NFL 2021 Regular Season Thread

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

So apparently a number of players in the Steelers-Lions game including Najee Harris didn't know ties were a thing.

There's been an average of a tie game a year for the last decade. It's not like it's something that happens once a generation. How do professional athletes not know how overtime works in their own sport? *boggle*

This was a big story back when Donovan McNabb admitted he didn't know games could end in ties, too.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

This is inexplicable.

What
pic.twitter.com/1xmBjTLRTM

— PFF (@PFF) November 15, 2021

The obvious answer is that he dropped the ball because he thought he was at the 1 yard line.

[spleen1015]

I'm not usually one to look to fire the coach every time a team plays bad, but I think I'm in the Reich needs to go camp now after yesterday. He needs to go or he needs to let someone else call the plays. Too many 2nd & 9 runs, not enough vertical passing.

Very frustrating to watch.

Usually, I am against firing a coach that is above .500, see Caldwell in Detroit, because who else is going to be better? Many teams prove time and again that a new coach solves nothing, see the Jets or Jaguars and probably the Browns.

I think the Colts are a good team but they're not showing it. They were a blocked punt returned for a TD away from losing yesterday.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

That overtime... horrifying. The Fox station in Youngstown just broadcast an apology to the fans.

The only positive you can take from that is at least the Lions won't break their own league record for losses in a season.

Not sure what the Lions can do at QB other than wait. They know what they have in their undrafted backups. Blough even got a long look two seasons ago and was awful. Goff isn't great, but he's far from the only problem they have. Goff, Blough, Boyle and Montez... sounds like an interesting law firm at least.

The NFL is faster and more complex than ever before. It's not surprising there's a tremendous shortage of QBs who can actually thrive at that level.

Yeah. The Lions have zero options at quarterback at the moment. Also, they probably have one of the least talented group of receivers in the league. They were incredibly thin there to start the season and promptly lost their “top 3” due to injuries (Tyrell Williams and Cephus) or just sucking (Breshad Perriman). They’re top wideouts are a 4th round rookie and a couple of guys who have barely played in the league or are special teamers. It’s ugly.

They’re strength was to be the offensive line and Decker just played his first game and Ragnow is out all season.

Going back to QB, I agree that their best option is to look for a one-year stop gap on free agency. There is no QB in this draft worth tying your franchise, too. It’s ugly. Next year there is Bryce Young or Stroud, so aim for that.

According to the Athletic the current top 5 prospects in this draft are:

1. Oregon DE
2. Norte Dame safety
3. LSU CB
4. Alabama tackle
5. North Carolina tackle

The Lions don’t need another OT. I can’t see drafting a safety or corner back at number one. Trading down won’t be an option, so it looks like the Oregon DE, who is apparently not as good a prospect as either Bosas or Chase Young.

The future for the Lions is as bright as ever, which is always quite dim.

[Ksyrup]

Only thing I've read about the Oregon DE is he compares to Clowney, which wasn't a compliment.

[molson]

It sure is a lot of fun watching Mac Jones. Not that it's guaranteed he's the answer at QB forever or anything, but, it feels great at the moment to have gotten him at #15 while so many teams with now-dire QB situations passed him up.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

So apparently a number of players in the Steelers-Lions game including Najee Harris didn't know ties were a thing.

There's been an average of a tie game a year for the last decade. It's not like it's something that happens once a generation. How do professional athletes not know how overtime works in their own sport? *boggle*

I don't think it is that surprising. I don't think you can have ties at any level of the game besides the NFL. I don't know how a tie would even come up in a football conversation among players or coaches to players other than with 1:00 left in overtime.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by molson

It sure is a lot of fun watching Mac Jones. Not that it's guaranteed he's the answer at QB forever or anything, but, it feels great at the moment to have gotten him at #15 while so many teams with now-dire QB situations passed him up.

It's also a good example of talent and situation both mattering.

There are a lot of teams where Mac Jones could have gone where we'd all be making "Poor Man's Chad Henne" jokes by now.

Instead, he went to a team with a great infrastructure who knows how to play to a player's strengths and play away from his weaknesses (which seems so obvious, but so many teams don't do it).

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

So apparently a number of players in the Steelers-Lions game including Najee Harris didn't know ties were a thing.

There's been an average of a tie game a year for the last decade. It's not like it's something that happens once a generation. How do professional athletes not know how overtime works in their own sport? *boggle*

To be fair a number of Detroit Lions don't even know that winning is a thing.

[Kodos]

Nicely played.

[spleen1015]

Bill gonna make Mac Jones another all time great.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by molson

It sure is a lot of fun watching Mac Jones. Not that it's guaranteed he's the answer at QB forever or anything, but, it feels great at the moment to have gotten him at #15 while so many teams with now-dire QB situations passed him up.

SF trading up for him and then choosing Lance is going to hurt them for a long time.

[albionmoonlight]

There's a lot of ifs that have to happen but

IF Mac Jones turns into a great QB, and

IF Trey Lance does not, and

IF San Francisco traded up to get Jones, and

IF they ended up talking themselves out of it b/c a bunch of ESPN talking heads said it was dumb to trade up for Mac Jones,

THEN that will end up being the greatest 30 for 30 episode of all time.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I don't think you can have ties at any level of the game besides the NFL.

Still possible (under certain circumstances) at the high school level in Georgia, as well as at a number of youth levels, including up through middle school.

edit to add: That's meant to address the "any level of the game" aspect. Harris played HS ball in California which was at least one of earliest states to establish HS tiebreak procedures.

[RainMaker]

I am normally anti-tie but neither team deserved to get a win for that disaster of a game.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Too many 2nd & 9 runs, not enough vertical passing.

Very frustrating to watch.

I've watched Jason Garrett call plays for the Giants for the last year and a half. I know this frustration all too well.

[cuervo72]

I still think there are too few ties. Gimme that standings weirdness.

[albionmoonlight]

I remember listening to someone once say that the point of the final score is to give us a sense of how the teams performed. And if two teams play for 60 minutes and have the same score, then they were probably very evenly matched, so the game result should reflect that and end in a tie.

I think that OT is exciting, so I'm happy with keeping it. But there is something to be said for just acknowledging that a tie might be the most reflective result of a close game.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by molson

It sure is a lot of fun watching Mac Jones. Not that it's guaranteed he's the answer at QB forever or anything, but, it feels great at the moment to have gotten him at #15 while so many teams with now-dire QB situations passed him up.

I would say the same thing about Justin Fields who looked incredible last week (mind you after watching Bears QBs for my whole life, incredible may just mean competent to the rest of you).

Teams like Denver and Carolina have to be kicking themselves. Especially with how weak next years draft class looks.

[miami_fan]

Since we are discussing where the rookie QBs are at right now and how they may look moving forward, has anyone seen enough of Trevor Lawrence to have any opinions? I feel like I have heard people talk about every other QB selected in the first round good or bad but I have heard nothing about the #1 pick. I am assuming that no one has actually watched him play.

[Brian Swartz]

I operate under the assumption that the situation in Jacksonville is too bad for us to know. But I haven't seen enough of him to comment intelligently beyond that.

[RainMaker]

Yeah, I think it's impossible to tell. That line is meh, their receiving core is comical, and all they have going for them is an undrafted running back who seems good, not great.

Not sure why they took Etienne. Someone like Landon Dickerson would have made much more sense. Or just trading down a bit and getting a few offensive lineman and grabbing a back late. The 2021 draft seems loaded with late round running backs who can make plays.

[Edward64]

Anyone got $300 to blow? Just to be able to say you own a piece of the Packers?

Green Bay Packers offer 'ownership' shares for first time in 10 years

"We appreciate the interest that fans have expressed in our sixth stock offering," Packers president Mark Murphy said Monday in a statement. "While we are not yet in a position to fully discuss the offering, we do have some initial information that we can share for fans to consider. We look forward to formally launching the offering tomorrow."

The latest sale, which launches Tuesday, will offer 300,000 new shares for $300 apiece. No one may buy more than 200 shares, including shares purchased in the 1997 and 2011 sales. Information about how to purchase shares can be found on the team's website, Packers.com.

Without a single owner, the team is run by a president -- currently Murphy -- who heads a seven-member executive committee. There is also a 42-person board of directors.

[spleen1015]

Many times on Sunday I thought "The #1 pick shouldn't miss that pass that badly" while watching Lawrence play.

He has the lowest completion percentage in the NFL. I don't think that is all JAX and poor receivers.

[Solecismic]

He's doing OK. First-year QBs typically struggle - especially those who aren't as comfortable outside of the pocket. I think he's running too much, not finding his passing lanes. Nothing to be seriously discouraged about as long as he leaps forward in year two like the three stars of last year's class (Burrow, Herbert, Hurts - no idea why Philadelphia is talking new QB).

Obviously, he has to cut down on the picks. So does Fields (and hold on to the ball). I don't share the optimism on Fields, but he has had a couple of nice games, and I'm ready to be proven wrong.

[GrantDawg]

Edward, I read that twice as "does anybody have $300 of blow?"

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Anyone got $300 to blow? Just to be able to say you own a piece of the Packers?

Green Bay Packers offer 'ownership' shares for first time in 10 years

My FIL is a huge Packers fan. This would make a really cool gift for him

[Drake]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Many times on Sunday I thought "The #1 pick shouldn't miss that pass that badly" while watching Lawrence play.

He has the lowest completion percentage in the NFL. I don't think that is all JAX and poor receivers.

I'm old enough to remember thinking the same thing about Peyton Manning during his 3-13 rookie campaign. There were plenty of times where it just seemed like the game was moving too fast for him.

I'm not in any way saying that Lawrence could be the next Peyton Manning, but he's shown enough just watching clips (vs. all of Manning's rookie season, since the Colts are my local team) that I'm not worried about him if he continues developing.

ETA: I had to look it up. Manning threw 28 picks as a rookie starter, with a 56.7% completion percentage.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Many times on Sunday I thought "The #1 pick shouldn't miss that pass that badly" while watching Lawrence play.

He has the lowest completion percentage in the NFL. I don't think that is all JAX and poor receivers.

To be honest, I forgot he was the #1 pick until molson's post about Mac Jones being the 15th pick. I started to remember the QBs taken and was like oh yeah Trevor Lawrence was the #1 pick in the draft. That is what caused my initial post about him. I know I heard more about Joe Burrow last year than I have about Lawrence. I feel like I heard more about Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff in their rookie seasons when compared to Lawrence. It is not only that I have no idea how he was doing. I never hear anyone discuss him at all whether on FOFC or in the media.

[SirFozzie]

Yet another Fucking Fantasy Football Last Second Loss (well, losing a win this time)

That garbage time FG cost me a win 130-130 :P

[Thomkal]

Clearly OBJ is a difference maker

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Clearly OBJ is a difference maker

Or clearly OBJ has only been in LA for a few days, has barely practiced and has barely had any time to learn the playbook, and one of the starting WRs was lost for the season a couple of days ago.

He’s not been great (to say the least) for the Giants for a while, but it’s extremely harsh to criticise him for this.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by AlexB

Or clearly OBJ has only been in LA for a few days, has barely practiced and has barely had any time to learn the playbook, and one of the starting WRs was lost for the season a couple of days ago.

He’s not been great (to say the least) for the Giants for a while, but it’s extremely harsh to criticise him for this.

Sorry Alex, don't disagree with anything you said there, he just rubs me the wrong way, comes off as too much of a diva to me, especially how he and his dad worked to get him out of Cleveland. So I probably won't like him much when/if he gets back to normal OBJ production levels.

[spleen1015]

This is normal OBJ production levels.

[Carman Bulldog]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Clearly OBJ is a difference maker

Are you asking because Cleveland looked so good this week without him?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

This is normal OBJ production levels.

A point that seems to have escaped OBJ and his dad.

[Brian Swartz]

Hope springs eternal.

[BYU 14]

Don't worry, Thanksgiving is upon us.

[cartman]

“You got an Instagram? My dad wants to tag you in a post.” pic.twitter.com/iq9NU2W3i1

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) November 16, 2021

[albionmoonlight]

From the 10,000 foot TV view, it is easy to forget how violent the game is

Punish jumpers. Especially small ones.

cc: @BigDuke50 @BrandonThornNFL pic.twitter.com/xrDrfPt3j3

— TJ Lang (@TJLang70) November 18, 2021

[Lathum]

I have never heard of Zac Stacy before today and I hope the next time I do it is to sentence him to several years behind bars.

[RainMaker]

No kidding, that was as disturbing as it gets.

[NobodyHere]

It's so cute when Fox tries to hype the Thanksgiving game between the Lions and the Bears. It's a like hyping a fight between two kittens.

[bhlloy]

Maybe just stop throwing the ball guy

[thesloppy]

This game is theee worst.

[SirFozzie]

You get intercepted! You Get Intercepted! YOU GET INTERCEPTED! ALL OF YOU GET INTERCEPTED!

[JonInMiddleGA]

Did anyone who suffered through that "game" notice if they mentioned the last time an NFL team threw INTs on four straight possessions?

I gotta think that's rare

[Brian Swartz]

Obligatory 'I'm sure the Lions must have done it at some point'.

I mean, we invented the five-punt play. There's not much we haven't done. (Yes, it was mostly the Falcons fault. But we're taking 'credit' for it anyway)

SILVERDOME STILL BIG TOP, BUT THE LIONS STILL WON » Mitch Albom

[molson]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Did anyone who suffered through that "game" notice if they mentioned the last time an NFL team threw INTs on four straight possessions?

I gotta think that's rare

I enjoyed this fun fact stat:

The Patriots are the first NFL team to intercept 3 different opposing QBs in the same quarter since the Bears picked off the Buccaneers' Craig Erickson, Steve DeBerg and Casey Weldon in the 4th quarter on September 26, 1993.

Kind of disappointing it happened that recently

[Edward64]

The Falcons are pitiful. Good thing I'm a fair weather fan. Couldn't handle being a hardcore fan of the Falcons and the Hogs.