2021-2 NFL Pro Football (pls, no other sports!)

Sorry this is so late coming out, but the holidays are a busy time ;)! I apologize in advance for any errors; I'm rushing to get this out before getting to bed, LOL.

What We Learned From Week 12 in the NFL Pt 1 of 3
Tom Brady has help in TBay, the Bengals are forcing the issue in the AFC North race, and the Rams have some soul-searching to do.
NYT / WashPost / SB Nation / local media / Dec 2, 2021

Buccaneers 38, Colts 31
The Colts put up a battle, but once again Tom Brady did one of his patented last-seconds game-winning TD drive to pull out a thriller. Despite injuries, the Buccaneers have enough playmakers around Tom Brady to make a Super Bowl run. The Colts couldn’t stop RB Leonard Fournette, who finished with 131 total yds and four TDs, including the game-winner.

With the score tied 31-all in Q4, Brady drove the Bucs downfield for a 38-31 lead, using up almost all the clock. But a special teams lapse gave Colts fans last-minute hope, with an electrifying 72-yard kick return by CB Isaiah Rodgers. Rodgers was forced out of bounds at the 32-yd line with only 10 seconds left, and hope ended in frustration when Carson Wentz’s Hail Mary throw was intercepted at the goal line.

The Buccaneers are 5-0 at home, where they are averaging 38.4 points. They entered Sunday 2-3 on the road and hadn’t scored more than 28 points. They are obviously a different, better team at home, and Sunday’s win bolstered their chances of playing there come January.

Carson Wentz played well, but TBay’s defense clamped down in critical situations in the second half. In the first half, Wentz crackled with 197 yds, three TDs and no interceptions. But in the second half, he was a different QB with the Buccaneers’ relentless pressure getting to him. They hit Wentz seven times in all.

Jonathan Taylor, the sizzling Colts RB who scored five TDs last week, was kept in check. He finished with 83 yds on 16 carries, his longest for 15 yds. He never got into a rhythm against a defense that is allowing an NFL-low 81 rushing yds per game.

Mistakes killed the Colts. Indy turned the football over five total times - four of which turned out to be very costly. TBay scored 24 off Indy’s giveaways.

Bengals 41, Steelers 10
The Bengals are making the AFC North title a race. Joe Mixon rushed for 165 yds and two TDs in a rout over Pittsburgh, giving Cincinnati to dream of winning the division for the first time since 2015. The Bengals’ front office, which historically had botched roster builds, turned the franchise around by targeting the right skill-position players at the top of the draft to surround QB Joe Burrow, and spent on the right players in free agency.

After Burrow tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the 2020 season and the team finished 4-11-1, the Bengals spent like crazy and it’s paying off with a team that is peaking at the perfect time. The OL has been strengthened, with the team’s top prize in free agency, DE Trey Hendrickson (four years, $60 million), effectively ended the game with a Q3 sack-fumble of Roethlisberger. He’s up to 10.5 sacks through 12 games.

As sublime as Burrow’s connection through the air was early this season with the 2021 draft pick Ja’Marr Chase, this Bengals offense runs best through RB Joe Mixon, who wore the Steelers down Sunday. Mixon had 19 carries in the first half alone. He finished with 165 yds on 28 carries with two TDs, his fourth consecutive game with at least two scores.

Ben Roethlisberger looks cooked, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have no plan behind him. In recent years, Roethlisberger often has recovered after horrendous games, but those horrendous games have grown more common, and his performances have grown creakier. In the loss vs Cincinnati, Roethlisberger completed 24 of 41 passes for 263 yds, throwing for a purely cosmetic TD in Q4. He fired two interceptions, one of which former Steeler Mike Hilton returned for a TD.

The Steelers have no choice but to stick with Roethlisberger in what is likely his final season. It is evident that Mason Rudolph, now in his fourth season, is not an NFL starter. The Steelers took a flier on Dwayne Haskins, a 2019 first-round pick by Washington, but he hasn’t even overtaken Rudolph for the backup role. The Steelers will be in the market to draft or trade for a QB this offseason. They don’t have the answer now.

Coach Mike Tomlin has never suffered a losing season, but the Steelers are 5-5-1 and spiraling. They tied the winless Detroit Lions two weeks ago. They just gave up 41 points for the second straight week. With the rival Ravens looming next week, the Steelers have been manhandled along the lines two weeks in a row.

The win kept Cincinnati (7-4) a game behind the Ravens, who beat the Cleveland Browns in prime time.
 

What We Learned From Week 12 in the NFL Pt 2 of 3
NYT / WashPost / SB Nation / local media / Dec 2, 2021

Packers 36, Rams 28
The LA Rams went all-in on a Super Bowl run, spending lavishly in both money and future draft picks to win this season. But after a third consecutive loss, GM Les Snead and Coach Sean McVay have to be questioning their plan.

LAR seems headed in the wrong direction. The Rams maxed out their draft capital and salary cap resources to create this star-stocked roster. Yet suddenly, they are holding on to merely making the playoffs. The Rams’ losses were solid beatings, not flukes. The loss to the Packers drops them to 7-4 and the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs.

Matthew Stafford, playing through minor injuries, has fallen from MVP candidate to frustratingly inconsistent. He passed for 302 yds Sunday but also lost a fumble and fired a pick-six. He plays spectacular football but often fails to make simple plays that sustain drives and ultimately win games. He shows why Coach Sean McVay wanted him so badly but also reveals the part he played in the Detroit Lions never winning a playoff game during his decade-plus there.

Stafford’s Sunday was ruined by a backbreaking pick-six at the end of Q3. Already trailing 30-17, the Rams were never able to catch up. As in his 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, Stafford provided hope before reverting to making the mistakes that have defined his career in the absence of a signature postseason win. He threw for 302 yds and three TDs, but that one interception was a killer.

The team around him has started to show cracks, too. The Rams can afford to sacrifice draft picks and pay premium prices for stars because they believe in their ability to cheaply find players whose skill sets fit the roles needed in McVay’s system. They have proved they can execute that team-building plan on paper. But the attrition of a season tests depth. When those role players need to perform beyond their usual tasks, they no longer thrive.

Losing WR Robert Woods for the year is a serious setback. Odell Beckham Jr. has taken the majority of his snaps, but despite his 54-yard TD catch in GBay, he can’t do all that Woods can, especially blocking on the sweeps. LA looks like a team that doesn’t know what it’s supposed to be - a troubling sign in Week 12 for a franchise with Super Bowl aspirations. If they don’t gel soon, the season will get away from them with tough divisional games ahead.

GBay’s offense has improved with the emergence of second-year RB AJ Dillon. Dillon, a second-round pick in the 2020 draft, finished with 90 hard-earned total yds and a TD. Aaron Rodgers was efficient again in throwing for 307 yds on 28 of 45 passing with a pair of scores. He also rushed for a TD, despite the famed sore toe.

The Packers’ loss to the Vikings eight days ago dealt a significant blow to their hopes for home-field advantage in the 2021 playoffs, but they bounced back by beating the Rams. Doing so moved them to within a half-game of the idle AZ Cardinals for the top spot in the NFC with six weeks remaining in the regular season.

GBay can now head into its bye week knowing that they will be no more than one game back of the one-seed when they return to the field in two weeks against the Chicago Bears. Those Bears will have a chance to help define the NFC’s playoff picture over the next two weeks, however, as they travel next week to play the Cardinals in week 13 before returning to the Midwest to visit the Packers the following Sunday.

Dolphins 33, Panthers 10
The Miami Dolphins aren’t dead. They destroyed the Carolina Panthers every which way in a 33-10 win. The Dolphins blocked a punt, overwhelmed Cam Newton and sped around the Panthers on offense. Miami’s defense held Carolina to 198 total yds, and Tua Tagovailoa threw for 230 yds and a TD as the Dolphins (5-7) won their fourth straight. Their domination of the Ravens on Thursday night in Week 10 seemed like it might have been a fluke. It doesn’t seem that way any longer.

The Dolphins are again playing the fast, aggressive defense that has been Brian Flores’s signature. But few players have been more important than rookie WR Jaylen Waddle, who has lifted college teammate Tua Tagovailoa. Waddle had his best game as a professional, catching nine passes for 137 yds and dominating the game with his speed, the reason the Dolphins traded a 2022 first-round pick to move up and take him sixth overall out of Alabama. During Miami’s winning streak, Waddle has 29 catches for 346 yds.

Miami’s next four weeks are favorable: Giants, bye, Jets, at Saints. It’s conceivable the Dolphins, who started 1-7 and lost to the Jaguars, will be over .500 in less than a month. In the muddled AFC, their streak has vaulted them into position to compete for a playoff spot - they are one of seven teams clustered between 6-5 and 5-7.

Cam Newton’s storybook return came to a sudden and ugly end. Newton’s second start with the Panthers (5-7) could not have gone any worse after his 1-yard TD run tied it, 7-7, in Q1. By Q4, Newton had a 5.8 passer rating while completing only 5 of 21 passes for 92 yds with two interceptions. Sunday’s game made clear that he’s not currently an NFL-caliber starting QB - and may not be again. The Panthers benched him for PJ Walker, who immediately got sacked two times, throwing a pick on the second sack.

Carolina’s D actually played well overall, but the offense couldn’t get untracked. The OL is more porous than a chain-link fence and coach Rhule’s constant re-juggling of player positions isn’t helping.
 
What We Learned From Week 12 in the NFL Pt 3 of 3
NYT / WashPost / SB Nation / local media / Dec 2, 2021

Ravens 16, Browns 10
Neither offense could do much of anything with Lamar Jackson throwing four interceptions and Baker Mayfield failing to sustain much of anything on offense. But Jackson had help in TE Mark Andrews, whose one-handed grab in the third quarter was easily one of the best catches on this season. The Ravens won this one as they did last week, on the strength of All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker, who scored 10 pts in each of the last two games. Lamar Jackson’s inconsistent passing has been offset by his rushing yds – for now. Cleveland couldn’t fend off the Ravens’ pass rushers. As a team, the Ravens finished with three total sacks, five QB hits, and several pressure events that led to incompletions and errant throws.

The Browns are heading into their bye week, which couldn’t come soon enough for an aching and banged-up Mayfield. It doesn’t help that the Browns lost RT Jack Conklin to season-ending injury, a torn patellar tendon. Some analysts were wondering why the Browns had both RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt available – a rare occurrence this year – yet neither saw much action in the game, especially on the critical last drive.

49ers 34, Vikings 26
Don’t look now, but the SF 49ers (6-5) are reasonably healthy and, at least on offense, looking like the team that steamrollered its way to an NFC Championship two seasons ago. Elijah Mitchell and Deebo Samuel combined for 199 rushing yds and three TDs.

The Vikings not only dropped to 5-6 but also saw their star RB Dalvin Cook carted off with a shoulder injury. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Cook had suffered a torn labrum in his injured shoulder. He actually has a torn labrum in the other shoulder as well, so he is dealing with two injuries. Cook may miss a few games as the Vikings gear up for a playoff run, but he should have a chance to return eventually – assuming the Vikings can stay in the playoff hunt.

This game showed that Deebo Samuel is the Swiss Army Knife of the Niner offense: he can do it all, including rescue the SF 49ers. Here’s the 2021 season encapsulated: A franchise in disarray can save its season in three weeks by turning its best WR into a RB. Back in early November, the 49ers were 3-5, Kyle Shanahan had morphed from genius to doofus, Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t capable of being a placeholder, and Trey Lance was a squandered draft pick.

Now, if the playoffs started next week, the 49ers would be the NFC’s sixth seed. When RB Elijah Mitchell was slowed by an injury, Shanahan sparked the turnaround by making Samuel, one of the best WRs in the league, a part-time RB. Samuel ran five times for 36 yds and a TD in a win over the Rams three weeks ago. The next week he gained 79 yds and scored a TD on eight carries in a blowout of the Jacksonville Jaguars. On Sunday, he scored two rushing TDs and gained 66 yds on six carries.

Worryingly, Samuel suffered a groin strain in the second half and didn’t return. Shanahan confirmed he’ll be out for 1-2 weeks. Fortunately, the Niners host the downsliding Seattle Seahawks in Week 13.

Broncos 28, Chargers 13
Denver blistered the Chargers with a steady diet of Melvin Gordon (83 yds) and Javonte Williams (54 yds and a TD) on the ground. QB Teddy Bridgewater attempting only 18 passes. Defensively, rookie Patrick Surtain Jr. had two picks and took one of them back for a TD. Is it time to take the 6-5 Broncos seriously? Possibly, but their schedule is rated the easiest in the NFL. Next up are the KC Chiefs, who are back on top of the AFC West in their usual spot, and they’ll be a tougher test for coach Fangio’s Broncos.

Patriots 36, Titans 13
On the opening drive of the second half, Mac Jones threw a bad ball deep in Titans (8-4) territory that should’ve been intercepted and returned for a TD. The ball was dropped, but the Patriots kicked a FG to go up 19-13, and the rout was on. The Patriots (8-4) rolled to their sixth straight win to set up a massive AFC East showdown at Buffalo next Monday night.

Jets 21, Texans 14
The rookie QB Zach Wilson dodgeball-tossed an interception off RB Ty Johnson’s back. That blooper aside, Wilson put his team ahead of the Texans (2-9) in the third quarter with a nifty cut inside on a 4-yard TD run as the Jets (3-8) scored the game’s final 18 points.

Giants 13, Eagles 7
So much for any building momentum in Philadelphia. The Eagles (5-7) ran for 208 yds and still lost to the Giants (5-7) because QB Jalen Hurts threw three interceptions.

The Dallas Cowboys caught a break. Their loss in OT to the reeling LVegas Raiders on Thanksgiving threatened their grip on the NFC East. On Sunday, the Eagles needed to beat the NY Giants, who had just fired OC Jason Garrett, to creep within 1½ games of Dallas.

The Eagles probably could have won - had Jalen Reagor not dropped Jalen Hurts’s fourth-down heave at the 1-yard line in the final seconds of a 13-7 loss. The result enabled the Cowboys to maintain a comfortable lead in the division, which Washington can cut into Monday night with a victory at home against the slumping Seattle Seahawks.

Falcons 21, Jaguars 14
Cordarrelle Patterson’s career renaissance continues. The longtime receiver/returner rushed for 108 yds on 16 carries with two TDs as the Falcons (5-6) put down the Jaguars (2-9).

Monday Night Football
Washington FT 17, Seahawks 15

Jack Del Rio may not have succeeded as the Raiders HC, but he is undeniably a fine DC and this game showed his rotation and playcalling skills. Washington shut down the Seahawk’s running game, with Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf making little impact for Seattle’s scoring. Russell Wilson was the leading Seattle rusher with 16 yds, and the team only had 34 yds total rushing.

Anyone on the east coast who gave into the need for sleep and went to bed before the end of the game missed a wild finish that featured an overturned TD reception, a 96-yard TD drive, an intercepted two-point conversion, and two onside kick attempts by the Seahawks to cap the Washington victory. Kicker Joey Slye left the game with a hamstring injury at the end of the first half, and the team has signed Brian Johnson as replacement until Slye comes off IR. The game stayed close because WFT had no one to kick FGs; they could have easily added another 9 points to their total had Slye not gone down.

Seattle (3-8) is now out of contention for any playoff spot, with only the Detroit Lions having a worse record. Washington is in the running for the seventh seed, but has a tough game coming up against the LVRaiders, who got a ten-day layoff after upsetting the Cowboys in OT on Thanksgiving.
 

Comments on Lethe200 post of last week's games.

Keep waiting for Tom Brady to get old, may have to wait for another decade.
Do not forget his supportive task.
If I had one pass to determine a games outcome I would throw it to Gronk.

Steelers vs Bengals
AFC North have the most exciting games in NFL
Steelers vs Brown-Jackson four INT :(
Mayfield is the 'steadiest' QB, not the best, but on a bad day for both teams pick MAYFIELD.

49'S VS Vikes
Both teams desperate to make playoffs--Vikes, yes 49's no

(Denver vs Chargers-which one will make playoffs? Don't know-neither says I.
I know little about AFC)

Tom Brady vs the world, pick Brady

LA Rams is a given for playoffs, who else:
Eagles, good playoff bet. Eagles or Vikes depending on who they play these last games.

Washington-has to play Dallals twice, might split (that's their history of inter-conference games)
So: choose one for playoffs, Vikes, SF, Washington Orphans have to go with Vikes. \

So, your picks for the two wild card teams?
 
Dallas Coach McCarty has never had a running game, he brought that 'don't run the ball' concept to Dallas.

In this day of pass, pass, pass, if your pounding the ball, the opposition has scored two touchdowns.
There is some Merit in McCarty's philosophy of don't run the ball, BUT how are you going to keep the opposition looking for the run.

Dallas has two good running backs (Zek is a bit banged up, but give him the ball 12 times and he'll get you 50 yards)/
Dallas also has a fullback chomping at the bit to play. but Mac won't let him play.
I am disappointed on Dallas' lack of a run game-they have the horses, but Mac keeps them in the barn?

Can you see Dallas winning three games in the playoffs?
Can you see Dallas winning two games in the playoffs?

I cannot see them beating Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Someday, the LA Rams defensive line will destroy a opponent.
I still have no knowledge regarding the Cardinals.

The Cowboys can beat the Bucs, their seeking Mr. Brady.
I hope they can beat the Packers, but..
(Cardinals???)
Do not want to play LA Rams.
 
NFL Week 13 Predictions Pt 1 of 3
KC looks to gain separation in the tight AFC West, and the Bills will try to retake the AFC East from the Patriots.
NYT, WashPost, SB Nation, local media 03Dec2021

A bit more than a month before the start of the NFL playoffs, little is certain other than the Jan. 15 start date of the wild-card round. This season’s tight games have provided fun, but not much clarity. That should start to change this week with a pivotal matchup between the NE Patriots and the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East lead, while the sliding LA Chargers and ascendant Cincinnati Bengals shape the rest of the conference’s playoff outlook. Against the Chicago Bears, the Arizona Cardinals will try to maintain their grip on the NFC’s top seed.

Byes: Packers, Titans, Panthers, Browns // All Times are Eastern

Sunday’s Best Games
LA Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals, 1p, Fox
Pick: Bengals
The Chargers (6-5) are still the worst defense in the league against the run, allowing over 140 rushing yds in seven(!) games. Bengals RB Joe Mixon, who ranks third in NFL in rushing yds (924) and TDs (11), will look for a big day against them.

A typically prolific performance from the Bengals’ (7-4) QB and receiver combo of Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase may not be necessary. Justin Herbert can only do so much to keep LA competitive, and even a herculean effort won’t help the Chargers keep the score within the spread.

The Bengals have tried twice to extend a win streak to three games. Will the third time be their charm?

Washington Footballers at LVegas Raiders, 4:05p, Fox
Pick: Raiders
Washington (5-6) has won three straight games and can make the NFC East race interesting with Dallas experiencing a rough patch. The Raiders (6-5) are built to exploit Washington’s key weakness: WFT allows the third-most passing yds per game (266.6), while the Raiders pass for the second-most yds per game (295.6). That passing total is impressive considering the Raiders had lost three straight games with mediocre offensive performances before righting themselves last week with a Thanksgiving OT win vs Dallas.

After a disappointing first two games with LVegas, DeSean Jackson showed he can replace Henry Ruggs III as the Raiders’ deep threat by catching three passes for 102 yds and a TD against Dallas. With star TE Darren Waller (knee) likely to miss this game, QB Derek Carr must keep up those passing stats. It’s likely that even without Waller, LVegas’ passing attack is too much for Washington to defend, but much depends on if the Raiders can start fast. They haven’t done well this year coming from behind.

The biggest advantage for the Raiders is they had a few extra days to rest, while Washington barely outlasted Seattle on Monday night.

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:25p, CBS
Pick: Ravens
After throwing four interceptions last week and having missed his Week 11 start with an illness, Lamar Jackson remarked that he was “getting back in the lab.” That should concern the Steelers (5-5-1), whose defense remains exploitable in the continued absence of TJ Watt (Covid-19). Pittsburgh’s offense has been unbalanced in the last two weeks, rushing for just 55 yds and 52 yds. Asking Ben Roethlisberger, their 39-year-old QB, to make up the slack has not worked out well.

Baltimore’s defense could rush freely against Roethlisberger and any improvement to the Ravens’ (8-3) passing game should spotlight the age and skill gaps between the two QBs. Pittsburgh’s crowd witnessed a tie to Detroit last game at Heinz Field, so this loss shouldn’t be as unexpected.

Denver Broncos at KC, 8:20p, NBC
Pick: KC
The result of this game will either separate KC (7-4) as the leader of the division or further complicate the competitive AFC West. KC is the better team, but Denver might pounce on a Patrick Mahomes interception (he’s tied for third-most in the league with 11).

The Broncos (6-5) have rushed for over 140 yds in two of their last three games, and could test the newly “revived” KC defense, which was one of the league’s worst earlier in the season. Denver’s defense is also on the upswing, creating at least one turnover in each of its last four games. But Denver had the easiest schedule of the 32 NFL teams, and it’s likely they’re outclassed at Arrowhead.

Sunday’s Other Games
TBay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons, 1p, Fox
Pick: Buccaneers
The Falcons (5-6) lost to the Buccaneers (8-3) by double digits in Week 2, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if it happened again. Atlanta barely beat the lowly Jaguars last week and needed 135 all-purpose yds and two TDs from Cordarrelle Patterson to do so. TBay’s defense could focus on battering Matt Ryan, who plays behind a suboptimal OL, while he tries to find Kyle Pitts or another non-Patterson target.

The Falcons’ defense has allowed over 30 points four times this season. Tom Brady should easily carve through the unit, to run his record against Atlanta up to a nice round ten wins, no losses. The Bucs will be a double-digit winner according to the oddsmakers, and rightly so.





Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears, 1p, Fox


Pick: Cardinals
A bye last week should allow the Cardinals (9-2) to return with a healthier roster. Coach Kliff Kingsbury said Monday he was “hopeful” that QB Kyler Murray (ankle) and receiver DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) could play Sunday against the Bears (4-7). As of today (Friday 12/03) Murray remains questionable, however. Chicago’s paltry offense averages fewer than two TDs per game and regardless of whether Justin Fields (knee) or Andy Dalton starts, neither is likely to keep pace if Murray plays.

Assuming Arizona wins, they will be 7-0 on the road, which will help them toward NFC home-field advantage.
 
NFL Week 13 Predictions Pt 2 of 3
NYT, WashPost, SB Nation, local media 03Dec2021

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions, 1p, CBS
Pick: Vikings
The Lions (0-10-1) showed why they remain winless. Clock management issues and disorganization caused them to lose a winnable game against the Bears on Thanksgiving. Making matters worse, Detroit lost RB D’Andre Swift to a shoulder injury, and Coach Dan Campbell said it was unlikely he would play against the Vikings (5-6).

Statistically the Lions should have a better record. Their point differential (minus-115) is better than the 2-9 Houston Texans (minus-128) and the 3-8 NY Jets (minus-135). It’s also not far behind the 5-6 Atlanta Falcons (minus-103). ESPN’s Football Power Index has the Lions ahead of the Jets and Texans, and Football Outsiders has the Lions ranked higher than the Falcons and Jets after adjusting their efficiency for strength of schedule.

The chances of two winless seasons happening are 0.001%, or roughly 111,000-1. For context, you are seven times more likely to be struck by lightning in your lifetime (15,300-1), per the National Weather Service. You are 11 times more likely to be injured by a toilet (10,000-1) than to see a franchise go winless twice.

And yet it won’t be surprising if Detroit goes winless for the second year in a row. Unless their luck turns or the Pope blesses them, no sane bettor would give them more than 50-50 odds they will win any of the weaker three of their remaining six games: Broncos, Seahawks, Falcons. The other three opponents are the Vikings (next), Cardinals and Packers; none of which Detroit is likely to upset.

Minnesota expects to be without Dalvin Cook, its starting RB, who was carted off the field against SF with a shoulder injury. An astounding 10 games for the Vikings have been decided by one score. With Cook’s injury, Minnesota’s history of late-game drama and Detroit’s tendency to play up to its competition for 3 ½ quarters, it could be an exciting game to watch – at least for a while.

Giants at Miami Dolphins, 1p, Fox
Pick: Dolphins
Four straight wins for the Dolphins (5-7) has the team nominally still in the wild-card race, but realistically playing for pride. Even if Miami wins its five remaining games, its chances of reaching the playoffs are less than 90%, according to the Playoff Predictor. Beating the Giants (4-7), however, is doable. QB Daniel Jones’s status is uncertain because of a neck injury, meaning the backup Mike Glennon could make his first start this season.

The Dolphins’ defense has created 10 turnovers during the team’s winning streak and could add more against a backup QB. If the offense takes care of the ball, Miami should win.

Philadelphia Eagles at Jets, 1p, CBS
Pick: Eagles
Three interceptions by Jalen Hurts doomed the Eagles (5-7) last week against the Giants and ended an otherwise strong month for Philadelphia’s offense. The Eagles should rebound against the Jets (3-8), who allow the sixth-most rushing yds per game (128.7). That should benefit an Eagles team that discovered just weeks ago it could run effectively.

It’s hard picturing the Jets covering in this one if Hurts can limit his turnovers. One limiting factor: Hurts is still listed as questionable. He said he’s playing but he’s been limited in practice all week. The team might favor a cautious approach that involves resting him so that he’ll be good to go after the bye. NFL insider Mike Garafolo says it’s his expectation that Hurts will play against the Jets. It remains to be seen if Hurts will be hampered by his ankle injury. Will his mobility be impacted? We’ll see.

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans, 1p, CBS
Pick: Colts
The Colts (6-6) struggled to run last week in a close defeat to the Buccaneers. That’s a problem they likely won’t have against the Texans (2-9). Houston allows the second-most rushing yds per game (135.6), a promising statistic for Indianapolis RB Jonathan Taylor, who leads the league in yds (1,205) and TDs (14).

The Texans are having a lousy season, exemplified by the fact they had to cancel Wednesday’s full-contact practice this week. Too many players and staff were feeling under the weather – apparently a flu bug, not COVID. Or it could be they were all feeling like crap for losing to the Jets last week.

Jacksonville Jaguars at LA Rams, 4:05p, Fox
Pick: Rams
A “get-right” game for the Rams (7-4) comes at the perfect time. They have lost three straight games, and a flashy roster that now includes Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. is trending in the wrong direction. Matthew Stafford has thrown three interceptions that were returned for TDs during the losing streak. Their opponents — the Titans, 49ers and Packers — all played more physical, scheming their offenses away from LA’s defensive playmakers Miller, Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey.

The Jaguars (2-9) are the perfect remedy for the Rams. They lack the players and the coaching experience to mimic that template. Trevor Lawrence is tied for fourth in the league in interceptions (10). The offense has accounted for at least one turnover in all but one game. Extra possessions for the Rams means more chances to run up the score after a frustrating few weeks.
 
NFL Week 13 Predictions Pt 3 of 3
NYT, WashPost, SB Nation, local media 03Dec2021

SF 49ers at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25p, CBS
Pick: 49ers
The NFL flexed this from the Sunday night slot because no one wants to watch the current iteration of the Seahawks (3-8). Every aspect of Seattle’s offense is broken: They’ve averaged only 65 rushing yds per game during this three-game losing streak, and their best receiver, D.K. Metcalf, has had only 23 yds per game in that span. Defensively, the Seahawks allow a league-high 274.1 yds per game.

The Seahawks have won only once at home this franchise-altering season. Could this be Russell Wilson’s last time hosting the 49ers there, leaving his job in 2022 for Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson or, gulp....Jimmy Garoppolo?

Seattle is a mess. They are averaging under 25 min of possession per game, worst in the NFL. The team is below average in scoring rate (averaging 1.6 points per drive) and is going three-and-out more than a third of the time (36%). Only the Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans are having more difficulty moving the ball this season.

QB Russell Wilson has struggled, especially after returning from a finger injury, and is ranked 23rd out of 32 passers per ESPN’s Total QB Rating. The running game hasn’t been much better, and is ranked 19th per Football Outsiders. The OL is little help, allowing an adjusted sack rate of 10% this season after adjusting for situation and opponent. Only the Chicago Bears offer worse protection for their QB.

After going on a three-game win streak, the 49ers (6-5) would be the NFC’s sixth seed. Even with the do-it-all receiver Deebo Samuel and linebacker Fred Warner both out with injuries, SF is the safer bet than the crumbling Seahawks. The 49ers shouldn't need to score a lot of points to overcome Seattle.

Monday Night’s Game
NE Patriots at Buffalo Bills, 8:15p, ESPN
Pick: Bills
The schedule-makers blessed NFL fans with potentially the best game of the week on Monday night. The Bills (7-4) will attempt to pry the AFC East lead away from the Patriots (8-4), who stole it from them after winning six straight games. Buffalo will be short-handed, though, because Tre’Davious White, one of the NFL’s best CBs, tore his ACL against the Saints on Thanksgiving.

That’s a brutal blow for the Bills' game-planning against Mac Jones, the Patriots’ rookie QB who has completed an impressive 70.3% of his passes this year. Defenses have yet to stop the Patriots’ risk-averse, efficient play behind Jones, and until proven otherwise, it’d be safer to not bet against them.

Thursday Night’s Matchup
Cowboys 27, Saints 17
Dallas won because of its defense, which intercepted Taysom Hill four times. New Orleans falls to 5-7, while the Cowboys improve to 8-4 on the season. Dallas got two receivers back in the lineup, with CeeDee Lamb returning from an ankle injury and Amari Cooper coming off the Covid list. At times the team looked sloppy and disorganized, and OC Kellen Moore made several curious play calls. Dallas rushed for 146 yds and a TD, but two plays accounted for 91 of those yds. Dak Prescott threw for 238 yds, a TD and an interception. Dallas realistically should be the favorite in four of its next five games. If the defense continues to play the way it did Thursday, it will be hard to bet against them.

This is the first 5-game losing streak the Saints have suffered since Sean Payton became HC. That the Saints lost is no big surprise: the team is injured beyond belief, and even new starting QB Taysom Hill injured his throwing hand during the game. There is no curse, no football gods. There are just the odds, randomly stacking up against the 2021 Saints, just like they did the 2020 San Francisco 49ers or the 2020 Dallas Cowboys when Dak Prescott broke his ankle, or countless other teams before.

New Orleans now occupies the cellar of the NFC South alongside the Carolina Panthers, one year after winning the division for the fourth consecutive time. The big difference? Drew Brees is not in the building anymore. Simple as that. The NFL is a QB league, and that has never been truer than in this pass-happy era of football. Unfortunately for New Orleans, they currently do not have a QB on their roster who can take this team back to the Big Game, where it has been trying to go since it won the Super Bowl 12 seasons ago.

Taysom Hill, whom Coach Payton normally deploys at WR and TE, made his first start at QB this season in place of Trevor Siemian, who completed only 57% of his passes in five games after Jameis Winston tore an anterior cruciate ligament. Hill finished with 264 yds and 2 passing TDs, and he rushed for 101 yds. But he completed only 46.3% of his passes, and his turnovers wasted a strong display from the Saints’ defense. Hill suffered a torn tendon on the finger of his passing hand early on against the Dallas Cowboys when his hand went into the arm of a Dallas defender in the follow-through of a pass. Hill received a splint on his finger and played through the injury for the remainder of the game. The injury, called Mallet Finger, was suffered by Seattle's Russell Wilson earlier this year, and will require surgery at some point.

New Orleans will hit the road to face the Jets in Week 14 and the Buccaneers the following week. It will be interesting to see if the Saints turn to QB Trevor Siemian again or give fourth-round rookie Ian Book a chance.

This offseason, Sean Payton will have to make what figures to be the biggest decision of his Saints’ coaching career. It will define the rest of his Saints’ tenure: who will lead this team from next season forward. That QB is not on his roster yet.
 
Pats Vs Bills-must see, are the Bills going to be the dominate team for the next three-four year?

Hey, Detroit Lions won a game 😁

Flash: Houston lost:cry:

Ravens vs Steelers-used to be these one of these guys would take the division crown=looks like it is still true.
Neither team is what what they once were, but they played an exciting game today.
Two touchdown in last two minutes, Ravers went for two points-receiver dropped ball,Steelers win by one point.
AFC North=Ravens still lead division by two games.


No must to watch this Sunday; you can watch Chiefs beat Broncos if you want--well have to wait for Monday to see Bills vs Pat
(Pats have surprised me.).



P. S. Monday 12-6-31%$#@&*^*) Bills vs. Pats, on ESPN, !@#^%$&*(&^#!*:mad:
 
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ESPN must have made a lot of money, they let us see Pats vs Bills
This is first time I've seen the Manning Brothers-entirely too much none-game related chit-chat.
They had three guest, one in second quarter, one in third and one in fourth, more chit-chat.
I found the broadcast, with all the gossip-distracting.

The game:
I still think the Bills have the better team, but not tonight.
Josh Allen could throw the ball with the wind at his back, he and coaching staff had two quarters to build score, but they didn't
You have to give Belichick the game ball.
Jones threw three passes, completed two?:whistle:
 
What We Learned From Week 13 in the NFL Pt 1 of 3
The Lions finally won one!
NYT, WashPost, London Guardian, SB Nation, local media, 12/7/2021

Cardinals 33, Bears 22
The Cardinals (10-2) got back Murray and three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins after both players missed three games because of injuries. The NFC West leaders, who have the NFL’s best record, intercepted Andy Dalton four times. Kyler Murray threw for two TDs and ran for two more in his return from an ankle injury.

Coming off a bye, AZ improved to 7-0 on the road, with each win by 10 points or more. The urge to hurry Kyler Murray, a 5-foot-10, 207-pound turbine, back onto the field from an ankle injury that had kept him out after Week 8, had to be overwhelming for the Cardinals. The conservative approach to Murray’s return paid off. While other QBs battle pinkie toe injuries (Aaron Rodgers), pinkie finger injuries (Joe Burrow) and everything in-between, Murray looked reinvigorated in his return.

WR DeAndre Hopkins was also back from a hamstring injury, and he and Murray wasted no time reconnecting. On fourth-and-2, four minutes into the game, Murray laced a 20-yard strike to Hopkins in stride for a TD catch. As a runner, Murray did not appear to nurse his ankle. On third-and-goal on the very next drive, with Bears DE Robert Quinn breathing down his neck, Murray took off for a 9-yard TD run.

Murray took the full month to recover because the Cardinals need him, and the creative juking reminiscent of Allen Iverson, to carry AZ deep into the playoffs. Now the Cardinals are positioned to do what they could not in 2020: finish strong.

Despite losing JJ Watt for the season, AZ has a tough defensive unit. The Cardinals intercepted Bears QB Andy Dalton four times with safety Budda Baker returning his pick 77 yds. Baker has been phenomenal all season. Perhaps no other active defensive back is as physical in the run game and breaks so aggressively on balls in the secondary.

AZ edge rusher Chandler Jones remains one of the most underrated players. He has totaled 105½ sacks in 134 career games, and his tip of a pass led to one of Dalton’s interceptions. Not that Bears fans needed any more salt in their wounds, but it is worth noting that nine years ago they drafted OL Shea McClellin, passing over Chandler Jones.

Steelers 20, Ravens 19
John Harbaugh went for the win, but his gamble cost the Ravens (8-4) and kept the Steelers in the mix in the AFC North. Down 20-19 at the end of a pulsating affair, the play call on the 2-point conversion was perfect, but Lamar Jackson just missed TE Mark Andrews on an out route. Accuracy problems have been troubling the Ravens’ QB again, and it cost the Ravens this game.

The Steelers got a much-needed win. They entered Sunday on a two-game losing streak, their hobbled QB looking his age. Criticism was reaching a fevered pitch prior to kickoff. But with a furious 17-point Q4, Pittsburgh upset the AFC North-leading Ravens. And at 6-5-1, the Steelers are nipping at the Denver Broncos’ heels for that final playoff spot.

Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson, bouncing back from a dropped TD earlier in the game, finished with eight catches for 105 yds and two TDs. His second score, a 5-yard catch on third-and-goal with 1:48 to go, proved to be the game-winner.

Roethlisberger may be a shell of what he once was, but that late rally breathed just enough life into the Steelers. After eighteen years, the days of Big Ben hip-checking DEs in the pocket are a distant memory, but he showed the rival Ravens that he could still uncork the occasional deep lob to Johnson or Chase Claypool in one-on-one coverage. A 40-yard heave to Claypool at the beginning of Q4 is what finally got Pittsburgh’s stagnant offense rolling and led to its first TD score of the game.

On defense, TJ Watt continues to bench-press OLmen whenever he pleases. He was the best player on the field on Sunday with three and a half sacks and six QB hits. Wherever Jackson went, Watt seemed to be there.

Is this all enough to make the Steelers an actual threat in the AFC? Probably not. But it might be enough to send Roethlisberger out with his head held high.

Chargers 41, Bengals 22
The Chargers are sticking with what works. Justin Herbert threw all three of his TD passes in the first half and the visiting LA Chargers (7-5) survived a late scare to earn victory. They rebounded from a road defeat at Denver last week. Herbert was 26 of 35 for 317 yds with an interception. Keenan Allen caught two TD passes.

LAC overcame two fumbles from Austin Ekeler but wedged some late breathing room on a Cincinnati turnover. LAC’s Tevaughn Campbell returned a fumble by Joe Mixon 61 yds for a TD and a 31-22 lead with 13:43 remaining. The Chargers’ 16 points in Q1 were their most since September 2012. They did lose star DE Joey Bosa in Q1 to a head injury. He was cleared to return, but coach Brandon Staley decided to hold him out for the remainder of the game.

LAC coach Staley remains aggressive in his play-calling. On the game’s first drive, the Chargers went for it on fourth-and-goal and Herbert connected with receiver Keenan Allen for one of his two TD passes. After nearly squandering a 24-point lead, the Chargers pulled away from the Cincinnati Bengals for a crucial 41-22 win. QB Justin Herbert outdueled Joe Burrow, and now the Chargers (7-5), who began the day a game back of KC, can still harbor realistic hopes of winning the cluttered AFC West.

The Bengals got the score as close as 24-22 heading into Q4, but RB Joe Mixon picked a bad time to lose a fumble for just the second time since 2018. Chargers CB Tevaughn Campbell returned it 61 yds for a TD. With QB Burrow hurting, Cincinnati never caught up.

The Chargers are still a tough read. Their 4-1 start gave way to a slide in which they lost four of their next six, behind a defense that has been bad against the run. Sunday’s win over the surging Bengals should give LAC and Staley confidence that its talented offense can go drive for drive with anyone.
 
What We Learned From Week 13 in the NFL Pt 2 of 3
NYT, WashPost, London Guardian, SB Nation, local media, 12/7/2021

Lions 29, Vikings 27
The Lions have discovered new, painful ways to lose every week – but not this Sunday! The Lions (1-10-1) ended a 15-game winless streak that lasted 364 days since winning at Chicago last season, giving first-year coach Dan Campbell his first victory with the franchise.

QB Jared Goff threw two TD passes in the first half to put Detroit ahead by 14 points, their biggest lead this season. Then he fumbled the ball twice in the second half to help Minnesota rally. The Vikings failed on two-point conversion three times, and those missed opportunities proved costly. Kirk Cousins threw a go-ahead three-yard TD pass to Justin Jefferson.

The Lions had the ball with 1:50 on the clock but with no timeouts left. Goff redeemed himself by leading Detroit on a 14-play, 75-yard TD drive. His 11-yard TD pass to rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown at the buzzer ended the season's longest winless streak.

KC 22, Broncos 9
Plot twist: the Patrick Mahomes-led team won with defense. Not only that, but maligned safety Daniel Sorensen — a sad meme much of the season — supplied the play of the game on Sunday night by picking off Teddy Bridgewater and returning it for a TD.

The KC Chiefs won their fifth game in a row. KC’s defense was blamed for the team’s disappointing start to the season, but after returning DE Chris Jones to his usual position, the unit has performed well, dampening Denver’s playoff chances. They intercepted Teddy Bridgewater twice as the Chiefs moved to 8-4 and control of the AFC West.

The Broncos have most of their pieces together, but not all. Teddy Bridgewater has not proven capable of lifting the team to the next level, and the front office is going to have to figure out, once again, where their future QB is to be found.

Seahawks 30, 49ers 23
Russell Wilson played his best game since returning from finger surgery throwing for 231 yds and two TDs, and the Seahawks made a late goal line stand to throw cold water over the surging 49ers. Seattle (4-8) snapped a three-game losing streak but it wasn’t easy – a number of mistakes gave the 49ers a chance for a tying TD in the final moments.

Jimmy Garoppolo is just good enough to make anyone believe for three quarters. But his two interceptions and a potential game-winning drive that ended with his incompletion on fourth-and-goal from Seattle’s 3-yard line ended SF’s three-game win streak. The loss drops the Niners from sixth seed to a contested seventh seed. They’re facing two tough road games – one at Cincinnati and one in Tennessee – so their future is up to them.

Kyle Shanahan is on his first pro coaching job, and his lack of interest in keeping a tighter discipline on the assistant coaches in charge of the Niners secondary and special teams is proving a double Achilles’ heel(s). The special teams were absolutely abysmal on Sunday, falling for a Seahawks fake punt that was run back 73-yds for a TD. Seattle routinely started their drives between the 25- and 45-yd lines, while SF struggled with beginning most of their drives behind their own 15-yd line. Both teams fumbled the ball away multiple times.

Garoppolo rightly gets criticism for erratic plays and too many interceptions, but Shanahan’s coaching and playcalling is not above reproach, either. The Niners may make it into the playoffs as a Wild Card, but no one should expect them to go further than one or two games up, at most. When they are healthy and firing on all cylinders they can go up against the best and stand toe-to-toe.....but they too often play down to the level of their opponents.

Five years of Shanahan as HC has shown inconsistency more often than not. His win-loss record is a mediocre 35-41. At best the Niners have proven a “just above .500” team on any given Sunday. Those holes, including an actual hard-nosed QB coach and a better conditioning coach, need to be fixed before they’ll see the Super Bowl again. Disappointed fans are calling for first-round draft pick Trey Lance, but Shanahan hasn’t shown he possesses either the talent or inclination to develop a QB, unlike a certain Grumpy Lobster Captain in NE who holds the same power Kyle does, but wields it with skill and patience.

Rams 37, Jaguars 7
The Rams needed desperately to get untracked to stay in the wild-card race. The Jaguars made the perfect straw man upon which to unleash their frustrations. Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson and Odell Beckham Jr. caught TD passes from Matthew Stafford, and the LA Rams snapped their three-game losing streak. Coach Sean McVay ran the ball more than usual to get Sony Michel (121 yds and a TD) rolling — a step that should add a needed wrinkle to the offense. Kupp had his 100th reception of a remarkable season among his eight catches for 129 yds.

Stafford passed for 295 yds, playing turnover-free football after giving the ball away six times during the three-game skid that threatened to derail the Rams’ playoff plans. LA still has never lost four straight in coach Sean McVay’s half-decade in charge.

Washington Football Team 17, Raiders 15
Taylor Heinicke has his team squarely in the NFC playoff picture after bouncing back from a late interception to lead an eight-play, 44-yard field-goal drive. It has taken a while, but Washington (6-6) is finally featuring RB Antonio Gibson. He had 101 total yds, including 23 yds on five receptions with one TD, while a defense that struggled mightily the first half of the season is also starting to resemble what everyone expected. With four consecutive wins and two games still to go against Dallas, a division title isn’t out of reach.

Heinicke threw a seven-yard TD pass to Logan Thomas on the opening drive, an indication it was going to be “that kind of day” for the erratic and poorly coached Raiders. His second TD pass in Q4 was a four-yarder to Antonio Gibson after extending the drive with a key third-down scramble.

Unable to score in the red zone, the Raiders clung to a 15-14 lead through almost all of Q4. But with 37 seconds remaining, Heinicke set up new kicker Brian Johnson‘s game-winning 48-yard FG to lead Washington to its fourth straight win, and the Raiders lost another heart-breaker.

The loss dropped the Raiders to 6-6 in a virtual tie with Denver for last place, but the Broncos still have a chance at a wild card whereas the Raiders do not.
 
What We Learned From Week 13 in the NFL Pt 3 of 3
NYT, WashPost, London Guardian, SB Nation, local media, 12/7/2021

Buccaneers 30, Falcons 17
Tom Brady threw a brutal pick-6 against Atlanta at the end of the first half. But once again he bounced back from an egregious mistake to torment the Falcons, finishing with 368 passing yds and four TDs, two of them to longtime favorite target Rob Gronkowski. Brady didn’t take a sack on 51 dropbacks.

The Bucs (9-3) won their third straight game and pushed their division lead to four games over Atlanta, Carolina and New Orleans (all 5-7), with five games remaining. They are on the brink of clinching the NFC South title.

Colts 31, Texans 0
Nothing like a date with the hapless Texans to get back on track. RB Jonathan Taylor continued to pad his MVP résumé with 143 yds on 32 attempts and two TDs. Taylor, who leads the NFL in yds rushing, has 16 rushing TDs this season, which ties the franchise record set by Lenny Moore in 1964. It’s the 10th straight game where he’s ran for a TD, the longest streak in the NFL since LaDainian Tomlinson did it in 18 straight in the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

The hapless Texans turned the ball over twice in the first quarter. QB Tyrod Taylor was benched in the third quarter as Houston (2-10) lost for the ninth time in 10 games. To say the fans are discouraged would be putting it mildly. As one SB Nation Colts blogger wrote, “Let’s look at it this way. Even last year, the Colts and Texans were kinda sorta peers. This year, the Colts outscored the Texans 62-3. The league has outscored the Texans to almost a 2:1 margin. Since putting up 37 points against the Glitter Kitties on Opening Day, the high for points in the game for the Texans is just 22, both times in losing efforts (with the latter being all trash time scores).

“The Texans have been shutout twice in 2021 with five (5) excruciating games to go, and they have scored less than or equal to 14 points in eight (8) out of 12 games.”


As another blogger pointed out, “...the Texans’ leading rusher for 2021 is Mark Ingram with 294 yards. Ingram hasn’t played for the Texans since the end of October, having been traded to New Orleans.”

Dolphins 20, Giants 9
Miami continued to tear through a soft stretch of its schedule, and the Dolphins have won five straight. Isaiah Ford and Mack Hollins had the scoring grabs for Miami (6-7), who have shaken off a 1-7 start. Jaylen Waddle had nine catches for 90 yds for the Dolphins, and rookie Jaelan Phillips had two more sacks giving him five in his last two games. Tagovailoa completed 30 of 41 passes for 244 yds and the two scores.

The Giants are now 4-8. Daniel Jones did not play Sunday due to a neck injury and may not play vs. the Chargers next Sunday. Backup Mike Glennon did not play well vs. the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, and suffered a concussion. That means Jake Fromm, acquired less than a week ago, could be the Giants’ starting quarterback. Their offensive woes are likely to continue.

Eagles 33, Jets 18
Gardner Minshew and his handlebar mustache took over, in place of the injured Jalen Hurts, leading the Eagles to score on seven of their eight offensive possessions. Minshew was 20 of 25 for 242 yds and two TDs to Dallas Goedert. Kenneth Gainwell ran for a score, Jake Elliott kicked four FGs and the Eagles (6-7) improved to 12-0 all-time against the Jets (3-9).

Patriots 14, Bills 10
NE won their seventh consecutive game, improved to 6-0 on the road this season and now have a two-win edge over the Bills (7-5) in the AFC East standings. QB Mac Jones attempted just three passes and completed two, the fewest in any NFL game since Bills quarterback Joe Ferguson went 0-for-2 in a game in 1974.

Once again, the Patriots have taken control of AFC East with the best record in AFC at 9-4. Belichick focused on the run game on a windy night, outgaining the Bills 229 to 99 in yards rushing, with the cold, windy snowy night negating Allen’s strong-armed passing attack. Damien Harris finished with a season-best 111 yards rushing.

With the Patriots facing the wind gusting up to 40 mph, coach Bill Belichick succeeded on a two-point conversion in Q1, with Brandon Bolden scoring just inside the left pylon. The Patriots never trailed, with Nick Folk hitting two field goals both with the wind at his back from 34 and 41 yards.

DB Miles Bryant sealed the Monday night victory by batting down Josh Allen’s pass at the goal line with Buffalo facing fourth-and-14 at New England’s 18 with 1:55 remaining.

The Bills continued their inconsistencies by losing the fourth game of their past seven. This puts them in trouble in the AFC Playoff standings. With a middling record in conference games, they might need to win four of their last five games just to make the playoffs. Instead of being tied for first in the conference, Buffalo is hanging onto the final Wild Card spot, just a half-game ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts, who both beat the Bills this season.

From the multiple shots of him screaming his head off over minor ref mistakes in the first half to the strange challenge in the second half on New England’s fourth-down sneak, Bills HC Sean McDermott seemed like he was pressing all game long. His decision to attempt a 33-yard FG with seven minutes left when Buffalo was down four points and driving into the wind was....strange, to say the least.
 
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As a NE fan, living about 35 miles from the stadium, I find it hard to accept anything except anything less than a front running team. Last year was abysmal but it only took Belichick one year to bring them out of the doldrums.

I don't expect them to go all the way but at least they're back as contenders.
 
Dave A, you have to stick with them. the Cowboys had 20 years of winning seasons, then they went into the toilet.
It was a decade of ineptness, chaos in the locker room, revolving coaches, front office snafus and enbarassement .
Even the hard-core fans refused to attend games or watch them flub and dub on game day.

So, how would you like to live in Detroit, Houston: "Yea, us pray they don't lose by over twenty points."
 
I've lived in 3 cities that have NFL teams through the years.
Denver during the Greg Morton, Floyd Little days.
Enjoyed going to games at Mile High.
Glad to live where there was a team.

Seattle during the Jim Zorn, Steve Largent days.
Watching them at the Kingdome, losing more than winning.
Glad to live where there was a team.

Now live in Nashville for the last 12 years and go to every Titans game I can.
Lots of ups, but mostly downs.
Enjoy the fans and game day is still a special treat.
Glad to live where there is a team.

I don't consider myself a 'fair-weather fan', never changed due to a winning/losing record.
Had I stayed in one place, probably would have picked one team to follow.
Since I didn't, I try to enjoy whatever team the city host.
For me, it's about enjoying the NFL. Hope this makes sense.

( Now when it comes to College Football, just one team for the last 40 + years! )
 
Always a Pats fan, even through the old AFL which started in 1960, if my memory hasn't failed me. Prior to that, most of us in this area were Giants fans as their games were the only Sunday TV games. Y. .A. Tittle and Charlie Conerly were a couple of the popular QB's.
 
Cowboys were given a franchise in 1960. before that we got the NFL Game of the Week.
We had to watch these losers every weekend-their first year, 11 loses, one tie Cheez!:confused:
 
NFL Week 14 Predictions Pt 1 of 3
NYTimes, SB Nation, local media 10Dec2021

So much for parity, LOL. Amid a back-and-forth season, the predictable has happened: The revitalized NE Patriots (9-4) are atop the AFC, just as they’ve been for the better part of the last two decades, and KC, which has won the past two conference titles, is not far behind them. Teams will begin determining their postseason fates with this week’s slate of games, which feature critical divisional matchups.

Byes: Colts, Dolphins, Eagles, Patriots. (All times are Eastern)

Thursday Night’s Matchup
Vikings 36, Steelers 28

Every remaining game of what could be Ben Roethlisberger’s final season is essentially a must-win. But the Steelers couldn't get their offense going. Roethlisberger was hit and sacked early and often via four sacks in the first half. The score was a painful 29-0 in the Vikes' favor by early Q3, courtesy of Roethlisberger getting intercepted.

Last week the Vikings (6-7) suffered the embarrassment of losing to the Detroit Lions. But although Minnesota’s offense stumbled at times, the Steelers were stifled by the Vikings' D. Pittsburgh didn't manage to score any points until their rookie RB Najee Harris caught a TD pass with 2:11 left in Q3. Harris scored again to make it 29-14 with 14:49 left in the game. Two minutes later Roethlisberger threw to James Washington to make it 29-20, but the two-point attempt failed. An exhilarating exchange of TDs ran up the score to 36-28, but time ran out as Big Ben’s pass intended for Pat Freiermuth fell incomplete.

This game should not have been as close as it was. Dalvin Cook put up a career-high 205 yards, but Kirk Cousins had one of his worst games as a Viking to let the Steelers back into it. Cousins was intercepted twice by Akhelo Witherspoon. It was an ugly win, but the W is all that counts. The Vikings climb back to 6-7 on the year, and now have a bit of a mini-bye before facing the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field for Monday Night Football next week.

Sunday Games:

Buffalo Bills at TBay Buccaneers, 4:25p, CBS

Pick: Buccaneers
The Bills (7-5) have become incredibly inconsistent but should be motivated after that loss to the Patriots. While it won’t be as cold as last week’s game, Sunday’s forecasts call for windy and rainy weather in Tampa, Fla., where the Buccaneers (9-3) will certainly pass more than the Patriots did.

With the absence of top CB Tre’Davious White and potentially playing without LB AJ Klein (Covid-19), Buffalo might need to win four of their last five games just to make the postseason, due to their middling record in conference games. Their remaining opponents are: Panthers, Patriots, Falcons, Jets.

After a few weeks of turmoil the Bucs are back on track. Ryan Succop, the kicker for the Buccaneers, leads the NFL in point after attempts (47) and makes (44), thanks to TBay’s high-flying offense. Tom Brady leads the league in yds (3,771) and TDs (34), and should test the Bills’ top-ranked passing defense, which has allowed only 1,983 yds. The Bucs' (9-3) remaining opponents are: Saints, Panthers (twice), Jets.

Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns, 1p, CBS
Pick: Browns
A bye last week should mean Baker Mayfield will return rested, if not completely healed, of the shoulder and foot injuries that diminished his recent performances. An emphasis on the passing attack for the Browns (6-6) could exploit the Ravens (8-4), who lost CB Marlon Humphrey (torn pectoral muscle) for the season. The Ravens’ injury list is horrible this year, and blitzing has proven to be Baltimore and Jackson’s Achilles heel.

The Ravens have been inconsistent – the loss to the Steelers showed that. Offensively this team cannot keep being the Lamar Jackson show with little else to show, and on defense they have to button things up. Baltimore’s remaining opponents are: Steelers, Packers, Bengals, Rams.

Lamar Jackson threw four interceptions against Cleveland two weeks ago, but the Ravens still won because the Browns wasted possessions and rushed for only 40 yds. If Baltimore’s front seven can again hinder the Browns’ running and play-action passing, the hallmarks of the offense, Mayfield will have fewer opportunities to play where he’s comfortable. But if Cleveland can establish its running game, it will keep Jackson off the field.

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Football Team, 1p, Fox
Pick: Cowboys
Washington (6-6) has slowly crept into the playoff conversation, with three NFC East teams in as of Thursday morning. A win against the Cowboys (8-4) could further shake the division race as January approaches. During Washington’s five-game win streak, QB Taylor Heinicke has completed 70% of his passes and RB Antonio Gibson has had 19 or more carries per game.

The Cowboys’ offense has underperformed in recent weeks, largely due to questionable play-calling and a failure to run the ball well (Dallas had fewer than 100 rushing yds in two of the last three games). If they can revert to their prolific running in the first half of the season and if the defense, led by Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs, continues to create turnovers, the Cowboys should win. Dallas’ remaining opponents: Washington (again), Giants, Cardinals, Eagles.

LVegas Raiders at KC, 1p, CBS
Pick: KC
After thoroughly dispatching the Broncos, KC (8-4) could increase its distance from the rest of the AFC West by beating the Raiders (6-6), who have only a 14% chance of reaching the postseason, according to the playoff predictor.

KC’s defense has improved after a slow start to the season and has held each of its last five opponents - including the Raiders in Week 10 - to under 20 points. The offense seems to have adjusted to feasting on sure gains with opponents limiting Patrick Mahomes’s downfield strikes. KC is clearly the better team and should easily hand LVegas its fifth loss in six games. KC’s remaining opponents: Chargers, Steelers, Bengals, Broncos.

Detroit Lions at Denver Broncos, 4:05p, Fox
Pick: Broncos
The Broncos (6-6) are a QB away from truly contending. Teddy Bridgewater can lead the team under ideal circumstances, but in less perfect scenarios his mediocre play is wasting a talented crop of skill-position players and a respectable defense. The Lions (1-10-1), finally won a game last week after having been on the verge of other victories that they squandered with untimely turnovers, bad luck and inexcusable coaching decisions. Detroit has played competitively against teams that are better than Denver, which makes the Lions a safe bet to keep the score within the spread.
 
NFL Week 14 Predictions Pt 2 of 3
NYTimes, SB Nation, local media 10Dec2021

SF 49ers at Cincinnati Bengals, 4:25p, Fox
Pick: 49ers
This game should be competitive, at least on paper. The 49ers are the seventh-most efficient team in the NFL after adjusting for strength of schedule, per Football Outsiders. The Cincinnati Bengals rank 19th. Both the 49ers (6-6) and the Bengals (7-5) lost key games last week just as they were gaining momentum ahead of the playoffs. Cincinnati QB Joe Burrow dislocated the pinkie finger on his throwing hand against the Chargers, but played through the injury and should not miss any time. It’s unclear, though, how that will affect his performance going forward.

Realistically the Bengals are way ahead of where people expected their rebuild would be, and that deserves some credit - but they may not quite be ready to compete at the top level yet. Inexperience has shown itself too often this season. They will get in, and then we’ll see what happens. Remaining opponents: Broncos, Ravens, Chiefs, Browns.

For SF, injuries have hit critical players, exposing their lack of depth. They have a 5-star defensive line with a wicked pass rush, but the secondary is one half-step above inept with all their first-stringers on IR. This is why Joe Burrow’s finger injury will prove important this week. Niners CB Emmanuel Moseley is questionable with a high ankle sprain and flashy RB Elijah Mitchell is in concussion protocol. It’s also unknown whether SF’s outstanding WR Deebo Samuel (groin) and All-Pro LB Fred Warner (hamstring), two of the team’s top four players, will return after missing last week.

After the upset loss to Seattle the Niners looked broken and lost. It’s gut check time to see if they can pull together and be a wild card. 49ers’ remaining opponents: Falcons, Titans, Texans, Rams.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans, 1p, CBS
Pick: Titans
It seems like the Jaguars (2-10) are the league’s universal “get-right” opponent. A week after taking a beatdown from the Rams, Jacksonville must play the Titans (8-4), who lost back-to-back games before their bye. Jacksonville’s recent performances offer no reason to think an upset is in the making.

Tennessee designated receiver Julio Jones to return from IR, which should help the team’s passing attack operate without AJ Brown, who is still recovering from a chest injury. The Titans’ replacement cast of RBs has also shown it can operate respectfully while Derrick Henry rehabs his foot injury.

Titans' remaining opponents are: Steelers, 49ers, Dolphins, Texans. It’s a great back-end schedule, but there’s not a lot of reason to have faith in this team to go deep into the playoffs unless they made some major bye week adjustments.

New Orleans Saints at Jets, 1p, CBS
Pick: Saints
Taysom Hill is expected to start again at QB for the Saints (5-7) and play through a finger injury. New Orleans also hopes RB Alvin Kamara returns, who has missed four games with a knee injury. On the downside, the Saints injury list remains horrific, with Mark Ingram, Deonte Harris, and Cam Jordan among those missing the action.

If Hill can reduce his turnovers (he threw four interceptions against the Cowboys), the Saints should beat the Jets (3-9), who lost Corey Davis, the team’s second-leading receiver, to season-ending core muscle surgery. A loss to the Jets would be devastating for New Orleans, who are hoping to end a five-game losing streak.

It’s clear in the off-season the Saints will be looking for a QB to replace retired Drew Brees – but Seattle’s Russell Wilson may be too expensive. Apparently Wilson is willing to waive his no-trade clause, with interest specifically in the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and New Orleans Saints. The rumor mill is already starting to heat up, although at least one analyst stands firm that Wilson will remain with the Seahawks for 2022.

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers, 1p, Fox
Pick: Panthers
After starting 3-0, the Panthers (5-7) have struggled offensively, ranking 24th in points scored per game (19.7) and 29th in yds per game (308.7). That is unlikely to improve as their best weapon, RB Christian McCaffrey, was placed on IR with an ankle injury.

The inefficiency caused Coach Matt Rhule to fire offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who was viewed last off-season as a blossoming head coach candidate. Despite the Panthers’ offensive troubles, Carolina’s defense, which ranks second in fewest yds allowed, should be able to contain the Falcons (5-7), whose offense relies on just three players - receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, TE Kyle Pitts and QB Matt Ryan.

Neither of these teams are likely to make the postseason, but in an NFC South rivalry, Carolina could have bragging rights after this one. But if Matt Ryan gets hot, the Falcons could ride a lead for the win. Carolina lacks the horsepower to easily come from behind.

Seattle Seahawks at Houston Texans, 1p, Fox
Pick: Seahawks
The Seahawks (4-8) have drastically underwhelmed this season and have become one of the worst teams in the league on offense and defense. The Texans (2-10) have been as bad as predicted. Houston’s journeyman QB, Tyrod Taylor, was benched for the rookie Davis Mills in a blowout loss to the Colts, and Coach David Culley said he will “evaluate everything” regarding which passer starts for the remainder of the season.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, signed the future Hall of Fame RB Adrian Peterson to revive a pedestrian rushing attack, and are motivated to finish the season strong. Houston’s performances have been so poor that Seattle, despite its many offensive deficiencies, should cover the betting odds.

Giants at LA Chargers, 4:05p, Fox
Pick: Chargers
Justin Herbert may be without his top two receivers, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, because the Chargers (7-5) placed them on the Covid-19 list. The Giants (4-8) may also be short-handed as QB Daniel Jones is likely to sit for a second consecutive game with a neck injury. It is unclear whether Mike Glennon, who is in the concussion protocol, or Jake Fromm, whom the Giants recently signed, will start. Regardless, LAC’s defense ranks seventh in fewest passing yds allowed per game (209.5) and should be excited to face either QB.

Beating the Bengals was a huge confidence boost down the stretch as the Chargers jump to fifth in the AFC. Justin Herbert is one of the best young QBs in the league, and this is a dangerous out - assuming this team doesn’t fall back into bad habits. Chargers’ remaining opponents: Chiefs, Texans, Broncos, Raiders.
 
NFL Week 14 Predictions + Wild Card list Pt 3 of 3
NYTimes, SB Nation, local media 10Dec2021

Chicago Bears at GBay Packers, 8:20p, NBC
Pick: Packers
The NFL flexed last week’s Sunday night game and would be smart to do so again. Even with the storied rivalry between the Packers (9-3) and the Bears (4-8), this iteration is unappealing. Chicago’s offense is putrid, scoring the third-fewest points per game (16.8) and ranking 30th in yds per game (298.8). They’ll be outmatched by the Packers, one of the best teams in the league, who could realistically put the game out of reach by halftime. Temperature at kickoff is expected to hover near freezing, but with little chance of snow and no wind expected, there won’t be any impediment to GBay’s onslaught, regardless if Andy Dalton starts at QB or if Justin Fields (ribs) returns from injury.

The Pack can stake claim to a playoff berth with this win. Their remaining opponents: Rams, Ravens, Browns, Lions. None should prove a problem.

Monday Night’s Matchup
LA Rams at Arizona Cardinals, 8:15p, ESPN

Pick: Cardinals
In their Week 4 meeting, the Cardinals (10-2) unknowingly offered the rest of the league an early blueprint to beat the Rams (8-4): Arizona rushed for over 200 yds, forced two turnovers including an interception, and schemed its offense away from Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. In later weeks SF, Tennessee and GBay mimicked that strategy, and the Rams’ new additions, receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and the pass rusher Von Miller, have not been able to change the outcome, putting LAR in jeopardy of a fourth prime-time embarrassment in six weeks.

The Rams’ recent performances against strong competition makes them a risky bet, especially on the road. The debacle on Monday Night Football in Week 10 showed a vulnerability this team had that a lot of people didn’t expect. Their record is good enough to coast in, but no one can tell how well they will do once the playoffs start. LAR’s remaining opponents: Seahawks, Vikings, Ravens, 49ers.

Arizona has shown few weaknesses and looked re-energized with Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins back last week after each missed multiple games. Despite the embarrassing loss to Carolina in Week 10, the Cardinals have a beneficial schedule down the stretch that sees only the Rams and Cowboys as legitimate tests. The odds are good they may cruise to a 14-3 record and the #1 seed. Remaining opponents for AZ: Lions, Colts, Cowboys, Seahawks

&&&

SB Nation re Wild Cards

In the NFC there are reasonably five teams that can make a run:

Eagles (6-7)
Vikings (6-7)
Panthers (5-7)
Falcons (5-7)
Saints (5-7)

As it stands there are five AFC teams with a realistic shot of making a run:
Steelers (6-6-1)
Colts (7-6)
Broncos (6-6)
Raiders (6-6)
Browns (6-6)

All within striking distance, the team that could push their way in is the Colts. They’ve been largely ignored and playing well lately, so they shouldn’t be written off just yet.
 
(Yesterday's tornadoes throws a pallor on rooting for your home team, there are far more important issues this day.)

Surprised that Raiders made such a poor showing against Chiefs; oh well, makes Don M happppppy

Wonder if Bills can bounce back to former competence -the Bucs are not the team that will allow you to search.
 


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