Blog Brav's Neutral Zone Distraction Blog - NFL stuff

I'm with most other people. Goodell needs to go...

Really hope his extension deal doesn't get finalized. I guess he's okay with getting booed every time he presents the Lombardi Trophy or walks onstage to announce first round draft picks.

That totally reminds me one draft he literally said before starting the clock for 1st overall; "Are we ready to have some fun?"

Really man? What the hell do you know about fun?

 

The weekend's sports obituary:

• Mercer
• Texas Tech
• Minnesota
• UL Monroe
• Temple
• The Citadel
• Kansas
• Green Bay Packers
• Kansas City Chiefs
  
• Los Angeles Rams
• Buffalo Bills
• Oakland Raiders
• Washington Redskins
• Tennessee Titans
• David Lee

RIP

 

Fixed

 

The next week has concluded! Quite a few interesting games to go over!

• Tennessee Titans @ Pittsburgh Steelers - Final score 17-40 Thursday Night Football GoTW
  • Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger connects with wide receiver Antonio Brown thrice in the endzone while their defense feasted on a weakened Titans offense.
• Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears - Final score 27-24
  • The Lions rallied to victory over the rival Bears behind quarterback Matthew Stafford's 299 yard and two touchdown passing performance. Detroit continues to remain a potential contender for the playoffs.
• Baltimore Ravens @ Green Bay Packers - Final score 23-0
  • The Green Bay Packers are the third victim of the Ravens' shutout game, turning the ball over five times in both the air and on the ground.
• Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cleveland Browns - Final score 19-7
  • Jacksonville's offense and defense manage to get the job done away from home as they keep the Browns winless for yet another week.
• Arizona Cardinals @ Houston Texans - Final score 21-31
  • Houston handily defeats a battered Cardinals team with rookie running back D'Onta Foreman running for 2 touchdowns in the fourth quarter before being injured and carted off. Texans snapped a three game losing streak with this victory to remain in the race for the AFC South division.
• Los Angeles Rams @ Minnesota Vikings - Final score 7-24
  • The NFL's highest scoring offense this season stumbled and fell to the Minnesota Vikings. Led by running back Latavius Murray, who ran for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns and wide receiver Adam Thielen, scoring on a 65 yard touchdown pass.
• Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Giants - Final score 9-12 Overtime
  
  • Despite mistakes made on both teams; the G-Men were the ones to come out on top in overtime with a spectacular catch by wide receiver Roger Lewis for the winning field goal to upset the heavily favored Chiefs.
• Washington Redskins @ New Orleans Saints - Final score 31-34 Overtime
  • The second overtime game this week instead came from a shootout between Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins and Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Both threw past 300 yards, however the Saints rallied back from a defecit in the final 6 minutes to tie and eventually win the game in overtime. Saints extend their winning streak to 8 games.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Miami Dolphins - Final score 30-20
  • Originally supposed to be played in Week 1. The Buccaneers finally snap a 6 game losing streak against their Florida rival.
• Cincinnati Bengals @ Denver Broncos - Final score 20-17
  • The Denver Broncos' struggles continue as the Bengals earn their first win in Denver since 1975. Quarterback Andy Dalton threw for 154 yards and 3 touchdowns.
• New England Patriots @ Oakland Raiders - Final score 33-8
  • The Patriots easily moved the ball downfield, scoring completely unanswered until the fourth quarter in their win against the Raiders in Mexico City.
• Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys - Final score 37-9 Sunday Night Football GoTW
  
  • The Cowboys' mistakes and absences of key players came back to haunt them as their divisional rival racks up another key win to move further ahead in claiming the division crown.
• Atlanta Falcons @ Seattle Seahawks - Final score 34-31
  • A botched field goal by Seahawks kicker Blair Walsh stalled Seattle's comeback attempt to tie and send the game into overtime. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan took advantage of a beat up Seahawks secondary, throwing for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns.

 

Game of the Week is coming later today.

We're onto the final quarter of the NFL season and the playoff picture is beginning to form! Here are the scores

• Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions - Final score 30-23
  • Minnesota gained the early ground to give themselves a good cushion to hold off the Lions on Thanksgiving.
• Los Angeles Chargers @ Dallas Cowboys - Final score 28-6
  • The Chargers stormed into Arlington, Texas to spoil the Cowboys' Thanksgiving hopes and officially move into second within their division. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers threw for 434 yards and 3 touchdowns.
• New York Giants @ Washington Redskins - Final score 10-20
  • The final Thanksgiving game had some costly errors by Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins including a pick six. However this was rectified by two passing touchdowns and forcing turnovers of their own to defeat the Giants.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons - Final score 20-34
  • It was all Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones' day as he racked up a monster game of 253 yards and 2 touchdowns to defeat the weakened Buccaneers. Atlanta continues to remain in the three-way race to claim the NFC South division.
• Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals - Final score 16-30
  • Bengals rookie running back Joe Mixon trampled the Browns, running for a career high 114 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Andy Dalton fanned a pair of scores in the endzone to defeat the winless Cleveland.
• Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts - Final score 20-16
  • The Titans earn their first victory in Indianapolis is 10 games on a late rally to overcome several deficits and defeat the Colts.
• Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs - Final score 16-10
  • One of the hottest teams in the NFL has since cooled off, earning themselves their fourth consecutive loss. Bills cornerback Tre'Davoius White intercepts Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith to stall a late game rally to seal the upsetting victory.
• Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots - Final score 17-35
  • Patriots superstar quarterback Tom Brady tosses 4 touchdown passes, 2 to tight end Rob Gronkowski and push through injuries and a penalty heavy game to defeat the Dolphins.
• Carolina Panthers @ New York Jets - Final score 35-27
  • Another NFC South playoff contender seals a win to stay alive in the postseason race. Carolina's defense and special teams shined in returns of a fumble and punt by linebacker Luke Kuechly and wide receiver Kaelin Clay respectively.
• Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles - Final score 3-31
  • The Eagles tie a franchise record of consecutive wins of 9 by blowing out the Chicago Bears. Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz rolled for 227 yards and 3 touchdowns.
• New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Rams - Final score 20-26
  • The Rams put a stop to the Saints' 8 game winning streak. Rams quarterback Jared Goff hit wide receivers Sammy Watkins and Josh Reynolds for scores.
• Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers - Final score 24-13
  • The penalty prone Seahawks remained undaunted as quarterback Russell Wilson threw 2 touchdowns and ran in for a third on a sneak play to turn around a slow start to defeat their division rival. Seattle currently holds one of the longest interdivisional rivalry winning streaks in the League winning the last 9 games against San Francisco in which the two teams have met.
• Jacksonville Jaguars @ Arizona Cardinals - Final score 24-27
  • Arizona pulls off an upset win and snap the Jaguars' 4 game winning streak with kicker Phil Dawson's late field goal and the efforts of quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who played against his former team.
• Denver Broncos @ Oakland Raiders - Final score 14-21
  • Bad blood resurfaced in this divisional rivalry game as a scuffle between Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree and Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib resulted in ejections and suspensions for both players. Nevertheless, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr passed for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns to ruin Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch's first career NFL start.
• Green Bay Packers @ Pittsburgh Steelers - Final score 28-31 Sunday Night Football
  • In a Super Bowl rematch, Steelers kicker Chris Boswell legged a career long 53 yard field goal for the win despite Packers quarterback Brett Hundley's solid performance.
• Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens - Final score 16-23 Monday Night Football
  • The Ravens' defense led by linebackers Terrell Suggs and CJ Mosley pushed Houston out of the endzone following the first quarter. Baltimore's scoring went on the ground with separate running backs Buck Allen and Alex Collins scoring on short runs.

 

I'm not going to have time this week to post our Game of the Week, so it's coming a little early than usual. I don't like featuring teams any more than twice, but this matchup is pretty darn irresistible. @Sugar and I promise this will be the last time we feature Philly. (Not regarding playoffs)

Philadelphia Eagles vs Seattle Seahawks Sunday Dec. 3 @ (7: 30 pm)

The Preview & History

We go this week to the Pacific Northwest, specifically CenturyLink Field for this week's featured game! Known as a notoriously loud stadium with avid 12s, the Seattle Seahawks will be seeking to hand the visiting Philadelphia Eagles just their second defeat this regular season. The two teams have only met 15 times with Seattle leading the series 8-7, having a current winning streak against the Eagles of 3 games. They have yet to meet in postseason showdowns but yet are continuing to eye a spot in the playoffs.
Philadelphia's recent win over the Chicago Bears has tied them in a franchise record of 9 consecutive wins. Seattle has shown to struggle on both sides of the ball, yet continue to remain a dangerous team that should not be underestimated. CenturyLink Field has been notoriously difficult for away teams to walk away with the victory and the Seahawks will be primed to spoil the Eagles' confidence as the NFL's hottest team. The Keys to Victory and Final Score will break things down for us.

The Keys to the Game and Final Score

Both these teams feature strong offensive options. Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz is a contender for the NFL MVP award and is poised to have another solid game. Wentz leads the NFL in passing touchdowns. Complimented by possibly the best backfield tandem in the NFL of running backs LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi, expect plenty of handoffs to wear down Seattle's front seven. Passing-wise, both wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and tight end Zach Ertz are enjoying breakout seasons, each boasting 7 receiving touchdowns. Wide receiver Nelson Agholor trails the duo with 6. Seattle's defense has been reduced to a shadow of its former self, yet it is still capable of wrecking havoc. The infamous Legion of Boom currently has two of its core members (cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Kam Chancellor) out for the season with injuries. The slew of talented pass catchers on Philadelphia's side will keep cornerbacks Byron Maxwell (Ironically the fourth member of the former Legion of Boom during Seattle's Super Bowl run) and safety Earl Thomas. Seahawks will have to rely on the others to pick up the slack including the pass rushing giants of defensive linemen Michael Bennett, Frank Clark and the level-headed tact of linebacker Bobby Wagner in order to force Wentz into making mistakes.

Seattle's offense, speared by the dangerous Russell Wilson also has the capability to make plays. The Eagles defense has been merciless to opposing offenses, however Wilson has proven again and again to be difficult to bring down for even the best pass rushers in the League. He'll have to use his scrambling ability often since the defensive linemen of Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham and Nigel Bradham will be sure to take advantage of the offensive line problem Seattle is faced with. Wilson will be seeking tight end Jimmy Graham, wide receiver Doug Baldwin, Paul Richardson and Tyler Lockett.

Ultimately, Philadelphia is set to cruise to a win if things don't go haywire. But don't count Seattle out especially if they begin to force turnovers to give Wilson additional fighting chances to fling a pass into the endzone.

FINAL SCORE: Eagles 24 - Seahawks 20 OR Eagles 31 - Seahawks 33​

 

Giants are basically done with their season and I think they're starting to go into that phase of moving on past Manning. It is a good draft to take a future signal caller as it's STACKED with good quarterback prospects.

In terms of winning games, I still think Eli needs to hold the helm since Geno is up and down. Smith will have some epic clutch game one week and then start throwing to the other team the next. I feel the decision is kinda stupid and even fellow '04 quarterback Philip Rivers did too.

Selfishly it sucks since Eli used to be my reliable fantasy quarterback and his iron man streak was awesome. Shame it's going to stop here...

 

Oh I knew they weren't going to go far once OBJ went down. It's been a pretty miserable season for the G-Men. I guess you can put for a positive spin that they're actually undefeated against AFC teams so far. 2-0

 

We are less than a month away from the 2017 playoffs and the picture is beginning to shape up. Lots of high scoring games too!

• Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys - Final score 14-38 Thursday Night Football
  • Dallas trounces their most famous rival as Dak Prescott and Dez Bryant sync on a decisive touchdown pass to notch their first win while missing running back Ezekiel Elliott.
• Minnesota Vikings @ Atlanta Falcons - Final score 14-9
  • Vikings quarterback Case Keenum continues to roll, fanning a pair of touchdown passes to extend their winning streak to 8 games. Atlanta appears to be regressing since it was regarded as a playoff contender.
• Detroit Lions @ Baltimore Ravens - Final score 20-44
  • Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco throws for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns while they hold off the Lions on the verge of comeback. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 292 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
• Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars - Final score 10-30
  • The Jacksonville Jaguars swept the Colts for the second time in their history, the other being 2012. Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles throws for 2 touchdowns and running back Leonard Fournette finds the endzone for the first time in 6 weeks.
• Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Jets - Final score 31-38
  • Despite a Chiefs resurgent offensive prowess in the trio of quarterback Alex Smith, tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, the indiscipline and porous defense allowed a late score in the fourth quarter to give quarterback Josh McCown and the New York Jets the victory.
• New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills - Final score 23-3
  • New England's defense holds Buffalo to a lone field goal in the second quarter while Patriots running back Rex Burkhead scores twice.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Green Bay Packers - Final score 20-26 OT
  • An overtime thriller tips in favor of the Packers on running back Aaron Jones, who scores on a 20 yard rush, his only one of the game.
• Denver Broncos @ Miami Dolphins - Final score 9-35
  • Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler faced his former team, throwing 235 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Miami's defense dominated Denver for a pair of safeties in the first and fourth quarters and a pick six in the second. The Dolphins have snapped a 5 game losing streak with this victory.
• Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans - Final score 13-24
  • The Titans earn their sixth win in 7 games thanks to Titans cornerback LeShaun Sims. The win allows Tennessee to remain the leader of the competitive AFC South for one more week.
• Cleveland Browns @ Los Angeles Chargers - Final score 10-19
  • The Chargers redeemed themselves from being the sole team of losing to the Browns last season and continue the streak to keep them winless. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers threw for 344 yards and a touchdown.
• Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints - Final score 21-31
  • The Saints get back on track after slipping from their loss to the Rams last week. Saints rookie running back Alvin Kamara breaks two tackles in a grand run into the endzone as their special teams take advantage of Carolina's own mistakes to secure a win.
• San Francisco 49ers @ Chicago Bears - Final score 15-14
  • Despite being kept out of the endzone, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo throws for 293 yards in his first start wearing red and gold. Ex-Bears...now-49ers Kicker Robbie Gould legs a final field goal in the closing seconds to earn the win.
• Los Angeles Rams @ Arizona Cardinals - Final score 32-16
  • The Rams continue on their quest to rule the NFC West as the defense takes advantage of two early interceptions to punch in scores. This game had Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald move into fourth in career receiving yards in NFL history. Fitz passes former wide receiver Isaac Bruce and remains behind greats Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Jerry Rice in third, second and first respectively.
• New York Giants @ Oakland Raiders - Final score 17-24
  • The Raiders even themselves up with the Chiefs in the AFC West division in the victory over the lost Giants. Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch bulls his way through the game, amassing 101 yards and 1 touchdown. The Giants would later fire general manager Jerry Reese adn head coach Ben McAdoo following the loss.
• Philadelphia Eagles @ Seattle Seahawks - Final score 10-24 Sunday Night Football
  • Seattle halts the Eagles juggernaut with a shutdown of their offense up until the third quarter. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw 3 touchdown passes to keep their playoff hopes alive and hand Philadelphia just their second loss all season.
• Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals - Final score 23-20 Monday Night Football
  • In spite of both teams losing key linebackers, the Steelers checked down a field goal late in the very physical game to defeat their division rival, extending their streak to 8 straight wins against its AFC North opponents.