NFL Week 13 -- What About Love?

[jr/shotglass]

Maybe, or maybe it's just one magical night. He didn't look good at all last week against the Steelers. He threw one ugly interception and had another dropped. His yardage looks decent due to a screen that broke for a big play and a tipped ball that somehow made it to Chase for about 40 yards.

Football is weird.

Fair. But that might have been more an indictment of Pickett ...

 

[Junkie]

Is it just me, or is the quality of play deteriorating in the NFL? Teams still in playoff contention look like crud. It's not even about being "good" but looking like you've spent a couple of practices together (and I realize that with some teams and their QBs, the answer is no) - but I do think the quality of the play is no better than the quality of officiating.

I don't know whether it's too soon to say this, but it's going to be soon enough if not. The caliber of play is going to decrease as fewer kids play football. The participation numbers have seen a sharp decline over the last 15 years or so and that trend has picked up speed in the "concussion era," as more parents are reluctant to let their kids play. Eventually that's going to make it's way to the highest levels, as a percentage of the best athletes migrates to lacrosse, soccer and even tennis, which has seen a spike in participation. Right now, more boys play football at the high school level than any other sport, but the disparity is not as large as it once was. If I had time or energy, I'd look into this much more empirically, but since I neither, I'll let someone else do that.

 

[swingline]

Did anyone else feel like that Jax fan saying What? was staged? It seemed very fake to me.

 

[da man]

The old Olbermann line…."He's day to day…..but aren't we all?"

I thought that was Dan Patrick.

 

[DanOregon]

I don't know what is more surprising - that less than half the league has had a QB not miss a start this season, or that Tua and Sam Howell have started all of their teams games.

 

[Webster]

The old Olbermann line…."He's day to day…..but aren't we all?"

Vin Scully, no?

 

[Webster]

There should be a race between sprained ankle Trevor and Big Dom.

 

[outofplace]

Fair. But that might have been more an indictment of Pickett ...

I know it. My faith in both guys is limited. The Bengals certainly seem to trust Browning more than the Steelers trust Pickett.

 

[outofplace]

I don't know what is more surprising - that less than half the league has had a QB not miss a start this season, or that Tua and Sam Howell have started all of their teams games.

I would say the latter given the Tagovailoa's history of injuries and the beating Howell has taken.

 

[playthrough]

The socialist league has a way of pulling you back in. As a Bengals fan I thought hope was lost, now I'm looking at a schedule where 10-7 is possible. Five games to go and maybe only one against a Week 1 starting QB (Mahomes). Who the heck knows.

 

[jr/shotglass]

Did anyone else feel like that Jax fan saying What? was staged? It seemed very fake to me.

By now, I'm convinced that crowd shots are mainly planned and planted.

 

[playthrough]

By now, I'm convinced that crowd shots are mainly planned and planted.

And anyone in a front row seat is jonesing for the TV time.

It sure seems like in most NFL cities that front-row season ticket holders are more than happy to scalp to opposing fans, who are equally happy to pay extra to be seen.