Week 5 Open Game Discussion

Lots of good looking games this week: Jags - Chiefs, Falcons - Steelers, the Vikings - Eagles rematch… but the marquee SNF headliner is Cows - Cows? What a waste.

Ok so *TWO* guys fall with all of their weight together on top of Luck, and it's not a penalty?

Reports of Brady's death...& etc.

Having Edelman on the field seems to be sending good vibrations down the lineup. Hogan gets to run longer routes and Gronk isn't facing a triple team on every play. Someone should tell the Colts that James White is a good receiving back - maybe they missed the Atlanta Superbowl. Most of Edelman's snaps seem to have come at the expense of Gordon, which is no surprise.

Great TD pass Brady-to-Gordon.

If Gordon can make one play like that every 2-4 weeks, he's well worth the trade.

The Colts injuries will have free agents across the land heading to the gym. At least Luck can still make the throws, and he'll have to. Hard to know what's what in the Thursday night slop but the Pats offense looks effective. Colts pass rush had been good but Brady went unsacked and didn't face much pressure. He's made some bad interceptions this year but the two tonight weren't on him - that one Hogan bobbled, yikes. He basically caught it and pitched it to the DB at a point where another Pats score would have ended the game. Brady's throw to Gronk when he was in a lineman's grasp and falling down was primo. After initially getting sliced apart, the Colts seemed to have some success playing two deep and pressing the short routes but the lack of pash rush led to the Gordon TD. Pretty nimble move by Gordon to split the DB's and grab the ball.

On the non-call on the two Pats on Luck I was like "Ok, here we go with the bodyweight nonsense" and then no flag. Glad about it, hopefully it's a tuning on the rule and not home-cooking.

Lots of drops, two weird ints coming out of receivers' ricochet, even the strip-fumble from D-Mac. Something odd on the balls? Inflate-gate is coming?

Just Thursday night in the NFL. Guys not healed and also not used mentally accustomed to the quick turnaround. A colt would drop every other play.
Reminds me of how they used to run the Golden Gloves in SF at the Cow Palace. The tournament would happen over five days or so. Win your first fight and you'd advance but also have to fight again, that same night. You might get the next day off but if you were in a popular weight class like middle or welter, having to fight twice the next night was a distinct possibility. A large number of tired fighters got KO'd in the Cow Palace that week.

picks ar ein

pates 34, clots 20
falcs 34, steelers 31
ravens 27, browns 20
jets 17, broncos 13
pakcers 27, Lions 24
Jaguars 26, cheisf 20
bengals 41, diolphisn 23
pantehrs 29, gaints 20
Titans 20, bils 17
Raiders 31, chargers 23
Cardinals 21, 49ers 17
rams 38, sehajkws 20
Vikings 23, eags 20
txneas 25, cowbouys 22
saints 36, Squirrels 30

alcs 31, steelers 38
ravens 23, browns 16
jets 13, broncos 20
pakcers 33, Loins 27
Jaguars 23, cheisf 27
bengals 34, diolphisn 24
pantehrs 23, gaints 17
Titans 24, bils 13
Raiders 20, chargers 34
Cardinals 24, 49ers 20
rams 41, sehajkws 17
Vikings 27, eags 20
txneas 20, cowbouys 17
saints 34, Squirrels 24

Why does McCarthy even have to challenge a turnover? I guess because the officials were going to give it to the Lions without even a review. It looked to me like the punt touched a Lions player, #45, on the hand on the video. Horrible call.

Edit: They then said it was an official review. But they weren't going to do this at first.

On the Rodgers strip sack, beyond Rodgers total lack of awareness, the Packers had receivers getting (legally) chipped multiple yards off their release, running into each other, and knocking each other over. What a clown car of an offense.

What a weird and terrible mistake by Odell Beckham on a punt return. He opts to go and block one of the Panthers players, presumably to prevent him downing the ball before it goes in the endzone for a touchback, but the ball deflects off Beckham's leg and is ultimately recovered by Carolina in the endzone. That's why you stay far away from a punt if you aren't planning to fair catch it or run it back.

Jags are getting some chances to get back in this game, but they are blowing them. They go for it 4th and 2 from the 4, which is the correct call, but it's incomplete. Then they get an interception on the ensuing drive, but lose a fumble on the next play and and now face FG attempt to go down 13.

Mason Crosby just missed his third FG this half. WTF is going on? I had figured this was probably a loss even before the season started, but this may be one of the Packers worst performances since before Holmgren and Wolf took over in the early 90s. What a disaster.

*Case Keenum after 4½ weeks: he's exactly halfway between Fisher-Keenum and Minnesota-Keenum. But it's a Jekyll-and-Hyde type thing, where you never know which one you're getting ahead of time. Some of it is on the Broncos o-line, who look flat out awful this year and especially today. This has to be Joseph's fault somehow.

*Darnold is the real deal (but I thought it was apparent weeks ago)

*Jac/KC is an awesome game. Romo had some great commentary about how Mahomes is still making rookie mistakes in terms of reading the field, suggesting he's going to get even better.

*I really like the rainbow outline hats all the coaches are wearing this week. If they sell them fitted, this is going to be the first NFL merch I've ordered new in years!

Geez, after Bortles throws a pick-six the Jags march all the way down the field with a chance to score a TD they desperately need before the half. Instead Bortles bonks a pass right off his lineman's helmet and it pops up for a pick in the endzone. Unfortunately that probably eliminates any chance this will be a competitive affair in the second half.

It's the Falcons offensive line usually this bad, giving up 3 sacks, or did the Steelers pass rush came back after taking a 3 game vacation?

Also, why passing the ball with 30 seconds left and a timeout? Why not spreading the field and running it with Conner?

And how is Julio Jones getting shutdown by Joe Haden (Not a bad corner, but a #2 CB at best)?

So unless there's a huge turnaround in the second half, the Lions are going to have two dominant, blowout wins over the Patriots and Packers in the first five weeks... And will still have a losing record. Weird.

So, after pretty much not seeing the ball in the last 3 games, James Conner is getting close to the 100 rushing yards in the day. I wonder where the run blocking version of the Steelers O-Line went last 3 weeks?

Denver, Jacksonville, and GB are all down 14-16 points. Who's most likely to come back?

Rodgers has just been... off. He likes to hold onto the ball but it’s been uncharacteristic. It’s as if he went into the game knowing his receiving targets are a dumpster fire.

I stand corrected, Matt Ryan has found Julio Jones after 47 minutes of game time

And Buffalo plays for the long GW FG and it works. God I hate seeing ineptitude and stupidity being rewarded.

I can accept the fact that bad things happen to good people; that's life. But it's so much harder for me seeing good things happen to stupid people.

Mason Crosby is channeling Rick Ankiel's pitching form

What are the odds Vance Joseph gets fired before the season is over?

For the couple of games I've payed attention:

*You know, in the last couple of games, Matt Ryan looked particularly awesome despite losing the games. Pittsburgh didn't even allowed him that. (Through my mind went: At least he wasn't picked off. Then Artie Burns nearly picked him off. Then he fumbled and Pittsburgh scored.). Goes to show what happens when the D is bad and the O that has been carrying the team for weeks has a bad day.
*On the other hand, Ben's accuracy has been off, but the Offense has been everything advertised in PreSeason, other than 7 to 84 not being as effective as it should. Conner had a good day (Not sure if run blocking came back, or the Falcons being horrible against the run helped with that). And the defense, of all parts of the team, had a solid day. The pass rush finally got home after weeks of being not existent and the DBs made plays (Julio getting shutdown for 47 minutes is awesome for any defense. Doubly so when it is the Steelers defense).
*Damn it Miami, how is that you lead by 17 points by half time, looking competent in the process, then totally decompose in the 2nd half, producing nothing in the process?
*Not sure who is this bunch of fakers that took over the Jacksonville defense, or if they are just having a massively terrible day. Where's the pass rush? Where are the DBs ... well .. they are there, just getting manhandled by the Chiefs. At least they are not all fakers, Blake Bortles is there.
*Jacksonville onside kick!

Looks like yet another OT game for the browns.

I'd really like to watch the Vikings/Eagles game. But I don't know if I can handle Joe Buck for the next three hours after what looks like a Packers loss.

Matthews gets a sack ---- and doesn't get called for a penalty. The one bright spot in today's game.

Wow, Isiah Crowell is now apparently the record holder for the biggest rushing day in Jets history. He had 219 yards. The previous record was 210, which seems surprisingly low for a franchise that's been around for half a century.

The first half strip sacks are a valid knock against them, but at the end of the day the Packers offense played pretty well—they're about to lose a game where they gained 450+ yards at a 6+ yard per play clip and never punted. (Typed before big garbage time play to St Brown inflates those numbers.) Defense was ok too. Murdered by special teams.

Did Graham Gano just hit a 63 yarder? That just happened?

Gano with a 63 yard FG at the buzzer to win! What an incredible finish!

Wow! Graham Gano hits a FG from 63 at the gun to win it for the Panthers. I thought the odds he would make it were very low... Then the announcers said his previous high was 54. I figured it was hopeless at that point. Amazing.

nvm apparently several 63 yarders have been made outside of denver

Well, it is a day of blocked punts. First the Steelers block on, then the Rams. And the Rams did it on the Seahawks' first punt.

As an aside, how is that the Baltimore-Cleveland game is STILL GOING!?

What. The. Eff. The Browns got screwed by possibly the worst call in the history of football! Jarvis Landry got held and then absolutely leveled with the ball in the air, no flag. They called it uncatchable, and of course it was when the defense interfering with the receiver so hard he never has a chance to run under it! And the network ref agrees! We are all being gaslit.

This is as bad as that "forward progress" horseshit on the Mariota sack in the playoffs last year. Just unbelievable

I like how on the broadcast they were going on how this was the first Browns win on Sunday in whatever really long period. As if the day the game is played has any real significance to anyone. Next time they win we'll hear how it's their first non-OT Sunday win since whenever.

Why, when you have the ball carrier wrapped up and the refs are about to blow the whistle, you have to slam the ball carrier over your back? The play is pretty much over.

So, Todd Gurley got stuffed on 3rd and 1 from the 1 yard line (After he had a solid showing a couple of plays early). Sean McVay decides that it is a good idea to kick the FG, instead of giving to Gurley again, or having Jared Goff jump over his linemen. Why?

In other news, what the F is wrong with the Special Teams today? Chris Boswell missed an extra point for the Steelers, the Falcons got a punt blocked, Mason Crosby couldn't kick field goals, and missed an extra. The Seahawks got a punt blocked and Dan Bailey missed 2 kicks so far.

Wait, so defenders aren't allowed to even touch a QB below the knees? Huh??

Bennett hit Cousins above the knees, then his arms slid down Kirk's kegs as Bennett was falling. This is sooo, so stupid.

Textbook roughing the passer on Michael Bennett, as he hits Cousins near the knees.

The broadcast saying "well where else can he hit him?" and missing the point. It's not like defenders are magically dropped into spacetime hurtling towards a QB; they are supposed to play under more control to avoid being in a position where their only option is to rough the passer.

Wait, what? A drop kick? Wow .... that's legit, the first time I see a player do a drop kick. So this is why Michael Dickson is considered awesome?

Fumbling in the red zone, especially at the 5 yard line, is simply unacceptable for any starting HB. So seeing Jay Ajayi fumbling the ball so close to the end zone, with the Eagles needing anything to spark their offense, is very bad.

I just love when QBs decide to play lead blocker for their running backs. Wilson ran in front of Carter and, while he didn't block anyone, actually tried to find someone to block (I also remember that time Tom Brady tried to lead block, his technique consisted of placing himself in front of the running back and saying "Don't hit me"). It was fun. Not like that time Mariota played lead blocker in the playoffs (The forward progress game, AKA the game where Mariota also played WR), but it was fun.

Saw the single worst call I’ve ever seen in a football game in the Giants-Panthers game.

Not the most confused, but the most indicative of how NFL rules are fundamentally broken.

Newton throws a comeback to Funchess, but it’s a bad pass. WR is double-covered and has a man lurking underneath. Underneath guy breaks it up and is slammed into by Funchess and then by the safety. Flag flies.

Penalty is targeting on the underneath DB. The guy who got hit in the helmet by Funchess. Funchess was actually the one defending the pass. The DB was catching it. Such horseshit.

Next play, the guard gets turned around and tackles McCaffrey. I was surprised they didn’t flag the defense on that, too.

NFL rules are clearly designed solely to protect offensive backs at the expense of all others. It’s legal for a WR to commit offenses a DB cannot in the same circumstances. Referees just reflexively do this, because they the sole way they are professional is that they receive a paycheck.

Is it really "Dan-NEEL" Hunter? I'm pretty sure it's always been "Dan-YELL". Or are Aikman and Buck thinking they're doing him a favor by pronouncing his name wrong?

Why did Doug Peterson, of all people, just kick a 28 yard field goal on 4th & 5, down 17, with barely over a quarter left?

Turnover luck is having a heck of a season so far.

So far, I've seen Marcus Peters make 2 kinds of plays. Defensive Holds and allowing receivers to get wide open behind him. Here they are saying he is playing injured, and if that's true it shows.

I was about to ask, when until Cairo Santos or Sebastian Janikowski misses something? Then Santos missed the extra point, adding to the poor day some ST units are having today.

Whoa ... 2 things are killing the Rams. The fact that their D-Line has not been able to be consistent against the run (Huge runs followed by run stops), and that their secondary is bailing out the Seahawks (And Russell Wilson) by either gifting them TDs or first downs by penalties or bad coverage.

4th and possibly ball game for the Rams. And they got it on the sneak. Pete Carroll called his last timeout, when McVay sent the Punt unit. That gave McVay enough time to decide that it was better to go for it. Why Carroll called that timeout though?

Down by 2 and awaiting a punt with 1:39 left, the Seahawks use their last timeout. That's not good strategy, you could use that timeout on an attempted game winning drive. But the worst part is that it appears to convince the Rams to go for it on fourth and short, since they can now simply kneel it out if they get the first down, which is exactly what happens.

McVay is a gamer, Pete a mere football coach.

Fourth and inches and Watson's in shotgun formation???

Texans had fourth and goal from the half foot line. Should have called a sneak, instead Watson tries to run it in and gets hit for a loss.

Texans horrible in the red zone. 5 trips and only 1 TD.

Brees is in his 18th season, which by my math makes him … not young for an NFL player.

It's the start of the 4th quarter, the Saints are up by 27 points and inside (long) field goal range.

Brees is coming back onto the field for the start of the 4th quarter why exactly? Payton wants to keep Bridgewater well rested in case he's needed later in the season?