NFL Week 14: When white receivers roamed the Earth

The Seahawks-Jags kneeldown play that started that whole mess. Michael Bennett looks like he's trying to rip off the Jags' lineman's leg and beat him with it.

 

He's not the 2nd coming but you do realize it's been over 10? 15 years since someone in a Niners jersey has thrown such sweet easy to catch passes more than 10 yes downfield? Not since Garcia. Not Kaep, not Gabbert, not Hoyer, not even Alex Smith. Garoppolo throws a sweet ball.

 

And that's the kind of stuff that makes me hate the Seahawks and Pete Carroll. I feel like he's always trying to find some way to investigate--running up the score, having players swipe at the ball while the other team is taking a knee-- and always tries to act aghast that the other side got mad. Dick move by a team led by a guy with zero class.

 

As an avowed Cowboys hater, I used to think that them going 1-15 every year would be the best thing ever. I've come to realize, however, that their state of perpetual 8-8 purgatory is even better than that. It gives their fans just enough hope to have the rug violently pulled out from under them while those three 1990s Super Bowls get increasingly distant. The occasional 13-3 season followed by a second-round playoff implosion is like throwing some extra kindling in my personal yule log of disdain.

 

Yea, I do. So I forgot the blue font?

 

What you see on this thread is why I've always had a rule against picking games involving the Steelers, especially when I used to put money down. But I'll gladly take a victory in which they prove me wrong every time.

To be fair, they are a damn weird team. Early in the season, the defense had to carry them while Roethlisberger often looked like he had retired already. He was missing throws, but more importantly, he wasn't even trying to buy time like he used to. The mistakes were still there, but not the big plays.

Now the offense has found its way, mostly due to Roethlisberger raising his level, and they are averaging 33.3 points per game over the last four contests. The Steelers now have the league leader in passing yards, rushing yards (Bell) and receiving yards (Brown), but their defense looks like it couldn't stop Pine-Richland High School's team.

Injuries to Shazier and Haden are a huge part of the problem, but the pass rush has mostly disappeared of late. They have serious problems if Heyward and Tuitt aren't creating pressure inside.

Speaking of which, the Steelers are clearly going to lose to the Patriots.

 

You hear a lot about baseball (pitchers mostly) - policing itself. I wonder if the NFL should just let a group of retired players and the Players Association handle discipline/fines for on-field stuff. Figure the the players know dirty play when they see it. And when a hit is unfortunate or intentional. One, it's a lot easier to accept punishment from people who played the game. Two, the players have an invested interest in cleaning up the game as much as possible. How many teams have lost key players and had their playoff chances seriously affected by injuries. Might also be a step in the right direction to get active players involved in the rules committee. As it is now, there are players in the league that are reckless and dangerous they have no problem putting out on the field as long as he doesn't harm one of their guys.

 

The NFL already has former players involved. Jon Runyan sent out the letters regarding the suspensions from the Steelers-Bengals game last week. James Thrash ruled against Smith-Schuster's appeal. Troy Vincent is also part of the process.

Of course, it would help if they could get their message straight. Runyan wrote in the letter than taunting was a factor in Smith-Schuster's suspension, but Vincent later said that wasn't considered at all.

I think it is going to be tough for some people to believe even the former players in such a position aren't doing Goodell's bidding. Though some do buy it. I heard Herm Edwards on the radio last week defending the Smith-Schuster suspension simply because Vincent was involved.

 

OK, I take it back. TV should still show kneeldown plays before switching to other games just to make sure a riot doesn't break out.

Still, they don't need to send it to the studio host just to tell you for a second time that you're getting switched.

 

A few observations.
I wish they would have let Jefferson into the stands.
Bennett should be knee-capped.
David Carr has that "Let's just get this over with" look on his face.
So does Del Rio.
The Colts-Bills game?.......Loved it.
Patriots-Steelers next Sunday may be 63-56.

 

The Steelers have no chance of beating New England unless someone tells Mike Tomlin the game has been moved to Monday night and he shows up at the stadium 24 hours late.

 

Glad you and your son had a good time.

I went to my one and only NFL game with my dad when I was your son's age ... Bears against Green Bay, Soldier Field, high up in the end zone on a very cold day in late 1988. I recall a couple fights among fans — and vividly remember walking down the steps with hundreds of liquor bottles littering the bleachers. Then there was an accident or something on Lake Shore Drive, causing a huge backup and long wait to get home.

It's a great sport to watch on TV.