Sports

[Hawkfan83]

Not only did the Seahawks lose ugly, but they lost many key members of their offense, and along with the injuries on defense, I don't see them going far in the playoffs. I do hope they win Sunday night though! 

GO HAWKS!!!

[gardenman]

The Raiders may be one of those teams of destiny this year. They needed five things to go right yesterday to stay alive in the playoff race. All five went their way. They need four things to go right next Sunday and that looks more likely than the five things this past Sunday. They could just back their way into the playoffs and be a somewhat scary team.

The AFC half of the playoff picture looks scarier than the NFC side. The Ravens, Patriots, Chiefs all look like real Super Bowl contenders. The Texans can beat anyone when they're hot. The Bills are a tough team.

On the NFC side, the Seahawks got dinged up a bit yesterday and that could hurt them. The Seahawks and Packers are playoff-tested and will be tough opponents. The Vikings have playoff experience, but it's mostly losing in the playoffs. Right now they'd have to go to Green Bay to beat the Packers in the playoffs. That's not so easy.

The Eagles somehow manage to lose three or four starters each week and still win. A win on Sunday against the Giants has them on a four-game winning streak and the Seahawks likely coming to Philly for the first round of the playoffs. What the Eagles have done with players off the street/practice squad is pretty amazing. 

Which brings us to the Cowboys. They looked flat in yesterday's game. Given the talent disparity, they should have cruised to a win yesterday, but the heart just isn't there. They're in for a very interesting offseason. They've overpaid a bunch of guys because JJ doesn't want to lose "his guys." Those are short-term "feel good" moves, but long-term they tend to be a disaster. The Eagles let their starting middle linebacker, both top running backs, and their Super Bowl MVP quarterback leave after winning the Super Bowl along with lots of other top players from that team. The new guys brought in are playing well and the Eagles are still alive in the playoff hunt while the Cowboys are floundering. They're overpaying Demarcus Lawrence for his five sacks. They're paying Elliott $90 million and only giving him 13 carries in a must-win game. If he carries 22 or more times in a game they always win, but they're afraid to run him into the ground now since they're paying him so much. They've got to pay Dak and likely Amari Cooper this offseason to keep them and even the franchise/transition tags are likely overpaying them.

The Rams are another team that may have invested poorly in players. They gave up two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick to get Jalen Ramsey, who's a good player, but they likely overpaid for him and now they have to sign him to a new contract. They're paying him $13.7 million next year then he's a free agent in 2021. He'll be looking for a deal in the $20-$25 million range. They gave up a lot to get him and they'll pretty much have to resign him. Giving up two first-round picks is a big price to pay and it didn't give them much of a return this year as they're out of the playoffs. The two firsts and a fourth are three low-cost guys they won't have now. 

The Giants have won their way out of getting the premier pass rusher in Chase Young (if he comes out.) The Bengals can already pick between the top QB prospects having locked up the first overall pick. Joe Burrow is the likely choice, but Tua or one of the other guys could still sneak into that first slot based on interviews and the combine/private workouts. The Lions are drafting third now. Do they trade down or take a Tua/Burrow (whoever the Bengals don't take.) Do they take another player? The Dolphins at five and the Jags at six might be looking to move up to get a QB. Both have spare first-round picks to move up with if need be. That Jalen Ramsey trade could help the Jags get a top QB if they want to spend the picks to move up.

So, one more week to finalize the playoff picture. The Eagles need the win on Sunday against the Giants. It won't be easy as nothing this year has been easy, but if the Eagles get in, things get interesting. A home game first likely against the Seahawks, who will be coming East a bit beat up. A win in the first week and the Eagles could get DeSean Jackson back for round two. That could change the prospects rather dramatically. Getting back a deep threat could open up the field for the rest of the Eagles receivers.

[teganslaw]

@sunshine45  are the Ravens resting starters next weekend? Lamar Jackson wants to play, but it's up to the coach to make that decision. They play the Steelers, so maybe they don't want to make it too easy for their rivals to make the playoffs. 

The Raiders aren't eliminated yet. If they win, and the stars align right, they are in. I would like to see that happen. Getting into the playoffs would be a nice ending before locating to Vegas. The odds are against that, but it's possible. 

If Dallas misses the playoffs, will Garrett be gone? Hard telling with Jerry Jones. 

[gardenman]

Jerry Jones and head coaches are interesting. He's always been very impatient with head coaches until Garrett came along. Jimmy Johnson won two Super Bowls and was gone in five years. Barry Switzer won three NFC East championships and a Super Bowl and was gone in four years. Chan Gailey won an NFC East championship and two playoff berths and was gone in two years. Dave Campo was an unmitigated disaster (15-33) but lasted three years. Bill Parcells got two playoff berths and was gone in four years. Wade Phillips won the NFC East twice and two more playoff berths in four years and was gone. Jason Garrett has been head coach for nine years with 3 NFC East championships and three playoff berths, but not even close to a Super Bowl, and who knows what will happen with him.

You just don't know what the heck Jerry Jones will do. He loves Garrett, but he's given Garrett twice as long to succeed as he's given other coaches and Garrett hasn't delivered. He's typically promoted coaches from within (Switzer, Gailey, Campo, Phillips, Garrett) or gone with a big-name guy (Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells.) I truly don't see an NFL caliber head coach on the current Dallas staff, but who knows what Jerry sees? There will be a lot of competition for big-name coaches. Does Jerry outbid for their services? Would they want to be micro-managed by Jerry?

It's going to be a very interesting offseason in Dallas. Do they keep the roster more or less intact? Do they try to unload underperforming/overpaid players? Do they overpay their free agents to keep them? Is Dak Prescott their answer at quarterback? Will they let a new coach run their $90 million running back into the ground? When Elliott gets 22 or more touches the Cowboys win. He got 13 carries yesterday. Run him thirteen times a game he's likely to last all six years of his contract. Run him 22 or more times a game he might be done in a year or two and you're stuck with lots of dead money.

Dak is looking for around $40 million a year with lots guaranteed. The tag number will be around $33 million. He's worth about $20-$25 million. Do you tag him and overpay him? Do you sign him longterm and really overpay him? If you play the tag game the tag value goes way up each year and in a few years you'll be paying him $50 million a year. 

Amari Cooper is a bit injury prone, but the Cowboys traded a first-round pick for him. Do they let him wander off after just a year and a half? Do they tag him also? (Both a franchise tag and transition tag are available in 2020.) What's his value to the team? He had four catches for 24 yards yesterday. Greg Ward of the Eagles, our undrafted practice squad call up had 4 catches for 71 yards. The Eagles were down both starting corner for much of the game yesterday and Cooper only had four catches for 24  yards against more backups.

Dallas has backed themselves into an odd corner. They've overpaid to keep a lot of underperforming players who will likely have them missing the playoffs in a year when it was about as easy to win the NFC East as it's ever been. They've got a lot more guys lining up to be overpaid. Do they break the cycle? The salary cap is only so big. If you overpay your stars, it leaves no money for good depth players. If they let a Dak or Cooper leave in free agency though, who do they get to replace them? Witten and Sean Lee are likely done after this year. They'll need bodies to replace them. The o-line is getting older. Elliott could be wearing down. They've got issues. I'm not sure a new head coach can fix everything that's wrong there.

[Spurt]

---

@sunshine45 wrote:

home field advantage........i was a bit scared during the first half, but the ravens came on strong and got the WIN!

SWEET! #ravensflock #ravensnation

---

@sunshine45 

CONGRATS!!!

Homefield Advantage and some rest time for the players that are banged up...SWEET!!!  Ravens are in the driver's seat for sure....

[Spurt]

---

@gardenman wrote:

It wasn't the prettiest game ever, but a win is a win. Now on to the Giants next week! That is if we have any players left for next week. We lost a few more guys this week. 

---

@gardenman 

CONGRATS!!!  The mash unit known as the Eagles got the job done even though additional players were added to the injured list.......!!!!!  

WHAT THE HECK are the Cowboys doing anyway...Zeke winds up with 47 yds total....they take Cooper out of the game...!?!?!??!?!  Is Garrett trying to LOSE ON PURPOSE to get back at Jerry??????  What kind of a game plan was that....you would think they'd go heavy on the running game especially with Dak's injury....

[Spurt]

---

@teganslaw wrote:

Colts win 38-6. Nyheim Hines had two punt returns for touchdowns (the first time in NFL history a player did this in the same game), and the team had three sacks. Mack had 95 yards, Wilkins 84 yards. Brissett played well. Where was this team the past few weeks? Now they're like a playoff team when it doesn't count! No matter, this was a fun game game to watch after the recent trainwrecks. 

Quenton Nelson went out with a concussion and didn't return. Darius Leonard also went out but cleard concussion protocol and returned. Both are suppose to in the ProBowl.

Next up is the Cowboys and Eagles. 

---

@teganslaw 

CONGRATS on your solid WIN!!! 

[Spurt]

My sister's team WON the battle (the game) BUT lost the war...and we are #2 in the 2020 draft order.....  Of course with BruceAllen doing the picking....

2020 NFL Draft order: Detroit Lions hold 3rd pick, won't pick lower than 5

• Bengals: 1-14.
• Washington: 3-12.
• Lions: 3-11-1.
• Giants: 4-11.
• Dolphins: 4-11.
• Jaguars: 5-10.
• Chargers: 5-10.
• Panthers: 5-10.

And what's this..."coach" Danny is making the decisions on Haskins not going back into the game after he reinjured his ankle????????  Well the report is a bit misconscrued...Haskins clarified on twitter:

I need to clarify something from my press conference. Dr. West advised me that I was done for this game. Dan Snyder who was in the locker room supporting me, told me I’ve got to listen to the Doctor. Looking forward to getting back healthy for Skins Nation. #HTTR

[sunshine45]

Ravens starters Lamar Jackson, Earl Thomas, Mark Ingram, Brandon Williams and Marshal Yanda won't play Sunday.

wouldnt it be fun if RG3 got a win against the steelers?

[gardenman]

The Packers dismissed Kirk Cousins and the Vikings last night to win the NFC North. That clears up a lot of the playoff picture. If the Eagles beat the Giants, then they'll face whoever loses next Sunday night between the Niners and Seahawks in the wildcard round. Those two teams will likely play each other very tough to try and win next week. The winner gets a bye, the loser has to go on the road for a playoff game.