2021 NFL Season

[SeaBreeze341]

The Rams still have a shot at the NFC West title, although I think Arizona holds onto it in the end.  Los Angeles thus likely gets the first wild card slot in the end.  Dallas will probably have to settle for the 4th seed having lost the head to head to Tampa Bay, although we'll see if anyone ahead of them stumbles.  San Francisco seems likely to get wild card slot #2, and so the last spot is likely a 3 way race between Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Washington, with the winner of Sunday's game between the latter two likely getting for now the inside track thereto (currently what's the tiebreakers status with each of them and the Vikings?)

I don't think it's going to happen for the Rams either.  As mentioned, Arizona has a couple tough games left, but so do the Rams.  A road bout with the Ravens is not going to be easy; they have a home game to close the season, but San Francisco just seems to have L.A.'s number.  In addition to that, Arizona has a better division record.  The best the Rams can do is 4-2, and the Cards have Seattle to get to 5-1 with a win.

Hard to believe that Dallas was ahead of Tampa earlier, to where they wouldn't have to worry about going back to Raymond James Stadium.  Of course, they almost won there.  TBH, I don't think the tiebreaker will factor between the Cowboys & the Bucs because I don't think the former can catch up to the NFC leaders.  Plus, Green Bay just has Dallas' number in the postseason regardless of where the game is played.  Which is sorta funny, as the Cowboys conference rival in the Niners has the Packers number in the playoffs!  Speaking of one's "number", the Packers will always have Chicago's number!

In terms of a 3-way tie, Washington edges out Minnesota & Philadelphia due to a more superior conference record.  Philly trails Minnesota due to common record, which follows the conference mark when comparing teams outside of a particular division.  Of course the current tiebreaker between the Eagles and Washington will be meaningless (barring a split and matching records after 18 weeks), but the latter holds the edge for winning at least one division game whereas Philly hasn’t won anything yet.  A ton of division games left to play which will give us a clear path

[moneygamelover]

Well, we have a late night bombshell, Urban Meyer has been fired from the post of Jaguars head coach.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32879774/urban-meyer-jacksonville-jaguars-head-coach-rocky-first-year

Ultimately, there was going to be no choice given all the issues in play, so it's probably better that it happened sooner rather than later.

[SeaBreeze341]

On Wednesday, news broke in relation to COVID where Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski & QB Baker Mayfield both tested positive.  It's just half a handful within a major situation where several dozen people were infected, including former Browns WR and current Rams WR OBJ.

It's the second time in a year for Stefanski, who apparently has received the booster shot.

It looks like the NFL is looking into what to do next, because it can get out of hand, especially with the postseason coming up next month & no plans to boot the fans from the stadium.  As for Cleveland's game against Las Vegas, that is still happening on Saturday as scheduled (or flexed since it wasn't originally slated for December 18, just a possibility prior to the move)

[Ccook]

Three games have been rescheduled due to the Omicron spread. Las Vegas-Cleveland will now go at 5 PM ET on Monday, Dec. 20 (NFL Network) while Washington-Philadelphia and Seattle-Rams kickoff Tuesday at 7 PM ET on those markets' Fox stations.

[imhomerjay]

Postponing a game to Tuesday is outrageous. If Washington is unable to field a team, make them forfeit the game.

[SeaBreeze341]

Postponing a game to Tuesday is outrageous. If Washington is unable to field a team, make them forfeit the game.

The NFL is not having teams forfeit their games for the sake of forfeiting games.  We don't know whether Washington violated protocols.  If they have and caused an outbreak, that's a different story.  Plus, the Eagles might not want their game to be forfeited, at least the players for monetary reasons.  If the game gets cancelled, Philadelphia doesn't get paid

[imhomerjay]

The Eagles would win the forfeit. Playing on. Tuesday is a terrible turnaround time. I honestly don’t care one iota if DC did or didn’t violate protocols. They can’t field a team on a scheduled game day, and there is no act of nature involved. That’s how the cookie should crumble. No shame in it, but you can’t play, you lose.

[moneygamelover]

The real issue with canceling a game by forfeit is the players who wouldn't get paid for that non played game. I can't see the NFLPA standing for that. Money is the issue here.

[imhomerjay]

Those are the NFL’s own rules as agreed to with the NFLPA.

And frankly, too (bleep) bad. That’s life sometimes.

[Superballer]

The Eagles would win the forfeit. Playing on. Tuesday is a terrible turnaround time. I honestly don’t care one iota if DC did or didn’t violate protocols. They can’t field a team on a scheduled game day, and there is no act of nature involved. That’s how the cookie should crumble. No shame in it, but you can’t play, you lose.

 


It appears the source of the problem with Washington may trace to Montez Sweat, who was open about not being vaccinated before this.  At the moment, many Philadelphia fans are not happy, believing that they're being penalized for what they see as Washington's missteps, and worried about this leaving them too short a turnaround before the Week 16 Giants game.  I can see the opposite viewpoint of these as well, and there may not be a "right" answer either way.  As others have noted, forfeitures would be probably unlikely as no one would want to lose the money, least of all the league itself or the players. 

[SeaBreeze341]

The CBA thing is a valid point.  If the league moving the games over COVID violates it, that's a different story.  The NFLPA would have a case here.  However, I believe the discussion was due to an outbreak started by someone unvaccinated and/or some careless individual. 

On the other hand, without the proof of one's intention to cause an outbreak, there really isn't anything anyone can do.  The forfeit thing came into play due to carelessness.  If it's unintentional, that's a different story.  With the newer variant, the NFL would have an argument.  The problem I have is that they should have said that things are subject to change.  To say that nothing will be rescheduled is not good.  Yeah there's nothing the players and teams can do about it, as the NFL is in control.  Still, there's nothing wrong with a mention that they will handle any outstanding situations as they come up.  That way, they don't look bad for moving a game late in the week after repeated comments saying that a game will take place as planned

As mentioned, it's about the money.  No one wins with a forfeit.  I think they should have kept the games as they were, but mainly due to the fact that they said they would not move them.  What the league should've said was that we'll look into it, and that a schedule change is a possibility.

Meh, I think Vegas still finds a way to lose,  the Eagles & Washington would be a toss up.  The Rams is interesting, since it could wreck their Week 16 plans.  However, I don't think there's enough time to catch Arizona

[imhomerjay]

The bigger issue is this isn't baseball where rainouts have been part of the equation for years and it is no fault of anyone. Moving a game to a Tuesday is patently unfair to the team with no outbreak that now needs to prepare with even less time than had they had the Monday game.

Either set the rules or don't. This "well we have a rule but we'll just ignore it when the situation arises" is cowardly.

[Ccook]

Correction: both Tuesday games will be nationwide on Fox. Half will see Seattle-Rams and the other half Washington- Philadelphia. Check local listings, to coin a phrase.

[Ccook]

See Tom Brady. See Cameron Jordan gobble Brady like a Lenny's sub. See Brady smash a tablet in the Bucs' 9-0 loss to New Orleans. Hear him say "We're not going to win scoring no points." Thank you, Captain Obvious.

Meanwhile, Dallas still can't clinch the NFC East since whoever wins tomorrow's Washington-Philadelphia game will still be three games behind with three to play.  Elsewhere, the Atlanta Falcons are 0-5 against teams with winning records, losing to the 49ers yesterday 31-13.

[SeaBreeze341]

First time TB12's been shutout in nearly a decade and a half.  FWIW, I love a defense battle, but what a very awful game.  To be fair to both teams, New Orleans was missing their HC, and several of their top players were not there.  Tampa lost a ton of their players IN game.

Technically, I think Dallas can clinch something (NFC East) if the Eagles/Washington game ends in a tie.  Or the Cowboy would have to clinch the SOV tiebreaker with a Philly win.

If I had to guess, it's not happening for them.  We would know about the SOV by now.  The Saints and Niners both won, so no playoff spot yet.  Looks like no one can clinch, and not one can get booted either until Week 16.


Green Bay does become the first of 14 teams headed into the playoffs next month.  In addition to that, they 3-peat at NFC North Champions.  The Packers, one of 8 2021 Division winners, has a rather nice inside track to the top spot in their conference (thanks to losses by Arizona and the Bucs)