Week 14 NFL running thread because no one else started it

Dalton won't need surgery and could be back before the Bengals' season is over. In the meantime ...

Let's all remember what McCarron is playing for ...

 

I'm on board

 

Weird historical/gambling stat for tonight's game I found while trying to figure out why the Dolphins and Giants haven't played in Miami since 1996.
These teams have had seven meetings all-time since the merger. The most combined points they've ever scored against each other is 36, with the winner never scoring more than 23.
The over-under for tonight is 47 1/2.
Take that for what it's worth.

 

Bortles was discussed at length on the fantasy football thread, but he's quietly had a "turn the corner" type of season and they still have a couple of soft defenses (Atlanta this week, New Orleans next week) to pad the stats. He's on pace for a 4,000 yard, 35 TD, 16 INT season.
He's also had a touchdown pass in every game this season and multiple TDs in 10 of 13, and is 13-3 on TDs to INTs over the last five games.
Not bad for a guy who was a punchline coming into the year. It might be fun to watch him and Mariota light it up for the next few years.

 

He might throw for five TDs against the Saints alone.

 

How is that a catch? The ball hit the ground.

 

On the third personal foul, the head coach should be ejected

 

Bert Emanuel rule. As long as the receiver maintains complete control and the ball doesn't move at all, the ball can touch the ground and remain a catch.

 

Like Denver playing in Pittsburgh.
Since 1989 the Broncos and Steelers have played 14 times (4 times in the playoffs). Four of those games (1 playoff game) have been in Pittsburgh. The last was in 2006.

There is a remote chance for the Steelers to win the AFC North Division. The Steelers would have to win their final three games and the Bengals would have to lose their final three, or their final two AFC games against the Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.

 

Well, the Dolphins-Giants one had a logical explanation. They're supposed to alternate home and away (so the next Giants-Dolphins game in Miami will be in 2023), but the 2007 game was moved to London. So they played in Miami in '96, the Meadowlands in '03, then skipped the return game in Miami to go to London.

The intraconference quirks like that are just weird, though. San Diego and Pittsburgh went nine years and three regular-season meetings without playing in San Diego. The Cowboys and Packers played seven straight times in Dallas in the 1990s, and then five of the last six have been in Green Bay. And, because of the games the Packers used to play in Milwaukee, they went 22 years (1967-89) without playing the Cowboys in Lambeau.
There's no real rhyme or reason to it sometimes.

 

Is it generally accepted that Cam Newton wins the MVP if the team wins 14 games or more, without being the leader in a single meaningful QB statistic?

I don't see a defensive player in the top 5 ( or 10 for that matter). LT was the last defensive player to win MVP

 

Let's not act like Newton is putting up terrible numbers. He's on pace for 3,700 yards, 34 TDs and 12 INTs with a 97 QB rating. Along with 600 rushing yards and 9 TDs. On a team that will win at least 13 games.

Sounds like a pretty valid MVP to me.