* Niners go 2-1 in that 3 game sequence against and 8-2 team and two 10-2 teams. Jimmy Garoppolo caps off the series by game managing the team to 349 yards and 4 TDs in a 48-46 shootout win.
* I don't know if I can survive another 49ers "Game of the Year" game. I'm not sure the 49ers either. The game against New Orleans has added to the team's ever-growing injury list. Starting center Weston Richburg is out for the season. Dee Ford and Richard Sherman will both miss multiple games, and Ford is no guarantee to return for the playoffs. The team's man run-stuffing defensive tackle DJ Jones has a "significant" ankle injury. Nickel corner K’Waun Williams suffered a concussion.
* PFF's story on Kyle Shanahan's offense has some good insight. In short: (1) more pre-snap motion than anyone else, (2) Jusczcyk, (3) the Shanahan family business (outside zone).
* Raiders defensive rankings in the almost 2 years with defensive coordinator Paul Guenther: 31st in points allowed per game, 32nd in yards per.play allowed, 31st in passer rating against. The offense in Oakland has struggled the past few weeks, but the real limiting factor for the Raiders is this bottom dwelling defensive unit. (Clelin Ferrell still avoiding sacks like the plague - none in the past 5 weeks. Jon Gruden's explanation this week as to why they took Ferrell over Josh Allen doesn't offer a very satisfying answer)
* How bad are the Jags now? They're the first team since the 1986 Buccaneers to lose 5 straight games by 17+ points. This week, their meltdown runs head-first into the Raiders' meltdown.
* With only 6 offensive points in a playoff race primetime game, any argument Russell Wilson had for MVP has been dealt a life-threatening blow. Barring any miracles, Lamar should win MVP in a landslide. (Deshaun Watson's chance of clawing back into the picture similarly suffered a likely fatal blow as he struggled against Vic Fangio's defense while Drew Lock lit up his team's).
* Jameis Winston in a Bruce Arians offense is the exact kind of nonsense we should have expected. He has thrown for over 300 yards in 7 of his last 8 games, with two 400+ yard performances among them. He has 14 TDs and 18 INTs in that stretch. The team is 4-4 over those games, winning the last 3 straight.
* In the first 6 games, Jacoby Brissett threw 14 TDs to 3 INTs, and 231 yards per game. In the last 6 games, it has been 4 TDs to 3 INTs, and 185 yards per game, as the team has rapidly fallen out of playoff contention. play swag
* Kansas City has come roaring back. After a disastrous October (1-3) and then losing to the Titans even after Mahomes returned (and threw for over 440 yards), they looked like they were headed out of the picture. But 3 straight wins, including the road win against New England this week, along with the Raiders losing 3 straight, has flipped the picture entirely. Even if they lose on the road to Chicago in 2 weeks, they're likely to finish no worse than 10-6 and the likely 3 seed in the AFC.
Thursday night Lamar? I actually have to watch
Jameis Winston in a Bruce Arians offense is the exact kind of nonsense we should have expected. He has thrown for over 300 yards in 7 of his last 8 games, with two 400+ yard performances among them. He has 14 TDs and 18 INTs in that stretch. The team is 4-4 over those games, winning the last 3 straight.
It's basically the same Winston, except with more yardage. His TD and INT %s are both a bit higher than career average, but not by much, and all that's really changed is he's throwing for more yards, TDs, and picks than usual. I do think Arians will realize he's not going to get better and Winston moves on, and the big question is what offensive-minded coach out there is so convinced of their coaching genius they're absolutely sure they can fix Winston's problems.
Winston really isn't a West Coast-style QB at all, but that doesn't mean I don't think Gruden signing him wouldn't be hilarious to watch.
Huh, interestingly that guy's only job in the NFL has been with the Jags. All of his other coaching cred comes from Canada and Europe.
Let's see if the NFC East can continue to be the biggest joke in football this year.
Let's see if the NFC East can continue to be the biggest joke in football this year.
Not the biggest, that means they excel at something. Jags are #1 (around here anyway), the NFC Least is #2 in all possible meanings.
I'm excited about Sunday night's Bills-Steelers game: the two coaches were teammates at W&M, my alma mater, aka the Cradle of Coaching*
* not completely kidding; Marv Levy, Lou Holtz, Dan Quinn (Falcons) and Ivan Fears (RB coach with the Patriots for ~20 years) all came through the 'Burg as players or coaches or both.
These tweets are cool. Saw one for highest paid Athlete the other day
Guess there won't be any Thursday Night Football weirdness bringing the Ravens down.
XBox SeX and the new season of The Expanse dropping one day early's probably going to make everyone forget the game's happening.
Any chance Buffalo does us all a solid and win the AFC East??
Hey Lamar doing Lamar things again.
I'd like to know what was going on with the Ravens special teams coverage unit last night. They were awful and that's super weird.
If the Ravens manage the tall order of beating a Myles Garrett-less Browns team that is already packing their lockers with only 10 days to prepare for it, do they deactivate Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram and treat the Steelers to an afternoon of Trace McSorely and Justice Hill?
And if so, does that put Steeler fans in the uncomfortable position of rooting for Lamar Jackson next weekend?
Some hopefully entertaining games this week. Also, the Ravens are looking like the team to beat this year, beating the teams they should, handily ie Jets.
Some hopefully entertaining games this week. Also, the Ravens are looking like the team to beat this year, beating the teams they should, handily ie Jets.
On a short week, they looked a little like a they were playing a pick up game. Some missed throws, some awful special teams play, but in the end, they were just much better athletes and a much better team than the Jets.
I'm having a hard time finding his landing spot though, now that Trubisky has pulled out of his nosedive enough that he's probably still going to get the shot in 2020. Just like Winston did over and over, Mitch's showing just enough right when people were about to bury him to be given another shot.
If I had to pick a team with the generic offensive wiz kid coach that needs a QB, I'd pick the Bengals, but they're drafting #1 so will take a QB. Logically, it would be a team that needs a QB that's picking later, like, you know, Tampa, so . . . Chargers? How about the Panthers, that'd be funny. Pittsburgh fans are used to be QBs who like to sexually assault, so he'd fit there.
Cardinals waive Terrell Suggs.
Holy carp. I can totally see him playing the rest of the season for the Ravens.
Paleocon wrote:Cardinals waive Terrell Suggs.
Holy carp. I can totally see him playing the rest of the season for the Ravens.
I don't see him making it to their waiver claim spot.
49ers should not let him slide past them in the waiver order. Dee Ford may or may not be able to play in the playoffs. They wouldn't need Suggs to play base defense, just pure pass rush downs like Ford does.
I don't think I see him making it to the 49ers waiver claim spot either though.
It's also a question of if he's even going to want to continue playing, especially since he's subject to waivers and won't be able to choose his destination.
My understanding is that any team that claims him would have to take on the Cardinals' contract. Seeing how big a number that was, I am not sure clearing waivers is out of the realm of possibilities.
Something tells me he is likely to be choosy about where he lands.
If he gets to the Ravens he may not want to play for them. He was pissed.
Edit: Also it seems like he's fallen off after a decent start to the season. He may end up on a roster but I don't think the Ravens need him as long as their three starting CBs are healthy.
So Suggs suggests he won’t show up for anyone but the Ravens.
Pages