NFL (2024 Season)

[NWI_Irish96]

Four teams scored 40+ points this weekend. Two of them were NFC North teams. The other two were playing NFC North teams.

[webny99]

The Bears scoring 30+ points in four straight games is one of the more head-scratching December developments.

[NWI_Irish96]

The Bears scoring 30+ points in four straight games is one of the more head-scratching December developments.

Their entire season is a head-scratching development. Started 5-1, including beating Tampa Bay, while having a world-beating defense combined with minimal offensive performance, losing 6 straight as the offense gradually improved but the defense got worse, capped off by blowing a 10 point lead to abysmal Detroit with under 3 minutes left, then finally exploding on offense (against admittedly awful defenses) with the defense flashing signs of improvement.

Now the season hinges on beating Green Bay, which would be hopeless if not for the fact that the Packers have wrapped up the #1 seed and aren't likely to play their best players much, if at all.

Yet none of that is nearly as head-scratching as the Jets suddenly winning two straight and blowing their shot at Trevor Lawrence.

[1995hoo]

Be interesting to see who starts at QB for the Redskins next week.

It won't be Haskins: He was just released.

Yikes. I hope it's Alex Smith.

So in 2019, the Panthers fired Ron Rivera after he lost to Haskins.

In 2020, Rivera fired Haskins after he lost to the Panthers.

What will 2021 bring?

[ilpt4u]

Now the season hinges on beating Green Bay, which would be hopeless if not for the fact that the Packers have wrapped up the #1 seed and aren't likely to play their best players much, if at all.

Bears can still get in with a loss to the Pack, but the Rams (possibly sans Jared Goff) also have to beat the Cardinals

Bears own the tiebreaker over the Cardinals. I haven't dived deep enough into the tie-breakers to see why, but there is a reason the Bears moved into the 7 spot and the Cards to the 8, now both with the same records and same NFC records. If the Rams win and the Bears lose, Rams are the 6, and Bears are the 7

After looking it up, the tiebreaker is Common Opponents - Lions, Giants, Panthers, Rams. Bears are 3-2 against those teams/Split with Lions, Ws over Giants & Panthers, L to the Rams. Cardinals are currently 1-3 with the 2nd Rams game to go - best the can finish in common opponents is 2-3 with a win on Sunday (W vs Giants, Ls to Rams G1, Giants, Panthers)

If the Cards beat the Rams and the Bears win, it is a 3-way tie at 9-7. By rule, Ties within a Division are broken first. Right now, Rams and Cardinals are both 2-3 in the NFC West. If the Cards win, they will get the #2 spot in the NFC West. so the Rams fall out. Then it is head-to-head Cards and Bears for #6 - Bears own Common Opponents, and get the 6 and Cardinals the 7, and the Rams are 1st team out

If the Cardinals win and the Packers win, then the Bears are out

[webny99]

So in 2019, the Panthers fired Ron Rivera after he lost to Haskins.

In 2020, Rivera fired Haskins after he lost to the Panthers.

What will 2021 bring?

Panthers fire Haskins after losing to Ron Rivera? 

[webny99]

Now the season hinges on beating Green Bay, which would be hopeless if not for the fact that the Packers have wrapped up the #1 seed and aren't likely to play their best players much, if at all.

Whoa, the Packers don't have the #1 seed locked up just yet.

They can clinch it by beating the Bears or by the Seahawks losing, which would force, at worst, a tie with the Saints (in which they have the head-to head tiebreaker).

If the Packers lose, though, it gets messy. The Saints can only clinch the bye with a win and a Seahawks win. Because of the head to head loss to the Packers, they're in a weird scenario where they need the Seahawks to also win to force a 3-way tie. Seahawks get the bye themselves only if they win and the Saints and Packers both lose.

Yet none of that is nearly as head-scratching as the Jets suddenly winning two straight and blowing their shot at Trevor Lawrence.

Everyone seemed to just assume they'd go 0-16, but in hindsight it should've been obvious that it might not happen. It's totally ridiculous that they would've had to go 0-16 to get the pick, which the coaches and players clearly wanted to avoid. They'd been surprisingly competitive in quite a few games, and they fired the defensive coordinator after the blown ending to the Raiders game which a true "tanking for Trevor" team wouldn't have done.

The Jags were much more obviously tanking IMO.

[webny99]

The Bills notched their first 12-win season since 1993, and first sweep of the Patriots since 1999 last night. You hate to see it! 

Now, the key question for the AFC playoff picture is whether the Bills and Steelers will play their starters in Week 17.
My guess is Bills Yes (why not keep rolling and clinch the #2 seed?), Steelers No (basically missed their bye this season, have looked like they need some rest, and can't get the #2 seed anyways if the Bills win).

https://www.nfl.com/news/debrief-breaking-down-afc-playoff-picture-entering-week-17

[Mr_Northside]

Now, the key question for the AFC playoff picture is whether the Bills and Steelers will play their starters in Week 17.
My guess is Bills Yes (why not keep rolling and clinch the #2 seed?), Steelers No (basically missed their bye this season, have looked like they need some rest, and can't get the #2 seed anyways if the Bills win).

Tomlin announced earlier that Ben and some starters will NOT start against Cleveland.  Which sets up Mason Rudolph vs Myles Garret 2.0

I also certainly didn't hate seeing the Patriots lose again....... but that certainly doesn't involve any kind of Bills love.

[Alps]

Now, the key question for the AFC playoff picture is whether the Bills and Steelers will play their starters in Week 17.
My guess is Bills Yes (why not keep rolling and clinch the #2 seed?), Steelers No (basically missed their bye this season, have looked like they need some rest, and can't get the #2 seed anyways if the Bills win).

Tomlin announced earlier that Ben and some starters will NOT start against Cleveland.  Which sets up Mason Rudolph vs Myles Garret 2.0

I also certainly didn't hate seeing the Patriots lose again....... but that certainly doesn't involve any kind of Bills love.

Don't be surprised if the Steelers' announcement leads to the Bills resting.

[webny99]

McDermott is 🤐 but said the possibility of fans at the playoff game(s) was a factor in their decision.
With the good rhythm they've got going, I hope Allen at least plays the first half, but we won't be finding out for now.

[thspfc]

I expect the Chiefs, Steelers, and Bills to rest starters. It might actually be benficial for the Bills or Steelers to get the third seed, because there's a good chance Baltimore, one of the hottest teams in the league, ends up at 7. Then again, Lamar hasn't exactly been great in the postseason. The Packers should rest their starters, but I don't know if they will. Chicago will be out for blood, so it would be smart to not put star players in Khalil Mack's way.

[webny99]

It might actually be benficial for the Bills or Steelers to get the third seed, because there's a good chance Baltimore, one of the hottest teams in the league, ends up at 7.

I don't believe Baltimore can end up at 7 if they beat the Bengals and finish 11-5. They've got the tiebreaker over both the Browns and Colts, so it would have to involve the Colts winning the South, which can only happen if the Titans lose and finish 10-6.

The Packers should rest their starters, but I don't know if they will. Chicago will be out for blood, so it would be smart to not put star players in Khalil Mack's way.

And possibly miss out on the #1 seed? I think the #1 seed is more valuable. Lambeau is the number one place other teams don't want to travel in January.

[mgk920]

The Packers should rest their starters, but I don't know if they will. Chicago will be out for blood, so it would be smart to not put star players in Khalil Mack's way.

And possibly miss out on the #1 seed? I think the #1 seed is more valuable. Lambeau is the number one place other teams don't want to travel in January.

It is also *BEAR WEEK*.  Regardless of the standings, you WIN that game!



Mike

[thspfc]

It might actually be benficial for the Bills or Steelers to get the third seed, because there's a good chance Baltimore, one of the hottest teams in the league, ends up at 7.

I don't believe Baltimore can end up at 7 if they beat the Bengals and finish 11-5. They've got the tiebreaker over both the Browns and Colts, so it would have to involve the Colts winning the South, which can only happen if the Titans lose and finish 10-6.

The Packers should rest their starters, but I don't know if they will. Chicago will be out for blood, so it would be smart to not put star players in Khalil Mack's way.

And possibly miss out on the #1 seed? I think the #1 seed is more valuable. Lambeau is the number one place other teams don't want to travel in January.

Ah, I didn't know the Seahawks could still get the 1 seed.

[ilpt4u]

The Packers should rest their starters, but I don't know if they will. Chicago will be out for blood, so it would be smart to not put star players in Khalil Mack's way.

And possibly miss out on the #1 seed? I think the #1 seed is more valuable. Lambeau is the number one place other teams don't want to travel in January.

It is also *BEAR WEEK*.  Regardless of the standings, you WIN that game!



Mike

F that. It is PACKER WEEK!

Icing on the cake: WIN, AND YOU ARE IN! With the bonus (?), that if Da Bears beat the Fudgies...there is a decent chance that the two will have a rematch in the Wild Card Round

[Henry]

The Packers should rest their starters, but I don't know if they will. Chicago will be out for blood, so it would be smart to not put star players in Khalil Mack's way.

And possibly miss out on the #1 seed? I think the #1 seed is more valuable. Lambeau is the number one place other teams don't want to travel in January.

It is also *BEAR WEEK*.  Regardless of the standings, you WIN that game!



Mike

F that. It is PACKER WEEK!

Icing on the cake: WIN, AND YOU ARE IN! With the bonus (?), that if Da Bears beat the Fudgies...there is a decent chance that the two will have a rematch in the Wild Card Round

This is something I always look forward to. BEAR DOWN!!!

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Great, then some of us have to decide which one of you to root for.   

Although for me, it's not a decision. Melt the cheese with fire, every time.

[webny99]

12 of this week's 16 games have playoff or seeding implications, which has to be a record (partly due to the expanded playoffs).

Outside the AFC West matchups, the only other games with no implications are Vikings-Lions and Jets-Patriots.

[thspfc]

12 of this week's 16 games have playoff or seeding implications, which has to be a record (partly due to the expanded playoffs).

Outside the AFC West matchups, the only other games with no implications are Vikings-Lions and Jets-Patriots.

Falcons/Bucs, Saints/Panthers, and 49ers/Seahawks have only seeding implications. The way the NFL has set up the week 17 schedule doesn't make sense to me. I would have all the playoff berth/division title games in the 3:25 slot. So that would be MIA/BUF, PIT/CLE, DAL/NYG, BAL/CIN, JAX/IND, TEN/HOU, AZ/LAR, and WFT/PHI. That would be maximum chaos. To balance it out, LAC/KC and NO/CAR would be moved back to the 12:00 slot. Then GB/CHI would be SNF.

The playoff picture, particularly in the AFC, is going to come down to teams resting starters as much as anything. Steelers aren't playing their starters, to that makes it much easier for the Browns to get in. Bills haven't yet said anything, so I feel like there's a good chance that their stars play a limited amount or not at all. That is good news for the Dolphins.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

12 of this week's 16 games have playoff or seeding implications, which has to be a record (partly due to the expanded playoffs).

Outside the AFC West matchups, the only other games with no implications are Vikings-Lions and Jets-Patriots.

Falcons/Bucs, Saints/Panthers, and 49ers/Seahawks have only seeding implications. The way the NFL has set up the week 17 schedule doesn't make sense to me. I would have all the playoff berth/division title games in the 3:25 slot. So that would be MIA/BUF, PIT/CLE, DAL/NYG, BAL/CIN, JAX/IND, TEN/HOU, AZ/LAR, and WFT/PHI. That would be maximum chaos. To balance it out, LAC/KC and NO/CAR would be moved back to the 12:00 slot. Then GB/CHI would be SNF.

It's because they don't want games to be neutered by other results. Say GB/CHI goes to SNF. Seattle, Arizona, and New Orleans all lose in the afternoon. Now there is zero meaning to GB/CHI when it kicks off and you're likely to see backups play most of the game.

[webny99]

The way the NFL has set up the week 17 schedule doesn't make sense to me. I would have all the playoff berth/division title games in the 3:25 slot. So that would be MIA/BUF, PIT/CLE, DAL/NYG, BAL/CIN, JAX/IND, TEN/HOU, AZ/LAR, and WFT/PHI. That would be maximum chaos. To balance it out, LAC/KC and NO/CAR would be moved back to the 12:00 slot. Then GB/CHI would be SNF.

I agree it doesn't make perfect sense: Basically they can't have it so that a team could clinch or be eliminated from a playoff spot in a time slot before they take the field. Makes sense to have the AFC South games in the middle window. Presumably the other AFC win-and-in games are not included because they don't necessarily affect any other games. Colts are the only AFC team that needs help from other teams to get in, but even if CLE, MIA, and BAL all win, they'll still have a chance at the division if the Titans slip up.

It's because they don't want games to be neutered by other results. Say GB/CHI goes to SNF. Seattle, Arizona, and New Orleans all lose in the afternoon. Now there is zero meaning to GB/CHI when it kicks off and you're likely to see backups play most of the game.

Yeah, GB/CHI can't be SNF because the Packers might have already clinched the bye, and the Bears might have already clinched a playoff berth. Unfortunately, but also fittingly for this year/season, WAS/PHI really is the only option for SNF.

[ET21]

GB/CHI was already a SNF game as well. Sunday after Thanksgiving

[TheHighwayMan3561]

GB/CHI was already a SNF game as well. Sunday after Thanksgiving

Both ends of a divisional matchup can be on SNF. The only one I can think of immediately is Cowboys vs. Giants in 2011, but that was the one that finally ended that persistent urban legend.

[Alps]

It would make by far the most sense to have all AFC games in one time slot and all NFC games in the other, then just pick one game without cross-implications for the night.