NFL 2021-22

[gln1955]

Bush is a bust. He started off kind of ok, got that injury, now he's nothing. Minkah rolled into Pittsburgh with a fresh perspective and made some plays initially, but now we see why Miami was ok with letting a first round draft pick walk.
Washington has two PI calls against him today and a fumble. He needs to go along with McCloud.
Green and Moore on that offensive line aren't NFL players, that's obvious at this point.
Yep, a collective suck fest from the Steelers today, but for me it all starts at the top. Why didn't Tomlin have these guys ready and playing like crazed dogs (LT reference for the oldies like me) to get the win with first place in the division on the line? This is the worst team in the NFL.
To me, the Steelers didn't play with any urgency or intensity.
They get the ball with 19 seconds left and a timeout around the 20 yard line in the fourth, game tied. What does Tomlin do against the worst team in the NFL? Downs it and plays for OT. To me that screams a lack of confidence in the players, game plan, and preparedness.
But hey, I'm slowly realizing that mediocrity is now the standard in Pittsburgh. The fans that remember the Super Bowl teams are getting fewer every year. Being ok is acceptable for a whole new generation of fans who are more excited about big plays and fashionable fan gear.

-Mike

I wouldn't have expected Freiermuth to be the one to fumble away their last chance. He's been money the past few weeks and a good Penn State guy.

I was living in Pittsburgh during some of those 70's Super Bowl years. A totally different culture back then for both the players and the fans. I see a lot of the same things with Franklin at PSU. Not having his team up for games and non-sensical in game decisions and time management. I'm stuck watching both these characters for the next few years at least.

 

[MJ5150]

Freiermuth is going to catch some heat for that fumble, which is too bad. Tomlin was playing for the tie that whole OT, against the worst team in the NFL. Even if he held on to that catch, they weren't going to get that field goal from 55-ish yards. But now the focus is off Tomlin and his crappy prep and on poor Freiermuth for costing the Steelers a win.
At least Arians is man enough to stand up and admit it when he fails his team and makes dumb calls.

-Mike

 

[GregC]

The Chiefs looked awfully good tonight. I hope Mahomes gets back to excelling on a regular basis, I really like watching him.

Pack/Seahawks was downright bizarre to watch. Two future Hall of Famers against not-great defenses and...3 total points in the first 49 minutes.

 

[Gaolee]

The Chiefs looked awfully good tonight. I hope Mahomes gets back to excelling on a regular basis, I really like watching him.

Pack/Seahawks was downright bizarre to watch. Two future Hall of Famers against not-great defenses and...3 total points in the first 49 minutes.

I think that's the first time a Wilson Seahawks team has been shut out.

 

[Pilgrim]

Teddy Bridgewater of the Broncos is catching unending hell from the media here.

The Broncos went for a 4th down conversion, got it, the ball came out and the Eagles ran it back to put them up two scores with little time left. The Broncos had been driving for the tying score.

Bridgewater was right next to the runner when he came through the line, and did nothing. Didn't try to touch him, tackle him, nudge him or knock him off course - and h was close enough to do any of those things. Not only local but national sports figure are giving him hell for making a "business decision" and not making contact.

I think this will actually do long-term damage to his NFL reputation. He tried to say that he made an attempt to force the runner to the sideline, but that was visibly BS (it has been replayed a hundred times). Later in the day he admitted he screwed up, but his reputation is toast.

 

[friend33]

Nice to see the return of both Kittle and the SF running game. Sweet and necessary win for them.

 

[roller]

I was counting down when the Cam of old was gonna show up and he was gonna say or do something dumb.

And sure enough it happened about four seconds after his first touchdown.

You can't fix stupid.

That's kind of cool to see Cam Newton back in Carolina. He sure looks happy and so far is saying all the right things.
I guess going from unemployed to NFL starting QB is bound to put a smile on any guys face though.

-Mike

 

[PolkaHero]

I was counting down when the Cam of old was gonna show up and he was gonna say or do something dumb.

And sure enough it happened about four seconds after his first touchdown.

You can't fix stupid.

He's back!

 

[MJ5150]

Let me get this straight Robert Saleh.
You start Mike White and he throws four INT's. The media starts giving you a hard time about it, and you tell them this: "now everyone wants to throw him away. He deserves better than that."
Two days later after saying that, you bench White and start Joe Flacco?

-Mike

 

[twelvetrombones]

The last time Flacco was effective as a starter was probably 2014, and the Ravens only waited until 2019 to jettison him due to his contract. But he did post a perfect passer rating in relief last week, so maybe that is a sign of what's to come...

 

[Pilgrim]

If the Broncos were smart, they would trade Drew Lock to the Eagles for Minshew, then bench Bridgewater and start Minshew. He would start a fire under the team and give us something to watch. I think he can be a starter. Remember he won five games with Jax in his first year as a rookie, and he had essentially no talent on that team other than one receiver and one running back.

 

[gln1955]

Let me get this straight Robert Saleh.
You start Mike White and he throws four INT's. The media starts giving you a hard time about it, and you tell them this: "now everyone wants to throw him away. He deserves better than that."
Two days later after saying that, you bench White and start Joe Flacco?

-Mike

Does it even matter in the least?

Looks like the Steelers have another week of Rudolph, and Minkah is out with Covid. Along with the very questionable availability of Watt, Haden and a few more, can we just forfeit now and avoid the embarrassment?

 

[twelvetrombones]

If the Broncos were smart, they would trade Drew Lock to the Eagles for Minshew, then bench Bridgewater and start Minshew. He would start a fire under the team and give us something to watch. I think he can be a starter. Remember he won five games with Jax in his first year as a rookie, and he had essentially no talent on that team other than one receiver and one running back.

But are they better off being terrible this year and packaging those high draft picks for a QB in next year's draft? Assuming of course, they have figured out how to pick the right guy.

 

[GregC]

If the Broncos were smart, they would trade Drew Lock to the Eagles for Minshew, then bench Bridgewater and start Minshew. He would start a fire under the team and give us something to watch. I think he can be a starter. Remember he won five games with Jax in his first year as a rookie, and he had essentially no talent on that team other than one receiver and one running back.

Minshew turns the ball over too much. 11 INTs plus 11 fumbles lost in 20 starts with Jax. And Bridgewater's passer rating this year is higher than Minshew has ever hit in his (brief) NFL career.

 

[Pilgrim]

But are they better off being terrible this year and packaging those high draft picks for a QB in next year's draft? Assuming of course, they have figured out how to pick the right guy.

A highly, highly questionable assumption. And there is also the problem with an upcoming change of ownership. They may have trouble getting free agents, but they can do their own trades.

 

[Pilgrim]

Minshew turns the ball over too much. 11 INTs plus 11 fumbles lost in 20 starts with Jax. And Bridgewater's passer rating this year is higher than Minshew has ever hit in his (brief) NFL career.

Bridgewater now is as famous for one failure to try and stop a runner as Sanchez is for the Butt fumble. Minshew's career record is 37 TDs, 11 picks, so your stats are incorrect. And he was a rookie thrown into the game in his FIRST NFL game. He was throwing to receivers who were the least capable in the NFL.

 

[GregC]

Bridgewater now is as famous for one failure to try and stop a runner as Sanchez is for the Butt fumble. And remember, Minshew was throwing to receivers who were the least capable in the NFL.

I can't name a single Broncos receiver without looking, so Bridgewater must not have a lot to work with, either. Just checked and wow, the only name I recognize is Jerry Jeudy, and that's because I watch SEC football.

I think this failure will blow over, in part because it's not as good of a highlight as the butt fumble. But also because Bridgewater proved his toughness a few years ago coming back from a career-threatening leg injury that the doctor compared to a war wound.

Minshew's INT numbers alone aren't too bad. But that's a ton of lost fumbles.

 

[Pilgrim]

I can't name a single Broncos receiver without looking, so Bridgewater must not have a lot to work with, either. Just checked and wow, the only name I recognize is Jerry Jeudy, and that's because I watch SEC football.

I think this failure will blow over, in part because it's not as good of a highlight as the butt fumble. But also because Bridgewater proved his toughness a few years ago coming back from a career-threatening leg injury that the doctor compared to a war wound.

Minshew's INT numbers alone aren't too bad. But that's a ton of lost fumbles.

True! But remember that he was a rookie in 2019 when 13 of them occurred. The following year he had 5. Both years he was the only bright light on the team.

And you're right about Denver receivers - the whole darn team is so pathetically underachieving that no one knows them. And no smart free agents want to go there.

 

[MJ5150]

Does it even matter in the least?

Looks like the Steelers have another week of Rudolph, and Minkah is out with Covid. Along with the very questionable availability of Watt, Haden and a few more, can we just forfeit now and avoid the embarrassment?

Who is Minkah?
I remember a guy they had a year or two ago with that name, but I think they released or traded him. I haven't seen him on the field this year.
Same with Grandpa Joe. Another guy with the name Bush or similar.

-Mike

 

[friend33]

I would disagree about the Broncos’ receivers. Jeudy is the one with the highest name recognition, of course. But Sutton and Patrick are both high caliber receivers as is Fant at TE, and now you have Albert O coming on as well. (Sutton made the Pro Bowl in just his second year in 2019, but was injured in the first game last year and missed the whole season.)

It’s a strong group, IMO. They just haven’t had a Manning-level QB throwing to them during their tenure. Add someone like that to the QB position and they will suddenly all look like All-Stars. (See Cooper Kupp this year vs last year…)