GENERAL NFL THREAD (handegghandegghandegg)

[Hel OWeen]

Not sure where to put this, here or in the PLAGUE thread, but I guess it's more fitting (and less distracting) here.

So apparently my Vikings have the lowest vaccination rate of all NFL teams (64.5% compared to the league's 90%). Which is bad enough in itself. But there are some high profile names amongst those anti-vaxxers, e.g. QB Kirk Cousins, WR Adam Thielen and S Harrison Smith. I don't know anything about Smith's personality, so vOv ... and Cousins has had his strange moments in the past. But all what I saw and heard from Thielen up until now left the impression that he's quite sane and grounded guy. And now that? You're all top athletes and therefore role models, so get your shots, ffs!

And honestly: I wouldn't mind the Vikings benching them until they are vaccinated, even if that would mean we'll be dead-last in the NFC North. But that is just a game (yeah, OK, it's a business). But stopping a deadly disease is a whole different and serious topic altogether.

[Hel OWeen]

OK, so now with the SB participants in the books, I have to say the last two weekends of football were among the most exciting I can remember having watched so far.

The divisional playoff weekend, almost universally labeled as "best weekend in the AF season", more than lived up to its name this season. For us Euros the late games are always a gamble between getting not enough sleep vs. watching an exciting game. Well, staying awake, especially for the Bills @ Chiefs games really payed off. And although a very low scoring game, even the 49ers @ Packers was a good watch.

And while I had the suspicion that the Packers may trip over the 49ers, because of all remaining teams, the 49ers were the worst possible matchup for the Packers, I didn't expect the Bengals to win the one yesterday. Especially when the Chiefs won the coin toss yet again. I guess betting on a Bengals @ Rams SB at the start of the season would have given you pretty good odds.

It's astonishing how the whole Bengals team seems to posses this "vOv - we don't care" attitude and just keep doing their thing. Even the very experienced Brady became obviously frustrated against the Rams.

I know SBs are always a different beast and can become quite stale because of what's on the line in that match. But Bengals @ Rams has the potential to be an entertaining one.

[Lowa [NSN]]

If you have not seen it the teaser for half time is fuckin lit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3NhX6-5mO0

[Winged Nazgul]

If you have not seen it the teaser for half time is fuckin lit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3NhX6-5mO0

Holy shit! Guess I'm not skipping that halftime show like I usually do.

[Keckers]

Although Rodgers choking in the playoffs should have been as predictable as special teams giving up double digits points I was expecting Packers to make it to the super bowl.

Pretty happy with the Bengals and rams match up though. It could be a bit of a one sided affair if the Bengal's O line doesn't play a blinder.

[evil edna]

Was such a shit fizzle out end of the season for the Packers, losing with crap special teams vs a weak SF team with as easy a run to the superbowl as theres been for a while.

[Hel OWeen]

So, with having reached mid-season of the regular season, time for a first brief review

- Overall a surprising season so far. Any team can beat any team as especially well demonstrated yesterday by Alistair's Jets beating the Bills and to a lesser extend by the Lions beating the really-terrible-this-season Packers. Considering the whole season so far, the later isn't that surprising. But that the Lions dead-last ranked defense beat Rodgers ... not sure how things will play out in Green Bay. Even more so than Brady in Tampa, Rodgers looks on the field and comments make it look like he gonna quit at any point now.

- My Vikes always find a way to come back and win the "ugly games". The Vikings weren't good at coming back from behind the past seasons. Once they were trailing, they did seldom overcome this. This season that seems to be more the norm than the exception. Didn't expect that. And I'm somewhat glad that every podcast / NFL show dismisses the whole NFC with the exception of the Phily as "not being good". "The 'boys perhaps. And the Niners." I hear them say. Good. Keep it that way. I have no problem sneaking into the playoffs and potentially a bit further there all the while the Vikes are dismissed as "not really good".

- WTF, Josh Allen. but also: Bravo, Josh Allen. Wow, his last two games were terrible. And wow didn't he stand up and owned his mistakes. With no uncertain words. Perhaps these two games came at the right time and humble the team. I still think they're the best team in the NFL right now.

- Brady & Rodgers are out of football after this season confirmed? More so than their teams' records, the looks of both on and off the field gives a constant "I am so annoyed right now ..." impression. Brady perhaps regretting coming back. And Rodgers that he didn't call it a day last season.

[evil edna]

Was such a shit fizzle out end of the season for the Packers, losing with crap special teams vs a weak SF team with as easy a run to the superbowl as theres been for a while.

This season we have decided to do the shit fizzle out early, nice

[Keckers]

The Packers injury record is pretty devastating. Front office totally dropped the ball in creating any depth in the squad for skill positions but got lucky with the O line being able to patch itself up last season (thanks Jenkins). Rodgers underthrowing a lot of passes is the most concerning.

[Hel OWeen]

> Rodgers underthrowing a lot of passes is the most concerning.

Is he?

Or do the very young/inexperienced receivers just wait for the ball, but don't come (back) for the ball. I.e. you see Hill & Waddle do come back for underthrown balls from Tua. Which is part of their success story.

I guess it's a bit of both: he underthrows more balls this season than before, but also got less talented and experienced WRs than before, demonstrating the above behavior.

[Hel OWeen]

OK, I'm getting prepared to enter panic mode - I wasn't prepared for a playoff run this season with a new HC and a defense that last season looked weak (for Viking standards).

In hindsight nothing better could have happened than Stefon Diggs going to the Bills. I highly doubt the Vikings would have otherwise drafted Jefferson. Holy shit what a performance!

[Nordstern]

OK, I'm getting prepared to enter panic mode - I wasn't prepared for a playoff run this season with a new HC and a defense that last season looked weak (for Viking standards).

In hindsight nothing better could have happened than Stefon Diggs going to the Bills. I highly doubt the Vikings would have otherwise drafted Jefferson. Holy shit what a performance!

Indeed! And I wish to formally apologize to the Vikings for writing them off when their goal line push failed. I didn't realize that the Bills couldn't simply knee down to end the game. But by then, I had turned the TV off.

[evil edna]

OK, I'm getting prepared to enter panic mode - I wasn't prepared for a playoff run this season with a new HC and a defense that last season looked weak (for Viking standards).

In hindsight nothing better could have happened than Stefon Diggs going to the Bills. I highly doubt the Vikings would have otherwise drafted Jefferson. Holy shit what a performance!

The ending on that Vikings - Bills game was a total clown fiesta and was more of a throw away by the Bills than a Vikings win, but I admit they look a lot better than I expected this season.

Packers finally remembered how to play football this week, good win vs Dallas and still in the hunt for a wildcard spot for sure.