# NFL Week 15
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [December 12, 2014, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002 "2014-12-12T06:33:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2014, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/1 "2014-12-12T06:33:31Z")
Sorry for the late thread.
Thursday:
ARI 12, STL 6
Sunday early:
PIT @ ATL +2 / 55
WAS @ NYG -6 / 47
MIA @ NE -7.5 / 48
OAK @ KC -10 / 41.5
HOU @ IND -7 / 49
JAX @ BAL - 14 / 45
GB @ BUF +4.5 / 50.5
TB @ CAR -3 / 41.5
CIN @ CLE -0 / 44
Sunday late:
NYJ @ TEN +2.5 / 42
DEN @ SD +4 / 50.5
MIN @ DET -8 / 42.5
SF @ SEA -10 / 38
SNF:
DAL @ PHI -3 / 55
MNF:
NO @ CHI +3 / 54
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### Author:  [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/2 "2014-12-12T14:33:02Z")
I love Bruce Arian’s and what he and his staff have been able to do with the Cardinals, despite big injuries to Pro Bowl players and journeymen QB’s. I also love his post-game pressers, where last night he laid into the Rams saying they had read their press clippings too much. Good on him.
Speaking of the Rams, Jeff Fisher is on his way to another 7-9 or 8-8 season, his third in a row. I don’t like the guy, so maybe I’m biased, but I think he’s one of the most overrated coaches in the NFL. Sure, give him enough high first round draft picks and he can take your bad team to the heights of mediocrity, but his .538 winning percentage isn’t impressive in the least. He’s been an NFL coach for 20 years now, and has made the playoffs only 6 times and half of those were one and done. His playoff record is 5-6, a dismal .455 winning percentage, and yet he continues to be an NFL head coach. I don’t get it.
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### Author:  [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/3 "2014-12-12T15:56:38Z")
You know, I know they needed a TD and a FG to win, but against an awesome defense like Arizona’s, why not go for it on 4th down inside the 5? If they’ve spent the whole game stifling your offense, shouldn’t you try to take full advantage of your most successful drive? Isn’t it better to have to get into field goal range to win it rather than having to drive down the field against that defense for the go ahead TD?
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### Author:  [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/4 "2014-12-12T16:58:45Z")
I, for one, am looking forward to Johnny Football’s debut as a starter. I didn’t like the pick, don’t care for his attitude, but I sure hope he can win football games. I think his elusiveness alone makes him a better option than Hoyer. If he can hit wide open receivers it’s icing on the cake.
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### Author:  [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/5 "2014-12-12T19:06:33Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#):
>
> You know, I know they needed a TD and a FG to win, but against an awesome defense like Arizona’s, why not go for it on 4th down inside the 5? If they’ve spent the whole game stifling your offense, shouldn’t you try to take full advantage of your most successful drive? Isn’t it better to have to get into field goal range to win it rather than having to drive down the field against that defense for the go ahead TD?
I think the “we need 2 scores to win, so whatever order they come in” idea is overused. It’s much harder to get within 5 yards of the goal than 35-40, so if you’re that close and you need a TD, you should go for it more aggressively there. I don’t know what the clock is in this scenario (didn’t watch the game), but this is especially effective if you’ve got some time and your defense has a decent shot of forcing a 3 and out.
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### Author:  [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/6 "2014-12-12T19:36:01Z")
They had about 6 minutes left with all their timeouts. So even if they couldn’t punch it in, their defense could have gotten them the ball back with maybe 4 minutes left with all their timeouts and good field position.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/7 "2014-12-12T19:58:00Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#):
>
> Isn’t it better to have to get into field goal range to win it rather than having to drive down the field against that defense for the go ahead TD?
I would tend to agree with you. I believe at the time though Fisher was just thinking that if they came away with no points at all then he likely wouldn’t get two more chances.
I was fully on AZ’s boat a few weeks ago, then they lost one they shouldn’t have and have now won a couple that, with their injury situation, they had every right to lose. Can’t quite figure these guys out, weekly bet-wise.
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2014, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/8 "2014-12-12T21:34:53Z")
> [@lieu](#):
>
> I believe at the time though Fisher was just thinking that if they came away with no points at all then he likely wouldn’t get two more chances.
I agree with this line of thinking. It’s always better to be down by one score than by two scores. However, the NFL game book says it was 3rd and goal on the 1, incomplete pass, 4th and goal on the 1, field goal. I would have run it on 3rd and goal, and if I got stopped for no gain, I probably would have tried again. I wouldn’t have passed on either down. If I lost yards on 3rd, I would have kicked a field goal.
They got the ball back two more times and never even got back into field goal range, though, so either way it was moot.
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### Author:  [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2014, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/9 "2014-12-13T00:57:02Z")
The line on the 49ers-Seahawks game is, umm, out of line. This is an elimination game for SF, they better be throwing everything they have into it. Unless Mr. Jim already has his next job prospect lined up (I would be surprised if he was not looking around in his spare time).
It is not looking like 7 losses will get an NFC team into the playoffs – unless they are in the South, that is.
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### Author:  [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2014, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/10 "2014-12-13T04:19:55Z")
> [@Hamlet](#):
>
> I love Bruce Arian’s and what he and his staff have been able to do with the Cardinals, despite big injuries to Pro Bowl players and journeymen QB’s. I also love his post-game pressers, where last night he laid into the Rams saying they had read their press clippings too much. Good on him.
>
> Speaking of the Rams, Jeff Fisher is on his way to another 7-9 or 8-8 season, his third in a row. I don’t like the guy, so maybe I’m biased, but I think he’s one of the most overrated coaches in the NFL. Sure, give him enough high first round draft picks and he can take your bad team to the heights of mediocrity, but his .538 winning percentage isn’t impressive in the least. He’s been an NFL coach for 20 years now, and has made the playoffs only 6 times and half of those were one and done. His playoff record is 5-6, a dismal .455 winning percentage, and yet he continues to be an NFL head coach. I don’t get it.
I completely agree with all of this (!!!). Just read a recent SI article on Arians and I love his approach to both football and life. Steelers fans hated him until he was gone. The Cardinals are a microcosm of the NFL this season outside of Green Bay and New England: parity and coaching.
The other agreement is your evaluation of Fisher. He’s a white Marvin Lewis with a fabulous moustache.
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### Author:  [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/11 "2014-12-14T18:22:08Z")
Redzone channel is switched on the Cleveland game as Johnny Football starts from his own 17 yard line. I guess he’s in someone’s red zone.
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### Author:  [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/12 "2014-12-14T19:16:55Z")
What’s the record for penalties in a single game? This game has to be on pace.
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### Author:  [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/13 "2014-12-14T19:55:17Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#):
>
> What’s the record for penalties in a single game? This game has to be on pace.
What’s the record for quickest time for a player to not live up to the ungodly hype?
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### Author:  [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/14 "2014-12-14T20:09:38Z")
It’s nearing the end of the 3rd quarter in Cleveland. If Yahoo Sports can be believed, Manziel’s QB rating is 12.9 (up from single digits in the first half).
There’s room for improvement.
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### Author:  [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/15 "2014-12-14T20:25:29Z")
I’m guessing there will be one or two plays in the second half where the play breaks down, Manziel buys time with his feet, and he throws one up for grabs that gets caught by Gordon for a big play.
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### Author:  [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/16 "2014-12-14T20:48:00Z")
I root for Cleveland fans, and I feel bad, but honestly, as soon as I heard the “wreck this league” story, it told me the kid did not have an NFL mindset. I’m more down on him than I have been on any 1st round QB since, well, Brandon Weeden.
Speaking of that – you’ll probably hear in the media that RG3 came in for an injured McCoy and played well. He hasn’t. Same panicky indecision, inability to read the defense, and poor mechanics that got him benched, just with a couple long run-after-catches that make his stats look OK.
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### Author:  [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2014, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/17 "2014-12-14T21:16:41Z")
Damn this lack of TV. Missed the chance to see an onside free kick. How often does that happen?
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### Author:  [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/18 "2014-12-14T21:24:35Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#):
>
> Damn this lack of TV. Missed the chance to see an onside free kick. How often does that happen?
Probably about as often as a kickoff from the _recieving_ team’s 35 yard line.
2 personal fouls on the Redskins after the last play of the first half; Giants lined up on Washington’s side of the field and sucessfully ran an onside kick.
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### Author:  [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/19 "2014-12-14T21:28:11Z")
Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers fumbled and the ball rolled into the end zone. When a different green Bay player picked up the ball, it was immediately whistled dead and ruled a touchback, by a fumble recovery rule explained by Mike Pereira that applies only during the last two minutes of the game\*. I never heard of this rule before. When was this rule adopted, and why?
- I assume not the last two minutes of each half, but Pereira just said last two minutes.
ETA: Green Bay was down by 6 prior to the play, and Buffalo recovered the ensuing on-side kick, and won by 8 after three kneel-downs.
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### Author:  [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/20 "2014-12-14T21:31:18Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#):
>
> Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers fumbled and the ball rolled into the end zone. When a different green Bay player picked up the ball, it was immediately whistled dead and ruled a touchback, by a rule explained by Mike Pereira that applies only during the last two minutes of the game\*. I never heard of this rule before. When was this rule adopted, and why?
>
> - I assume not the last two minutes of each half, but Pereira just said last two minutes.
> **[Holy Roller (American football)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Roller_%28American_football%29)**
>
> In American football, the Holy Roller was a controversial game-winning play by the Oakland Raiders against the San Diego Chargers on September 10, 1978, at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California. It was officially ruled as a forward fumble by Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler that was recovered by his teammate, tight end Dave Casper, in the end zone for a touchdown, giving Oakland the 21–20 win. However, there have been differing interpretations of how this play should have actually been ruled...
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