# NFL Week 15 **URL:** \ **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:** 3
**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 15, 2014, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/41 "2014-12-15T05:13:52Z")
**Cowboys!** ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/42 "2014-12-15T05:21:24Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Fair enough. Not that 8-8 is that much better. Not the worst ever. I’m hoping a 6-10 team win the NFC South. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/43 "2014-12-15T07:19:31Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Not the worst ever. I’m hoping a 6-10 team win the NFC South. It would be my luck for that team to be the Saints. Terrible year, sacrificial lamb in the playoffs, draft in the bottom half of every round. ☹ Apparently, they can clinch the division by winning the last three games of the season. Starting on the road @Chicago tomorrow night. Geaux Saints. I guess. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/44 "2014-12-15T12:22:09Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > It would be my luck for that team to be the Saints. Terrible year, sacrificial lamb in the playoffs, draft in the bottom half of every round. ☹ > > Apparently, they can clinch the division by winning the last three games of the season. Starting on the road @Chicago tomorrow night. Geaux Saints. I guess. Sigh. Sadly it doesn’t look like things will [get better](http://grantland.com/the-triangle/new-orleans-saints-salary-cap/) for them. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2014, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/45 "2014-12-15T12:35:53Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > I was joking there. I was being wooshed there, I guess. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/46 "2014-12-15T16:25:50Z")
Well, if the Saints lose tonight, the Panthers lose to the Browns next week, and the Saints and Falcons tie, we would go into week 17 with all 3 teams at 5-9-1 records 😃 ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/47 "2014-12-15T17:52:22Z")
> [@Zyanthia](#): > > Well, if the Saints lose tonight, the Panthers lose to the Browns next week, and the Saints and Falcons tie, we would go into week 17 with all 3 teams at 5-9-1 records 😃 That would be amusing. It seems very likely that one NFC team is going to miss the playoffs at 11-5 (right now I’d say that’s most likely the Eagles) while the NFC South champs get in at 6 or 7 wins. What would be really funny is if the NFC South champs caught fire in the playoffs and made it to the Super Bowl. Very unlikely, but shit happens in the modern NFL… ---
**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:** [December 15, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/48 "2014-12-15T17:57:16Z")
Wouldn’t that be a hoot? A 6-10 division leader catching fire and winning the title with a 10-10 final record. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/49 "2014-12-15T18:58:53Z")
I am still not understanding Aaron Rogers. He took the snap from, what, the 4, took two steps back and to the side, then with his foot inches from his own goal, the ball gets slapped out of his hand. So what does he do? Run forward, _away from the ball_. Was he just in shell-shock or something? ---
**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:** [December 15, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/50 "2014-12-15T20:09:06Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I am still not understanding Aaron Rogers. He took the snap from, what, the 4, took two steps back and to the side, then with his foot inches from his own goal, the ball gets slapped out of his hand. So what does he do? Run forward, _away from the ball_. Was he just in shell-shock or something? It simply looked like he had no idea whatsoever that the ball was in the end zone. No one directly around him seemed to see it, either. As A Giants fan, I’m very used to seeing the quarterback get confused. 🙂 ---
**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:** [December 15, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/51 "2014-12-15T21:59:36Z")
Adding to the absurdity, of course, is that the NFC South winner will host a first round game. If the playoffs started today Seattle would play @ Carolina. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/52 "2014-12-15T22:20:05Z")
You should probably not do the math just yet: the Saints have to poke through the smouldering dumpster fire in Soldier Field before we can tell what the state of the NFC-S is. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/53 "2014-12-15T22:37:25Z")
Oh, I know. No matter how it plays out it’s going to be unfair to one team. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/54 "2014-12-15T23:02:51Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > What’s the record for quickest time for a player to not live up to the ungodly hype? Maybe he needs a new nickname: Johnny College Football. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/55 "2014-12-15T23:12:33Z")
> [@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 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. It’s one thing to lose a game when the opposing team is on fire. But it’s got to be really embarrassing for Rodgers to have lost to Kyle Orton. While the Buffalo defense and special teams did a great job, the Buffalo offense gave their usual average performance. It’s the Bills’ ongoing problem. They’re not good enough and perversely they’re not bad enough. They just go along year after year stuck in the middle of the league. They’re never good enough to make the playoffs and they’re never bad enough to get a top draft choice. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/56 "2014-12-16T03:25:20Z")
"When I asked Coach Trestman “How do you generate more offense?” he replied “Well first I would load the whole team up on a bus and drive it into Lake Michigan and Captain that bitch all the way to the bottom. Then bring back Rex Grossman and Lovie Smith” ---
**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:** [December 16, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/57 "2014-12-16T03:46:48Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’s one thing to lose a game when the opposing team is on fire. But it’s got to be really embarrassing for Rodgers to have lost to Kyle Orton. While the Buffalo defense and special teams did a great job, the Buffalo offense gave their usual average performance. > > It’s the Bills’ ongoing problem. They’re not good enough and perversely they’re not bad enough. They just go along year after year stuck in the middle of the league. They’re never good enough to make the playoffs and they’re never bad enough to get a top draft choice. But they’re finally building a honest to God NFL football team. They have their defense in line, they have a couple playmakers on offense, and they seem to be well coached. They need help on the O line, but they really need a good QB. Orton is just an average NFL QB guy off the street, and they’re still 8-6 with a pretty tough schedule. I really like how they built their team, and I think they’ll be in playoff contention more often than not in the upcoming years. ---
**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:** [December 16, 2014, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/58 "2014-12-16T03:47:51Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > "When I asked Coach Trestman “How do you generate more offense?” he replied “Well first I would load the whole team up on a bus and drive it into Lake Michigan and Captain that bitch all the way to the bottom. Then bring back Rex Grossman and Lovie Smith” Jay Cutler is the gift that just keeps giving. To opposing defenses, usually. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/59 "2014-12-16T03:57:30Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > "When I asked Coach Trestman “How do you generate more offense?” he replied “Well first I would load the whole team up on a bus and drive it into Lake Michigan and Captain that bitch all the way to the bottom. Then bring back Rex Grossman and Lovie Smith” Trestman’s an idiot. No one in Chicago would take offense to that. 😛 ---
**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:** [December 16, 2014, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002/60 "2014-12-16T04:05:23Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > Trestman’s an idiot. No one in Chicago would take offense to that. 😛 Getting defensive? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-15/707002.md?page=4)