NFL 2019 Season Discussions

[Zzzptm]

Choice of viewing at 1PM here in NYC:

Jets v Dolphins

OR

Saints v 49ers



Yeah, I'm with the Saints-49ers competition. Has not disappointed. Blink, and you'll miss a great play. Explosive game, with 8 TDs in the first half.

As I watch, I think "no way would Sean Payton want to leave New Orleans... there ain't nothing broken there." Something Jerry Jones has to seriously consider as the Cowboys start assessing head coach candidates. Things above the head coach level need to be fixed in Dallas if they want to be able to attract and retain a coach that can take talent like the Cowboys have to its fullest potential. Until then, they're never going to be like they were in the 90s.

[Typhon]

^^^^^^
Being you are in N.Y., they will have to show the NYJ game.  I've got

S.F. vs N.O.   or   Balt vs Buff

[Zzzptm]

^^^^^^
Being you are in N.Y., they will have to show the NYJ game.  I've got

S.F. vs N.O.   or   Balt vs Buff

You are spoiled for choice! I'm watching KC v Patriots right now. Pats marched it down the field for a TD, but haven't been able to make necessary adjustments to contain KC. The weakness in the Pats' offense is why the score isn't closer. SF/NO went down to a last-second FG, both of those teams look ferocious.

I'm expecting the Giants to beat the Eagles, because that's how the NFC Least championship is going...  *Somebody* has to win that thing. And I really thought at the start of the year that the Eagles and Cowboys would be duking it out for the top spot with much better W-L records, not verging on a team with a losing record overall or an 8-8 team winning it.

[Zzzptm]

The officiating in the NE-KC game is atrocious. Patriots got robbed, man, they got robbed!

[Typhon]

The officiating in the NE-KC game is atrocious. Patriots got robbed, man, they got robbed!

But why didn't they throw the red flag for a review?   

[Zzzptm]

Belichik had gotten one review turned down, so he only had one more, which he had used. After that, he was all out. You only get a third review if your first two are both accepted. This is why the sport needs a sky judge, to help sort out the complicated calls or to pick up on details not obvious from the field.

But, yeah, twice the refs made bad calls that took points off the board, essentially. As close as the game was and with the playoff implications on the line, that's unacceptable.

[Jack the Stripper]

As a Cowboys fan that 2nd half of the Eagles v Giants game was excruciating to watch.

[Vyn]

The Cowboys are in such a wretched state, it's like a clown show.

[Jack the Stripper]

^^Yep, even if they do win the east they'll only be making up the numbers anyway.

[Typhon]

Belichik had gotten one review turned down, so he only had one more, which he had used. After that, he was all out. You only get a third review if your first two are both accepted. This is why the sport needs a sky judge, to help sort out the complicated calls or to pick up on details not obvious from the field.

But, yeah, twice the refs made bad calls that took points off the board, essentially. As close as the game was and with the playoff implications on the line, that's unacceptable.

Patriots still had 1st & goal at the 3, but could not punch it in.  That part is on them. 

[Zzzptm]

Belichik had gotten one review turned down, so he only had one more, which he had used. After that, he was all out. You only get a third review if your first two are both accepted. This is why the sport needs a sky judge, to help sort out the complicated calls or to pick up on details not obvious from the field.

But, yeah, twice the refs made bad calls that took points off the board, essentially. As close as the game was and with the playoff implications on the line, that's unacceptable.

Patriots still had 1st & goal at the 3, but could not punch it in.  That part is on them. 

Quite true, and that's why Brady doesn't blame referees. But officiating this year in general was supposed to be improved on from last year, and my impression is that it is not. The coaches wanted a sky judge last year and got reviewable pass interference calls as a concession. I think they might just get a sky judge this year.

[Zzzptm]

OK, playoff time is almost here...

AFC:
Patriots at the top of AFC East, but the Bills are close enough to catch them, if they slip. But for the Patriots to slip, they'd pretty much have to lose out, and with both the Bengals and Dolphins in 2 of their last 3 games, I don't think so. Patriots take the division, Bills are the top wild card.

AFC West is the Chiefs. They get to play whichever of the AFC South teams fails to win that division, be it the Texans or the Titans.

AFC North is the Ravens. These guys could get home field advantage all the way through, which would be a major deal. Given a choice between facing the Patriots in Foxboro or somewhere else, everybody takes "somewhere else".

AFC South is right now a toss-up between the Texans and the Titans. One will play the Chiefs, the other plays the Bills and I think both the Chiefs and Bills survive the wildcard round. That could potentially mean a Chiefs-Patriots rematch in the divisional round, again at Foxboro. I'd expect the Ravens to beat the Bills, and then beat whoever wins the KC-NE matchup.

***

NFC:

NFC East...


*Somebody* has to win the division. It'll likely be the Cowboys, and then Jerry Jones will pick a new coach after the Cowboys lose in the wildcard round. If the Eagles win out, then Jerry Jones will fire Garrett a week earlier.

NFC West: 49ers and Seahawks, one of these wins (thinking the 49ers), the other gets to stomp on the NFC East winner in the wildcard round.

NFC North: Going with the Packers here because Aaron Rogers is still Aaron Rogers. The Vikings will be the second wildcard team and may wind up playing the Packers in the wildcard round, who knows?

NFC South: The Saints are strong, and they come out with confidence into the playoffs. I see them facing the Packers at home, with Seahawks going to the 49ers and then we get a rematch of the Saints-49ers game for the NFC Championship, but this time in San Jose.

And if the Super Bowl is Ravens vs 49ers, I'll be all right with that!

[Jack the Stripper]

I think you've summised that perfectly Z.  Ravens win the conference and play either the 49ers or Saints in the Super Bowl.

Still far from confident Dallas will win the NFC east even though The Eagles, Redskins and Giants have done their level best to hand it to them on a silver platter. I think Garrett might've even lost the locker room and there seems to be a hint of resignation amongst the players since that loss to the Pats.

Jones should've just sacked him weeks ago. Everyone knows he ain't gonna be there next season so what's the point in continuing on with him?

[Zzzptm]

It could be that Jones is just a good friend of Garrett and, since the season is lost anyway, wants to let Garrett to have a chance to start looking on his own. We all know Jerry is well and capable of firing coaches in mid-season, that's how Garrett got his job.

But with three weeks left in the season, this is one long goodbye.

I'll give 1000:1 odds that Garrett is just sandbagging to get into the playoffs with the lowest possible number of wins so that they can win the Super Bowl *and* get a pretty decent first round pick. I could give a million or billion to one odds on that and still be ahead 1 dollar, come January.

That being said, I do see a lively set of matchups for the playoffs in the divisional and championship rounds. Any of the wildcards look to be fun games to watch, save the one where I expect a foregone conclusion, the one vs the NFC East winner.

[Vyn]

The Cowboys, showing the world the practical implementation of the old adage "shit in one hand, wish in the other, and see which one fills up first".

Oh yeah, Chiefs won!