NFL - NEWS & NOTES

My prediction
Giants offense will still suck

 

So status quo..

This is more about proving Kitchens should not be the OC than anything else. They will be able to do a proper search this off-season predicated on their knowledge that he can’t.

 

Kitchens is Judge’s boy, though.

Unless they cut bait with Judge entirely (which I don’t think the Maras would’ve okayed axing their boy Garrett now if they didn’t anticipate sticking with Judge next year), don’t be surprised if Kitchens gets the gig permanently next season even if the offense doesn’t show any improvement this year.

 

Browns designate Kareem Hunt, Jack Conklin to return from IR



Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Monday that running back Kareem Hunt and right tackle Jack Conklin should practice this week as Cleveland prepares to play Baltimore.

Now the club has taken the formal step to make that happen.


Cleveland announced on Wednesday that both Hunt and Conklin have been designated to return from injured reserve.

Hunt has been out since suffering a calf injury against the Cardinals back in Week Six. Conklin suffered a dislocated elbow in Week Eight.

The Browns have 21 days to activate Hunt and Conklin to the 53-man roster, though it seems like both players have a chance to get activated in time for Sunday’s matchup with the Ravens. Hunt said on Tuesday that he’d like to come back and bring “the fire and energy” for Cleveland’s offense.

Hunt has 522 yards from scrimmage — 361 rushing, 161 receiving — and five touchdowns in 2021.

PFT

 

Akiem Hicks and Justin Fields officially declared out, Allen Robinson doubtful for Bears-Lions



Quarterback Justin Fields isn’t the only player the Bears won’t have in Thursday’s matchup against the Lions.

Earlier this week, head coach Matt Nagy ruled Fields out with his ribs injury. But defensive tackle Akiem Hicks (ankle) and running back Damien Williams (calf) are also out for the Thanksgiving contest.


Hicks also missed last week’s game with the ankle issue. He was also unable to play a couple of games earlier in the season due to a groin issue. Williams has been out since Week Eight.

Receiver Allen Robinson (hamstring) is doubtful after he was unable to participate in all three days of the practice week. Robinson hasn’t played since Week Nine.

Defensive back Eddie Jackson (hamstring), defensive end Mario Edwards (ribs), defensive back Tashaun Gipson (chest), and receiver Marquise Goodwin (shoulder) are all questionable. Receiver Darnell Mooney (foot) has no status and is expected to play.

PFT

 

Report: George McCaskey told Bears today that Matt Nagy firing report is false



Publicly, the Bears have not denied the report that Matt Nagy has been told he’ll be fired after tomorrow’s game at Detroit.

But privately, Bears chairman George McCaskey told players and coaches today that there is no truth to the report, according to Dan Pompei of TheAthletic.com.


McCaskey, the grandson of Bears founder George Halas, is the person who would make the ultimate decision on the job status of Nagy, General Manager Ryan Pace, team President Ted Phillips, and other top Bears officials. So if anyone would know whether Nagy is out, it’s McCaskey.

Still, if Nagy’s job is safe beyond this week, it’s odd that McCaskey wouldn’t say so publicly. When ESPN incorrectly reported late in the 2019 season that head coach Doug Marrone had been informed he would be fired, Jaguars owner Shad Khan immediately released a statement denying the report, and Marrone did in fact remain for the 2020 season. McCaskey could easily release the same statement. But he hasn’t.

So speculation will continue that Nagy is on very thin ice in Chicago. Even if tomorrow proves not to be his last game as the Bears’ head coach.

PFT

 

Everson Griffen leaves home, receiving “care he needs”



The Vikings released an update on defensive end Everson Griffen on Wednesday afternoon.

Griffen refused to leave his residence after law enforcement responded to a 911 call he made about an intruder being inside his house. Griffen also posted pictures on social media of text messages to his agent asking for help and video of him holding a gun. His 911 call included telling the dispatcher that he had fired a gun.


Police said earlier on Wednesday that they were working with mental health professionals from the Vikings to resolve the situation and the team’s latest statement said Griffen has emerged to get the assistance he needs.

“Law enforcement agencies have notified us Everson Griffen came out of his home without incident and is now getting the care he needs,” the statement said. “We are thankful to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Carver County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnetrista Police Department and the Orono Police Department for their quick response and dedication to ensuring the situation ended peacefully. Our focus remains on Everson’s health and safety and providing the proper resources for him and his family.”

Griffen has dealt with mental health issues in the past and we share the hope that the Griffen family receives all they need to deal with the current situation.

PFT

 

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday that he anticipates having linebacker T.J. Watt and cornerback Joe Haden on the practice field this week, but only one of them worked on Wednesday.

Watt missed the Week 11 loss to the Chargers with hip and knee injuries, but he was able to participate on a limited basis on Wednesday. Haden’s ankle injury was not feeling well enough for him to return to work, however.


Tomlin also said he expects safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to practice, but he will remain on the COVID-19 reserve list until at least Thursday. Defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk (groin) was limited after joining the others in missing the Chargers game.

Guards Trai Turner (knee) and J.C. Hassenhauer (pectoral) missed practice along with tight end Eric Ebron (knee).

PFT

 

BEARS - LIONS PREVIEW

DETROIT (AP) — Misery has company in the Motor City.

The winless Detroit Lions (0-9-1) will kick off the NFL's schedule of games on Thanksgiving as usual and their guests have plenty of problems of their own for a change.

The Chicago Bears (3-7) have lost five straight and they might also lose their coach this week.

Less than 48 hours before kickoff at Ford Field, embattled Matt Nagy was peppered with questions at a news conference about a report that he has been told he will no longer coach the Bears after the game on Thursday.

The Patch.com story about the firing was written by Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Konkol, a former news reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times, and it did not indicate a source.

Nagy said the report is not accurate.

"I understand how the media world goes, I get it," he said. "But at the same point in time, if I get to a point where it distracts me from being the best leader I can be to this team, I'm not going to let that happen."

If Chicago only played Detroit, Nagy would have as much stability as any coach in sports. He is 6-1 against the lowly Lions and one game under .500 against the rest of the NFL.

Nagy is 31-27 and 0-2 in the playoffs over four years, a mark boosted by winning 12 games in his debut season. Bears fans clearly sound fed up with him, chanting "Fire Na-gy!" last week as the team lost a lead in the last 30 seconds for the second straight week.

Bears safety Tashaun Gipson insisted players have not quit on Nagy.

"I've had six losing seasons out of my 10 years, seven maybe," Gipson said. "So obviously I know what losing feels like. I know what a losing locker room is like, and this is not that."

Detroit has gotten closer to winning lately, but has still come up short. It lost by three points last Sunday at Cleveland after a 16-all tie the previous week in Pittsburgh.

First-year coach Dan Campbell is desperately hoping the Lions break through with a win with all eyes on them on the holiday.

"You know the spotlight is on and you want to go out and play your best performance, your best game, and certainly to win," Campbell said. "That's what this thing is about, but this will be special. This will be good."

UNDER CENTER

Chicago is starting 11-year veteran quarterback Andy Dalton with rookie Justin Fields out after injuring his ribs last week. The three-time Pro Bowler was hurt early in the year, leaving the lineup with a knee injury after starting the first two games of the season.

The Lions are hopeful Jared Goff is back under center after missing a game with an oblique injury. Goff is listed as questionable after being limited in practice all week. As lackluster as Goff has looked, backup Tim Boyle was even worse against the Browns. He was 15 of 23 for 77 yards with two interceptions in his first NFL start.

SLUMPING AGAIN

For the third straight season, the Bears have lost four-plus games in a row.

"I mean I'm not going to lie and tell you that you just totally clear your mind of it," tight end Cole Kmet said.

Chicago dropped six straight last year before regrouping to make the playoffs as the seventh seed in an expanded field.

SILVER LINING

Detroit's best player all season has been second-year running back D'Andre Swift. He had a career-high 136 yards rushing at Cleveland and has run for 266 yards and a touchdown over the past two games. He leads all running backs with 53 receptions.

"What's most important is the plays that he is getting, we are maximizing his potential so that we get our most bang for the buck out of him," Campbell said. "He's been steady and reliable all year and he's really grown."

SACK ATTACK

The Bears have 10 sacks in the past two games, giving them 31 this season to tie Minnesota for the league lead at the start of the week.

The Bears had six sacks against Baltimore's Tyler Huntley, including a career-high 3 1/2 by the resurgent Robert Quinn. They sacked Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger four times the previous week.

Quinn has 10 sacks this year, reaching double digits for the fifth time in 11 seasons, after finishing with just two in 2020.

BANGED UP

Along with Fields, defensive end Akiem Hicks and running back Damien Williams will be out with injuries for the Bears. Chicago wide receiver Allen Robinson is questionable after missing a game with a hamstring injury. Lions starting guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai and backup cornerback A.J. Parker will be inactive after being injured against the Browns.

SI

 

Raiders-Cowboys Preview


ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) The Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders have one victory between them in November and one more chance do something about it before the playoff push time also known as December.

Just so happens they're playing each other on Thanksgiving.

So forget about Dallas receiver Amari Cooper playing his former team for the first time Thursday - a positive COVID-19 test and his vaccination status took care of that. And interim coach Rich Bisaccia probably won't spend much time thinking about his return to the place he left to join the Raiders three years ago.

The NFC East-leading Cowboys (7-3) want to bounce back at home coming off a poor offensive showing, just as they did a week and a half ago against Atlanta. The Raiders (5-5) need to end a three-game losing streak that cost them first place in the AFC West.

''I don't know the right wording for it, but there's definitely a feeling of, `Enough is enough. We've got to win,''' Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr said. ''It's a big game because it's the next game. But what an opportunity for us to get back on track on the road in a hostile environment against a really good football team.''

Dallas fell behind by 30 against double-digit underdog Denver in a 30-16 loss before routing the Falcons 43-3. Now the Cowboys are coming off a 19-9 loss to Kansas City in which the NFL's No. 1 offense, with sub-par showings from quarterback Dak Prescott and the running game, didn't score a touchdown.

The expected return of left tackle Tyron Smith, who missed three games with an ankle injury, could be the boost the Cowboys need.

''As we head into the latter part of the season, we got to start getting this thing back rolling,'' said running back Ezekiel Elliott, who took another shot against the Chiefs to a right knee that's been bothering him for weeks. ''It's time we start firing on all cylinders.''

THIRD-DOWN DOLDRUMS

The common theme in the Raiders' losing streak has been poor play on third down on both sides of the ball. Over the past three weeks, Las Vegas ranks last in the NFL with a 21.4% third-down conversion rate on offense and 31st on defense, allowing 53.5%. The Raiders had 14 straight unsuccessful third downs on offense the past two games between converting their first try against Kansas City and their last against Cincinnati.

''I put it all on me. I got to be better,'' said Carr, whose team was outscored 73-27 in the losses to the Chiefs and Bengals. ''If I'm better, we're all better. That way we're not down multiple scores late in games.''

MISSING COOPER

Cooper, acquired from the Raiders for a first-round pick midseason in 2018, is Dallas' most reliable receiver but now will miss a second consecutive game because NFL protocols require unvaccinated players to be sidelined at least 10 days. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones, while calling Cooper ''one of the highest character guys you will ever be around,'' wasn't pleased about it.

''It said it early,'' Jones said on his radio show this week. ''You check `me' at the door in a football team. That has nothing to do with the issues of masking, not masking, getting vaccinated, not getting vaccinated. The facts are it is a `we' thing when you walk into the locker room, and anybody is being counted on to pull his weight.''

BISACCIA HOMECOMING

Bisaccia, who took over when Jon Gruden resigned after old emails with racist, misogynistic and homophobic comments surfaced, had his second-longest NFL tenure with the Cowboys from 2013-17. He led special teams then as well. Bisaccia's longest stint was nine seasons with Tampa Bay (2002-10).

REMEMBERING MARKUS PAUL

Thanksgiving week was difficult for the Cowboys a year ago. Strength and conditioning coach Markus Paul collapsed in the weight room and died at a hospital a day later, about 24 hours before the Cowboys lost to Washington 41-16. Coach Mike McCarthy led a discussion of Paul in a team meeting Tuesday.

''From my perspective, we want to make sure his legacy carries on. It's important to all of us,'' McCarthy said. ''We have 84 players in the locker room, and 40 of the players were not here last year. Clearly I was talking more to the new players just to understand who he was and what he's meant to us.''

FLAG DAY

After committing 14 false starts the first nine games, Las Vegas was clean on offense against the Bengals with the only penalty on that unit coming when Josh Jacobs was flagged for unnecessary roughness after an interception. But the defense had three key penalties that helped extend drives that led to scores for the Bengals, including one for lining up in the neutral zone and two personal fouls.

''It was concentration penalties, it was alignment penalties, apparently it was just a cornucopia of penalties,'' Bisaccia said. ''We just didn't do a very good job.''

SI

 

Bills-Saints Preview


NEW ORLEANS (AP) Very little has come easy for the New Orleans Saints this season, particularly in the Superdome, where they've lost twice after leading in the final minute of regulation.

Despite that and the three-game slide they're currently on, the Saints (5-5) are in the thick of the NFC playoff picture heading into a Thanksgiving night home date with the Buffalo Bills (6-4), who've had their own stumbles lately.

''Losing wears on a team. Losing is tough,'' said Saints offensive lineman James Hurst, who has been thrust into starting roles at both tackle and guard for injury-plagued New Orleans this season. ''It's easy to make excuses, but the type of guys we have in our locker room aren't looking to make excuses.

''Everyone is just looking at their job, trying to understand what they can do better,'' Hurst added. ''Everyone is really accountable for that and I think that's all you can really ask for.''

Whether saying and doing the right things makes up for missing talent is another matter. New Orleans' top offensive player, Alvin Kamara hurt his knee during a two-point loss to Atlanta three weeks ago and will miss his third straight game. Saints starting right tackle Ryan Ramczyk (knee) will miss his second straight game and defensive end Marcus Davenport (shoulder), the club's sack leader, also is out this week.

Veteran Mark Ingram has been New Orleans' primary running back in Kamara's absence, but now he's showing up on the injury report with an ailing knee and is questionable.

That has only complicated matters for quarterback Trevor Siemian, who's lost his first three starts since being pressed into a regular starting role because of Jameis Winston's season-ending knee injury.

''Any time we're not winning, you are always self-reflecting, saying, `Hey, what can I do to get us over the edge and get some wins rattled off.' The answer is: I have to play a little better at times,'' said Siemian, who threw his first two interceptions in last Sunday's loss at Philadelphia. ''Me and everybody else haven't played good enough to win. ... But I'm looking forward to playing this week.''

The Bills have lost two of three, including a stunning 9-6 defeat against Jacksonville and a surprisingly uncompetitive 41-15 drubbing - at home - against Indianapolis last week.

But quarterback Josh Allen said that while the Bills are making corrections from last Sunday's loss, they're not dwelling on it.

''You can't feel sorry for yourself; you can't let one week affect another,'' Allen said. ''We're excited to get out there on Thursday and try to be the team that we know we can be. That's a team that's willing to do whatever it takes to win a football game.''

HUMBLE PIE

The Saints' defense was No. 1 in the NFL against the run until facing Eagles dual-threat QB Jalen Hurts last Sunday and giving up 242 yards rushing.

Buffalo's Allen also has built a reputation as an adept scrambler.

''There's plenty of areas that we can improve on - some areas that we thought we were better in,'' Saints defensive end Cam Jordan said, calling Philadelphia's rushing totals ''embarrassing.''

PORTION CONTROL

Buffalo receiver Stefon Diggs, who caught 127 passes for 1,535 yards and eight TDs last season with Buffalo, has seen his production dip somewhat this season, but doesn't sound concerned as he prepares to face the Saints' 22nd-ranked pass defense.

''I'm trying to be the best teammate that I can be,'' said Diggs, who has a still formidable 60 catches for 773 yards and six scores this season. ''I want to be that spark for my team, and I want to be the reason my team is catching momentum. I believe that I can do that.

''As far as getting the ball or not getting the ball, I can only do so much,'' Diggs added. ''So, I kind of control what I can control and when I'm given opportunities, I'm going to take full advantage.''

SHOWING UP LATE

After seeing a string of fourth-quarter comeback bids fall short during their losing streak, New Orleans is focused on starting faster offensively. The Saints have failed to score any first-quarter points in their past three games and have just 13 first-half points during that span.

''I've just got to play better in the first half specifically,'' Siemian said. ''I'm not going to press or anything, but ... I've got to do a better job on early and put us in a position to play fast early on in the ballgame.''

ENDURING MEMORIES

Facing the Saints reminds Diggs of one of the most extraordinary moments of his NFL career. His 61-yard, winning TD catch for the Minnesota Vikings as time expired in a January 2018 playoff game against New Orleans became known as the ''Minneapolis Miracle.''

''That's something that I'm always going to be looking back like, `Damn, I'm gonna tell my kids that one day,''' Diggs said this week. ''And they probably won't believe me, but I'm like this: `Look, we've got some video of it.'

But Diggs also notes that joy was short-lived because the Vikings lost the following week to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.

''Now, I'm trying to focus on something a little bit bigger,'' he said.

SI

 

Bears edge Lions 16-14 for Thanksgiving win



Thankful may not be the word viewers of Thursday’s game between the Bears and Lions use for having sat through the contest, but the result will be met with a lot of approval at Bears head coach Matt Nagy’s table.

After a short week filled with speculation about whether this would be his final game as the Bears’ head coach, Nagy watched his offense go on a long drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in a short Cairo Santos field goal to win the game 16-14. The victory ends a five-game losing streak in Chicago and will allow Nagy to avoid the displeasure of being the first coach to lose a game to the Lions this season.



It looked like the Lions might have a chance to win the game before time was out in regulation, but the Lions picked up a delay of game penalty for calling consecutive timeouts while on defense. Andy Dalton hit Damiere Byrd for a first down on the next play and the Bears were able to run the clock out before Santos’ try. The final drive ate up the final 8:29 of time in the game.

The penalty was the 10th of the game for the Lions, whose lack of discipline killed them on offense. They wound up with multiple third-and-32 situations due to pre-snap and holding penalties that hamstrung an already unimpressive offense.

Dalton was 24-of-39 for 317 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in place of the injured Justin Fields. The last drive was a compelling argument for him to remain the starter against Arizona next week.

Jared Goff was 21-of-25 for 171 yards and two touchdowns on drives that saw the Lions get aggressive with their play calls, but the Lions offense was otherwise content to risk little and get little in return.

PFT

 

Looks like the bears have found their answer at QB.

 

Raiders upset Cowboys 36-33 in overtime in penalty-filled game



Raiders interim head coach Rich Bisaccia spent five seasons as the Cowboys’ special teams coach. Las Vegas’ defensive line coach Rod Marinelli spent seven years as a Cowboys’ assistant coach, including six as defensive coordinator.

So there is no doubt they enjoyed Thanksgiving Day in Arlington.


The Raiders upset the Cowboys 36-33, never trailing after taking a 7-0 lead only 3:15 into the game on DeSean Jackson‘s 56-yard touchdown. The Cowboys tied the game only twice.

The first time came with 2:54 remaining in the fourth quarter. Tight end Dalton Schultz caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott. Schultz also converted the 2-point conversion, tying the game at 30-30. But Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson made a 56-yard field goal with 1:52 left in regulation.

The Cowboys tied it with 19 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter on a 45-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein, who missed an extra point and a 59-yard field goal in the first half.

After the Cowboys went three-and-out to start overtime, the Raiders faced third-and-18 at their own 43. They were bailed out by Anthony Brown‘s fourth penalty. He was penalized 33 yards to the Dallas 24 after not turning around on a pass intended for Zay Jones.

Carlson kicked the 29-yard game-winner.

The Raiders (6-5) ended a three-game losing streak. The Cowboys (7-4) lost for the third time in four games. Dallas went 1-3 against the AFC West, getting outscored 102-78.

The teams combined for 28 penalties for 276 yards and each team had an ejection. Among the Cowboys’ 14 penalties for 166 yards, Brown also had a 30-yard pass interference penalty while trying to defend Jackson that led to a touchdown.

With 12:38 remaining, and the Cowboys trailing by eight, Prescott hit Schultz for a 7-yard touchdown pass on third-and-three. Left tackle Tyron Smith, who missed the past three games with an ankle injury, had two penalties with his illegal formation declined in favor of his holding penalty. The Cowboys ended up settling for a 29-yard Zuerlein field goal.

The Raiders had 509 yards to the Cowboys’ 437.

Carr completed 24 of 39 passes for 373 yards and a touchdown. Hunter Renfrow caught eight passes for 134 yards and Jackson had three receptions for 102 yards and the touchdown.

Prescott was 32-of-47 for 375 yards and two touchdowns. Michael Gallup caught five for 106, and Cedrick Wilson seven for 104.

PFT

 

Tough loss by the Lions that was a painful loss,the Cowboys are just a mystery, and Mike Zimmer he's a player wow can you keep her? cause you are kinda fat and old i wonder it's the money anyway DO YOUR THING PLAYER!

 

Thursday Night Football: Josh Allen, Bills roll to 31-6 victory over Saints



Josh Allen threw for 260 yards and four touchdowns as the Buffalo Bills cruised to a 31-6 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving night.

Dawson Knox caught two touchdowns, and Stefon Diggs and Matt Breida also found the end zone as the Bills out-classed the Saints.


New Orleans found themselves down 24-0 before finally scoring points on the first play of the fourth quarter. It’s the first time the Saints have been held to six points or less since a 24-6 loss to the Houston Texans on Nov. 29, 2015.

Allen and Knox connected for their first touchdown of the night on Buffalo’s opening possession as the Bills jumped out front. Knox’s 7-yard touchdown gave Buffalo a 7-0 lead.

After a Tyler Bass 34-yard field goal made it a 10-0 game, the Saints would twice turn the ball over on downs with failed fourth down attempts on the edges of Bills territory. Despite the advantageous field position, the Bills were unable to take further advantage as Allen was intercepted twice, once by Bradley Roby and once by Kwon Alexander, to keep the Saints in reach.

However, the Saints offense couldn’t answer. They were limited to just 68 yards of total offense until deep into the third quarter.

A 5-yard touchdown pass to Diggs and a 24-yard touchdown to Knox extended the Bills advantage to 24-0 with just over four minutes left in the third quarter. Diggs caught seven passes for 74 yards and a touchdown for Buffalo.

Then the Saints managed to put together their only successful drive of the night. Trevor Siemian connected with tight end Nick Vannett on an 11-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to finally get the Saints on the board. The touchdown pass to Vannett capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive for the Saints that finally yielded points.

A two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful as the Bills maintained a 24-6 lead.

It took just over two minutes for the Bills to strike again with Allen and Breida connecting for a 23-yard touchdown as the Bills advantage grew to 31-6.

Siemian was then picked off by safety Jordan Poyer on the Saints ensuing drive. Siemian completed 17-of-29 passes for 163 yards with a touchdown and an interception for New Orleans. Without Alvin Kamara or Mark Ingram, the Saints managed just 44 rushing yards with Tony Jones gaining just 27 yards on 16 carries.

PFT

 

From the 'News you cant Use' files;

Home-field advantage has largely disappeared in the NFL in recent years, and Thanksgiving has been no exception.

All three home teams lost on Thursday: The Lions lost to the Bears, the Cowboys lost to the Raiders and the Saints lost to the Bills. This was the third consecutive Thanksgiving in which the road teams won every game.


And Thanksgiving is just a small part of a large trend in the NFL toward home-field advantage not meaning anything. This season home teams are 80-87-1, which if it continues will be the worst record for home teams in NFL history — a record that was set last season, when home teams went 127-128-1. In 2019, home teams went just 132-123-1, which was the worst cumulative record for home teams since the advent of the 16-game schedule — until home teams did even worse in 2020 and are now on pace to do worse still in 2021.

Gamblers and sports books were among the first to notice the decline in home-field advantage. For decades, the rule of thumb was that home-field advantage was worth about three points on the Vegas line. In the last couple years, that shifted to two points. It’s now around one point.

During the 2020 season, some blamed the disappearance of home-field advantage on empty stadiums in the pandemic. But that’s not the reason, as the trend toward road teams doing better began before the pandemic and has continued this season, with stadiums full again.

NFL teams seem to be getting better at silent counts to negate crowd noise, and better at finding ways to travel comfortably and achieve peak performance whether they’re at home or on the road. In today’s NFL, there’s no real advantage to playing at home. We’ve seen it on Thanksgiving for three straight years.

PFT

 

Silent count? I find that hard to believe. Basically, a silent count will cut down on offensive lineman offside penalties. But that can't be enough of an impact to change the outcomes of this many games. There HAS to be something else going on. What the hell it is, I have no idea. But believe me. This offseason I'm going to go looking for it.

 

Lions, Cowboys, Falcons and Saints have been the home teams over the last 3 seasons. They simply arnt or havnt been very good... so its no mystery why the home-teams have lost the past 3 seasons, in my opinion.

 

This is bigger than Thanksgiving Day. It's the whole season.