be having their last shreds of comfort ripped from them like a remote control from a sleeping grandpa.

Is… is that bad?

[unclevlad]

That you're sleeping?  Not n the slightest.  It's when you're at your best.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

For the second week in a row, the Jags game will not be televised on the local station. The local Jags station. The Jags are so bad, they don't even want to broadcast the games anymore. 

 

Today's game is eminently winnable, too. *sigh*

[Pariah]

I'm not quite sure how a team that outclasses both the Cowboys and the Chargers completely stinks up the place against the Eagles in between. 

 

Oh well, go Broncos!

[Starlord]

Granted it's an amazingly easy achievement, but tonight's Browns uniforms/helmets are the best I've ever seen.  The burnt orange outlines on the numbers are a solid improvement and the new look helmets are pretty darn good.

[Pariah]

Wow, that was the most ridiculous fumble I believe I've ever seen. What in the world was Baker Mayfield doing?

[unclevlad]

1 hour ago, Pariah said:

Wow, that was the most ridiculous fumble I believe I've ever seen. What in the world was Baker Mayfield doing?

 

Mayfielding.  Or has everyone forgotten his college days?

 

As for the Broncos...it's the new NFL.  No one is consistently good;  no one is solid.  Seems there's a total head-scratcher *every* week.  How does Carolina beat Arizona...then lose 2 weeks later to Miami?  How can Buffalo POSSIBLY lose to Jacksonville?  (Sorry, Logan, but it hadda be included.)  Pittsburgh beats Cleveland...mild surprise...and Chicago...should win...but then ties Detroit, and they get *crushed* by the Bengals.

 

You can also flip the story.  How can the Chargers offense drop 41 on the Steelers then only 13 on the Broncos?  Explain the last half dozen Cowboy games.  

 

It's completely unprovable, but I think the indirect effects of covid play a role.  Not as much practice.  Nowhere near as much time together.  Team cohesion is what's lacking, first and foremost.

[Old Man]

10 hours ago, unclevlad said:

 

Mayfielding.  Or has everyone forgotten his college days?

 

As for the Broncos...it's the new NFL.  No one is consistently good;  no one is solid.  Seems there's a total head-scratcher *every* week.  How does Carolina beat Arizona...then lose 2 weeks later to Miami?  How can Buffalo POSSIBLY lose to Jacksonville?  (Sorry, Logan, but it hadda be included.)  Pittsburgh beats Cleveland...mild surprise...and Chicago...should win...but then ties Detroit, and they get *crushed* by the Bengals.

 

You can also flip the story.  How can the Chargers offense drop 41 on the Steelers then only 13 on the Broncos?  Explain the last half dozen Cowboy games.  

 

It's completely unprovable, but I think the indirect effects of covid play a role.  Not as much practice.  Nowhere near as much time together.  Team cohesion is what's lacking, first and foremost.

 

Covid is definitely playing a big role this season, in terms of coaching and practice disruptions as well as outright missing players.  But this season also seems to be strongly affected by minor injuries, as key players come in and out of the lineup from week to week.  In your first example, Carolina beat Arizona because Kyler Murray was hurt and Christian McCaffrey wasn't, then this week McCaffrey got hurt and Tua was healthy.  For your last example, the Bungles are currently one of the healthiest teams in the league.

 

It's been an interesting season in that there are no dominant teams.  Even Arizona and Buffalo, who looked invinncible to start the season, have been brought low by injuries and opponent adjustments.