NFL Week 16: The Vinny Testaverde Feel Good

[Chef2]

EST
vegasinsider.com


Saturday, December 21

Houston (-1.5) at Tampa Bay (51) (1 NFL Network)

Buffalo at New England (-6.5) (38.5) (4:30 NFL Network)

Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco (-6.5) (45) (8:15 NFL Network)



Sunday, December 22

Baltimore (-10) at Cleveland (48.5) (1 CBS)

Cincinnati at Miami (-1.5) (46.5) (1 CBS)

Pittsburgh (-3) at New York Jets (38.5) (1 CBS)

Jacksonville at Atlanta (-7) (45.5) (1 Fox)

Carolina at Indianapolis (-7) (46.5) (1 Fox)

New Orleans (-1.5) at Tennessee (51) (1 Fox)

New York Giants at Washington (-2.5) (41.5) (1 Fox)

Detroit at Denver (-6.5) (38) (4:05 CBS)

Oakland at Los Angeles Chargers (45.5) (-5) (4:05 CBS)

Dallas (-2.5) at Philadelphia (46) (4:25 Fox)

Arizona at Seattle (-9.5) (50) (4:25 Fox)

Kansas City (-5) at Chicago (45) (8:20 NBC)



Monday, December 23

Green Bay at Minnesota (-4) (45.5) (8:15 ESPN)

 

[Cosmo]

This is the first honest to goodness important late season AFC East game since ... hell if I can remember.

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

We'll see if the Kraft Productions' "Do Your Job" episode profiling turf preparation and maintenance at Orchard Park was worthwhile.

 

[outofplace]

I wonder if people actually seeing part of the video and hearing the video guys basically beg security to let them delete the offending footage will make the league actually hand down a significant punishment. Goodell is fond of talking about repeat offenders getting more severe punishment. This is a repeat offender. I don't care if they can prove whether or not Belichick knew about it. These are Patriots employees violating rules that are in place to keep teams from spying on one another. This is a team that has been busted for cheating twice with the current owner and coach in place. They deserve no benefit of the doubt at all.

Listen to the security guy in the video. He knows they are full of ****. Even the video guys know they are full of ****.

Regarding the actual punishment, they should at least lose a draft pick. A fine is meaningless. If the league can somehow prove Belichick knew what the video crew was doing, that should be a season-long suspension for him. (I doubt they will get such proof, but I thought I'd address the hypothetical.)

The clip was on the Week 15 thread. Here it is again.

 

[poindexter]

It's just like college football or basketball.... the head coaches are known perfectionists, micromanaging to a T.

But when it comes to cheating (recruiting/otherwise) these coaches become Sgt. Shultz. I KNOW NOTHING

 

[outofplace]

EST
vegasinsider.com


Saturday, December 21

Houston (-1.5) at Tampa Bay (51) (1 NFL Network)

Buffalo at New England (-6.5) (38.5) (4:30 NFL Network)

Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco (-6.5) (45) (8:15 NFL Network)



Sunday, December 22

Baltimore (-10) at Cleveland (48.5) (1 CBS)

Cincinnati at Miami (-1.5) (46.5) (1 CBS)

Pittsburgh (-3) at New York Jets (38.5) (1 CBS)

Jacksonville at Atlanta (-7) (45.5) (1 Fox)

Carolina at Indianapolis (-7) (46.5) (1 Fox)

New Orleans (-1.5) at Tennessee (51) (1 Fox)

New York Giants at Washington (-2.5) (41.5) (1 Fox)

Detroit at Denver (-6.5) (38) (4:05 CBS)

Oakland at Los Angeles Chargers (45.5) (-5) (4:05 CBS)

Dallas (-2.5) at Philadelphia (46) (4:25 Fox)

Arizona at Seattle (-9.5) (50) (4:25 Fox)

Kansas City (-5) at Chicago (45) (8:20 NBC)


Monday, December 23

Green Bay at Minnesota (-4) (45.5) (8:15 ESPN)

Bills at Patriots should be a good one, but I just can't see Buffalo winning at New England. The Bills' defense is very good, but they won't have Duck Hodges handing them the game this time.

Speaking of Hodges, I'm not sure who will even start at quarterback for the Steelers Sunday against the Jets in New Jersey. Pittsburgh probably needs to win its two remaining games to get in the playoffs. Both are on the road and the finale is at Baltimore. Their one hope is that the Ravens can clinch the top seed in the AFC by winning at Cleveland Sunday, so Week 17 may be meaningless for Baltimore. This puts me in the odd position of rooting for the Ravens this weekend.

Then again, with that craptastic offense, the Steelers could easily lose to the Jets Sunday. Lucky me, I get to watch it with a bunch of Jets fans.

By the way, the Titans are the other serious contender for the No. 6 seed. They have tough games left with the Saints at home, then the Texans again. If they lose to the Saints, but beat the Texans and the Steelers also go 1-1, the Titans would win the tiebreaker and get the playoff spot. If they both go 1-1, but the Titans' loss is to the Texans, the Steelers get it.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Bills at Patriots should be a good one, but I just can't see Buffalo winning at New England. The Bills' defense is very good, but they won't have Duck Hodges handing them the game this time.

Speaking of Hodges, I'm not sure who will even start at quarterback for the Steelers Sunday against the Jets in New Jersey. Pittsburgh probably needs to win its two remaining games to get in the playoffs. Both are on the road and the finale is at Baltimore. Their one hope is that the Ravens can clinch the top seed in the AFC by winning at Cleveland Sunday, so Week 17 may be meaningless for Baltimore. This puts me in the odd position of rooting for the Ravens this weekend.

Then again, with that craptastic offense, the Steelers could easily lose to the Jets Sunday. Lucky me, I get to watch it with a bunch of Jets fans.

I don't think any team can "easily" lose to the Jets. It takes a total team effort.

 

[HanSenSE]

The Saturday games, are they exclusive to NFL Network? No over-the-air, like the Thursday games?

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

I don't think any team can "easily" lose to the Jets. It takes a total team effort.

I'd be furious if I wasn't laughing so hard.

 

[Spartan Squad]

The Saturday games, are they exclusive to NFL Network? No over-the-air, like the Thursday games?

Local games I believe are accessible. Niners will be on Bay Area NBC but the other two might be exclusive

 

[Liut]

Any chance Kansas City-Chicago gets flexed out of prime time Sunday? If so, anyone know when a decision such as that is made? Thanks.

 

[Spartan Squad]

Any chance Kansas City-Chicago gets flexed out of prime time Sunday? If so, anyone know when a decision such as that is made? Thanks.

A quick Google search says no. Decision came yesterday I think

 

[Cosmo]

Any chance Kansas City-Chicago gets flexed out of prime time Sunday? If so, anyone know when a decision such as that is made? Thanks.

The only real option would have been to flex Dallas-Philly but FOX protected it.

 

[outofplace]

I don't think any team can "easily" lose to the Jets. It takes a total team effort.

I live in New York, so trust me, I get your point. It is possible for a bad offense to lose a game all on its own by combining a lack of production with turnovers. The Steelers possess that kind of offense.

For years, Tomlin's teams have suffered losses to bad teams, especially on the road. Last year's loss in Oakland, which cost them a playoff berth, comes to mind as an example. The thing Steelers fans complain about most, losing to bad teams, is the one thing this year's group has avoided. The one exception is the stinker on that Thursday night in Cleveland. Their other losses came against the Patriots, Seahawks, 49ers, Ravens and Bills. All five of those teams are headed to the playoffs.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

I live in New York, so trust me, I get your point. It is possible for a bad offense to lose a game all on its own by combining a lack of production with turnovers. The Steelers possess that kind of offense.

For years, Tomlin's teams have suffered losses to bad teams, especially on the road. Last year's loss in Oakland, which cost them a playoff berth, comes to mind as an example. The thing Steelers fans complain about most, losing to bad teams, is the one thing this year's group has avoided. The one exception is the stinker on that Thursday night in Cleveland. Their other losses came against the Patriots, Seahawks, 49ers, Ravens and Bills. All five of those teams are headed to the playoffs.

If you had told me on Columbus Day the only two teams with winning records in mid-December New England has beaten this so far are the Steelers and Bills, I would not have believed it. Amazing turnaround by Pittsburgh, no matter how it ends.

 

[HanSenSE]

Local games I believe are accessible. Niners will be on Bay Area NBC but the other two might be exclusive

So, living in the Santa Cruz area without NFL Network, looks like I'm off to my local tavern or seeking alternate viewing options.

 

[justgladtobehere]

I wonder if people actually seeing part of the video and hearing the video guys basically beg security to let them delete the offending footage will make the league actually hand down a significant punishment. Goodell is fond of talking about repeat offenders getting more severe punishment. This is a repeat offender. I don't care if they can prove whether or not Belichick knew about it. These are Patriots employees violating rules that are in place to keep teams from spying on one another. This is a team that has been busted for cheating twice with the current owner and coach in place. They deserve no benefit of the doubt at all.

Listen to the security guy in the video. He knows they are full of ****. Even the video guys know they are full of ****.

Regarding the actual punishment, they should at least lose a draft pick. A fine is meaningless. If the league can somehow prove Belichick knew what the video crew was doing, that should be a season-long suspension for him. (I doubt they will get such proof, but I thought I'd address the hypothetical.)

The clip was on the Week 15 thread. Here it is again.

You don't know why they were begging to delete the footage. The video guys could have been afraid about their jobs, which turned out to be warranted because the employee was suspended.
Also, do people actually believe that Belichick knows what is going on for a crappy web series run by an entirely different department? Kraft Productions isn't a couple of guys, a camera and a MacBook. Belichick isn't spending time worrying about it.

 

[poindexter]

Also, do people actually believe that Belichick knows what is going on for a crappy web series run by an entirely different department?

Yes, when its 10 minutes of a video of the sidelines

 

[Spartan Squad]

So, living in the Santa Cruz area without NFL Network, looks like I'm off to my local tavern or seeking alternate viewing options.

Driving to the in-laws in SoCal. Even the local tavern won't be as option. I'll have to follow on Twitter

 

[poindexter]

Your inlaws don't have the NFL Network? Are they cord cutters?