NFL 2020: Week 13

The Game Room
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Well, the NFL was bound and determined to have a Ravens/Steelers game, and they got it. Sure it was a shitshow, with bad play on both sides, but it was a game. Now to see about the potential Covid fallout.

In other news, Will Fuller gets suspended for PEDs. Tyreek Hill becomes just the 5th WR to surpass 260 yards and 3 tds in a single game (joining Jerry Rice, Steve Largent, Jimmy Smith, and Cloyce Box).

Forgive me for a long-winded aside here, but I love lists like this, where there is one name I don’t recognize from earlier in the NFL. Maybe I’m becoming too much like my Dad [no, I don’t read books about submarines], but a list that includes 2 HoF, another potential, and some rando dude I don’t know, intrigues me. In case you were wondering Cloyce Box played for the Lions (with a break to serve in the Korean War) and “Box was the leading receiver on the 1952 Lions team that won the NFL championship.” That’s right. The Lions won a NFL championship… Not only that, they repeated it in 1953. Hard to remember that given the Lions recent escapades. Anywho, Box had one game in 1950 with 12 catches, four touchdowns, and 302 receiving yards. Interesting stuff that I never would have known. Back to my more regular ramblings.

I guess the other interesting news is the number of once-good to great Qbs that are now not so good and hard to rely on week to week. Cam Newton. Tom Brady. Carson Wentz. Should be some interesting choices for those teams to make. Also, the 49ers have to move to Arizona for the near future thanks to Covid restrictions in their hometown. Should be interesting too.

Enough rambling. Here’s your games (no Thursday game this week):

Sunday, Dec. 6

Early

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears (-3, 44.5)
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Miami Dolphins (-11.5, 42)
Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans (+3, 51.5)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Minnesota Vikings (-9.5, 52)
Las Vegas Raiders vs. New York Jets (+7.5, 47)
New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons (+3, 46)
Cleveland Browns vs. Tennessee Titans (-6, 54)

Late

New York Giants vs. Seattle Seahawks (-7.5, 48.5)
Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals (+3, 48.5)
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers (-7, 46.5)
New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers (pick’em, 47)

Night

Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs (-14, 50.5)

Monday, Dec. 7

4:00 p.m
Washington Football Teams vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-9.5, 44.5)

7:20

Buffalo Bills vs. San Francisco 49ers (+2.5, 48)

Tuesday, Dec. 8, 7:05

Dallas Cowboys vs. Baltimore Ravens (off the board)

Thanks to the Ravens/Steelers fiasco, we get a Monday afternoon game and a Tuesday night game. Two more games we get to watch. Too bad they’re horrible game with two NFC East teams likely to get trounced. Ugh.

Lots of bad games early Sunday too. Jags, Burrow-less Bengals, Jets. Yuck. But a “Post-firing of a disliked Head Coach” bump might make the Lions/Bears game interesting. And I personally am interested in the Titans/Browns game to see if the Browns are for real, (statistically they’re middle of the road both offensively and defensively) or just feasting on bad teams like the NFC East and the Jags. But the #1 rushing offense v. the #2 rushing offense should be an interesting test. Lots of ground and pound. I’m also wondering if the Falcons have improved enough to take out the Taysom Hill (enough with this dude, already) led Saints. I think they have.

Of the late games, Rams/Cards should be fascinating. Like the Browns, I’m still not convinced the Cards are for real or just feasting on the NFC East. I did not know the Cards (owners of the 2nd ranked offense) were the 4th best rushing team, but only the 16th best passing team. I fear Murray, as special as he is, is putting himself out there an awful lot which is dangerous. I think the Rams take this game and it should be a good watch. Patriots/Chargers should be interesting too, although I’m a bit surprised that it’s a pick’em game. I would figure the Chargers have a better shot.

Of the rest, only the Bills/Niners holds any interest for me. I’ve been damned impressed that the Niners, the team worst hit by injuries in the NFL, are 5-6. I’d love to see them take down the Bills.

So, enough about me and Cloyce Box. Let’s hear from you. What are your predictions? Which teams fascinate you? When do you put up your Christmas decorations? I’m all ears.

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I’m gettin’ me a Cloyce Box Lions jersey!

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As far as I can tell, no teams have noted any issues with positive COVID tests, or close contacts, this week. Either the issues that the Ravens and Broncos have gone through have shaken people up more, or it’s just pure luck.

The Packers/Eagles game is the primary CBS doubleheader game, showing in most of the country (New England and most of the West Coast are getting Patriots/Chargers). The Eagles are, from everything I’ve read, pretty awful, and Wentz has regressed – which means that the Packers will probably let it become a much closer game than it should be. :stuck_out_tongue:

Also: in that 1952 championship season for the Lions, Cloyce Box caught 15 touchdowns, on only 42 total receptions for the year (and a 22.0 yard average per catch). The guy must’ve been running fly patterns on every play. :smiley:

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And, in other NFL news:

  • The league has conditionally reinstated Seahawks WR Josh Gordon, pending him passing a COVID test. Once he does so, he can begin attending meetings, but can’t practice or play until after the 21st, which would make him available for the Seahawks’ final two regular season games. He’s been on the suspended list since Week 15 of last season.
  • Bengals QB Joe Burrow had successful knee surgery on Wednesday, to repair the damage to it he suffered on November 22nd.
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Seattle has two fantastic receivers, one okay receiver who every now and then makes a miracle catch that seems impossible (David Moore), a couple tight ends that can catch, a back who can catch (Carson)… I’m not sure how much they need Gordon. He might be useful though if the injury bug eyes the WR group (KNOCK ON WOOD).

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Now that’s some great Cloyce Box trivia right there!

To be fair, I’m not sure the Broncos really belong lumped in with the Ravens. They obviously had a absurd situation in the QB room, but it turned out the spread was contained to 1 person. They were just unlucky in that it struck QBs, and that the league decided to fuck them over while simultaneously slurping the Ravens in spite of their Trumpy handling of the situation. Lots of teams have seen 3 and 4 players in a single position group get ruled out, but up until now it hasn’t been to the one truly essential (and small) position group. So far it’s really only the Titans and Ravens that have had truly rampant outbreaks (that we’ve learned about).

As to this weeks games, my first thought is this: I can’t believe this putrid Bears team is favored in a game after losing 5 straight, all embarrassingly. I’m betting against them.

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I’m seeing more and more noise about the Washington Football Team possibly upsetting the Steelers this weekend. I’m thinking of jumping on that bandwagon.

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While the Steelers are notorious for playing down to bad opponents (and they just lost Bud Dupree for the season), gotta remember that Washington’s four wins came against: Dallas (twice), Philadelphia, and Cincinnati. Those three teams have a combined record of 8-23-2 (and one of the wins and the two ties came from those 3 teams playing each other).

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I agree that the league has been way too lenient on both the Titans and Ravens. But the Broncos weren’t “just unlucky”. They decided to have an in-person meeting of their QBs without masks. They were unlucky the way a person who intentionally drinks drain cleaner is unlucky.

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Yeah and the Steelers are playing on short rest and short prep time, which might be an even bigger issue.

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More on Cloyce Box:

He had a twin brother named Boyce.
He earned the rank of Captain in the US Army during WWII.
His middle name is Kennedy.
In 1950, he finished 2nd among WR with 1009 yards receiving, finishing 2nd to HoFer Tom Fears (incidentally, another guy I never heard of).
The ranch he owned in Texas became the site of the Ewing’s ranch in the tv show Dallas.
He had 4 sons named Doyce, Eocye, Foyce, and Goyce.
OK, Fine! I made those names up. They were named (very boringly) Don, Gary, Thomas, and Douglas.

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At least he didn’t name them all George.

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Or Cereal, Gift, Cardboard, Juice, Jewelry, Tool, Strong, Fuse, Post, or Penalty.

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He actually didn’t play in 1951 because he’d been called back to the military.

And he played basketball in high school but not football. It’s rumored that he’d never even seen the game of football until he was 18.

He was a 20th round pick in the draft. Not 20th pick, 20th round.

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Definitely two very different situations, but I lumped them together because I suspect that both will have the effect of getting the attention of the other teams, and increasing vigilance around following the protocols.

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It certainly did get the attention. Washington signed Taylor Heinicke to their practice squad to serve as the quarantine quarterback. Seattle, Buffalo, and Philly have separated one of their quarterbacks from the others.

I found it interesting when googling for what teams were taking precautions, this was a topic of conversation in NFL circles back in July.. There was serious consideration of keeping one QB separate from the team, attending meetings remotely (and the Bills and Eagles did it). It’s a little ridiculous that after this exact problem arose, there are still teams saying nah, we’re not going to do that. Even the Broncos didn’t learn their lesson.

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I fell for it.

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For the moment, the Ravens are down to one quarterback on their active roster: third-stringer Trace McSorley. Starter Lamar Jackson is still on the COVID reserve list (though he may be cleared by this weekend), and second-stringer Robert Griffin III has been placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, suffered in Wednesday’s loss to the Steelers.

They also have a QB on the practice squad, Tyler Huntley.

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Noice.

How 'bout Voice?

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Cloyce Box belongs on the list of greatest names to play in the NFL, along with Emerson Boozer and Art Monk.