# NFL Week 7
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [October 17, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528 "2013-10-17T22:00:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2013, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/42 "2013-10-20T22:29:27Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#):
>
> The Rams are a very undisciplined team. It’s been a chippy game, but they’ve had one ejection and a few costly dumb penalties. Sam Bradford just got injured too.
A Jeff Fisher coached team has assholes on it? I’m shocked, I say, shocked!
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/43 "2013-10-20T22:52:30Z")
Woot! Go Bucs! We are nothing but consistent!
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/44 "2013-10-20T23:01:56Z")
Looking forward to Monday night with the Giants and the Vikings in a game that could have a major impact on next year’s draft.
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### Author:  [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/45 "2013-10-20T23:07:41Z")
After losing rather convincingly to Atlanta, I am beginning to wonder if the Devil Rays have already started to just phone it in.
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### Author:  [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/46 "2013-10-20T23:35:27Z")
KC beat Houston I see, 17-16. My co-workers will be pleased tomorrow.
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### Author:  [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/47 "2013-10-21T02:00:17Z")
Seems to me like we are seeing not a few safeties this year. Like, you can count on two or three every week, whereas in the past, several weeks would go by without even one. Is it just me, or have they been on the increase, and if so, why?
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### Author:  [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/48 "2013-10-21T03:29:29Z")
Jeebus, there were a LOT of injuries today. More than usual, in fact. My main concern as a fan of the 5-2 AFCN leading Bengals is the torn achilles of CB Leon Hall. It’s never a good thing when you lose your best CB. Off the top of my head, I’m trying to remember the rest of the injuries…Cushing done for the year, Cutler, Bradford, Foles, Arian Foster, Doug Martin, Jermichael Finley…
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### Author:  [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/49 "2013-10-21T04:13:51Z")
Looks like the Chargers are gonna be the last undefeated team standing?
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### Author:  [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/50 "2013-10-21T04:18:15Z")
Chiefs, not Chargers
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### Author:  [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/51 "2013-10-21T04:19:37Z")
Yes, C-team brain fart.
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### Author:  [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/52 "2013-10-21T04:27:17Z")
Sam Bradford, torn ACL. Reggie Wayne injured, severity unknown. I can’t think of another week in the NFL where so many big names, especially at QB, went down to serious injuries. Craziness.
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### Author:  [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/53 "2013-10-21T07:22:21Z")
5-2 Cincinnati Bengals, yo! Mr White! Bitch!
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/54 "2013-10-21T11:58:39Z")
> [@lieu](#):
>
> Implemented this past offseason; Rule 9-1-3
>
> Team B players cannot push teammates on the line of scrimmage into the offensive formation.
Yep, just wanted to own up to being completely and utterly wrong. The specific rule that linemen can’t push each other into the line was instituted this past offseason, and this new rule had never been called before this season. That was the first ever flag for that in the history of the NFL.
Note that your wording is incorrect; it was already a similar penalty if players in the second level pushed the linemen into the pile. For example, a linebacker can’t push the linemen. How long that “second level” rule has been in place I have no idea.
While I assumed it was a rule because it’s consistent with the fundamental concept of not physically aiding other players on your team, that isn’t the stated reason for the rule by the NFL. They made this version of the rule for player safety reasons, specifically of offensive linemen.
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/55 "2013-10-21T12:41:27Z")
> [@EllisDee](#):
>
> Note that your wording is incorrect; it was already a similar penalty if players in the second level pushed the linemen into the pile. For example, a linebacker can’t push the linemen. How long that “second level” rule has been in place I have no idea.
At the time of the call, the rules on [NFL.com](http://NFL.com) stated the “second level” part of the rule, meaning the play should have been legal. Two hours after the game ended the site was changed to remove that “second level” part of it, making the play illegal and agreeing with the penalty on the field. I suspect the rule was just a mistake on the website that was corrected when noticed but it doesn’t look good.
[http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/obnoxiousbostonfan/2013/10/tuck\_rule\_spy\_gate\_rule\_913\_jets\_patriots.html](http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/obnoxiousbostonfan/2013/10/tuck_rule_spy_gate_rule_913_jets_patriots.html)
> [@](#):
>
> The part about players “not on the line of the scrimmage” was removed by the NFL’s website after Belichick spoke on Sunday, ostensibly to eliminate confusion, reported [CSNNE.com](http://CSNNE.com)’s Tom E. Curran.
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### Author:  [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/56 "2013-10-21T14:05:54Z")
I am a total Pats homer and therefore biased, but that flag was total bullshit. If he pushed, he barely pushed (based on what I could see on replay), and _it had no effect whatsoever on the play_. There was no big push up the middle that changed the kick or anything. Kicker just shanked it because it was too long for him. In sudden death overtime, a 15 yard flag that hands the game to the other team should not be thrown on something like that. Total crap.
Again, I know I am a homer on this, but (I hope) I would think the same if my team were not involved.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/57 "2013-10-21T14:08:04Z")
Josh McCown looked like he can move the Bears offense; it’s their D that’ a worry. They lost Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman, and I haven’t seen how severe those injuries were.
I’m cringing at the thought of what Peyton Manning is going to do to the Skins’ pass defense next week. Pick the over.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/58 "2013-10-21T14:12:48Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#):
>
> I am a total Pats homer and therefore biased, but that flag was total bullshit. If he pushed, he barely pushed (based on what I could see on replay), and _it had no effect whatsoever on the play_. There was no big push up the middle that changed the kick or anything. Kicker just shanked it because it was too long for him. In sudden death overtime, a 15 yard flag that hands the game to the other team should not be thrown on something like that. Total crap.
>
> Again, I know I am a homer on this, but (I hope) I would think the same if my team were not involved.
I heard Bill Polian on ESPN Radio talking about this point this morning. He said that the rule change was requested by the players as a safety matter, and that the refs are going to be on high alert to enforce a new safety-related rule, even if it involved something that did not affect play.
No idea whether this is accurate or not.
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/59 "2013-10-21T14:25:58Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#):
>
> I heard Bill Polian on ESPN Radio talking about this point this morning. He said that the rule change was requested by the players as a safety matter, and that the refs are going to be on high alert to enforce a new safety-related rule, even if it involved something that did not affect play.
Yes, that’s what the reports are saying. It was a rule change requested by a player through the union, and the teams had all been briefed on it before the season. It was the first time the penalty had ever been called, probably as a result of the league telling the refs not to ignore it.
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### Author:  [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/60 "2013-10-21T15:16:24Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#):
>
> I am a total Pats homer and therefore biased, but that flag was total bullshit. If he pushed, he barely pushed (based on what I could see on replay), and _it had no effect whatsoever on the play_. There was no big push up the middle that changed the kick or anything. Kicker just shanked it because it was too long for him. In sudden death overtime, a 15 yard flag that hands the game to the other team should not be thrown on something like that. Total crap.
>
> Again, I know I am a homer on this, but (I hope) I would think the same if my team were not involved.
There are a lot of penalties that don’t generally affect the outcome of the play. Illegal formation where someone should have been a step further back, for example. More importantly, the rule was put in place for player safety, not for trying to confer an unfair advantage.
It might seem piddly, and it sucks that it had such a huge effect on the game, but that’s what rules do sometimes.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-7/671528/61 "2013-10-21T15:41:56Z")
So, with all these QBs going down, who’s going to pick up Tim Tebow?
Or better yet: “Now starting at quarterback – LeBron James!” You laugh, but he’d probably be a step up from Brandon Weeden. It would be his way of giving back to the city of Cleveland.
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