2022 NFL regular season thread - discussion (no picks)

ridonkulous

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120118393#Comment_120118393

Make that 4 misses 🙈

hynesie08

Maher aside, this has been exactly what I wanted to see from the cowboys, just one Micah Parsons sack would be the cherry on top.

ridonkulous

That's the end of that. Not even the great Tom Brady is coming back from a 25-point deficit with 10 minutes to go.

eagle eye

Cowboys looked great last night. It's just that you can't trust them to consistently perform.

I remember from years ago when the Cowboys and niners were the top two teams in the NFC. There were some great battles between them. Heres hoping we get another one at the weekend.

I don't think there should be Monday night football in the playoffs, it's a big disadvantage having a day less to recover. Actually it's two days less in this instance isn't it?

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120119005#Comment_120119005

Don't like the Monday night wild card game (mainly because I don't get to see it) but at least the winner is guaranteed they won't play until Sunday. Which somewhat minimises the disadvantage. Also as the Monday WC game is always going to be 4v5 seed for scheduling reasons, you could argue that playing better during the regular season is a way to avoid being landed with it.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120119207#Comment_120119207

You have enough of a disadvantage being on the road for your next game which is almost certain as you are facing the two seed most likely.

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120119215#Comment_120119215

Not disagreeing with you at all - but ultimately when you sign up for the NFL as player or coach then these are the kind of things you accept. A Monday game is more lucrative for everyone than a 3rd game on the Saturday (early) so therefore there will be a Monday game and you'll be disadvantaged if you are in that game. Not saying it's right or anything. LA Rams did overcome it last year.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120119249#Comment_120119249

The Monday game on ESPN is less lucrative than any game on a big four network. All the other games were on a national network I think. Unless Prime had one?

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120114938#Comment_120114938

Bears and Falcon's games were outliers that I don't think it is safe to point to. The Bears being in monsoon that took away the speed of the defense and playing against a new coaching ticket with no tape and for the Falcons game they were missing 7 of their starters on defense.

Having said that, the team has historically struggled with running QBs so it would be a concern. They have had Wilson and Kyler in their division so have seen a lot of it over the years.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120120560#Comment_120120560

Monday game was on nationally on ABC in addition to ESPN.

On the Cowboys having less rest, in the past they would be playing the 49ers off a bye week as the second seed.

There isn't any justification to complain when the Cowboys actually end up in a better position than before the playoff expansion.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120120600#Comment_120120600

But they are in a worse position than any other team. The Giants were worse than them and get a day extra rest.

If the 49ers lost to the Seahawks they'd be losing a day to a worse seed.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120120634#Comment_120120634

That happens basically every week in the NFL though. Whoever wins next week between 49ers and Cowboys will have a day less rest than the Eagles and Giants - same with the AFC.

Before the expansion of the playoffs, the Cowboys would have likely played on Sunday and would mean the 49ers coming off the bye resulting in 7 days of extra rest. Now with the new post expansion format the Cowboys get only 2 days less rest so they are 5 days better off than they would be historically.

In addition, the Cowboys also had 2 extra days rest in advance of the game last night which would mean going in their players were better rested, could have helped their players get over niggling injuries, and lowered the risk of reoccurrence than if they played on Saturday, like the 49ers did.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120120735#Comment_120120735

Firstly you are not considering the situation if the no.2 seed loses and they face a worse seed with two days less rest. How is that fair?

Secondly in the regular season it happens to every team so it's fair. This is the playoffs, you lose and you are out so everything should be fair and equal. The advantage is home field for higher seeds.

Talking about how things used to be is not relevant. We've moved on to a new format and no team should be disadvantaged by that. All the NFC games should be on the same day and obviously likewise with the AFC. Monday night football should end with the regular season just like TNF.

Finally, the Cowboys had the same rest period before Sundays game as the Bucs so there was no advantage there.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120121187#Comment_120121187

Sure the whole playoff bracket is based on in season form when the teams do not play the same opponents, even in division. A team can be boosted in a season, or for decades, due to playing a much weaker strength of schedule or even just having to travel less - things that are totally down to the luck of scheduling. Teams can even give their star players a bye week despite not getting first seed if they get lucky enough with scheduling - the Chargers could have negated any advantage the Jags potentially got with a day less rest by doing this (didn't hear anyone claiming the unfairness of the Jags extra rest).

Today the Cowboys are far less disadvantaged than they would have been historically when there were 2 byes per division. No one is saying the situation is perfect but very little about the NFL is 'fair' when it comes to scheduling and I'd argue most fans wouldn't want the changes put in for it to be improved - for example taking SoS into account for seeding, divisions being randomised each year, less unique games by playing home and away, bringing in home and away playoff games, or taking away seeding altogether and a random draw each playoff week.

Given all the unfairness in the league when it comes to scheduling, this is a weird instance to uniquely complain about and want to change.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120121522#Comment_120121522

It's simply because it's the playoffs. You lose and you are out.

It's not like the regular season where you can recover from a loss on a short week by winning a couple of games.

You keep bringing up the two byes but that's historic and doesn't relate to the here and now.

The Jags getting a one day advantage was not a good situation either and I didn't think of it.

Two days is a huge disadvantage.

And I'll also say I preferred the old system.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120122688#Comment_120122688

You preferred the old system yet you're now complaining about the new system that results in the Cowboys receiving far more rest? 🙄

Playing Monday isn't ideal but there are far greater unfair things in the NFL that everyone just ignores (like the entire process of seeding that not taking into account difference in SoS).

If the Cowboys lose it won't be because of having slightly less rest, especially when they had a chance to rest all key players during week 18 but turned it down by trotting them out against Washington.

No point in going around in circles further on this, think we've both been clear where we stand.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120122800#Comment_120122800

I'm talking about fairness. If the niners lost to the Seahawks then they were getting two days less rest than a lower seed. Can you address that hole in your argument and how that would be fair?

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120122998#Comment_120122998

I don't think it's as hugely unfair as you make it out. And realistically the Monday WC game is here to stay so it's pointless to go down the road of suggesting scrapping it.

I do think an easy fix might be that if NFC conference 4v5 is picked for Monday, then the two other NFC games (2v7, 3v6) could both be on the Sunday slate. So the Monday winners will either be playing a team who played Sunday (or else away to the team who got the bye). The AFC would thus have 2 games on Saturday and 1 on Sunday of Wild Card weekend

I don't know enough to know whether having say just 2 AFC games and zero NFC on the Saturday would cause a problem with TV deals.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120123084#Comment_120123084

I said that earlier. While one day of extra rest is an advantage it's not nearly as huge as two days.

I'll always be against Monday night football during the playoffs. As far as I'm aware that only happened when we got this extra game last season. I can't ever remember Monday night football during the playoffs in the 40 years I've been watching the game before last season.

adrian522

I'd have concerns about the 49ers defense outside of just running QB's. They've shown to be vulnerable against deep passes, particularly against teams with multiple good receivers.

They got torched by Davante Adams in Vegas and teams like the Eagles can pit pressure on in that regard. The 49ers have been very good against the run and against short passes but they can be attacked deep.

Also the 49ers schedule (particularly since playing the chiefs has been very soft in terms of the offenses/QB's faced). They have done very well but it's a big step up in class against Dallas and potentially Philadelphia.

Hufanga has been great in terms of takeaways and stopping the run but he has a habit of getting lost in coverage and biting on play action. Lenoir, the 49ers outside CB has been vulnerable as well. I think the 49ers defense is really good but not as good as many make out.

Question is can Dak Prescott exploit those weaknesses?

In the 49ers favour I think is the additional rest (not just 8 days vs 6 days) but also they have been at home for all but 3 of the last 10 weeks while the cowboys have been on the road 4 of the last 5 weeks, and now have to fly from Tampa to Dallas on Monday night and then fly across the country probably Friday for a Sunday game.

I think the 49ers have an advantage on the coaching front, I just don't have confidence in McCarthy making the correct in game decisions and with their FG kicker also looking like he is lacking confidence that could be a difference in a close game.

I'd expect the 49ers to win a close game as long as they have a decent plan for Cee Dee Lamb and their pass rush is somewhat effective.

Also Dak has thrown 15 interceptions and the 49ers lead the league in takeaways so potential advantage there too.

Should be a good game, looking forward to it just wish it wasn't the late Sunday game.

49ers by 3.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120122998#Comment_120122998

You're talking about fairness when your preference is a system that is less fair than this current one, where a team gets potentially 7 days additional rest rather than the 2 days you have issue with.

As I've said, very little about how seedings come about is fair so I don't get why you're making such a big deal about this. If a 7th seed can go on the road and beat a 2nd seed they deserve some minor scheduling luck.

Below is why ABC/ESPN are paying ~2.6 billion a year to the NFL for rights that include this Monday night playoff game. That money goes into the cap and players pockets.

https://twitter.com/jonmachota/status/1615528274503041025?s=20&t=GLaKEnA6NPMKjvbDV4L9bg

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120123819#Comment_120123819

The key for the Cowboys is Dak and I just don't see how he can have a good game against that defense. He's been very poor when pressured. He got all the time in the world on Monday night.

The question is Brock Purdy and how he performs. As you said above you've had a very friendly schedule but you'll face a serious pass rush for the first time in Brock's NFL career. We don't know how he'll deal with that. If he can handle it then I think the niners win easy, if he can't then it's anybody's game.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120123819#Comment_120123819

In addition to issues with deep passes, I'm somewhat concerned about the 49ers run defense. The numbers probably lie somewhat about the stoutness because the offense has been doing so well that teams have to give up on running the ball. Both of those are likely interrelated as the 49ers defense struggles defending deep when they have to put more resources in to stop the run. The Cowboys have strength here so they could make things dangerous.

On the schedule, the same softness can really be said for all of the teams on the NFC side of playoffs. Towards of the end of the season none of them really faced top tier offensive opposition and showed weaknesses when they did.

The best QB the Cowboys faced in the run in was Lawrence, who blows very hot and cold and has no top tier weapons, where the Cowboys gave up 40 and also gave up 34 points to the Minshew led Eagles, who were probably the best overall offense they faced in that run.

For the Eagles, the best offense they faced was the Cowboys and they gave up 40 and you have to go back to November to see another upper end QB in the ghost of Rodgers and they gave up 33 points.

With the weakness of the NFC schedules it makes the things very interesting for how it will play out. The 49ers roster are the only ones that have a roster full of players who have made a deep playoff run out of any of these teams so even given their schedule you'd have to expect they're ready for the intensity that is coming.

dastardly00

Chiefs are in a spot of bother here because of Mahomes' ankle

Kev8360

That injury to Mahomes could be big in this game. definitely didn’t look right on that last drive.

amacca

This might not be the best place to ask mid playoff game, if so apologies and ignore.

Anyone here know if there's anywhere in Cork that might be showing at least one of the games tomorrow night?.....

(I thought this might be the only place I'd find someone that knows a bar they might have NFL on)

Realt Dearg Sec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120140300#Comment_120140300

I don't know cork very well but there's a Woolshed there so I presume if it's anything like the Dublin one they show the games

amacca

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120140432#Comment_120140432

Thank you, much appreciated, chuffed with that I might never have found that. They seem to be showing bills bengals 👍

Itssoeasy

The eagles put down a marker tonight.

eagle eye

Yeah they certainly did. Nobody is stopping the Eagles in my opinion. They are so strong everywhere.

I'm wondering if Hurts missed games might work in his favour as far as MVP is concerned. They lost every game he missed.