NFL (2024 Season)

[epzik8]

If you had told me in April, or even September, that C.J. Stroud would be in the playoffs while Bryce Young would be watching them on the couch, I would have called you crazy.

[jeffandnicole]

Since the Eagles season will likely be done no later than next weekend, I hope it comes out what the hell has been going on with them the last two months.

At least two ESPN talking heads have said that they think the problem goes deeper than players and coaches --- possibly into the front office and ownership.

That's what Talking Heads do. I'm not disputing they're 1-5 in their last six games, but they're probably the most talked about playoff team needing a full change of staff.

No one knows except those on the inside.

I thought that 10-1 was a mirage. And especially so when you looked at the points allowed column.

Granted, they were a pretty lucky 10-1 team.  I think 1 win was convincing.  The other 9 were holding off the other team at the end.

[webny99]

...
they're probably the most talked about playoff team needing a full change of staff.

Are you saying they do need a full change of staff or just that that's how the media talks about them?

[jeffandnicole]

...
they're probably the most talked about playoff team needing a full change of staff.

Are you saying they do need a full change of staff or just that that's how the media talks about them?

In response to tmoore, that's how the media talks about them.

That said, there's a lot of Philly fans that say it too.

Personally, my opinion is they need to get rid of the OC and DC.  They're both in their first year coaching for the Eagles so that's some pressure to begin with, but the defense has been giving up way too many points lately, and the offense is running plays that have been a bit obvious, detailing to opposing teams defenses what's coming.  I saw someone point out that when Hurts (the QB) is under center, every play but 1 has been a running play this year.

[webny99]

But rescheduling in case of snow.  PIT/BUF rescheduled to 4:30 ET Monday.

I think most Buffalo fans agree that's a bummer. At least Monday is sort of a holiday, and there's still a high likelihood of a more manageable snow game on Monday evening.

That rescheduling is because Governor Hochul is implementing a full travel ban in Erie County beginning tonight. Can't have a game if you can't legally get to the stadium.

Attention-grabbing move IMO. The majority of the region - quite possibly including the majority of Erie County! - isn't even forecasted to get more than a foot. And even for the Southtowns, forecasted storm totals have been ticking down over the last 24 hours.

In an attempt not to be a poster child WNY'er, I will walk this back just a bit and say it was probably the correct decision. But only because of the challenges of getting fans, players, coaches and stadium personnel to and from the stadium and not because of the game itself.

[webny99]

When Deshaun Watson returned to Houston to play the Texans last season, I was highly disappointed when the Browns won an ugly defensive battle. I was similarly disappointed when the Browns blew out the Texans earlier this season. Turns out the Texans were just waiting for an even bigger, higher-profile moment to stick it to Watson and the Browns for that awful trade. I can't applaud the Texans organization for how they handled the last few seasons, but it must be an incredible feeling of vindication to beat that "team that no one wants to face in the playoffs". To heck with that, the media absolutely overhyped the Browns this week and just loaded on the bandwagon until it couldn't even move under its own weight. Good on the Texans for sticking it to them in dominant fashion.

[epzik8]

Is that it for Flacco?

[NWI_Irish96]

But rescheduling in case of snow.  PIT/BUF rescheduled to 4:30 ET Monday.

I think most Buffalo fans agree that's a bummer. At least Monday is sort of a holiday, and there's still a high likelihood of a more manageable snow game on Monday evening.

That rescheduling is because Governor Hochul is implementing a full travel ban in Erie County beginning tonight. Can't have a game if you can't legally get to the stadium.

Attention-grabbing move IMO. The majority of the region - quite possibly including the majority of Erie County! - isn't even forecasted to get more than a foot. And even for the Southtowns, forecasted storm totals have been ticking down over the last 24 hours.

In an attempt not to be a poster child WNY'er, I will walk this back just a bit and say it was probably the correct decision. But only because of the challenges of getting fans, players, coaches and stadium personnel to and from the stadium and not because of the game itself.

I agree. If you have the game, fans will try to get there, and if that's not safe, then the league has some serious issues if anybody is seriously inured or dies trying to do so.

[tmoore952]

...
they're probably the most talked about playoff team needing a full change of staff.

Are you saying they do need a full change of staff or just that that's how the media talks about them?

In response to tmoore, that's how the media talks about them.

That said, there's a lot of Philly fans that say it too.

Personally, my opinion is they need to get rid of the OC and DC.  They're both in their first year coaching for the Eagles so that's some pressure to begin with, but the defense has been giving up way too many points lately, and the offense is running plays that have been a bit obvious, detailing to opposing teams defenses what's coming.  I saw someone point out that when Hurts (the QB) is under center, every play but 1 has been a running play this year.

I agree with jeffandnicole about the OC and the DC.

They need to pilfer someone else's OC and DC, as that is what happened to them last year.  I had great fears they would not be the same after they lost their OC and DC after last year.

[tmoore952]

To go back to the extreme weather issue, why is it accepted that the SB gets played at a neutral site when we also insist on having playoff games played at home stadiums, in possibly extreme conditions in the coldest part of the year? We don't do that with any other major sport's championship round.

Historically, what is now called the SB was an extra game at the end of the year between the NFL and AFL champions, and putting it at a neutral site made sense. But the leagues merged in 1970, which is more than 50 years ago. Why should the NFL continue to be different than the other major sports?

I know the SB has now gotten so big that the locations need to be announced years in advance. It should have changed 50 years ago. I suspect Rozelle (the commissioner then) and the other people with power (owners and whoever else) at that time, wanted that warm weather location with its amenities (as opposed to having it be played in outdoor Minnesota as might have happened then if it was not at a neutral site --- no we can't have that).

If we're going to accept playoff games like last night, we should accept that for the SB as well. I know that will never happen as the genie's out of the bottle. But that's how it should be IMO.

Disclaimer - this thought occurred to me last night while watching the Browns-Texans game (with one eye, was doing something else at the same time). Goodell was sitting there in the stadium. Notice how he wasn't in Kansas CIty.

[NWI_Irish96]

To go back to the extreme weather issue, why is it accepted that the SB gets played at a neutral site when we also insist on having playoff games played at home stadiums, in possibly extreme conditions in the coldest part of the year? We don't do that with any other major sport's championship round.

The other major sports play a championship series and not a single game, so playing at a neutral site doesn't make sense.

There are so many events that accompany a Super Bowl to the extent that it's not practical to wait until the outcome of the championship games to determine the site.

[jgb191]

When Deshaun Watson returned to Houston to play the Texans last season, I was highly disappointed when the Browns won an ugly defensive battle. I was similarly disappointed when the Browns blew out the Texans earlier this season. Turns out the Texans were just waiting for an even bigger, higher-profile moment to stick it to Watson and the Browns for that awful trade. I can't applaud the Texans organization for how they handled the last few seasons, but it must be an incredible feeling of vindication to beat that "team that no one wants to face in the playoffs". To heck with that, the media absolutely overhyped the Browns this week and just loaded on the bandwagon until it couldn't even move under its own weight. Good on the Texans for sticking it to them in dominant fashion.

Well your support is greatly appreciated by us and Deshaun very much deserved what the Browns got last night for bailing on us two years ago (seemed like forever ago since the last time he wore a Texans jersey).  But deep down, I do wish his career well and hope the Browns get at least ten percent of his contract worth (25 million), which wouldn't surprise me if the Browns did make to one Super Bowl before he bails on them.  But I also believe the Browns are appropriately hyped due to their top ranked defense; they have the talent to contend for the AFC in my opinion and Joe Flacco, a Super Bowl MVP himself, deserves to remain starter when Nick Chubb returns next year.

As for my Texans, their performance last night speaks for itself; at their best they can compete with any other team.  It wouldn't surprise me if our team pushed the Ravens to the final minute either next weekend or the following (depending on the Steelers tomorrow).  I know the regular season determines the awards, but there should be an exception to every rule:  Last night DeMeco Ryans thoroughly outcoached Stefanski, proving that he is the best coach in the league right now and deserves the Coach of the Year; it was preparation-perfection for the game (he was perfectly prepared).  One more thing, last night's game also proved that our defense also deserves tremendous amount of credit along with C.J. Stroud.  It's not just the QB, it's everybody on our roster, every game is a total team effort....offense, defense, special teams, coaches, management, and so on.

[tmoore952]

To go back to the extreme weather issue, why is it accepted that the SB gets played at a neutral site when we also insist on having playoff games played at home stadiums, in possibly extreme conditions in the coldest part of the year? We don't do that with any other major sport's championship round.

The other major sports play a championship series and not a single game, so playing at a neutral site doesn't make sense.

There are so many events that accompany a Super Bowl to the extent that it's not practical to wait until the outcome of the championship games to determine the site.

My larger point is also that the NFL has put itself in this position, by insisting on February SBs (for the ratings sweeps) which force you into double digits numbers of mid January playoff games.

As I said in the earlier post from yesterday, SBs used to be played the 2nd or 3rd week of January, with the championship games being no later than about Jan 2 or 3. So this weather thing only became an issue for much fewer numbers of games, not (potentially) several.

Re your first point: I was not suggesting that the other major sports championship rounds be played at neutral sites (although --- that did occur during the pandemic). The NFL championship (not the same thing as the SB for the first 4 years) WAS played at home fields until 1970. Which leads me to my next paragraph.

Re your last point - I more or less said the same thing -- it got too big.

[mgk920]

before SBs 1 and 2, the AFL and NFL championship games were played in December.

Mike

[Big John]

before SBs 1 and 2, the AFL and NFL championship games were played in December.

Mike

up until the last non-Super Bowl championship game.  The 1965 NFL championship game was played on January 2, 1966.

[tmoore952]

For the last two posters -- I said "no later than Jan. 2 or 3". Given that the calendar varies from year to year, depending on what date Sunday falls on, this could have put the games anywhere in a week's time --- from Dec 26-27 to about Jan 2-3.  If there has always been two weeks before the SB (already established - exceptions being the early 2000s due to other schedule changes), and the SB fell anywhere from Jan. 9 to Jan. 16 between 1967 and the late '70s, that would have put the conference championship games anywhere from Dec. 26 to Jan. 2. So I wasn't ruling out December.

Other thoughts:

If you are going to have 17 games and 14 playoff teams, why not start the season a little earlier so you aren't playing double digit numbers of January playoff games (12 this year). If you're going to say it's too hot in August, since when has the NFL cared about players health (not talking game penalties here)?

[mgk920]

before SBs 1 and 2, the AFL and NFL championship games were played in December.

Mike

up until the last non-Super Bowl championship game.  The 1965 NFL championship game was played on January 2, 1966.

You're right, I still have my late father's ticket stub from the Browns at Packers championship game of  1966-01-02.

Mike

[epzik8]

Go Packers...

[jeffandnicole]

If we're going to accept playoff games like last night, we should accept that for the SB as well. I know that will never happen as the genie's out of the bottle. But that's how it should be IMO.

The NFL took that chance once - XLVIII was played at MetLife stadium in the Meadowlands in NJ on Feb 2, 2014.  The NFL got lucky (depending how you define lucky).  The game time temp was a seasonably warm 49 degrees, after a high of 55.  The next day it snowed, with temps around 30 at 6pm.

[thspfc]

Go Bills, I guess. Would be fun to see them finally win a chip. After everyone left them for dead earlier this year, no less. I'd also like to see Hurts or Lamar get one.

Hopefully those whiners in Detroit lose tonight and the 49ers don't win it all so their fans are less annoying next year. I'm going to find it difficult to pay attention to the Cowboys in the regular season next year, if they can play so well in so many games only for this to happen in the first round. Just not worth my energy. It was already hard to appreciate all the blowout wins this year, because exactly this was in the back of my mind. Call me a fair-weather supporter, but if winning makes me indifferent and losing makes me unhappy . . . what's the point?

McCarthy has to go because the team was flat out not ready to play today. That can't happen in the postseason, and yet it's already the second time it's happened during McCarthy's short tenure in Dallas.

[epzik8]

Dak Prescott throws for more than 400 yards still loses...

[thspfc]

Dak Prescott throws for more than 400 yards still loses...

And the loss is still not despite him. I won't say it was because of him, since the defense was even worse, but he spotted the Packers two touchdowns in the first half. It was partially because of him. 14-7 is a completely different game from 27-7.

A funny thing I was watching that nobody else cares about is that Dak's 41 completions are the most by any player in a game this season, topping Justin Herbert's 40 in the Chargers/Vikings game I was at. The context behind those numbers could not be more polarized - Herbert shredded the Vikings from the first quarter to the fourth in a game that was close all the way through, throwing every down because the Chargers had no run game, and got out of Minneapolis with the W. Today, Dak did nothing in the first half, then moved the ball on deep shell coverage the entire second half, while never threatening the Packers' lead at all. (Which, to be fair, was partially the defense's fault.) I guess it was nice to see some fight from the offense in the second half, but it does nothing to alleviate how crushing of a loss it was.

[The Ghostbuster]

HOW ABOUT THEM PACKERS! GO PACK GO!

[gonealookin]

It's remarkable that the Dallas Cowboys continue to get such high television ratings, always being on Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football as often as permitted, and so much attention from the media, when you consider their record since their last Super Bowl win in January 1996:

28 total seasons
15 seasons:  missed playoffs
8 seasons:  one and done in the playoffs
5 seasons:  won their first playoff game but lost the next one

That's nearly three decades of what can only be described as mediocrity.

[jgb191]

I might be wrong, but I'm tempted to believe that Mike McCarthy's job is numbered since coaches like Bill Belichick, Peter Carroll, Mike Vrabel, Ron Rivera, Josh McDaniels, and (soon to be fired) Nick Siriani are now available.

And now makes it 28 years down, another eight more decades left to go before the Cowboys tie the all-time record for most years between World championships in any sport set by the Cubs.  The bad news is that it won't be too long before I have to hear all over again the Cowboys fans here in my area restart their mouths and prematurely crowning their team Super Bowl champions before the next preseason even starts, and keep bragging about how many Super Bowl rings they have.