NFL 2021: Week Seven Deadly Sins

The Game Room
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The big news in the NFL, as always, is injuries. The Browns are the current most snakebit team out there, and have to play tonight’s game without their starting QB, their starting RB, their backup RB, and starting CB. On the plus side, NFL viewers will get a look at Case Keenum! WooHoo!!! Meanwhile, some big names are coming back off of IR. Stephone Gilmore (now with the Panthers), David Bakhitiari, and Quenton Nelson, all great players, have a chance to play this weekend. And decidedly not great, but adequate Jimmy Garapollo may be back for the Niners.

The other big news is the rapidly approaching trade deadline (November 2nd). Marcus Maye. Brandin Cooks, Marlon Mack, and maybe even Deshaun Watson are all likely available. Zach Ertz was just traded too. Generally, the trade deadline is pretty anti-climatic, but maybe this year will be different.

Meanwhile the Lions and Rams meet, this time to play football rather than swap Qbs. Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford, who has to be lovin’ life right now, get their “revenge games”. Finally, a whopping 6 teams are on bye this week. While that carries more concern for fantasy players than fans of watching football, it does mean a lot less interesting games this weekend. Speaking of …

Here’s your games:

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Denver Broncos @ Cleveland Browns (-5, 44.5)

SUNDAY

Early

Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants (+2.5, 44.5)
New York Jets @ New England Patriots (-7, 43)
Kansas City Chiefs @ Tennessee Titans (+4, 56)
Washington Football Team @ Green Bay Packers (-9.5, 49.5)
Atlanta Falcons @ Miami Dolphins (-1, 48)
Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (-6.5, 47.5)

Late

Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams (-16, 50)
Philadelphia Eagles @ Las Vegas Raiders (-3, 48.5)
Houston Texans @ Arizona Cardinals (-17, 48)
Chicago Bears @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-13, 48)

Night

Indianapolis Colts @ San Francisco 49ers (-4, 44.5)

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

New Orleans Saints @ Seattle Seahawks (+3.5, 44)

Tonight’s war of attrition could be very, very ugly. Not only is it a short week, but the Browns are decimated by injuries and the Broncos are on a 3 game slide. This will not be a fun game to watch. I’ll likely get my Case Keenum fix taken care of and check out early. While I like watching good defensive football, that’s only interesting if it is against a good offense. Neither of these teams has that.

Chiefs/Titans are about the only interesting game to me of the early games. Of course the Pack and the Bengals surprisingly good defense (they’re a top 5 scoring defense) against the Ravens could be slightly interesting too. I am a bit shocked that the Panthers are only 2.5 point favorite against the lowly Giants. I’ll likely check in with that game occasionally.

Three of the four late games have a spread over 13 points, so I‘m not expecting a whole lot of excitement there. I guess the Gruden-less Raiders (I love it that they won right after firing that douche-canoe) and the Eagles might be a nice change of pace. But I’m convinced the Bears are doing a great disservice to Justin Field’s development by continuing to trot him out there. He needs a Mahomes/Rodgers/Brady year or three on the bench learning to read NFL defenses and for a better Oline in front of him to reach his sky-high potential. Which means the Bears will continue to start him.

The Sunday night game could be the best of bad week. Before the season, I had high expectations for both these teams. But the Colts have been horribly inconsistent (they’re 2-4 despite having a +8 total points differential), and I’m beginning to worry that maybe Kyle Shanahan isn’t the boy genius he’s held out to be. But the return of Jimmy G may change their fortunes, Should be an interesting game.

The MNF game was a highlight … in the pre-season. But with no Russell Wilson, ths game should be a snoozer.

Which games are you going to sleep through? Are you as thrilled as I am to see Case Keenum? Tell us what’s on your mind.

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Case Keenum? Have we hit a time warp and gone back 10 years?

How many QBs does this make for the Browns this century?

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I’d love to meet the schedule maker who thought it was a great idea to put Chiefs-Titans on at noon and force us to watch Colts-49ers in primetime.

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It won’t happen, but it would be absolutely delightful if the Lions and Goff beat the Rams the week. The talking heads would lose their shit.

The dismal Bears, a week after getting punked my Rodgers for the umpteenth time get to face Tom fucking Brady. The way things usually go around here, the Bears will probably muddle their way to a win just to continue the constant state of purgatory Bears fans are in. 8-9 record here we come.

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And there’s a bit of drama in Hallas Hall this week. CB Jaylon Johnson was one minute late to an 8:15 meeting, got fined $2,745 for it, then posted the letter from Coach Nagy on Instagram.

There hasn’t been any info beyond that. The reason for being late was never explained, that amount is pretty significant as well. I’d probably give Johnson a break but posting it on social media was bush league. He’s still young and learning how to adult, maybe this will be a good lesson.

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If you can get Case Keenum a lead, he’s capable of holding it, or at least not giving it away.

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10-0 in the first, due in large part to Mr. Keenum.

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One of the catches of the year from Courtland Sutton.

OP actually understated Browns injuries by a lot. I didn’t see the latest count but I think we’re down 5 or 6 starting defenders. Been that way all year. Horrible time for a Thursday game. Really it’s ridiculous that the NFL doesn’t have the schedule give teams a bye week before their Thursday game.

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I am now the #1 fan of Stump Mitchell’s look. Love it.

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The supposition is that he was expected there at 8AM but the team gives you a 15 minute grace period. So he was actually 16 minutes late and not 1 minute.

Even if he’s 1 minute late, you just got punked by the Packers again. This is the week where there’s zero tolerance for bullshit. He should own it. Posting it on social media is incredibly bush league and probably deserves a really harsh punishment. Just flat out childish.

Nagy can’t coach, but he’s kept things clean in the clubhouse. I have to think that Johnson’s veteran teammates aren’t going to be okay with this.

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Question for SenorBeef: Do you pay Baker Mayfield? He’s going to want $38 - $40 million a year. Pay him?

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I’ll tackle that one later. I’m wondering if they can finish this game by 8. It’s flying by. It felt like they added some time to halftime but I didn’t time it. So they ever do that for games with really fast first halves?

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So, who had picked D’Ernest Johnson to run for over 125 yards tonight? :slight_smile:

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He’s actually really good but the Browns are ridiculously, historically stacked at RB.

Browns have a great o-line and scheme too. Dominant even with the best member out and the other tackle banged up.

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Holy cow D’Ernest Johnson! Welcome to The Land!

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Man, what a test for the Bengals. Yes, their free agency money and draftees are paying off on defense. Ogunjobi and Reader absolutely stuff the run up the middle and Hendrickon has 5.5 sacks in 6 games now. Our secondary is legit and Logan Wilson is playing out of his mind with 4 INT’s himself.

I never lose faith anymore when the Bengals are behind because of Joe Burrow. The guy oozes confidence and is just money when it matters.

Given how close the Colts played the Ratbirds on MNF two weeks ago, I’m guessing this is going to be A GAME.

I predict it will be one of, if not THE most exciting games of the weekend. Sure wasn’t tonight although props are needed to hail the new Browns QB Case Keenum.

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The Browns can’t blow anyone out, incidentally. I guess that’s what happens when you’re a dominant running team, but sometimes I think there are playcalling and coaching issues too. That game felt lopsided, like a game that should’ve been 30-13 or so, but it was actually just a three point game. But it never really felt like the Browns were in danger of losing. They often dominate bad opponents without putting the game away - the 7 point vikings game was similar, and the 26-6 Bears game was closer than it should’ve been.

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TNF games are played every week. Do you really want to have 2 teams with their bye weeks in Week 2?

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The guy ran like a beast, but I was especially impressed with his lay-down on the play that was called back. He busts through the line and has a clear path to the endzone, but gives himself up.

Yeah, it’s what the professionals are supposed to do and I’m sure he had clear instructions to do just that, but still. It’s his first career start, he’s playing the game of his life and has the opportunity to get another TD, and he gives up personal glory and does what’s right for the team.

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Yup. I do believe Nick Chubb did that exact same thing for us last season. That’s smart football!