NFL - NEWS & NOTES

It really is to soon for a play-off tracker. Now the 1st pick tracker has some contenders and this is fun.

 

Ben Roethlisberger perfect, Steelers blow out Panthers...

The Steelers have played the entire season without their franchise-tagged offensive spark.

They also just played their best game in what could be the last one without him.

The Steelers dominated the Panthers 52-21, in a performance that couldn’t have been better with any player added to the mix.

Ben Roethlisberger had a flawless night, mathematically and figuratively.

He was 22-of-25 for 328 yards and five touchdowns, for a perfect 158.3 passer rating. He also got to watch the last 11 minutes tucked safely on the sidelines, as backup Joshua Dobbs enjoyed the longest mop-up duty ever.

Meanwhile, their defense kept pressure on Cam Newton throughout the night, sacking him five times (he had only been sacked 12 times this season) and picking him off once (with Vince Williams returning it for a touchdown). It was an eye-opener for a team which had won three straight, triggered by coming back from a 17-point deficit to beat the Eagles.

There wasn’t much to quibble over or worry about for the Steelers, other than running back James Conner being taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion.

Now, they get to wait to see if Le'Veon Bell comes back by next Tuesday’s deadline. But it’s also reasonable to wonder what they’d do with him if he came back, as they’ve now won five straight and have no apparent weaknesses at the moment. (NBC's PFT)

 

Apparently, someone has started a GoFundMe account to pay Bills’ QB Nathan Peterman to retire.

 

it's Eagles-Cowboys weekend. That means a new avatar !!

 

great night to have ben, juju and their kicker last night in fantasy football !

 

You should use a cheese steak avatar

 

I have a fantasy team of only Steelers players on nfl.com. The only position that is not a Steeler is RB2. They rarely play RB2 in Pittsburgh, so have to use another teams for that one.

 

did you see my avatar Gid ?

 

I thought you meant you were going to change it. I’m on my iPhone+, so it’s hard to see the avatar.

 

How’s that team doing? Curious.

 

Good to know that a team that hasn't been a serious contender in more than two decades still occupies so much real estate in the heads of Philadelphians.

 

it's a great t shirt axe and a big rival and division game. of course it's in our heads. bounty bowl? snowball game? michael irvin on the turf? stopping emmitt smith twice on 4th and 1? it's their biggest home game of the year.

 

Cowboys are 3-5, their offense is atrocious, the coach and O-coordinator are likely to be fired, and one of their best defensive players (Sean Lee) is out yet again. If Dallas somehow still qualifies as the "biggest home game of the year," you might as well pack it in. Cowboys shouldn't be ANYONE's "biggest game" this season.

I find it a bit amusing that for all the hate and bitter games, not once have I ever thought about buying something with "Eagles" on it. But there's "Cowboys Suck" beer, t-shirts, and a gazillion other pieces of merch. Maybe you guys would be better off paying that $$$ to a shrink.

 

wow axe i thought you understood and appreciated the rivalry and hatred for each other. now i don't know what you're thinking. it sounds more like sour grapes. due to the cowboys status right now, you want to pack it in and not give a shit and for anyone else involved they shouldn't give a shit either. it will always be the biggest home game of the year due to the past teams and the rivalry. WHY ELSE PUT IN ON SUNDAY NIGHT? Ratings Axe. People wanna see the Cowboys in Philly. the cowboys not doing well now doesn't change that. same for all rivalries.

the t shirt? i saw it and liked it. it's the only NFL shirt i own that wasn't a Eagles SB t shirt. it's 1 shirt.

seeing a shrink? yeah ok. at least im cheering for my home city. you're the guy born and raised in NE Philly and cheering for the Cowboys. that's more shrink worthy than anything im doing.

 

I understand the rivalry. But apparently I'm the only one in this conversation who also understands that when one team stinks on ice, it ceases to be the "biggest game of the year." I ain't gonna pretend there's still luster on this turd.

WHY ELSE PUT IN ON SUNDAY NIGHT? Well, gee Cat - I thought the schedule came out BEFORE the season - i.e., when folks thought BOTH of these teams were going to be good. Why did they put the Giants on MONDAY night, Cat? Think that's gonna be a ratings bonanza? Guess the G-men are gonna be your SECOND biggest home game of the year.

So the only non-Eagles SB shirt you own not only doesn't mention your team at all, but mentions your biggest rival. Okay. Wear it in good health.

Cheering for whom you want as opposed to cheering for a team because you were arbitrarily born in their geographic area is "shrink-worthy"...? Whatever you say.

 

why is cleveland - pitt so big axe? it's the rivalry. it's the hatred they have for each other no matter the records or what year it is. i know you know that. you just like breaking my balls. philly will always hate dallas and vice versa till the NFL ends.

it's a t shirt axe. not the end of the world. i only bring it out for this weekend. if u had the same one but saying you hate the eagles i would laugh at it.

and a philly resident cheering for their sworn enemy? maybe not shrink worthy but it's a little nutty. you aren't cheering for the jaguars. cowboys won 3 SB titles out of 4 yrs and then everyone jumped on their bandwagon and won 2 more in the 70's as America's Team. yeah the eagles sucked for 4-5 decades with the exception of a few good teams. i stuck with them through thick and thin. others jump ship and cheer for someone else who is winning. that's the cardinal sin of being a fan. it's sacrilege to do it axe but you spin it as im in the wrong.

wear what you want. watch the game if you want. cheer for the cowboys. i know no one is changing your mind on anything.

 

Cleveland-

If Cleveland-Pittsburgh is "huge" it's principally because of their proximity to one another. But like the saying goes: it's not a rivalry when one team is the hammer and the other is a nail. Last 15 years Browns have beaten Pittsburgh exactly 3 times. Sorry, that's a "rivalry" in name only.

Seems there are A LOT of philly-area residents cheering for the "sworn enemy." Guess we're all crazy, huh?

 

Catfish, blame it on his parents. They probably weren’t football fans. The same thing happened to me when I was a kid. I came out of it being a fan of the best team ever.