NFL 2021 Regular Season!

[Scott Taylor]

Man, talk about an ill-advised gameplan on BUffalo's part. Nice recipe for making or breaking your young QB's confidence down the stretch, tossing the ball 30 times in high winds and snow/ice. I thought they might adjust at halftime but they just doubled down. Should have at least stuffed the box more or done some cover zeroes. They knew the Patriots weren't going to throw it.

[worstblogever]

WEEK 14 "WHO'S COOKIN' ON THE HOTSEAT?/FIRE THIS COACH!" DISCUSSION
ALREADY RESIGNED/FIRED BEFORE WEEK 6: Jon Gruden (Raiders) , RESIGNED/FIRED! THEY’RE FIRED!

GUYS WHO WERE ON THE HOT SEAT THIS SEASON, BUT FOR THE MOMENT LOOK SAFE: Kliff Kingsbury (Cardinals) , Mike McCarthy (Cowboys), Brian Flores (Dolphins), Zac Taylor (Bengals)

YOU BETTER WATCH YOUR *** AND GET SOME WINS LIST: Kyle Shanahan, 49ers; Kevin Stefanski, Browns; Matt Ruhle, Panthers; Sean Payton, Saints

10. Pete Carroll, Seahawks (LUKEWARM SEAT) Yes, Carroll gave this city a Super Bowl. That was… some time ago. His franchise QB wants out of town, and on a Thursday night game against the Rams, the ligament in his middle finger decided to try to leave the team a bit before Russ was even ready for it to. So far this year, this team is 4-8 and that’s not necessarily because Russell Wilson missed 3 games. We knew it would be bleak any time they ran Geno Smith out there instead of Russ, it was gonna be rough because Chris Carson’s done for the year, as well. We want to point out that it’s not just that the O-Line never got rebuilt… and that even with Russell Wilson’s medical miracle month to come back from a severed tendon in the middle finger of his throwing hand…

Wilson came back to get shut out 17-0 on the road versus In week 11, they pushed a streak up to 20 straight drives without scoring a touchdown. On Monday Night Football last week, Russ had 5 consecutive three-and-outs against the WFT… it’s the third time this year the Seahawks managed that much consecutive futility in a game. They were lucky enough to face the 49ers yesterday, who put up 23 points in the first half against them and then promptly forgot how to play football, getting outscored 9-0 in the second half so the 12s could go home happy.

The Legion of Boom is GONE. This defense is no longer scary, it’s Bobby Wagner and a bunch of scarecrows in the secondary (Jamaal Adams is great against the run, but gets torched in coverage a LOT). Through their first twelve games, they are giving up 396 YPG, 31st in the NFL and are the worst team against defedning the pass. Offensively, they’re 31st in YPG, with only the woeful Texans doing worse. Just… Jesus. They’re kicker’s also only 64% accurate (dead last in the NFL), so at this point, they’re failing at all three phases of the game.

Our reason why we think Carroll won’t be fired no batter how bad this year gets (they’re more likely to force his hand and make him retire)… Even though he’s a kooky 9/11 truther who keeps violating NFL policies for practices and getting the organization fined (he kind of has a track record of cheating, but he’s not Belichek so it’s not thought about)…. Our reason he won’t be fired is Pete Carroll is under contract now until 2025. That’s a lot of money to eat, no matter how awful this squad is going to get, and we think their best case scenario is once Wilson gets back will be to overachieve down the stretch and maybe end up third in the division... but we are thinking they’re going to finish last. And if they’re lucky, they can convince Carroll to retire, because we don’t think he has a rebuild in him.

9. Matt Ruhle, Panthers: The Panthers started 3-0, but now are 5-7… they opened up looking like they proved Sam Darnold was a successful reclamation project, but once injury removed Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina offense, Darnold looked like he was back to being a draft bust again… and then HE got hurt. The team got a boost in the arm from the play of XFL V. 2.0 star P.J. Walker, and then s*** the bed by inviting Cam Newton back in town to get to TDs from the 1 yard line in Arizona, steal all the glory in that win on the road, and have immediately realized why no other teams signed Cam Newton off the street.

Point being, this team has lost 7 of its past 9 games since their hot start, Matt Ruhle has not developed anyone into being a credible starter for this team going forward, and McCaffrey might be the most injury prone non-QB in the league that they still foolishly built their offense around. McCaffrey is also now gone for the final 5 games of the season, so get ready to watch the embarrassing swan song for Cam Newton with the franchise who drafted him (Cam got benched after a 5.8 QBR through three quarters against the Dolphins on Sunday).

We don’t know if Ruhle is gonna get straight-up “FIRED!” but if they don’t perform well down the stretch after Ruhle just jettisoned offensive coordinator Joe Brady during the BYE week… he’s not going to one of the elite college programs that had openings but already filled them. If Ruhle is given a pink slip, he might have to take a year off.


8. Vic Fangio, Broncos : 6-6… you would think a team around .500 wouldn’t have a coach on the chopping block, but you have to consider… This team started 3-0 and some chuckleheads thought they might win the division… But wiser people noted that trio of victories were against the Jets, Giants, and Jaguars, who were a combined 0-9 at that point?

Denver came back to Earth fast. They know this is a lost season and if you needed any more proof, it was when they traded Von Miller to the Rams for a 2nd and 3rd round draft pick in 2022. This is after spending weeks trading away every late-round draft pick they had to get any competency at the LB position they could. If you STILL needed proof, it would be the game where Teddy Bridgewater pulled a matador act on a turnover and let Darius Slay go the other way for the touchdown. Fangio has buried his starter in the press for it, and while Bridgewater deserves getting skewered for it… look at that replay. There’s MULTIPLE Broncos players on the field who flat out quit on that and made no effort. And that’s indicative that this team has quit on him, even for what their record is. He’s throwing Bridgewater under the bus, though, because he’s got to do SOMETHING to look like he hasn’t checked out, either, like his players. You can check the tape earlier in the year and see defensive captain Courtland Sutton walk off the field towards the sideline after an INT was thrown, making no effort to pursue the defender with the ball.

Denver just went out on Sunday Night football against the Chiefs, whose defense is suddenly competent again, and managed all of 9 points against them on prime time television. They outgained the Chiefs 404-267. They won time of possession. They had more first downs. How did they lose? 3 turnovers, including a pick six returned 75 yards by Daniel Sorensen. The only bright side was there was no matador act on that return. At least there’s other good news… they’re lucky enough to play the Lions next week.

A reminder, Fangio declared that Covid-19 is showing "who the whiners are" around the NFL, last season. Perhaps we should also mention that last year, the game that the Broncos played without an actual QB was because under Fangio’s leadership, the whole QB room broke Covid-19 protocols so they could sit right on top of each other in the film room, rather than socially distance in corners. If you can’t get guys to adhere to that simple thing… it might be because you yourself are fighting the regulations there to keep you alive. On the field, though... “Mr. Covid Tough Guy” Fangio led Denver to a 5-11 in 2020, and to paraphrase a wiser person on CBR than I… “Denver somehow found the only person who can make dumber decisions than Vance Joseph.” Prediction: The Broncos next head coach will not have a name that starts with “V”.

7. Robert Saleh, Jets: Look, we’re gonna say it… we thought this was a solid hire. It probably still is… but the Jets statistical numbers are butt ugly at this point of the year. They got shut out against the Denver Broncos in Week 5, struggling to get even 162 total yards of offense. After that loss, they got an early BYE week so they had extra time to prepare to travel to New England, and they probably needed a whole MONTH if they were gonna have a chance based on how it went. The Jets lost 54-13 in a lopsided loss that is one of the worst in recent history for the Jets… and that’s saying something.

Even though Saleh is a defensive guru, the Jets now at the bottom of the NFL in points per game allowed at 30.6 PPG, last in YPG allowed, and second to last in point differential at -150. They have rotated through an injured Zach Wilson, one-game-fluke-hero Mike White, Josh Johnson for most of a Thursday game, and Joe Flacco only to settle back on Wilson. Yesterday they were handled by the Eagles, who were led by Gardner Minshew, who managed a QB rating of 133 against this dead-last defense and barely even had his mustache wrinkled in the effort.

A first year head coach usually doesn’t end up on the chopping block… But it can happen. Steve Wilks went 3-13 in one year in Arizona and the locker room knew his OC was a joke, and they just gave up on him. So no matter how fired up people were to play for Saleh in San Francisco, if things don’t reverse course with the Jets, he could end up a “one and done” guy. Especially if that defense doesn’t start stopping someone… anyone, or it looks like this staff has taught Zack Wilson ANYTHING about how to play QB.

[worstblogever]

6. Joe Judge, Giants (LUKEWARM SEAT): We don’t believe Joe Judge should have ever been a head coach. His prior experience before getting the gig in the Meadowlands with the G-Men was serving as special teams coordinator/wide receivers coach in New England (a team not regarded well for its WR corps during his tenure). His QB, when healthy, is living blooper reel Daniel Jones (who had two embarrassing INTs in yet another primetime game this team doesn’t deserve the spotlight for). His team’s preseason was marred by a massive brawl with THEMSELVES where the pileup of players throwing haymakers tumbled onto their starting QB who ended up at the bottom of the mound of humanity, enraging Judge so he made his players run gassers like they were back in high school JV, and resulting in one veteran filing to retire immediately, rather than play for him any more. Two other veteran players announced their retirement before the preseason was over.

The Giants are now 4-8 after losing to the Dolphins in a game where they were forced to start human giraffe Mike Glennon, and he got a concussion while getting battered by the Miami defense. So look for them to drop to 4-9 next week when they have no choice but to start Jacob Fromm, who they just signed off of Miami’s practice squad on December 1st. Yes, they may be forced to start a guy who’s had their playbook for 11 days with no NFL starts or Daniel Jones with a bad neck. Good luck with that.


5. David Culley, Texans: Houston is sitting at 2-10, with the first win coming from when they beat lowly Jacksonville in Week 1 before they rattled off eight straight losses and then upset the Titans (Tennessee had 5 turnovers to hand it to them). They’ve already been shut out twice this season after yesterday’s 31-0 dismantling by the Colts. They are now the first time officially eliminated from playoff contention, with five games left to play.

The Texans have the worst point differential in the league now, at -159. They are scoring 13.7 points a game and their offense ranks 32nd in yards per game (about 44 yards fewer than Seattle, who are 31st in YPG). Their defense isn’t much better, sitting at 28th in yards per game. They shipped Mark Ingram off before the trade deadline, falling back on David Johnson (who hasn’t had a good season since… what 2016?). It doesn’t look like anyone is going to manage to take serial sexual predator DeShaun Watson out of Houston in a trade, either, a move that’s hovered over this team’s fate for almost nine months now. Everyone thought things would get better when Tyrod Taylor came off of the injured list, and he went out and threw 3 INTs in his first game back.

So… we’ve covered that the Texans are BAD right now. We’re going to say that their misfortunes are not a product necessarily of bad coaching, but a TON of bad front office decisions, because obviously, that’s the case. It sucks that a guy who’s considered such a nice dude like David Culley, who’s waited his whole life for a head coaching gig, could get the blame if he couldn’t turn the chickens*** roster he was given into chicken salad. But that can be the cruel nature of NFL coaching gigs…

4. Urban Meyer, Jaguars: Jacksonville’s preseason was filled with self-inflicted wounds caused by decisions from Meyer, from hiring coaches without vetting them properly (strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle), bringing in Tim Tebow as a possible TIGHT END option that was nothing but a media distraction, and acting like he’s the smartest guy in the NFL because of his college success. At one point this season, the Jags' losing streak grew to 20 straight as a franchise, including #19 n Week 4 they blew another double-digit lead to the Cincinnatti Bengals, and more importantly… Urban Meyer trended on Twitter for lying to his team about “visiting his grandkids” and not flying back to Jacksonville to instead, go out to get free lap dances in the bar of his Cleveland restaurant because… well, I guess that’s what happens when you got a title with Ohio State. THAT… is not what you want to make headlines for after a month into the season… zero wins, poor development on Trevor Lawrence, and having someone rub their ass on your junk in your own dive bar.

Urban Meyer has helped escaped being fired because, simply… other, juicier embarrassing stories have dropped courtesy of the Las Vegas Raiders’ clusterf*** rollercoaster drama, and Aaron Rodgers’ going full lunatic anti-vaxxer with the Packers’ franchise apparently letting him do whatever he wants for fear he might sit out, and Antonio Brown forging his own vaccination card. “Urban Meyer ditches his team for a lapdance in his bar” is… not as spicy a tale right now.

This team just got blown out 37-7 by the Rams, with Trevor Lawrence and the offense failing to amass even 200 yards of offense and the defense making Matt Stafford look like he knows what he’s doing again. The Jags still have games against the Jets and Texans this year to decide draft position, and if they’ll be picking high enough to get the top offensive lineman in the draft to try and protect Trevor Lawrence in Year Two. Seriously, that’s what they have to look forward to.

3. Dan Campbell, Lions : We always say that first year coaches are not usually on the hot seat, but Dan Campbell is a former Tight Ends coach who yells about getting up again and again to bite your opponents’ kneecaps, which starts out like some inspiring Captain America speech but ends up sounding like a meek little chihuahua. He’s close to motivating… but not close enough.

Detroit won yesterday for the first time in 364 days, almost blowing a 2 TD lead against the Vikings only to come back down the field and win on a TD pass at the final gun. All it took was the team to go out and dedicate the game before it started to the victims of a mass shooting last week, which if it takes a tragedy to get this team motivated, we can only hope they don’t start resorting to human sacrifices to get wins.

They still have the #1 pick in the draft at this time, but should the win again, they might end up passing the Texans or the Jags for that honor.

2. Matt Nagy, Bears: Matt Nagy was considered one of the hottest young coaches in the league before the Double-Doink happened like 3 years ago, but it made something snap in the guy. He spent that entire off-season talking about it, and making his players relive that trauma, and they responded by getting worse afterwards. The Bears have been shy a QB this whole time, finally giving up on Mitch Trubisky to draft Justin Fields… but Nagy kept insisting he would go with Andy Dalton. He's constantly been trying to commit to Dalton as starter while he's been a turnover machine, leaving both Fields and backup legend Nick Foles on the bench the whole time, finding any excuse to send out the Red Rifle.

In Week 6, they got handled by Green Bay, and Aaron Rodgers barked at fans, “I STILL OWN YOU!” And nobody is questioned the validity of that statement, because it’s true. This squad is 31st in the league in sacks allowed (thus why Fields hasn't managed to stay healthy and supplant Dalton). They’re now 4-8 after having to send Dalton out against the Cardinals, who managed to throw 4 INTs because Nagy wanted to sling it around in a downpour. When Arizona knows how to run the ball at Soldier Field and you don’t… that’s a failure to plan.

Chicago and Nagy are hoping they get Justin Fields back from a rib injury to play against Green Bay this week, in what could be one of the most lopsided games on the schedule. Hopefully Chicago fans at least stop turning up at high school games where Nagy’s son is playing to chant “FIRE NAGY” because we don’t believe the sins of the father should be held against a son.

1. Mike Zimmer, Vikings: YOU LOST TO THE LIONS.

I repeat…

YOU LOST TO THE LIONS.

You had come back from a 14 point deficit to take a 4 point lead in the 4th quarter, and then blow that lead by letting JARED GOFF of all QBs march the LIONS back down the field 75 yards in the final 1:50 to beat you as time expires. We’ll add that said loss was by 2 points… and Zimmer’s brilliant play-calling involved going for a 2 point conversion on all THREE Vikings TDs… and they FAILED each time. Had they kicked extra points… we’re likely talking about a narrow win, or at worst, these teams tangling in overtime. But no, Mike Zimmer is a terrible coach, and can’t score from the 2 yard line with any play with the weapons he has on offense in three different attempts.

The Vikings were supposedly "just a QB away" from winning a Super Bowl a few years ago with the impeccable defense they had, and they spent BIG for Kirk Cousins. Then they traded away Stephon Diggs (BIG MISTAKE), and their defense officially "got a case of the olds" going into LAST season. This season, they’re just a year older than that. Minnesota’s biggest off-season free agent signing was CB Patrick Peterson, who age has not just proven to be “no longer an elite corner”, he’s arguably “not even a starting corner” in the league, admitting on his podcast he struggles at covering any receiver who’s simply PUT IN MOTION. That’s the top free agent addition to an aged defense. What was once an elite unit now is simply medicore, and Kirk Cousins has been widely inconsistent game to game (certainly not deserving of what he gets paid). All that has left the Vikings sitting at 5-7, a #9 playoff seeding (i.e. out of them), and a schedule down the stretch that has the Bears twice, but also the Steelers, the Rams, and AT Lambeau field to play the Packers. This is looking like a 7-10 team in a few weeks. More importantly…

YOU LOST TO THE F***ING LIONS.

There is no easier reason for the Wilfs to drop the axe than that.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Man, talk about an ill-advised gameplan on BUffalo's part. Nice recipe for making or breaking your young QB's confidence down the stretch, tossing the ball 30 times in high winds and snow/ice. I thought they might adjust at halftime but they just doubled down. Should have at least stuffed the box more or done some cover zeroes. They knew the Patriots weren't going to throw it.

With Buffalo they have Diggs , Beasley and I believe Brown on the outside so they likely felt with WR's there had better chances to win throwing it. Plus their main RB Devin Singletary is 5'7 and he's not a big banger back that really has had over 156 carries in a season due to his size. So the Bills really don't have that #2 since they let Frank Gore leave 2 seasons ago.

This is a case where Buffalo really did fail in a way going into the season. They needed a #2 RB in situations like these where games need that power RB type. New England has that as we saw. Buffalo doesn't....

[worstblogever]

With Buffalo they have Diggs , Beasley and I believe Brown on the outside so they likely felt with WR's there had better chances to win throwing it. Plus their main RB Devin Singletary is 5'7 and he's not a big banger back that really has had over 156 carries in a season due to his size. So the Bills really don't have that #2 since they let Frank Gore leave 2 seasons ago.

This is a case where Buffalo really did fail in a way going into the season. They needed a #2 RB in situations like these where games need that power RB type. New England has that as we saw. Buffalo doesn't....

You have to look at the GM sideways if he leaves them with only a speed HB and no power RB back there. You're playing outdoors at Orchard Park. You gotta get a guy who can hammer the rock north/south when winter comes in that stadium. Other teams have been signing Adrian Peterson off the street due to injuries to fill that void, and it's not like there aren't backs out there you could snag off someone's practice squad to just be a change of pace back for short yardage. If you've waited until this point of the season to find a guy like that and there's none out there... that's on him for forgetting to get a guy like that on the roster.

Speaking of, Arizona had planned to bring in James Conner as that compliment to Chase Edmonds this offseason, and he's exceeded all expectations. He's one of the league leaders in TDs now that we're in December. Probably one of the best signings of the offseason.

[Sacred Knight]

Honestly you can put Fangio on the top three alongside Nagy and Zimmer. He is just as guaranteed gone next year as those two. I don't even think a wild card berth would save him. Not that that's going to happen anyway.

[worstblogever]

Honestly you can put Fangio on the top three alongside Nagy and Zimmer. He is just as guaranteed gone next year as those two. I don't even think a wild card berth would save him. Not that that's going to happen anyway.

If they ALSO lose to the Lions next week... he's gonna be rocketed up to the top three for sure.

[Sacred Knight]

If the inconsistent offense lays another egg, it'll be a close game. The D is pretty good; Special Teams is garbage and good for at least one major F up a game. If the offense is as bad as it was against KC, Detroit has every chance. Or it could come out and play like it did against Dallas. You just don't know from week to week. But its that inconsistency that makes them a substandard team.

[BeastieRunner]

With Buffalo they have Diggs , Beasley and I believe Brown on the outside so they likely felt with WR's there had better chances to win throwing it. Plus their main RB Devin Singletary is 5'7 and he's not a big banger back that really has had over 156 carries in a season due to his size. So the Bills really don't have that #2 since they let Frank Gore leave 2 seasons ago.

This is a case where Buffalo really did fail in a way going into the season. They needed a #2 RB in situations like these where games need that power RB type. New England has that as we saw. Buffalo doesn't....

You have to look at the GM sideways if he leaves them with only a speed HB and no power RB back there. You're playing outdoors at Orchard Park. You gotta get a guy who can hammer the rock north/south when winter comes in that stadium. Other teams have been signing Adrian Peterson off the street due to injuries to fill that void, and it's not like there aren't backs out there you could snag off someone's practice squad to just be a change of pace back for short yardage. If you've waited until this point of the season to find a guy like that and there's none out there... that's on him for forgetting to get a guy like that on the roster.

Speaking of, Arizona had planned to bring in James Conner as that compliment to Chase Edmonds this offseason, and he's exceeded all expectations. He's one of the league leaders in TDs now that we're in December. Probably one of the best signings of the offseason.

The bigger issue with the Bills is that they are built like a "fun in the sun" Florida team or a dome team. It's not just their back situation.

You can't build a team like that when you play most your games in the late fall / early winter in the NE US.

All those coverages and players are great in domes or warm weather ... not in the wind, cold, rain, aka Buffalo weather this time of year. They can't coast and hope to play in domes for the playoffs, especially since it looks like Darth Hoodie has cast necromancy on the Pats.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

The 90's Bills teams had that wide open offense with Jim Kelly and the classic K Gun he'd use in hurry up mode for sure. The Bills had Lofton and Reed on the outside and could throw it around great as we saw when weather was great then in Sept to Early October. But what helped the Bills then was they had a 1/2 punch at RB with 2 RB's that could pound the ball and catch as we saw.

Thurman Thomas was 5'10 and could handle the physical pounding each season. He could handle over 270-330+ carries a season from 1989 to 1996. Before age and injuries took its toll on him. Thurman was a 1,000+ yard rusher those seasons too. So Buffalo could go to ground game and use Thurman as we saw. Then the Bills had Kenneth Davis who also at 5'10 could ground and pound to spell Thomas too. So the Bills the had 2 big RB's and a Hall of Famer in Thomas who could grind the ball when needed.

They don't have that as we see and why the GM never addressed it is ...well crazy. They had free agency and draft and they never thought of this.

[worstblogever]

The 90's Bills teams had that wide open offense with Jim Kelly and the classic K Gun he'd use in hurry up mode for sure. The Bills had Lofton and Reed on the outside and could throw it around great as we saw when weather was great then in Sept to Early October. But what helped the Bills then was they had a 1/2 punch at RB with 2 RB's that could pound the ball and catch as we saw.

Thurman Thomas was 5'10 and could handle the physical pounding each season. He could handle over 270-330+ carries a season from 1989 to 1996. Before age and injuries took its toll on him. Thurman was a 1,000+ yard rusher those seasons too. So Buffalo could go to ground game and use Thurman as we saw. Then the Bills had Kenneth Davis who also at 5'10 could ground and pound to spell Thomas too. So the Bills the had 2 big RB's and a Hall of Famer in Thomas who could grind the ball when needed.

They don't have that as we see and why the GM never addressed it is ...well crazy. They had free agency and draft and they never thought of this.

Thomas and KD were one of the best combos of that era. No doubt.

[MRP]

WFT QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will definitely miss the rest of the season. He had arthroscopic hip surgery this week and will not be back before next season.

-M

[babyblob]

I know that the NFL has to hype their games but maybe they should change the promo for Thursday night. Talking about two teams who are playoff hopefuls. The Steelers come in with their season on the line (I agree with that) While the Vikings are making post season plans of their own. Really? The Vikings are? Post season plans? 5-7 and just lost to the Lions and they are making playoff plans? Talk about missing the mark on the hype train.

[Kirby101]

Their playoff plans are which bar to go to to watch the games.

[worstblogever]

I know that the NFL has to hype their games but maybe they should change the promo for Thursday night. Talking about two teams who are playoff hopefuls. The Steelers come in with their season on the line (I agree with that) While the Vikings are making post season plans of their own. Really? The Vikings are? Post season plans? 5-7 and just lost to the Lions and they are making playoff plans? Talk about missing the mark on the hype train.

"playoff hopefuls" translates to "technically not mathematically eliminated".

Which, because of a 17 week season, right now could be a label for any team except the Texans.

I repeat... Detroit is somehow not currently eliminated at 1-10-1. Nor Jacksonville who are also 2-10 but somehow still alive.