NFL (2020-2024)

[JayhawkCO]

I might be a bit of a Lions hater, but I have to admit, the fact that they just beat a 6-2 Packers team by double digits at Lambeau, their historical house of horrors, and nobody outside of Wisconsin is surprised, reflects how good that team is.

I also hate both teams, but I loved to see the one I hate the most lose. Lambeau has almost always been a tough place for the road team to win at, so I'm happy that the Lions got it done.

No one inside of Wisconsin is really surprised by the result either. Lambeau lost its mystique long ago. (I'm a Packer fan.)

Also, historical house of horrors, but the Lions have won the last three at Lambeau.

[SEWIGuy]

I might be a bit of a Lions hater, but I have to admit, the fact that they just beat a 6-2 Packers team by double digits at Lambeau, their historical house of horrors, and nobody outside of Wisconsin is surprised, reflects how good that team is.

I also hate both teams, but I loved to see the one I hate the most lose. Lambeau has almost always been a tough place for the road team to win at, so I'm happy that the Lions got it done.

No one inside of Wisconsin is really surprised by the result either. Lambeau lost its mystique long ago. (I'm a Packer fan.)

Also, historical house of horrors, but the Lions have won the last three at Lambeau.

It has largely been a historical house of horrors because the Packers have been very good and the Lions have sucked.

[jgb191]

I might be a bit of a Lions hater, but I have to admit, the fact that they just beat a 6-2 Packers team by double digits at Lambeau, their historical house of horrors, and nobody outside of Wisconsin is surprised, reflects how good that team is.

I also hate both teams, but I loved to see the one I hate the most lose. Lambeau has almost always been a tough place for the road team to win at, so I'm happy that the Lions got it done.

No one inside of Wisconsin is really surprised by the result either. Lambeau lost its mystique long ago. (I'm a Packer fan.)

Also, historical house of horrors, but the Lions have won the last three at Lambeau.

It has largely been a historical house of horrors because the Packers have been very good and the Lions have sucked.

Lambeau Field will always remain the most dreadful stadium to play in any day outside the month of July, so I guess that means all of NFL season.  Heck, one might even freeze to death even in the middle of July.

[thspfc]

at Lambeau, their historical house of horrors

Also, historical house of horrors, but the Lions have won the last three at Lambeau.

It has largely been a historical house of horrors because the Packers have been very good and the Lions have sucked.

None of these are mutually exclusive statements.

Lambeau Field will always remain the most dreadful stadium to play in any day outside the month of July, so I guess that means all of NFL season.

Especially during the winter months of May, June, August, and September. (shudders)

Heck, one might even freeze to death even in the middle of July.

"Green Bay weather data by month" is a Google search away.

[jgb191]

They don't call it the Frozen Tundra for nothing!

[Max Rockatansky]

I was under the impression the field was now heated?  Not quite the days the of the Ice Bowl anymore.

[jgb191]

Heck, one might even freeze to death even in the middle of July.

"Green Bay weather data by month" is a Google search away.

As per the NWS NOAA, Green Bay has seen July temperatures as frigid as 40 degrees before.  Their average July is colder than our average November.

[Big John]

I was under the impression the field was now heated?  Not quite the days the of the Ice Bowl anymore.

There were heaters under the field in the Ice Bowl. Problem is it broke down before the game started. They now have a modern system that won't break down.

[Big John]

Heck, one might even freeze to death even in the middle of July.

"Green Bay weather data by month" is a Google search away.

As per the NWS NOAA, Green Bay has seen July temperatures as frigid as 40 degrees before.  Their average July is colder than our average November.

40 degrees is shorts weather around here.

[jgb191]

Heck, one might even freeze to death even in the middle of July.

"Green Bay weather data by month" is a Google search away.

As per the NWS NOAA, Green Bay has seen July temperatures as frigid as 40 degrees before.  Their average July is colder than our average November.

40 degrees is shorts weather around here.

I know I'm quite the opposite, I can handle playing inside Reliant/NRG Stadium or Jerry's World with the roof wide open on the summer afternoon way easier than in the Frozen Tundra on a winter day.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Since week 9 of the NFL season is beyond us, we are now at the halfway point of the season!

Predictions on the divisional winners of both the AFC and the NFC conferences:

AFC
East- Buffalo Bills
North- Baltimore Ravens
South- Houston Texans
West- Kansas City Chiefs

NFC
East- Washington Commanders
North- Detroit Lions
South- Atlanta Falcons
West- Arizona Cardinals

AFC Wildcards- Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos
NFC Wildcards- Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers

[US 89]

I was under the impression the field was now heated?  Not quite the days the of the Ice Bowl anymore.

There were heaters under the field vn the Ice Bowl. Problem is it broke down before the game started. They now have a modern system that won't break down.

Won't break down...until it does...

[SEWIGuy]

I was under the impression the field was now heated?  Not quite the days the of the Ice Bowl anymore.

There were heaters under the field in the Ice Bowl. Problem is it broke down before the game started. They now have a modern system that won't break down.

It didn't break down. It was just too cold.

[jgb191]

Since week 9 of the NFL season is beyond us, we are now at the halfway point of the season!

Predictions on the divisional winners of both the AFC and the NFC conferences:

AFC
East- Buffalo Bills
North- Baltimore Ravens
South- Houston Texans
West- Kansas City Chiefs

NFC
East- Washington Commanders
North- Detroit Lions
South- Atlanta Falcons
West- Arizona Cardinals

AFC Wildcards- Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos
NFC Wildcards- Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers

AFC North:  Ravens
AFC East:  Bills
AFC South:  Texans
AFC West:  Chiefs
AFC Wild Cards:  Steelers, Chargers, Colts

NFC North:  Lions
NFC East:  Eagles
NFC South:  Falcons
NFC West:  I still don't know yet*
NFC Wild Cards:  Commanders, Vikings, Packers

*Note:  If Christian McCaffrey returns, I'll take the Niners

Coach of the Year:  Dan Campbell -- Lions
Offensive Rookie of the Year:  Jayden Daniels -- Commanders
MVP: Justin Jefferson -- Vikings

-----------------------------------------

I'd like to add something else to our mid-season opinions:  How would you grade your favorite NFL team, or any team(s) you choose to grade.

For my team, I grade them a B- at this point.  Before the Jets game, it was a B+, but CJ getting sacked eight times dropped them down to a B-.  I originally had -- and still have -- the Texans at 10 wins & 7 losses, matching last year's record.  For that to happen, the Texans must breakeven the rest of the way at four wins and losses, and I believe they can achieve that the second-half of the year.

My grades below reflect a level of surprise and disappointment relative to my preseason anticipation.
A:  Chiefs & Lions -- the most popularly predicted Super Bowl matchup.
B:  Bears, Bills, Broncos, Cardinals, Chargers, Commanders, Eagles, Falcons, Packers, Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Vikings*
C:  Bengals, Bucs, Colts, Dolphins, Giants, Niners, Patriots, Panthers, Seahawks, Titans
D:  Cowboys, Jaguars, Jets, Raiders, Rams, Saints
F:  Cleveland -- I had expected far better than this.

*Note: After their first five games, I had the Vikings as the only team with an A+.

[webny99]

Wow, Bengals-Ravens was an instant classic.

I saw a crazy stat going around that the rest of the NFL is 38-1 this season while scoring 33+ points. The Bengals are 2-3.

[Max Rockatansky]

Two of the three QBs with more than twenty touchdowns this year are on teams with losing records.

[mgk920]

They don't call it the Frozen Tundra for nothing!

It's been the 'Frozen Tundra' ever since the Vikings moved out of the old 'Met' after the 1981 season.

Mike

[ZLoth]

Predictions on the divisional winners of both the AFC and the NFC conferences:

AFC
East- Buffalo Bills
North- Baltimore Ravens
South- Houston Texans
West- Kansas City Chiefs

NFC
East- Washington Commanders
North- Detroit Lions
South- Atlanta Falcons
West- Arizona Cardinals

Of these, the most solid lock is the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East as the second place team, the Jets, have a 3-6 record compared to Buffalo's 7-2. The Chiefs are also a good call. For the NFC West, it's still too close to call as the first place Arizona Cardinals are 5-4 while the last place Seattle Seahawks are 4-5. The Los Angeles Rams are ranked #9 while the 49ers are ranked #10 based upon head-to-head.

As for the Cowboys... even the most ardent of Dallas Cowboys supports are calling the season done, and calling Mike! Mike! Mike! a lame duck coach. A recent article from the Landry Hat is showing the same type of quote with Mike! Mike! Mike! as he did with Jason Garrett prior to firing him.

[epzik8]

Is this where Bryce Young's redemption arc begins?

[webny99]

Some more food for thought...

Is today's Broncos loss to the Chiefs the worst regular season loss of the 21st century considering the context?

Also an opinion question for anyone who is not a Chiefs or Patriots fan: which dynasty is more unlikable?

[thspfc]

Is today's Broncos loss to the Chiefs the worst regular season loss of the 21st century considering the context?

It's one of the most heartbreaking without a doubt. In terms of the actual consequences, not really. The most difference it can realistically make is keeping the Broncos out of the playoffs as opposed to them almost certainly losing in the wild card. A game like the Colts week 18 loss to the Jags in 2021 tops it for sure. Another catastrophic one from recent memory is the Dolphins loss to the Titans last year. When you look at how the AFC standings were affected by that, in a couple years I think it'll be easy to point to that night as the moment the Dolphins officially became a cursed franchise.

On the Chiefs side, while it's about as crappy of a win as they come, I think it's actually terrifying moving forward. With the leadership they have, this is a 9-0 team with the mindset of a pissed off underperforming 4-5 team. Entering what is not only the biggest game of the regular season, but also quite likely the only remaining game on the Chiefs schedule in which they will be favored by less than touchdown. Maybe @ Pittsburgh on Christmas will be a narrow line if the Steelers keep playing well . . . but if KC wins a week from today, I'm finally willing to entertain the discussion of we-all-know-what. The 2015 Panthers were the last team to get to 9-0, discounting the 2020 Steelers who nobody ever believed would run the table.

[Big John]

Some more food for thought...

Is today's Broncos loss to the Chiefs the worst regular season loss of the 21st century considering the context?

Fail Mary?

[webny99]

Is today's Broncos loss to the Chiefs the worst regular season loss of the 21st century considering the context?

It's one of the most heartbreaking without a doubt. In terms of the actual consequences, not really. The most difference it can realistically make is keeping the Broncos out of the playoffs as opposed to them almost certainly losing in the wild card.

A couple of points I would add...

It has big implications for the rest of the playoff field too, not just the Broncos. The Steelers are now nearly a lock for the playoffs, unless the Bengals somehow sweep them and sneak in instead. And the Steelers as a playoff entry hold very little intrigue to me, and I suspect also to the majority of NFL fans and media outside of western PA. In short, this makes the rest of the season and the AFC playoff race in particular notably less exciting.

It also makes next weeks Chiefs-Bills showdown less exciting and less important. Instead of the Chiefs coming off a tough loss and playing in Buffalo with the #1 seed on the line, the #1 seed probably isn't going to be much of a race even if they lose. And... the AFC West division race is completely over. Not that it was going to be much of a race anyways, but it just went from an intriguing late season storyline to a complete non-factor.

And it matters for the Broncos franchise beyond just this postseason, too. Despite finally ending the losing streak to the Chiefs last year, who knows when they could have another good chance - and to be that close and fail is just incomprehensible. It's the type of loss that can create serious shock waves for fans, players, coaches, team media, etc. Being in a division with Mahomes, beating that team has basically been their singular focus for the last 5+ years. It's what they've been pouring all of their offseason resources into doing, and that's almost certainly going to have to continue for another decade plus. So this was one of the two most important games of their season, and they were actually pretty clearly the better, sharper, and more well coached team, and still lost. Even as a fan of neither team, I had other priorities today and wasn't paying much attention to the early games, and it still felt like a total gut punch. For the Broncos franchise and fanbase, it's just downright demoralizing and I dare say impossible to get over until they knock that team out a couple of times and win a division title.

A game like the Colts week 18 loss to the Jags in 2021 tops it for sure.

Of course, "worst loss" is extremely open-ended, but I can agree that there is decent case for this. However, I think the Broncos type of loss is way more painful in the moment for fans (and I assume also for players and coaches).

[webny99]

Entering what is not only the biggest game of the regular season, but also quite likely the only remaining game on the Chiefs schedule in which they will be favored by less than touchdown.

On the other hand, one could argue that the Chiefs should never be favored by more than a touchdown, because all they've been doing all season is winning by less than a touchdown. At 9-0, just two of their wins were by more than a touchdown, and their largest margin of victory is 13 points, which is absolutely insane. I honestly don't see how you could justify any Chiefs game having a spread of more than 10 points until further notice. LOL.

[webny99]

Some more food for thought...

Is today's Broncos loss to the Chiefs the worst regular season loss of the 21st century considering the context?

Fail Mary?

At least that had an officiating controversy to blame things on. The Broncos loss had a sickening level of clarity.