# NFL 2023: Week 16 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-nfl\ **Created:** [December 20, 2023, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895 "2023-12-20T18:07:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/101 "2023-12-26T20:11:30Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > the AFC North This continues to be the only division that has all four teams above .500. Overall record is 38-22. The only other division that has a cumulative record over .500 is the NFC North at 31-29. Just for grins, I just created a scenario in which all four teams from the AFC North can make the playoffs. I’ll post it in the playoff thread. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/102 "2023-12-26T20:15:28Z")
It’s a VERY mild note, V, but the Washington NFL team is called “Commanders” and the old name is an ethnic slur, so unless we’re specifically discussing the name change we’d prefer not to use that term anymore. I know it’s easy to forget and use the longstanding old name. Thanks! Hey, I know “Commanders” is super lame, they shoulda gone with “Red Tails” or something, but, still. RickJay Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/103 "2023-12-26T20:24:29Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > but the Washington NFL team is called “Commanders” In his defense, he was referring to the last time the Lions won a playoff game, and then the next week they lost to the team from Washington. Which was still called by its old name at the time. I try to use the term ‘team from Washington’ when discussing the team from Washington prior to the name change. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/104 "2023-12-26T20:25:06Z")
Okay, I could have used “Washington” instead of the R word. But it wouldn’t have been accurate to say “The Lions lost to the Commanders in the 1991 conference championship game” since the name change was in 2022. But yeah, I’ll re-word and steer clear. ETA: Ninja’d by Railer, who said pretty much what I meant. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/105 "2023-12-26T22:39:17Z")
Again, it’s a very mild note. Just avoid the term if it’s not necessary. It’s a gross word. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/106 "2023-12-27T15:25:24Z")
[Week 17 thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-17/995234). ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/107 "2023-12-27T16:02:15Z")
“No matter what you change it to, you’ll always be Washington Football Team to me.” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/108 "2023-12-29T19:04:52Z")
I think that was a better name than “Commanders.” “Commanders” is in the same vein as Cleveland Guardians. Both franchises correctly decided to retire gross old racist names, but then decided to have a committee come up with the most boringly generic name they could think of. Or maybe they had ChatGPT do it. “Washington Red Tails” and “Cleveland Spiders” would have been incontestably superior names and they just totally blew it. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/109 "2023-12-29T19:13:40Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Both franchises correctly decided to retire gross old racist names, but then decided to have a committee come up with the most boringly generic name they could think of. Yup. Branding by focus group leads to a name that offends no one, but doesn’t excite anyone, either. (And I say this as a marketing professional, and experienced focus group moderator. 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/110 "2023-12-29T19:14:59Z")
I love arachnids but I can understand why Spiders wasn’t the choice. Too many people who have the phobia of the 8-legs. Some recoil even at the image of an 8-legs on a T-shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Jegpeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jegpeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jegpeg)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/111 "2023-12-29T19:16:35Z")
At least since superbowl XL the officials aware that the Seahawks have a “12th man” feel like they need to even up the numbers by playing for the opposition. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/112 "2023-12-29T19:20:57Z")
The Univ. of Richmond (VA) has carried the moniker for decades (Richmond Spiders). Spiders are great at controlling pests. Ickiness/phobia is undeserved. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/113 "2023-12-29T19:48:08Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > “Commanders” is in the same vein as Cleveland Guardians. Both franchises correctly decided to retire gross old racist names, but then decided to have a committee come up with the most boringly generic name they could think of. Or maybe they had ChatGPT do it. “Washington Red Tails” and “Cleveland Spiders” would have been incontestably superior names and they just totally blew it. Guardians is a good name. It’s named after a [Cleveland landmark](https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/articles/the-guardians-of-traffic), which is even incorporated into their logo. It’s not generic. Commanders, I agree that’s extremely generic. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/114 "2023-12-29T19:56:41Z")
In my Sunday text chains with my gambling buddies, we call them the “Commies.” ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/115 "2023-12-29T20:43:13Z")
Around here, they’re the Salamanders. (There used to be a clothing shop in Georgetown called Commander Salamander). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/116 "2023-12-29T20:59:53Z")
That’s a Calvin and Hobbes reference unless the shop is too old for that. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/117 "2023-12-29T21:07:13Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Spiders are great at controlling pests. Ickiness/phobia is undeserved. I’m not an arachnophobe, but when I woke up one morning in a tent while camping and saw a giant wolf spider inches from my face, my very first thought was not “how lucky I am to have pests in my tent controlled!” ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895/118 "2023-12-29T22:05:50Z")
Commander Coriander Salamander and 'Er Singlehander Bellylander! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-16/994895.md?page=5)