Planet Rugby Forum

AK has covid. All the Saints RBs are out this weekend

He won't be available for a Saturday playoff game next week...but Sunday he'd be allowed back (but no practice or contact with the team all week)

vintage_cox wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 9:18 pm AK has covid. All the Saints RBs are out this weekend

He won't be available for a Saturday playoff game next week...but Sunday he'd be allowed back (but no practice or contact with the team all week)

I think Kamara's familiar with the playbook by now but that's a hell of a loss.

Bit of a dud of the year for the Vikes.

However, one shining light (actually there a several) is Justin Jefferson who today broke the all-time receiving yards for a rookie wide receiver. Not a bad draft pick to replace Steffon Diggs.

puku wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 10:42 pm Bit of a dud of the year for the Vikes.

However, one shining light (actually there a several) is Justin Jefferson who today broke the all-time receiving yards for a rookie wide receiver. Not a bad draft pick to replace Steffon Diggs.

Playoff updates after the early games:

AFC

1. Kansas City 14-1 - playing L.A. Chargers
2. Buffalo 13-3 - defeated Miami 56-26
3. Pittsburgh 12-4 - lost to Cleveland 24-22
4. Tennessee 10-5 - clinch AFC South with win over Houston or Indianapolis loss to Jacksonville
-------
5. Baltimore 11-5 - defeated Cincinnati 38-3
6. Cleveland 11-5 - defeated Pittsburgh 24-22
7. Indianapolis 10-5 - playing Jacksonville, clinch playoff birth with win or tie after Miami's loss
=====
8. Miami 10-6 - lost to Buffalo 56-26, need an Indianapolis loss to make the playoffs

NFC

1. Green Bay 12-3 - playing Chicago
2. New Orleans 11-4 - playing Carolina
3. Seattle 11-4 - playing San Francisco
4. Washington 6-9 - playing Philadelphia tonight, with the Giants win over Dallas earlier today, either Washington wins the division with a win or tie, or the Giants will make the playoffs at 6-10
-------
5. Tampa Bay 11-5 - defeated Atlanta 44-27, being best wild card in the NFC Brady gets to face the worst division winner ever
6. L.A. Rams 9-6 - playing Arizona
7. Arizona 8-7 - playing L.A. Rams
======
8. Chicago 8-7 - playing Green Bay

Winner of Rams/Arizona is in. Chicago has to win against Green Bay.

Bit of a bummer for the Buccs if WR Mike Evans is badly hurt...

One play after he'd achieved 1,000 yards (yet again) and his knee goes pop.

I'm glad Cleveland made it - would have been a bloody awful way to miss out when they lost their entire WR corps for the Jets game.
And I don't think they'd have beaten a Pittsburgh with Big Ben.

Congrats Bones, wherever you are

The 15/8 on Kansas to win the superbowl is very tempting.

Ravens thrash the Bengals - by running the ball over FOUR HUNDRED YARDS!!!

2/1 Kansas is free money (provided Mahomes is fit)

Wild Card Round schedule next weekend. This is the first year of an expanded 14-team playoff format, so only the top seed in each conference gets a bye, not 2 in each.

Saturday

7) Indianapolis @ 2) Buffalo, 1:05pm ET, CBS
6) L.A. Rams @ 3) Seattle, 4:40pm ET, Fox
5) Tampa Bay @ 4) Washington or N.Y. GIants, 8:15pm ET, NBC

Sunday

5) Baltimore @ 4) Tennessee, 1:05pm ET, ABC/ESPN
7) Chicago @ 2) New Orleans, 4:40pm ET, CBS
6) Cleveland @ 3) Pittsburgh, 8:15pm ET, NBC

They choose Washington and Philly for the regular season finale and then pick the hapless division winner for their Saturday night game. NBC can take their NFC East love and choke on it.

This season we almost have an NBA Western Conference vs. Eastern Conference-level lopsidedness comparing playoff teams. Miami are a better team than the NFC East division winner, the Bears, and the Rams. (They beat the Rams in a game this year, and won both their games against the Jets.)

Throw out the NFC East division because that's a disaster, but how did the Bears make the playoffs?

NFC East combined final record barring a tie in tonight's game: 23-40-1
Removing division games, so their combined final record against the other 28 teams in the league: 11-28-1

The Jets don't wait for Black Monday, firing their head coach Adam Gase tonight.

fonzeee wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 11:00 pm Congrats Bones, wherever you are

The Browns owe it all to him. HE was ditching them because they signed Mayfield instead of Barkley IIRC and so......

So the Redskins, err I mean, the Footballs are the last team through to the playoffs. The quarterback playing on one leg.

Don't expect they will go any further, as usual.

Chicago should not be in the playoffs but 6 Wildcard games is pretty juicy. Miami with Tua have no business there either, they've been riding the turnover differential all year. Yesterday was a horror show.

Rodgers is on another planet. He just dismantled the bears ilb replacement for Roquan Smith the second he arrived. Beating Mahomes to MVP at 37 is really something.

Jaguars and Chargers fire their head coaches. Bengals decide to keep theirs.

Whatever wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:24 am So the Redskins, err I mean, the Footballs are the last team through to the playoffs. The quarterback playing on one leg.

Don't expect they will go any further, as usual.

Doug Pederson being flat out accused of throwing the game.
Went for 4th and Goal from the 3 yard line (having gained 1 yard in three plays) instead of levelling the scores at 17-17. Then pulls Jalen Hurts from the game and gives the reins to a journeyman backup for the 4th quarter.

Having already left several notable starters out "injured"

Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 6:43 pm Jaguars and Chargers fire their head coaches. Bengals decide to keep theirs.

Fired so far:

In season:
Texans
Falcons
Lions

Post season:
Jets
Jaguars - allegedly lining up Urban Meyer
Chargers

Still on the hot seat:
Bears - but will probably survive by backing into the playoffs
Eagles - see allegations of throwing it

Yer Man wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:02 pm

Whatever wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:24 am So the Redskins, err I mean, the Footballs are the last team through to the playoffs. The quarterback playing on one leg.

Don't expect they will go any further, as usual.

Doug Pederson being flat out accused of throwing the game.
Went for 4th and Goal from the 3 yard line (having gained 1 yard in three plays) instead of levelling the scores at 17-17. Then pulls Jalen Hurts from the game and gives the reins to a journeyman backup for the 4th quarter.

Having already left several notable starters out "injured"

I posted mine as soon as the game finished, but I knew this was coming. Being a sore loser isn't confined to Trump. What motivation would he have for throwing the game, coaches live by their results, even when they're out of the playoffs.

Bottom-line, if you have to depend on another team to win and that team has no particular motivation of its own, then you're bound for disappointment.

Go the Washington Footballs!

TheBouncer wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 4:50 pm Chicago should not be in the playoffs but 6 Wildcard games is pretty juicy. Miami with Tua have no business there either, they've been riding the turnover differential all year. Yesterday was a horror show.

Rodgers is on another planet. He just dismantled the bears ilb replacement for Roquan Smith the second he arrived. Beating Mahomes to MVP at 37 is really something.

People saying this about Chicago but the worst team in the playoffs would have been there anyway under the old system too. The Eagles stopped trying to win and the Redskins still almost lost the game. Fumbles, bad plays, I think a late turnover on downs at midfield? It was embarrassing. And in the AFC a 10-6 team missed out so still a reasonable barrier. I probably prefer a smaller playoffs just so a 8-8 or 9-7 that gets hot doesn't sneak a championship, but I'm actually okay with how this shaked out for the most part.

Miami would have probably qualified if they'd stuck with Fitzy. As a bit of a Fins fan I like Flores but he totally botched that situation; if you're developing a rookie you go with Tua from the start and stick with him through thick and thin. If you want to win go with the vet. He ended up going down the middle which was the worst option of all.

Whatever wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:33 pm

Yer Man wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:02 pm

Whatever wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:24 am So the Redskins, err I mean, the Footballs are the last team through to the playoffs. The quarterback playing on one leg.

Don't expect they will go any further, as usual.

Doug Pederson being flat out accused of throwing the game.
Went for 4th and Goal from the 3 yard line (having gained 1 yard in three plays) instead of levelling the scores at 17-17. Then pulls Jalen Hurts from the game and gives the reins to a journeyman backup for the 4th quarter.

Having already left several notable starters out "injured"

I posted mine as soon as the game finished, but I knew this was coming. Being a sore loser isn't confined to Trump. What motivation would he have for throwing the game, coaches live by their results, even when they're out of the playoffs.

Bottom-line, if you have to depend on another team to win and that team has no particular motivation of its own, then you're bound for disappointment.

Go the Washington Footballs!

Do you have a favorite new nickname? We've got anon down for Rednecks...

And FWIW I wouldn't go as far as saying he threw the game, but he clearly thought it was more worthwhile to see what some rookies and taxi squad-ers could do than keeping a mediocre yet potential multi-season starter in the game. Which he's perfectly entitled to do IMO.

The Giants fans can really STFU. You won 6 f**king games, you have no right to complain. If you hadn't lost 10 games you wouldn't need a result in a game you aren't participating in in order to sneak into the playoffs through the back door.

Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 6:43 pm Jaguars and Chargers fire their head coaches. Bengals decide to keep theirs.

Maybe inevitable for Marrone given the record but I really liked that team from 2017. They had a great gritty feel about them and had a mighty chip on their shoulder. Tough defense. Came within a hair's breadth of a Super Bowl appearance but gave up a lead late at New England in the AFC title game, a week after taking the 2 seed down in Pittsburgh.

TheBouncer wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 4:50 pm Rodgers is on another planet. He just dismantled the bears ilb replacement for Roquan Smith the second he arrived. Beating Mahomes to MVP at 37 is really something.

I'll qualify this by saying I can't really speak much (if at all) on pre-2000 quarterbacks, but for my money he's the best I've ever seen.

Fonz's Official All-Time-Except-Not-Before-2000-or-So QB Rankings (based on peak ability + top tier-longevity):

1) Rodgers
2) Brady (hate to admit that)
3) Manning
4) Warner
5) Mahomes (I could see him going to as high as 3 if he keeps this up another 6-8 seasons)
6) Roethlisburger
7) Brees
8] Luck
9) Ryan
10) Rivers

Kind of a dropoff between 8 and 9 for me. Honorable mentions to top game-managers Russell Wilson, Eli, and Alex Smith. Also non-game managers Romo, Culpepper, Hasselbeck, and McNabb. Maybe also Flacco and Brad Johnson for turning into HoF quarterbacks in the playoffs in the years they went the distance.

Since he kind of falls in the middle between the 90s and 00s, I'll also say I'd have Favre in the 6-8 area.

What sayeth the bored re: GOAT QB?

Chargers are apparently interviewing Jason Garrett for Head Coach...

Browns coach plus a couple assistants and a couple players tested positive for Covid and will not be on the sidelines this coming weekend for their playoff game.

Yer Man wrote: ↑Tue Jan 05, 2021 7:15 pm Chargers are apparently interviewing Jason Garrett for Head Coach...

Saw that earlier, seems a bit wtf to me.

Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Tue Jan 05, 2021 8:09 pm Browns coach plus a couple assistants and a couple players tested positive for Covid and will not be on the sidelines this coming weekend for their playoff game.

Yeah, Stefanski & their Pro Bowl Guard are out.
Also Olivier Vernon is injured.

They're f*cked.


Anyone else get the sense that some pundits have been casting suspicions about Big Ben suddenly getting hot after halftime in week 16?
It's true that he hadn't played like that in weeks, going deep and hitting the target.
But they way several people said "whatever they said to him or gave to him at halftime..."

Apparently Urban Meyer may have second thoughts on the Jags job.
The owner has said that he has oversight of the roster - and intends to keep that power going forward.
New Head Coach & GM won't have final say on players...

fonzeee wrote: ↑Tue Jan 05, 2021 1:59 am

Whatever wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:33 pm

Yer Man wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:02 pm

Whatever wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:24 am So the Redskins, err I mean, the Footballs are the last team through to the playoffs. The quarterback playing on one leg.

Don't expect they will go any further, as usual.

Doug Pederson being flat out accused of throwing the game.
Went for 4th and Goal from the 3 yard line (having gained 1 yard in three plays) instead of levelling the scores at 17-17. Then pulls Jalen Hurts from the game and gives the reins to a journeyman backup for the 4th quarter.

Having already left several notable starters out "injured"

I posted mine as soon as the game finished, but I knew this was coming. Being a sore loser isn't confined to Trump. What motivation would he have for throwing the game, coaches live by their results, even when they're out of the playoffs.

Bottom-line, if you have to depend on another team to win and that team has no particular motivation of its own, then you're bound for disappointment.

Go the Washington Footballs!

Do you have a favorite new nickname? We've got anon down for Rednecks...

And FWIW I wouldn't go as far as saying he threw the game, but he clearly thought it was more worthwhile to see what some rookies and taxi squad-ers could do than keeping a mediocre yet potential multi-season starter in the game. Which he's perfectly entitled to do IMO.

The Giants fans can really STFU. You won 6 f**king games, you have no right to complain. If you hadn't lost 10 games you wouldn't need a result in a game you aren't participating in in order to sneak into the playoffs through the back door.

I like how Judge took the moral high ground and talked about the good of the game and its integrity - how many past and current players have convictions?

I agree with you completely. STFU.

Colts must be sickened to be behind at half time. Bills with the rub of the green on the big plays in last drive of the half.

Bwen wrote: ↑Sat Jan 09, 2021 8:39 pm Colts must be sickened to be behind at half time. Bills with the rub of the green on the big plays in last drive of the half.

Aye. Bills squeaked it. First time I've seen this guy Allen but he seems to have some great vision.

Old man Brady looking good against the Washington Footballs. What is it about Washington and losing quarterbacks, it's like the All Blacks and first fives. Why did Brady leave the Patriots, new challenge?

Bad loss by the Seahawks.

Wilson in the game apparently threw a pick-six interception on a wide receiver screen pass. That was the first interception of a wide receiver screen pass all season.

The Footballs done, right on schedule

Brady goes on.

Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10, 2021 4:31 am

43 year olds looked a lot older back in 1970.

Baltimore bottling it as soon as the get to the playoffs again.

I'm not liking the play-calling - seem to be so obvious what the offence will do.
And now Lamar heaves one downfield and is easily picked off.
So far off where it should have been thrown that I'm wondering if the wind took it.

Do the NFL have a history of dodgy 4th quarter decisions by the officials to level play off games? The decision against Bills yesterday for example.

Didn't see that defense coming from Baltimore

iarmhiman wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:50 pm Didn't see that defense coming from Baltimore

That was an impressive turnaround.

Needed a bit of unbelievable magic to get them rolling, but after that they just strangled the life out of Tennessee. Derrick Henry - only 49 yards
Played Big Boy football on both sides of the ball in the 2nd half.

New the Chiefs have had their number the last couple of meetings, maybe the Ravens are better prepared having had to figure things out the hard way this late season.