# NFL Week 12 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 20, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166 "2014-11-20T16:02:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/21 "2014-11-23T20:35:54Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > It’s the Bucs. They’ve now given the Bears two gifts of TD’s. And another turnover for the Bears. Woo Hoo! They’re better than the Bucs! ---
**Author:** ![Boogly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Boogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boogly)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/22 "2014-11-23T20:38:14Z")
Lions are only down by 6 field goals…come on Prater. sigh ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/23 "2014-11-23T20:51:07Z")
What is Stafford doing sliding on fourth down? Had he been willing to take the hit, he’d have got the first. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/24 "2014-11-23T21:12:26Z")
Browns and Falcons tried to give each other the game over and over. Mike Smith’s end of game management was abysmal. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/25 "2014-11-23T21:15:44Z")
Nice to see Atlanta lose. Carolina still in the playoffs race. I wonder who will be the Falcons head coach tomorrow. Terrible unforgivable bumbling time management lost them the game ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/26 "2014-11-23T22:16:17Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > What is Stafford doing sliding on fourth down? Had he been willing to take the hit, he’d have got the first. Yeah, not a great choice by him in that situation. He would have taken a good hit but it essentially ended the game, even though it was mostly done by then. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/27 "2014-11-23T23:17:15Z")
If the Broncos lose this game, it’ll be because of some truly crappy plays called on 3rd down. Example: The Broncos had 3rd and 1 inside the Dolphin 10. They ran effectively to get to that point. So the call is - pass out of a shotgun, empty backfield? Peyton was sacked, and the Broncos missed the FG. In the first half, the Broncos twice ran quick screens on 3rd and medium (6 and 7 or so). These plays sometimes work, but they are not at all reliable - and the Dolphins are very good at defending them. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/28 "2014-11-23T23:30:14Z")
WHY IS IT ILLEGAL TO TACKLE A QB? Total bullcrap. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/29 "2014-11-23T23:53:10Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Browns and Falcons tried to give each other the game over and over. Mike Smith’s end of game management was abysmal. I can’t understand how some coaches consistently screw that up. If you’re playing for the 50 yard FG attempt, at least make the other team burn a TO or two. Just bizarre clock management. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/30 "2014-11-24T01:49:25Z")
Colin Kaepernick looked OK much of the time, but overall the 49ers’ offense continues to be abysmal. Well, maybe not that bad, but not good enough to make a deep playoff run, and not good enough to win a game on their own. The defense carried the day again, finishing with the ageless Justin Smith forcing a fumble/sack that the recently-maligned Ahmad Brooks recovered. Really, I think the offensive struggles are rooted in poor play by the offensive line, especially in pass protection, but increasingly in the run game, as well. I definitely see them investing some draft picks in O-linemen that can pass block, and just trust coaching and scheme to carry the run game. Go Giants, by the way. Any help to the 49ers in the Wildcard hunt is appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/31 "2014-11-24T02:06:32Z")
Please tell me you all saw that catch. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/32 "2014-11-24T02:06:50Z")
That was a sick TD catch by Odell Beckham. Sick. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/33 "2014-11-24T02:12:10Z")
He defied a few laws of physics with that catch. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/34 "2014-11-24T02:12:12Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > That was a sick TD catch by Odell Beckham. Sick. That’s a textbook example of how receivers gloves have changed the game of football. I don’t care how good of a receiver you put in there in the 70’s and early 80’s, they are NOT pulling that ball down. No chance. The glove caught that ball. Still impressive but would have been impossible without the gloves so I wouldn’t call it the greatest catch in history like Collinsworth has. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/35 "2014-11-24T02:47:20Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > I wonder who will be the Falcons head coach tomorrow. Terrible unforgivable bumbling time management lost them the game No kidding. What the hell was Smith thinking when he called that timeout!? With better clock management the Falcons could have given the ball back with seconds left. Instead they gave the Browns 44 seconds to play with, which is exactly what they did. Arthur Blank should have walked over and fired Smith on the sideline right then and there. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/36 "2014-11-24T03:08:23Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > That’s a textbook example of how receivers gloves have changed the game of football. I don’t care how good of a receiver you put in there in the 70’s and early 80’s, they are NOT pulling that ball down. No chance. The glove caught that ball. Still impressive but would have been impossible without the gloves so I wouldn’t call it the greatest catch in history like Collinsworth has. That was my second thought as well. (First thought? What a freaking ridiculous catch.) The way the ball hits his hand, looks like it should slide through, and just sticks… really reminds me of that video someone (you?) linked in last week’s thread showing how sticky the newest gloves are. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/37 "2014-11-24T03:13:15Z")
There are a ton of modern receivers WITH gloves who couldn’t have made that catch. I’m not sure I’d call it the greatest catch ever, but that was one monstrous catch. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/38 "2014-11-24T06:47:52Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > That’s a textbook example of how receivers gloves have changed the game of football. I don’t care how good of a receiver you put in there in the 70’s and early 80’s, they are NOT pulling that ball down. No chance. The glove caught that ball. Still impressive but would have been impossible without the gloves so I wouldn’t call it the greatest catch in history like Collinsworth has. Biletnikoff could have caught that with the back of his hand. Or his shoulder pads. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/39 "2014-11-24T16:10:10Z")
[Schwartz is gone but the Lions are still dirty.](http://www.si.com/nfl/2014/11/23/dominic-raiola-cut-block-vince-wilfork-lions-patriots-2014) Also, anyone want to make a case that the Patriots are not the best team in the NFL right now? ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166/40 "2014-11-24T18:23:45Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > …Also, anyone want to make a case that the Patriots are not the best team in the NFL right now? I think we will find out the answer to that on the 30th, at Lambeau. Should be a hell of a game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-12/705166.md?page=3)