NFL - NEWS & NOTES

I went back and re-read the initial statement.

So, two things.. IF it cannot be rescheduled AND more importantly, if there is an outbreak among UNVACCINATED players..

In the case of these games, they could be rescheduled and at least in the Browns situation, the player ourbreak is vaccinated players. Of the positives for the Browns, only one player is unvaccinated. That wouldn't dictate any changes to the game, it's the other 21 players that are vaccinated that constituted the move in schedule.

 

A) Not everyone else.
B) When do you think it should be over? Maybe proportional to the length of your "He's a football coach - all that matters is that he wins, not what kind of person he is" stance?

 

B) just to play devil’s advocate… did he win? So technically, those people were still right. Do you think you would be gloating now if the Jaguars were currently at say.. 7-6, or even 6-7 for that matter?

 

Brandon Staley: Real football people understand what I’m doing



Chargers coach Brandon Staley took plenty of heat for his fourth-down decisions in Thursday night’s loss to the Chiefs. It’s heat he says he doesn’t mind, because he doesn’t think much of his critics.

Staley said Friday that the people who really understand the sport of football know why he’s so aggressive on fourth downs, especially considering that he has a great quarterback in Justin Herbert and a suspect kicking game.


“The real football people understand that what I’m doing is playing to the strengths of our football team,” Staley said. “What I’m doing is I’m trying to make the decisions that I think are going to win us the game. And I’m ready to live with all that smoke that comes with it. And I’ve been very transparent about that. What makes football and competition so great is that there aren’t going to be perfect decisions. But you need to be able to live with the decisions, and your team needs to know why you’re making these decisions, so that they can live with them, too. So I know the way that my mindset is. I know the way that our mindset is around here. I also understand the criticism, too, and I fully understand that as well. But I think that we’re building something really special here and I’m proud of the way that we competed last night.”

Staley rejects the idea that he’s a gambler, or that he’s reckless on fourth downs, and instead says he goes for it on fourth down because it increases the Chargers’ chances of winning.

The analytics community has been nearly unanimous that Staley made the right decisions on those fourth downs, even though the Chargers failed on two key fourth-and-goal attempts. While many coaches say the analytics community doesn’t understand the nuances of football, Staley says it’s the real football people who do understand.

PFT

 

Giants sign LB Jaylon Smith to practice squad ahead of Cowboys matchup

Ex-Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith signed with the New York Giants on Friday, the team announced. Signing onto the Giants practice squad, Smith is expected to be elevated in time for Sunday's home game versus Dallas.

Bringing Smith aboard this week was necessary for a Giants defense dealing with several injuries and players on the reserve/COVID list. Earlier this week, standout safety Xavier McKinney and LBs Cameron Brown and Oshane Ximines were three of six Giants placed on the reserve/COVID list while defensive lineman Leonard Williams (triceps) and Austin Johnson (foot) are questionable to play this Sunday.

For a Giants D still trying to fill the void of LB Blake Martinez, who was lost for the season in Week 3, Smith's presence is needed.

How much Smith will play against the Cowboys remains to be seen. The Giants defense gave up a season-high point total in a 44-20 defeat to the Cowboys in Week 5. Entering this Week 15 matchup, the Giants will also be without quarterback Daniel Jones for the third straight game.

Smith, a second-round pick in 2016, quickly flourished for the Cowboys once entering the starting lineup in 2017. Known for both his speed and a tremendous sideline-to-sideline effort, Smith proceeded to start every game for the Cowboys from 2018-2020, leading the team in tackles for two of those seasons and earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2019.

The Cowboys handed Smith a five-year, $64 million extension ahead of that breakout 2019 campaign, bringing assumptions of him being a mainstay in Dallas for years to come. But everything changed in 2021 once new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn took over a Cowboys defense in desperate need of a drastic change in scheme.


After just two starts this season, Smith was released by the Cowboys on Oct. 6. The Packers quickly signed Smith the following day but his stay in Green Bay lasted just two games.

Smith, 26, has compiled 579 tackles (397 solo), nine sacks, two interceptions and six fumble recoveries over the course of his five-year career. His next chance at earning a starting role for good will come against his former team this Sunday.

NFL.com

 

Well, I did address that in a previous post - stating that I don't think he'd have been fired mid-season if the team was .500.

But I actually think it proves the inverse point. The team was 2-11 - by the Jags' standards, that is winning. And there are a couple winnable games upcoming. He wasn't fired for losing. If he had done everything else right - been at the facility working hard as expected, not kicking players or verbally abusing people, etc - he wouldn't have been fired. I mean, that's very simple - 2-11 but not a scumbag, and he's employed not only presently, but for maybe the entire length of his contract. He was fired because he was a total scumbag, and didn't have a winning record to get people to look the other way like he did everywhere else.

Lyman might still be looking the other way, though.

 

The hottest team in the NFL is heading to Indianapolis. Winners of seven straight, the New England Patriots will face the host Indianapolis Colts, who have won four of five with dynamic running back Jonathan Taylor leading the way. Two opportunistic defenses and two top-10 rushing attacks highlight a Saturday night showdown with massive playoff implications. After a year hiatus from the postseason, Bill Belichick and the Patriots could end Week 15 with their playoff ticket punched, while Frank Reich’s Colts are looking to cling to the sixth seed in the AFC playoff picture. Two teams playing their best football down the stretch will lock up in prime time on Saturday evening.


Here are three things to watch for when the Colts host the Patriots on NFL Network:

1. New QBs, new eras in Pats-Colts rivalry. Once a perennial matchup between AFC heavyweights, this Patriots-Colts clash will be the first without Tom Brady or Peyton Manning playing since Week 14, 1997 when Drew Bledsoe’s Pats got the best of a Jim Harbaugh-led Indy squad. New eras are upon the Colts and Patriots, with Carson Wentz in his first season with Indianapolis and Mac Jones aiming to lead New England back to the playoffs while possibly garnering AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors along the way. Jones has a shot at history on Saturday as he can become the first rookie quarterback to win seven road games since QB starts were first tracked in 1950, per NFL Research. Leading the Pats to a 6-0 road record, Jones has shown that he’s up to the task in all weathers, whether that’s attempting just three throws as he did in a Week 13 victory or throwing for 300-plus yards as he did in a Week 12 win. In Indy, Wentz’ offseason addition via trade was seen as a risky proposition by many, but he’s had an excellent season for the most part, throwing for 22 touchdowns and just five interceptions (third-best TD-INT ratio in the NFL). With four games still to play, Wentz has already surpassed the amount of wins, yards passing and touchdowns thrown he had in his final, dreary season with the Eagles in 2020.
2. Can Patriots’ stingy defense stop Jonathan Taylor? The Colts RB leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,348), rushing touchdowns (16), scrimmage yards (1,684), scrimmage TDs (18) and Pro Bowl voting, pacing the NFL’s No. 2 rushing offense. But how will Taylor fare against a sturdy Patriots defense piloted by Bill Belichick? This will be the 21st time Belichick has coached against a player with 1,000-plus rushing yards entering a matchup and the Hoodie is an amazing 18-2 in such encounters, per NFL Research. The Colts, the No. 3 scoring offense, will face the No. 1 scoring defense, which is armed with a bevy of individual defensive talent such as pass rusher Matt Judon (12.5 sacks) and cornerback J.C. Jackson (AFC-high seven interceptions). Taylor has scored a touchdown in 10 consecutive games. He’s also rushed for more than 100 yards in seven games this year, with the Colts having gone 7-0 in those instances. How Taylor fares against Belichick’s defense might well tell the tale in this one.
3. Will Colts D take away a win? The Patriots’ defense will rightfully get attention aplenty heading into this one, but the Darius Leonard-led Colts are no slouches either. Indianapolis leads the NFL with 29 takeaways this season and is thus far the only team to force a turnover in every game. Not to be overlooked has been the excellent play of former Patriots defensive back Kenny Moore II, who leads Indy with four interceptions and 11 passes defended. So far, the Colts are 2-0 against rookie QBs this year. If they can rattle Jones and force the fundamentally sound Patriots into some sloppy play, a big win might be in store for Indy.

NFL.com

 

Jonathan Taylor leads Colts to 27-17 victory, ending Patriots’ win streak



The Patriots entered Saturday night with seven consecutive victories. Jonathan Taylor made sure they didn’t get their eighth.

The Colts running back ran for 170 yards, including a 67-yard, back-breaking touchdown with 2:01 remaining, to give Indianapolis a 27-17 win over New England.


It was the eighth 100-yard game for the NFL’s leading rusher and his 19th touchdown this season, one behind Lenny Moore (1964) for the team record for touchdowns in a single season. He has 17 rushing touchdowns.

Taylor has scored a rushing touchdown in 11 consecutive games, tying the NFL single-season record of LaDainian Tomlinson and John Riggins.

The Patriots fell to 9-5, while the Colts won their second in a row to get to 8-6.

The Patriots trailed 20-0 to start the fourth quarter but scored 17 consecutive points to climb back into the game.

Mac Jones threw a second touchdown pass to Hunter Henry with 2:21 remaining to draw the Patriots to within 21-17. The big play on the seven-play, 82-yard drive came on third-and-six with N'Keal Harry‘s 43-yard reception in front of Isaiah Rodgers to the Indianapolis 15 with another 8 yards added for roughing the passer on Al-Quadin Muhammad.

The Patriots kicked it deep, and Ashton Dulin gained 2 yards on first down before the Patriots called their final timeout with 2:11 left. Taylor then broke through the line and broke the Patriots’ hearts as he raced to the end zone.

The Colts rushed for 226 yards as Carson Wentz went only 5-of-12 for 57 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Jones was 26-of-45 for 299 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions as they gained 365 yards. Jones threw his first career red-zone interception, with Darius Leonard picking him.

Leonard finished with 10 tackles, a quarterback hit, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception and a pass defensed.

PFT

 

Carson Wentz Playing Time Assures Eagles Of Receiving Colts’ First-Round Pick...

 

It's a seatbelt Gid, not bubble wrap. Even in the trials it was 95% effective.

p.s. I bet you got that 70% number from Facebook.

 

NFL Week 15 early inactives: Joe Haden back for Steelers

Every week we bring you all the inactives from the 1 p.m. ET games in one post, constantly updated with the latest information.

The Steelers will be getting some help in the secondary as they try for a win against the Titans on Sunday afternoon. Cornerback Joe Haden is back in the lineup after missing the last five games with a foot injury.

Haden was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report. Tight end Kevin Rader (hip) and defensive end Isaiah Buggs (ankle) were also listed as questionable, but they are both inactive for the home game.


Titans at Steelers

Titans: CB Janoris Jenkins, LB Joe Jones, LB David Long, OL Daniel Munyer, G Rodger Saffold, DL Larrell Murchison, DT Teair Tart

Steelers: QB Dwayne Haskins, RB Anthony McFarland, LB Buddy Johnson, TE Kevin Rader, DT Isaiah Buggs

Texans at Jaguars

Texans: QB Deshaun Watson, S Justin Reid, CB Jimmy Moreland, TE Paul Quessenberry

Jaguars: CB Nevin Lawson, RB Carlos Hyde, OL Will Richardson, TE Luke Farrell, EDGE Jordan Smith, DT Jay Tufele

Panthers at Bills

Panthers: WR Shi Smith, CB AJ Bouye, LB Kamal Martin, G Deonte Brown, G Trent Scott, DE Darryl Johnson

Bills: WR Emmanuel Sanders, RB Zack Moss, DE AJ Epenesa

Cowboys at Giants

Cowboys: QB Will Grier, CB Nahshon Wright, S Israel Mukuamu, DE Azur Kamara, T Tyron Smith, WR Simi Fehoko

Giants: QB Daniel Jones, G Ben Bredeson

Jets at Dolphins

Jets: RB Ty Johnson, RB La'Mical Perine, OL George Fant, DL Tim Ward, DL Shaq Lawson, CB Isaiah Dunn

Dolphins: S Jevon Holland, DB Trill Williams, S Will Parks, TE Adam Shaheen, DL John Jenkins

Cardinals at Lions

Cardinals: QB Trace McSorley, RB Eno Benjamin, CB Breon Borders, DL Zach Kerr

Lions: RB D’Andre Swift, LB Julian Okwara, G Jonah Jackson, S Tracy Walker, QB David Blough, WR Trinity Benson, T Will Holden

PFT

 

tbf he probably doesn't believe in seatbelts either.

 

Thats funny right there.

 

We are underway... enjoy your football, bitches!!!!!!11111!!!!!!

 

So, the Titans gathered on the Steelers logo before the game... that is disrespectful and pisses me off, go Steelers!

 

That IS disrespectful and I hate it…

but at the end the of the day.. FUCK the Steelers

 

In all honesty if it was the Packers i would probably say something very similar. But seeing how it isnt the Packers i can finish the objective thought.

Disrespectful and totally BS. Classless douchebag move from a classless douchebag team with a classless douchebag head coach.

 

Cowboys force four takeaways, beat Giants 21-6



It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win is a win.

The Cowboys forced four takeaways, the third consecutive game they have done that, and beat the Giants 21-6 despite more red zone woes. They scored only two touchdowns on five red zone trips, settling for Greg Zuerlein field goals of 26, 42 and 27 yards.


The Cowboys moved to 10-4 and a step closer to the division title, while the Giants fell to 4-10.

The Cowboys defense continued to carry them. They intercepted Mike Glennon three times and recovered a Saquon Barkley fumble.

DeMarcus Lawrence had five tackles, two quarterback hits, a tackle for loss, a pass defensed that resulted in a Jourdan Lewis interception and the forced fumble of Barkley. Trevon Diggs intercepted his 10th pass of the season, one short of the team record. Malik Hooker also had a pick.

Glennon went 13-of-24 for 99 yards and the three picks before the Giants pulled him for Jake Fromm, who made his NFL debut late in the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys had 328 yards, with Dak Prescott going 28-of-37 for 217 yards and a touchdown. Dalton Schultz caught eight passes for 67 yards and a touchdown.

Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, while Tony Pollard returned from a foot injury to rush for 74 yards on 12 carries.

The Giants lost receiver Sterling Shepard to a non-contact injury with 1:26 remaining. Shepard broke off the line and almost immediately grabbed at the back of his ankle. He was carted off.

PFT

 

Steelers stop Titans to shake up AFC playoff race



The Steelers aren’t going gently from the AFC playoff race, and the Titans suddenly are in a fight to win the AFC South.

That’s the result of the Steelers’ 19-13 win over the Titans today in Pittsburgh.


With the win, the Steelers improve to 7-6-1 and keep pace in both the AFC North and the AFC wild card race. And the loss drops the Titans to 9-5 when they had a chance to move into the No. 1 spot in the AFC. Now the Titans have to worry about falling behind the Colts in their division.

The Titans scored first, led by 10 at halftime and appeared to have the game under control most of the way, but four turnovers (three lost fumbles and an interception) were incredibly costly and gave the Steelers plenty of opportunities to mount a comeback.

The Steelers won despite getting just 148 passing yards from Ben Roethlisberger and an ugly game from their leading rusher, Najee Harris, who had just 18 yards on 12 carries.

But turnovers made the difference, as the Steelers had none and the Titans had four, and suddenly the AFC playoff picture is looking a lot different than everyone expected.

PFT