NFL week 17 running thread

Oh, it goes back further than that.

 

Kick wasn't nearly as close as Karlis' to being no good. Don't know what happened to Menefe on that call.

 

Cutler > Plummer. Even after today. The Broncos had no shot to win with Plummer, might as well make the switch. I don't pin this on Shanahan's decision to play Cutler, as much as I can't stand him.

 

Titans would have been in. They needed the same trifecta to lose JAX/CIN/DEN but they needed to beat the Patties to get in, no matter what the Chefs did.

So basically, the Pats did the rest of the AFC a favor in knocking off a very hot team.

 

With Joke Plummer, the Broncos would have been out of it a week or two ago. It was just a royal choke job by all AFC teams today ... except for the Chiefs.

 

So, so many people to lay the blame at for the choke job in Denver:

--People who designed the POS new stadium for ruining the Broncos' home field advantage.
--Pat Bowlen for giving The Mastermind full control to assemble a defense that couldn't get a decent rush on a Pop Warner team without bringing the house.
--Shanahan for coaching a purely gutless game from start to finish. He played that game not to lose from the starting gun to the final kick. Gutless. Straight gutless. I won't even begin to list the number of times he could have attacked a dog-ass defense and instead chose to play it safe. If you're going to make the QB switch because the rook is the guy that can win in the playoffs, then fucking coach like it.
--The whole fucking defense (other than Champ Bailey) for not being able to keep a team that had quit from going up and down the field.
--Jay Cutler for AGAIN missing a WIDE OPEN receiver in a crucial spot (Marshall on 2nd down on the final drive).
--Jake Plummer for managing to go 0-for-2 with a fucking pick after Cutler had his bell rung.
--Tatum Bell for AGAIN fumbling in a big spot.
--Mike Bell for showing no ability whatsoever to score from inside the 5 on multiple opportunities.

A TERRIBLE performance from all involved (other than Champ Bailey). Tempered by the fact that even if they had managed to beat New England (possible) they would have been skullfucked sooner or later by somebody.

 

But the important thing is you're not bitter

 

OK, I watch football all the time and I watch a lot of guys get a roughing the passer call for tackling at the ankles.

I'm now watching the Bears game and it appeared Rex was tackled at the ankles. Why didn't the refs call that roughing the passer? Am I off-base on what roughing the passer is in the NFL?

This is a serious question and I really want to know. I have never played football, so I may be off completely on this. Thanks!

 

We agree to disagree for $1000, Alex. The Katrina argument is a thing of the past. It was good at the start of the season, but this team is fucking good. Under Haslett and Brooks, they were chronic underachievers. Katrina may have been the best thing for them. Haslett quit and they shipped Brooks to Oakland.

Payton and Brees brought in a different focus and mindset and the rest of the team bought into it. And yes the Katrina deal is weak because do you really think that the Saints, as an organization care that much about the 9th Ward? Those folks are still picking up their lives, while the fans who could afford to watch the Saints are 80/20 white to black.

 

We'll be back for the rest of our wrap-up after this word from Angostura Bitters.

 

NBC really has to love this Packers-Bears decision ... not sure who beyond Wisconsinites were watching this game anyway, but I imagine the second-half ratings are going to be headed downward.

Oh, and Atlanta Falcons - nice job; couldn't even beat the Eagles 'B' team. I thought it would be funny if Michael Vick had to spend the night in the hospital and thus couldn't get back to Atlanta in time for the new year. So long Jim Mora.