NFL (2024 Season)

[thspfc]

Funny that two Detroit Lions quarterbacks have come up clutch for the Rams this season: Stafford by being the Rams QB, and Goff by beating the Cardinals.

[Max Rockatansky]

Funny that two Detroit Lions quarterbacks have come up clutch for the Rams this season: Stafford by being the Rams QB, and Goff by beating the Cardinals.

Funny how the Lions are suddenly not in position for the 1st pick.  I guess the Jags are too Urban (game show reference) for their own good.

[CoolAngrybirdsrio4]

I was surprised that the Lions are in the lead against the Cardinals.

[oscar]

Funny how the Lions are suddenly not in position for the 1st pick.  I guess the Jags are too Urban (game show reference) for their own good.

Tying the Steelers made all the difference. Now they're at 2.5 wins, higher than the Jags at 2 and lower than the Texans at 3.

Too bad the Jags and the Texans didn't tie in today's Toilet Bowl. That would have put the Lions in a three-way tie for last place (before applying any tiebreakers).

[wanderer2575]

What is happening in Detroit?

They're ruining their draft pick and helping the Packers get the #1 seed. Detroit fans must be thrilled.

If I were a fan and dropping serious coin to attend a game, I would want them to play their best and go for the win.  I don't understand so-called fans rooting for their team to lose solely for the mythos of "just wait 'til next year."

[TheHighwayMan3561]

What is happening in Detroit?

They're ruining their draft pick and helping the Packers get the #1 seed. Detroit fans must be thrilled.

If I were a fan and dropping serious coin to attend a game, I would want them to play their best and go for the win.  I don't understand so-called fans rooting for their team to lose solely for the mythos of "just wait 'til next year."

I remember 10 years ago the 2-12 Vikings beat the Redskins on Christmas Eve ending any chance of Minnesota getting the #1 pick. I put the Vikings postgame show on my car radio and you'd have think the team lost the Super Bowl that day the way the hosts and callers were openly mourning and raging..

[Max Rockatansky]

What is happening in Detroit?

They're ruining their draft pick and helping the Packers get the #1 seed. Detroit fans must be thrilled.

If I were a fan and dropping serious coin to attend a game, I would want them to play their best and go for the win.  I don't understand so-called fans rooting for their team to lose solely for the mythos of "just wait 'til next year."

I remember 10 years ago the 2-12 Vikings beat the Redskins on Christmas Eve ending any chance of Minnesota getting the #1 pick. I put the Vikings postgame show on my car radio and you'd have think the team lost the Super Bowl that day the way the hosts and callers were openly mourning and raging..

To be clear, I never root against the Lions to lose any game nor strive for the first pick.  I'm just amused and kind of shocked that they just throttled the Cardinals out of nowhere more than anything.

[hotdogPi]

Since relegation isn't going to happen: what if the two worst teams and the loser of the 3rd vs. 4th worst team get a 2-game penalty in next year's standings toward the playoffs? (The 2-game penalty only applies to the playoffs and not for determining which team is the worst.)

The 3rd vs. 4th worst team game can be called the Tank Bowl. Just for fun, it would include pictures of actual tanks, and since advertising is everywhere, the tanks would have brand logos on them, advertising current car companies that also made tanks back when they were used in WWII.

[jmacswimmer]

What is happening in Detroit?

They're ruining their draft pick and helping the Packers get the #1 seed. Detroit fans must be thrilled.

If I were a fan and dropping serious coin to attend a game, I would want them to play their best and go for the win.  I don't understand so-called fans rooting for their team to lose solely for the mythos of "just wait 'til next year."

I remember 10 years ago the 2-12 Vikings beat the Redskins on Christmas Eve ending any chance of Minnesota getting the #1 pick. I put the Vikings postgame show on my car radio and you'd have think the team lost the Super Bowl that day the way the hosts and callers were openly mourning and raging..

A similar story: I went to the Bears-Jaguars game in Jacksonville week 16 last season. While getting a beer at halftime (at which point the game was still close), all the Jaguars fans around me were saying "cmon guys, put this thing away so we can get Trevor!"

After the Bears put the game away in the 2nd half, many female Jaguars fans were observed professing their love for Trevor Lawrence while exiting the stadium

Since relegation isn't going to happen: what if the two worst teams and the loser of the 3rd vs. 4th worst team get a 2-game penalty in next year's standings toward the playoffs? (The 2-game penalty only applies to the playoffs and not for determining which team is the worst.)

The 3rd vs. 4th worst team game can be called the Tank Bowl. Just for fun, it would include pictures of actual tanks, and since advertising is everywhere, the tanks would have brand logos on them, advertising current car companies that also made tanks back when they were used in WWII.

The Tank Bowl, brought to you by The General Insurance, at Pfangle Stadium in the heart of Quindaro.

[Big John]

The Packers won the final 2 games in 1988 to finish 4-12, causing them to lose the #1 pick.  So instead of Aikman, they drafted Mandarich.  How the fortunes would have been different it that was the case.

[thspfc]

I was impressed with Jared Goff's press conference, and how he was honest about the Lions talent level, rather than talking about how great the team is while (2-11-1) sits on the bottom of the screen.

[webny99]

I wonder what the best upset of the season so far is. Either the Josh Allen game, the Lions beating the Vikings, or the Texans beating the Titans. Though none of those scorelines were as astonishing as the Saints' drubbing of the Packers way back in week 1.

My guess is it hasn't happened yet. The closer you get to the playoffs, the more fun a big upset is.

Not a bad guess, I think Lions 30, Cardinals 12 definitely takes the crown (at least for now). And not just the fact that the Lions won, but  the setup of them finally getting their first win, then getting blown out by the Broncos, and then dominating today in the way they did. Certainly the most surprising final score of the season.

I think it flies under the radar that the Lions have been competitive in all but 2 or 3 games this season. There's the mismanaged Thanksgiving game, the longest field goal in NFL history, the 4th quarter against the Rams where they were driving for the lead before Goff threw an INT, the Vikings' last second FG drive, and the missed FG in OT against the Steelers... they're not a talented team, but they could easily be 7-7 right now.

[CoreySamson]

I feel very confident that the Texans won't win 3 games.

You were very careful to word it that way, because you're covered if they win 4 or 5. 

That was kind of a dumb prediction. I don't see another win on their schedule this year. Plus we probably won't get the first overall pick (maybe 2nd is within reach?).

On the upside, I'm liking what I'm seeing from Davis Mills. Excluding the Cardinals, Colts, and Bills games (especially the Bills), he has 10 touchdowns and 3 picks in 6 (cherrypicked) games. However, in those 4 games, he went for 0 and 6 instead. Including all of them, that's a better TD/INT ratio than Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Sam Darnold, and Justin Fields. His completion rate is better than Patrick Mahomes and Ben Roethlisberger. The team just needs a much better rushing attack and offensive line so that he can reach his full potential. The rushing is probably one of the most pitiful ones I've ever seen.

[thspfc]

I'm normally not one to criticize playcalling - I think that NFL coaches might know a little bit more about playcalling than I do. However, I was not impressed with Harbaugh's playcall on the two point conversion. Huntley's scrambling had been a nuisance for the Packers defense the entire 4th quarter, and was the main reason they got back in the game. So why did they have him roll out, effectively shrinking the field in half, pulling all the Packers defenders to one side, and rendering his running ability useless?

With today's results, the Cowboys move up to the #3 seed in the NFC, for now at least. If that holds it would be huge, as I would much rather them play the 49ers in the wild card rather than the Cardinals or Rams.

Speaking of the 49ers, they've impressively turned it around recently. They're still not the Super Bowl contenders that a lot of people made them out to be, though.

[Max Rockatansky]

I wonder what the best upset of the season so far is. Either the Josh Allen game, the Lions beating the Vikings, or the Texans beating the Titans. Though none of those scorelines were as astonishing as the Saints' drubbing of the Packers way back in week 1.

My guess is it hasn't happened yet. The closer you get to the playoffs, the more fun a big upset is.

Not a bad guess, I think Lions 30, Cardinals 12 definitely takes the crown (at least for now). And not just the fact that the Lions won, but  the setup of them finally getting their first win, then getting blown out by the Broncos, and then dominating today in the way they did. Certainly the most surprising final score of the season.

I think it flies under the radar that the Lions have been competitive in all but 2 or 3 games this season. There's the mismanaged Thanksgiving game, the longest field goal in NFL history, the 4th quarter against the Rams where they were driving for the lead before Goff threw an INT, the Vikings' last second FG drive, and the missed FG in OT against the Steelers... they're not a talented team, but they could easily be 7-7 right now.

The Lions win today probably speaks well to the fact that any of the NFL teams can beat each other any given week.  That's why I never understood why people flip out when ever the best teams usually have a bad loss or two every year.  The talent level across the NFL is pretty evenly distributed.

[thspfc]

I wonder what the best upset of the season so far is. Either the Josh Allen game, the Lions beating the Vikings, or the Texans beating the Titans. Though none of those scorelines were as astonishing as the Saints' drubbing of the Packers way back in week 1.

My guess is it hasn't happened yet. The closer you get to the playoffs, the more fun a big upset is.

Not a bad guess, I think Lions 30, Cardinals 12 definitely takes the crown (at least for now). And not just the fact that the Lions won, but  the setup of them finally getting their first win, then getting blown out by the Broncos, and then dominating today in the way they did. Certainly the most surprising final score of the season.

I think it flies under the radar that the Lions have been competitive in all but 2 or 3 games this season. There's the mismanaged Thanksgiving game, the longest field goal in NFL history, the 4th quarter against the Rams where they were driving for the lead before Goff threw an INT, the Vikings' last second FG drive, and the missed FG in OT against the Steelers... they're not a talented team, but they could easily be 7-7 right now.

The Lions win today probably speaks well to the fact that any of the NFL teams can beat each other any given week.  That's why I never understood why people flip out when ever the best teams usually have a bad loss or two every year.  The talent level across the NFL is pretty evenly distributed.

Parity is one of three big reasons why the NFL is the best sports league in the world. The others are 2) almost every game matters, and 3) the games are mostly consolidated into one day, which makes it so that by the time you're sick of watching, there's a 6 day break, and after that you're excited to watch again.

[webny99]

I wonder what the best upset of the season so far is. Either the Josh Allen game, the Lions beating the Vikings, or the Texans beating the Titans. Though none of those scorelines were as astonishing as the Saints' drubbing of the Packers way back in week 1.

My guess is it hasn't happened yet. The closer you get to the playoffs, the more fun a big upset is.

Not a bad guess, I think Lions 30, Cardinals 12 definitely takes the crown (at least for now). ... Certainly the most surprising final score of the season.

Saints 9, Bucs 0 certainly has a case for most surprising final score. I knew the Saints D would come to play, but that was next level. Brady hadn't been shutout in 15 years and until tonight had never lost a game where the opponent didn't score a TD.

That loss was almost worse than the 38-3 loss last year because the game was right there for the taking for 3.5 quarters! The Bucs defense played well, all the offense needed was one drive and they couldn't do it. Unbelievable.

[1995hoo]

So Miami beat Houston, thereby passing "Football Team" back to where it began the season and taking "Jaguars" from Houston. First time "Football Team" went back to a prior holder.

Houston beats Tennessee. Houston Titans (how amusing, in view of NFL history) and Tennessee Football Team.

I missed last week, when Tennessee beat Jacksonville and took "Dolphins" from them. Second time this season Jacksonville has gotten "Football Team." Houston avoided getting it for a third time by beating Jacksonville yesterday.

[webny99]

Interesting Texans note: They have more wins over the Jaguars (4) than everyone else in the league (3) over the past two seasons. Their only non-Jaguars wins are over the Lions and Patriots last year and the Titans in Week 11 of this year.

[hotdogPi]

I was serious about the two-game penalty idea as a replacement for relegation. It probably got lost in the tank bowl joke.

[thspfc]

I was serious about the two-game penalty idea as a replacement for relegation. It probably got lost in the tank bowl joke.

In that case, let me say: it's a bad idea and just about everyone, from Goodell down to the fans, would hate it.

[thspfc]

More excessive negativity about the Cowboys. Three straight wins by an average of 10.7 points, two of which came against divisional opponents, yet you would think they're a reincarnation of last year's 6-10 team based off the media. The defense has forced at least four turnovers in each of their last three games. The offense has not been what it was early in the season, but it hasn't been dreadful, and doesn't need to improve a whole lot (beyond better clock management) in order to go deep in the playoffs if the defense continues playing at the level it has been in December. And the Cowboys are now the 2 seed in the NFC because three of their four losses came against AFC teams, so they have an 8-1 record against NFC teams.

[NWI_Irish96]

I was serious about the two-game penalty idea as a replacement for relegation. It probably got lost in the tank bowl joke.

In that case, let me say: it's a bad idea and just about everyone, from Goodell down to the fans, would hate it.

No, but how about this: coinciding with the playoffs, the four worst teams play a four-team tournament. The winner gets the #1 pick.

[1995hoo]

I was serious about the two-game penalty idea as a replacement for relegation. It probably got lost in the tank bowl joke.

In that case, let me say: it's a bad idea and just about everyone, from Goodell down to the fans, would hate it.

No, but how about this: coinciding with the playoffs, the four worst teams play a four-team tournament. The winner gets the #1 pick.

That's less crazy than it may sound: For two years (2012—13 and 2013—14), the KHL had a playoff tournament for the Nadezhda Cup. The KHL's championship trophy is the Gagarin Cup (I guess you could call it the Russian equivalent to the Stanley Cup). Sixteen teams make the Gagarin Cup Playoffs. In the two seasons noted, the ten teams that failed to qualify for the Gagarin Cup Playoffs competed in a tournament for the Nadezhda Cup. The league ultimately cancelled it due in part to the cost–the participating teams tended to be the farther-flung teams geographically, which imposed a financial burden in terms of the travel costs, so the league had to reimburse the costs or else the teams wouldn't be interested in participating in what you might consider a Russian version of the NIT.

Obviously the NFL is in a better financial situation top to bottom than the KHL and the travel burdens are a lot less severe.

[thspfc]

Packers 26, Ravens 24

Unsurprisingly didn't get the score correct. However, the Packers had 26 first downs and the Ravens had 24.