I was thinking he would enjoy an exquisite Chenin Blanc/Camembert pairing. It is very interesting how pervasive bias is and how big an effect it has.
Ravens fans rejoice! 
That was funny. Also, having the lights go out in Candlestick Park provides a small bit of amusement.
Let’s not talk about the horror on the field.
I hate to root for you guys, but you do have the potential to help one of the scenarios in which the Browns draft Luck (Rams have to lose out, Colts win next week), so maybe this week it wouldn’t be terrible if you could win. You’re locked into the same seed no matter what at this point, right? But with Batch in there, they’ve got a chance.
Lots of guys out for the Steelers today. Roethlisberger, Woodley, Pouncey - I think it’s good to sit these guys down and gear up for the playoffs. The Rams are horrible against the run so today is a good day to tune up the running game.
Pittsburgh’s not locked in yet. Baltimore could lose out and give up the division. But practically, yes, Pittsburgh will be the 5 seed, setting up a potential rematch with the Ratbirds if the 6 seed beats the Texans, something entirely possible (and perhaps even likely).
As for the draft, it’s a shame that a once-great team has been reduced to this for more than a decade when they should be in first place with a Super Bowl ring. It would be kinda nice to see them get Andrew Luck, but then again the Browns would ruin his career and get him killed like they did with Couch (and McCoy). Start with the offensive line and maybe, just maybe, the Browns might be able to get and keep a QB for the long term that doesn’t become paralyzingly gun-shy in the face of a pass rush.
Most of the Browns quarterbacks have been terrible and invited their own pass rush. The Browns offensive line features Joe Thomas, a potential hall of famer at the most critical position, a first round center who’s among the best at his position, a right tackle who’s actually rated top 5 in pass blocking efficiency by pro football focus, and two developing young guards (who admittedly had a bad first half of the season but are picking it up). The Browns have invested more than enough in their O-line.
McCoy creates his own sacks by running from non-existant pressure (which frees up defenders to create real pressure) and holding the ball for too long, and allowing the defense to send extra pressure because he can’t make all the throws and rarely burns a blitz. The Browns O-line is one of the better ones in the league, but you’d never know it because having a bad QB makes your O-line look bad. Luck would be just fine behind our line.
To give a practical example, do you remember in 2007 when we played in week 1? Charlie Frye took 6 sacks in the first half and was hit on almost every dropback. People were screaming OUR O-LINE IS TERRIBLE! THEY’RE GOING TO GET HIM KILLED! In comes Anderson in the second half. Whatever faults Anderson had, he got rid of the ball in a timely manner. Result? The horrible O-line that got their poor QB killed with 6 sacks in one half suddenly lets their QB get sacked a league-leading 14 times for the rest of the year and was probably the best O-line in football that year.
Cleveland’s line is better than Green Bay’s, but Rodgers makes them look good, and McCoy makes them look bad.
I don’t know enough about your current o-line to comment but Joe Thomas is better at making James Harrison look ordinary than any other LT the Steelers play against. I assume he’s as good in the run game but can’t say I’ve noticed him in particular there.
Maybe his frustrating at that is why he seems especially brain damaging against the Browns.
That may be. He sure seems to have it out for them.
So check this out:
With the jets’ loss today the Bengals now hold their playoff fate in their own hands. They need only win next week and they’re in. And who do they play next week?
That’s right, the friggin’ Ratbirds (in Cincinnati). And Pittsburgh has the Browns in Cleveland at the same time.
What an awesome weekend of AFC North football next weekend is going to be. Playoffs, the division and a first round bye are all at stake in two games.
I’m just looking at scenarios to land Luck, so I’m actually concerned at this point you guys rest your starters. So you guys have a reason to win - you can improve your seeding?
If Baltimore loses and the Steelers win the Steelers take the division and the 2 seed on overall record. Right now the Ravens get it on a tiebreaker (head-to-head wins).
Well, “Crazylegs” Batch pulled it off. Now at least we don’t have to have total panic attacks whenever Big Ben is wounded. Nice to see a rookie get his first TD too.
The Bengals are coming off a spectacular near-disaster, salvaged only by Early Doucet falling over his two feet. As long as the Ravens don’t play like they did against the Chargers last week, they’ll be okay.
If Luck’s all he’s made out to be, isn’t he one you’re going to want as a franchise QB in 2-3 years? Big Ben’s not going to be ready to wind it down and step aside that soon.
You have my intentions mistaken, sir. I don’t fuck my cousin or sheep.
The NFL moved the Browns/Steelers game back to 4:15. I don’t know why. Any guesses?
Steelers were not on where I was, although they had said we’d be watching (in their email to me.)
Instead I got to watch the Jets lose, which I enjoyed.
Hopefully they will be on here next weekend - it will be the last regular game of the season that they guys can come over and watch.
No, JúniorBeef tells us where your intentions lie Senor. 
To get more people to watch? Both AFC North games were flexed, probably to add drama. The NFL probably would have made them the Sunday/Monday night games if they could have. Instead, they made them late games, with less TV competition and last-minute watch-the-scoreboard hype.