NFL Football

[Vrede too]

I've been reduced to "I hope the Bears make a good showing and don't embarrass themselves."

Lions’ Jared Goff and Jahmyr Gibbs pretended to stumble on the most creative trick play ever



... With the Lions sitting just outside of the red zone, Johnson had both Jared Goff and Jahmyr Gibbs pretend to stumble over in an effort to get the Bears’ defense looking in the backfield. The gambit worked to perfection, and Goff turned around and fired a touchdown pass to a wide-open Sam LaPorta:



Man … what?

That’s something out of a Pop Warner matchup, not an NFL game. The audacity to have your offensive backfield play possum during a live sequence is off the charts. Shoutout to Johnson and the Lions’ offense (as well as the Bears’ inept defense) for letting this play off without a hitch.

That’s football poetry right there, folks.

Opps.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I saw it live.

Ouch. The Bears were still in it at that point, only 13 down with 27 minutes left.


Jeopardy contestants totally failed an easy Super Bowl Final Jeopardy



1. It is easy.
2. I didn't get it.

Spoiler:

Jets

[O Really]

I didn't get it either, but in hindsight it is very easy. And it'll probably be a while yet for that team.

[Vrede too]

Go football:


Monday, December 23, 8:15 PM ESPN/ABC
Saints 5-9 vs @Packers 10-4 (-14 )
I like both and NO still has an outside shot.

4-2 today , 5-4 for the week.

0-34, ugly night for GoCubsGo. Saints are eliminated and the Packers have Clinched Playoff Berth.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/standings
The Packers are currently WC #2 behind the Vikings. With the NFC North-leading Lions I believe I heard that this is the first time 3 teams have qualified from a Division, but I could be wrong.

DC is WC #3 by two games.
Ravens are WC #1.
LA Traitors and Broncos are WC #2 & 3 by two games over Miami and 2 others. 3 teams from the AFC West?

Falcons and TB duke it out for the NFC South lead. Both play the patsy Panthers while TB also plays the pushover Saints and the Falcons will have a tougher challenge vs surprising DC.
Rams play Arizona, Seahawks play the Bears. Then, they meet each other in the season finale.

[Vrede too]

1:00 PM Netflix
KC 14-1 (-2.5) vs @Steelers 10-5
Hate KC, like the Steelers, love the Ravens. Go football.

4:30 PM Netflix
GO Ravens 10-5 (-5.5) > Texans 9-6

Great, and no college games Merry fuckin' xmas

[O Really]

We'll watch the games on Netflix, but I'm not happy about it. I wonder how long it will be before all the games are on some extra-pay-to-watch-with-fewer-features media.

[GoCubsGo]

We'll watch the games on Netflix, but I'm not happy about it. I wonder how long it will be before all the games are on some extra-pay-to-watch-with-fewer-features media.

Gotta wonder if Netflix offered substantially more than the NFL could've gotten from traditional sources.

Did they put these games out for open bid?

[Vrede too]

I think all contracts are bid on, but not necessarily game-by-game.

We'll watch the games on Netflix, but I'm not happy about it. I wonder how long it will be before all the games are on some extra-pay-to-watch-with-fewer-features media.

Why are you unhappy if you're already on Netflix?

Speaking of this . . .
Thursday, December 26, 8:15 PM
Prime Video Even if I streamed I would not get Amazon Prime. Fuck Jeff Bezos.

Go Seahawks 8-7 (-3.5) > @Bears 4-11
Sorry, gotta catch up to the Rams. Watch out for bad acting.

[Vrede too]

You heard it here first.

Bears coaching candidates: Could Lions OC Ben Johnson be Matt Eberflus' replacement?

You (maybe) heard it here first.

Sources: Ex-Seahawks coach Pete Carroll interested in Bears job

... Carroll is one of four head coaches to have led teams to both a national championship and the Super Bowl. The others are Barry Switzer, Jimmy Johnson and Jim Harbaugh.

Three teams -- the Bears, Jets and Saints -- are in the market for a head coach who can help reset their culture. Few coaches have been more effective than Carroll at doing just that.

Not the MAGA Jets, PLEASE!

... Carroll helped shape USC into a national champion and then went to Seattle and, over a run that lasted 14 seasons, led the Seahawks to 10 playoff appearances, two conference championships and the franchise's only Super Bowl win....

Although Carroll is 73, everybody who knows him knows that he has more energy than most....

I've always like and respected him.

[Vrede too]

1:00 PM Netflix
KC 14-1 (-2.5) vs @Steelers 10-5
Hate KC, like the Steelers, love the Ravens. Go football.
No need for late-game heroics by Mahomes this time, though KC did take over the game with 13 never answered points early in the 4th, 29-10. He had a great game :
29/38 320 YDS 8.4 AVG, 3 TD 0 INT 0 SACKS, 127.1 RTG
TayTay's boyfriend has 89 catches and a respectable 8.3 average, 8/84 today, but he caught only his second TD this season.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/15847/travis-kelce
Getting old at 35? Not sure if TayTay was there to watch.
Ravens lead the AFC North by 1/2 game.

4:30 PM Netflix
GO Ravens 10-5 (-5.5) > Texans 9-6
Oh my, 31-2 late in the 3rd
Derrick Henry scored the Texans' only points, Loss of 4 for Safety. He also has 21 carries for 121 27 for 147 YDS and a TD.
Lamar Jackson is 4 for 87, has a 48 Yd Rush TD, and is 9/14, 166 YDS, 2 pass TDs
Ravens lead the AFC North by 1 game.
Hapless 3-12 Browns in Baltimore in the 1/4 or 5 finale.

KC gets the Bye and home games throughout - fuckin' chant and chop.

Great, and no college games Merry fuckin' xmas

1-0 this week.

[O Really]

I think all contracts are bid on, but not necessarily game-by-game.

We'll watch the games on Netflix, but I'm not happy about it. I wonder how long it will be before all the games are on some extra-pay-to-watch-with-fewer-features media.

Why are you unhappy if you're already on Netflix?

We get Netflix free with the satellite subscription - or maybe T-Mobile, they both offer it. I don't know that I'd subscribe if I had to pay for it. It's a lower tier content source for us. Problem with streaming "live" is that there's no advantage over old-style over the air appointment TV. Most games we watch, we start recording and wait a half-hour or so before starting. Then blow through the ads and slow spots, do our own replays when we like, and hold it to go for a break. I don't think I can do all that streaming. There's no ability to record, and if you put it on hold very long it shuts down and sometimes you can't zip through ads. Probably just me not so much into cord cutting.

[Vrede too]

Why are you unhappy if you're already on Netflix?

We get Netflix free with the satellite subscription - or maybe T-Mobile, they both offer it. I don't know that I'd subscribe if I had to pay for it. It's a lower tier content source for us. Problem with streaming "live" is that there's no advantage over old-style over the air appointment TV. Most games we watch, we start recording and wait a half-hour or so before starting. Then blow through the ads and slow spots, do our own replays when we like, and hold it to go for a break. I don't think I can do all that streaming. There's no ability to record, and if you put it on hold very long it shuts down and sometimes you can't zip through ads. Probably just me not so much into cord cutting.

Ah, thanks. That sucks that you can't DVR streamed shows.

[Vrede too]

1:00 PM Netflix
KC 14-1 (-2.5) vs @Steelers 10-5
Hate KC, like the Steelers, love the Ravens. Go football.
No need for late-game heroics by Mahomes this time, though KC did take over the game with 13 never answered points early in the 4th, 29-10. He had a great game :
29/38 320 YDS 8.4 AVG, 3 TD 0 INT 0 SACKS, 127.1 RTG
TayTay's boyfriend has 89 catches and a respectable 8.3 average, 8/84 today, but he caught only his second TD this season.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/15847/travis-kelce
Getting old at 35? Not sure if TayTay was there to watch.
Ravens lead the AFC North by 1/2 game.

4:30 PM Netflix
GO Ravens 10-5 (-5.5) > Texans 9-6
Oh my, 31-2 late in the 3rd
Derrick Henry scored the Texans' only points, Loss of 4 for Safety. He also has 21 carries for 121 27 for 147 YDS and a TD.
Lamar Jackson is 4 for 87, has a 48 Yd Rush TD, and is 9/14, 166 YDS, 2 pass TDs
Ravens lead the AFC North by 1 game.
Hapless 3-12 Browns in Baltimore in the 1/4 or 5 finale.

Steelers hold WC #1 by 1/2 game.
KC gets the Bye and home games throughout - fuckin' chant and chop.

Great, and no college games Merry fuckin' xmas

1-0 this week.

[O Really]

Why are you unhappy if you're already on Netflix?

We get Netflix free with the satellite subscription - or maybe T-Mobile, they both offer it. I don't know that I'd subscribe if I had to pay for it. It's a lower tier content source for us. Problem with streaming "live" is that there's no advantage over old-style over the air appointment TV. Most games we watch, we start recording and wait a half-hour or so before starting. Then blow through the ads and slow spots, do our own replays when we like, and hold it to go for a break. I don't think I can do all that streaming. There's no ability to record, and if you put it on hold very long it shuts down and sometimes you can't zip through ads. Probably just me not so much into cord cutting.

Ah, thanks. That sucks that you can't DVR streamed shows.

It doesn't matter for most programming because you can always start it over or watch it whenever. But the live presentation apparently has to be watched live or not at all. I just checked and couldn't find a whole-game repeat, although there are "highlights" segments.

[Vrede too]

It doesn't matter for most programming because you can always start it over or watch it whenever. But the live presentation apparently has to be watched live or not at all. I just checked and couldn't find a whole-game repeat, although there are "highlights" segments.

I missed Beyoncé.

Beyoncé's Christmas halftime show draws reaction from sports world

Houston's own Beyoncé put on a show during halftime of the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans Christmas Day game at NRG Stadium....

Blue Ivy, 12 years old. Can you imagine?




More tweets at the link.

Damn you, Netflix and the NFL.

Lamar Jackson says he'll watch Beyoncé perform during Ravens-Texans

"I'm going to go out there and watch," Jackson said. "[It will be my] first time seeing Beyoncé perform, and it's at our game -- that's dope. I'm going to go out and watch. Sorry [Ravens coach John] Harbaugh, sorry. Sorry fellas."

... The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player was asked whether watching Beyoncé perform would depend on if Baltimore holds a big lead over Houston.

"No, I'm not even thinking about the lead," Jackson said. "I was just thinking about just seeing Beyoncé for the first time." ...

When it rains, it pours.

Speaking of . . .

Lamar Jackson passes Michael Vick for most rushing yards by NFL QB

On a day when Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson didn't feel like he was running at top speed -- even though he was clocked at over 21 mph -- the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player added another title: the all-time leading rushing quarterback.

In running away with a 31-2 Christmas Day victory over the Houston Texans, Jackson ran just enough to surpass Michael Vick for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in NFL history. With 87 yards Wednesday, Jackson now has 6,110 career rushing yards, which is one more than Vick's total....

Vick held the record for 13 years after he eclipsed Randall Cunningham for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in October 2011.

The most impressive part of Jackson breaking Vick's mark is the speed in which he did it. Vick needed 143 games over 13 years to amass his total, but Jackson broke the record in just 102 games over seven seasons....

The Ravens (11-5) are one win away from repeating as AFC North champions after Jackson put the game away in the third quarter. With Baltimore up 17-2, Jackson rushed 48 yards to the end zone without being touched.

Jackson's maximum speed on that run was 21.25 mph, the highest top speed of his career as a ball carrier. Jackson gave a quizzical look when told of the speed he clocked.

"For real?" Jackson replied. "I was jogging."

... Jackson has totaled four rushing scores of 40 yards or longer, which ties Kordell Stewart for the most by any quarterback since 1950.

"I've never seen someone run the ball like Lamar at quarterback -- or honestly any other position," Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley said. "The effortless nature of the way he runs the ball and makes these defenders not look as fast as they are, so I'm impressed by everything he does every day."

Guess he changed his mind:

It was not a perfect day for Jackson. Earlier this week, he talked about watching Beyoncé's halftime show at NRG Stadium. But Jackson was nowhere to be found on the field when the 32-time Grammy winner performed.

"I was locked in," Jackson said. "I was in here in the locker room preparing for the second half."

[Vrede too]

...

Rookie QB Caleb Williams etching his name in Bears history

If the O-line gets fixed 2025 may be a good year. We'll see.

[GoCubsGo]

...

Rookie QB Caleb Williams etching his name in Bears history

If the O-line gets fixed 2025 may be a good year. We'll see.

The defense has fallen off a bit too.

They're uninspired and looks like they've quit for half the game.

[Vrede too]

The defense has fallen off a bit too.

They're uninspired and looks like they've quit for half the game.

Mike Ditka, Richard Dent, Mike Singletary and the ghosts of Dick Butkus and Buddy Ryan are not pleased.

[GoCubsGo]

The defense has fallen off a bit too.

They're uninspired and looks like they've quit for half the game.

Mike Ditka, Richard Dent, Mike Singletary and the ghosts of Dick Butkus and Buddy Ryan are not pleased.

They ain't the only ones.

[GoCubsGo]

Guess it's judged a successful experiment.

[Vrede too]

Guess it's judged a successful experiment.

https://x.com/sarafischer/status/1872431242077229435

I'm blocked by Axios non-registration. What would the broadcast viewership have been?