NFL

Messi983

Senior Member
New season is starting today/this night (for us in Europe). Texans@Chiefs, Watson vs Mahomes, two highest paid QBs playing against each other. Should be a good game.

What are your expectations for this season?
 

Messi983

Senior Member
First Brady's TD for Tampa, a QB sneak.

Also, WTF did Philadelphia do? Up 17-0 and then lose 27-17 to a no name team from Washington. :lol: And Detroit also bottled 17 points lead against Chicago in last quarter.
 

Messi983

Senior Member
I've forgot to mention this yesterday but Seahawks with a good win in Atlanta. Jamal Adams looks like a beast and Wilson also played great. Still having concerns about both our lines though.


Having this guy in your team is like playing with cheat code. :worthy: Love him as a player but hate him two times a year when he plays against our poor OL, lol.


https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1305350754031591424



Eh2EruZVoAABvA4


:lol:
 

Messi983

Senior Member
We're around half way through the season so here is a quick recap.

Pittsburgh is the only unbeaten team (though they were pretty close to a loss against the disappointing Cowboys yesterday) and the Jets still winless and clear favourites to get Trevor Lawrence in the draft next year. Looking at their schedule I could easily see them being a 0-16 team. Jaguars (1-7) the only other team with chances for a 1st overall pick if NYY let that happen as other teams have at least 2 wins already and I just don't see the Jets winning more than once if at all.


Anyway, back to relevant teams. :)

Following Pittsburgh (8-0) in the AFC are Kansas City (8-1; their only lose came against Las Vegas), Buffalo (7-2; they have just blown out my Seahawks yesterday), Tennessee and Baltimore (both 6-2), followed by four teams with a 5-3 record (Las Vegas, Miami, Cleveland and Indianapolis). Unless a team like the Broncos (3-5) will suddenly start to click and more of the 5-wins team will drop off I think we'll get 7 playoff teams among those 9 teams.

Surprise:
- Miami are in the playoff hunt with 4 consecutive wins (Tua Tagovailoa has started the last two games after their bye week). They've lost against Seattle but have beaten all three other NFC West teams so big props to them from my side. :)

Disappointments:
- LA Chargers (2-6) - Justin Herbert is doing well in his rookie season but they just find ways to lose close games.

- Houston (2-6) - They've fired Bill O'Brien following an 0-4 start but the damage was already done. They've won both games against the Jags but they should already start to prepare for the next season. What's even worse for them is whatever high draft pick they'll get it will go to Miami (the Laremy Tunsil trade). Feel sorry for Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt (I think he'll want to be traded to a contender in offseason).

Special mention:
- New England (2-6) - Cam Newton is clearly not Tom Brady. They're also suffering from some key players optioning out of the season and not having enough depth. They're probably in for a rebuild and will be interesting to see what Belichick will do.


In the NFC Tampa Bay with Brady looked like the best team until SNF last night when they were blown out by New Orleans who have now won both games against Tampa (6-3) which basically give them a 1,5 win advantage in the division standings. New Orleans (6-2) is currently #1 seed in the NFC although both Seattle and Green Bay have the same record. I think GB should win the North relatively easy. Chicago (5-4) have started the season 5-1 (with some crazy comebacks) but have lost the last three games with their offense struggling after Nick Foles has taken over for Trubisky.

OTOH NFC West is still wide open as LA Rams and Arizona (both 5-3) are just a win behind Seattle and we play them both in next two weeks when we'll probably get more answers (or things will get even more complicated). San Fran (4-5) are the most injured team in the league (with Jimmy G, Kittle, Bosa,... all on the IR) and probably don't have chances to sneak into the playoffs but could still prevent a divisional rival to do so.

Surprise:
- Arizona - don't know if they really count as a surprise team but there is no other team I'd point out so far. I expected them to be quite good but they were still projected to be the 4th best team in the toughest division in the football but they've beaten both SF and SEA. OTOH they've also had some losses they probably shouldn't like against Carolina and Detroit.

Disappointments:
- Minnesota (3-5) - after a 1-5 start they've won the last two, especially important their win vs Green Bay a week ago. They've had some close losses but were also blown out by Atlanta which shouldn't happen to a supposed playoff contender. Dalvin Cook had some injury problems but when healthy he was on fire and as long as he stays healthy with their elatively easy remaining schedule (besides road games against Tampa and New Orleans) maybe the Vikings can still somehow sneak in the playoffs.

- NFC (L)East. Philadelphia are leading the division with a 3-4-1 record. They are the best and most healthy team on paper and should win eventhough Wentz is turning the ball over way too much. But just a fact that 2-7 Dallas (without Prescott) and NY Giants (with Barkley being out for a whole season) teams still have good chances to get into the playoffs really tells all that needs to be said about the state of the division this season.
 

Messi983

Senior Member
Poor guy, what a terrible injury. :shakeshead: But playing behind that OL it was only a question of time before something bad would happen...



MRI revealed more damage than anticipated: Bengals? QB Joe Burrow tore his ACL, MCL, and suffered other structural issues in his knee as well, per @Ben_Baby and me.

These types of knee injuries, like the one Joe Burrow suffered, usually sideline players anywhere from 9-12 months, though each person heals and rehabs differently. But no matter how quickly Burrow does or doesn?t recover, next year?s status is now in question.
 

Messi983

Senior Member
Tbh I think they are 8-3 despite Baker not because of him. He is very hot and cold but to his credit he's not throwing so many interceptions this year. Which is in big part because of a top rushing offense in the league (so he doesn't need to throw as much as he did in his first two seasons) and a solid defense. At the same time the only team with a winning record they've beaten are the Colts. They were crushed by Pittsburgh and Baltimore, we'll see if they can beat anyone of them in their second divisional game. Tennessee will also be a pretty good test for them this week.

Anyway, speaking about the Ravens and Steelers, their game has been rescheduled three times already (should've been played on Thanksgiving TNF initially was then moved to Sunday, next to Tuesday and now to Wednesday) due to a Covid outbreak in the Ravens locker room. They've had around 20 confirmed cases already between the players and staff. Consequently, PIT and BAL next games against WFT and DAL respectively were also rescheduled.

Scheduling changes:

��Ravens-Steelers, Wednesday at 3:40 p.m. ET.

��Steelers-Washington, next Monday at 5 p.m. ET.

��Ravens-Cowboys next Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 8:05 p.m. ET.



OTOH the Broncos had to play their game against the Saints on Sunday despite them being without all of their 4 QBs on the 53-man roster and practice squad after one of them has tested positive and others were considered a close contact to him (not wearing a mask during the team meetings/trainings) and they didn't reschedule that game for a few days. Really no consistency from the league here.


Also, it's not confirmed yet and hopefully won't happen but from what I've read a few weeks ago if some games won't be possible to be played then the league plans to add another playoff spot in each conference (16 total playoff teams). I don't totally get a logic behind that thinking tbh (except a financial gain from more playoff games being played). Just prolong a regular season for one week and play rescheduled games then if neccessary.

It's not really far to the teams who have done their best to avoid Covid and are competing to get a first round bye (only #1 seed from each conference is supposed to get a bye this year) only to change the rules a few weeks before season's end. But yeah, it is what it is. :valverde:


E:Also one of the reasons why I like NFL is that there were only 12 playoff spots before this season and they've already changed that to 14 teams. Don't really like leagues like NBA or NHL where half of the teams end up in the playoffs, some of them even with a losing record. Will be bad enough to see (probably at best) a 6 win team from NFC East in the postseason at the expense of a better team.
 
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wisconsincule

Senior Member
Go Pack Go.

The Packers have played some really dog shit teams this season. The game against the Titans will be the barometer if they have what it takes to make a serious playoff push.

I would love to see a Mahomes vs Rodgers Super Bowl.
 

KingLeo10

Senior Member
Go Pack Go.

The Packers have played some really dog shit teams this season. The game against the Titans will be the barometer if they have what it takes to make a serious playoff push.

I would love to see a Mahomes vs Rodgers Super Bowl.

I think Packers can beat anyone in the SB aside from the Chiefs.
 

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