NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Well most would be just as wrong. Struck out on all 3. (Arizona lost but the game wasn't really a dud.)

 

The NFC has lost some big injuries to key players on the Falcons and 9'ers. Arizona did a weird QB change. 4 min left in the 4th. Either give the guy a chance or don't bother with the switch. I was more surprised with the Jags than the Vikings.

 

I wasn't surprised with the Jags at all. The Titans are the Jags' worst enemy. Division rivalries matter. Tennessee has their number. And when they knew they were in it they risked playing Mariota even though he was injured. The Vikings really surprised me though. I thought it could be close if the Bills woke up but not a blowout for the Bills.

 

I was impressed with the Raider's 24 minute effort. Antonio Gates rumbling and bumbling for 20+. Dalton padding his int total. Trubisky (for some reason).

 

... and the Cardinals trying to be the Bills.

 

Thanks Joe for pointing that out to me. Now you can go... Well you know.

 

I can have fun with that and you can take solace knowing I striked out as well. I had the Pats by 2 TDs.

 

lol at the Lions. Belichick was right, Pat knows New England better than anybody else. I missed that game and was surprised when I saw the final. TB and the offense musta been real bad, because I don't think the Lions defense is that good.

What a day of football!

MNF should be a good one too.

 

Early look at the Standings and im shocked...

 

Current Playoff Picture
AFC
1. Miami Dolphins (2 if Pittsburgh wins)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (1 if Pittsburgh wins)
3. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. Jacksonville Jaguars

NFC
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2 with a loss)
2. Los Angeles Rams (1 if Pittsburgh wins)
3. Washington Redskins
4. Chicago Bears
5. Carolina Panthers
6. New Orleans Saints

 

Matt Ryan had a 148.1 passer rating in yesterday's loss. It was the highest passer rating in a loss in NFL history (min 25 attempts).

 

Thanks, Minny - out of my survivor pool.

 

Kerryon Johnson ends Lions' 100-yard rushing drought...

Joique Bell, Theo Riddick, Reggie Bush, George Winn, Ameer Abdullah, Zach Zenner, Dwayne Washington, Justin Forsett, Tion Green, LeGarrette Blount, Kerryon Johnson.

The above running backs each toted the rock for the Detroit Lions since Reggie Bush last scampered for 100 yards in a Honolulu Blue jersey on Nov. 28, 2013. None reached the century mark for 70 games, the longest drought by any team since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970.

Until Sunday night.

Kerryon Johnson plowed over, around and through the New England Patriots for 101 yards on 16 carries, a 6.3 average, in Sunday night's 26-10 win.

The 21-year-old rookie was in high school the last time a Lions running back went for over 100 yards in a game.

"Well, I graduated high school in '15, so I was 15 years old, a sophomore in high school," Johnson said after the tilt, via the team's official website. "I was probably winning state or something, I don't know. But, it was a while, that's for sure.

"I think we saw a different offense today and we won. So, I think it helped us a lot, opened a lot of our passes, it made life a lot easier for (Matthew) Stafford and our receivers and the O-line did a fantastic job. It takes a lot to get us there, it takes a lot to do that and pass-block and they did an awesome job."

Johnson didn't earn the 100-yard game by getting a plethora of 2-yard carries. Instead, he chunked the Patriots to death, picking up eight yards here, 14 yards there, six yards over here. The rookie displayed tremendous burst in the hole, good vision, ability to break arm tackles and speed to the edge.

"I think he just does everything well," quarterback Matthew Stafford said of Johnson. "He can catch the ball out of the backfield, he's a smart player, he's got good vision. He's a slippery runner.

"He's got probably a little bit more strength than people give him credit for, a little bit more speed. It doesn't maybe jump off the page to you but when he's out there he's really efficient and does some really nice things." (NFL.com)

 

Our reverse survivor pool here ended in 3 weeks (pick a loser instead of a winner). We are restarting though.

 

Here's a fun question:

Will the Lions have another 100-yard rushing performance from a single back for the duration of this season?

Further, will the Lions have a combined 150+ yards rushing (as they did last night) again during the duration of the season?

 

Thank goodness Carson Wentz is back. The Eagles still don't look right !