American Football lounge

[GruesomeTwosome]

Also, the Eagles have been good running the ball, and run defense is a Packers weakness. I see this being a close game.

Alas, Doug Pederson always forgets that you’re also allowed to run the ball in the second half of games as well, as he seems to bail on the run way too early and Sanders never seems to get enough carries that he should be getting (with the 2nd-highest yards per carry in the league, I believe).

[blocho]

I was wrong about the Jets on the hail mary, by the way. They brought an all-out blitz -- eight defenders rushing the passer. All the receivers were 1-on-1 with cornerbacks. I actually really like this defensive strategy for hail mary attempts because QBs usually need about five seconds for receivers to get downfield, and they won't have that with an all-out blitz. Somehow the Raiders pulled it off.

[blocho]

Also, the Eagles have been good running the ball, and run defense is a Packers weakness. I see this being a close game.

Alas, Doug Pederson always forgets that you’re also allowed to run the ball in the second half of games as well, as he seems to bail on the run way too early and Sanders never seems to get enough carries that he should be getting (with the 2nd-highest yards per carry in the league, I believe).

I guess they're a team that's good at running but don't run much because they're usually playing from behind. You're quite right, though, that being behind doesn't mean you can't run the ball.

I wonder if Hurts will be at QB this series (and next week). He had a nice pass on that last drive. Here's an excerpt from an article I just read about the 25 worst contracts in the NFL:

9. Carson Wentz, QB, Eagles
$32M/year, $34.7M 2021 cap hit, $59.2M to cut

I can’t explain the complete implosion of Wentz this year. He went from being a reasonable NFL starter to one of the bottom five in the NFL in the span of a few months. Our valuation metric puts Wentz at $23 million which for a healthy NFL QB is about as low as it gets. Wentz is one of those players where the contract was fine in relation to the market but now just looks like a catastrophe, similar to a situation that unfolded years ago with Matt Schaub and the Houston Texans. Wentz technically is only at the end of his rookie contract which ran through 2020 and there is no way to cut Wentz in 2021 without cutting him a massive check and carrying huge sums of dead money on the salary cap. If the team fails to cut Wentz this offseason then he will also have his 2022 salary guaranteed. Wentz’ cap hitis the 5th largest in the NFL next year to boot. Basically this is the Todd Gurley contract on steroids. The only hope for the Eagles is to either trade Wentz (“only” a $33.8M charge on the cap) or to hope he magically remembers how to play QB in the last five weeks of the season.

[blocho]

Well, at this point, unless Hurts collapses the rest of the way, I assume he'll start next week.

[GruesomeTwosome]

So yep, Hurts stayed in, and just led a nice drive that sort of stalled when they hit the red zone, but being behind a couple score this late made them have to go for a 4th-and-18, which Hurts converted with a nice TD throw. Huh...interesting.

[blocho]

Second return TD surrendered by Packers special teams this year (not as bad as Chargers special teams, though). It's a game now.

[GruesomeTwosome]

...and I had just been wondering why Jalen Reagor hasn’t been the Eagles punt returner all year (in place of the steady but unexciting Greg Ward). Well that’s certainly a game-changer.

[GruesomeTwosome]

Yeesh, what a bunch of ugly non-tackling by the Eagles D on that 77-yard Jones TD.

[blocho]

Well, that pick takes a little luster off Hurts, but it wasn't really his fault. I think he's got to start the rest of the way. The Eagles offense looked a lot better with him at QB. His mobility adds a dimension to the offense. Packers had to put a spy on him after his first few runs, which made their pass defense less effective.

[GruesomeTwosome]

Yeah I gotta think that Hurts has to start next week. There was at least some spark there at times that simply hasn’t been present at all with Wentz.

[blocho]

The Chargers have a 2-6 record but only a -6 point differential.

Well, the Chargers really put their point differential six feet under today. I didn't see any of the game, but my brother told me it was the most atrocious special teams performance he's ever seen. Two missed field goals, two special teams touchdowns surrendered, plus another 60-yard punt return. And interesting note is that the Chargers changed special teams coaches only a week ago. I get the feeling Anthony Lynn won't be head coach for long.

Speaking of point differential, the Browns are 9-3 with a -15 differential. The Browns were up 38-7 at one point today. It was the first time they had had a 30-point lead in 17 years.

[GruesomeTwosome]

Not surprising now, but Jalen Hurts was officially named the starting QB for the Eagles today...tough task to have your first start against that Saints D.

[blocho]

The NFC East is looking downright frisky all of a sudden. Sure, the Giants laid an egg today. But six days after Washington's massive upset over Pittsburgh, three NFC East teams won non-division games today. In some ways, it's a shame. I would have loved to see a 5-11 division winner. Also, much love to the Eagles from a Packers fan. Thanks for taking out the Saints.

The Packers had a taking-care-of-business win over the Lions. The Packers defense continues to show some vulnerabilities.

And I watched half of Chiefs-Dolphins. The Dolphins won the turnover battle 4-1 and still lost. The Chiefs are a scary team.

After losing 40-3 today, the Jets have a -210 point differential for the season. The worst point differential ever is -287 by the 1976 Bucs (in a 14-game season). The Jets are on pace to finish with the fifth worst differential ever.

Also, was Mitchell Trubisky actually good today?

[GruesomeTwosome]

Jalen Hurts earned himself another start, and I assume he'll finish out the season as the starter. He had a good first half, as a runner of course but also made some good throws, but looked a little more ordinary in the second half with a late fumble that could have been costly but it worked out. The whole team - Eagles' defense included - just looked a lot more energetic, so the QB change certainly did seem to give the team that "spark" that had been missing. What remains to be seen is if that's just temporary, which happens a lot with these kinds of major changes (eg. QB change mid-season, or interim coach's first game after a head coach has been fired mid-season). Anyway, it was nice to see the Eagles' D limit Taysom Hill's running ability, and getting to him for several sacks, a pick and a lost fumble. Something about Hill rubs me the wrong way so I take some pleasure in seeing him stumble.

As for the NFC East, another Washington win has them pulling away a bit (as much as a team in this garbage division can "pull away" from the others, at least). Looking at the upcoming schedules, I think Washington will hang on to "win" the division, and I predict the Eagles do carry some of this Hurts momentum into a second-place finish ahead of the Giants.

[sebby]

Wentz is sure to be traded for a 6th or 7th rounder in the offseason, no? Just hope the Bears aren't stupid enough to buy damaged goods.

[GruesomeTwosome]

Wentz is sure to be traded for a 6th or 7th rounder in the offseason, no? Just hope the Bears aren't stupid enough to buy damaged goods.

Haha, admittedly I would find it kinda hilarious if Wentz somehow ended up a Bear, especially after Nick "I suck balls for any team that's not the Eagles" Foles. But I honestly have ZERO idea how Wentz's future with the Eagles or elsewhere will play out. That enormous contract makes it difficult to say.

And sebby, it's starting to look like you were right on the money about the Steelers being "fraudulent" when they were still undefeated. Two straight losses now and from what I saw of those games, they are indeed looking rough now.

[blocho]

Wentz is sure to be traded for a 6th or 7th rounder in the offseason, no? Just hope the Bears aren't stupid enough to buy damaged goods.

Probably not. Can't imagine there's a team out there willing to take his contract. Although the same could be said about Foles last year, and just look what happened. If someone does trade for Wentz, I think it would be a Brock Osweiler type deal, where the other team would demand some draft pick(s) in exchange for swallowing Wentz's contract.

[GruesomeTwosome]

This Ravens-Browns game is pretty fucking wild.

[blocho]

There's still a minute to go, it feels like anything can happen. Definitely game of the year.

[maxwelldeux]

God damn it. It's a MNF game, so I skipped it. Stupid stupid stpuid.

[blocho]

Life takes you in unexpected directions. It never crossed my mind that I would conclude my Monday by spending 30 minutes giggling about Lamar Jackson poop jokes.

Our society is fucked in so many ways. But there's something endearing about the fact that our collective hive mind can be so creative with toilet humor on such short notice.

[blocho]

The extremely detailed breakdown we all needed after last night:
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2020/12/1 ... acy-corner

[GruesomeTwosome]

In '88, there was the "Fog Bowl". In '90, there was the "Body Bag Game”. In 2000, there was the "Music City Miracle”.

...and in 2020, there was the "Big Runny Dump Game".

[blocho]

Another workmanlike win by the Packers, who have the top seed at the moment. They've feasted on mediocre teams, building big first half leads and then holding on during bumpy second halves. Next week against the Titans will be a more revealing test.

And congrats to the Bills for winning their first division title since 1995! That sounds like a really long time, but it's not the longest. The Lions haven't won their division since 1993. The Browns haven't since 1989 (though they didn't exist for three of those years). Has any team ever had a longer drought? Yes! The Cardinals won their division in 1975 and the not again until 2008.

[blocho]

I just realized that Jalen Hurts' name is a complete sentence. That got me thinking about whether there are other quarterbacks whose name is a complete sentence. Aaron Brooks is the only one that comes to mind. What about non-quarterbacks?

[sebby]

So I guess the Bears offense is good now, but their defense sucks. Will be super fun to finish 8-8 again.

[blocho]

I hope the Bears sneak into the playoffs, and Nagy/Trubisky get extensions as a result.

[sebby]

I hope the Bears sneak into the playoffs, and Nagy/Trubisky get extensions as a result.

There's no need to be so cruel this close to Christmas.

[GruesomeTwosome]

Looks like the Jaguars might sneak in front of the Jets for the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes.

As for my Eagles, even though it ended up a loss, Jalen Hurts put in a very impressive performance, more so as a passer than in the win over the Saints last week. The off-season QB situation will be interesting to say the least...there are reports now that Carson Wentz, unsurprisingly, would want out of Philly if the team is leaning towards keeping Hurts as the starter going into next year.

[blocho]

I hope the Bears sneak into the playoffs, and Nagy/Trubisky get extensions as a result.

There's no need to be so cruel this close to Christmas.

I agree that my sadism is entirely unwarranted.

[blocho]

Looks like the Jaguars might sneak in front of the Jets for the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes.

As for my Eagles, even though it ended up a loss, Jalen Hurts put in a very impressive performance, more so as a passer than in the win over the Saints last week. The off-season QB situation will be interesting to say the least...there are reports now that Carson Wentz, unsurprisingly, would want out of Philly if the team is leaning towards keeping Hurts as the starter going into next year.

I'm just wondering how the hell Hurts lasted until the 53rd pick in the draft. Jacksonville could have had him at 42. Or the Patriots at 37. Or Chicago at 43. Or the Packers, instead of picking Jordan fricking Love.

In years past, I always felt like there was so much quarterback inflation in the draft (think of Christian Ponder or Jake Locker) that I was very suspicious of highly drafted QBs. Now, the league has become better at developing QBs, largely by playing to their abilities instead of forcing them all to be Peyton Manning types, that it seems more worthwhile to take a flyer on an early-round QB. Especially one like Hurts who was massively productive in college.

[blocho]

The only times I've seen the Steelers play this year was two weeks ago against the Ravens, last week against the WTFs, and the first quarter tonight. For the life of me, I have no idea how they started 11-0. I know their defense is good, but this offense stinks.

[Knaldskalle]

I just realized that Jalen Hurts' name is a complete sentence. That got me thinking about whether there are other quarterbacks whose name is a complete sentence. Aaron Brooks is the only one that comes to mind. What about non-quarterbacks?

Aaron Rodgers..?

[sebby]

I'm going to give 3+ hours of my life away watching this game. At a certain point this becomes masochism.

[blocho]

I just realized that Jalen Hurts' name is a complete sentence. That got me thinking about whether there are other quarterbacks whose name is a complete sentence. Aaron Brooks is the only one that comes to mind. What about non-quarterbacks?

Aaron Rodgers..?

So close. If only it was spelled a bit differently. I found another, though: Tony Banks.

[blocho]

The 2020 Steelers remind me a lot of the 2019 Patriots. A hot start, but they fall apart down the stretch because a strong defense can't carry an aging quarterback and a mediocre offense.

[Nathan Treadway]

I've not followed really any NFL the last two years (for good reason), but, anytime the Bengals beat the Steelers, it's a great day.

[sebby]

Now that was some quality Fitzmagic.

[blocho]

I was half watching all of the games today. An inconsequential gutting of the Lions by the Bucs (the Lions were missing most of the coaching staff because of Covid). A boring game between the Cardinals and the 49ers. And Raiders-Dolphins gave us another lackadaisical ...

Wait a moment ...

Wait a moment ...

By god, that's Ryan Fitzpatrick's music! The last five minutes of this game were nuts. And it was pure Fitzmagic, who replaced a benched Tua late in the game. Check out this play:
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1343048673182187521

The dude completed a 40-yard pass while getting his head twisted off his neck. What a badass. I love Fitzpatrick. Now that Marshawn is retired again, he's definitely my favorite player who's not on my team.

[kongs_speech]

Yes! Jags with the number one pick. We're number one! We're number one!

Who am I kidding? We'll fuck it up and not actually draft Trevor Lawrence.