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

>>from Jerry Old<<
Cleveland is not as good as I thought they were, felt they would definitely take division title. Looks like Steelers will [win] that division, maybe Bengals or Ravens, Bengals-does anybody want it.<<


Tough AFC North divisional games scheduled; I think it will go down to the wire depending on the intradivisional games:
  • Ravens play Browns twice, Steelers & Bengals once. They have interdivisionals with Packers & Rams.
  • Steelers play once w/Browns, Bengals, Ravens. Tougher interdivisionals with Vikings, Titans, Chiefs.
  • Bengals play once w/Steelers & Ravens, toss-up IDs with Chargers, Niners, Broncos, Chiefs.
  • Browns have Ravens twice, Steelers & Bengals once. Their IDs are against Raiders and Packers.
Are Cardinals better much better or very much better than LA Ram?
That’s a tricky question. Murray is better than Stafford but if the Rams can integrate all those pricey star players into a cohesive offense/defense, they could go toe-to-toe with any team, even the Bucs and Packers, I think. But if they can’t, or get hit by injuries, then it’s a toss-up and I’d give it to the Cards, if only because they’re a young team and have spent several years in the basement putting the pieces together to get into the playoffs.

Looks like Can Newton will be his old self next year? I never figured out they why of his demise.
Horrendous officiating had a lot to do with it. A lot of vicious hits on Newton without any roughing or personal foul calls. As an outsider who watches officiating all over the country, it was very blatant and outrageous IMHO. Didn’t help that Carolina mgmt. is mediocre in vision and did little to protect Cam – similar to what Seattle has done to Wilson – leaky OL and skimping on the D, forcing the offense to compensate.

Newton is not what he was and never will be again. But he is still a charismatic figure and popular with his teammates. Carolina may never get another Super Bowl try even with his help, but he’s probably worth an extra couple of wins for them, at least.

Why CJ Beathard is still being paid to be in the NFL is beyond me, while Cam never heard his phone ring.

Bills and Saints game might be interesting on Thanksgiving.
I agree, but hard to give the Saints a chance without Winston. Nothing against Trevor Siemian or Taysom Hill, but even an aging Cam Newton is better than both of them. I really fault Saints front office for being unwilling to take the chance on him. He is a locker room leader, and it’s clear since Brees retired they need someone to kick butts on that team. They have too much talent to be futzing around, losing games they should win with their talent.

(What? no mention of Cowboys?)
This year has seen so many upsets, I’m hesitant to say Dallas has a “soft” schedule left! But after the Raiders – c’mon, Cowboys really should win that one on Turkey Day – they have the erratic Saints once and the puzzling Washington FT twice, who unexpectedly won vs the Bucs and the Panthers, and who may very well beat the Seahawks after that (giving WFT a 3-game win streak).

They will face Cardinals and Eagles in their last two games, who are tougher opponents....but Dallas (ahem) should win both.

I’m fond of saying injuries are what determines who makes it to the Super Bowl, but 2021’s motto may well be “shoulda, coulda, woulda......”

LOL! What do others think?
 

Great column from WP:

What to watch in the NFL’s Thanksgiving games: All of these teams have looked like turkeys
Somehow, the Grinch seems to have found Thanksgiving, because all six of the NFL teams who play Thursday are coming off losses.
Washington Post 24Nov2021

However, at least four of the teams — the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints — have something on the line as the trio of holiday games ushers in Week 12 of an 18-week season.

And then there are the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions.

Thursday’s schedule (All times Eastern)
  • Bears (3-7) at Lions (0-9-1), 12:30 p.m., Fox
  • Raiders (5-5) at Cowboys (7-3), 4:30 p.m., CBS
  • Bills (6-4) at Saints (5-5), 8:20 p.m., NBC
Bears at Lions: Hoo boy. The day kicks off with a game between teams with a combined 3-16-1 record, and both are hurting at quarterback. Chicago’s Justin Fields left Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens with bruised ribs, and the turnaround for Thursday was deemed too short for him to play. That means that the Bears will turn to Andy Dalton, as they did Sunday when he passed for two touchdowns but completed only 11 of 23 passes. Matt Nagy will be coaching after calling a report that he would be fired after the Thanksgiving game “not accurate.” This is the second game for the Bears since they lost star pass rusher Khalil Mack for the rest of the season to a foot injury.

Meanwhile, Jared Goff’s status for Detroit is uncertain because of an oblique injury. In Goff’s place Sunday, Tim Boyle got his first NFL start and passed for 77 yards on 23 attempts, with two interceptions, in a loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Lions still haven’t won a game without Matthew Stafford under center since 2010, and they are 5-15 over the past 20 years on Thanksgiving.

Raiders at Cowboys: In the midst of a stretch of three games in 12 days, the Cowboys will be without wide receiver Amari Cooper again because of coronavirus protocols, and they may be without wideout CeeDee Lamb because of concussion protocols. In a stinker of a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the Cowboys’ offensive line was missing left tackle Tyron Smith, who is expected to return from an ankle injury. Without him, Dallas could offer no protection for Dak Prescott, who didn’t complete a pass of 20 or more air yards and had only three that traveled 10 or more yards in the air. The running game never got untracked, either, with 82 yards rushing against an improved Kansas City defense. Ezekiel Elliott, who has an ankle injury, rushed for only 32 of those yards. Tony Pollard accounted for the other 50.

The Las Vegas defense is coming off a game in which it gave up only one touchdown to the Cincinnati Bengals, holding them to three field goals through three quarters and briefly into the fourth. The Raiders limited Cincinnati to less than 300 yards, but their offense offered little support until the fourth quarter — when it was too late. The Raiders were hurt by seven penalties and converted on only one of seven third down opportunities. “I’m fed up. I just want to be a part of the moment it changes. I want that so bad,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. “It shouldn’t always end like this.”

Bills at Saints: There was a time when “Bills” and “Super Bowl” were being uttered in the same sentence, but that seems to be fading as the season unfolds. The Indianapolis Colts, particularly Jonathan Taylor, ran roughshod over the Bills, who fell from the top spot in the AFC East into second behind the New England Patriots. Not all hope is lost, though, for Buffalo, which next plays the Patriots in the first of their two meetings in a Dec. 6 Monday night game in Orchard Park, N.Y.

The Saints, who are one of five five-win teams in the mix for the final two NFC wild-card spots, gave up 242 rushing yards on 50 attempts (with three touchdowns) in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles after coming into the game with the NFL’s No. 1 rushing defense (allowing 72.9 yards per game). With quarterback Jameis Winston out, Trevor Siemian has been at the controls for three straight losses and was intercepted twice by Philadelphia. As the Colts’ Taylor showed with 185 rushing yards and four touchdowns (plus a touchdown reception), the Bills can be vulnerable against the run, so the status of Saints running back Alvin Kamara bears watching after he missed the past two games with a knee injury. Also of interest will be the presence of Drew Brees in the NBC broadcast booth, providing color commentary on his former team.
 
Lethe 200 Post 229

Cardinals come on as second game, by that time I'm tired of football-still, they appear to be the pick of the NFC;
however, due to their lack of experience in playoffs, they may will be eliminated-Yes?

First two-three years of Russell Wilson he was: too short, shouldn't run, he just don't fit the NFL: and then, and then 😜 He must have grown a few inches, someone taught him to run well, now: 'We can't win without Russell.'
Horrendous officiating had a lot to do with it. A lot of vicious hits on Newton without any roughing or personal foul calls. As an outsider who watches officiating all over the country, it was very blatant and outrageous IMHO
WOW! that's a his bag of hornets: (College games, when they played inter-conference games had to have an equal number of official from
each conference. I have seen totally bizarre, dead wrong, ref calls in college ball. Was money involved? )

Now, the NFL Refs had to petition, beg and finally strike to win a livable wage.
I've never understood the short-sighted owners; they want to keep all the money and work their employees for peanuts.
(Do you think officials always short of money would ignore a offer of non-traceable cash?)
Consequently, once the employees get a taste of power, which leads to salaries-they extended where common people
could no longer identify with them and the salary bases.

Do NFL officials comprise their calls? There has never been a hint of officials being involved in 'fixing' a game; there is also
(1919 White Sox almost killed baseball) If there is an incident of the official being paid-the NFL MUST not acknowledge it, as
it may result in fans refusing to attend games.

Bad calls in the NFL are due to poor judgement, or all types of excuses' He didn't have a good view of the play.' Blah, blah, blah...

Once the Pittsburgh Steele's rose to prominence in the AFL, they became bully boys. They played the
game rough, very rough. I watched a lot of Pittsburgh games in the eighties, they should have been flagged far greater
than they were. Conclusion: see conclusion of Raiders.

The Raiders were a tough, rowdy group, very nasty on the football field.
They should have been flagged a lot and they were.
Remember when All DAvis and Pete Rozelle locked themselves into their blood feud.
The Raiders would complain of excesses instances of being flagged (I believe they were), but no action was taken by
the NFL Commissioner.
The officials had Cart Blanch to throw flags (I think).

Yes, Officials throw flags without merit for a variety of reasons-it would be naive to think cash is not involved.
 

the Lions and bears might be instructive for all front office personnel of football clubs :eek:
Lions QB Goof, just take the year off young man, what can it hurt?

Cowboys should win with no problems, if not they can always whinny, "too many injuries."

Pokes are second game so I can flip back and forth
Bills to rise up and take charge
Saints in same boat, they need to rise up....
Hmmm:(
 
I wondered a little about @jerry old's reluctance to 'go all in' on rooting for his Cowboys - but after reading this column I understand it better! A very tough loss for Dallas fans. As a Raiders fan, I honestly expected LVR to lose badly; they've looked awful in their last 3 game losses.

Cowboys vs. Raiders: There are only losers from this game and they are the Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have broken the trust factor.
BloggingTheBoys.com by RJ Ochoa Nov 26, 2021

There are a couple of narratives concerning the Dallas Cowboys as a whole that have been floated. One is the notion that for one reason or another, the NFL and its controlling properties have it “out” for the Cowboys. That the powers that be are constantly looking to inhibit the Cowboys’ chances of success because of some sort of bias against them. This one holds little merit.

Second is the idea that other teams “get up” to play America’s Team. They are the most visible sports team in the world, play in a luxurious stadium, and are generally the focus of primetime television or big stages where you can make a name for yourself. This one may hold a little merit, but professional football players probably care in this same way about other teams or opportunities.

One could make an argument that both of these narratives were in play on Thanksgiving Day as the Las Vegas Raiders seemed to enjoy the Turkey Day stage while benefiting from flag after flag as they beat the Dallas Cowboys. The penalties were frustrating and certainly did not seem normal, but it is the latter point that is a bit more concerning in the aftermath.

Whether it be because of their sterling history in the NFL or their success this season, the Cowboys are a team that is hunted. They are not very good at handling that role which is disconcerting as we enter December football.

There are only losers from Thanksgiving Day and they are the Dallas Cowboys.
  • Dak Prescott played poorly before lighting it up in the fourth quarter (only to have a costly miss towards Noah Brown in overtime).
  • Anthony Brown got called for a DPI, another DPI, then a DPI again, and somehow an additional DPI.
  • Trevon Diggs struggled to tackle.
  • There were drops by wide receivers. It all sucked.
The point here isn’t to gloss over, or somehow be passive, about these performances, but the real loser is the Dallas Cowboys as a whole. They were 6-1 and at the top of the NFL and had finally earned the benefit of trust from many of us. We were sold.

Dallas won games this season in ways that we had never seen them do in recent memory. They went to New England - persevering through a number of penalties there incidentally - and fought off all adversity to scratch a win out. It had been while since we had seen that.

Impressively, they played the long game when they visited the Minnesota Vikings and sat Dak Prescott because, as we believed, this team was capable of bigger goals and those aren’t won in October. They purposely (wisely obviously) put themselves at a disadvantage and still won. Trust had been earned.

Whatever benefit of the doubt that the Cowboys had has been spent little by little, third-down failure after third-down failure, first-down run after first-down run over the last month. We could explain away the loss to the Denver Broncos as the team being too big for their britches, and justify the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs by injuries against a team that has lived atop the NFL’s mountain of competition for the last three years. Thursday was supposed to justify our defenses of their name over the last month.

While the Cowboys did make it close, the fact that they struggled to do so against a team that had lost three games in a row and had just about quit on their season is particularly discouraging. The season is not lost by any means as all of the group’s wants and wishes are still ahead of them, but our implicit trust that they would accomplish them has faded into obscurity.

These are not our older brother’s or father’s Dallas Cowboys. The elephant in the room that is starting to show itself is that they might just be our Dallas Cowboys, and that is a group that has disappointed year after year since the heyday of the 90s.

Thursday was supposed to be a band-aid that stabilized our condition for another week while our immune system could fight off the infection. Unfortunately, all it did was pick at old scars and remind us that what has hurt us before is more than capable of doing it again.

So go the Dallas Cowboys.
 
NFL Week 12 Predictions Pt 1 of 2
Teams that sat atop their divisions mere weeks ago can no longer assume home-field advantages for the playoffs.
NY Times, WashPost, SB Nation, local media 27Nov2021

Byes: KC, Arizona. All times are Eastern.

The drama continues this week with a potential NFC Championship preview between the LA Rams and GBay Packers, an important AFC North game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, and a matchup of two playoff dark horses, the Minnesota Vikings and SF 49ers. Oh, and there are three games on Thursday for Thanksgiving.

Sunday’s Best Games

TBay Buccaneers at Indianapolis Colts, 1p, Fox

Pick: Buccaneers
This game should determine whether to add the Colts (6-5) into the hectic fray of AFC challengers. Winning five of their last six games, they have a three-game win streak. Jonathan Taylor leads the league in rushing yds (1,222), and has entered the MVP Award conversation. But Indianapolis’s postseason hopes hinge on getting a win: They have a 66% chance of making it if they win, but only 45% if they lose.

The Buccaneers (7-3), though, allow the fewest rushing yds per game (78.4), and could get a lift from the returns of DT Vita Vea (knee) and receiver Antonio Brown (ankle) from injury. Vea’s presence would be particularly helpful in clogging Taylor’s run lanes. If TBay’s defense neutralizes Taylor, it will turn into a shootout between Carson Wentz and Tom Brady. Who would you trust more in that scenario?

LA Rams at GBay Packers, 4:25p, Fox
Pick: Packers
Last week’s bye was perfectly timed for the Rams (7-3) to gather their pride after two embarrassing losses, and to integrate WR Odell Beckham Jr. and LB Von Miller - acquired in the past month - into their system. The showdown against the Packers (8-3) might be a preview of the NFC Championship game.

The Rams figure to be in a better position than in last season’s divisional round loss to the Packers, when Aaron Donald was compromised with a rib injury. He should feast with two of GBay’s starters from the OL out: Guard Elgton Jenkins was placed on IR after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last week, and tackle David Bakhtiari is likely to miss time after having his knee scoped this week. Forecasts call for a kickoff temperature around 37 degrees, but that looks like the only advantage the Packers have in this one.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals, 1p CBS
Pick: Bengals
The Steelers (5-4-1) nearly beat the Chargers last week without some of their best players, which makes predicting their divisional matchup with the Bengals (6-4) tough. Coach Mike Tomlin said he expected TJ Watt (hip and knee), Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was on the Covid-19 list last week, and Joe Haden (foot) to play. They will certainly help, but the Steelers must also run the ball better - they rushed for only 55 yds against LA, whose defense has been awful against the run.

Cincinnati has allowed the fifth-fewest rushing yds per game (98) and could force Pittsburgh to again be one-dimensional. If the Bengals get out to a lead, they should be able to keep it. A Cincinnati win increases their postseason chances to 60% but a loss would drop them to 28%.

Tennessee Titans at NE Patriots, 1p, CBS
Pick: Patriots
Injuries are affecting the Titans (8-3) and their slipping grip atop the AFC. LB Bud Dupree (abdominal) was put on injured reserve, and receiver AJ Brown hurt his chest in a fluky loss to the lowly Texans. Ryan Tannehill threw four interceptions against one of the worst teams in the league, not a good precursor to playing the Patriots (7-4). HC Mike Vrabel is 2-0 vs Belichick, however.

NE has allowed opponents an average of only 135 passing yds and 72.3 rushing yds over their last three games. Meanwhile, Mac Jones has completed over 80 percent of his passes in back-to-back weeks. The Patriots are the hotter team while Tennessee is banged up, so the bets are on NE.

Minnesota Vikings at SF 49ers, 4:25p, Fox
Pick: 49ers
Both teams are 5-5 and on two-game winning streaks. Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson has posted over 100 receiving yds in that stretch. Kirk Cousins has not thrown an interception in the last five games. Defending Jefferson and receiver Adam Thielen will be a big barometer for SF’s secondary, which has allowed the third-fewest passing yds per game (202.4).

Cousins struggles under duress. If the 49ers’ front seven can generate pressure, he could be liable for a turnover or two, allowing SF’s methodical offense to chew the clock. Nick Bosa, who was the 2019 Rookie Defensive Player of the Year, has returned from a torn ACL in 2020 to top form in 2021. Through the first ten games he is credited with 42 pressures, 10 sacks, 13 QB hits, and 15 tackles for loss.

The Niners’ last two games have been the best red-zone offense in the NFL, converting 77+% of their trips into TDs. SF will be missing the explosive RB Elijah Mitchell, but will still have multiple offensive weapons in Jeff Wilson, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and the spectacular Deebo Samuel (who is making waves as a potential Pro Bowl pick). The Vikings are 30th in rushing defensive expected points added (EPA) per play, 25th in rushing defense success rate, 27th in rushing defense DVOA, 22nd in explosive rushing plays allowed this season, and 31st in rushing yds allowed per attempt. The Vikings have been hit by the injury bug and will be without DL Dalvin Cook and edge rusher Everson Griffen.
 
NFL Week 12 Predictions Pt 2 of 2
NY Times, WashPost, SB Nation, local media 27Nov2021

Byes: KC, Arizona. All times are Eastern.

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens, 8:20p, NBC
Pick: Ravens
A narrow victory last week for the Browns (6-5) against the winless Lions felt more like a loss. Baker Mayfield declined to talk to reporters afterward and then scolded fans who booed the team. The QB has played through shoulder and knee injuries, ailments that are clearly affecting his performance, but Mayfield will start if he is cleared.

Against the Ravens (7-3), RB Kareem Hunt is hopeful to play for the first time since he injured his calf in October. Baltimore has allowed the second-fewest rushing yds, though, and could contain even a backfield as dynamic as Hunt and Nick Chubb. Lamar Jackson’s status is questionable as he recovers from an illness that kept him out in Week 11. But with the Browns faltering, Baltimore is considered the safer bet.

Sunday’s Other Games

Carolina Panthers at Miami Dolphins, 1p, Fox

Pick: Panthers
Cam Newton’s return for the Panthers (5-6) doesn’t fix that the team has no consistent playmaker other than RB Christian McCaffrey, the run defense is mediocre and Carolina leads the league in penalties (81). The Dolphins (4-7) have won their last three games behind their defense, which has created seven turnovers in that stretch. LB Jerome Baker and the Dolphins defense have powered Miami on a three-game win streak.

But there’s still reason to think that the Panthers are the better team. Miami’s pass defense remains statistically the NFL’s worst. The team has rushed for 100 yds only three times this year. If Carolina takes care of the ball and handle Miami’s aggressive blitzes, the Panthers should win. If not....even die-hard Panthers fans must concede Cam was never going to be the complete answer.

Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1p, Fox
Pick: Falcons
Anything can happen when two of the worst teams in the league meet up. But the Falcons (5-6) have played worse than the Jaguars (2-8) recently and have been outscored 68-3 in their last two games. Jacksonville, meanwhile, has played competitively against strong competition, allowing only 186.3 passing yds per game in their last three.

Atlanta will still be without receiver Calvin Ridley (mental health) and do-it-all back Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle), making Matt Ryan’s one option finding TE Kyle Pitts. The Jaguars know that and can cut it off.

Philadelphia Eagles at Giants, 1p, Fox
Pick: Eagles
After leaning heavily on the pass earlier in the season, the Eagles (5-6) have become more balanced, rushing for over 200 yds in three of their last four games. That strategy should succeed against the Giants (3-7), who allow 119.7 rushing yds per game. The Giants offense scores a mere 18.9 points per game, a lack of production so dire it got OC Jason Garrett (formerly Dallas HC) fired Tuesday. These two teams are on opposite trajectories, and the spread could be a bit higher.

Jets at Houston Texans, 1p, CBS
Pick: Texans
Houston surprisingly beat the Titans last week thanks to a five-turnover performance by its defense. The unit could see similar results against the Jets (2-8). The Jets rank next to last in efficiency per Football Outsiders and will have rookie quarterback Zach Wilson back for the first time since Week 8.

Wilson has struggled but the Jets’ production with him throwing the passes is on par with what Houston has done - both have scored 11 fewer points per game than expected - so flip a coin. The Jets defense has underperformed, though, allowing 171.3 rushing yds per game over their last three. WashPost disagrees with Vegas oddsmakers and votes the Jets as the unlikely choice as one of this week’s upsets, since they viewed last week as more a Titans loss than a Texans win.

LA Chargers at Denver Broncos, 4:05p, CBS
Pick: Chargers
This AFC West matchup puts the Chargers’ (6-4) playoff standing on the line. With a win, LA is back in the fight for the division lead. A loss drops them back into wild card territory, where they’d have a 52% chance of making the postseason.

The Chargers’ last four games have been decided by one score and even if they are a better team, the potential absences of DT Linval Joseph, who is on the Covid-19 list, and CB Asante Samuel Jr., who is in the concussion protocol for the second time this season, could display LA’s propensity for unnecessary Q4 drama. Fresh off their bye, Denver designated LB Bradley Chubb to return from IR. His presence could help stop Chargers RB Austin Ekeler, who scored four TDs last week.

Monday’s Matchup

Seattle Seahawks at Washington Footballers, 8:15p, ESPN

Pick: Washington
Washington’s Taylor Heinicke has played well recently, leading (4-6) to two straight wins, and he has not thrown an interception in that time frame. Big strides have been made on defense - WFT has allowed a 32% conversion rate on third downs in those two wins, compared to a 57% rate during the first nine weeks of the season.

Seattle is trending in the opposite direction. The Seahawks have lost two straight and the offense has just one touchdown over 20 offensive drives since quarterback Russell Wilson returned from finger surgery. Only the Atlanta Falcons, with zero touchdowns in 23 offensive drives, have struggled more on offense these past two weeks.

The offense, even with Wilson, is inept, especially with RB Chris Carson officially out for the remainder of the year with a neck issue. Each week gives Wilson and his agent more material to request a trade this off-season. The Seahawks (3-7) defense is one of the worst in the league, allowing the third-most passing yds per game (279.6).
 
Whew! Week 13 cramming into Week 12 made this trio of posts a last-minute accomplishment, LOL.

Thanksgiving Day Games
NY Times, WashPost, SB Nation, local media 27Nov2021

Bears 16, Lions 14
NYT picked the Bears to cover a 3-pt spread, figuring that this battle of two bad offenses would turn on Detroit RB D’Andre Swift having a third straight 100-yard rushing game. But Swift exited the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury. The Lions (0-10-1) carried a lead late into the fourth before falling to the Bears (4-7), who connected on Cairo Santos’s 28-yard FG attempt as time expired.

Detroit could have extended its lead on a final Q4 possession but was assessed penalties on three consecutive plays and had to punt. Chicago’s Andy Dalton had 317 yds on 24 of 39 passing, with one TD, in place of Justin Fields, who injured his knee in Week 11. Dalton drove the Bears 41 yds before Santos’s FG sailed through.

Once again, a tough loss for Detroit.

Raiders 36, Cowboys 33 (OT)
Everybody thought Dallas, playing at home against a leaky Raiders defense that had lost three straight game, would overwhelm LVegas with its firepower. Dallas is the NFL’s third-best scoring team.

And everybody was wrong. The Raiders defense leaked, but not as much as expected. Unfortunately for Dallas, Dak Prescott struggled under pressure, not helped by his receivers (who dropped balls with distressing frequency) and officials (who were throwing yellow flags around like holiday confetti - see below). Clearly missed were Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, although Tony Pollard did an excellent job at RB, helping Ezekiel Elliott who is still not quite 100%.

Raiders QB Derek Carr, who came into the game struggling, played better at last. The Raiders had a whopping 509 yards of offense – even without their superstar WR Darren Waller, who exited halfway through Q1 with a strained knee and never returned. The Raiders (6-5) defense did look untrustworthy towards the end, giving up 11 points on the Cowboys final two drives in regulation. Dak Prescott finally steadied and threw on three passes of a 4-play, 69-yard TD drive. Dallas converted a 2-point attempt to tie the game, 30-30, with 2+ minutes remaining.

Dallas failed to score on their opening possession of OT. The D looked as if it would stop LVegas, who was facing third-and-18 from their own 43. Raiders QB Derek Carr targeted Zay Jones, who was interfered with by Cowboys CB Anthony Brown. The penalty – Brown’s fourth pass interference penalty of the game – gave the Raiders a new set of downs deep in Cowboys territory. Kicker Daniel Carlson ended the game with a 29-yard FG.

Each of Brown’s PIs came on a Raiders 3rd down situation, extending crucial drives. Keep in mind Brown has been called for zero pass interference penalties all year long, but drew four such fouls in this one game. The Cowboys and Raiders were each penalized 14 times by Ed Hochuli’s crew. The Cowboys were awarded a franchise-record 166 yards off those penalties; the Raiders 110. In Q3, Cowboys cornerback Kelvin Joseph and Raiders safety Roderic Teamer were ejected following a scuffle out of bounds after a punt.

Notables:
• Raiders QB Derek Carr has come in for heavy fan criticism this year, but achieved a milestone: he threw for 373 yards in the game, surpassing the 30,000 career passing yds mark. Carr is the 51st QB in NFL history to hit that milestone.

• Dallas LB Micah Parsons showed again why people are calling him the next NFL’s defensive rookie of the year. He set a franchise rookie record ninth sack in OT.

Bills 31, Saints 6
The assumption that New Orleans’ short-handed offense would not be able to keep pace with a Bills team smarting from a Week 11 thumping proved correct. Josh Allen and the Bills (7-4) offense dominated Thursday, outgaining the Saints by 171 yds. Allen threw for 260 yds and four TDs, including two to TE Dawson Knox, in a game that was never close.

The Saints (5-6) defense picked off Allen twice but could find no consistent offense with Alvin Kamara and other playmakers out. It put a damper on the halftime celebration for retired QB Drew Brees, now turned sportscaster. The Saints lost their fourth straight game and fall under 500 for the first time this season at 5-6. The season is looking more and more like a lost cause, having little chance without Jameis Winston’s arm and legs.
 
In the 1970's and early 1980's the Cowboys were the only team that were able to compete with the
clubs in the AFL Conference. Therefore, viewers got a steady diet of the Cowboys on TV.
The Cowboys were the best team in the NFC Conference, the darling of the TV Networks.
Then, the rivalry between the 49's and Dallas gave us several excellent football games.

We got to see Danny White *lose three close games to the 49's,
Then Tom Landry's refusal to alter his tactics but the Cowboys in a decade long funk.

Now we have the Network Wars: Every network get a game-though some only get one game a week.
Fox hooked their wagon to the Cowboys where they were challenging for their division crown, on not.

I wonder about the Cowboys, from a good team to a looser, then reemerge as a contender.
I cannot remember another team that keep coming back, and back and back.

(How would the Newworks=Fox go about assuring that the Cowboys consistently field a contender?
The constant battle for viewers by the Networks need to be pondered.
I'm not saying the 'fix is in,' I am saying the Cowboys are an anomaly that requires explanations)
 
Packers and Rams look like the cream of the NFC, where to put Cardinals?


Steelers vs Bengals
Brown vs Ravens
You have the four members of the AFC North going head to head.
They will never get a bi in the playoffs, they beat each other with regularity.

Cowboys vs Saints Thursday night-win or lose the 'pokes' will win their division, but, but,
can they beat the cream of the other division.
Aaron Rodgers-Cowboy killer
Rams=DL, just too big
Cardinals-may fade, still dangerous
Tampa Bay, would like a rematch, Cowboys by seven points
NFC North Bears or Vikes, which will be wildcard?
There are too many 5-6 clubs.

Titians to be in Super Bowl, who can match them?
 
The Cardinals may be fading with too many injuries now .... Not sure about them.

Who can match up with the Titans? .... the Texans did last week! and beat them ... lolololol
(Titans probably didn't consider it a game to even practice for ..:LOL:)
 
Not only that, Bonnie-the Patriots are beating the stuffings our of the Titans turkey.

Hmmm, the touted defensive line of the LA Rams did not hamper Aaron Rodgers (Packers); I thought they would dominate the game.
Rams qb is supposed to play their best in important games, Stafford did not, he was Okay, but did not match Rodgers.

New England's drafting Mac Jones (qb) looks like a masterful move-- Is Belicheck responsible for the surging Patriots?
Goggle says, Offensive 'Cord, Josh McDaniels has 21 years experience; their are ten Asst Coaches for offense, six on defense,
 
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Quietly the Patriots are moving up ..... Oh, please NOoooooooooo to a Patriots - Bucs Super Bowl - anyone else!
I would prefer the Cowboys vs any team they can beat.

However, Bucs and Pats would answer question: Who was responsible for all the Pat's history of excellence.

(Actually one game does not answer that question)

The AFC North (Cleveland, Bengals, Ravens and Steelers) remains a dogfight-Ravens beat the Browns to take the lead, for now.


Monday Nov 30, 21
Wondering when we are going to see a snow and ice game?

Cowboy's coach has covid-19, are these players/coaches anti-vac or what.
McCarthy game plan won't include a running game, he has the horses, but does not use them.
 
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Since we're (sort of) discussing the Patriots, this might be apropos:

Excerpted from: 5 winners and 3 losers from Week 12 in the NFL
Mac Jones has the Patriots rolling, and we should have seen this coming.
SB Nation by James Dator Nov 29, 2021

What a glorious, spectacular, dream-shattering week of football this was. The perfect prelude for the holidays. When it comes to the NFL this season it feels like every week has been a gift, and that’s dulled the spirit of the holidays, if I’m being honest. Only problem is that the presents we’re getting are socks. Not good, high quality, comfy socks, but the hastily purchased ones from a clearance section inside a Dollar General.

Week 12 was ennui distilled. Every single bubble team I held excitement for, lost this weekend, and that is seriously impressive. At this point the whole season feels like waiting in line for 17 hours to ride a new, exciting rollercoaster, then getting to the front of the queue and realizing you’ve ridden it before.

Yes, that’s right, the damn Patriots sure as hell look like they’re heading back to the Super Bowl, and I don’t really know how to process that. Two weeks ago I gushed effusively about how good New England was looking, and why it shouldn’t really surprise anyone. Now they’ve not only beaten one of the best teams in the AFC in Tennessee, but dominated them in a 36-13 beatdown that reasserted that Mac Jones is going to be a damn problem for everyone else in the NFL.

Jones’ arrival in New England was kismet. The stars aligning, clouds parting, and the perfect Patriots’ quarterback landing in the absolute perfect landing spot for him. The most remarkable thing about Jones’ rookie season has been the quiet that’s surrounding him. It’s like everyone is still expecting the bubble to burst, but its soapy, glistening veneer was crafted by a substance not known to modern science — causing it to linger. At this point there is no doubt Jones is the best rookie QB in the NFL, but the question now pivots to discussion about where he’ll end up among the greatest rookie seasons of all time.

I know that last sentence will be met with groans, but hear me out. At the beginning of the season Mac Jones was handled with kid gloves. The Alabama rookie was barely asked to throw downfield, had plays tailored to his limited knowledge of the NFL, and basically allowed him to be a perfectly serviceable NFL quarterback from the jump.

Now, over the last six weeks, Bill Belichick and Co. have decided it’s time to trust Jones, and their faith has been rewarded. Assuming his season continues on its current path, Jones’ 2021 projection would exceed anyone’s wildest imagination: 4,038 passing yards, 70.3% completion, 23 TD, 11 INT — 115.94 passer rating

This season is even more impressive when you consider that Jones didn’t even come into his own until Week 5. That was really the turning point for his season. At that point he’d thrown just five touchdowns, and five interceptions. Hardly eye-popping. In the seven weeks since he has nine touchdowns, three interceptions, while lifting every single statistical area of measure.

Jones may not break Andrew Luck’s rookie passing yards record (4,374) or Justin Herbert’s rookie passing TD record (31), but when we consider he’s trending to only be 3.1% off Drew Brees’ single-season completion percentage record, well, there’s an argument to be made. If Jones can finish over 4,000 yards, and throw a few more TDs, then as a total package he might have one of the best seasons of all time.

In the end the real thing that matters in the NFL is wins. It’s here Jones has a chance to be legendary. With the entire AFC crumbling to dust around them, the Patriots are perfectly poised to ride their experience into the playoffs. When you get there, well, it’s New England. You have the greatest tactical coach of all time getting to focus on single opponents, and now a QB who can execute his vision. It feels like horrible, groan-inducing destiny.

I’m definitely not bullish on the AFC to win the Super Bowl in general this year, and think the power resides in the NFC based on how things are shaking out — but there’s potential here to make noise.
 
(this is the remainder of article referenced re Matt Jones, above)

5 winners and 3 losers from Week 12 in the NFL
Mac Jones has the Patriots rolling, and we should have seen this coming.
SB Nation by James Dator Nov 29, 2021

Winner: This single image that can sum up a team’s entire season ...
https://dailycaller.com/2021/11/29/...-mascot-jaxson-de-ville-bungee-jumping-video/

In the spirit of brevity I thought I’d turn Jacksonville’s season into a haiku.

So much excitement
Hope is now dust in Duval
Mascot stuck on rope

Loser: Matt Rhule
Since becoming a franchise in 1995 the Carolina Panthers have had five head coaches. For comparison, the Browns re-entered the league in 1999 and have had nine coaches over the same span.

This is all a lead in to say: When it comes to head coaches, the Panthers have really been kind of blessed — so they were due for a bad one. Hoo boy, did they get a stinker.

The issue with Carolina isn’t just that they have a bad coach, it’s that they went ALL THE WAY IN on their bad coach. Like a drunken gambler betting the house on a 2-4 on suit before seeing the flop, the Panthers gave everything to Rhule to convince him to come to Charlotte. He got to hire all his friends to make up his staff, at a ludicrous cost. Rhule had a multi-million analytics department organized for him, again at great cost. The new coach got to call all his personnel shots, at perhaps the greatest cost.

The result: Rhule cut Cam Newton, signed Teddy Bridgewater (at great cost), then learned he wasn’t the guy. He then had Sam Darnold brought in (also at significant cost), who faltered — causing the coach to run back to Newton.

If you’ve been following along, that’s a whole lot of expensive-ass mistakes to wind up where the Panthers started. Once again mired in mediocrity, getting out-coached every week, and looking like a deer in headlights. Functionally the Panthers aren’t eliminated from the playoffs yet, but c’mon ... there’s no chance this team puts it together now.

I’ve seen Panthers fans clamoring for Oklahoma to want to sign away Rhule, and they’re right to hope for that. It would give this team an out from a man who has cost them way too much already.

Winner: The New York Football Giants
The Giants won, and they’re back in the playoff picture. That’s not why I want to give them props this week. I want to shout out New York for celebrating Thanksgiving by looking to trim a whole lot of fat.

On Sunday morning reports emerged that GM Dave Gettleman might retire after this season, which feels like giving him an out with dignity. It’s the best possible thing to happen to New York in years. Hiring Gettleman was a legendarily terrible decision after he burned the Panthers to the ground on the way out the door, and he did it again with the team where he started in the NFL.

Just a beautiful decision if this plays out.

Loser: Kirk Cousins approaching the wrong ass
I really enjoyed writing that haiku for Jacksonville, and since this is another perfectly brief example, let’s do it again.

I am Kirk Cousins
This butt does not have the ball
$31 million

Winner: Indianapolis Colts (even though they lost)
I think you can learn a lot about a team in defeat as well as victory, and the Colts’ narrow loss to the Buccaneers told me everything I needed to see. Indianapolis still has a small mountain to climb to make the playoffs, but I think they can be really scary if they get there. This will not be an easy out, and I think they could shock some teams if they get in.

Loser: Everyone who had high hopes for Sunday Night Football
Browns vs. Ravens sucked. That is all.
x2LR.jpg

Winner: Kliff Kingsbury’s agent
Simply beautiful work here by Kingsbury’s agent to use his patsy to secure the bag for his client. The entire “Team X has targeted [insert current coach here]” is just a beautiful way to force a team’s hand before they’re ready to pay. I love the grind.
x3.jpg
 
Scattershooting:

I wish I knew more about front office personnel-they have input on draft choices, but none on game plans.
John Elway's role in Denver had puzzled me.

Playoffs:
LA Chargers have a good QB and a decent team, thought they would be in the playoffs, not this year.

Pats still have to play Bills=twice
Mac Jones can follow directions, so-so arm, not a running QB (doesn't have to be)
with Belichick;s; game plans their hard to beat, unless opponents lead makes them alter game plan.

AFC-North winner be decided late in the season-it is a shame that four decent clubs have to batter each other.

Titians slumped, but still think there the best over all team in AFC

Still look for Ram to be able to beat any team in their league, would like to see them play the Titans

Would like to see Titans play Buc's, Chiefs,

Still vague on Cardinals-who are these guys?

Cowboys can lose two more games and still be in playoffs.

I do not care for all the wild card teams, still think only division leaders should be in playoffs.

Mr. Rodgers and Packers =I would not like to see on my playoff schedule

Super Bowl=Rams, Bucs, Cardinals, Packers vs Chiefs, Titians, ...who will it be?
 


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