# NFL Week 4 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 27, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020 "2012-09-27T14:32:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/1 "2012-09-27T14:32:31Z")
Week 4 kicks off tonight in Baltimore with the Browns still looking for their first win. I’m just hoping for futher improvement from Weeden and the O-line. Baltimore’s D has shown signs of aging. Other games this week: Sea @ StL SF @ NYJ SD @ KC TEN @ HOU MIN @ DET NE @ BUF CAR @ ATL CIN @ JAX OAK @ DEN MIA @ ARI WAS @ TB NO @ GB NYG @ PHI CHI @ DAL on Monday night ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/2 "2012-09-27T16:18:40Z")
Oh and one more thing I forgot…the real refs are back this week, starting tonight! Just wait 'til there’s a major blown call and everyone will be like, “we were begging for _this_?” ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/3 "2012-09-27T16:22:56Z")
I can’t see the Browns pulling this one off tonight. I hope they do so the Bengals will pull even in the division, but I have a hard time finding a scenario where they can pull it off, especially now that the replacement refs aren’t around to lend a helping hand! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/4 "2012-09-27T16:31:37Z")
If I thought my coworker knew what fois gras was (much less whether is good or evil) I’d accuse you of being him because he said the exact same thing about wishing the replacement refs would do tonight’s game to screw the Ravens and help the Bengals. But yeah, that’s why I’m just hoping for general improvement from the Browns’ offense, becuase man it sucks to be worried about having to draft Barkley and dump Weeden after just 3 games. I think the defense will be better when Haden comes back. ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/5 "2012-09-27T16:36:07Z")
Unrelated to the NFL, **Barkis** , everytime I see your name, I think, “Willis is Barkin’,” which is strange. Now that I don’t have to worry about boycotting the games this weekend, I’m glad I should get to see Vikings @ Lions (uh oh, I’m becoming somewhat confident in the Vikes) and Saints @ Packers. I think the Packers hoodoo on offense should end with a home game against a bad Saints D. My suicide pick this week is Arizona. They’re very hot and have a bad Dolphins team traveling across the country. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/6 "2012-09-27T16:37:03Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > If I thought my coworker knew what fois gras was (much less whether is good or evil) I’d accuse you of being him because he said the exact same thing about wishing the replacement refs would do tonight’s game to screw the Ravens and help the Bengals. > > But yeah, that’s why I’m just hoping for general improvement from the Browns’ offense, becuase man it sucks to be worried about having to draft Barkley and dump Weeden after just 3 games. I think the defense will be better when Haden comes back. The Cleveland defense is pretty good. They just get worn down because the Browns offense (ironically, outside of the Bengals game) can’t sustain many drives. Up until the Redskins game, the Bengals had the opposite problem. Their offense can stay on the field and score okay, but their defense, supposedly the strength of the team, was pretty putrid. Now that Carlos Dunlap is back I expect our pass rush to be nasty as it will free double teams off of Geno Atkins and allow guys like Michael Johnson to tee off on opposing QB’s (he had three sacks of RGIII last Sunday). ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/7 "2012-09-27T17:08:21Z")
> [@mkecane](#): > > Unrelated to the NFL, **Barkis** , everytime I see your name, I think, “Willis is Barkin’,” which is strange. That is strange, indeed. > [@](#): > > (uh oh, I’m becoming somewhat confident in the Vikes) I’d say you have good reason to be. Christian Ponder looks like he may be catching up with NFL game speed. They really should be 3-0, but I’m sure you’ll take 2-1 all day considering the teams they’ve played. ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/8 "2012-09-27T17:42:32Z")
Ok, being a fickle NFL fan, I’ve talked myself out of the confidence. The win over SF is great, but it took OT to beat Jacksonville, and last year’s worst team beat Minnesota. The Vikings can and might be the Lions, due in part to Stafford’s injury (haven’t checked to see if he’s out or not). But if the Vikings are 3-1 come Sunday evening, it will put a smile on my face but still be a bit flattering. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/9 "2012-09-27T20:50:02Z")
But, as I mentioned, you’ve still got to feel much better about Ponder this year. ---
**Author:** ![Ennui](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ennui/32/3396_2.png) [@Ennui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ennui)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/10 "2012-09-27T21:09:17Z")
I know fans tend to be fickle and flighty but I find myself wondering if Brown’s head coach Pat Shurmer’s job is on the line against the Ravens tonight. The team will officially change hands the middle of next month and the new (soon to be) owner Jim Haslam seems prepared to take a very hands on approach with the team. He’s attending the games and the post game press conferences and was reportedly visibly upset that the Brown’s stadium more or less turned into a Buffalo home game last Sunday. He also stepped down from his roll of company president of Pilot/Flying J retaining a chairmanship but turning day to day operations over to others. Honestly I’d like to see him dump Pat Shurmer to be replaced by Mike Holmgren on an interim basis. If the team plays better then GM Tom Heckert can say that he was bringing in talent but it wasn’t being used correctly. If the team continues to wallow in sub mediocrity then the whole front office should be blown up (again). I’m thinking that Shurmur is like a diagnostic variable. He doesn’t seem to be part of the solution so perhaps it’s time to see how much of the problem he is. ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/11 "2012-09-27T21:24:05Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > But, as I mentioned, you’ve still got to feel much better about Ponder this year. True. Actually, I liked the Ponder pick by itself (could have picked him up later in the 1st round, but whatever…with hindsight, a good qb is easily worth a high 1st rounder at any time). His ceiling isn’t super high, but I’ve felt all along he could be at least at the level of guys like Matt Ryan. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/12 "2012-09-27T23:27:08Z")
My Saints are 0-3 and playing at Green Bay. This does not bode well for us. Packers are probably going to be pissed off after getting robbed in Seattle, and we have no defense. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/13 "2012-09-27T23:52:32Z")
> [@Ennui](#): > > I know fans tend to be fickle and flighty but I find myself wondering if Brown’s head coach Pat Shurmer’s job is on the line against the Ravens tonight. > > The team will officially change hands the middle of next month and the new (soon to be) owner Jim Haslam seems prepared to take a very hands on approach with the team. He’s attending the games and the post game press conferences and was reportedly visibly upset that the Brown’s stadium more or less turned into a Buffalo home game last Sunday. He also stepped down from his roll of company president of Pilot/Flying J retaining a chairmanship but turning day to day operations over to others. > > Honestly I’d like to see him dump Pat Shurmer to be replaced by Mike Holmgren on an interim basis. If the team plays better then GM Tom Heckert can say that he was bringing in talent but it wasn’t being used correctly. If the team continues to wallow in sub mediocrity then the whole front office should be blown up (again). > > I’m thinking that Shurmur is like a diagnostic variable. He doesn’t seem to be part of the solution so perhaps it’s time to see how much of the problem he is. I sorta feel the same, but I don’t know if I can handle this team being at the “rock bottom” stage of a rebuilding process again. As many high draft picks as they’ve had, they’ve gotta start showing that they’re at the “mediocre but promising” stage some time soon. My biggest fear is that some new guy will come in and decide we’re going to a base 3-4 or something. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/14 "2012-09-28T00:03:28Z")
Is this raping of “Blitzkrieg Bop” new for this game or have they been using it regularly on the NFL Network and I’d just never seen it before? ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/15 "2012-09-28T00:34:13Z")
Nah, that shit’s been on every week. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/16 "2012-09-28T00:45:33Z")
Cool to see the real Ref appreciation tonite. Mayock: “Papal dispensation.” I love it. ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/17 "2012-09-28T00:48:39Z")
Love the standing ovation for the refs before the game and the sarcastic boos after the first holding call. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/18 "2012-09-28T00:54:24Z")
That was a fucking vicious hit. Hope he’s ok. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/19 "2012-09-28T00:54:57Z")
Well, Cribbs just got destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020/20 "2012-09-28T00:57:25Z")
Vicious but not malicious. Totally legal. He was out like a freaking light though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/636020.md?page=2)