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

The Pats should have had a game delay or any excuse for not playing last night. They sure didn't look like the Pats of the last few weeks. Taylor and Wentz really ripped them and their offence looked weak.(n)
 

jerry old said:
Texans vs jaguars battle for # 1 pick of draft., seeking new and inventive ways to lose🧐
Click to expand...
They could watch tapes, of other teams' games, in order to learn many
"new and inventive ways to lose" :LOL::ROFLMAO::LOL::giggle:
In the battle for #1 draft pick! :sneaky::geek:

Ways that have been demonstrated by others:;):sneaky:

QB throws ball to player wearing different uniform than his own.

Punt Returner, just touches the ball, then lets in bounce around
(till other team picks it up for him :LOL:)

Running Back carries ball and runs into 2 HUGE players (on his own team, one Fullback creating a "lane", and one OF Linemen)

Kicker, for field goal attempt, uses side of his shoe.

Oh, so many creative ways to lose games! :):D
 
jerry old said:
Kaila's hints forwarded to Texans and Jaguars.
Click to expand...

Jaguars are now in the lead, in the competition for top draft pick.

I wonder how many consecutive years, a team ( not specifying which!)
would need to have a top (or a top 5 )
draft pick, till they could field a team, that would know how to win?
:D :LOL:

Is there a draft order for Head Coaches, too?:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

@Bonnie
Are you saying that while I was napping, the Cardinals lost to the Lions?
:oops::eek::oops:
 
Unfortunately, having high round draft choices are often squandered by inept front office personnel.
The Bengals and Browns went into a decade long slump. both had had draft choices for a number of years-yet they remained cellar dwellers.
We know little about front office personnel, their just not newsworthy, plus we wouldn't know who these clowns are anyway.

A great college career does not necessarily translate into a good NFL player.
It appears drafting good NFL players is an unknown art
 
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jerry old said:
Unfortunately, having high round draft choices are often squandered by inept front office personnel.
The Bengals and Browns went into a decade long slump. both had had draft choices for a number of years-yet they remained cellar dwellers.
We know little about front office personnel, their just not newsworthy, plus we wouldn't know who these clowns are anyway.

Finally, both finally appeared to get it right.
Click to expand...

Boy, are you ever so right Jerry ! .... the Texans have idiot ownership, which in turn hires idiot management, which in turn .......
you get the point ...:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: ... No football minds in the mix!

They have wasted the talent and careers of so many players since their inception in 2001.... It is really sad.
The poor draft picks that come to Houston.
 
Bonnie says:
They have wasted the talent and careers of so many players since their inception in 2001.... It is really sad.
The poor draft picks that come to Houston.

Indeed, great players like J J Watts requested a trade due to the frustrations he felt playing for a team that was going no where.
How many others?
 
jerry old said:
Indeed, great players like J J Watts requested a trade due to the frustrations he felt playing for a team that was going no where.
How many others?
Click to expand...


Too many .... starting with David Carr back in 2002, their first quarterback pick. ..the guy didn't have a chance to succeed.
He's the older brother of Derek.

They "gave away" players like Jadeveon Clowney, and DeAndre Hopkins (Coach Bill O'Brien just didn't like them)..

They have the most talented QB in Deshaun Watson... He's still on the active roster, not playing, but pulling a paycheck, who is in deep with law suits right now trying to get away. But he's on the team nonetheless.

Some past players that wasted their talent in Houston were ... Andre Johnson, Brian Cushing, Johnathon Joseph, Arian Foster ......
guys who always made it to the Pro Bowl, but that was it.
 
And the dumbest play of the week goes to... The Ravens for going for two points after scoring a touchdown when they could have tied the game with an extra point and sent the game into overtime where they would have had a much better chance of winning.

That was a good game, though. Maybe I just wanted it to go on a while longer. :unsure:
 
Covid is taking an increased toll on the NFL players. Dozens, among all teams, have been sidelined in recent days. If this trend continues, the playoffs and the Super Bowl may be impacted....
 
Don M don't you think the owners of the NFL teams were watching, very, very closely the ratings for the Tuesday night game.
A NFL game every night if the owners could have it. :rolleyes:
 
What We Learned From Week 15 in the NFL Pt 1 of 3
The Dolphins looked capable in their sixth consecutive win, the Lions were kings for a day, and the Steelers re-appeared.
NY Times, WashPost, SB Nation, local media Dec. 20, 2021

Dolphins 31, Jets 24
With their sixth consecutive victory, the Dolphins (7-7) continue the NFL’s most improbable turnaround. The schedule, their QB and a defensive-minded coach have revitalized them. This six-game winning streak has not always been pretty, but Miami has been bouncing back from punches, rather than folding.

Finally healthy from the catastrophic hip injury that ended his collegiate career at Alabama and the broken ribs sidelining him for three games early this season, Tagovailoa is showing signs of being a capable starter in Miami. These Dolphins don’t ask him to do too much: just to be efficient and make the big throw when needed.

Coach Brian Flores has remade the defense, a weakness early in the season, into the strength of this team. Another of the countless branches from Bill Belichick’s coaching tree, Flores has shown a knack for shutting down different types of QBs. Outside of the Giants, who started a backup QB against the Dolphins, Miami has halted Texans Tyrod Taylor, who threw three picks and finished with a 42.8 passer rating; Ravens Lamar Jackson, who gained only 37 rushing yds; and Panthers Cam Newton, who had a dreadful 5-of-21 passing outing. On Sunday, Miami sacked Jets rookie Zach Wilson six times, holding him to 170 passing yds on 13 of 23 attempts.

Most encouraging for the Dolphins is that big plays on both sides of the ball seem to come from a different player each week. Linebacker Jerome Baker bench-pressed Jets RB Michael Carter and skated him into Wilson for one of his two sacks on Sunday. RB Duke Johnson rushed for 107 yds on 22 carries with two TDs, a standout performance for a former second-round draft pick who has bounced between the team’s practice squad and active roster.

There’s an energy now for a team that had every reason to quit on the season six weeks ago. At 7-7 and third in the division, Miami is somehow still mathematically alive in the playoff hunt, with a 7% chance of playing in the postseason. If the Dolphins win their final three games - at New Orleans, at Tennessee and at home against NE - their odds jump to 70%. But Miami does not need that miracle to know its investment in this team has finally shown dividends.

Lions 30, Cardinals 12
Coach Dan Campbell promised before the season started that under his direction, the Lions would play with unusual intensity. “When you knock us down, we’re going to get up, and on the way up, we’re going to bite a kneecap off,” he said in his introductory news conference in January.

With this shocking upset, the Lions may prove capable of biting some kneecaps. After suffering through three months of excruciating losses and an OT tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers before eking out its first win (over the Minnesota Vikings), the Lions (2-11-1) put it all together to provide the stunner of Week 15, a demolition of the up-till-now top-seeded Arizona Cardinals (10-4). For one day, the Lions resembled the team in Campbell’s head.

Jared Goff threw for 216 yds on 21-of-26 passing with three TD scores, and the misfit toys around him all stepped up. Craig Reynolds - effectively the team’s fifth-string RB - pounded away for 112 yds. Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, a fourth-round draft pick this year, led Detroit with eight receptions for 90 yds and a TD catch.

The reclamation project that is Charles Harris has emerged as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. The 22nd overall pick in the 2017 draft, he flamed out in Miami, was traded to Atlanta for a seventh-round pick and landed in Detroit this season. His one and a half sacks against Arizona brought him to eight and a half for the season.

It is expected that the Lions will gut their roster in the off-season (and beyond), but Campbell’s tenacity is expressed on his lines, where Harris torments on defense and the offense has created lanes for the Lions to rush for their highest yds-per-carry average, 4.6, since 1997.

Arizona is slumping on a two-game skid. Barring disaster, the Cardinals will make the playoffs for the first time since 2015. But they have fallen from first seed down to third, meaning they would have no bye when the playoffs start. Without receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who is out for the rest of the regular season with knee and hamstring concerns, their offense has not looked sharp. In Q3 on Sunday, Murray appeared irked at receiver AJ Green for failing to come back to the ball on a route where the QB was intercepted.

For once, Detroit got to be the team that executed its game plan and cruised to victory.

Bengals 15, Broncos 10
Anyone who has followed the NFL over the past two decades is likely to be hard-wired to believe the Cincinnati Bengals will fall apart at some point in a given season. But this ultra-young, ultra-fun Bengals squad, which has been caught in a two-win, two-loss cycle for weeks, delivered at every critical moment on Sunday to beat the Denver Broncos on the road.

Facing a 9-3 deficit late in the third quarter, Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater dived for a first down on second-and-5 from the Denver 30-yard line, was hit by defensive tackle BJ Hill in midair and landed on his head. Bridgewater appeared to lose consciousness and was carted off the field and taken to a hospital for observation.

The Broncos later confirmed that Bridgewater had movement in all of his extremities and coach Vic Fangio provided a positive update on the QB during his post-game press conference. Bridgewater will remain in concussion protocol until cleared.

Backup QB Drew Lock completed the drive with a 25-yard TD strike to Tim Patrick, to put Denver ahead, 10-9. But the second play of Cincinnati’s ensuing drive, Joe Burrow delivered a 56-yard TD to Tyler Boyd. On the TD pass, Boyd juked Denver’s star safety, Justin Simmons, inside-out after the catch to reach the end zone.

Burrow, phenomenal one week ago, was sharp again, going 15 of 22 for 157 yds with no turnovers. Even better for the Bengals was their defense’s response when Lock drove the Broncos 64 yds after Boyd’s score, only to have Cincinnati DE Khalid Kareem rip the ball right out of Lock’s hands on second-and-goal early in Q4.

The Bengals entered Sunday’s game having lost four games in their last six, including Week 14’s numbing OT defeat by SF, but with the victory took over the AFC North lead from the Baltimore Ravens. It sets up a crucial head-to-head matchup with the Ravens for Week 16.
 
What We Learned From Week 15 in the NFL Pt 2 of 3
NY Times, WashPost, SB Nation, local media Dec. 20, 2021

Saints 9, Buccaneers 0
For the first time in 255 games, Tom Brady was shut out. Nobody has had his number quite like Saints DC Dennis Allen over the last two years. Allen didn’t succeed in 2014 as HC of the then-Oakland Raiders, but has proven he still has the ability to produce a good D – especially against the GOAT. At one point, the seven-time Super Bowl champion threw his tablet on the sideline in frustration at a night where he was sacked four times, threw an interception and finished with an abysmal 57.1 passer rating. Allen also stood in as head coach for Sean Payton, who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier in the week.

Special teams play for the Saints was excellent, consistently putting the Patriots in poor field position. With the win, the Saints move into third place in the NFC wild card ranking.

Packers 31, Ravens 30
Once again, John Harbaugh opted to go for a 2-point conversion to win after his Ravens scored a TD late. It was the right call, but went awry. Baltimore’s backup QB, Tyler Huntley, was unable to connect with TE Mark Andrews on a rollout, and the Packers were able to kneel out the clock.

But what a night this was for Huntley and the depleted Ravens team, which came up one play short of winning without the services of numerous injured or ill starters on both sides of the ball. Huntley went toe-to-toe with Rodgers and dominated. He threw two TD passes and took two to the house himself. In the end, Huntley finished with 28 completions on 40 attempts for 215 yds. He was only sacked once for four yds, and ran for 73 yds, two TDs on his own, on 13 carries.

49ers 31, Falcons 13
Jimmy Garoppolo did not turn the ball over. In related news, the 49ers won with ease, something that usually happens when JG remembers which color jerseys to throw towards. SF’s secondary may be a hot mess, but the 49ers have a shot to win most any game so long as their QB does not commit a backbreaking mistake.

Their defensive line smothered the Falcons, with All-Pro Nick Bosa making Matt Ryan’s life miserable. Ryan’s only offensive burst came when Bosa was pulled briefly to check him for a head injury (he later returned). The officials went conveniently blind as the Falcons OL double-teamed and held Bosa back, but that left lanes for teammates Arden Key and Samson Ebukam to level Ryan. Atlanta only totaled 275 yds on offense – 98 of which came on two long passes Ryan completed while Bosa was sitting down.

Garoppolo was 18 of 23 for 235 yds with a TD, and RB Jeff Wilson Jr. (110 yds rushing) kept the offense churning against Atlanta. Coach Shanahan spread the ball around, and that’s when the Niners are at their best. WRs Brandon Aiyuk and Kyle Juszczyk, along with WR/RB all-purpose Swiss Army pocket tool Deebo Samuel, sliced through the Falcons’ secondary. Superstar TE George Kittle caught all six passes thrown his way for 93 yds. He’s averaging 89 yds per game this year. Kittle, who plays much bigger than he actually is (both Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski are taller/heavier), at one point was dragging eight Falcons with him as he kept plowing towards the end zone.

Special teams continue to be a sad joke for the Niners. It’s a toss-up which is in worse shape, the ST or the secondary. Shanahan is a hands-off HC, but it’s clear – at least to outsiders – that changes need to be made if the Niners are ever going to seriously compete in the deeper playoff rounds.

Conversely, the only unit that worked well for the Falcons was their special teams, who did an outstanding job all game long. Unfortunately, neither the offense nor defense could match their efficiency. This stat says it all: the Falcons have had 43 plays this season needing 1 yard for a first down or TD. They have succeeded just 20 times. That conversion rate (46.5%) is the lowest in the NFL. No one else is lower than 60%, and the overall league average is 70.5%.

Steelers 19, Titans 13
Look beyond the QB, and Pittsburgh (7-6-1) is peaking at the right time. This was the Steelers’ best defensive effort this season, holding Ryan Tannehill to a meager 4.8 yds per attempt and forcing three fumbles. And on the Titans’ final play, a fourth-and-7 pass from the Steelers’ 16-yard line with 34 seconds remaining, CB Joe Haden supplied the game-winning tackle of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine 1 yard short of the first-down marker.

The Titans will meet the Niners on Thursday Night Football, in a must-win game for both teams. The Titans must stop the turnovers, and their admittedly-excellent pass rush must pressure Jimmy Garoppolo, who often makes very bad throws when under constant pressure. If the Niners start out hot, the Titans’ poor offense will struggle to keep pace.

Cowboys 21, Giants 6
Dallas held backup Mike Glennon to a 24.8 passer rating and forced three picks, and corralled Saquon Barkley into an average of 3.3 yds per carry to move to a 10-4 record. The unexpected losses by Cardinals and Buccaneers vaulted the Cowboys to #2 seed. Dallas did not play particularly well, but the Giants couldn't take advantage of the opportunities and kept turning the ball over.

The Giants announced afterwards that QB Daniel Jones and WR Sterling Shepard have been placed on IR. This was their eighth double-digit loss of the season.

Texans 30, Jaguars 16
In their first game without Coach Urban Meyer, the Jaguars continued to Jaguar against the equally hapless Texans. Priority #1 for Jacksonville’s owner, Shad Khan, must be finding a coach who can reverse the damage to rookie QB Trevor Lawrence, who struggled again.

Bills 31, Panthers 14
With this win and the Patriots’ loss on Saturday night, Buffalo (8-6) can take the AFC East crown for the second straight season by winning out. There wasn’t much to be gleaned from the performance of Panthers QB Cam Newton, who missed open receivers all day.

Panthers kicker Zane Gonzalez injured his quad during warmups and was ruled out of the game, and the Panthers had to play the entire game without a kicker. That affected their game plan as they had to go for it on fourth downs and two point conversions instead of attempting FGs, and it cost them chances to score points a few times throughout the game.
 
What We Learned From Week 15 in the NFL Pt 3 of 3
NY Times, WashPost, SB Nation, local media Dec. 20, 2021

Colts 27, Patriots 17
Indianapolis scored the first 20 points, and in the final minutes RB Jonathan Taylor slammed the door on a frantic Patriots rally to seal the victory. Taylor, the NFL's leader in rushing, scrimmage yds and TDs, totaled 29 carries - including 18 before halftime - for 170 yds, helping the Colts (8-6) overcome an ugly showing from Carson Wentz (5 of 12, 57 yds, one TD and one INT).

The Colts defense and special teams also played huge roles. LBs Darius Leonard and Bobby Okereke each intercepted Mac Jones, and Matt Adams blocked a punt that EJ Speed recovered for a TD.

The Patriots had eight total penalties in this game to the Colts’ two. The Patriots lost yds on penalties on five separate offensive drives. They missed opportunities and thwarted themselves as often as the Colts’ defense did. In their first three drives, the Patriots had four plays go for negative yds.

NE's loss left the KC Chiefs (10-4) alone in the top spot in the AFC. The Colts (8-6) moved within a game and a half of the Titans (9-4) for the AFC South lead.

Monday’s games

Vikings 17, Bears 9
The Bears’ biggest weakness was themselves, as they totaled nine penalties for 91 yds. The Bears offense struggled as well, as they were not able to convert any of their three fourth-down attempts. Two of those occurred in the red zone, which could have helped the Bears score two TDs. The Bears did score one TD at the last second after Justin Fields threw a 19-yard pass to Jesper Horsted.

The Bears offense generated only 9 points from 8 trips inside Vikings territory. They were 1/5 in red zone, 2/12 on third down, and 2/5 on fourth down. They won the stats in the game, but it didn't help them with the final score. The Bears finished with 370 total yds, while the Vikings only had 193 yds. Kirk Cousins finished with 87 passing yds, the least amount of yds he has thrown in a game in his career. Cousins completed 12 of 24 attempts, threw two TDs and threw one interception.

Despite the loss, the Bears showed some positives. Rookie QB Justin Fields threw for 285 yds and ran for 35 in his second game back after missing two with broken ribs. He completed 26 of 39 passes despite playing behind a line missing both starting tackles, with RT Larry Borom on the Covid list and LT Jason Peters out with an ankle injury.

The Bears’ Robert Quinn and Akiem Hicks each had two sacks. Quinn has 16 this year, leaving him just shy of Hall of Famer Richard Dent’s franchise record of 17 and a half in 1984.

The Vikings move to 7-7 and with the win, move to the seventh seed in the NFC playoff picture. The Bears are now 4-10, and their playoff chances are over.

Raiders 16, Browns 14
The game seemed a win for Cleveland as backup Nick Mullens threw a TD pass to go ahead 14-13 with 3:45 left. The Raiders got the ball but QB Derek Carr promptly threw an interception. The Browns fans were deliriously happy. But Cleveland couldn’t come up with a first down, giving the ball back to LVR with 1:50 left.

Then Carr redeemed himself, taking his team 51 yds down the field. As time expired, kicker Daniel Carlsen crushed a stadium full of fans by bulls-eyeing a 48-yd FG through the uprights. The loss was devastating for the Browns (7-7), who would have vaulted into first place in the AFC North with a win. Instead, they fell into last place in the tightly packed division, with three games remaining.

Carr completed 25 passes for 230 total yds. While the offense felt the pressure from Browns' safety MJ Steward Jr., the Raiders were still able to drive on the ground. LVegas recorded 98 total rushing yds, with RB Josh Jacobs leading the team with 52.

Due to a virus outbreak, the Browns were without QB Baker Mayfield, coach Kevin Stefanski and several other prominent players, including top receiver Jarvis Landry and edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney. Third-string QB Nick Mullens completed 20 of 30 passes for 147 yds and a TD. RB Nick Chubb carried the Browns offense and recorded 91 rushing yds with a score.

Cleveland drops to 12th in AFC with the upset loss. The Raiders still mathematically have a chance at a wild card, but will probably not qualify.

Tuesday NFL games Week 15
Postponed due to COVID from Sat

Rams 20, Seahawks 10
The LA Rams held off the Seattle Seahawks 20-10 Tuesday night in a rescheduled game. It was LAR’s third straight win following a winless November. LA pulled even with Arizona atop the NFC West with three games to play, although the Cardinals hold the tiebreaker on division record.

Stafford passed for 244 yds, becoming the fastest QB in NFL history to rack up 50,000 yds passing when playoff totals are included. Cooper Kupp’s 6-yard TD catch was the 120th of his spectacular year. The NFL’s receiving leader then scored a tiebreaking 29-yard TD with 10:48 to play on a picture-perfect throw over the middle from Stafford to cap an 88-yd drive. Kupp had his 10th consecutive game with at least 90 yds receiving, a first in the NFL in the past 70 years.

DeeJay Dallas rushed for a TD for the Seahawks (5-9), whose streak of nine consecutive winning seasons under coach Pete Carroll ended. Seattle couldn’t manage enough late stops or big plays from Russell Wilson, who went 17 of 31 for 156 yds and underthrew DK Metcalf on a key play in Q4, allowing Jalen Ramsey to break it up. The Seahawks are still mathematically alive for a ninth playoff appearance, but will regret losing an eminently winnable game at SoFi Stadium.

Both defenses excelled despite significant Covid-19-related absences on both sides of the ball for each team. The Rams were without starting RT Rob Havenstein, leading tackler Jordan Fuller, TE Tyler Higbee and a host of backups after 10 days of roster turmoil. The Seahawks were without leading WR Tyler Lockett, starting CB DJ Reed and leading rusher Alex Collins.

Eagles 27, Washington 17
Jalen Hurts ran for two TDs and threw for another, helping the Philadelphia Eagles (7-7) come back from an early deficit to beat virus-ravaged Washington (6-8) in a critical showdown with NFC playoff implications.

In his first game back from an ankle injury, Hurts scored on a pair of one-yd QB sneaks to set the single-season franchise record for rushing TDs by a QB with 10 and connected with Greg Ward on a 19-yard TD pass. He was 20 of 26 for 296 yds passing with the TD, despite a bad-luck interception when Dallas Goedert dropped a catchable pass and the ball bounced into the hands of Washington’s Landon Collins.

Except for that bad bounce, it was all Eagles. They outgained Washington 435-136 the rest of the way, adding 238 yds rushing to Hurts’ totals. Well-rested coming off its bye week, Philadelphia became the first team with 175-plus yds on the ground in seven consecutive games since the 1985 Chicago Bears. That’s also a first in Eagles franchise history.

In one way, the Eagles have won no matter what the game score. Carson Wentz has now played enough snaps for the Eagles to get the Colts’ first-round pick in 2022, related to the deal that sent Wentz to the Colts.

Washington did not have starting QB Taylor Heinicke or backup Kyle Allen clear protocol in time to play. Garrett Gilbert, who signed Friday, completed nine of his first 13 passes and finished 20 of 31 for 194 yds. He did a credible job, and would have had a TD pass in his stats if WR Adams Humphries hadn't dropped a ball that Gilbert threw accurately – it literally hit Humphries in the chest, right on the numbers. Humphries redeemed himself by doing a good job later in the game in third-down situations, but Washington was just too undermanned to pull out a win.
 
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Lethe200 has spoiled us.
I was waiting for this weeks games posting.

That AFC North is the most interesting, unfortunately they have to play each other twice-by the time the eventual conference winner gets into the playoffs, their beat up, exhausted. :sleep:
 
Sorry to be so late with this - blame the holiday crush, LOL. Will try to fit it into 2 posts:
NFL Week 16 Predictions, Pt 1 of 2
Note: due to the holiday, this is strictly from NYT (and myself re Niners/Titans)

Amid an outbreak of positive coronavirus tests fueled by the Omicron variant, the NFL playoff picture will end up impacted by the pandemic. This week’s games have important postseason ramifications. The Ravens and the Bengals will meet in a crucial AFC North game, the Bills and the Patriots will have a rematch of their frigid chess match and the Steelers have a must-win game against KC. The Titans beat the Niners on Thursday, meaning they can take the AFC South if the Cards beat the Colts on Sunday.

Cleveland Browns at GBay Packers, 4:30p, Fox and NFL Network
Pick: Packers
The Browns (7-7), with a roster decimated by coronavirus-related absences, nearly beat the Raiders on Monday, but find themselves in last place in the AFC North. A loss to the Packers (11-3) this week would drop Cleveland’s postseason hopes to 13%, according to the Times’ playoff simulator. That’s a tough scenario considering GBay has shown few weaknesses on either side of the ball.

GBay’s defense is playing at a high level, allowing only 21.6 points a game, the 10th-best mark in the league, and is even more effective at home, with an average of 17 points allowed at Lambeau Field. Regardless of which starters return from the Covid-19 list, it is hard to picture the Packers not covering the spread.

Indianapolis Colts at Arizona Cardinals, 8:15p, NFL Network ONLY
Pick: Colts
The Cardinals (10-4) botched a chance at clinching the NFC West when they lost to the lowly Lions last week. Now they face the Colts (8-6), a considerably tougher opponent.

After starting 3-5, the Colts have won five of their last six games, mostly because of outstanding play from the league’s leading rusher, Jonathan Taylor. He has rushed for more than 100 yds in eight of his team’s 14 games, and as he showed against the Patriots, he can succeed even when defenses load up the box.

Arizona has lost two straight games after bursting to a 10-2 start. In both games, Kyler Murray threw errant passes, and his team will find it difficult to get home field advantage in the playoffs without DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring), whom the Cardinals placed on IR with the hope that he can return for the playoffs. Indianapolis is ascending while Arizona is falling, making the road underdog appealing.

Buffalo Bills at NE Patriots, 1p, CBS
Pick: Patriots
The weather forecast in Foxborough, Mass. calls for a similar game plan to the one the Patriots (9-5) used earlier this season against the Bills (8-6). The National Weather Service calls for it to be around 40 degrees and windy, with gusts as high as 22 miles per hour, with a 20% chance of snow. Mac Jones threw only three passes in Week 13 and the Patriots rushed for 222 yds, exploiting the Bills’ weakness in run defense.

The Bills are better suited against the pass, allowing a league-best mark of 175.6 yds per game. As there’s no reason for NE to deviate from the run, even with Damien Harris (hamstring) potentially unavailable, it seems likely the Patriots will repeat their previous win.

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals, 1p, CBS
Pick: Bengals
This is a must-win for both teams. A loss drops the Ravens’ (8-6) chances of making the playoffs to around 30% and the Bengals’ (8-6) to around 25%, according to the Times’ simulator. Baltimore has had the most injuries in the league this season, but has still played competitively and kept games close.

QB Lamar Jackson (foot) remains questionable to return this week. WR Sammy Watkins, who was placed on the Covid-19 reserve list, might play. In narrow defeats to the Steelers and Packers, the Ravens tried and failed at 2-point conversions rather than playing for OT. With a realistic shot at the playoffs on the line, Coach John Harbaugh may take a more conservative approach. Either way, it is likely this game will be close, making the over a good betting choice.

LA Rams at Minnesota Vikings, 1p, Fox
Pick: Rams
After two embarrassing prime time losses, the Rams (10-4) have won their last two games and are beginning to rise. Against the Vikings (7-7), who finally put together a complete game devoid of any drama last week, the Rams’ pass rush should carry them.

Kirk Cousins is known to struggle when he faces pressure and takes hits. Aaron Donald and Von Miller of the Rams showed they can catch up with Arizona's Kyler Murray, so they should have a great time in pursuit of Cousins. Miller finally secured his first sack with the Rams last week, while Donald’s 11 sacks for the season have him tied for eighth in the NFL

It is unclear whether Adam Thielen (ankle) will play, meaning Jalen Ramsey and Justin Jefferson should be matched up together in coverage for most of the game. If the Rams’ defense contains Dalvin Cook and forces Cousins to throw, they should have a lot of success.

Pittsburgh Steelers at KC, 4:25p, CBS
Pick: KC
During its early-season slump, KC (10-4) spotted other AFC teams some time to cement themselves atop the standings. Instead, the conference collectively allowed Patrick Mahomes and friends to regroup and get to the top spot. The Chiefs’ time as the #1 seed could be in jeopardy, though, with Travis Kelce not yet cleared from the Covid-19 reserve list. Tyreek Hill will play, however.

Pittsburgh’s (7-6-1) offense has struggled this season, depending too heavily on Ben Roethlisberger’s arm while failing to pass protect for him. Assuming Hill and Kelce suit up, bet on KC. If only Hill suits up, it’ll be up to Pittsburgh’s revived D to keep them in the game.

Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons, 1p, Fox
Pick: Falcons
The Lions (2-11-1) fulfilled Coach Dan Campbell’s vision of biting off kneecaps when they upset the Cardinals, which delayed that team’s ability to clinch a division title. There’s nothing to spoil against the Falcons (6-8), who have also been one of the league’s worst teams. Detroit is 9-5 against the spread this season and has played competitively against strong opponents.

But the Falcons have beat up mediocre teams while getting blown out by the good ones. There’s nothing in Atlanta’s recent performances to suggest betting on the team.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Jets, 1p, CBS
Pick: Jets
The Jaguars (2-12) and the Jets (3-11) are in the same positions they were in last year when their poor records led to them selecting QBs Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson with the first two picks in the NFL draft. Both of those QBs’ rookie seasons have been filled with growing pains, though Lawrence also had to deal with the firing of his team’s head coach, Urban Meyer.

This matchup between the top picks is certainly not one to watch at the expense of more important games. The Jaguars have not scored more than 20 points since Week 6, and Jets’ offense has been only a little better. Realistically, don’t bet on this game, but if you do, take the Jets.
 
NFL Week 16 Predictions, Pt 2 of 2
Note: due to the holiday, this is strictly from NYT (and myself re Niners/Titans)

Giants at Philadelphia Eagles, 1p, Fox
Pick: Eagles
The Eagles (7-7) are currently the NFC’s No. 8 seed, which is one spot away from qualifying for the playoffs. A win against the Giants (4-10) would boost their chances to around 40%, while a loss would drop them to around 15%, according to the Times’ playoff simulator. They should win, though, and easily cover.

QB Jalen Hurts delivered one of his best games of the season last week — he completed 77% of his passes for 296 yds, with one TD and one interception. The offense, led by Hurts and RBs Miles Sanders and Boston Scott, has rushed for more than 200 yds in five of the last seven games.

The Giants’ season has gone another way. Their offense, which struggled even before Daniel Jones injured his neck, has not eclipsed 200 yds passing in six consecutive games. It is unclear whether Coach Joe Judge will start Jake Fromm or Mike Glennon in Jones’s place. Neither will be able to keep pace with Philadelphia.

TBay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers, 1p, Fox
Pick: Buccaneers
In a shutout loss to the Saints — Tom Brady’s first shutout since 2006 — the Buccaneers (10-4) were dealt a huge blow with a season-ending ACL injury to WR Chris Godwin as well as concerning injuries to WR Mike Evans (hamstring), RB Leonard Fournette (hamstring) and linebacker Lavonte David (foot). The severity of the latter three is something to monitor as the playoffs approach, but TBay’s backups will suffice against the Panthers (5-9).

Carolina has arguably the worst QB room in the league, and Coach Matt Rhule said both Cam Newton and Sam Darnold, who just returned from a shoulder injury, will both play on Sunday. WR Antonio Brown should play after serving a three-game suspension for using a fake vaccine card, and Brady should be able to score at will while the Panthers’ lousy offense continues to struggle.

LA Chargers at Houston Texans, 1p, CBS
Pick: Chargers
Coach Brandon Staley has already ruled out edge rusher Joey Bosa, and the Chargers (8-6) could be without RB Austin Ekeler and center Corey Linsley against the Texans (3-11) because of coronavirus issues. Even with those potential absences, LA is capable of dominating Houston. The Chargers allow the 10th-fewest passing yds per game, and they should easily contain WR Brandin Cooks, the Texans’ best offensive weapon. That’s if he even plays, as the team placed him on the Covid-19 reserve list on Wednesday afternoon. Bet on the Chargers with confidence, even if they are short-handed.

Denver Broncos at LVegas Raiders, 4:25p, CBS
Pick: Raiders
The Raiders (7-7) kept their postseason hopes alive on Monday by barely beating a Browns team that started a third-string QB. The Broncos (7-7) are also technically in the hunt, making this something of a must-win for both teams. Denver is likely to start Drew Lock at QB as Teddy Bridgewater recovers from a concussion. That’s not ideal for Denver, as Lock is known to make improper reads and turnovers. LVegas beat the Broncos in October in its first game after Jon Gruden’s resignation, and the team is capable of repeating if it leans on its defense to cause pressure and force Lock into mistakes.

Washington Football Team at Dallas Cowboys, 8:20p, NBC
Pick: Cowboys
The Cowboys (10-4) beat Washington (6-8) two weeks ago and will likely do so again. Because of the coronavirus, Washington started its third-string QB, Garrett Gilbert, against Philadelphia last week, and it is unclear whether Taylor Heinicke or Kyle Allen will be available to play at Dallas. The Cowboys have won three straight games, a surge that has surprisingly been led by the team’s defense. Micah Parsons continues to excel as a versatile edge rusher, with 12 sacks, and Trevon Diggs leads the league with 10 interceptions. If QB Dak Prescott and the offense take care of the ball, the defense should smother Washington and keep the score within the spread.

Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05p, Fox
Pick: Seahawks
For the first time since drafting Russell Wilson in 2012, the Seahawks (5-9) will finish the season with a losing record. The reasons are plenty, and they include Wilson’s midseason finger injury, the team’s overall offensive ineffectiveness, and an uncharacteristically porous defense. The Bears (4-10), whose offense is fourth-last in points scored per game (17.1), are one of the few teams that has been worse than Seattle.

Chicago averages nearly seven penalties per game, and that is not a good formula for a team led by a rookie QB, Justin Fields. This isn’t a game to watch, but if you bet on it, expect Seattle to be inspired to finish the year well.

Monday Night’s Matchup

Miami Dolphins at New Orleans Saints, 8:15p, ESPN
Pick: Saints
The Dolphins (7-7) have won six straight games behind a blitz-happy defense and efficient, risk-averse play from Tua Tagovailoa. That success may be a result of a weak schedule, as Miami beat only one team with a winning record. The Saints (7-7) are capable of snapping that winning streak. RB Alvin Kamara should feast on Miami’s defense if it continues to blitz at a high rate.

The Saints’ defense is the fifth-best in the league against the run, which will force Tagovailoa to throw. More passes means more opportunities for mistakes. Take the Saints in this one.

Thursday Night’s Matchup

Titans 20, 49ers, 17
When the Niners are hot, they look like world-beaters. Then the erratic QB Jimmy Garoppolo throws an interception and the offense falls apart. Why it keeps taking opponents an entire half to figure out that picking on SF’s awful cornerbacks is taking candy from the proverbial baby, thereby blunting the Niners’ ferocious pass rush, we have no idea.

Despite numerous injuries, Tennessee won, 20-17, thanks to a last-second FG by Randy Bullock. WR AJ Brown, in his first game back from IR, stampeded through SF’s secondary in the second half, helped along by rookie DC Demecco Ryan’s inexplicably soft coverage and failure to double-team the Titan’s best offensive weapon. Brown caught 11 passes for 145 yds and a TD.

The first Niners drive zipped down the field and scored a TD. The D stopped the Titans cold, and SF’s second drive also galloped towards the end zone.....where unfortunately, Garoppolo underthrew a pass that went straight into a Titans’ hands. Instead of coming out 14-0, the Niners scored zip. Their D pressured Tannehill into incompletions, but once Garoppolo makes a mistake, he keeps piling on to make it worse. He overthrew what would have been a walk-in TD to Kyle Juszczyk. When the first half ended, instead of being ahead an easy 21-0, it was 10-3, Niners.

Garoppolo only got worse in the second half, misfiring on key throws to open receivers and throwing a second interception. A third potential interception was dropped by Tennessee. Those mishaps kept the game competitive, with the Titans gaining the lead 17-10 late in Q4. Once again, under time pressure, Garoppolo efficiently led his team downfield with Deebo Samuel making a spectacular 54-yd run through traffic, to tie the game. Even when erratic, JG runs a great 2-min offense; the Niners are one of the NFL's best in red-zone scoring.

But the Titans and Tannehill had enough time to score again, with Brown gaining yardage and a last minute FG giving them a 3-pt lead with less than a minute to go. With the cornerbacks vulnerable to Tannehill’s accurate passes, the linebackers had to fall back, leaving the middle wide-open for pass-option and rushing YAC. The Titans converted 9 of 16 third down situations.

The 49ers have a team with a playmaking defense, a very good running game, elite pass catchers Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Aiyuk, but also a QB who might melt down at the worst time. The fear that Garoppolo will be a problem in the playoffs popped up again on Thursday and will reignite the debate about when Coach Kyle Shanahan will thrust rookie Trey Lance into the starting lineup.

The Titans can clinch the AFC South if the Indianapolis Colts lose to the Arizona Cardinals. SF is likely going to the playoffs, currently the sixth seed, with tiebreakers over their main competition.
 
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Cleveland is playing Green Bay right now. I hate Baker Mayfield. No, that's not really true. I hate Baker Mayfield commercials. He's actually a pretty decent quarterback and he might be a perfectly nice guy. I just hate those stupid commercials.

EDIT: Baker Mayfield just threw an interception. :ROFLMAO:
 
Irwin said:
Cleveland is playing Green Bay right now. I hate Baker Mayfield. No, that's not really true. I hate Baker Mayfield commercials. He's actually a pretty decent quarterback and he might be a perfectly nice guy. I just hate those stupid commercials.

EDIT: Baker Mayfield just threw an interception. :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
He continues...threw four, your not going to win any gams with four Ints
Cardinals vs Colts-Cardinals might win, but there not as desperate as Colts, but Colts are due for a loss.
Kind'a neat to see playoff scramble (as long as your team is not involved) lot's of crucial games this weekend.
 
While we wait for all Week 16 games to be finished, I thought this was an interesting read:

The 6 teams with the most hopeless futures in the NFL
Sorry Giants fans, the future looks bleak.
SB Nation by James Dator Dec 22, 2021

Unless you’re a team preparing for the playoffs or fighting to get in, at this point everyone in the NFL is evaluating their futures. There are plenty of teams who have some bright spots, or building blocks — but a slim number who have very, very little going for them.

This is not a case of simply mapping the worse teams in the league to their futures. I mean, if you’re a fan of the Lions you’re really excited about what Dan Campbell is building in Detroit. In order to be a “hopeless” team, we’re really looking at organizations with deep systemic problems in need of repair. These are the franchises who might not be the worst right now, but unless something changes they’ll be destitute for years, and years to come.

Sorry to kick off your holiday break with something wholly soul-crushing, but here we are. These are the most hopeless teams in the NFL.

No. 1: New York Giants
Pros: Two Top 10 picks
Cons: Literally everything else
The Giants are an absolute mess, and this has been brewing for a long, long time. There was a fundamental problem turning the keys over to Dave Gettleman as general manager to right this ship, and it’s become a disaster.

Gettleman has been rumored to be stepping away after this season with a gracious retirement. That’s a huge boon for the Giants who desperately need someone to shape this roster as if it’s about to be 2022, and not 1972, as Gettleman tends to value football.

The problem is he’s lit everything on fire on his way out the door. The Giants have a stupid amount of money committed to a lot of middling players, boasting one of the most bloated salary figures in the NFL. As it stands the team only has $4M in space for 2022, less than the Los Angeles Rams, and they don’t have a QB of note.

QB Daniel Jones will likely be out the door. HC Joe Judge shouldn’t be far behind, because he’s been poor too. Thankfully the Giants have two first round picks, but that’s not enough to make up for the myriad problems this team has.

No. 2: Carolina Panthers
Pros: Potentially solid GM, owner willing to spend anything
Cons: Terrible coach, no future QB, limited cap space
The Panthers are a mess for a lot of reasons, but the most pressing concern is that head coach Matt Rhule was given so much control and has made a mess out of it all. Rhule’s major selling point was his ability to turn around struggling teams. He did it with Temple and Baylor at the college level — then Carolina hit him like a truck upon jumping to the NFL. This is a team that signed Teddy Bridgewater to big money at his behest, then traded for Sam Darnold, and both have been a mess.

The worst part is that Rhule has become addicted to passing the buck for the team’s problems. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady was fired for not matching Rhule’s vision, then he blamed Cam Newton for not executing. It’s the antithesis of the way leadership should be handled, and feels like a drowning rat trying to save himself.

The only saving grace for the Panthers is that GM Scott Fitterer has shown potential, and owner David Tepper has pockets so deep he can afford to pull the plug on this Rhule experiment before it does more damage. It remains to be seen if that’ll happen.

No. 3: Jacksonville Jaguars
Pros: Solid young QB, cap space
Cons: No future coach, lacking organizational talent, ownership that keeps making mistakes
The Jaguars were smart to get rid of their biggest problem in Urban Meyer, but there are huge issues still remaining. I’m not sold on Trent Baalke being the football genius the Jags are banking on, but at least the team has Trevor Lawrence. I refuse to believe Lawrence is a lost cause yet, though he could have been had he suffered under Meyer for a few more years.

The biggest problem was Shad Khan hiring a big-name head coach before his GM, and forcing the organization to adapt around Meyer. They need a steadying force at coach and a general manager who can find deeper talent through the draft. Still, I think there’s something to build around — especially with almost $72M in available cap space for the next season.

No. 4: New York Jets
Pros: Potential solid coach, two first round picks, ample cap space
Cons: Worrisome QB investment, roster lacking talent
I still really like Robert Saleh as a head coach and think he could be the right guy for the job. That paired with two first round picks in 2022, and $55M in cap space could turn this team around.

The issue I have is the investment the team made in Zach Wilson. When you take a QB with the No. 2 overall pick they get a lot of rope, and the early returns on the BYU rookie are a total mess. Wilson was a passer who needed time and development, and he got neither — and this is assuming he can actually be “the guy.”

There’s some worrisome things here, but also the potential to get things back on track.

No. 5: Atlanta Falcons
Pros: Potential solid GM and head coach
Cons: No future QB plan, poor salary cap-to-talent ratio
Don’t let their record fool you: The Falcons are a mess. Sure, the team might be 6-8 on the back of Matt Ryan and their aging talent, but the future prospects are bad.

There’s no doubt the team made a mistake taking Kyle Pitts over Justin Fields as QB in the 2021 NFL Draft. Fields was perfect for the Falcons to have him sit and learn behind Ryan, before being asked to take over. There’s no doubt Pitts will be an elite weapon who’s a problem for defenses for years, but none of that matters if you don’t have a QB.

Ryan is 36 years old, the team only has $14M in space with 29 players signed, which creates a scenario where they don’t have a lot of depth. There’s a good chance they right the ship this upcoming draft and take a QB, despite it being a QB-poor group for 2022. But it’s here their 6-8 record becomes a detriment, selecting 9th in 2022, and potentially out of the hunt for a top passer.

No. 6: Chicago Bears
Pros: QB of the future, cap space to find talent
Cons: Ineffective GM, horrible coach
I’m firmly of the opinion that the big issue for the Bears is their head coach and general manager. However, at least they have this:

Everything points to Fields having elite QB potential, which is amazing news considering the Bears invested a lot in selecting him in 2021. Now the team just needs to address how terrible Matt Nagy is, and how Ryan Pace hasn’t done anything to really make this team better since arriving in 2015.

Chicago has $42M in cap space for the upcoming season, meaning they have the tools to find talent to put around Fields — but I don’t trust Pace and Nagy to be the guys to find those players. If the Bears can make the right decision and bring in fresh eyes there could be a chance.

Now we wait to see if that might actually happen.
 

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