# NFL Week 4 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 29, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251 "2016-09-29T23:01:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![cg16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@cg16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cg16)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/81 "2016-10-03T04:23:01Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > Arizona laying a turd pushes me out of my survivor pool. I actually failed to remember my pick so I just got assigned the largest line, bad karma I suppose. > > Amazing how the Rams are 3-1 after looking 0-16 worthy in Week 1. > > Raiders continue to be the cardiac kids, with game score differentials of +1, -7, +7 and +1. (Double bonus if you’re also a Cal fan.) Looks like the raiders got themselves a QB ---
**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:** [October 3, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/82 "2016-10-03T17:05:34Z")
Take a look at [this](https://twitter.com/i/web/status/782670067913875461). See how the guy in the white and brown uniform comes up and holds the ball over his head? And how the officials and announcers say “and the redskins have it!”? That’s probably only the 4th or 5th worst game-changing botched officiating that happened to the Browns in 4 games. If the shit that happened to the Browns week in and week out happened to a popular NFL franchise, it would be a weekly scandal. As it is, no one even notes it on the highlight shows. I will remind you that all turnovers get an automatic review. This somehow passed that review. ---
**Author:** ![cg16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@cg16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cg16)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/83 "2016-10-03T17:11:48Z")
Intriguing Monday Night Football game tonight 2-1 Giants vs 2-1 Vikings ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/84 "2016-10-03T17:24:30Z")
> [@cg16](#): > > Intriguing Monday Night Football game tonight > > 2-1 Giants vs **2-1 Vikings** Emphasis mine. LOL. One out of two ain’t bad, i guess. ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/85 "2016-10-03T17:27:59Z")
Ouch. Another beat down for the Carolina Hello Kitties (that’s how my brother is teasing me :grr) All I wanted this year was a 9 win season. I didn’t think it was asking for much. I understand it is very hard to get to the superbowl in back-to-back seasons, so I wasn’t going to hold out for that. But, 9 wins I thought was very reasonable. Keep on pounding panthers! Make my brother eat his words! ---
**Author:** ![cg16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@cg16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cg16)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/86 "2016-10-03T17:30:41Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Emphasis mine. > > LOL. One out of two ain’t bad, i guess. My error, I didn’t know they were 3-0 probably because they beat GB and Carolina so that was all I was focused on ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/87 "2016-10-03T17:32:30Z")
Evidently the Bears will win if I don’t watch the game. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![cg16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@cg16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cg16)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/88 "2016-10-03T17:39:26Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Evidently the Bears will win if I don’t watch the game. Huh. It was only the Lions ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/89 "2016-10-03T18:17:58Z")
> [@cg16](#): > > When I saw they lost to the eagles 34-3 I had to see who they played next. That’s when I found out they had a sunday night game vs the chiefs which meant they were more concerned about the next game instead of the eagles since it was out of conference. The Eagles game is far more important/relevant to the Steelers trying to make the playoffs than the Chiefs game, which has no part in divisional tiebreakers whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![cg16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@cg16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cg16)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/90 "2016-10-03T18:23:51Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > The Eagles game is far more important/relevant to the Steelers trying to make the playoffs than the Chiefs game, which has no part in divisional tiebreakers whatsoever. Wrong, the chiefs is a AFC team and that game was more important when it comes to conference wins ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/91 "2016-10-03T18:36:22Z")
> [@cg16](#): > > Wrong, the chiefs is a AFC team and that game was more important when it comes to conference wins Nfl [tiebreakers](http://www.nfl.com/standings/tiebreakingprocedures) for two teams in the same division: > [@NFL](#): > > ``` > Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs). > Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division. > Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games. > Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference. > > ``` The AFC North plays the entire NFC East, so the Eagles loss is a common game with the other three division teams. Each AFC North team plays just one AFC West team, matched up by last year’s divisional ranking. It is a conference game, but it’s less important for tiebreakers than the common game. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/92 "2016-10-03T18:44:46Z")
So technically more than “no part whatsoever,” but still less important than the Eagles game. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/93 "2016-10-03T19:29:16Z")
> [@cg16](#): > > My error, I didn’t know they were 3-0 probably because they beat GB and Carolina so that was all I was focused on Translation: I knew they won two games, so they must have lost the other game. > [@cg16](#): > > Wrong, the chiefs is a AFC team and that game was more important when it comes to conference wins Translation: I haven’t actually looked up how NFL tiebreakers work, but I know that conferences have something to do with it, so I will dogmatically insist I was right even when someone explains the rule to me. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2016, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/94 "2016-10-03T22:26:46Z")
The first tie-breaker is overall record, so every game is important. A team wants to get to the point where they do not have to worry about going down through the tie-breakers, so not trying hard in every game is folly. The Eagles gave the Steelers a convincing beatdown fair and square, after duly cornholing the Browns and the Bears. They might be a for-real team this year. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/95 "2016-10-03T23:17:22Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > The first tie-breaker is overall record, so every game is important. A team wants to get to the point where they do not have to worry about going down through the tie-breakers, so not trying hard in every game is folly. The Eagles gave the Steelers a convincing beatdown fair and square, after duly cornholing the Browns and the Bears. They might be a for-real team this year. Generally speaking, ever since realignment in 2002 brought with it these new tiebreaker rules, your 14 common games are the most important, with the remaining 2 “strength of schedule” games being the least important ones. Consider the Chiefs, who lost one of their two SoS games to the Steelers. They now have an ace in the hole if they end up neck and neck for the division toward the end of the season. If they have the same record as a division rival, odds are they will have a better common games record. Throwing out numbers, let’s say both the Chiefs and the Broncos end up 10-6, both 4-2 in the division. If the Broncos won both of their two SoS games, the Chiefs are automatically in. This is because when you take out those two Broncos wins, they’re left with 8-6 common games record, while the Chiefs would at worst be 9-5 in common games. If you have to lose a game, definitely lose one of your two Strength of Schedule games. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/96 "2016-10-04T00:09:13Z")
I ranted earlier about the hated pink, but it wasn’t used in this weekend’s games. I assume this is because there are 5 Sundays in October and week 4 started with the Thursday night game which fell in September. ---
**Author:** ![cg16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@cg16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cg16)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/97 "2016-10-04T03:32:12Z")
Giants fall to 2-2 after losing to the Vikings. Gets no better next week as the Giants travel to Green Bay on Sunday 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:** [October 4, 2016, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/98 "2016-10-04T13:42:56Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Take a look at [this](https://twitter.com/i/web/status/782670067913875461). See how the guy in the white and brown uniform comes up and holds the ball over his head? And how the officials and announcers say “and the redskins have it!”? > > That’s probably only the 4th or 5th worst game-changing botched officiating that happened to the Browns in 4 games. > > If the shit that happened to the Browns week in and week out happened to a popular NFL franchise, it would be a weekly scandal. As it is, no one even notes it on the highlight shows. > > I will remind you that all turnovers get an automatic review. This somehow passed that review. Even after the fact the NFL is saying there just wasn’t evidence to overturn the call on the field. Indeed, that it was Browns vs. Redskins certainly helps the NFL because if it was a primetime game between two teams with winning records it would be one of the main talking points from the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/99 "2016-10-04T18:54:52Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > Arizona laying a turd pushes me out of my survivor pool. I actually failed to remember my pick so I just got assigned the largest line, bad karma I suppose. > > Amazing how the Rams are 3-1 after looking 0-16 worthy in Week 1. > > Raiders continue to be the cardiac kids, with game score differentials of +1, -7, +7 and +1. (Double bonus if you’re also a Cal fan.) More amazing is that LA is 3-1 while STILL looking like a 0-16 team. They have seriously benefitted from a better than expected D and 3 opponents that self destructed on the field. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251/100 "2016-10-05T06:04:22Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Generally speaking, ever since realignment in 2002 brought with it these new tiebreaker rules, your 14 common games are the most important, with the remaining 2 “strength of schedule” games being the least important ones. Depends on if you’re talking about division race or wild card race. While the non-conference games would be more important for the division due to common games trumping conference games, the tiebreakers for the wild card look at conference games before common games (assuming the teams aren’t in the same division). > [@SenorBeef](#): > > Take a look at [this](https://twitter.com/i/web/status/782670067913875461). See how the guy in the white and brown uniform comes up and holds the ball over his head? And how the officials and announcers say “and the redskins have it!”? > > That’s probably only the 4th or 5th worst game-changing botched officiating that happened to the Browns in 4 games. > > If the shit that happened to the Browns week in and week out happened to a popular NFL franchise, it would be a weekly scandal. As it is, no one even notes it on the highlight shows. > > I will remind you that all turnovers get an automatic review. This somehow passed that review. I admit I hadn’t heard about this and agree that if it happened to a winning team there would’ve been a lot more hay made about it. However… I’m not so sure the NFL got it wrong. From the angle you posted, yes, it looks like he goes down then just slide out of the pile with the ball without even fumbling. But from the [front angle](http://giphy.com/gifs/14sO4wqDNz4DUA) you can clearly see he did fumble. Can’t see who recovers it… and if a Washington player had it, even for a second, that’d be Washington ball since everyone has their knees on the ground. The fact that Johnson comes off the pile with the ball certainly makes it more likely he recovered, but not definitively. And if those were the two angles they looked at I don’t think the call on the field could be overturned. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-4/767251.md?page=6)