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

I'm jumping on the Bills bandwagon. They're fun to watch.

Now, how can I watch their next game which is on Monday night and we don't get ESPN? (other than going out to a bar or restaurant)
 
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I'm jumping on the Bills bandwagon. They're fun to watch.

Now, how can I watch their next game which is on Monday night and we don't get ESPN? (other than going out to a bar or restaurant)O

Okay, but if they play the Vikings in the Super Bowl who would root for?
 

NFL Week 6 Predictions Pt 1 of 2
Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson play for AFC supremacy and the Cardinals travel to Cleveland looking to go 6-0.
NY Times/WashPost/SBNation Oct. 14, 2021

Week 6 Byes: Falcons, Saints, Jets, 49ers | All times Eastern

Week 6 Thursday Night Football
Buccaneers 28, Ravens 22
Philadelphia’s D had a great game last week vs Carolina’s Sam Darnold to set up the Eagles’ (2-3) Q4 comeback. But Bucs QB Tom Brady is not Sam Darnold. For the second week in a row, the Eagles got off to an incredibly slow start. The Birds had just 99 yards of offense entering the fourth quarter. They made a valiant comeback, cutting the lead to six points in the fourth quarter. But the Bucs closed it out in true Brady style: on a 3rd-and-7 from the Eagles’ 45-yard line, Brady hit Antonio Brown on a tight window for a big Tampa conversion. Coverage was excellent but the throw was perfect. That first down enabled Brady to run the clock off for the win. At 44, Brady leads the league in pass attempts, completions, and yds for the NFL’s third-ranked offense.

LA Chargers at Baltimore Ravens, 1p, CBS
Pick: Ravens
Honestly, the NFL should flex this game to 4:25p or to Sunday night. It is a broadcaster’s dream: two exciting young QBs who’ve led frantic winning rallies in recent games in a battle for who gets to drive the conference with KC abdicating (altho the Bills may also have something to say about it).

Justin Herbert ranks fourth in the NFL in passing yds (1,576), with Lamar Jackson on his heels in fifth (1,519). With the teams so evenly matched, this one should come down to the fine points. The Ravens (4-1) have triaged the running game with free-agent pickups and the second-year back Ty’Son Williams, the team’s second-leading rusher behind Jackson. If Chargers Coach Brandon Staley, one of the league’s best defensive minds, can shut Williams down and force Baltimore to match their passing, the Chargers (4-1) should win. But another variable will be LA’s penalties; their 397 yds lead the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns, 4:05p, Fox
Pick: Cardinals
To match the Cardinals (5-0), Cleveland needs to be ready for another shootout. The Browns (3-2) narrowly lost, 47-42, an emotionally draining game to the Chargers last weekend, when the teams combined for more than 1,000 yds of offense.

Both Cleveland and Arizona rank in the top 10 in points per game, but the edge here goes to the undefeated team.

Minnesota Vikings at Carolina Panthers, 1p, Fox
Pick: Panthers
Both the Panthers (3-2) and the Vikings (2-3) are optimistic that their star RBs will return after multiple-game absences. Carolina Coach Matt Rhule said he was “hopeful” Christian McCaffrey would play after attempting to come back last week from a hamstring injury. Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook (ankle) was a game-time decision last week and should play barring any setbacks.

The difference here will be how the QBs fare. Kirk Cousins struggles under pressure and that should continue against the league’s third-leading sack (16) producer. Minnesota’s defense has given up only six passing TDs this season, but if Ravens QB Sam Darnold protects the football (he threw three interceptions last week), Carolina should roll.

Dallas Cowboys at NE Patriots, 4:25p, CBS
Pick: Cowboys
Dallas (4-1) is riding a three-game winning streak, thanks to an offense that converts a first down or scores a touchdown on 79% of its downs. Only the LA Chargers and Chiefs are better at moving the chains or finding the end zone. Dak Prescott’s 13 TD passes are tied for third-best in the league, and the D looks legit.

The Patriots (2-3) haven’t found such consistency. NE needed a Q4 rally to beat the Texans last week. With injuries along the Patriots’ OL (tackle Trent Brown went on IR this week) mean rookie QB Mac Jones will have to think fast against pressure - not a good scenario against a team with rising star Trevon Diggs in its secondary.

The defenses are almost a wash in terms of performance. Both are allowing three more points per game than expected, giving the nod to Dallas and its superior offense.

Sunday’s Other Games

Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars (in London), 9:30 a.m., CBS
Pick: Dolphins
The NFL exports another matchup of sub-.500 teams, a contest most Americans will again probably sleep through. The Dolphins (1-4) expect Tua Tagovailoa to return from his three-game absence after fracturing his ribs. The Jaguars (0-5) should be a good “welcome-back” assignment, as their defense ranks 26th in passing yds allowed per game (286.6). Miami’s defense led the league in turnovers last season, keeping the team in playoff contention, but this season it ranks 24th in rushing defense and 27th against the pass. It could revive itself against Jaguars rookie QB Trevor Lawrence, who has thrown at least one interception in four of his five games.

GBay Packers at Chicago Bears, 1p, Fox
Pick: Packers
It’s the NFL’s oldest rivalry but the Packers (4-1) and Bears (3-2) are focused on entirely different futures. Aaron Rodgers is leading a win-now GBay team, who will want a convincing win this week. In two of its last three games, GBay ended drives with walk-off FGs. Chicago is developing rookie QB Justin Fields, who attempted only 20 passes in a win against the Raiders, in which the Bears relied on 139 yds rushing from its RBs. Why coach Nagy hasn’t released Fields’ extremely strong (and accurate) arm more often is a mystery to everyone.
 
NFL Week 6 Predictions Pt 2 of 2
NY Times/WashPost/SBNation Oct. 14, 2021
Week 6 Byes: Falcons, Saints, Jets, 49ers | All times Eastern

Cincinnati Bengals at Detroit Lions, 1p, Fox
Pick: Bengals
After losing their fifth straight game last week - their second loss on a last-second FG - Detroit Coach Dan Campbell teared up in the postgame news conference. “Our days of being on the winning side of that are coming,” he said.

Probably not this week. But the Bengals (3-2) will be without RB Samaje Perine (positive for coronavirus) this week, putting more of the load on RB Joe Mixon, who already ranks third in attempts and is battling an ankle injury. Even with an improved OL protecting Joe Burrow and receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s emergence as a front-runner for offensive rookie of the year, Cincinnati might struggle against a Lions defense that’s playing for pride.

LA Rams at Giants, 1p, Fox
Pick: Rams
With QB Daniel Jones (concussion) out and a long list of injuries hindering the entire receiver corps and RB Saquon Barkley, the Giants (1-4) will try to hurry back anyone who can catch a ball from backup Mike Glennon. The Rams (4-1) might look a little shellshocked because of the early East Coast start, but this one should be decided quickly.

KC at Washington Footballers, 1p, CBS
Pick: KC
KC’s offense has had to be mind-bogglingly efficient to even contend so far this season, and its three losses have followed a common script: Opponents that can limit Tyreek Hill to under 100 receiving yds and convert aggressive play calls against KC’s defense can come out with a win. The Ravens, Chargers and Bills wrote the blueprint, but Washington (2-3) is unlikely to execute it well.

The Washington defense surrenders 31 points per game, second-worst in the league, and allows opponents to convert 56 percent of the time on third down. (The league average is less than 41 percent.) It’s allowed the fifth-most passing yds (1,467) and has only nine sacks in six games, despite the Chase Young-Montez Sweat defensive line pairing. Mahomes, whose six interceptions are tied for third in the NFL, has shown he can quickly find receivers with his shovel pass and Hill gives him a deep target against a less-talented secondary. KC (2-3) should get a confidence boost.

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts, 1p, CBS
Pick: Colts
How does a team recover from blowing a 19-point lead? Playing the Texans (1-4) is a start. In surrendering their second-half lead last week to the Patriots, the Texans squandered rookie Davis Mills’s best game (312 yds and three TDs).

Before the Colts (1-4) allowed Ravens QB Lamar Jackson to rally from behind on“Monday Night Football, they looked shockingly efficient on both sides of the ball. Carson Wentz is more experienced than Mills and working with a better all-around roster. In theory, the Colts should win.

LVegas Raiders at Denver Broncos, 4:25p, CBS
Pick: Broncos
After Jon Gruden’s resignation Monday night, the Raiders (3-2) have to prepare to face a hellish Broncos defense under interim coach Rich Bisaccia. The Broncos (3-2), losers of two straight, will pounce on a LVegas team that’s facing organizational turmoil and a shuffling OL, including shifting the first-round draft pick Alex Leatherwood from tackle to guard, because of injuries.

This game may define both teams’ seasons. Like Denver, the Raiders are on a two game skid after a hot start. As Gruden did all the play-calling, what kind of offense the Raiders will mount is completely unknown. It’s expected OC Greg Olson will call plays, but Derek Carr will probably have more autonomy than before. If they can get dangerous Darren Waller involved early, that will give RB Henry Ruggs the opportunity to gash the secondary. Denver’s secondary is good, but Ruggs runs a 4.27 40 and has blown past some good cornerbacks.

Expect a Denver strategy to send future Hall of Famer OL Von Miller to make Leatherwood’s season – already a bad one, due more to inexperience than inability – even worse. It may be a long day for Raiders QB Derek Carr again if he can’t jumpstart the offense. Pass protection and run defense are LVegas’ two biggest deficiencies so playing against a lead can expose both.

The Raiders win if they can stick to the short passes and force Bridgewater to beat them defensively. Von Miller will eat them alive if Carr is forced to take five- and seven-step drops as he did in the loss to Chicago.

Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:20p, NBC
Pick: Steelers
Russell Wilson will miss his first start in his 10-year career with the Seahawks (2-3) after undergoing finger surgery on his throwing hand. Geno Smith will take over the role for the next 6 weeks. Seattle RB Chris Carson has also gone on IR this week. Even with Ben Roethlisberger’s struggles, he will be a safer bet than Smith, who has not started since 2017 with the Giants.

Monday’s Matchup

Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans, 8:15p, ESPN
Pick: Bills
The Bills’ defense ranks first in turnovers (15), second in passing yds allowed (867) and third in rushing yds allowed (392), showing it can carry its weight while Josh Allen and the offense have their fun. That’s trouble for the Titans (3-2), who lean heavily on RB Derrick Henry, the league’s leading rusher. It’s unclear whether Titans receiver Julio Jones (hamstring) will return after missing two straight games, though he practiced Wednesday. The Bills (4-1) demolished KC and are, along with the Ravens and Chargers, fighting for control of the AFC.
 
Jerry will be happy with this post!

NFL Week 6 power rankings: Buffalo Bills are the new kings, Dallas Cowboys inside the top 5
The Dallas Cowboys are one of the best teams in the NFL.
SB Nation by RJ Ochoa Oct 12, 2021

Time is flying by at an unbelievably fast rate and we are now all the way at Week 6 of the 2021 NFL season. The Dallas Cowboys are 4-1 and just one game separates them from their bye. At present time many are starting to acknowledge them as one of the best teams in the NFL, but just where should they be ranked?

Every week here at BTB we put together our own power rankings of every team in the NFL and gather rankings from around the internet to see how people are in fact evaluating America’s Team.

(You can visit our rankings from last week #5 right here, to compare: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...ys-look-like-one-of-the-best-teams-in-the-nfl)

1 - Buffalo Bills (LW: 6)
They are not the league’s last undefeated team, but the Buffalo Bills look like the NFL’s most unstoppable force through five weeks. The AFC goes through them.

2 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 2)
It had been a while since we’d seen Tampa Bay just have their way with an opponent and that is exactly what happened on Sunday. Life is very different with Tom Brady, the one and true GOAT.

3 - Arizona Cardinals (LW: 1)
Ultimately the Cardinals are the league’s only undefeated squad, but they hardly look like the best team. They outlasted the 49ers which is a credit to them (it was a divisional game after all), but let’s see how they fare against Cleveland this week.

4 - Dallas Cowboys (LW: 7)
Hello. The Dallas Cowboys are one of the very best teams in the NFL. Yes. That’s correct.

5 - Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 8)
What a game on Sunday afternoon. Justin Herbert looks every bit like the next great quarterback and someone who can challenge (and may actually surpass?!) Patrick Mahomes. They are in contention to win it all.

6 - Los Angeles Rams (LW: 4)
It feels like it has been forever since we’ve seen the Rams play and when we did they won to be fair, but the beginning of the season feels even further in the rearview mirror right now. The Rams look insane when all things are clicking, but when they aren’t they just look like an ordinary good team.

7 - Green Bay Packers (LW: 9)
Ultimately wins are wins and there are likely no Packers fans upset with victory in Cincinnati. However, Green Bay arguably should have lost to the Bengals. It feels like they have a bottoming-out on the way.

8 - Cleveland Browns (LW: 3)
They gave the Chargers all they had and that is certainly respect. Cleveland will be in the mix later on through the season, but they might be a notch below the AFC’s top units.

9 - Baltimore Ravens (LW: 11)
What an impressive win on Monday night. They have a thing for the dramatics, but they are a hard out. Lamar Jackson is a stud.

10 - Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 15)
It was a weird week across the league and so weird that the Bengals rose a few slots after losing. But what Cincinnati did on Sunday was impressive. They can clearly hang with some of the best groups in the NFL. Are they playoff-bound?

11 - Tennessee Titans (LW: 20)
I’m reluctant to buy all the way into Tennessee since they lost to the Jets last week, but as mentioned, it was a weird week. The Titans can roll over people when they’re on and that’s what happened in Jacksonville.

12 - Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 5)
How the mighty have fallen. Thankfully for Kansas City’s sake they drew Washington this week, but they are a shell of their former selves.

13 - Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 10)
Their loss on Sunday wasn’t great, but there is a lot going on with this organization that has nothing to do with football right now.

14 - Seattle Seahawks (LW: 12)
It is unfortunate that Russell Wilson is hurt because he is one of the best players in the NFL and one that is extremely fun to watch. As Cowboys fans we know how much a finger can derail a quarterback’s season. Without him it is difficult to see Seattle competing.

15 - New Orleans Saints (LW: 17)
The win in Washington was nice, but this team is so up and down. Who are they going to be when all of the waters stabilize?

16 - Carolina Panthers (LW: 13)
Perhaps the Cowboys exposed them a bit or perhaps they just really miss Christian McCaffrey. Either way, they played down to the Philadelphia Eagles and are a long ways removed from being undefeated.

17 - Chicago Bears (LW: 19)
Justin Fields didn’t exactly light up the box score in his first game as the unquestioned starter, but theoretically things should get better. Chicago has a chance to be a playoff team this season as long as he can help stabilize their offense.

18 - New England Patriots (LW: 18)
Weirdly enough I think people felt better about them (like the Cowboys) following their loss to the Buccaneers as opposed to this win. We still don’t entirely know who the Brady-less Patriots can totally be, but hopefully this week it isn’t anybody too good.

19 - San Francisco 49ers (LW: 14)
There is no reason for Kyle Shanahan to trot Jimmy Garoppolo out as his starting quarterback when they are back from bye. If he does, well, yikes.

20 - Washington Football Team (LW: 21)
Are they the second-best team in the NFC East? Would that even mean anything?
 
NFL Week 6 power rankings: Buffalo Bills are the new kings, Dallas Cowboys inside the top 5
Pt 2 of 2
SB Nation by RJ Ochoa Oct 12, 2021

21 - Atlanta Falcons (LW: 30)
It is important to remember that they beat the Jets of all teams, but the Falcons looked somewhat competent across the pond over the weekend. Perhaps Arthur Smith’s philosophies are starting to take hold?

22 - Minnesota Vikings (LW: 22)
Early on I felt like the Vikings were an 0-2 team that had legitimate potential. They have gone 2-1 since then, but it’s hard to see how they can put it together for an entire game. Justin Jefferson remains special, but overall this team just can’t get out of their own way sometimes. At least they won.

23 - Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 26)
There were some ugly moments for the Eagles in this one, but they beat a Panthers team that impressed a lot of us last week. Jalen Hurts does not at all look like the guy moving forward. Up next for them is the world champions on a short week.

24 - Indianapolis Colts (LW: 23)
They built a nice lead against Baltimore, but then they blew it! Not exactly an encouraging sign.

25 - Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 24)
They won and finally scored in the first quarter which is notable, but it was the Broncos. Pittsburgh still remains trapped by their quarterback and likely to finish below .500 this season.

26 - Denver Broncos (LW: 16)
If there was ever a paper tiger team among those that were undefeated this season it was surely the Broncos.

27 - Detroit Lions (LW: 29)
Dan Campbell’s team definitely fights for him and that is commendable. Eventually the Lions are going to not be on the wrong side of miraculous field goals, but unfortunately that day was not on Sunday.

28 - New York Giants (LW: 27)
Injuries are going to see them look even worse for a little while, but ultimately the Giants just lack juice right now. Kadarius Toney is awesome, but what else is there to be excited about if you’re a fan of that team?

29 - Houston Texans (LW: 31)
They continue to have moments where many are surprised because they are better than we originally thought they would be, but it wasn’t enough in Week 5.

30 - Miami Dolphins (LW: 25)
Losing your starting quarterback makes life difficult and playing a team like the Buccaneers only exacerbates the problem. Unfortunately the Dolphins are in a bit of a rut right now and it’s hard to see them getting out of it.

31 - New York Jets (LW: 28)
It is still extremely early, but Zach Wilson does not look good at all. London, we are sorry for sending this team to you and acting like that was some sort of gift.

32 - Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 32)
London, we are sorry that this is the next team that you have to watch along with the Dolphins. Thank you for the Premier League!
 
Yes indeed, happy, happy, happy that Cowboys woke up, but, but, but they have no experience in winning playoff games, lots of experience
in losing them:oops:
Currently have laid crying towel aside, but still close by...

LV Raiders and Jon Gruden
1, they are the LA Raiders, they are not suppose to be in LV
How long before we have the Haight-asbury 49 niners?

2. Gruden had a reputation of being good a coach; fire the guy at the end of season, do not wreck playoff hopes.
"Insensitive," more than that, all these NFL people are now public figures.

If the Raiders go into the tank, fans will blame firing, and they are headed for the tank.

Football used to concern only football, no longer.
In the past, if a NFL player could tie his shoes he was elected spokeman's for his team.

appreciate Lethe 200, AFL is a forgotten child in my weekly musing about winners/losers, 'Who are these guys'?
kind'a like Denver when John Elway, darn he could throw that ball.
We have a Denver fan on this thread
 
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Yes indeed, happy, happy, happy that Cowboys woke up, but, but, but they have no experience in winning playoff games, lots of experience
in losing them:oops:
Currently have laid crying towel aside, but still close by...

LV Raiders and Jon Gruden
1, they are the LA Raiders, they are not suppose to be in LV
How long before we have the Haight-asbury 49 niners?

2. Gruden had a reputation of being good a coach; fire the guy at the end of season, do not wreck playoff hopes.
"Insensitive," more than that, all these NFL people are now public figures.

If the Raiders go into the tank, fans will blame firing, and they are headed for the tank.

Football used to concern only football, no longer.
In the past, if a NFL player could tie his shoes he was elected spokeman's for his team.

appreciate Lethe 200, AFL is a forgotten child in my weekly musing about winners/losers, 'Who are these guys'?
kind'a like Denver when John Elway, darn he could throw that ball.
We have a Denver fan on this thread
Elway was fun to watch. No matter how bad they were losing, there was always a chance they could come from behind and win it in the final few minutes because of Elway. He played some of his worst games in Super Bowls, though. He played probably the best game of his career in his final Super Bowl. Combined with Terrell Davis and their bad-ass defense, they were one of the great teams in history... when was that? 1998?
 
Inside the Patriots’ winning machine: ‘The Super Bowls are an offshoot of two extremists’
In his new book, Seth Wickersham explores how Tom Brady and Bill Belichick built one of the most successful teams in history
London Guardian U.S. 16 Oct 2021

Free access article: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...super-bowls-are-an-offshoot-of-two-extremists

(excerpt) For most of the past two decades, the New England Patriots’ dynasty monopolized the NFL. Between nine Super Bowl appearances, multiple scandals, a global superstar quarterback, and a coaching wizard, the Patriots machine churned and churned until Tom Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.

The organization’s historical run resulted in an infinite amount of reporting, yet a cloud of mystery has always been present. ESPN Senior Writer Seth Wickersham, who has covered Brady and company since the early 2000s, presents the deepest dive yet into the Pats’ dynasty in his debut book, “It’s Better to be Feared”.

The Guardian caught up with Wickersham to talk about what he learned reporting the book, the evolution of the Brady-Belichick breakup, Brady’s happier world in Tampa, and much more.
 
I just finished watching the Chiefs beat the Washington team, by a nice margin. In spite of several "mistakes", the Chiefs managed to get back to .500. Hopefully KC can get it's act together for the rest of the season.....they have started out "mediocre" this year.
 
Pats vs Cowboys:
Today: Patroits 7 plays in five minutes resulting in 14 points
You gott'a be kidding me!
Nope, real

Was prepared for usual duck and run...

(Cowboy's Corner, Diggs=seven Int in 6 games)
 
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I tend to favor teams from cities or regions that I have visited or have lived and towards which I have an affinity, which is one reason I've become a Bills fan. I grew up in NY (state) and visit when I can. It's a great state and NYC is the second greatest city in the world — second only to Paris! (IMO)

While I'd like to support the Broncos, their total lack of substantial offensive talent keeps them from winning, and until they solve the problem of their total lack of substantial offensive talent, they will continue to lose against good teams. Other teams can get great quarterbacks and runningbacks... why can't the Broncos? It can only be blamed on management.
 
Watched the last couple of minutes of the Jacksonville/Miami game being played in London, since I am a Buckeye and I was glad to see Urban finally put one in the W column.

Beyond that, I just can't watch the pros any more. It used to be football, but now it's theater.
 
We need to start paying attention, they've forgotten how to lose.
I guess their meetings with LA will tell the tale.

Next Sunday Cardinals take on the Texans ... that will be win No. 7, then they have a Thursday Night game against Green Bay.
They meet LA near the end of the season.
 
Watched the last couple of minutes of the Jacksonville/Miami game being played in London, since I am a Buckeye and I was glad to see Urban finally put one in the W column.

Beyond that, I just can't watch the pros any more. It used to be football, but now it's theater.

Urban Meyer really looks lost away from OSU
..... (I'm an Ohio State fan - my old stomping grounds)
 

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