NFL Week 16 -- Football overload

It used to be somewhat more common before 1974 when the goal posts had been located on the goal lines, but it was still very rare.

 

I went to a San Diego Chargers - Titans game about 15 years ago and I was wearing a Vince Young jersey my kid gave me and encountered far more drunk and angry assholes than I’d like to remember. But at last month’s LA Chargers-Titans game at SoFi there was no hint of anything other than a relaxing, family-friendly vibe. We may as well have been at Disneyland.

 

Why not take the penalty for illegal forward pass and the loss of down with it?

 

I’m assuming because it would be marked from the spot of the infraction, and the hold was from the line of scrimmage.

 

I think Gruden sent out Sebastian Janikowski for about a 76-yarder once. And I also seem to remember the Cardinals trying one a few years ago.
But yeah, by their nature they're going to be rare because of how specifically situational they are. How many times does the half end on a punt that's fair caught on the plus side of the field?

 

I would say Sean Payton has done a pretty remarkable job getting the Broncos back on track, but he crapped the bed in this one.

The free kick was fun and all, but it never should have happened. The Chargers were content to run out the clock and for some reason the Broncos throw a pass on second down from inside their own 20. That allows the Chargers to call timeout on third and force a punt where who knows what happens. And it did. So three free points.

Then the Broncos, who really haven't stopped crap all game and definitely not in the second half, have a fourth and five from the 50 and punt. Charges score a TD in about four plays and game over. All the analytics these days and teams still play field position and give up points anyway. I guess the offense wasn't exactly firing at all in the second half either, but you have a better chance with the ball than without it.

I'm a pessimistic fan, but the Broncos are going to screw around and not make the playoffs. Next week at Cincinnati might be a playoff game.

 

Yeah. If the drive there weren't so onerous now ...

Nice to walk by the statue, and the stadium is what it is.

Problem is, David Tepper's stint overseeing things hasn't exactly helped matters. And if I go again sometime soon, it will be odd watching them play on an artificial surface.

 

Haven't made the playoffs since 2015 and the longest drought in my life by a long shot. I just want them in. That's a win. They have no chance to move past the Ravens and get a shot at the Texans, maybe the Steelers, but just get in. Everything else is candy.

A lot has to happen for them not to get in, but it isn't really impossible either. Especially with the Bengals, who are probably a much better team than their record (the anti-Chiefs) and now face them there next week.

Of course how things have happened in a goofy year they'll lose to the Browns this week.

 

Makes up for the drops that receiving corps has had all year.

 

Keep talking the Chiefs losing the No. 1 seed into existence.

 

Can anyone explain why the Broncos kicked a fg on first down, with about 53 seconds left?

They can't win without a td. They weren't getting a better chance than that.