#NFL Week in Review – Week 11 (2019)
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First lets go into the news on the NFL's favorite aggro draw, Colin Kaepernick. A quick timeline of events.
https://youtu.be/MFjqDc_hwho
It came out later that Kap had his people - including a security detail - ready to go at the new location from the start. That tells me that the plan all along was to make the switch and leave the NFL high and dry. It also tells me that, for Kap, this was more about making a statement than showing off his abilities to interested teams.
Kapernick has every reason to be wary of the league that has blackballed him for three years, blatantly signing players clearly inferior to him in the process. But at some point, if he truly wants back in, he's going to have to meet the league halfway. As much as the franchises² have screwed him over, his insistence on coming back on his terms has probably kept teams away as much as the protests. You can't insist you deserve a job with a company and consistently refuse to comply with what they clearly want from you. You either want back in that bad, or you don't.
Kaepernick has consistently shown that his personal morals and beliefs are more important to him than an NFL roster spot. Which is cool. But you can't keep putting that out there and expect a conservative bunch like NFL owners and GMs to just offer you a spot on merits. It doesn't work like that. Never has and we're decades away from that changing to any real degree.¹ Real talk: As much as I think Kap got the "No Vaseline" treatment, my sympathy for his continued unemployment has waned greatly in the years since he last threw a pass.
Hard to keep up that empathy when it's clear you want it more than he does.
It started out as just another Browns/Steelers matchup. The Steelers were playing out their semi-annual Horrible Loss To An Inferior Team. Though this time, that loss was fueled by a M.A.S.H. unit's worth of injuries (including JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner and Artie Burns).
The Browns getting a needed win would've been the story... For 59:52 of the game. Then Mason Rudolph and Miles Garret got into a scuffle, where Rudolph appeared to kick Garret in the little Browns and try and rip his helmet off. And then Garrett said "You think that was stupid, pointless and dangerous? HOLD MY BEER!"
https://youtu.be/_PMHlURlxus?t=28
The league brought the hammer down harder than Garrett swung that helmet: Suspended indefinitely - the rest of 2019 at a minimum. Pittsburgh's Maurkice Pouncey (three games) and Cleveland's Larry Ogunjobi (one game) were also ejected and suspended. Probably a raft of fines are coming as well.
I notice that Mason Rudolph's name hasn't shown up with regards to suspensions or fines (ETA: Undisclosed fine, no suspension). Garrett got him with a late hit, clearly. Just as clearly, Rudolph retaliated with a kick to the groin and an attempt to yank Garrett's helmet off, starting the brawl off in earnest. It would send a pretty bad message, in my not-so-humble opinion, to drop the hammer on so many others and let the guy who started the fight skate.
I also can't imagine this will help the perception that Dudebro Jim Tomsula runs an undisciplined team.
FYI: With his 92 yards on the night, Nick Chubb is the first player over the 1,000 mark rushing, this season.
This team of mine makes it impossible to enjoy a win.
A turnover on the first drive for the second straight week (and a TD scored off that turnover). The defense getting pushed around again - only this time it wasn't an all-pro candidate like Dalvin Cook doing the pushing. Zeke getting mostly shut down for the second straight week. Though this time:
There was also Fratdouche Bill Belichick waving the white flag late in the game: 02:07 left on the clock. Down by 8. 4th-and-26. Time for a gut check call right? Nope: Try "gutless." Punt formation, attempt at the Knucklehead Play, Delay of Game, 4th-and-31, punt, Dallas runs out the clock. Drive home safely.
This plays like Matt Patricia betting that his chances on a quick three-and-out were better than his chances at hitting a fourth-and-very long. Which tells me he was watching a different game than the rest of us, as Dallas hadn't gone three-and-out since the first quarter.
Still, this was not a comfortable game for a Cowboy fan to watch. If Matt Stafford is playing, we probably lose. That run defense is going to cost us more games down the stretch. And Zeke getting shut down twice in a row does not bode well for the O-Line (and there've been whispers about it all season, really).
Of course, there's always a silver lining: Every loss is a step closer to the end of the Golden Boy era.
Both teams welcomed back injured QBs: Jake Brisket from a two-week knee injury and Nick "I won a Super Bowl!" Foles back from a broken collarbone that kept him out since Week 1 (and introduced us all to El Hombre Magnífico, Gardner Minshew).
Apparently one team forgot to gameplan something that doesn't put everything on the guy who's coming in rusty. And it was the team with the QB missing for three months. The Colts decided to not even chance Brissett's rustiness might cost them a win and just mauled the Jags with their ground attack, rolling up 264 yards rushing as a team. With the Colts eating up yards and clock, the Jags were forced to go to the air.
Where we will remind you that, outside of D.J. Chark, their pass corps are well and truly wanting. (not Jets-level wanting, but still) Cue bad loss.
Perhaps the Jags coaching staff should've taken the schedule into consideration when thy decided to let Foles play his way back into form?
Yes, it was against The Artists Formerly Known As The Tankfish, but that was still Josh Allen's best game as a pro. He made plays with his arm. He made plays with his legs. He kept the "OH MY GOD WHY" plays off the table for at least a day.
Against Miami or not, I think the loons in Bills Nation will take it.
And I'll give the Fish credit: They play with more pride and heart than I would, given that my bosses have tried their best to kneecap us. Even if that pride and heart would seem to be against their best interests.
The Vikings offense only showed up for half the game on Sunday (one quarter, really). Fortunately for them, it was the second half. And it was more than enough. The Vikes scored 21 unanswered in the fourth quarter, erasing a 20-0 halftime lead.
Yet still, the Broncos had the chance to steal the game at the end, only to bog down on their final drive: They had five minutes to drive down for a game winning TD, only throw three straight incompletes inside the Viking 5 yard line. That’s what happens when you put the game on the shoulders of your late-round rookie QB, rather than run the ball a time or three.
In completely unrelated news: Drew Lock may suit up for the first time since the preseason vs. Buffalo. They’re definitely looking at him for Week 13. Likely a four-game tryout for Lock.
And I’m wondering if Vic Fangio will be around to see who the Bronco QB will be in 2020.
I’m pretty sure this game is the nail in the coffin for Rapey McCrablegs’ future in Tampa. Another game, another multi-turnover performance. For every play he makes to keep his team in contention, he makes one that knocks them out. The only real consistency in his game is his inconsistency. And if a QB guru like Bruce Ariens can’t cut down the turnovers, who can?¹
The Jets have three wins on the season, including this one.
All three have come against the NFC East.
Not sure if that says more about the Jets or the NFC East.
So how much should I read into the fact that the Panthers have lost two straight (and looked bad doing it) ever since Cam Newton was shelved for the year, making Kyle Allen the unquestioned starter for the rest of 2019?
And should I look more into the fact that the left-for-dead Falcons just dogwalked their second straight division foe?
If you listen to Nuke Hopkins and the Texans fans, this game got stolen by the refs, via a bad missed PI call.
All due respect, folks: You don’t lose by 34 because of one call. You lose when your o-line - which has been rock solid since trading for Laremy Tunsil - reverts to type and gets run over by the Raven front seven, getting Deshaun Watson pummelled in the process. And that domination gave the Ravens’ DB’s time and space to lock down Hopkins and the other Texans WRs.
This was supposed to be “Lamar Jackson vs. Watson.” It turned out to just be “Lamar Jackson.” (222 and 4 through the air, 86 on the ground).
The win moves Baltimore to 8-2, one game behind the Patriots for the #1 seed, with a win over NE, in case they drop another game. If Hollywood Brown can stay healthy to give them some verticality, this is a team I would not want to face, come January.
When was the last time you could describe an Arizona/San Francisco game as “thrilling?”
Once again, the young Redbirds were game and hung in, but ultimately couldn’t stay with the NFC-leading Niners. Kyler Murray threw for 2 TDs and ran for another in the losing cause. We only have a few games to go on, but dude’s looking like Lamar Jackson with a lesser arm (but better accuracy). If Murray gains the ability to stretch the field (or Arizona brings in some YAC machines), look out.
And the Niners notch another win without leading receiver George Kittle and leading ground gainer Matt Breida.
And I still have no confidence in Jimmy G, come crunch time.
...Moving on.
Not to panic you, FAWKIN’ PATRIOTS Nation, but the best pass of the night - from either side - was thrown by Julian Edelman.
The Patriots, once again, leaned on their defense to get the win, gaining only 298 yards total offense, but limiting the Iggles to 255. They did still manage to score 17 unanswered, so there’s something there.
The Eagles fall a game behind the Cowboys in the NFC East, with Dallas owning a win over them. Their defense is looking as iffy as NE’s, without the benefit of the stalwart defense. Or a QB with Dreamboat’s track record.
Another day, another Ugly-with-a-capital-U Bears game. And another cringe-worthy Mitch Trubisky game. And another game where we wonder just WTF happened to the Rams’ offense?
But hey! Todd Gurley almost had a 100-yard game!
I’m not sure who’s more to blame for Trubisky’s nose dive: Trubisky himself or Matt Nagy? Either way, I forsee we’ve sen the last of Trubisky as Bears starter (barring an injury to Chase Daniel)
San Diego Los Angeles ran 13 more plays than the Chiefs, gained 128 more yards and had five more first downs. They averaged 4.8 yards per rush. They forced Cheat Code into only 182 yards and his second INT of the season. Tyreke Hill? Gone after the Chiefs’ second drive. So how does LA not only end up on the wrong end of the final score, but trailing for most of the game?
Three INTs inside their own 30 and a fourth in the red zone? Doesn't help. This was the second 3+ INT game for Captain Quiverfull, who trails only Rapey McCrablegs in turnovers this season. Not to disparage Phillip Rivers...
But it’s looking like he’s Leon Lett in Super Bowl XXVII and Father Time is Don Beebe. It’s getting to the point where people are starting to invoke the name of “Tyrod Taylor.”
Yikes.
First lets go into the news on the NFL's favorite aggro draw, Colin Kaepernick. A quick timeline of events.
- Sometime last week, the NFL approached Kapernick's agent that they would like to set up a private workout session for Kapernick, open to any NFL team who wanted to send someone to observe. Red Flag #1: Allegedly, they gave Kapernick's people two hours to agree or no deal. Red Flag #2: They wanted to hold the workout on Saturday, the 16th. (Where your coaches, GMs and scouts would be prepping for the upcoming game or at a college game) Not on a Tuesday, where free agent workouts and tryout sessions are usually held. When Kapernick's people asked to move the event to Tuesday, the NFL said no. Also: No media. The NFL would record the whole thing and send out tapes to any team that wanted one.
- During the week, there were some disagreements about the waivers the NFL wanted Kap to sign. Waivers are standard for such FA workouts, but Kap's people saw something not kosher about this one. What that is, neither side will say. (Red Flag #3). The NFL says it was standard and that Kap's people sent in a re-written waiver that was unacceptable to them. During this time, depending on the reporting, 11 to 23 teams had signed on to send a rep to the workout.
- When the day finally arrived, Kapernick suddenly announced that the workout would be moved from the Falcons' practice facility in Flowering Branch, GA, to an Atlanta high school, and that the media would be welcome. He also brought in his own receivers, allegedly not having been informed as to who the NFL would have at Flowering Branch. Seven teams (Chiefs, Eagles, Fucksnyders, Jets, Lions, Niners, Titans) were confirmed to have traveled to the new site.
- You can see the entire workout for yourself here:
https://youtu.be/MFjqDc_hwho
It came out later that Kap had his people - including a security detail - ready to go at the new location from the start. That tells me that the plan all along was to make the switch and leave the NFL high and dry. It also tells me that, for Kap, this was more about making a statement than showing off his abilities to interested teams.
Kapernick has every reason to be wary of the league that has blackballed him for three years, blatantly signing players clearly inferior to him in the process. But at some point, if he truly wants back in, he's going to have to meet the league halfway. As much as the franchises² have screwed him over, his insistence on coming back on his terms has probably kept teams away as much as the protests. You can't insist you deserve a job with a company and consistently refuse to comply with what they clearly want from you. You either want back in that bad, or you don't.
Kaepernick has consistently shown that his personal morals and beliefs are more important to him than an NFL roster spot. Which is cool. But you can't keep putting that out there and expect a conservative bunch like NFL owners and GMs to just offer you a spot on merits. It doesn't work like that. Never has and we're decades away from that changing to any real degree.¹ Real talk: As much as I think Kap got the "No Vaseline" treatment, my sympathy for his continued unemployment has waned greatly in the years since he last threw a pass.
Hard to keep up that empathy when it's clear you want it more than he does.
Though, as I've said many many times before: If Al Davis were still alive, Kap wouldn't have been unemployed for a full season.
Can’t really say “The League”, because I’m positive Goodell and co. would rather Kaepernick be on a roster somewhere than on the outside agitating.
Now, on with the games:
Steelers 7, Browns 21 (TNF)
It started out as just another Browns/Steelers matchup. The Steelers were playing out their semi-annual Horrible Loss To An Inferior Team. Though this time, that loss was fueled by a M.A.S.H. unit's worth of injuries (including JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner and Artie Burns).
The Browns getting a needed win would've been the story... For 59:52 of the game. Then Mason Rudolph and Miles Garret got into a scuffle, where Rudolph appeared to kick Garret in the little Browns and try and rip his helmet off. And then Garrett said "You think that was stupid, pointless and dangerous? HOLD MY BEER!"
https://youtu.be/_PMHlURlxus?t=28
The league brought the hammer down harder than Garrett swung that helmet: Suspended indefinitely - the rest of 2019 at a minimum. Pittsburgh's Maurkice Pouncey (three games) and Cleveland's Larry Ogunjobi (one game) were also ejected and suspended. Probably a raft of fines are coming as well.
I notice that Mason Rudolph's name hasn't shown up with regards to suspensions or fines (ETA: Undisclosed fine, no suspension). Garrett got him with a late hit, clearly. Just as clearly, Rudolph retaliated with a kick to the groin and an attempt to yank Garrett's helmet off, starting the brawl off in earnest. It would send a pretty bad message, in my not-so-humble opinion, to drop the hammer on so many others and let the guy who started the fight skate.
I also can't imagine this will help the perception that Dudebro Jim Tomsula runs an undisciplined team.
FYI: With his 92 yards on the night, Nick Chubb is the first player over the 1,000 mark rushing, this season.
Cowboys 35, Lions 27
This team of mine makes it impossible to enjoy a win.
A turnover on the first drive for the second straight week (and a TD scored off that turnover). The defense getting pushed around again - only this time it wasn't an all-pro candidate like Dalvin Cook doing the pushing. Zeke getting mostly shut down for the second straight week. Though this time:
- They remembered they have a change-of-pace back in Tony Pollard.
- They remembered they have a QB who can run like a deer and maybe some RPO or called QB runs might be in order.
There was also Fratdouche Bill Belichick waving the white flag late in the game: 02:07 left on the clock. Down by 8. 4th-and-26. Time for a gut check call right? Nope: Try "gutless." Punt formation, attempt at the Knucklehead Play, Delay of Game, 4th-and-31, punt, Dallas runs out the clock. Drive home safely.
This plays like Matt Patricia betting that his chances on a quick three-and-out were better than his chances at hitting a fourth-and-very long. Which tells me he was watching a different game than the rest of us, as Dallas hadn't gone three-and-out since the first quarter.
Still, this was not a comfortable game for a Cowboy fan to watch. If Matt Stafford is playing, we probably lose. That run defense is going to cost us more games down the stretch. And Zeke getting shut down twice in a row does not bode well for the O-Line (and there've been whispers about it all season, really).
Of course, there's always a silver lining: Every loss is a step closer to the end of the Golden Boy era.
Jaguars 13, Colts 33
Both teams welcomed back injured QBs: Jake Brisket from a two-week knee injury and Nick "I won a Super Bowl!" Foles back from a broken collarbone that kept him out since Week 1 (and introduced us all to El Hombre Magnífico, Gardner Minshew).
Apparently one team forgot to gameplan something that doesn't put everything on the guy who's coming in rusty. And it was the team with the QB missing for three months. The Colts decided to not even chance Brissett's rustiness might cost them a win and just mauled the Jags with their ground attack, rolling up 264 yards rushing as a team. With the Colts eating up yards and clock, the Jags were forced to go to the air.
Where we will remind you that, outside of D.J. Chark, their pass corps are well and truly wanting. (not Jets-level wanting, but still) Cue bad loss.
Perhaps the Jags coaching staff should've taken the schedule into consideration when thy decided to let Foles play his way back into form?
Bills 37, Lolphins 20
Yes, it was against The Artists Formerly Known As The Tankfish, but that was still Josh Allen's best game as a pro. He made plays with his arm. He made plays with his legs. He kept the "OH MY GOD WHY" plays off the table for at least a day.
Against Miami or not, I think the loons in Bills Nation will take it.
And I'll give the Fish credit: They play with more pride and heart than I would, given that my bosses have tried their best to kneecap us. Even if that pride and heart would seem to be against their best interests.
Broncos 23, Vikings 27
The Vikings offense only showed up for half the game on Sunday (one quarter, really). Fortunately for them, it was the second half. And it was more than enough. The Vikes scored 21 unanswered in the fourth quarter, erasing a 20-0 halftime lead.
Yet still, the Broncos had the chance to steal the game at the end, only to bog down on their final drive: They had five minutes to drive down for a game winning TD, only throw three straight incompletes inside the Viking 5 yard line. That’s what happens when you put the game on the shoulders of your late-round rookie QB, rather than run the ball a time or three.
In completely unrelated news: Drew Lock may suit up for the first time since the preseason vs. Buffalo. They’re definitely looking at him for Week 13. Likely a four-game tryout for Lock.
And I’m wondering if Vic Fangio will be around to see who the Bronco QB will be in 2020.
Saints 34, Bucs 17
I’m pretty sure this game is the nail in the coffin for Rapey McCrablegs’ future in Tampa. Another game, another multi-turnover performance. For every play he makes to keep his team in contention, he makes one that knocks them out. The only real consistency in his game is his inconsistency. And if a QB guru like Bruce Ariens can’t cut down the turnovers, who can?¹
Other than Andy Reid, that is...
Jets 34, Fucksnyders 17
The Jets have three wins on the season, including this one.
All three have come against the NFC East.
Not sure if that says more about the Jets or the NFC East.
Falcons 29, Panthers 3
So how much should I read into the fact that the Panthers have lost two straight (and looked bad doing it) ever since Cam Newton was shelved for the year, making Kyle Allen the unquestioned starter for the rest of 2019?
And should I look more into the fact that the left-for-dead Falcons just dogwalked their second straight division foe?
Texans 41, Ravens 7
If you listen to Nuke Hopkins and the Texans fans, this game got stolen by the refs, via a bad missed PI call.
All due respect, folks: You don’t lose by 34 because of one call. You lose when your o-line - which has been rock solid since trading for Laremy Tunsil - reverts to type and gets run over by the Raven front seven, getting Deshaun Watson pummelled in the process. And that domination gave the Ravens’ DB’s time and space to lock down Hopkins and the other Texans WRs.
This was supposed to be “Lamar Jackson vs. Watson.” It turned out to just be “Lamar Jackson.” (222 and 4 through the air, 86 on the ground).
The win moves Baltimore to 8-2, one game behind the Patriots for the #1 seed, with a win over NE, in case they drop another game. If Hollywood Brown can stay healthy to give them some verticality, this is a team I would not want to face, come January.
Cardinals 26, 49ers 36
When was the last time you could describe an Arizona/San Francisco game as “thrilling?”
Once again, the young Redbirds were game and hung in, but ultimately couldn’t stay with the NFC-leading Niners. Kyler Murray threw for 2 TDs and ran for another in the losing cause. We only have a few games to go on, but dude’s looking like Lamar Jackson with a lesser arm (but better accuracy). If Murray gains the ability to stretch the field (or Arizona brings in some YAC machines), look out.
And the Niners notch another win without leading receiver George Kittle and leading ground gainer Matt Breida.
And I still have no confidence in Jimmy G, come crunch time.
Bengals 10, Raiders 17
...Moving on.
Patriots 17, Eagles 10
Not to panic you, FAWKIN’ PATRIOTS Nation, but the best pass of the night - from either side - was thrown by Julian Edelman.
The Patriots, once again, leaned on their defense to get the win, gaining only 298 yards total offense, but limiting the Iggles to 255. They did still manage to score 17 unanswered, so there’s something there.
The Eagles fall a game behind the Cowboys in the NFC East, with Dallas owning a win over them. Their defense is looking as iffy as NE’s, without the benefit of the stalwart defense. Or a QB with Dreamboat’s track record.
Bears 7, Rams 17 (SNF)
Another day, another Ugly-with-a-capital-U Bears game. And another cringe-worthy Mitch Trubisky game. And another game where we wonder just WTF happened to the Rams’ offense?
But hey! Todd Gurley almost had a 100-yard game!
I’m not sure who’s more to blame for Trubisky’s nose dive: Trubisky himself or Matt Nagy? Either way, I forsee we’ve sen the last of Trubisky as Bears starter (barring an injury to Chase Daniel)
Chiefs 24, Chargers 17 (MNF - Mexico City)
Three INTs inside their own 30 and a fourth in the red zone? Doesn't help. This was the second 3+ INT game for Captain Quiverfull, who trails only Rapey McCrablegs in turnovers this season. Not to disparage Phillip Rivers...
But it’s looking like he’s Leon Lett in Super Bowl XXVII and Father Time is Don Beebe. It’s getting to the point where people are starting to invoke the name of “Tyrod Taylor.”
Yikes.
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