NFL Week 11 Running Thread: Chiefs-Rams Going Back to Cali

Chiefs-Rams game moved from Mexico City to L.A.

Due to the messed up playing surface in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the Monday night game between the Chiefs and Rams will now be played in the L.A. Coliseum. That seems like a good move for player safety. Also, the last thing the NFL wants is to have the crappy field become the story rather than two 9-1 teams likely to put up a ridiculous number of points.

Le'Veon Bell also made it official by not showing up Tuesday. He will sit out the entire 2017 season. This could be trouble for the Steelers' game in Jacksonville Sunday because James Conner is still in the concussion protocol, though Mike Tomlin seemed optimistic about having his running back available. The Jags may be 3-6, but after beating the Steelers twice last season, including a playoff game, this one could be worth watching.

Packers at Seahawks is a decent Thursday night game. With the Vikings playing the Bears in Chicago Sunday night, this is one of the better weeks for prime time games.

The Eagles are fighting to stay in contention and the rest of the schedule is not kind. That starts with playing the Saints in New Orleans Sunday.

Texans at Redskins features two teams with decent records, but with all Washington's injuries, it may not be a very good game.

 

oh man, think about all the people who bought tickets, flights etc to Mexico City.

 

Wonder if they can get refunds on the hotel rooms.
If so, quite the hit to the economy.

 

This Texans-Redskins game could be weird. I don't give a shit if Houston has won six in a row, they lost to the shit ass Giants at home, and Bill O'Brien is a shit coach. Those six wins: at Indy, vs. Dallas, vs. Buffalo, at Jacksonville, vs. Miami, at Denver. Color me unimpressed.

The Skins gave up like 500 yards but took advantage of Fitztragic and the Fumbling Bucs last week at the Ghost Ship. Also, Tress Way is punting out of his fucking mind right now. I'm deadly serious about him being one of Washington's top two or three most valuable players. The O-line is banged up but they managed to do just enough on offense last week. I smell a 17-14 Washington win.

PS -- Swearinger and Josh Norman's pep talk was directed right at fans like me. So I'll take the advice and stop worrying about Snyder and Allen and all the other shit and just root for the damn team on Sunday.

 

Not that it probably means much in this particular instance, but does Le'Veon Bell get credit for a year where an NFL pension is concerned?

 

Probably, since all you need for a ''credited season'' is a season where a player is on an active/inactive roster and/or injured reserve for a minimum of three games.

 

Does not get credit
Sources: Bell stands to lose $200k in benefits

 

Wickersham wrote a good story about Mahomes. Thought of old SJ tropes with the introduction of ketchup.

The other day, in Mahomes' apartment in the Country Club Plaza neighborhood of Kansas City, his grandfather asked him, "What's it like to be famous?" For one thing, it means he eats less ketchup. He spent most of his life putting ketchup on everything. He would get bottles of it for his birthday. But now that everyone is watching every move he makes, he is sheepish about ordering ketchup. At a restaurant recently, his mom, Randi, recognized an unfilled desire as he dove into a steak. "Just ask for it," Randi said. "I know you want it." Patrick wouldn't. So she asked for the ketchup and slipped it to him.

But the intersection of fame and ketchup is a story for another time. We're here to talk about his arm, so I ask him a question I know better than to ask an obsessive technician like Tom Brady, for example.​

www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/25224771/kansas-city-chiefs-quarterback-patrick-mahomes-unassuming-unstoppable

 

If Conner doesn't play, the Steelers become one-dimensional against the top-ranked pass defense in the league. The Jaguars aren't pressuring the passer like they did last year, but they still have Ramsey, two good safeties and very quick linebackers. they become even tougher if Bouye can play. The offense also got better with the return of Fournette. Perhaps you are right and the Jaguars will be demoralized, but I'm not counting on it and Tomlin's teams do have a history of playing down to weaker competition. That can be especially true after the dominant performance against the Panthers.

I keep hearing talk about the Steelers' improved chemistry. Despite all the Bell talk, they haven't been close to the turmoil of 2017. This game will be a good test of that. It's one they should win, but I certainly don't expect it to be easy.

 

Won't he need a time machine to do that?