NFL Week 16

[Deadlift]

Joe Flacco shanked (couldn't think of a better word) his haters who unanimously predicted he would throw 2 or 3 picks.

He managed the game, and Dallas' horrendous tackling gave Baltimore the win. Classic! Almost seemed "fixed"... ESPN seemed to be unhappy with the outcome.


There's no excuse for Witten not getting 100 yards receiving. He had 5 catches for 87 yards and a TD. All he needed was a 6th or 7th catch to go over 100 yards. Some short passes would have made sense since Romo was under pressure.

Dallas Clark and Jason Witten have made so many circus catches in traffic. Simply the best. Owen Daniels should be able to get to their level soon.

 

[backrow]

Offense

RUNNINGBACKS:

Peyton Hillis, FB Broncos: IR

Byron Storer, FB Bucs: IR

Jacob Hester, RB Chargers: NSA

Mike Cox, FB Chiefs: NSA

Casey Cramer, FB Dolphins: waived

Kyle Eckel, Eagles:

Zak Keasay, FB 49ers: IR

Madison Hedgec0ck, Giants:

John Kuhn, FB Packers:

Korey Hall, Packers:

Brad Hoover, FB Panthers:

Heath Evans, FB/RB Patriots: 1 carry for 3 yards and 1 catch for 28

Brian Leonard, RB Rams: IR

Luke Lawton, FB Raiders:

Mike Karney, FB Saints: 1 catch for no yards

Owen Schmitt, FB Seahawks:

Jim Kleinsasser, HB Vikings:

Garrett Mills, HB Vikings: IA

Jeff Dugan, FB Vikings:


WIDE RECEIVERS:

Brandon Stokley, Broncos:

Joe Jurevicius, Browns: IR

Jerhame Urban, Cardinals: 2-36

Sean Morey, Cardinals: NSA

Anthony Gonzalez, Colts: 4-38

Greg Camarillo, Dolphins: placed on IR with a torn ACL and meniscus

Kevin Curtis, Eagles: IA, INJ

Brian Finneran, Falcons:

Matt Jones, Jaguars: suspended

Mike Furrey, Lions: IR with a concussion

John Standeford, Lions: 3-46

Jordy Nelson, Packers:

Wes Welker, Patriots: 7 for 68 and a TD

also had 5 punt returns for 11 yard average

Drew Bennett, Rams: IR

Dane Looker, Rams: 2 punt returns for 9 yards avg, 1 pass for 6 yards

Logan Payne, Seahawks: IR

David Anderson, Texans:

Kevin Walter, Texans:


TIGHT ENDS:

Greg Olsen, Bears:

Ben Utecht, Bengals: IA, INJ

Derek Schouman, Bills:

Derek Fine, Bills:

Tony Scheffler, Broncos:

Nate Johnson, Broncos: IR

Steve Heiden, Browns: IR

John Madsen, Browns: IA

Troy Bienemann, Cardinals: NSA

Jerame Tuman, Cardinals: IA

Stephen Spach, Cardinals: 1 recovered fumble

Scott Chandler, Chargers: NSA

Brad Cottam, Chiefs: NSA

Dallas Clark, Colts: 8-18 and a TD

Jacob Tamme, Colts: NSA

Tom Santi, Colts: IR

Jason Witten, Cowboys: 5 catches for game high 87 yards and a TD

Anthony Fasano, Dolphins: 3 catches for 47 yards and a brace of 14 yad TDs!

Joey Haynos, Dolphins: NSA

Brent Celek, Eagles:

Matt Schobel, Eagles:

Ben Hartsock, Falcons: IR

Justin Peele, Falcons:

Kevin Boss, Giants:

Greg Estandia, Jaguars: NSA

Richard Angulo, Jaguars: 2-24

Dan Campbell, Lions: NSA

Casey Fitzsimmons, Lions: NSA

Jeff King, Panthers:

Gary Barnidge, Panthers:

Dave Thomas, Patriots: NSA

Tyson DeVree, Patriots: IA

Joe Klopfenstein, Rams: 1-6

Zach Miller, Raiders:

Todd Heap, Ravens: 2-24

Quinn Sypniewski, Ravens: IR

Chris Cooley, Redskins:

Todd Yoder, Redskins:

Jeremy Shockey, Saints: 5-37

Mark Campbell, Saints: IR

John Carlson, Seahawks:

Will Heller, Seahawks:

Jeb Putzier, Seahawks:

Heath Miller, Steelers: 8-69

Sean McHugh, Steelers: NSA

Matt Spaeth, Steelers: NSA

Owen Daniels, Texans:

Joel Dreesen, Texans:

Mark Bruener, Texans: IA

Craig Stevens, Titans:NSA



Defense

DEFENSIVE TACKLES:

Dusty Dvoracek, Bears: IR with a torn biceps

Kyle Williams, Bills:

Chris Hovan, Bucs: 2 tackles

Ryon Bingham, Chargers: NSA

Derek Lokey, Chiefs: NSA

Dan Klecko, DT/FB Eagles:

Derek Landri, Jaguars: 1 tackle

Rob Meier, Jaguars: NSA

Nick Hayden, Panthers:

Adam Carriker, Rams: 3 tackles

Kelly Gregg, Ravens: IR

Justin Bannan, Ravens: 2 tackles

Ryan Boschetti, Redskins: IA

Brian Young, Saints: IR

Craig Terrill, Seahawks:

Chris Hoke, Steelers: NSA

Tim Bulman, Texans:

Jeff Zgonina, Texans:


DEFENSIVE ENDS:

Jeff Mallard DE/DT, Bengals: waived

Chris Harrington, Bengals: signed off Arizona practice squad,

Aaron Schobel, Bills:

Ryan Denney, Bills:

Chris Kelsay, Bills:

John Engelberger, Broncos:

Travis LaBoy, DE/LB Cardinals: IA, still injured, this telented pass rusher has 0 sacks since week 5, mostly because he can't stay healthy...

Bo Schobel, Cardinals: NSA

Igor Olshansky, Chargers: 1 tackle

Luis Castillo, Chargers: 5 tackles, 1 forced fumble

Keith Grennan, Chargers: NSA

Jason Babin, Chiefs: 3 tackles

Josh Thomas, Colts: NSA

Simon Fraser, Falcons: IA

Kroy Biermann, Falcons:

Justin Smith, 49ers: 6 tackles, 1 sack

Dave Tollefson, Giants:

Mike Devito, Jets:

Jared DeVries, Lions: IR

Aaron Kampman, Packers:

Taylor Brayton, Panthers:

Mike Wright, Patriots: 3 tackles, 0.5 a sack, couple of QB hurries

Trevor Scott, Raiders:

Greyson Gunheim, Raiders: IA

Chris Long, Rams: 1 tackle

Jeff Charleston, Saints: 1 sack

Josh Savage, Saints: waived

Patrick Kerney, Seahawks: IR

Aaron Smith, Steelers: NSA

Brett Keisel, Steelers: NSA

Travis Kirschke, Steelers: NSA

Jesse Nading, Texans:

Kyle Vanden Bosch, Titans: IA, INJ

Dave Ball, Titans: 1 tackle

Jared Allen, Vikings:

Brian Robison, Vikings:


LINEBACKERS:

Brian Urlacher, Bears:

Hunter Hillenmeyer, Bears:

Joey Larocque, Bears:

Paul Posluszny, Bills:

Blake Constanzo, Bills:

John DiGiorgio, Bills: IR

Teddy Lehman, Bills: IA, INJ

Niko Koutovides, Broncos: IA

Spencer Larsen, FB/MLB Broncos: IA, INJ

Barrett Ruud, Bucs: game high 11 tackles

Mike McCoy, Bucs: IA

Monty Beisel, Cardinals: 1 tackle

Matt Wilhelm, Chargers: NSA

Weston Dacus, Chiefs: IR

Rocky Boiman, Chiefs: 6 tackles

Andy Studebaker, Chiefs: NSA

Jordan Senn, Colts: NSA

Bobby Carpenter, Cowboys: IA

Zach Thomas, Cowboys: 2 tackles

Justin Rogers, Cowboys: 1 tackle

Matt Roth, Dolphins: 4 tackles, 1 sack

Chris Gocong, Eagles:

Stewart Bradley, Eagles:

Keith Brooking, Falcons:

Coy Wire, Falcons:

Jeff Ulbrich, 49ers: NSA

Chase Blackburn, Giants:

Tim Shaw, Jaguars:

Brad Kassell, Jets: IR

Cody Spencer, Jets:

Jordan Dizon, Lions: 4 tackles

AJ Hawk, Packers:

Brady Poppinga, Packers:

Brandon Chillar, Packers:

Spencer Havner, Packers:

Adam Seward, Panthers:

Dan Connor, Panthers: IR

Mike Vrabel, Patriots: 4 tackles

Tedy Bruschi, Patriots: IA, INJ

Ricky Brown, Raiders: IA, INJ

David Vobora, Rams: NSA

Chris Chamberlain, Rams: NSA

Jarrett Johnson, Ravens: 1 tackle

Nick Greisen, Ravens: NSA

Scott Fujita, Saints: 7 tackles

Rob Ninkovich, LB/DE Saints: IA

Mark Simoneau, Saints: IR

Troy Evans, Saints: NSA

Scott Shanle, Saints: 4 tackles

Will Herring, Seahawks:

Patrick Bailey, Steelers: NSA

Ryan Fowler, Titans: NSA

Chad Greenway, Vikings:

Heath Farwell, Vikings: IR

Ben Leber, Vikings:

Vinnie Ciurciu, Vikings:


DEFENSIVE BACKS:

Craig Steltz, Bears:

Corey Lynch, Bengals: IR

John Busing, Bengals: NSA

John Wendling, SS Bills:

Dustin Fox, CB Bills:

Jon Corto, Bills:

Nick Sorensen, SS Browns: 1 tackle

Sabby Piscitelli, SS Bucs: 7 tackles

Aaron Francisco, FS Cardinals: NSA

Steve Gregory, CB Chargers: 2 tackles

Eric Weddle, SS Chargers: game high 8 solo tackles, 9 combined

Jon McGraw, SS Chiefs: 2 tackles

Matt Giordano, SS Colts: NSA

Jamie Silva, FS Colts: IA

Sean Considine, SS Eagles:

Eric Smith, FS Jets:

Stuart Schweigert, Lions: 1 tackle

Ray Ventrone, S/WR Patriots: NSA

Todd Johnson, SS Rams: 3 tackles

Brannon Condren, FS Dolphins: NSA

Jim Leonhard, FS Ravens: 5 tackles, 3 punt returns for the average of 13 yards, with the longest for 23

Tom Zbikowski, SS Ravens: NSA

Reed Doughty, FS Redskins: IR

Kevin Kaesviharn, FS/CB Saints: IR

Chris Reis, SS Saints: NSA

Brian Russell, FS Seahawks:

Donnie Nickey, SS Titans: NSA

Tuff Harris, CB Titans: NSA

IA inactive
NSA no stats accumulated
DNP did not play
INJ injured
IR placed on injured reserve
Edited by: backrow

 

[backrow]

Wes Welker just scored a TD and even got flagged on his snow angel celebration

where's your Xmas spirit, mister ref!

 

[referendum]

Based on his multiple catches today, I'm guessing Standeford is starting for Detroit today. If so, congrats to Standeford for making it as far as he has, albeit on a 0-15 team.

 

[Deadlift]

What a performance by Philip Rivers.

He has truly arrived.

 

[Deadlift]

Adrian Peterson loses his second fumble of the game.

 

[Don Wassall]

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-->David Anderson just had a very nice 66 yard catch and run, showing elusiveness and speed. Unfortunately, on the replay after the play, Steve Tasker

praised Matt Schaub's throw and a block by Owen Daniels way downfield, but never mentioned Anderson himself. Edited by: Don Wassall

 

[backrow]

Kevin Walter needs 141 yards for 1k, and has a game and a half to get it... so far he has 1 carry for 13 yards but no catches. both him and Johnson have been shut out so far.

 

[Deadlift]

I don't know what Tarvaris was trying to do, but he turned over the ball...

 

[Bart]

Wes Welker now leads the NFL with 109 receptions.

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

Owen Daniels with 7 catches for 111 yards.

It looks like Owen Daniels and Kevin Walter will come up a little short in their run for 1000-yard seasons, but we can always hope for a huge finish from one or both of them, just like Patrick Jeffers several years ago.

 

[Thrashen]

I honestly can't believe what the Pats have done under Matt Cassel this season. Bellichick and the Pats were left for dead in week 1. They're so close to a playoff berth, and they're getting red-hot at the perfect time.

Here is how the Pats (the least-caste playoff bound team) can make the playoffs....

Either situation will result in a playoff berth:

1) The Pats win and the Ravens lose to Jacksonville (game in Baltimore).

2) The Pats win and Miami loses to the Jets (game in NY).


Congrats to Matt Cassel for bringing this injury-ridden team this far. He's been my favoritve player to watch this season, and I wish him the best. Comparing Cassel to super-busts like Russell and Young is now laughable, even in the jealous eyes of the media.

2008 is officially the year of the great white QB....even without the greatest of them all, Tom Brady. All the usual veterans have been great (Manning, Brees, Warner, etc). Younger vets like Rivers, Cutler, Rodgers, Pennington, and Cassel have been outstanding. Even rookies like Flacco and Ryan have great chances to make the playoffs. The black quarterback experiment has been a collasal flop. I guess we were the only ones who arent surprised. Black athelets being overhyped, go figure.Edited by: Thrashen

 

[foobar75]

2008 is officially the year of the great white QB.... The black quarterback experiment has been a collasal flop. I guess we were the only ones who arent surprised. Black athelets being overhyped, go figure.

Yes it is, in recent memory, I don't remember having so many dominant white QBs in a season, while at the same time, there's not a single black QB for the media to kiss-up to. Usually, they get 1-2 every year. This season, all the black QBs either stink or they're mediocre at best. Whites have a total and absolute lock on the position.

BTW, it was nice the see Tarvaris Jackson lead Minnesota to another loss. Don't be fooled by his numbers, he caused 3 fumbles and lost 2 of them. If you're Brad Childress, why in the heck would you go with Jackson, when Gus Frerotte got you to 8-3, and almost into the playoffs? I have nothing against MN, but if they go with Jackson again next week, I hope they lose and miss the playoffs.
Edited by: foobar75

 

[Deadlift]

Carlson's TD grab was highlight-reel material.

Personally, I was glad to see the Damian Woody/Kris Jenkins' sumo Jets lose.

Also, slow Cedric Benson ran all over Shaun Rogers and the sumo Browns. The media has built-up a big lie; a big mythology.

It's not that hard to nullify a sumo defense. Run the ball, using various running plays, to make them work and to tire them out. Then kill your opponent with the pass. Then run some more!


The "sumo experiment" has utterly failed (on both sides of the ball), but the NFL is not about to abandon it. Look at all the sacks that are being accumulated. Is anyone surprised? Because of the Caste System, it's mostly black defenders that are benefitting.

We are in the "sack era"...

 

[Don Wassall]

The "sumo experiment" has utterly failed (on both sides of the ball), but the NFL is not about to abandon it. Look at all the sacks that are being accumulated. Is anyone surprised? Because of the Caste System, it's mostly black defenders that are benefitting.

I heard one white former lineman the other day (can't recall which one just now but it wasn't Dierdorff or Baldinger or one of the other usual clowns) saying how much more athletic the linemen are now on both sides of the ball.


Make something all black or mostly black and people are automatically impressed. After all the "colorblind" white coaches and owners surely would prefer whites over blacks all other things being equal. These blacks must be incredibly good to have replaced all the white players from those grainy black-and-white clips we see of the old NFL. The DWFs are incapable of looking at black athletes with any degree of objectivity, so well programmed are they by the controllers of the media to ooh and aah over their positives and be oblivious to their many shortcomings.


Similarly, hockey players are assumed to not be very good athletes because of the lack of black players (that famous black "lack of interest") even though they play a faster, meaner sport that requires superior hand-eye coordination in many facets of it. Same holds true of white athletes in general, even when they are playing a "black" position in football or basketball.Edited by: Don Wassall

 

[white is right]

That's a sham when it comes to foot speed at least, because 40 yard dash times have increased for O-linemen and probably have increased for D-tackles too. The trench coat crowd will do anything to satisfy their fantasies...

 

[dwid]

yeah tavaris jackson put up "impressive" stats but i was stuck watching it at a bar, and he might have had like 2 good throws, the rest were dinks and dunks that were no longer than 5 yards and most of the yards were after the catch, even my friend who likes black qbs was laughing that he couldnt throw it longer than 5 yards. Even Adrian Peterson was having trouble with fumbles, its almost like AP mightve played bad on purpose because he knows as long as Jackson is starting then all the weight to win games is really on him. Hopefully Gus is put back in, why not go with what got you to where you are at?

 

[DixieDestroyer]

yeah tavaris jackson put up "impressive" stats but i was stuck watching it at a bar, and he might have had like 2 good throws, the rest were dinks and dunks that were no longer than 5 yards and most of the yards were after the catch, even my friend who likes black qbs was laughing that he couldnt throw it longer than 5 yards. Even Adrian Peterson was having trouble with fumbles, its almost like AP mightve played bad on purpose because he knows as long as Jackson is starting then all the weight to win games is really on him. Hopefully Gus is put back in, why not go with what got you to where you are at?

Meanwhile "MattyIce" (snubbed from the Pro Bowl) leads the Falcons from worst to first, a playoff birth (potentialy the NFC South title) & maybe more!

 

[Don Wassall]

The MNF crew was rough on both Kyle Orton and Aaron Rodgers tonight despite the fact that both have far exceeded their preseason expectations.


I was listening to ESPN radio briefly this afternoon. That trio was blasting Ben Roethlisberger and Tony Romo, and one biped was -- I swear this is true -- calling Matt Ryan "over-rated."


The Caste clowns will never accept white dominance at quarterback.


Another note about the MNF game -- once again Devin Hester had no impact as a receiver or kick returner. The "electric" one has not returned a punt for a touchdown all season and has even been benched when it comes to returning kickoffs. As a receiver he has awful hands and anticipation.


Hester's career is becoming reminiscent of that of Dante Hall. Hall returned 4 kicksfor TDs earlyin 2003 and was all but annointed king of the NFL. There was even serious mention of him being the league MVP. But he didn't return another kick all the way that season. They began using him at wide receiver, but like Hester he was clueless despite his elusiveness.


It wouldn't surprise me if Hester's career continues to go downhill. My lasting memory of Hester will always be Matt Giordano running down the "league's fastest player" in the Super Bowl.

 

[Quiet Speed]

Good post Don. Also, MNF was marred by Tirico's overall call of the game. He very poorly hid his bias for a Chicago victory.

 

[Don Wassall]

Something else I should have noted was "Jaws" reacting with horror when Craig Steltz came into the game when Mike Brown injured his vagina. Brown is the poor man's version of Bob Sanders, a perpetually injured safety who nonetheless is worshipped by the media.


In a rare burst of good health, Brown had played in every game this season after missing 45 of the past 64. This "great" player has 57 solo tackles on the year, or a little more than half of Eric Weddle's total.


When Brown went out and Steltz was one of several Bears defenders who failed to stop Ryan Grant on a reception that went for a TD, Steltz was immediately singled out by the cameras and by Jaworski for scathing criticism. Not a word about the rookie's great All-American career for national champion LSU; instead we were told about the great dropoff in talent between Brown and Steltz. Tirico at least said the Bears thought Steltz could be a good player "eventually," faint praise indeed given all the negative attention that greeted Steltz's entry into the game.


I try to like Jaworski, but he unfortunately has a strong Caste reflex that can't be restrained, even when it comes tohis beloved quarterbacks. At one point Orton threw a long pass in the bitter cold to Hester. The ball bounced off Hester's hands, but Jaws was all worked up about how Orton had underthrown the ball because he hadn't stepped off his back foot. Maybe the technique was wrong, but the pass was a pretty good one. Hester could have made the catch, but that's the end result of just about every ball thrown to Hester.

 

[Thrashen]

The beloved "Jaws" also ripped into Kyle Orton when he threw a hard pass that hit Hester in the facemask and caused an easy interception.

Jawarski was baffled by Orton's hard throw (in the NFL, go figure) and never even mentioned Hester's millionth dropped pass.

Jaws, Tirico, and Kornheiser are so blissfully clueless about what's happening on the field that I'm a little embarressed for them. Their caste mantra is beginning to show through. Some DWF's might just catch on soon enough.

 

[Bart]

At one point Orton threw a long pass in the bitter cold to Hester. The ball bounced off Hester's hands, but Jaws was all worked up about how Orton had underthrown the ball because he hadn't stepped off his back foot. Maybe the technique was wrong, but the pass was a pretty good one. Hester could have made the catch, but that's the end result of just about every ball thrown to Hester.

I saw that play. Yes, the ball was slightyly underthrown, but very catchable. Hester had his mitts on it, but didn't reel it in. This is another example of the double standard in football. I guarantee you if any number of white guys muffed the pass, it would have been seen as their fault. "He should have caught that ball." "It hit em in the hands, he's gotta make that play." " He shows a lack oftenacityand athleticism." "He drops a lot of passes."

 

[Quiet Speed]

At one point Orton threw a long pass in the bitter cold to Hester.  The ball bounced off Hester's hands, but Jaws was all worked up about how Orton had underthrown the ball because he hadn't stepped off his back foot.  Maybe the technique was wrong, but the pass was a pretty good one.  Hester could have made the catch, but that's the end result of just about every ball thrown to Hester.

I saw that play.  Yes, the ball was slightyly underthrown, but very catchable.  Hester had his mitts on it, but didn't reel it in.  This is another example of the double standard in football.   I guarantee you if any number of white guys muffed the pass, it would have been seen as their fault.  "He should have caught that ball.""It hit em in the hands, he's gotta make that play."   " He shows a lack of tenacity and athleticism."   "He drops a lot of passes."

The more I think about this, the more ridiculous it becomes for Jaws to have chastised Kyle the way he did. Hester blew it. Not to belabor the point, come to think of it Jaws did, so what the hec. If Hester had any instincts as a receiver, he would have made an adjustment for the ball as soon as he saw that it was not coming in over the top. The luxury of being behind the defensive back is that you can position yourself between the ball and the defender if the ball is somewhat under thrown. He should have adjusted to the ball (break stride a bit) for a more orthodox attempt to catch the ball. Let the defender run up your back if it comes to that.

Then, later on, Aaron Rodgers throws a ball (I believe it was some sort of wheel route to the tight end) which was similarly off as Kyle's throw. The throw was good but the receiver had to reach back to make the catch, almost making a full pivot. Jaws gave Aaron high praise on the throw. I distinctly remember thinking what a contrast between analysis of two throws that required some ad-libbing by the receiver.

The cynic in me suspects there was pre-production planning to point out any shortcoming in Kyle's game/performance and that was as good as any place to fire away. Edited by: Quiet Speed

 

[Don Wassall]

The cynic in me suspects there was pre-production planning to point out any shortcoming in Kyle's game/performance and that was as good as any place to fire away.

That goes on a lot in TV land. How often do you hear an announcer mention someone's name and immediately a graphic or film clip is seen of that same individual? There'svarious pre-programmed"talking points" to touch on during a game, and a director or assistant director is always talking in the announcers' ear, telling them various things.