That was a terrific game and it was really nice to see that interview with Seahawks reserve QB Drew Lock, who was just so happy to have gotten a chance to play and win a game. I don't know if he will start again, but maybe he'll get a look.

Two things are rampant in the league this year.

Even with all the endless instant replays and HQ calls, the refs are getting penalty calls wrong in games every week. There is no consistency in applying the rules and its costing teams games.

The other thing is that teams are fighting amongst themselves on camera between both the players and with the coaching staff. Some coaches seem to have lost control of their players entirely. A lot of people are going to be moving around to different teams next season, if they even have a job.

Yeah, Lock looked like a bust with Denver but he played great Monday night. He made some great throws.

Also, yeah, there are always bad calls and it always seems like my team is getting them but they happen to everyone. A terrible call is when a ref doesn't see clear pass interference or holding. I see cornerbacks and safties getting away with grabbing a receiver. Hey, if I see a receiver's jersey being pulled, he's being impeded and that's a pennalty. Hand-slapping between receiver and defensive back is okay but an arm bar isn't.

Right, you want aggressive and tough in a player but you don't want a hothead. Somebody like that can lose a game near the end because the opponent got a first down from a personal foul. I think that happened to Cincinnati a few years ago and it either damaged or ruined their playoff run that year.

Yay Dolphins win.

play off's time.

Not too sure about this roughing the passer business though. There were times in this match when the guy was in mid air when the ball was thrown, what is he supposed to do, how can he possibly stop, it's a phsical impossibility.

Well that confirms everything i was afraid of.

The end of the Detroit-Dallas game is more messed-up than was announced at the time. The Lions are saying the right player reported but the official thought it was the other player. Huge mistake that cost the Lions the game.

The Ravens appear to be unstoppable now as long as Jackson doesn't get hurt. Meanwhile, nobody is afraid of the Eagles. They will need at least two bad calls to beat the Lions.

Yeah, I agree. The Ravens are on top not just because they have the best record, but because they show up every game. The Dolphins have been good one week and nothing the next. They are like almost every other team this year, they can lose to anybody, any week. That a team like the Steelers still has a chance to make the playoffs shows how weak the league has been this season.

The Eagles have fallen off the cliff. I wouldn't be surprised if they go out in one. The Rams are fighting for their life and could barely beat the Giants, who should have won if they weren't, well the hapless Giants.

I think this season's playoffs could have many upsets. Not because anyone is good enough to win, but because everyone is capable of losing.

Pretty good 2 games yesterday with playoff implications.

So Steelers beat the Ravens, but Ravens were only half trying with best players taking a rest. The Steelers now have to wait for help to see if they make it in. I don't see them getting very far if they do get into the playoffs anyway.

Now the Colts blew it and Minshew and Goodson are probably sick today because that little pass was too easy to mess up. However, I blame the coaching staff for even calling it. Anything can happen when the ball is in the air and they only needed one yard. Run it, jam it, QB sneak it, just lean forward a little. You don't have to throw the ball to get one yard.

Anyway, it made for an exciting game and C. J. Stroud is the new darling of the media, for a while. I don't see the Texans winning many more games either.

Let's see how it wraps up today.

The playoffs are set.

The Steelers have to go to Buffalo. I would say Buffalo should win easy but they suffered a few more injuries while beating Miami. The Steelers looked okay against the Ravens' back-ups. In the end Buffalo should be able to score and Pittsburgh will need a special teams or defensive touchdown to be within a touchdown late. Buffalo 24, Pittsburgh 13.

Miami at Kansas City is a matchup of two teams that have trouble looking good. They played each other in Europe earlier this season and I think Miami could win by a field goal though they have a lot of injuries. Miami 20, Kansas City 17.

Yeah, Cleveland should be able to beat the Texans. Cleveland 24, Houston 20

Dallas might barbecue Green Bay, 38-21.

Rams and Lions looks like an interesting game. Two young teams but with the Rams having the more experienced quarterback. Rams 27 Lions 20.

The Eagles are in free fall but they will make it close especially if Tampa misses a field goal and gives up a special teams/defensive touchdown. Eagles 20 Tampa 24.

So the Dolphins blow it, i really thought we were going to do something this season but now it's all over.

Good as any picks catskilleagle, but I would go the other way on two games.

Buffalo, Cleveland, Rams and Tampa, I agree should win. I would love to see Buffalo blow it, but probably not.

But I can't see KC going out in the first round and the Dolphins don't look like they are bouncing back enough to do it.

The big upset that I would call, if it happens, is Green Bay over Dallas. Green Bay is better than people think, and I think Dallas is inconsistent and overrated. So, this could be the surprise of the playoffs.

One thing about the KC-Miami game, it's been sold as a streaming exclusive to Peacock. You won't see it unless you subscribe to Peacock and that shows just how greedy the network and league are. I hope the viewership is awful because it's a double cross to every fan who is paying for a package already.

They have a ton of injuries plus two more in the last game. They've had to shuffle the offensive line across the season and guys have been in and out on defense.

Analysts are saying Tua is great throwing to the middle of the field but doesn't have the strength to throw hard to the outside. Good defenses have been clogging the middle forcing him to throw to the edges. His last throw was to the outside and it was intercepted.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfie:
So the Dolphins blow it, i really thought we were going to do something this season but now it's all over.

I pick Miami to win all the time. Woirking against them this week outside of their own problems are going on the road to a town that might be experiencing 0-10 degree weather and the Chief's improved defense.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Good as any picks catskilleagle, but I would go the other way on two games.

Buffalo, Cleveland, Rams and Tampa, I agree should win. I would love to see Buffalo blow it, but probably not.

But I can't see KC going out in the first round and the Dolphins don't look like they are bouncing back enough to do it.

The big upset that I would call, if it happens, is Green Bay over Dallas. Green Bay is better than people think, and I think Dallas is inconsistent and overrated. So, this could be the surprise of the playoffs.

There was a Peacock-only game a couple of weeks ago. I agree. I don't like the streaming exclusives either. Most of the Thursday games were on Amazon Prime. If I didn't have it, I wouldn't pay just to get the games. I don't like Thursday games anyway. For me, it's less time to make my picks and you get teams with less time to recover from just a few days ago.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
One thing about the KC-Miami game, it's been sold as a streaming exclusive to Peacock. You won't see it unless you subscribe to Peacock and that shows just how greedy the network and league are. I hope the viewership is awful because it's a double cross to every fan who is paying for a package already.

It was just a little while ago that they were saying the Thursday game would be dropped because too many players were getting hurt with the short week. What happened to that?

Peacock belongs to NBC. So instead of putting it on Channel 4 as the main network that you can still get on-air or in a package if you have cable, they put it on the streaming channel. If it boosts the viewership enough to pay the league and profit, NBC and all the others will switch over to their streamers. That is their goal anyway.

So the weather in KC Saturday night is predicted to be so cold that the wind chill will feel like close to 30 degrees below zero. Not sure if Green Bay even hits that, but the game time will not be changed according to the league.

Now a couple of things about this.

Having sold this game as an exclusive to Peacock for 110M, they probably wouldn't want to change the time, freezing players and fans be damned.

The Miami Dolphins are at a disadvantage more so than KC, not being used to playing in this sort of weather. However, this is stupid cold even for KC and the game has to be affected with a football that is going to feel like a brick to throw or catch or kick. So basically, anything can happen to anyone, including injuries. Game expectations are out the window.

I think this is dangerous and the game should at least be moved to daylight, if not outright rescheduled. But since they won't do that, I would really love to see this, if only because this may rival the legendary Ice Bowl. I won't see it because I'm not falling in line and paying Peacock.

Well no surprise there, the good thing is i knew it weeks ago so there is no feeling of disapointment.

Need to improve in order to get further next year.

Rather disappointing that the games weren't more competitive especially the Browns, who looked to be ready to make a run. For a veteran, Flacco still throws too many balls into the other teams hands and that was his problem with the Jets and why he didn't get the starting job there.

Glad I didn't pony up for the KC/Miami game. Nothing much to see with that one.

Bills and Steelers moved to tomorrow because of impeding storm. Would really like to see Packers bring it to the Cowboys. Don't really care who wins Rams/Lions, but would like to see a good game and not another shut off in the middle of the third.

Is it me or have the announcers, the taped interviews, the expert panels, the human-interest pieces, gotten even more insipid than usual?

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
The big upset that I would call, if it happens, is Green Bay over Dallas. Green Bay is better than people think, and I think Dallas is inconsistent and overrated. So, this could be the surprise of the playoffs.

Ha! If I get all the rest of them wrong, this is the one that makes up for it.

Even with my doubts about Dallas, I could hardly believe that the Pack could come out like they did for really the first 3 quarters, but the Cowboys looked lost. All Dak kept doing was trying to throw to Lamb. It wasn't working and where were their other plays? Meanwhile the defense couldn't stop Love, who had a running game and multiple throwing targets. If you just saw this team today, you would think they were a Super Bowl Champion lock, but it had more to do with Dallas not knowing how to get started offensively or stop the Pack defensively.

Now people will declare the Pack ready to beat the 49ers. As good as Love and company looked today, I'll go out on a limb and say that they won't. The 49ers see their game plans watching the tapes. They will be ready for them. None of these formations will be a surprise and the Pack will start to tighten up having already played nearly perfect and now they will think about doing it again. It's the thinking that makes it not happen.

Great game, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and Jerry Jones is going to fire somebody. Next game up.

Good game of fairly even teams. Not unhappy that the Lions fans finally saw their team win but was rooting for Stafford at the end. He took some shot and got back in. The Rams had their chance but couldn't find the endzone in 3 red zone tries, so they only have themselves to blame.

Have the feeling that the Lions are likely to be cannon fodder in the next round though.