NFL Thoughts - Week 12

[Cobra Mgr]

I love ESPN's Playoff Machine. My projections have Philly, Minny, Pitt, & the Pats earning byes. KC, Jax, NO & the Rams winning divisions, Car, Atl, Tenn & Balt getting WC's. The Ravens win tiebreakers w/Buff, Cincy & the Chargers @ 8-8.The Seahawks & Lions are left out despite 10 wins........


......To me, the shakiest of the above are the Chiefs. They averaged 33 pts in their 5-0 start. They are averaging 2 TD's less in losing 5 of their last 6. Just 12 a game in the last 3 contests. You wonder how long will Andy Reid stick w/Alex Smith Sunday vs the Jets if the offense continues to go at it's latest pace.......


....Speaking of the Jets, last week's game vs the Panthers was a case of the Jets trying harder to lose the game than Carolina. Both teams displayed a comedy of errors that turned positive plays into negatives.

I've been something of a Newton apologist over his career. But I can't excuse his performance Sunday. He missed open targets all day. And his WR's dropped it when he did manage to hit them in the numbers. I had an inkling Carolina's MNF perfromance 2 weeks ago was more mirage than a turning of the corner. They need to get it in gear because the coming weeks have rematches vs div foes NO & Atl plus Minnesota. This offense seems to need the defense to create turnovers in order for it to get into a rhythm........


......Sunday was an example of how Blake Bortles is holding Jax back. The Jags get the ball in a tied game w/1:14 left. Instead of trying to drive for a game winning FG, they run the ball. Evidently trying for OT. But why? There's no guarantee you will get the ball back. It was a sign of how they lacked faith in Bortles to get them downfield. Blake actually averaged more yds per rush than he did per completions.

But Jax wasn't completely committed to running out the clock. A check down pass resulted in an incompletion. Now Zona didn't have to use their final TO. A 3rd down run was stopped & the Cards stopped the clock. Arizona didn't hesitate to put the ball in their 3rd string, Jax reject's hands. He got them within range for a long range fg. Victory: Arizona. Huge indictment against BB.......


......I think the Browns have actually gotten worse. Just when you think Cleveland has mined every ounce of pathetic out of the soil, they find new deposits............


......For me, I don't think these ever get old..........


.......What happened to Dante Culpepper?..........


.......As Dallas' slide continues, how much money do you think Ezekiel is making on his next contract? I think he's going to make up for all he lost while sitting out.............


.......The NFC is 28-18 vs the AFC so far. The AFC would have to win 14 of the next 18 to pull even. And the best games will be in the NFC in the coming weeks. Minny plays the Falcons & Panthers back to back. Carolina has New Orleans this week to break a 1st place tie. Philly visits Seattle & the Rams back to back. There's nothing to get excited about in the AFC until Week 15........


.....A lot of buzz about Garappolo making his Niner debut. My question is, why hadn't he made it before this? Colts installed Jacoby Brissett as the starter after he had been in Indy only a week. If the Niners want to find out if they made a good investment, shouldn't he be in action?.......


.....I think 2 games was a bit much for the Crabtree/Talib melee. But I understand it. This wasn't 2 guys who merely lost their temper in the heat of battle. This was a personal WWE grudge match. Good discipline shouldn't just punish. It should be administered to the proper degree so that it doesn't happen again. Not being able to play for 2 games should send a stern message. If it doesn't then add on more games til they get the point.......


......Anyone else freaked out by this?......

[Déjà Bru]

Sorry that it's none of your topics this week, but to a Giants fan, the news today that a healthy Eli Manning will not start for the first time in 211 games is rather dramatic. The man has played in every Giants regular season game since November of 2004.

I don't think he's necessarily done, as the NY Times was hinting, but it doesn't look good. At best, the Giants could be saying, "Take a seat, Eli, and rest up. Why risk getting injured in this crappy, meaningless season? Let us take a look at the other guys but you'll be back in the catbird seat next year." At worst, one now wonders about his contract situation. I don't anticipate anything special from Geno Smith but if Davis Webb steps up in these last five games . . .

Classy Eli, though: They offered to let him start games to keep the streak going, then pull him in favor of Smith or Webb. He had enough pride to firmly decline.

Gee. Time marches on, doesn't it?

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Sorry that it's none of your topics this week, but to a Giants fan, the news today that a healthy Eli Manning will not start for the first time in 211 games is rather dramatic. The man has played in every Giants regular season game since November of 2004.

I don't think he's necessarily done, as the NY Times was hinting, but it doesn't look good. At best, the Giants could be saying, "Take a seat, Eli, and rest up. Why risk getting injured in this crappy, meaningless season? Let us take a look at the other guys but you'll be back in the catbird seat next year." At worst, one now wonders about his contract situation. I don't anticipate anything special from Geno Smith but if Davis Webb steps up in these last five games . . .

Classy Eli, though: They offered to let him start games to keep the streak going, then pull him in favor of Smith or Webb. He had enough pride to firmly decline.

Gee. Time marches on, doesn't it?

News came out after I posted. Thus, my Garapolo thought is out of date as well.

I thought Eli's decision was dignified. I also agree with NYG's decision. I don't believe in tanking. But I do believe in getting a full assesment of your roster, and a head start on the next season once the playoffs are out of the question. The organization needs an overhaul and that starts with a youth movement.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

I thought Eli's decision was dignified. I also agree with NYG's decision. I don't believe in tanking. But I do believe in getting a full assesment of your roster, and a head start on the next season once the playoffs are out of the question. The organization needs an overhaul and that starts with a youth movement.

Agree. I'm sad and nostalgic, but this is a lost season and the Giants need to be looking to the future. Eli is 36 and, QB or not, that is old in the NFL. Not that Geno is going to be the answer, even short-term. I fully expect him to injure himself on Sunday and Manning will play anyway.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Agree. I'm sad and nostalgic, but this is a lost season and the Giants need to be looking to the future. Eli is 36 and, QB or not, that is old in the NFL. Not that Geno is going to be the answer, even short-term. I fully expect him to injure himself on Sunday and Manning will play anyway.

That's it. Everyone in the media is acting like Eli has somehow been wronged. It's nostalgia. Sentiment. Eli would be wronged if they denied him his check. Here's something I read a few months ago on the topic of making decisions based on sentiment.....

"Sentiment lets feeling rather than truth dominate the mind; and since sentiment relies on feeling to find its way, it is like a blind person. The sentimental person, in effect, shuts his eyes to the need for logical thought and for weighing matters to determine what will actually be in the best interests of the other person or bring the best results for all concerned. Genuine love, by contrast, takes a long-range view of matters and does not let emotion grab the reins and go off on uncertain paths. It makes sure that any emotion or feeling that arises is used to give force in the right direction, which the mind has already selected."

Eli was given more than he could ask for when he was offered the chance to start to keep his streak alive. The Giants brass did what was best for the team in the long run.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

I thought Eli's decision was dignified. I also agree with NYG's decision. I don't believe in tanking. But I do believe in getting a full assesment of your roster, and a head start on the next season once the playoffs are out of the question. The organization needs an overhaul and that starts with a youth movement.

Agreed 100%. Plus it is pointless to risk an injury at this point.

I think it was back in the '89 season the Cowboys did the same thing by pulling Aikman. They did it to protect him, not because he was bad.

On another note regarding the Cowboys. Last year in the last game of the season I believe, against the Eagles, Romo came in for one drive. Walked up the field and scored easily. Jason Carrot decided that was enough and put in butt fumble for the rest of the game.

Does anyone believe that wasn't done to avoid a QB controversy?

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Agree. I'm sad and nostalgic, but this is a lost season and the Giants need to be looking to the future. Eli is 36 and, QB or not, that is old in the NFL. Not that Geno is going to be the answer, even short-term. I fully expect him to injure himself on Sunday and Manning will play anyway.

I don't think Eli is at fault for much this season. Keep in mind I am looking at this from a Cowboys fan POV. I am thinking this is more or less what Cobra said. The problem is Geno Smith is garbage and probably shouldn't be an NFL QB. He's nothing more than a short term band aid for a starter that might miss a few games. He'll throw 800 picks and lose every game so that the Giants can get a nice QB in the draft.