NFL 2016-17 Regular Season Discussion (1 Viewer)

[Winston T. Boogie]

McDaniels drops out of the 49ers HC search!

Pretty sure everybody under the sun saw that coming though. He did issue his statement again that he is staying with the Patriots.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Yes, watching the Steelers play the Ravens on Christmas eve with a room full of Steelers fans is fun. Not sure they want me there when they play the Patriots though...ha!

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I'll be rooting for the Patriots against the cheaters this weekend.

http://www.si.com/nfl/2016/12/11/giants-steelers-balls-deflated-deflategate

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I would say the Patriots game was actually closer than the score indicates and the Falcons game was more of a blow-out than the score indicates. The Seahawks were never in the game whereas the Texans were basically in the game for 3 quarters.

I'm not sure what to think of the Pats-Texans game. It was close for so long almost entirely due to the Patriots screwing up -- of the Texans' 16 points, 3 came after that dumb Eric Rowe dead-ball penalty kept the drive alive, and the other 13 followed turnovers. In the second half, the Pats settled things down and pulled away (with help from some vintage Osweiler mistakes).

Hopefully they'll have the rust off next week. They won't survive the Steelers if they play like that.

Interesting stat: The Patriots haven't allowed a rushing TD since they traded Jamie Collins (8 games, I think). Bell will be their toughest challenge yet.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I bet if you told any coach his team would not allow a TD to any other team's offense and his team would score two...he would have thought his team would win that game.

Fixed that for ya. Pretty amazing result any way you look at it.

Consider this. . .could the Steelers have lost that game if they'd been at home? Heinz Field is notoriously difficult for kickers. (Home-field advantage aside, that is. )

 

[Dheiner]

If the Cowboys can get a decent pass rusher and a shutdown corner, they would be a dominant threat.

Ha! They are already over the cap for next year and those are 2 of the most expensive pieces......Yeah, that'll happen.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Dallas can clear cap space by trading Romo, releasing one of their extra running backs (McFadden or Morris), or probably at least a dozen other ways. There are always ways to clear salary cap space in the NFL. And there is always the draft for adding pieces, too.

 

[Carabimero]

Ha! They are already over the cap for next year and those are 2 of the most expensive pieces......Yeah, that'll happen.

Some critics were saying the same thing about Dallas when they didn't take a QB in the first round of last year's draft. What makes me hopeful is exactly what Scott said above: the have a QB to trade. And they have more RBs than they need.

I'll put a cap (pun intended) on this by saying a year ago at this time, I was fairly depressed about my team. Now I am absolutely hopeful for the future--and with good reason. So it's impossible to predict what will happen in the draft. The good news for the Cowboys: if they eliminate those unforced errors (something within their control), they beat the Packers easily. The Cowboys have very few, and very specific, holes to fill. They figure to get even better despite their late-round drafting position.

 

[Carabimero]

Mike Tomlin is right saying they spotted the Pats a day and a half. I've always said in the divisional round that both AFC games should be played on the same day and both NFC games on the other day. That way, it doesn't give one team an advantage of an extra day going into the next round. Tomlin is right. I think the league should change the practice. There's no good reason not to that I can see.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Mike Tomlin is right saying they spotted the Pats a day and a half. I've always said in the divisional round that both AFC games should be played on the same day and both NFC games on the other day. That way, it doesn't give one team an advantage of an extra day going into the next round. Tomlin is right. I think the league should change the practice. There's no good reason not to that I can see.

It's all about TV. They must want an AFC & NFC mix for each day. It's not about being fair.

 

[Carabimero]

It's all about TV. They must want an AFC & NFC mix for each day. It's not about being fair.

Yes, they want CBS and FOX to have games both days. I get it. But I know they also want parity. Closer games. That's a pretty good reason, too.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I stopped at the grocery store today, and they were actually selling Detroit Lions t-shirts printed with nothing but "Playoffs" on them. I thought only kids got participation trophies. Maybe they should hang a banner up at Ford Field celebrating this achievement, too! What a sad franchise, when such a simple accomplishment warrants a t-shirt.

Maybe next year they will print shirts with "NFC North 3rd Place".

 

[Malcolm R]

Maybe next year they will print shirts with "NFC North 3rd Place".

Didn't Indianapolis already do something like this? They were getting static a couple years ago for unveiling a banner for "Division Runner-Up" or something to that effect.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Didn't Indianapolis already do something like this? They were getting static a couple years ago for unveiling a banner for "Division Runner-Up" or something to that effect.

I had not heard about this, so I did a Google search. Looks like you are a little off regarding this one, but it's still pathetic. They hung up a banner for "2014 AFC Finalist".

Once a team has won a championship, it's time to stop with all the trivial non-championship banners.

 

[Carabimero]

I think there's a place for "Division Champion" if it's not given the weight of a Conference or even SB Championship banner.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

OK, I know you Brady haters would love to see Tom Brady being lousy at something so here you go...

http://www.nfl.com/videos/new-engla...ch-Tom-Brady-try-to-call-highlights-in-German

The man can't speak German.

 

[Carabimero]

The Cowboys did not play their best game Sunday. Granted. So I am not making excuses. But the NFL just admitted they made a mistake on the 15-yard penalty against Butler for moving in and out of the huddle, a penalty that nullified a 22-yard pass play that put the Cowboys into scoring position. Dallas eventually had to punt because of the 37-yard loss in field position due to the penalty. Those potential points could have made the difference.

Stuff like this isn't making it easier for me to get over the loss, especially since in my heart I believe the better team did not win.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Alan, while penalties like that are frustrating, that event did occur much earlier in the game, so who knows what would have transpired later. Plus, Dallas had plenty of time to overcome the official's mistake -- in fact, they did overcome it, but Aaron Rodgers was able to pull another miracle out of his hat. Also, I recall some missed calls against the Cowboys in the secondary which also impacted the game negatively for Green Bay.

So far, I am 6-2 in my playoff predictions. I'm going with the two home teams this weekend. While I'm hoping for the best for the Steelers, I am expecting the worst. Pittsburgh struggles against Belichick and Brady, and no one is better at taking away the other teams weapons than Belichick. I want to take the Packers with the way Rodgers is playing, but with both Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams ailing, I think Green Bay will lack the firepower to keep up with the Falcons.

 

[Malcolm R]

But the NFL just admitted they made a mistake on the 15-yard penalty against Butler for moving in and out of the huddle,

Where did the NFL admit it was a mistake? According to profootballtalk (link below), not only did an NFL spokesman say it was a proper call but the last time it was called as a penalty was a game that also involved the Cowboys in 2014, making a liar of Jason Garrett when he claimed he'd "never seen it called before."

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...smanlike-conduct-penalty-was-properly-called/

 

[Carabimero]

Where did the NFL admit it was a mistake? According to profootballtalk (link below), not only did an NFL spokesman say it was a proper call but the last time it was called as a penalty was a game that also involved the Cowboys in 2014, making a liar of Jason Garrett when he claimed he'd "never seen it called before."

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...smanlike-conduct-penalty-was-properly-called/

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2017/01/19/nfl-admits-mistake-on-huddle-penalty-on-brice-butler/

It was called properly in the Redskins game. Therefore Garrett would be correct.