2025 NFL Season Thread

[Ragnar]

Thursday night football Pittsburgh at Cinci. With 7 seconds left in the game and the Bengals kicking off, what should they do? I had 10 bucks on the Bengals, so I was hoping they'd kick it into the catch zone. He kicks it into the endzone. No time runs off the clock and Rodgers had time for a quick pass and a heave into the endzone.

Go back several years to that fantastic finish between the Chiefs and Bills. Buffalo took the lead with around 12 seconds left. They also kicked it into the endzone. Now KC had time for two plays and two timeouts, getting them into FG range for the game winning kick. What are these coaches thinking?

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Ragnar

Thursday night football Pittsburgh at Cinci. With 7 seconds left in the game and the Bengals kicking off, what should they do? I had 10 bucks on the Bengals, so I was hoping they'd kick it into the catch zone. He kicks it into the endzone. No time runs off the clock and Rodgers had time for a quick pass and a heave into the endzone.

Go back several years to that fantastic finish between the Chiefs and Bills. Buffalo took the lead with around 12 seconds left. They also kicked it into the endzone. Now KC had time for two plays and two timeouts, getting them into FG range for the game winning kick. What are these coaches thinking?

They are thinking "don't over think it". They are trying not to complicate the situation for the players, or for an individual player. Coaches do not like having to trust the kicker and a bunch of reserves making the league minimum.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

They are thinking "don't over think it". They are trying not to complicate the situation for the players, or for an individual player. Coaches do not like having to trust the kicker and a bunch of reserves making the league minimum.

He told the kicker to kick it into the endzone. So why not just tell him to do what he did all game, kick it into the catch zone.

It cost the Bills a trip to the championship game. It had every Cinci fan holding their breath. If you want something dead, you don't give life to something mostly dead. It's simple time management.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Ragnar

He told the kicker to kick it into the endzone. So why not just tell him to do what he did all game, kick it into the catch zone.

It cost the Bills a trip to the championship game. It had every Cinci fan holding their breath. If you want something dead, you don't give life to something mostly dead. It's simple time management.

I'm not saying there weren't smarter moves. I'm saying a coach might be more comfortable w/his starters doing their assignments than the 3rd string TE's & SS's staying in their lanes on the KO coverage. He'd rather tell one kicker to "kick it & rip it" than tell 11 individual brains have to execute a plan.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

I'm not saying there weren't smarter moves. I'm saying a coach might be more comfortable w/his starters doing their assignments than the 3rd string TE's & SS's staying in their lanes on the KO coverage. He'd rather tell one kicker to "kick it & rip it" than tell 11 individual brains have to execute a plan.

You could be right, but it's not an angle I ever considered. It's at least a reasonable theory. That said, shouldn't social media at least have brought this up? I'll give Cinci a pass, there was only 7 seconds left. But I didn't hear a single criticism of the Buffalo head coach. Just people gushing over Mahomes. I just think someone should have commented on it.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Ragnar

You could be right, but it's not an angle I ever considered. It's at least a reasonable theory. That said, shouldn't social media at least have brought this up? I'll give Cinci a pass, there was only 7 seconds left. But I didn't hear a single criticism of the Buffalo head coach. Just people gushing over Mahomes. I just think someone should have commented on it.

I heard a ton of criticism & 2nd guessing of the Bills coaches. It made me mad because no matter what the Bills decided, the Chiefs had to be perfect in order to send it to OT. I like my odds if I set up circumstances where the opponent has to be perfect to beat me.

I just remember in the Panthers 1st SB vs the Pats. Took the lead late. And John Kasay kicked the ball OOB trying to pin NE's return to the sideline. It gave Tom Brady an extra 15 yds and he got them to a game winning FG. I wish John Fox just told Kasay to kick it as hard as he could (along w/not calling time out when they had the ball inside the 15 and 1:40 left. That ended up giving Brady at least :40 extra seconds).

So I get it. What you say is the better move. But it is also more risky. More moving parts that can break down.

[Amazin69]

Panthers use their super-secret "have both guards pull in opposite directions and run into each other behind the center" play, with predictable results, and have to settle for 3 after a rather nice drive. Sigh. (The LG is a replacement for Damian Lewis, whom I never particularly liked in his acting career, but at least he knows how to block.)

Good thing you're playing the Jests, guys.

[Cobra Mgr]

What is a good explanation for the RB who gained 400+ yds the last 2 games to have only 4 carries in the 1st half vs the Jets?

Here's a hint: There is none.

[Cobra Mgr]

Mahomes potty mouth

[Cobra Mgr]

[Cobra Mgr]

Darn. Jets benched Fields

And why is Fox playing "Gloria" on the outro?

[Cobra Mgr]

Jets & Panthers today are making Don Coryell & Bill Walsh cry.

Yes I know they are dead.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Jets & Panthers today are making Don Coryell & Bill Walsh cry.

Yes I know they are dead.

I was forced to sit through that, although you probably enjoyed the game from a Carolina perspective. As usual, Fox assumes that I want to see the Jets instead of other, more interesting games. I officially nominate the Jets as the worst team in the NFL.

But now, now! Commanders vs. Cowboys on Fox! I salivate for a chance to see the 'Boys pounded, hopefully.

You think I'm switching over CBS to watch the Giants? Think again.

[Déjà Bru]

Some of these pro football players are dumber than stumps. Here is Washington DE Jacob Martin tackling Prescott by his head, ripping his helmet off. That's not the dumb part. As the penalty flags fly, one landing right in front of him, Martin continues to celebrate what he thinks is a sack. Instead, it's a roughing the passer penalty, 15 yards and first down. That's the dumb part.

[Amazin69]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Jets & Panthers today are making Don Coryell & Bill Walsh cry.

Yes I know they are dead.

You've heard of "winning ugly"? That was winning with a bag over your head.

That said, it's been a while since the Panthers had a 3-game win streak and an above-.500 record, so I'll take it. (Plus, the Cats wore the silver helmets today, which I much prefer to the black ones, because the Panther pops better, IMO.) Perhaps next week, Canales will rethink things and take the "Play Rico Dowdle until he stops playing like Walter Payton" approach, instead?

Buffalo coming to town next week We'll see if they've woken up, as well.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Some of these pro football players are dumber than stumps. Here is Washington DE Jacob Martin tackling Prescott by his head, ripping his helmet off. That's not the dumb part. As the penalty flags fly, one landing right in front of him, Martin continues to celebrate what he thinks is a sack. Instead, it's a roughing the passer penalty, 15 yards and first down. That's the dumb part.

That was a bad call. He never grabbed any of his helmet. Dak has to tighten his strap

[Cobra Mgr]

Gift ideas

[Amazin69]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

I was forced to sit through that, although you probably enjoyed the game from a Carolina perspective. As usual, Fox assumes that I want to see the Jets instead of other, more interesting games. I officially nominate the Jets as the worst team in the NFL.

But now, now! Commanders vs. Cowboys on Fox! I salivate for a chance to see the 'Boys pounded, hopefully.

You think I'm switching over CBS to watch the Giants? Think again.

Yes, it was that relentless diet of "The Giants and the Jets and NOTHING ELSE, ever!" on NY broadcasts in the 1970s that made me a Raiders fan, it's true.

Being my senior, you at least got to see both teams win championships in the 1960s and see other teams' games, due to the blackout rules in effect before 1973. Thank goodness things are better now.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Darn. Jets benched Fields

And why is Fox playing "Gloria" on the outro?

The great G L O R I A "Gloria" or the the awful Laura Branigan "Gloria"?

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by David Watts

The great G L O R I A "Gloria" or the the awful Laura Branigan "Gloria"?

The awful one.