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Week 9 What Are We Learning
- Thread starter VirginiaCavs
- Start date
What El Capo pointed out about the Colts defense being better than the points allowed in their last three suggested. This team needs to be able to lead or be competitive so that it can rely on running the ball instead of on pressing with int-prone Minshew
twinkie13
In transit, arriving late.
We all owe CJ Stroud an apology. At least I do.
What a stud! I want to see year 2 but the future is very bright!
People bang on Taysom Hill but he’s a really unique player. I bet any fucking team would take him…hope he gets a SB ring one day with whomever it may be.
Probably just the nature of the media forcing my brain, but if Damar Hamlin ain’t in the play kinda tired of hearing about it.
What a stud! I want to see year 2 but the future is very bright!
People bang on Taysom Hill but he’s a really unique player. I bet any fucking team would take him…hope he gets a SB ring one day with whomever it may be.
Probably just the nature of the media forcing my brain, but if Damar Hamlin ain’t in the play kinda tired of hearing about it.
KJ
Bump. Set. Shuma!
I feel like it's Baltimore then the rest in the AFC at this point
Don't even think Arrowhead in the playoffs can stop this team. Ravens then Bengals/Chiefs then Dolphins/Bills/Chargers/Jags all interchangeable
NFC is likely still Eagles/Niners when Deebo comes back. Rest are just pawns
Ravens/Iggles beak to beak would be a fun SB
C-MAN
Pretty much a regular
If Buffalo knows they need to run the ball more, why are they so quick to abandon the run every game? Maybe, just maybe, Fournette will be the missing piece, but something tells me the combo of McDermott/Allen or whoever the fool is on this staff who refuses to run the ball will F it up. They need to stop running RPO’s because Allen is going to keep throwing or running himself 95% of the time.
CryptoWhale
Pretty much a regular
KJ
Bump. Set. Shuma!
Maybe but don't think so because of defense
Think Ravens beat them 7/10 times on a neutral so extrapolate that
CryptoWhale
Pretty much a regular
I'm excited for December 10th.
Then we'll have a full evaluation.
Awesome game yesterday!
Agree on your last point.
McDermott isn't going to change his stripes.
They will never commit to run till a new staff comes in.
They don't need Lenny. Cook is DAMN good!! They just don't use him enough.
This isn't new.
They are. Absolutely.
Nope.
Yes, injured, but not a serious SB contender.
KC does have their best defense in the Reid era, though.
KJ
Bump. Set. Shuma!
Problem is the limited offense that can yield poor field position.
Bracket Kelce and what else is there?
Still firm that Baltimore is a ton better than the rest at this point
Gandolf
Leader of the Van Buren Boys
It is still as much who you play and where you play as how you play. Miami is 6-3 with wins over NE (twice), Denver, Giants and Carolina. Their marquee win was week 1 at the Chargers in a shootout.
We saw this last year with McDaniels offense. They come out like gangbusters but then when they start playing against teams with a pulse on defense the offense gets out of sync and suddenly they look pedestrian. Will be interested to see how the Raiders fare in Miami week 11 now that recent game tape is showing how to slow these guys down. And look at those final four games: Jets, Dallas, at Baltimore, Buffalo. Yikes.
It is still damn hard to win on the road in this league. Part of the AFC's dominance head to head with the NFC this year is obviously the QB talent differential. But another factor is the 9-8 home-road split this year with the 17 game schedule goes to the AFC. Pittsburgh has played in front of seven home crowds in their 8 games so far, five at home, one in Vegas and one at SoFi, two buildings that are routinely invaded by the opposition fans. The fact that they've gone through their "gauntlet" at only 5-3 shows how much they've struggled. Five of their last 8 are true road games: Cle, Cin, Indy, Sea and Baltimore. Throw in a visit from Swaggy Joe Christmas week, Tough sledding ahead for a team that plays with little margin for error.
Speaking of the Bengals, we saw this movie last year. Burrow missed most of the preseason with appendicitis. The Bengals started 0-2 losing to Cooper Rush in week 2, looking like crap. They went 2-3 with a loss at Baltimore, and 4-4 with their annual loss at Cleveland. Didn't lose again until the AFC Championship. They've righted the ship earlier this year. Watch out league. I still think they're the team to beat in the North.
The Ravens peaked at this time of year last year too. They were 7-3 heading into Thanksgiving. Then Lamar got hurt and it all went to shit. I saw a twisted leg tackle yesterday that sent Lamar limping for a couple of plays. It reminded me that they changed coordinators this year to improve the passing offense. It seemed to be working until this week when they decided to just run all over the Seahawks, which has been a decent run D. I worry that they'll revert more to Lamar's legs as the season goes on and risk losing him. I also didn't like how OBJ was a squeaky wheel this week and that led to just one target for Zay Flowers. Lamar is also still sloppy with the ball, 10 fumbles this year. Ravens have a habit of checking out of a game for a series or two or a quarter. If they keep Lamar upright and can snag some home field advantage they should be competitive at least through the divisional round.
Cleveland's defense at home has been frightening. On the road not so much. Next game in Baltimore would be a must watch if the networks had their shit together. Instead it will be in maybe 10% of available markets.
Jacksonville is an under the radar championship threat. 4-0 on the road at Indy, Buffalo, NO and Pitt, not a bad resume. A bye week match with healing SF this week should be a great game.
Guess I should mention Dallas, but there's not much to say. Since the Switzer years they had a tradition of being a yard short or a second late when it matters most. No surprise to see what happened yesterday. On a positive note they've got a five week schedule between Thanksgiving and New Year's that will either get McCarthy fired or toughen their hide for the playoffs (Sea, Philly, at Buff, at Miami, Detroit). They should be 8-3 heading into it with upcoming games against Tommy Devito, B Young and Sam Howell.
And look at this Philly stretch after the bye week 10: at KC, Buff, SF, at Dallas, at Sea. That's some fun stuff!
We saw this last year with McDaniels offense. They come out like gangbusters but then when they start playing against teams with a pulse on defense the offense gets out of sync and suddenly they look pedestrian. Will be interested to see how the Raiders fare in Miami week 11 now that recent game tape is showing how to slow these guys down. And look at those final four games: Jets, Dallas, at Baltimore, Buffalo. Yikes.
It is still damn hard to win on the road in this league. Part of the AFC's dominance head to head with the NFC this year is obviously the QB talent differential. But another factor is the 9-8 home-road split this year with the 17 game schedule goes to the AFC. Pittsburgh has played in front of seven home crowds in their 8 games so far, five at home, one in Vegas and one at SoFi, two buildings that are routinely invaded by the opposition fans. The fact that they've gone through their "gauntlet" at only 5-3 shows how much they've struggled. Five of their last 8 are true road games: Cle, Cin, Indy, Sea and Baltimore. Throw in a visit from Swaggy Joe Christmas week, Tough sledding ahead for a team that plays with little margin for error.
Speaking of the Bengals, we saw this movie last year. Burrow missed most of the preseason with appendicitis. The Bengals started 0-2 losing to Cooper Rush in week 2, looking like crap. They went 2-3 with a loss at Baltimore, and 4-4 with their annual loss at Cleveland. Didn't lose again until the AFC Championship. They've righted the ship earlier this year. Watch out league. I still think they're the team to beat in the North.
The Ravens peaked at this time of year last year too. They were 7-3 heading into Thanksgiving. Then Lamar got hurt and it all went to shit. I saw a twisted leg tackle yesterday that sent Lamar limping for a couple of plays. It reminded me that they changed coordinators this year to improve the passing offense. It seemed to be working until this week when they decided to just run all over the Seahawks, which has been a decent run D. I worry that they'll revert more to Lamar's legs as the season goes on and risk losing him. I also didn't like how OBJ was a squeaky wheel this week and that led to just one target for Zay Flowers. Lamar is also still sloppy with the ball, 10 fumbles this year. Ravens have a habit of checking out of a game for a series or two or a quarter. If they keep Lamar upright and can snag some home field advantage they should be competitive at least through the divisional round.
Cleveland's defense at home has been frightening. On the road not so much. Next game in Baltimore would be a must watch if the networks had their shit together. Instead it will be in maybe 10% of available markets.
Jacksonville is an under the radar championship threat. 4-0 on the road at Indy, Buffalo, NO and Pitt, not a bad resume. A bye week match with healing SF this week should be a great game.
Guess I should mention Dallas, but there's not much to say. Since the Switzer years they had a tradition of being a yard short or a second late when it matters most. No surprise to see what happened yesterday. On a positive note they've got a five week schedule between Thanksgiving and New Year's that will either get McCarthy fired or toughen their hide for the playoffs (Sea, Philly, at Buff, at Miami, Detroit). They should be 8-3 heading into it with upcoming games against Tommy Devito, B Young and Sam Howell.
And look at this Philly stretch after the bye week 10: at KC, Buff, SF, at Dallas, at Sea. That's some fun stuff!
Frank Costanza
Co-Inventor of the Man's Bra
Echo the comments on Stroud. That final drive he took them on to win the game was simply outstanding. Down 4, took Houston 75 yards in 0:40. 5 for 5 throwing. No one (Brady, Mahomes, whoever) could have done it better. Cool as a cucumber in the pocket and flawless on his passes, especially the game winner.
