NFL Week 17

[TroyF]

What a year. Turn the ball over 5 times and still win a game. #1 seed is ours.

I know the Patriots are banged up and all, but I'm really sick of people acting like they are the only team. Pittsburgh, Cincy, Denver and KC were all hit hard with injuries this year. SD was also hit hard.

In 3 of the cases above, they lost their starting QB for multiple games.

Denver has home field, will have a rested Manning and should have a healthy defense. I still don't think they are the favorites, but I'd rather be with home field and the bye than hoping Manning and the team could win 3 straight on the road.

Been a fun year no matter what happens in two weeks.

[Edward64]

FWIW, draft order for April 28.

2016 NFL draft order: Titans clinch No. 1 draft pick for 2016 - NFL - SI.com

The order for the final 12 picks will be determined by the outcome of the playoffs.

Below is the full draft order, as of Sunday at 4 p.m.

1 Titans
2 Browns
3 Cowboys
4 Chargers
5 49ers
6 Jaguars
7 Ravens
8 Dolphins
9 Giants
10 Bears
11 Buccaneers
12 Saints
13 Eagles
14 Lions
15 Raiders
16 Rams
17 Falcons
18 Colts
19 Bills
20 Jets

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

MIJB, definitely go massive contrarian this week, pick plenty of underdogs and hope for a nutty week, which definitely happens in Week 17.

The Bills, Eagles, Dolphins, Seahawks and 49ers came through, but at the last minute I decided to pick against the Saints and Lions (double d'oh) and to rely on the Titans and Jaguars instead. I was never going to pick against the Cowboys though (they seemed like a safe underdog to pick, playing at home against a team that should have taken it easy), which would have ended my chances for 1st place right there anyway, regardless of my Packers-Vikings pick.

As it looks now, with just that last game to go, I'll probably move up a couple of spots into the top20 and probably have the tiebreakers fall my way against almost everybody with the same total score, but in the end I needed (and would have succeeded with) a perfect score today to win the overall title. Which makes me believe that going underdogs heavy was the right play all along, I just picked the wrong ones or was still too conservative in the end.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

Andy Reid went from position to HC. There have been others I'm sure, but I think Lurie looks back at the Reid hire as pretty good. And Harbough of the Johns was a ST Coordinator, so I'm not sure if that counts either for you.

On the other hand, there's Jim Zorn.

Would probably make a good study though - do you have a higher success rate hiring coordinators vs position coaches who "skip" a level?

[tucker rocky]

Originally Posted by Edward64

FWIW, draft order for April 28.

2016 NFL draft order: Titans clinch No. 1 draft pick for 2016 - NFL - SI.com

Quote:
The order for the final 12 picks will be determined by the outcome of the playoffs.

Below is the full draft order, as of Sunday at 4 p.m.

1 Titans
2 Browns
3 Cowboys
4 Chargers
5 49ers
6 Jaguars
7 Ravens
8 Dolphins
9 Giants
10 Bears
11 Buccaneers
12 Saints
13 Eagles
14 Lions
15 Raiders
16 Rams
17 Falcons
18 Colts
19 Bills
20 Jets

With the 2nd pick in the 2016 NFL draft, the Browns select QB.....

[MrBug708]

Sounds like Mora was hoping for the Chargers job and the Miami ploy was just to create "demand". Jimmy Sextan is working on getting Gase the Miami job

[ColtCrazy]

Originally Posted by Radii

Is it possible that both wild card teams will be favored in the AFC next week?

If the Vikings beat GB tonight, I could see all 4 road teams being favored. GB over Wash, Seattle over Vikes. Some very interesting matchups next week.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Radii

15-1 and home field locked up, I'm glad today was stress free as far as that stuff goes. Its still surreal to see my team at 15-1 going into the playoffs, what a year, three more wins to go!

Congrats to Carolina.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

On the other hand, there's Jim Zorn.

Would probably make a good study though - do you have a higher success rate hiring coordinators vs position coaches who "skip" a level?

I would think there are four levels of HC hire:

1). Head Coaches who have been coordinators before
2). Head Coaches who have been NFL head coaches before
3). Head coaches who have been assistants of some sort only
4). College HC is highest they were at.


I suspect you want to tease out NFL assistants only like Tom Coughlin who was an NFL assistant, then became an NCAA head coach, and then was hired as the Jags HC so

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Didn't see the game but saw it posted on SI. On the surface, his stats didn't look that bad? Did Peyton really need to be brought in or was this find any excuse to get him back in as QB?

I guess it ultimately worked out though.

He appeared to give the offense more confidence. Oz may have been fucking up audibles and blitz pick ups etc so the move looked good. I frankly would rather have Oz start in the playoffs but doubt that happens now. Oz probably did enough to get a team to pay him elsewhere and guess the Broncos coaching staff benching makes him unlikely to stay in Denver. Also Manning is not the answer in 2016 so we probably don't have the 2016 QB on the roster. Regardless, the Broncos got the 1 seed and a bye so that is all that matters.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Galaril

He appeared to give the offense more confidence. Oz may have been fucking up audibles and blitz pick ups etc so the move looked good. I frankly would rather have Oz start in the playoffs but doubt that happens now. Oz probably did enough to get a team to pay him elsewhere and guess the Broncos coaching staff benching makes him unlikely to stay in Denver. Also Manning is not the answer in 2016 so we probably don't have the 2016 QB on the roster. Regardless, the Broncos got the 1 seed and a bye so that is all that matters.

I doubt Brock would leave simply because of that. The question is if Denver wants him. Two points:

1) I'll worry about all that crap after the season

2) If I do think about it right now, I'm not horribly concerned. I might be the only one, but I happen to think Griffin and Kaep just need a change of scenery and can be good.

[kingfc22]

And of course the Niners win a pointless game dropping back further in the draft. This team can't even figure out how to properly tank.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

I don't understand how Baalke escapes? It is obvious Harbaugh was a huge part of his success.

He obviously has compromising photos of Jed. Only viable explanation at this point

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

And of course the Niners win a pointless game dropping back further in the draft. This team can't even figure out how to properly tank.

Haha, reminded me of something I just said in FOF MP.

Originally Posted by Dutch

I need a better coach, mine has no clue that tanking was perfectly acceptable here.

[Dutch]

Here's the updated list from NFL.com

1. Tennessee Titans: 3-13 (.492 strength of schedule)
2. Cleveland Browns: 3-13 (.531)
3. San Diego Chargers: 4-12 (.528)
4. Dallas Cowboys: 4-12 (.533)
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-11 (.473)
6. Baltimore Ravens: 5-11 (.508)
7. San Francisco 49ers: 5-11 (.539)
8. Miami Dolphins: 6-10 (.469)
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-10 (.484)
10. New York Giants: 6-10 (.498)
11. Chicago Bears: 6-10 (.548)
12. New Orleans Saints: 7-9 (.504)
13. Philadelphia Eagles: 7-9 (.508)
14. Oakland Raiders: 7-9 (.512)
15. St. Louis Rams: 7-9 (.528)
16. Detroit Lions: 7-9 (.536)
17. Atlanta Falcons: 8-8 (.478)
18. Indianapolis Colts: 8-8 (.500)
19. Buffalo Bills: 8-8 (.508)
20. New York Jets: 10-6 (.441)

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Congrats to Carolina.

thanks, hopefully it comes down to Arizona/Carolina in the end in the NFC

[Dutch]

Jameis Winston is gonna be alright. This is the best post-season presser I've heard from a Bucs player...probably ever...and I've heard a lot of (mostly depressing) post-season pressers in my day.

Press Conference: QB Jameis Winston

[Dutch]

And yes, I'm pulling for the Carolina Panthers from here on out. Good luck.

[Abe Sargent]

That play by the Pack defense had to have been facilitated by those stickglum gloves, right?

[MizzouRah]

Rams moved up!

[Arles]

This might be the worst Packers team that I've seen in years. We need a mercy killing at this point - let's hope Kirk Cousins is up for it.

[Dutch]

The NY Jets are this year's winner of the "Try Harder or maybe Lesser Award"....nothing like finishing 10-6, not getting in the playoffs, and picking 20th in the draft.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by tucker rocky

With the 2nd pick in the 2016 NFL draft, the Browns select QB.....

Trevone Boykin

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Dutch

The NY Jets are this year's winner of the "Try Harder or maybe Lesser Award"....nothing like finishing 10-6, not getting in the playoffs, and picking 20th in the draft.

And it wouldn't shock me at all if Rex picks the Jet's guy at 19.

[tarcone]

Who gets the byes in the playoffs?

[sovereignstar v2]

Choke time for the Vikes.

[Arles]

The Vikes sure are trying to lose. Can't say I blame them with the Seahawks coming to town with a W.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

Choke time for the Vikes.

These arent the Denny Green, Brad Childress Vikings. Zimmers teams actually play above potential. Far less frustrating watching Vikings football since he became the coach.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Who gets the byes in the playoffs?

Carolina/Arizona in the NFC, Denver/New England in the AFC.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Man, absolutely thrilled with the Chiefs playoff draw. Worst division winner followed by a really average Denver team. Love it.

[stevew]

Not if the Steelers win.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Man, absolutely thrilled with the Chiefs playoff draw. Worst division winner followed by a really average Denver team. Love it.

I suppose really average can mean different things to different people but advanced statistics say Denver has the #1 defense in the league. Personally, Id have a hard time classifying that as average.

[EagleFan]

I wish the Eagles were really average this year...

[Butter]

I'll say it: since the expectations for the Bengals are so very low, they'll find a way to win Game 1 before going to New England to get killed.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

I suppose really average can mean different things to different people but advanced statistics say Denver has the #1 defense in the league. Personally, Id have a hard time classifying that as average.

I haven't seen anything even remotely resembling a #1 defense over the last few weeks. A lot of that was from the first half of the season.

[Kodos]

All things considered, yesterday was pretty much perfect for me in the AFC.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by stevew

Not if the Steelers win.

Yeah, even if we assume a KC win in wild card weekend, its pretty much a tossup as to whether they would play New England or Denver.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Radii

Yeah, even if we assume a KC win in wild card weekend, its pretty much a tossup as to whether they would play New England or Denver.

True. I was looking at seeding and not considering an upset, though I'm not sure that New England is any more scary than Denver right now, even at home.

Noticed that Houston, Cinci, and Minnesota are all home underdogs and Washington is only a one point favorite. There's a real chance that each conference will only have two division winners still alive after this weekend.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

I haven't seen anything even remotely resembling a #1 defense over the last few weeks. A lot of that was from the first half of the season.

The last 7 games have had KC face teams with a combined record of 38-74 (33%). The Chiefs have been playing well, but it's hard to tell how much is real against that slop competition. In that same span the Broncos have beaten the other two top 3 AFC teams (NE and Cincy) with their backup QB. I wouldn't get too confident as a Chiefs fan - if Peyton is 75% of what he was in Green Bay game, that team could easily run the table in the bruised and battered AFC.

[cartman]

The Broncos getting the #1 overall seed in the AFC was never in question after this post:

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Would love to see the Broncos piss down their leg tonight and enter next week with the possibility that they may not even make the playoffs.

[Solecismic]

Originally Posted by Arles

This might be the worst Packers team that I've seen in years. We need a mercy killing at this point - let's hope Kirk Cousins is up for it.

I don't think we can forget the last time the Packers were 10-6, with three losses in their last six regular-season games.

All the parity in the NFL emphasizes just how sharply a game can turn based on the situation and a couple of plays. The Packers certainly looked alive in the fourth quarter. I think they're always alive as long as Rodgers is healthy.

This playoff is wide open. There isn't a single team that hasn't looked both bad and good in recent weeks, except maybe the Chiefs. After them, the next longest current winning streak in the NFL belongs to a 9-7 team.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

I don't think we can forget the last time the Packers were 10-6, with three losses in their last six regular-season games.

All the parity in the NFL emphasizes just how sharply a game can turn based on the situation and a couple of plays. The Packers certainly looked alive in the fourth quarter. I think they're always alive as long as Rodgers is healthy.

This playoff is wide open. There isn't a single team that hasn't looked both bad and good in recent weeks, except maybe the Chiefs. After them, the next longest current winning streak in the NFL belongs to a 9-7 team.

In all fairness to Carolina didnt their loss come when they had everything wrapped up except the undefeated season? As far as "team" Carolina seems like it has the x factor to do it this year. Coming into the season with their group of WRs I thought they had little chance of being a contender but Cam has become a great leader and they are just a "team" that knows how to win.

[Kodos]

Carolina didn't wrap up the #1 seed until yesterday.

[Arles]

If both tackles are healthy and they get Shields back, the Pack could atleast have a chance. It's really been a mind-numbing season as a fan. The combination of WR, TE and OL injuries have created a team that just can't put up points. They have no speed (or even shiftyness a la NE) to get open and the lack of draft investment in the OL have finally started to impact the team.

That 2010 was much different, they lost two games (Det and NE) because Rodgers got hurt. In the final 4 games Rodgers finished, he had 1275 yards (318.75 per), the team averaged 27 PPG and won 3 of 4. This team is just listless and not even scoring 20 a game. Had it not been for the hail mary against Detroit, the Pack would have scored more than 20 in just 4 of their last 10 games. This is ugly football to watch.

[Kodos]

Yeah, the Packers have looked like a shell of themselves down the stretch.

[Solecismic]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Yeah, the Packers have looked like a shell of themselves down the stretch.

I can certainly see that. Wasn't it late in the third quarter that Rodgers was 10-17-90 or something like that?

There's a very strong trend in recent years with teams that won the Super Bowl looking very average on offense late in the season once making the playoffs was no longer an issue. Maybe coaches get more vanilla as they start thinking about who will be watching those recent tapes?

In the NFL, if you're in the playoffs, you're a threat. These players are just too good. You may wonder how Rodgers and Brady will find targets for their passes given all the injuries, but somehow they do when survival is on the line.

[jbergey22]

I do agree. I thought the Packers had a very vanilla looking offense in the first half. Either protecting Rogers or with the assumption of playing the Vikings again next week and not wanting to give much away. Once the Packers opened it up and started throwing downfield a bit they were moving the ball consistently until penalties, turnovers or sacks messed up the drive.

IMO the Vikings coaching staff wanted to win that game more than the Packers coaching staff.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Arles

The last 7 games have had KC face teams with a combined record of 38-74 (33%). The Chiefs have been playing well, but it's hard to tell how much is real against that slop competition. In that same span the Broncos have beaten the other two top 3 AFC teams (NE and Cincy) with their backup QB. I wouldn't get too confident as a Chiefs fan - if Peyton is 75% of what he was in Green Bay game, that team could easily run the table in the bruised and battered AFC.

But the Chiefs have also taken care of business against teams that other playoff-level teams lost against. They handled a Ravens team that dumped the Steelers on their head a week later. They did fine against a Bills team that knocked the Jets out of the playoffs.

I'm not saying that the Chiefs are world beaters, but they've certainly avoided the stumbles that other teams have faced and, outside of Charles who they've been able to replace, they're healthier and have been more consistent than any other team in the AFC field.

[Kodos]

So when should we expect to find out who (if anyone) will be moving to LA? I hope it's not the Chargers. I'd be okay with the Raiders or Rams, although I prefer the Raiders in Oakland from a historical perspective.

[PilotMan]

Actually the way that the NFL is handling this whole thing it kind of makes me sick. Like it's going to be some kind of celebration that (possibly) two cities are going to lose their teams.