sullim4

The Saints are what, $99M over the cap next season? Even with losing the Brees contract, I don't see how they could afford Stafford. I agree with others and think Indy is the likely landing spot.

Let this be a lesson to the NFL. It's a 20-20 game and this is arguably the least exciting game of the entire weekend. They try to hype Brees-Brady by putting it in the late Sunday slot but both are constantly checking down and Brees in particular is just bad. Nobody looks like they deserve to win this game. I get that the AFC teams are smaller markets, but those two games were far and away better than the two NFC games this weekend. Oh, and Buck and Aikman as the announcers just add to the pain. They both seem as interested to be here as folks in this thread.

Watching this game vs the CLE/KC game, I honestly just don't care about this one. These quarterbacks are vanilla at this point in their careers, lots of safe throws so far. The NFC is going to be a barren wasteland in a couple years if this is the best they have to offer.

I suspect this guy will be sighted at Chiefs headquarters this week...

No stevestojan, sherlock!

Me too.... which I guess means we want the Browns? And it feels an awful lot like BBFS.

I'd like to see McKenzie get more looks. He certainly earned it after the Dolphins game.. and I think he had just a single target this game? If Beasley and Davis aren't quite right, McKenzie needs to get more looks.

McDermott, Frazier, and Taron Johnson for sure.

I tend to agree with most on here. I think Urban Meyer is in for a rude awakening in the NFL... the job is completely different in the pros as compared to college. Steve Spurrier's run in Washington is what I imagine Jacksonville will look like over the next couple of seasons.

BAL @ BUF (Sat. 8:15pm EST, NBC) - Carl Cheffers

The obvious answer here - the white throwbacks. They are allowed to wear the throwbacks once in the playoffs without a waiver from the NFL.

... but it might be chilly! If it takes away Lamar's elusiveness, then I'm all for it. I think you have to get a quick lead and make him pass the ball... that's the path to victory.

Playing the NFC East and AFC South, that's how.

Alex Van Pelt is apparently a wizard at running the offense.

There are outlined in the network contracts. The reason you see an NFC game on CBS this weekend is that the extra two wild card games were subject to a one-off contract that CBS and NBC won: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/03/31/nbc-cbs-would-televise-the-two-extra-wild-card-games/ FOX will air the two NFC games next week, and they will be on different days, putting the two AFC games on different days. I would be willing to bet dollars to donuts :).

They are a weird team. Usually large TV markets have nationwide fan bases but I agree, the Bears don't have a ton of fans out this way in the PNW. The networks love them though, so they must pull in ratings. I feel like their fanbase has more in common with the smaller market rust belt teams (CLE, DET, CIN, etc) than teams like the Giants, Eagles, Rams, etc.

The network breakdown this year is NBC and CBS get 1 AFC game, and FOX gets 2 NFC games. Should they put the two NFC games on the same day, FOX would have to juggle the late game should the early game go into overtime. For this reason, they ensure that the two games each day are on different networks. So, FOX will have a game on Saturday and Sunday, with NBC likely getting a Saturday game and CBS getting the Sunday game (although NBC/CBS could easily flip flop).

Look for the Bills in the early Saturday slot if they play the Ravens. If they play the Steelers, there is an outside chance they could get the Saturday night slot. CBS only has one AFC divisional this year, with NBC getting the other game. Expect CBS to lobby to keep Mahomes, especially if it's Jackson v Mahomes.

This is easily the worst game of the weekend so far. Chicago has no business being in the playoffs and Brees seems like he's done.

The thing missing here is that broad analytics treat situations as though "everything is equal." They do not take into consideration the emotion, momentum, or intangibles that play into a given situation. If you're playing against the Jets, for instance, giving them the ball late in the 2nd quarter at their own 4 gives them nearly zero probability to score. But Allen and the Bills? Not so much, and it turned out that the Bills did just that, and stole the momentum from the Colts going into halftime. FWIW, I liked the 2pt play after the penalty on their part, but I thought the 4th down call was too aggressive given the situation and what the turnover on downs meant.

My theory is that the WR injuries must be worse than disclosed. That Davis got so many of the looks, and Beasley looked hobbled, makes me think Daboll looked to the QB draws over passing the ball. I can't otherwise explain the constant QB draws. The defense otoh... what a joke. They will not win many other games playing like this.

It is odd to me that this hasn't leaked yet. Nobody's watching the Pegula jet to see any marketing departments that might have been coming in and out of town?

If so, this is Belichick-level coaching in the playoffs. I love being on the other side of this.

This Philly quarterback is terrible. Like Jeff Tuel terrible.

Ratings ratings ratings. That's what drives time slot selections. Team performance is (mostly) irrelevant.