NFL (2024 Season)

[thspfc]

Thought this was interesting. This is what Tua would look like as a right handed thrower . . .

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V8R4C4Ly_Wo&feature=emb_err_woyt

Looks good, doesn't it?

[JayhawkCO]

Boring day at work, so I'll pre-empt thspfc in picking this week.  I won't bother going into scoring.

CHI over DET
DAL over LV
BUF over NO
JAX over ATL
SF over MIN (sadly)
PIT over CIN (biggest upset compared to Vegas odds)
TB over IND
MIA over CAR
NE over TEN
PHI over NYG
DEN over LAC
NYJ over HOU
GB over LAR
BAL over CLE
SEA over WAS

[webny99]

A couple quick schedule notes...

-Chiefs-Broncos flexed to SNF in Week 13, Seahawks-49ers moved back to 4:25 ET.
-Saturday doubleheader for Week 15: Raiders-Browns at 4:30, Pats-Colts at 8:20

-Eagles have at Giants, at Jets, a bye, two home games, at Washington, and home vs. Cowboys to end their season. They won't have to travel more than a few hours again for the rest of the season.

-The AFC North has 27 total games remaining, and there is not one single easy win in ANY of those 27 games. They've each got at least 4 division games left (Ravens have 5) so they're going to beat up on each other bad and I could EASILY see a 9-8 or 10-7 division winner as the only playoff team from that division.

[webny99]

Below I'm starting a list of teams that are, to use an Around the NFL term, "forked" (out of the playoff picture). The idea is to be aggressive and fork a team early, well before they're mathematically eliminated, and to get all 18 forks correct before the final week of the season.

Before this week, the unstated (but fairly obvious) list:
Jets, Texans, Jaguars, Lions, Dolphins

Added to the list today after a "season-ending" loss this week:
Bears, Seahawks

Going forward I'm going to refrain from forking teams mid-week, but right now I am going to add the Giants after their MNF loss to the Bucs.

That brings me up to 8 forked teams, 4 from each conference.

[Alps]

Boring day at work, so I'll pre-empt thspfc in picking this week.  I won't bother going into scoring.

CHI over DET
DAL over LV
BUF over NO
JAX over ATL
SF over MIN (sadly)
PIT over CIN (biggest upset compared to Vegas odds)
TB over IND
MIA over CAR
NE over TEN
PHI over NYG
DEN over LAC
NYJ over HOU
GB over LAR
BAL over CLE
SEA over WAS

At this point I hope the Jets lose. I want draft position.

[JayhawkCO]

Boring day at work, so I'll pre-empt thspfc in picking this week.  I won't bother going into scoring.

CHI over DET
DAL over LV
BUF over NO
JAX over ATL
SF over MIN (sadly)
PIT over CIN (biggest upset compared to Vegas odds)
TB over IND
MIA over CAR
NE over TEN
PHI over NYG
DEN over LAC
NYJ over HOU
GB over LAR
BAL over CLE
SEA over WAS

At this point I hope the Jets lose. I want draft position.

That was probably my toughest game to pick.  More of a who wants it less kind of thing.

[thspfc]

Steelers 27, Bengals 13
Dolphins 23, Panthers 20
Eagles 37, Giants 17
Patriots 24, Titans 20
Buccaneers 34, Colts 16
Jets 28, Texans 14
Chargers 38, Broncos 17
Vikings 30, 49ers 22
Packers 26, Rams 13
Ravens 19, Browns 3
Seahawks 28, Washington 16

Seems like the Giants are in a full-blown nosedive now, for the fourth time in the last five seasons. All of the optimism from *checks notes* a four game stretch in November last year that included narrow wins over the Football Team, Eagles, Bengals, and Seahawks has long vanished. Every week that Joe Judge is still their head coach is automatically a wasted week.

I've been saying since mid-October that the Colts are pretty dang good, but the one thing I worry about is Wentz having to throw more than 40 passes to keep them in the game. In that regard, it's a favorable matchup for the Buccaneers and their #1 run defense.

I'm realizing now that the Seahawks playing badly isn't as fun as I thought it would be. At this point in the season I usually get sick of them and think they're overrated, but now that they're not doing well I just want them to start winning again.

[jlam]

I feel awful for the lions. What is this, three winning field goals against Detroit now?

[JayhawkCO]

Vikings have lost twice to the other teams FGs and once to our own curse against kickers.  I don't feel bad.  They made a dumb hire (Campbell) and a dumb trade (Goff).  They reap what they sow.

[Henry]

I feel awful for the lions. What is this, three winning field goals against Detroit now?

For a while, it looked like they were going to get their first win, but then the Bears kicked the game-winner at the very end. I don't blame any of Detroit's teams for being as shitty as the city they play in.

[Alps]

I feel awful for the lions. What is this, three winning field goals against Detroit now?

Coaching lost this game for them. Turned 3rd and 9 into 3rd and 4 AND burned a timeout.

[thspfc]

My biggest concern about the Cowboys reared its head today. If the defense doesn't force turnovers, they're going to give up a lot of points. Outside of Trevon Diggs and occasionally Jourdan Lewis, it's a putrid secondary. Lots of missed tackles. Honestly the most striking thing was simply how much faster the Raiders were - even Carr outran half the defense on that scramble in the second half. Anthony Brown alone got called for pass interference/holding 4 times. The offense played great without Cooper and Lamb, but not enough to compensate for the defense.

[webny99]

Vikings have lost twice to the other teams FGs and once to our own curse against kickers.  I don't feel bad.  They made a dumb hire (Campbell) and a dumb trade (Goff).  They reap what they sow.

You don't have to feel bad for them about this season in particular - if Lions fans are anything like most of the other 31 fanbases, a lot of them are probably actively rooting to lose to secure the #1 overall pick. But in the context of the past 30 years, it's got to be a depressing, almost zombie-esque experience to be a Lions fan. They just can't have anything nice, ever. A few good wins in the Stafford era, but never anything in the playoffs, and none of those truly great moments that make being a fan worthwhile.

And today was so bad it was almost comical. They were all set up to get their first win if they could just somehow keep the Bears from scoring with 8:30 remaining. And it wasn't just that the Bears scored... it was the way they scored, bleeding clock and stumbling into a last second FG almost haphazardly because the Lions just could not get out of their own way. Alps already mentioned the killer... Bears had 3rd and 9 at the Lions 16 and it would have been an easy stop, they kick the FG, you get the ball back down 2. But instead the Lions take an illegal timeout, making it 3rd and 4 and the Bears convert for an easy first down, bleed clock, and kick the game winner. I mean HOW!? It is a comically bad coaching error and that's how you end up with an 0-10-1 record with a team has been competitive in many of their games. It's the type of loss that leaves fans with no hope that they'll ever get it together.

[Max Rockatansky]

The tie game was infinitely worse to watch than today's game. 

[JayhawkCO]

Vikings have lost twice to the other teams FGs and once to our own curse against kickers.  I don't feel bad.  They made a dumb hire (Campbell) and a dumb trade (Goff).  They reap what they sow.

You don't have to feel bad for them about this season in particular - if Lions fans are anything like most of the other 31 fanbases, a lot of them are probably actively rooting to lose to secure the #1 overall pick. But in the context of the past 30 years, it's got to be a depressing, almost zombie-esque experience to be a Lions fan. They just can't have anything nice, ever. A few good wins in the Stafford era, but never anything in the playoffs, and none of those truly great moments that make being a fan worthwhile.

And today was so bad it was almost comical. They were all set up to get their first win if they could just somehow keep the Bears from scoring with 8:30 remaining. And it wasn't just that the Bears scored... it was the way they scored, bleeding clock and stumbling into a last second FG almost haphazardly because the Lions just could not get out of their own way. Alps already mentioned the killer... Bears had 3rd and 9 at the Lions 16 and it would have been an easy stop, they kick the FG, you get the ball back down 2. But instead the Lions take an illegal timeout, making it 3rd and 4 and the Bears convert for an easy first down, bleed clock, and kick the game winner. I mean HOW!? It is a comically bad coaching error and that's how you end up with an 0-10-1 record with a team has been competitive in many of their games. It's the type of loss that leaves fans with no hope that they'll ever get it together.

Sometimes I wonder though if it'd be better than being a Vikings fan.  We lose games in torturous ways, and, while unlike the Lions we've won playoff games, we haven't been to the Super Bowl in ~50 years and lost the four we have been in.

[US 89]

My biggest concern about the Cowboys reared its head today. If the defense doesn't force turnovers, they're going to give up a lot of points. Outside of Trevon Diggs and occasionally Jourdan Lewis, it's a putrid secondary. Lots of missed tackles. Honestly the most striking thing was simply how much faster the Raiders were - even Carr outran half the defense on that scramble in the second half. Anthony Brown alone got called for pass interference/holding 4 times. The offense played great without Cooper and Lamb, but not enough to compensate for the defense.

The Cowboys pass defense was absolutely horrible.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Vikings have lost twice to the other teams FGs and once to our own curse against kickers.  I don't feel bad.  They made a dumb hire (Campbell) and a dumb trade (Goff).  They reap what they sow.

And missed one other walkoff FG attempt, but the Vikings won that game in OT regardless.

Even still, we've walked off two teams with FGs ourselves, so it's a wash I suppose.

[Max Rockatansky]

Vikings have lost twice to the other teams FGs and once to our own curse against kickers.  I don't feel bad.  They made a dumb hire (Campbell) and a dumb trade (Goff).  They reap what they sow.

You don't have to feel bad for them about this season in particular - if Lions fans are anything like most of the other 31 fanbases, a lot of them are probably actively rooting to lose to secure the #1 overall pick. But in the context of the past 30 years, it's got to be a depressing, almost zombie-esque experience to be a Lions fan. They just can't have anything nice, ever. A few good wins in the Stafford era, but never anything in the playoffs, and none of those truly great moments that make being a fan worthwhile.

And today was so bad it was almost comical. They were all set up to get their first win if they could just somehow keep the Bears from scoring with 8:30 remaining. And it wasn't just that the Bears scored... it was the way they scored, bleeding clock and stumbling into a last second FG almost haphazardly because the Lions just could not get out of their own way. Alps already mentioned the killer... Bears had 3rd and 9 at the Lions 16 and it would have been an easy stop, they kick the FG, you get the ball back down 2. But instead the Lions take an illegal timeout, making it 3rd and 4 and the Bears convert for an easy first down, bleed clock, and kick the game winner. I mean HOW!? It is a comically bad coaching error and that's how you end up with an 0-10-1 record with a team has been competitive in many of their games. It's the type of loss that leaves fans with no hope that they'll ever get it together.

Sometimes I wonder though if it'd be better than being a Vikings fan.  We lose games in torturous ways, and, while unlike the Lions we've won playoff games, we haven't been to the Super Bowl in ~50 years and lost the four we have been in.

Being a Detroit sports fan in every major sport the last four decades really helped blunt how bad Lions have been.  The Pistons and Red Wings had all-time great teams during my life time.  The Tigers winning the World Series is one of my earliest memories and Michigan having a couple significant National Championships is pretty nice too. 

[snowc]

The Lions are the next team to be 0-16-1 if they DON'T win the next six games! 
And they will be like the 1960 Cowboys, 1976 Bucs, 1982 Colts (Now Ravens; shortened season due to strike  ), 2008 Lions, and the 2017 Browns.
This will be the second time a winless season has happened to the Lions. 
Well done Lions, you guys deserve a winless season /s 

[Max Rockatansky]

The Lions are the next team to be 0-16-1 if they DON'T win the next six games! 
And they will be like the 1960 Cowboys, 1976 Bucs, 1982 Colts (Now Ravens; shortened season due to strike  ), 2008 Lions, and the 2017 Browns.
This will be the second time a winless season has happened to the Lions. 
Well done Lions, you guys deserve a winless season /s 

Next?  There never has been a 17 game season. 

[gr8daynegb]

The Lions are the next team to be 0-16-1 if they DON'T win the next six games! 
And they will be like the 1960 Cowboys, 1976 Bucs, 1982 Colts (Now Ravens; shortened season due to strike  ), 2008 Lions, and the 2017 Browns.
This will be the second time a winless season has happened to the Lions. 
Well done Lions, you guys deserve a winless season /s 

Next?  There never has been a 17 game season.

I was wondering the same thing myself.....but would be very Detroit Lions to be both on the 0-16 and 0-16-1 list.

That being said I was hoping they would have won yesterday

[Max Rockatansky]

The Lions are the next team to be 0-16-1 if they DON'T win the next six games! 
And they will be like the 1960 Cowboys, 1976 Bucs, 1982 Colts (Now Ravens; shortened season due to strike  ), 2008 Lions, and the 2017 Browns.
This will be the second time a winless season has happened to the Lions. 
Well done Lions, you guys deserve a winless season /s 

Next?  There never has been a 17 game season.

I was wondering the same thing myself.....but would be very Detroit Lions to be both on the 0-16 and 0-16-1 list.

That being said I was hoping they would have won yesterday

FWIW that 0-16 team was way better than the current iteration of the Lions.

[Mr_Northside]

FWIW that 0-16 team was way better than the current iteration of the Lions.

I do believe that team went 4-0 in the preseason.

[snowc]

FWIW that 0-16 team was way better than the current iteration of the Lions.

I do believe that team went 4-0 in the preseason.

Correct, the 2017 Browns did go 4-0 in preseason. How ironic! 

[1995hoo]

Vikings have lost twice to the other teams FGs and once to our own curse against kickers.  I don't feel bad.  They made a dumb hire (Campbell) and a dumb trade (Goff).  They reap what they sow.

You don't have to feel bad for them about this season in particular - if Lions fans are anything like most of the other 31 fanbases, a lot of them are probably actively rooting to lose to secure the #1 overall pick. But in the context of the past 30 years, it's got to be a depressing, almost zombie-esque experience to be a Lions fan. They just can't have anything nice, ever. A few good wins in the Stafford era, but never anything in the playoffs, and none of those truly great moments that make being a fan worthwhile.

And today was so bad it was almost comical. They were all set up to get their first win if they could just somehow keep the Bears from scoring with 8:30 remaining. And it wasn't just that the Bears scored... it was the way they scored, bleeding clock and stumbling into a last second FG almost haphazardly because the Lions just could not get out of their own way. Alps already mentioned the killer... Bears had 3rd and 9 at the Lions 16 and it would have been an easy stop, they kick the FG, you get the ball back down 2. But instead the Lions take an illegal timeout, making it 3rd and 4 and the Bears convert for an easy first down, bleed clock, and kick the game winner. I mean HOW!? It is a comically bad coaching error and that's how you end up with an 0-10-1 record with a team has been competitive in many of their games. It's the type of loss that leaves fans with no hope that they'll ever get it together.

Sometimes I wonder though if it'd be better than being a Vikings fan.  We lose games in torturous ways, and, while unlike the Lions we've won playoff games, we haven't been to the Super Bowl in ~50 years and lost the four we have been in.

Detroit's never been to a Super Bowl, period–one of four franchises that have never been (as the NFL defines franchises, of course, given the Cleveland/Baltimore situation).