NFL (2024 Season)

[NWI_Irish96]

the referees bailing Aaron Rodgers out like they always do

Fixed.

Why are they 4-6 then?

There's a limit to how much the refs can help.

[DenverBrian]

the referees bailing Aaron Rodgers out like they always do

Fixed.

Why are they 4-6 then?

There's a limit to how much the refs can help.

I don't know why any human would ever take the job of being a ref. It's the absolute most thankless job in the world.

[thspfc]

There's a limit to how much the refs can help.

always

[NWI_Irish96]

There's a limit to how much the refs can help.

always

They always help, but there's a limit to how much help that provides relative to the score of the game.

[webny99]

I forked the Packers, so I'm not exactly thrilled about the result either, but Aaron Rodgers just seems to own the Cowboys. I could feel it coming last week. In fact, I could feel a lot of unenjoyable results coming in Week 10, and sure enough, I was basically 6-1 (the one being the Colts) predicting a terrible week for my rooting interests. (So I guess that's really more like 1-6...? Either way, not a great week.)

[jeffandnicole]

Brutal loss for the Cowboys, mostly at the fault of the defensethe referees bailing Aaron Rodgers out like they always do by not calling defensive PI in overtime.

Fixed.

They waited until overtime to call the game a certain way so the Packers can win?  That seems kinda risky.  Why not do it, say, during regulation?

Also, there's this:

Fans throughout the game:  They call too many penalties.  Let them play!

Fans when the call goes against their team:  Why did or didn't they call a penalty?  The game is fixed!

[kurumi]

Vikings vs. Bills = Best regular season game of all time?

Great game. Both the Vikings and Bills have had their share of heartbreak in big games. Sad to see either one lose

[triplemultiplex]

I was actually disappointed when FOX cut away from Bills/Vikes to start the Packer game.  I needed closure, dammit!
How you gonna fumble the exchange on your own goal line, Buffalo?  C'mon, man!
Minnesota has a giant horseshoe up their butt this season.

[gr8daynegb]

Brutal loss for the Cowboys, mostly at the fault of the defensethe referees bailing Aaron Rodgers out like they always do by not calling defensive PI in overtime.

Fixed.

They waited until overtime to call the game a certain way so the Packers can win?  That seems kinda risky.  Why not do it, say, during regulation?

Also, there's this:

Fans throughout the game:  They call too many penalties.  Let them play!

Fans when the call goes against their team:  Why did or didn't they call a penalty?  The game is fixed!

Packers would have more than 2 superbowls from 1992-today if the refs were always trying to favor the Packers.  Been 20+ years of hearing that accusation lol

[thspfc]

Packers would have more than 2 superbowls from 1992-today if the refs were always trying to favor the Packers.  Been 20+ years of hearing that accusation lol

Exactly.

As far as game fixing conspiracy theories go: the refs having agendas, while still highly unlikely, is actually pretty believable compared to the theory that every, or ANY game, has a predetermined outcome from the start (like WWE). I would say that's an Alex Jones-level conspiracy theory, but that would be disrespectful to Alex Jones.

[Henry]

Packers would have more than 2 superbowls from 1992-today if the refs were always trying to favor the Packers.  Been 20+ years of hearing that accusation lol

Exactly.

As far as game fixing conspiracy theories go: the refs having agendas, while still highly unlikely, is actually pretty believable compared to the theory that every, or ANY game, has a predetermined outcome from the start (like WWE). I would say that's an Alex Jones-level conspiracy theory, but that would be disrespectful to Alex Jones.

As a Bears fan, I find it amusing that the refs will do anything to help the Packers win. But then, we've heard about them doing the same thing with the Patriots and Buccaneers during the Tom Brady era.

[webny99]

I've never believed that an NFL outcome was predetermined/fixed. But there are a handful of division rivalries where one side dominates so repeatedly that it's almost hard to believe. Bears-Packers, Broncos-Chiefs, Rams-49ers, and Jets-Patriots (and Bills-Patriots before Josh Allen) come to mind.

[thspfc]

I've never believed that an NFL outcome was predetermined/fixed. But there are a handful of division rivalries where one side dominates so repeatedly that it's almost hard to believe. Bears-Packers, Broncos-Chiefs, Rams-49ers, and Jets-Patriots (and Bills-Patriots before Josh Allen) come to mind.

The only one that's hard to believe there is 49ers/Rams, since the Rams have typically been the better team during the McVay/Shanahan era. And even in that one, the Rams won what has been by far the biggest game.

In all the others, one team dominates because they're a lot better than the other team. Throw Steelers/Browns in there too, until the last couple years.

[JayhawkCO]

We must read different people.  All the guys I follow on Twitter thought there was at least a sporting chance that he was moved. Either way, the Broncos will be massively overrated and the Seahawks underrated.

Well dang, I wasn't thinking that you're literally in the Denver area. Like I said, not a total shocker in the big picture, there just didn't seem to be a lot of talk of it in the past few weeks before it happened.

But I agree on your other point, I could totally see the Broncos underachieving. I think they'll at least end their 13-game losing streak to the Chiefs (still can't believe they didn't end it in Week 18 last year), but I'm not assuming they'll go on a Super Bowl run.

I live in Denver, but I'm a Vikings fan (born in Minnesota, so loyal to the team I cheered for as a kid, and I moved here during the Elway heyday and he was just on the news so much it was sickening if you weren't a Broncos fan).

I'll go 9-8, maaaaybe 10-7 for the Broncos next year unless they make some other moves.

Alright. Denver over 10 wins, I win. Denver under 10 wins, you win.

Sure.  Assuming 10 is a push. What's the wager? (Right to nullify the wager if a major move happens before the season, i.e. they turn around and trade someone major).

If I win, you write a paragraph about how good Russell Wilson is. If you win, I write a paragraph about how bad he is.

Done and done. ::virtual shake::

Just seeing when we wanted to bring this bet to consummation. I can't see the Broncos going 7-1 the rest of the way to give you a push.

[webny99]

I've never believed that an NFL outcome was predetermined/fixed. But there are a handful of division rivalries where one side dominates so repeatedly that it's almost hard to believe. Bears-Packers, Broncos-Chiefs, Rams-49ers, and Jets-Patriots (and Bills-Patriots before Josh Allen) come to mind.

The only one that's hard to believe there is 49ers/Rams, since the Rams have typically been the better team during the McVay/Shanahan era. And even in that one, the Rams won what has been by far the biggest game.

In all the others, one team dominates because they're a lot better than the other team. Throw Steelers/Browns in there too, until the last couple years.

They are better, but not enough for one team to win so consistently given how random results tend to occur in the NFL. Like last year, when the Broncos, losers of 13 straight against the Chiefs, were in great position to beat them, and then the Chiefs got a defensive score of all things to seal the win. It almost seemed scripted, like it simply wasn't possible for the Broncos to win. I had similar feelings during Jets-Patriots a few weeks ago and Bills-Patriots in 2019.

[thspfc]

We must read different people.  All the guys I follow on Twitter thought there was at least a sporting chance that he was moved. Either way, the Broncos will be massively overrated and the Seahawks underrated.

Well dang, I wasn't thinking that you're literally in the Denver area. Like I said, not a total shocker in the big picture, there just didn't seem to be a lot of talk of it in the past few weeks before it happened.

But I agree on your other point, I could totally see the Broncos underachieving. I think they'll at least end their 13-game losing streak to the Chiefs (still can't believe they didn't end it in Week 18 last year), but I'm not assuming they'll go on a Super Bowl run.

I live in Denver, but I'm a Vikings fan (born in Minnesota, so loyal to the team I cheered for as a kid, and I moved here during the Elway heyday and he was just on the news so much it was sickening if you weren't a Broncos fan).

I'll go 9-8, maaaaybe 10-7 for the Broncos next year unless they make some other moves.

Alright. Denver over 10 wins, I win. Denver under 10 wins, you win.

Sure.  Assuming 10 is a push. What's the wager? (Right to nullify the wager if a major move happens before the season, i.e. they turn around and trade someone major).

If I win, you write a paragraph about how good Russell Wilson is. If you win, I write a paragraph about how bad he is.

Done and done. ::virtual shake::

Just seeing when we wanted to bring this bet to consummation. I can't see the Broncos going 7-1 the rest of the way to give you a push.

The 8th loss. Barring a miracle, you've cancelled out your bet on the Colts to advance further than the Rams and Cowboys in last year's postseason, while I've failed miserably on this Broncos prediction  I'll start thinking about that essay.

[jgb191]

I guess the Eagles got tired of being undefeated, which I don't understand that logic.  Why would they not want to remain undefeated any more?  Why would they want to lose a game???

[Ted$8roadFan]

I guess the Eagles got tired of being undefeated, which I don't understand that logic.  Why would they not want to remain undefeated any more?  Why would they want to lose a game???

The 2007 Patriots probably felt the same way......

[jeffandnicole]

I guess the Eagles got tired of being undefeated, which I don't understand that logic.  Why would they not want to remain undefeated any more?  Why would they want to lose a game???

I would doubt they were trying to lose the game, although it certainly seemed that way. 

A huge bad miss on what should've been a facemask penalty didn't help either.

[epzik8]

I guess the Eagles got tired of being undefeated, which I don't understand that logic.  Why would they not want to remain undefeated any more?  Why would they want to lose a game???

They needed me to have bragging rights.

[Henry]

So now it's been 50 years since the last time a team went through an entire season and playoffs undefeated...

[thspfc]

So now it's been 50 years since the last time a team went through an entire season and playoffs undefeated...

And yet, every season, people are still gonna look at the last undefeated team's remaining schedule and be like "they'll be favored in every game here on out! This is the year!" And the reverse with the last winless team.

[thspfc]

Cooper Kupp is going on IR with a high ankle sprain that requires surgery, basically ending the Rams season if it wasn't over already. I think Rams are gonna be one of the more interesting teams to watch this offseason. Of the core group that won the Super Bowl: Von Miller, Whitworth, and OBJ are already gone, and Donald, Stafford, and Ramsey have somewhat uncertain futures. Kupp and Floyd are under contract for a while yet but that seems to matter less and less each offseason.

There are rumors that McVay doesn't want to go through a rebuild. He could "retire" , go into broadcasting, then come back whenever there's an opening he likes. If that happens, the Rams, having traded away a ton of draft picks, could be in for a very rough next few seasons. Obviously worth it for the championship though.

[thspfc]

To add to that . . . I think there's a solid chance the Chargers job opens up this offseason, which would be a very attractive one as far as head coach openings go. McVay wouldn't have to move an inch. 

[webny99]

So now it's been 50 years since the last time a team went through an entire season and playoffs undefeated...

And yet, every season, people are still gonna look at the last undefeated team's remaining schedule and be like "they'll be favored in every game here on out! This is the year!" And the reverse with the last winless team.

I was thiiiis close to posting "the Eagles will lose before Thanksgiving" before their TNF game last week. I didn't do it, so I can't take any credit, but I'm not at all surprised. They already had over a month as the lone undefeated team; given the increased parity and the individual game results seeming to become more unpredictable every year, the chances of going 0-17 or 17-0 are extremely slim.