2019 NFL Thread v. Chiefs are Champs, Missouri rules the sports world

[KevShmev]

Jimmy Johnson was on Cowherd's show a few months ago and mentioned that he and Belichick talk pretty often (or something like that), so I figured they were friends. 

I also think it was very smart that Johnson said that in his coaching days, no one was allowed to call a timeout except him. Not an assistant coach, not Troy Aikman, no one but him.  I see teams waste so many timeouts that it boggles the mind.  Like when a QB is late getting a play early in the 3rd quarter on a 3rd and 14 and he calls a timeout.  So stupid.  The odds of converting that are low anyway, and in a close game at the end, timeouts are extremely valuable especially if you are behind by a score and need them to stop the clock so you can the ball back.  I am surprised more coaches don't install that kind of rule.

[El Barto]

Jimmy Johnson was on Cowherd's show a few months ago and mentioned that he and Belichick talk pretty often (or something like that), so I figured they were friends. 

I also think it was very smart that Johnson said that in his coaching days, no one was allowed to call a timeout except him. Not an assistant coach, not Troy Aikman, no one but him.  I see teams waste so many timeouts that it boggles the mind.  Like when a QB is late getting a play early in the 3rd quarter on a 3rd and 14 and he calls a timeout.  So stupid.  The odds of converting that are low anyway, and in a close game at the end, timeouts are extremely valuable especially if you are behind by a score and need them to stop the clock so you can the ball back.  I am surprised more coaches don't install that kind of rule.

That kind of game management is one of the reasons I'm such a Belichick fan. Last night there was a call that most people would have challenged and won. Bill didn't challenge it, and I suspect it's because of the cost/benefit approach. The timeout was more important than the first down they would have gained on the drive. Better to punt than risk a valuable timeout.

Having said that, I'd probably trust Troy to know when not to call a timeout, and I'd definitely trust Darren Woodson. That's something that can be coached, provided the player isn't a dumbass. I don't disagree with his reasoning at all, but I wouldn't be quite so dogmatic about it. The coach can't see everything that happens.

[TAC]

Troy Aikman Fan Club President reporting for duty!
TAC actually stands for Troy Aikman Champion.

[KevShmev]

  That kind of game management is one of the reasons I'm such a Belichick fan. Last night there was a call that most people would have challenged and won. Bill didn't challenge it, and I suspect it's because of the cost/benefit approach. The timeout was more important than the first down they would have gained on the drive. Better to punt than risk a valuable timeout.

Agreed.  It's like these nitwit coaches that challenge a non-catch to turn into a catch so they get a 2nd and 3 instead of a 2nd and 10 two minutes into the game. 

Having said that, I'd probably trust Troy to know when not to call a timeout, and I'd definitely trust Darren Woodson. That's something that can be coached, provided the player isn't a dumbass. I don't disagree with his reasoning at all, but I wouldn't be quite so dogmatic about it. The coach can't see everything that happens.

Perhaps, but I like taking the hard line approach instead of chancing a screw-up.  His approach basically said, "if we are going to waste a timeout, it is gonna be my fault."

[PowerSlave]

I was roaming around on youtube, and I stumbled upon a MNF game between Denver and Pittsburgh from October '79. They were advertising a Thursday night game between the Chargers and Raiders on ABC. I always thought that Thursday games (with the exception of Thanksgiving games) was a newer thing. I don't remember Thursday night games when I was a kid growing up in the 80's, but everyone knows how memory goes sometimes. Does anyone know if Thursday night games were a thing at one point, disappeared and then came back again? Or, were they around the whole time, and I simply forgot?

[DragonAttack]

Here's the history     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thursday_Night_Football

Wiping away the cobwebs.....I think they only did two or three TNF games a year from 79-86.  I kinda recall a Steelers-Oilers game, and that's it.  As much as I followed all sports back then, it just never interested me.  Not much interest now, though the match ups have been better the past couple of years.

Why they can't give both teams a bye the preceeding Sunday is beyond me.

[PowerSlave]

Here's the history     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thursday_Night_Football

Wiping away the cobwebs.....I think they only did two or three TNF games a year from 79-86.  I kinda recall a Steelers-Oilers game, and that's it.  As much as I followed all sports back then, it just never interested me.  Not much interest now, though the match ups have been better the past couple of years.

Why they can't give both teams a bye the preceeding Sunday is beyond me.

Thanks for info!

As far as giving teams a bye the previous sunday goes, I don't think that would work since they'd have to turn around and play the sunday after the thursday game. However, a scenario close to that would work out very good. Let's say that a team has a thursday night game in week 3. They play on a sunday on week 2, then their week 3 game is the thursday night game after the sunday/monday games of week 3. Then they have a bye week on week 4. Each team would get a week and a half to prepare for the thursday game, then they would have another week 1/2 off until week 5. A couple of the biggest complaints that fans have of the Thursday night games is that the teams aren't prepared (Game Plan) after having played just a few days before, and many of the players haven't fully healed and are tired from playing a game a few days before. This would solve both of those issues.

[DragonAttack]

Yes...of course their one bye week would be the prior Sunday, and then they would not play until two Sundays later.

And....no TNF until around week 5, and none after week 12 or 13 (other than Turkey Day).  Then they could do the old fashioned Saturday afternoon doubleheaders like the old days....which helped one survive the family gatherings at that time of year

[black_biff_stadler]

Pretty damn stoked for the Saints. I really hope it was just the hot weather hindering our OL and DL today and that we come out more aggressively against Chicago. If we win that, the Cardinals and Falcons look very beatable in the two games afterward and Drew Brees could be returning to an 8-1 team.

[DragonAttack]

And the 'Fins-Potatoes game ends up with the most exciting finish ......of course, it would come down to a failed 2 point conversion. 

[TAC]

WTF is up with the Cowboys?

[TheCountOfNYC]

The Jets look like a completely different team with Darnold on the field.

[Nick]

Another week, still undefeated.

I still don't think the Niners are some mega juggernaut, but beating the Rams by 13 points certainly puts me at ease after the teams faced in our first four games.

[TAC]

Another week, still undefeated.

I still don't think the Niners are some mega juggernaut, but beating the Rams by 13 points certainly puts me at ease after the teams faced in our first four games.

I don't think the Rams are an elite NFC team anyway.

[black_biff_stadler]

HOW BOUT DEM COWBOYS?!!!

[TheCountOfNYC]

They’re back from the dead! Still plenty of room for improvement, but with a healthy Darnold, the Jets actually feel like an NFL team.

[KevShmev]

I'd like to congratulate the Patriots on winning the AFC and making another Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, the NFC is loaded. The Saints, 49ers, Packers and Seahawks all look like legit top contenders.

Russell Wilson is the NFL MVP at this point.

[jammindude]

Question about the Steelers/Chargers game and the punt/fumble that just happened.   Aren't they supposed to give him some room to catch?

EDIT - they are huddling about it...so that answers that.

[black_biff_stadler]

I got bored waiting for them to finalize the call so I started looking at Facebook. When I stopped watching they'd said it was gonna be Chargers ball but I didn't see if they'd assessed 15 yards for fair catch interference. If not, I can't see how that'd not be a bullshit call.

[TAC]

Facebook??

[black_biff_stadler]

My mom made me delete my MySpace account.

[Cool Chris]

I'd like to congratulate the Patriots on winning the AFC and making another Super Bowl.

Just checked the rest of their schedule, and.... this sounds about right.

[King Postwhore]

Still too early to say that Kev.  KC is really banged up.

[bosk1]

5-0.  Legit.  As banged up as the 49ers are, this was a BIG win. 

[black_biff_stadler]

Holy shit. I knew the Dolphins were bad but I didn't realize they were this bad. If you combined all of the points the Dolphins had scored during their first four games and pitted that total against the team that scored the fewest out of their first four opponents they'd still lose by four points.

[ReaperKK]

Really enjoyed the London game against the Bucs. I couldn't be happier with Allen's performance, interested to see how things play out with Cam.

[TAC]

Still too early to say that Kev.  KC is really banged up.

Right. Seems the AFC CG will definitely be in Foxboro, but the Chiefs are still formidable. It comes down to who plays the best in ONE game.

[Dublagent66]

HOW BOUT DEM COWBOYS?!!!

STFU

[El Barto]

Dallas is in a bad way right now, at least from a short term POV. What they really need is a statement game. If they were to play a really good team next week I'd bet on them. A trip to Seattle would do them good. They're not going to get that and I think there's a good chance they fall apart on Garrett like they did with Wade Phillips. From a long term POV a dominating performance over Seattle would only do what always happens with Cowboy's coaches and provide just enough hope to keep them around.

The reality is that it's highly unlikely that Garret survives the offseason. When that becomes certain there's good value in sacking him mid-season. Scare the players and evaluate the next yes-man to take over the hot-seat.

[hefdaddy42]

Panthers defense is really coming together.  7 sacks and 7 turnovers forced (including 5 interceptions) against Tampa Bay.

Kyle Allen becomes the first QB in NFL history to win his first 5 starts, without throwing an INT.

This is turning into a strange, but satisfying season thus far.

[bosk1]

Don't worry, Hef.  You'll be cured of that "satisfying" feeling in about 2 weeks.

[hefdaddy42]

Don't worry, Hef.  You'll be cured of that "satisfying" feeling in about 2 weeks.

I knew you would say something.

We'll definitely find out what we're made of.

[bosk1]

We'll definitely find out what we're made of.

Yeah, in all seriousness, so will we.  We should be closer to healthy, and the Panthers should be a good test for this stage in the season. 

[hefdaddy42]

We'll definitely find out what we're made of.

Yeah, in all seriousness, so will we.  We should be closer to healthy, and the Panthers should be a good test for this stage in the season.

My initial prediction is honestly the 49ers in a close win.  Maybe 20-17, or something like that.

[bosk1]

Trying to take my own fandom out of it, that feels about right to me.