NFL 2021: Week Eight in the Box

The Game Room
1

The big news this week in the NFL is the rapidly approaching trade deadline, which is November 2rd. So far, the Cards get Zach Ertz from the Iggles, the Jets get Joe Flacco (anyone still want to try and convince me he was ever elite?) back from the Iggles, and, just now, the Saints get reunited with Mark Ingram from the Texans.

There is always a ton of speculation about trades, and the talking heads always have dozens of trades that “should” happen (Deshaun Watson is the player de jour), but don’t. It’s generally pretty anti-climatic. Still, it’s the news. Should we talk about Covid (C’mon Davante, whatta doing?) again instead?

Other tidbits: Texans owner Cal McNair (yet another idiotic, rich kid inheritor of wealth) calls Covid a “China virus”. JJ Watt may be done for the year. And Stan Kroenke is still a massive prick, but at least he’s doing it to other owners now (he’s trying to get out of paying the legal fees for his moving the Rams).

Here’s your games this week:

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals (-3.5, 52.5)

SUNDAY

Early

Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets (+9.5, 43.5)
Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts (-1)
Los Angeles Rams @ Houston Texans (+15, 45.5)
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns (-3.5, 43.5)
Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions (+3.5, 48.5)
San Francisco 49ers @ Chicago Bears (+4)
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons (-2.5, 47.5)
Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills (-13.5, 49)

Late

New England Patriots @ Los Angeles Chargers (-6, 47.5)
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Seattle Seahawks (-3.5, 44.5)
Washington Football Team @ Denver Broncos (-3.5, 44)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints (+4.5, 50)

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings (+1, 53)

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

New York Giants @ Kansas City Chiefs (-10, 52)

Thursday night’s game is a must watch, and not just because it’s the Packers. The Cards are (much to my surprise) the only undefeated team in the league, and the Packers are 6-1. The Packers are slowly getting healthier, but still have huge gaps in their secondary and pass rush. That’s not good going into a match with the Cardinals. Plus, the Packers top 2 WR are Covid-ed. But the Cards may be without Deandre Hopkins, so there is hope. I expect 120 yards rushing from Kyler Murray, because the Packers have no-one who can contain him. Should be a good watch.

Sunday’s slate of games has some games I’m really eager to see. Steelers/Browns would be a ton more fun if everyone were healthy, but it’s hard to do better than two teams that hate each other slugging it out for a potential playoff spot. Titans/Colts has the same kind of matchup, even down to some of the best Rbs in the game. Hard to do better than Henry, Taylor, Chubb, and Harris. And I think the Lions may have a good shot at winning one this week.

On Sunday Night, I’m higher on the Vikings than most people, and I still think Kirk Cousins is one of the most underappreciated players in the NFL, even if he is a massive prick. And I think Dallas’ defense has been lucky in the turnover department. I’m looking for a fun, well played game.

Monday Night is a meh! Game, but I’ll check in to see just what the hell is wrong with Mahomes. I thought he’d have a get right game last week, then he stunk it up against the Titans. I keep looking for a bounceback. Maybe this week. If not, I can watch Daniel Jones be perfectly average.

So who do you want to see your team trade for (I keep hearing Brandin Cooks to the Packers)? What games give you a fright (it’s Halloween)? When will I ever shut up? Let’s hear from you.

2

The Kaepernick-induced PTSD makes me afraid Kyler Murray is going to demolish us with his feet. My hype for De-Vondre Campbell says that won’t happen. Watching Taylor Heinicke get loose for so many big runs last Sunday terrifies me. Looking at Murray’s rushing numbers (less than 120 yards on the season, no game over 40 yards) says I don’t have a damned clue what’s going to happen. On top of that, no Joe Barry to run the defense and a minor renaissance from a defense that - up until playing Washington - hadn’t gotten a single stop in the red zone, and anyone predicting how things are going to turn out on that side of the ball is guessing.

But the Green Bay offense is where the questions are. No Davante Adams will be difficult, but the Packers are 6-0 in games he misses, and Arizona’s DC has even said that Rodgers without Adams terrifies him more, because Rodgers is forced to play a “cleaner” game and spread the ball around. Combine that with LaFleur’s offense technically being running-focused and Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon being stars and coming off a down week where there was a ridiculously high number of pass plays against a rather average rushing defense in the Cardinals, and things could be spicy. Or Aaron Rodgers does Aaron Rodgers things, bombs it out for 500 yards passing with 3rd and 4th string receivers, rushes for 150, accounts for 6 touchdowns, and challenges Brady for MVQ.

I’ve given up predicting anything regarding the Pack, especially after the heart attack game versus Cincinnati.

3

Weird to see the Packers be a ball control/run the ball team, but it’s working so far.

Moore surely touched that ball. Should be Packers in great position.

4

The Pack get it. And LaFleur’s predictable play calling and the Cards ability to stop said plays results in just a FG.

5

Not sure I get those Baker Mayfield commercials. The joke is what, he literally lives at the stadium?

6

Side effect of all of the Packer runs is that the Cardinal defense is gassed.
That hit on the return is the hardest NFL hit I’ve seen in a decade.
GB coaches have the best play calling of the season.

7

Nope. Another red zone opportunity blown.

Too clever by half.

8

Matt Lafleur totally deserved a loss. Horrible red zone play calling all day, and very limited shots downfield. Great defensive effort saves his ass.

9

Douglas is taking that ball home with him.

10

AJ Green… :man_facepalming:

11

Yup. Got a small chuckle the first time. Now, it’s just background noise.

12

That’s the premise of the commercials, but, there is an implication that’s he’s out of his mind for treating it that way. Especially the one where it starts to rain so he insists to a maintenance guy that they have to cover all of the seats to protect them. Every seat one at a time. The guy is stunned by how insane it is.

I don’t think they’re all funny but some are hilarious. My favorite is the one where he is running a book club.

13

I think the concept of the commercials are solid. Like any ad, the frequency with which they play pretty effectively destroys the novelty though. Also I couldn’t tell you what he’s schilling and I’ve seen every one 500 times.

The more baffling part to me is that they still are interested in paying Baker Mayfield huge money for this. He’s not exactly the poster boy for the NFL. He’s a middling QB in a middling city, and most non-football fans have no idea who he is.

14

At this point, he’s Flo from Progressive with a slightly better throwing arm.

And even if you have no idea who he is (or what football is), the running gag of ‘guy who lives in a stadium’ is understandable to most people.

15

He’s probably the most charismatic of any of the QBs currently in ads. Every time I see Mahomes schilling something I cringe. He’s not a good actor.

16

Don’t get me started on Zach Wilson. God, I get consumed by the desire to punch his very-punchable face each and every time I see him on TV. Especially that damn Bose ad, where he confuses looking constipated as looking intense.

Then I remember his mom is a crazyperson, so I cut him a little slack.

17

I only watched the highlight video, but seems to me that GB got very lucky. They were gifted several turnovers, which made the difference.

I haven’t watched many of their games, but the person who stood out the most to me was AJ Dillon. He was quick, made great cuts, and was running with power and purpose.

18

Yes, and that he treats the stadium like a typical suburban house, worrying about the lawn furniture and gossiping with his neighbors. Maybe I am easily amused, but I find them modestly entertaining.

19

I think Mayfield has a potential career in Hollywood. He’s funny and likeable on screen. I could see him on a sitcom or something along those lines. Many in the NFL retire to go into acting or some other role on TV (see the success of Michael Strahan as a television personality and journalist with a couple of Emmy Awards to his name).

20

Glad I didn’t bet on the over last night. O/U closed at 50.5.

In the last minute, with GB leading 24-21, Cards looked like they would score a TD, which would push the total points to 51. Or they would kick a FG, which would put the total at 48, meaning any score in the OT would surpass the O/U.

Instead the Cards threw a pick, and the final total score was 45. Ouch.