NFL 2022: Week Fourteen Carat Diamonds

The Game Room
1

It’s week 14, time to either polish the diamonds or start playing for draft picks. Or if you’re the Texans, continue playing for picks.

Thursday
Raiders at Rams (+6.5, 43.5)

Sunday
Early Games
Ravens at Steelers (+2.5, 37)
Jaguars at Titans (-4, 41)
Browns at Bengals (-6, 47)
Vikings at Lions (-2, 52)
Jets at Bills (-9.5, 43.5)
Eagles at Giants (+6.5, 45)
Texans at Cowboys (-16.5, 45.5)

Late Games
Buccaneers at 49ers (-3.5, 37)
Panthers at Seahawks (-4.5, 44)
Chiefs at Broncos (+9, 44)

Sunday Night Football
Dolphins at Chargers (+3.5, 51.5)

Monday Night Football
Patriots at Cardinals (+2.5, 44)

Tonight’s game looks like a stinker, although the way things are going for the Rams, their equipment manager could be playing by the end of the game, which has some entertainment potential.

The Niners are only slim favorites over the Bucs at home, which unfortunately shows how much their QB situation will hurt. Most surprising (yet unsurprising) to me is the 5-7 Lions as slight favorites over the 10-2 Vikings. Ridiculous on paper (and 538 agrees the Vikings should be favored), but it somehow seems possible after watching both teams for the past few weeks.

What games catch your interest? What upsets do you predict? What journeyman QB will emerge as the savior for their team?

2

Ravens-Steelers is always a slugfest.

Eagles-Giants is an important game, but I’m pretty sure Philadelphia will crush them. The Giants and Washington are surprisingly similar teams, but I’m not sure the Giants will get the breaks that Washington did last month. Everyone else has tried to run that same script against the Eagles but didn’t have the personnel on defense nor did they get any of the friendly bounces, either.

3

If the Giants lose then they and the Commanders are as tied as you can be going to their rematch next week. 49ers lose and Seahawks win then next week is the real tie-break between them as well so I’ll be rooting for Tommy “Tiny Hands” Brady this week.

I know the Lions have been doing a lot better and the Vikings sliding a bit, but Lions a favorite? I might have to go with the dog on the money line for this one. Same with the Jets … or at least taking the points.

And who would have believed at the beginning of the season that the reason the Seahawks would have a top 3 pick, not because of their record but because the Broncos suck so hard.

4

Aw man, if the Lions manage to beat the Vikings this Sunday it’ll blow the roof off of Ford Field.

Which I think would be a good thing. I believe all Northern teams should play in outdoor stadiums. It confers true home field advantage over visiting warm weather teams.

5

I miss Met Stadium.

By the numbers, both teams should be 6-6. I imagine the odds favor the home team.
I still don’t know how the Vikings are 9-0 in one score games.

6

The Vikings have surprised me this year, but as noted, they’re not winning by a lot. Given how long the Lions have been down, since the Packers are pretty much out of contention this year, I’d kind of like to see Detroit win some games, maybe even get a playoff berth.

Though they are on their bye this week, the Falcons made some news today, benching starting quarterback Marcus Mariota (who’s been particularly ineffective in recent weeks), in favor of rookie Desmond Ridder.

7

Has that sort of thing happened before? Obviously, you trade a draft pick for a player on the expectation that the player will make your team better, and your draft pick less valuable, once the season ends. Are there any well-known examples of teams that traded away draft picks which became more valuable after the trade was completed?

8

If you would have told me at the beginning of the season that a 5-7 team would be a 2 point favorite against a 10-2 team, I’d have laughed in your face and ran to the sportsbook.

As it is now, I’ll go ahead and walk to the sportsbook. But I’ll be heavily invested in the Vikings this weekend.

9

Maybe Ditka’s trade for Ricky Williams.

10

Baker Mayfield’s quarterbacking for the Rams, two days after he was picked up by them.

Edit: And he’s throwing at his receivers’ feet. :stuck_out_tongue:

11

OK, how is that not running into the punter? Was he blocked into him?

12

That’s what it looked like to me, though the blocker disengaged with him at least a step before he hit the punter. I’m guessing that the officials felt that he didn’t have enough time to change course.

Raiders RB Josh Jacobs (the league’s leading rusher) is in the locker room, with what looks like a right wrist injury. His hand looked pretty limp when he was coming off the field after it happened.

13

Rams thus far have 114 yards of offense. Somehow they’re still in the game. Down 10, middle of the 3rd.

14

Did you see that egregious interception Carr threw at the end of the first half? That’s how the Rams are still in the game. Carr generally puts up good numbers and he’s never really had a great team around him, but still he repeatedly does idiotic crap like that. Just take the sack and the field goal, dumbass!

15

Just tuned in and I have to watch at least one Baker Mayfield drive for the trainwreck appeal. I mean, come on, two days?!

EDIT: 3 & out.

16

Let’s just say he’s not been much better or worse than Stafford or Wolford have been.

17

Even though the score doesn´t reflect I think Mayfield is actually performing quite impressively given the circumstances. You’d think there’d be delay of game penalties left and right, that he’d miscommunicate and throw the wrong route, etc. He’s made some poor passes but he doesn’t look lost at all.

Why do some announcers keep saying “red area” instead of “red zone”? It sounds dumb.

18

“This Red Area play is sponsored by Preparation H.”

19

Well, the Rams just executed a 75 yard, 9 minute drive for a TD. If they can force a 3-and-out, they will actually have a chance to win.

20

Now that was an amazing punt. Hit the ground at the 23, and rolled along, just inside the sideline, all the way to the 2.