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Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,105
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Week Twelve of the 2020 NFL Regular Season!!!

We start out this week with a pair of Thanksgiving Day games! It was supposed to be a trio of games, but the Steelers/Ravens bloodbath got pushed back to Sunday due to Covid. Or so they say. I have a suspicion they decided a streetfight between these two teams wasn't the best way to end Thanksgiving and decided to put this game off until a later date and blame Covid for it.

 

We start out Thanksgiving with a game that will leave most of the country thankful they aren't fans of either team with the 3-7 Texans taking on the 4-6 Lions  Who will win? Who will lose? Who will care? Who will be coaching either team next year at this time? I guess I'll take the Texans due to them having the better overall young QB.

 

Our second game is a classic NFC East matchup that could determine first place in the NFC East between the 3-7 Cowboys and the 3-7 WFT. Yeah. Sadly, 3-7 is right. Whoever gets to four wins will likely be leading the NFC East. A local writer thinks the best possible outcome is for this game to end in a tie and then for the Giants to tie their game also resulting in a four-way tie for the lead in the East. The Cowboys will either be flat or motivated by the death of their strength and conditioning coach. Players tend to spend more time with the strength and conditioning staff than other coaches, so his death will impact the team. I'm just not sure how. I'm going for the upset here and taking the WFT. 

 

Our first Sunday game features the Dolphins taking on the Jets in what is pretty much a bye game these days for anyone playing the Jets. They've got a laser-like focus on that first overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft and by God, they won't let winning a game get in their way. The Dolphins should win easily.

 

Arizona takes on the Patriots. The big debate over whether Brady or Belichick made the Patriots great seems to have been settled now. It was Brady. I'll take the Cards in this one.

 

Carolina goes to Minnesota in a game between two teams that seem headed in different directions. The Vikings seem a bit adrift and falling right now while the Panthers are on the climb. I'll take the Panthers in this one.

 

Cleveland goes to Jacksonville who's desperately hoping the Jets find a way to win a game or two so they can get that first overall pick. Jacksonville foolishly won a game earlier, but have since fixed that issue and seem destined to lose out. I'll take Cleveland.

 

Tennessee goes to Indy in an actual good game. Who knew there were such things these days? Both teams are 7-3 and will be more than ready to play. I guess I'll take Indy in this one, but it's iffy.

 

The Giants take on the Bengals. Not a great year for Joe Burrow. Tearing his ACL and MCL now has him sidelined for the next nine months or so. I guess I'll take the Giants in this one.

 

The Chargers go to Buffalo. Buffalo should be able to handle them, but the kid QB Herbert in LA is pretty good. He just needs more help around him. I'll take the Bills.

 

The Raiders go to the Falcons. I'll take the Raiders here. Gruden has them on the right track.

 

Our delayed Ravens/Steelers streetfight takes place on Sunday now with the undefeated Steelers the likely winners. I'll take the Steelers in this one.

 

The Niners take on the Rams in a desperate game to try and stay alive in the NFC West. That Super Bowl hangover has caught the Niners along with a raft of injuries. The Rams are just too healthy for the Niners right now. I'll take the Rams.

 

New Orleans goes to Denver and should win despite no Drew Brees. Defenses will be getting adjusted to Taysom Hill's strengths and weaknesses though, so expect him to run into some issues over the next week or two. I'll still take the Saints in this one though.

 

KC goes to Tampa Bay in what should be a pretty good game of the young gunslinger Mahomes against the old-timer in Brady. I think the kid is just too good. I'll take the Chiefs.

 

Chicago goes to Green Bay in the Mitchell Trubisky redemption game. Yes, the Bears have decided to dust off old Mitchell and toss him out there once again. I don't think it'll help. I'll take Green Bay.

 

And finally Seattle comes East for the battle of the birds with the Eagles. I'm not wildly confident about the Eagles' chances in this one. In fact, I'm picking Seattle to win. Could the Eagles win? Sure. They're as talented as any team in the league on the rare occasion they put it all together. This year the combination of bad coaching, bad play, lots of injuries, and stubbornness on the part of the coaching staff has led the Eagles to a 3-6-1 record. I'm not sure any of that will have improved this week. Could the Eagles win? Sure. Will they? Probably not. The Eagles are a team lacking confidence and energy. They play flat and lifeless football and that's not how you win. They need to make some plays, build on momentum and build confidence. I'm not sure it's going to happen this year. I'll take Seattle.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,898
Registered: ‎05-15-2014

Re: Week Twelve of the 2020 NFL Regular Season!!!

Happy Thanksgiving @gardenman .  Again I always enjoy reading your posts.  

As far as Brady and Belichick, I feel it's a draw as do many in NE.  They made each other great and neither is better than the other.......that's how most of us feel here.

 

Anyway,  enjoy your day Smiley Happy  I'm off to cook now.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,346
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Week Twelve of the 2020 NFL Regular Season!!!

Happy Thanksgiving. I was all set to pick the Eagles, but when @gardenman  went with Seattle, I changed my pick.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,105
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Week Twelve of the 2020 NFL Regular Season!!!


@AuntG wrote:

Happy Thanksgiving. I was all set to pick the Eagles, but when @gardenman  went with Seattle, I changed my pick.


I'll still be rooting for the Eagles, I just don't expect them to win. I'd love for them to prove me wrong. The talent's there to beat anyone, but this coaching staff is a bit incapable of utilizing that talent.

 

They do stupid stuff. Jalen Reagor's our best down the field threat as a wide receiver, and way, way too often they have him in motion behind Wentz, who's in the shotgun, which puts Reagor seven to ten yards off the line of scrimmage at the snap running towards a sideline instead of down the field. Reagor's typically just reaching the line of scrimmage when Wentz is looking for a receiver. Those who study the All 22 footage say the Reagor's only been schemed open and the primary receiver seven times in the first ten games. They mostly use him as a decoy. Why? Who knows. Don't take away your own weapons.

 

The loyalty to older players is hard to comprehend. Jason Peters has been a disaster this season but stays as the starter despite the kids playing much better than him when they're on the field. Nate Herbig earned the starting right guard spot out of camp and played well, last week he was deactivated in favor of a guard who hadn't been playing well. 

 

This staff (coaches/GM/Front office) are just doing things that drive you crazy as a fan. We were running the ball very well last week. In the second half, Miles Sanders got two carries. Why? He's a game-breaking running back. He was healthy and running well, so they plopped him on the bench. It's just like they're trying to lose. They're not a bad team, they're just playing that way.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
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Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,105
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Week Twelve of the 2020 NFL Regular Season!!!

Kudos to the WFT for the win, but what the heck were the Cowboys thinking? Fourth and inches in your own end and you throw the ball down the field and it's incomplete. Then fourth and ten, deep in your own end, you try a fake kick, on a reverse that takes forever to develop? The Cowboys deserved to lose that game. Just dumb stuff.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,501
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Week Twelve of the 2020 NFL Regular Season!!!

Congrats to the WFT! Antonio Gibson: the first rookie since Randy Moss to score 3 touchdowns on Thanksgiving. Their defense was phenomenol. The NFC East is up for grabs. 

 

I didn't understand the fake punt by Dallas. They made some strange decisions to lose the game. 

 

I wonder if Matt Patricia's job is in trouble. Detroit didn't play well. Houston had a slow start, but got better in the second half. 

"The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog."

Mark Twain
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,943
Registered: ‎08-12-2010

Re: Week Twelve of the 2020 NFL Regular Season!!!

Dallas was really off today.  The best thing for them now would just be to lose the rest of the games and get really high draft picks!

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,576
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Week Twelve of the 2020 NFL Regular Season!!!

Hope McCarthy doesn't show his face in public.  Fans are calling for his head.

Welcome to Dallas Big Mike.

Glad I didn't see that game. Didn't have a good feeling about it. but never

expected to see the score that I saw.. Sounds so bad that I don't even mind

saying Congrats. to the No Names.  Must have been a fun game for the WFT.

 

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.  Smiley Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,253
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Week Twelve of the 2020 NFL Regular Season!!!

more bad news for the ravens / steelers game.....

 

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson tests positive for coronavirus

 

On Wednesday, the team disciplined strength and conditioning coach Steve Saunders for failing to report coronavirus symptoms and not consistently wearing his mask or tracking device while inside the facility. The team did not name Saunders, though The Athletic reported it was Saunders. Earlier this week, Ravens running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram tested positive for COVID-19. 

 

 

 

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/ravens/2020/11/26/lamar-jackson-latest-ravens-player-test-...

 

 

 

 

According to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has informed his team they are not allowed to return to the facilities until Monday at the earliest.

 

In all likelihood, this was guidance handed down by the NFL and not initiated by Harbaugh himself.

 

This move puts the future of this game in serious jeopardy. The NFL has several options they could explore in handling the Ravens upcoming game with the Pittsburgh Steelers but this move really puts the idea of playing the game on Sunday at the bottom of the list.

********************************************
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,105
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Week Twelve of the 2020 NFL Regular Season!!!

The Ravens may have to end up forfeiting their game against the Steelers. The strength and conditioning coaches are the weak link in the Covid-19 protocols. Most of the coaches only work with "their guys." That limits the ability of something to spread team-wide. The tight end coach works with the tight ends. The d-line coach works with the d-line. They all have separate meeting rooms and are at least somewhat isolated. The strength and conditioning coaches work with everyone on the team. That makes them a high-risk spot on the team. And this guy did everything wrong. 

 

Given that no one's allowed back into the building before Monday and they have a Thursday night game this coming week, the Sunday game looks off the calendar. That leaves an early Monday night slot possibly open, but would the league have them play on Monday and Thursday? We'll have to see how that all plays out. 

 

Back to Dallas and the fourth-down fake punt. I don't mind a fake punt being called, but the type of fake punt is mind-boggling. A double reverse sweep for a fake punt is kind of stupid. The punter took off running at the snap, so there was no doubt in anyone's mind that it was a fake punt. The outside gunners who you'd expect to be the receivers running down the field instead were running back behind the line of scrimmage for the double reverse. That kept their cover guys right there. The punt rush guys were standing in the middle of the field as the reverse came back right into their laps. It didn't take a heroic play to stop it, that play was doomed from the start. If you're going to call a fake punt, have the ball snapped to the punter and let him throw it down the field to a gunner or tight end who slipped out and then hooked up past the first down marker. A double reverse sweep is never going to work as a fake punt.

 

Well, the NFC East continues to look worse and worse each week. Next week, week 13, looks like a slaughter for the NFC East with the WFT playing the Steelers, The Cowboys taking on the Ravens, the Giants taking on Seattle, and the Eagles taking on the Packers. I don't really see a win there for any of the NFC East teams. At best, a team in the NFC East will have four wins after twelve games. That's not ideal. The Giants could, maybe should, crack the four-win mark this week against the Bengals. The Eagles will have their hands full with the Seahawks on Monday night. 

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!