OT: NFL

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Before even releasing the schedule (which is already a mess every year with leaks) the league needs to actually read it. Its like they just hit a randomize button and run with it. Before even releasing the schedule they should move all the games they need to. If the league hits randomize and sees " Week 1: Bills-Packers Sunday 1pm and Giants-Raiders Monday 8:15" they should swap those two games before even releasing the schedule. Prime time like Monday and Thursday nights need to be reserved for good football. Only the good teams deserve to see the limelight, teams like the Bears, Panthers, and Patriots have to wait until they are good again to see prime time. If the matchup starts to suck as the year goes on because of injury or whatever, that's tough. It was gonna be good until so and so got hurt and now its a bad primetime game, but it doesn't screw over any fans.

The only thing I like about bad primetime games is that it screws over Scamazon Prime, Peecock, and other streaming services. Maybe the NFL does have a plan...

The ironic part, however, is the Thursday game is typically terrible football -- regardless which teams are playing. Three days in between games is insane for NFL players. They all say the games on Sunday are so violent they cannot physically recover by Thursday (to play anywhere near 100%).

I often find the Thursday games to be nearly unwatchable.

But, the whores don't make the rules. The pimp does.


Going back 25 years or so ... I used to LOVE when there was (1) Thursday night college football game. It was on ESPN. It was a big deal to get one of those Thursday night games. It always had the 'A' announcing team.

[Chuck Norris]

Good article in The Athletic yesterday about the NFL flexing games, particularly to Thursday nights, and how fans get left holding the bag. Several examples were shared where people buy tickets, flights, and hotel rooms for a Sunday game only to be told that the game is being moved to Thursday. They just did this for the Chargers vs Broncos game and fans who have to travel got totally screwed factoring in holiday travel and an inability to schedule new flights, time off work, etc. I follow the NFL and watch NFL games, but the way they run their business is gross. I probably only go to a game once every 3-4 years, if that. This comment below the article summed it up:

The commissioner’s quote (“There isn’t anybody in any of our organizations that doesn’t put our fans first.”) made me quite literally laugh out loud.

Fans do not come first. Player safety does not come first. Quality of the product does not come first. Integrity of the game does not come first.

Money comes first. Period. Actions speak louder than words, and the NFL has been tipping their hand for decades. It’s downright insulting to suggest otherwise.

This is the same league that crows about how they value player safety as they extend the season to 17 games, which will almost certainly become 18 games within the next several years, not to mention forcing more and more teams to make these ridiculous trips to Europe every year.

I get doing the big kickoff to the season on Thursday night, but other than that, Thursday night football needs to go away. The games are usually terrible, even if it’s a good matchup on paper. I know Monday Night Football isn’t going anywhere, but to me even it has run its course. It’s just not a big deal anymore. Football used to leave us wanting more. Personally, I rarely watch an NFL regular season game the Steelers aren’t involved in. Ideally they play at 1:00 and my football weekend ends as soon as the game is over. I get burned out.

[SecretlySavage]

Before even releasing the schedule (which is already a mess every year with leaks) the league needs to actually read it. Its like they just hit a randomize button and run with it. Before even releasing the schedule they should move all the games they need to. If the league hits randomize and sees " Week 1: Bills-Packers Sunday 1pm and Giants-Raiders Monday 8:15" they should swap those two games before even releasing the schedule. Prime time like Monday and Thursday nights need to be reserved for good football. Only the good teams deserve to see the limelight, teams like the Bears, Panthers, and Patriots have to wait until they are good again to see prime time. If the matchup starts to suck as the year goes on because of injury or whatever, that's tough. It was gonna be good until so and so got hurt and now its a bad primetime game, but it doesn't screw over any fans.

The only thing I like about bad primetime games is that it screws over Scamazon Prime, Peecock, and other streaming services. Maybe the NFL does have a plan...

[IUPNation]

Good article in The Athletic yesterday about the NFL flexing games, particularly to Thursday nights, and how fans get left holding the bag. Several examples were shared where people buy tickets, flights, and hotel rooms for a Sunday game only to be told that the game is being moved to Thursday. They just did this for the Chargers vs Broncos game and fans who have to travel got totally screwed factoring in holiday travel and an inability to schedule new flights, time off work, etc. I follow the NFL and watch NFL games, but the way they run their business is gross. I probably only go to a game once every 3-4 years, if that. This comment below the article summed it up:

The commissioner’s quote (“There isn’t anybody in any of our organizations that doesn’t put our fans first.”) made me quite literally laugh out loud.

Fans do not come first. Player safety does not come first. Quality of the product does not come first. Integrity of the game does not come first.

Money comes first. Period. Actions speak louder than words, and the NFL has been tipping their hand for decades. It’s downright insulting to suggest otherwise.

They should only be able to flex on the same day.

They best games all season haven’t been Sunday or Monday night.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Good article in The Athletic yesterday about the NFL flexing games, particularly to Thursday nights, and how fans get left holding the bag. Several examples were shared where people buy tickets, flights, and hotel rooms for a Sunday game only to be told that the game is being moved to Thursday. They just did this for the Chargers vs Broncos game and fans who have to travel got totally screwed factoring in holiday travel and an inability to schedule new flights, time off work, etc. I follow the NFL and watch NFL games, but the way they run their business is gross. I probably only go to a game once every 3-4 years, if that. This comment below the article summed it up:

The commissioner’s quote (“There isn’t anybody in any of our organizations that doesn’t put our fans first.”) made me quite literally laugh out loud.

Fans do not come first. Player safety does not come first. Quality of the product does not come first. Integrity of the game does not come first.

Money comes first. Period. Actions speak louder than words, and the NFL has been tipping their hand for decades. It’s downright insulting to suggest otherwise.

[Chuck Norris]

I'm by no means a Steeler fan. I put the Yinzer tribe right alongside Ohio State cult members.

But, it was hard watching the Pittsburgh offense without George Pickens. He's a loose cannon but is a game-changer. Without him, they have a cast of B-list types that don't scare anybody. They get real easy to defend without him playing.

We'll see if he returns this week. They better hope so.

I believe the Steelers ran 3 plays in the first quarter that gained more than 1 yard and they all got called back by penalties. They forced two turnovers on Philly’s side of the 50 and got three points and they only got those because they recovered the fumbled punt inside the 15. They ran 11 offensive plays in the second half. I said it last night, Tomlin punted down 14 with 11 minutes to go because he had seen enough and was ready to get out of there. Unfortunately the defense couldn’t get off the field and Watt wound up getting hurt.

And with all that they were about 20 yards from tying the game late in the 3rd when Najee fumbled. Philly is one of the top 2 or 3 teams in the league. Winning there was going to be a nearly impossible task. If the Steelers get healthy, big if, the Bills are the only team in the AFC I’d see them having no shot against. I’m not sure that’s a compliment or a statement on how beatable everyone else in the AFC looks.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It seemed evident that the Steelers' strategy was to contain Saquon Barkley and make Hurts beat them through the air. And, to their credit, they did contain Barkley better than any other defense this year. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, because of the Eagles passing game's recent struggles and the off-field "drama", passing was clearly a point of emphasis during practice this week and it showed on gameday.

I'm by no means a Steeler fan. I put the Yinzer tribe right alongside Ohio State cult members.

But, it was hard watching the Pittsburgh offense without George Pickens. He's a loose cannon but is a game-changer. Without him, they have a cast of B-list types that don't scare anybody. They get real easy to defend without him playing.

We'll see if he returns this week. They better hope so.

[EastStroud13]

It seemed evident that the Steelers' strategy was to contain Saquon Barkley and make Hurts beat them through the air. And, to their credit, they did contain Barkley better than any other defense this year. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, because of the Eagles passing game's recent struggles and the off-field "drama", passing was clearly a point of emphasis during practice this week and it showed on gameday.

[IUPNation]

Tomlin just waved the white flag by punting there. On one hand I don’t think there was much expectation they were going to win, but this was an awful performance. Stupid penalties, offense non existent for the first quarter and a half, defense let a struggling Hurts carve them up.

Hurts was not struggling. That has been the false narrative drummed up by a ridiculous Philly media and Iggles fans having meltdowns that every game isn’t a crushing beat down of the opposing team every week. The same fans screaming to run the ball in September and now they want to to pass.

He’s in the top 10 ratings wise and he has the best RB in the league. He has been managing the games just fine.

[WarriorVoice]

How good are the Eagles right now?! I wish the playoffs started next weekend...

[IUPNation]

Wawa/Yousers 27
Sheetz/Yinzers 13

We finally beat Russell Wilson.

[Chuck Norris]

And if TJ Watt just hurt himself significantly, the season is over.

[Chuck Norris]

One quarter away from a glamorous week of Yinzer radio.

Madden is best after a loss.

Tomlin just waved the white flag by punting there. On one hand I don’t think there was much expectation they were going to win, but this was an awful performance. Stupid penalties, offense non existent for the first quarter and a half, defense let a struggling Hurts carve them up.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

One quarter away from a glamorous week of Yinzer radio.

Madden is best after a loss.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Among the comedy of errors, they went way overboard with Justin Fields last night. Either reign that in or just bench Russ altogether. Shuffling QBs in and out like that isn’t sustainable.

They watched way too much film of the Saints torching Cleveland.