2020-2021 NFL Thread

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Good news for the Pats is they play a team with a trash play caller and either a 3rd string QB or Bortles next.

Not sure why Haskins is getting benched for Kyle Allen. I could see Alex Smith if his leg is good enough to play. Allen wasn't any better last year and it isn't like Washington has better offensive players than the Panthers.

It's a naked tank job at this point. Don't forget the stories we had last offseason that Rivera did not like Haskins and was considering drafting one of the three QBs.

[eschatological]

But they removed the lines today.

You could bet them yesterday.

Looks like Vegas DID know something. Two more positive tests in the Titans locker room today. With the current protocols requiring 2 days of consecutive positive-free days, the earliest they can open up their facilities for practice is Saturday. Giving them one day to prepare for the Bills, lol. At least they don't have to travel for the game, I guess?

Can't move the game to MNF (let alone Tuesday) either, because the Bills play KC on Thursday night, and I don't think the NFL can a) afford to lose a marquee matchup like that on TNF, or b) realistically push one of next Sunday's games forward to Thursday, potentially leaving TNF empty.

I heard some chatter that if the Pats game against Denver is a no go, they could potentially push the Bills-Denver game to this week (crazy to expect either team to be able to prep for each other), but I can't even imagine how that's logistically possible. At this point, there's 3 solutions as I see them:

1) Extend the season a couple weeks, make up games in weeks 19/20.
2) Cancel the Titans-Bills game (unlikely).
3) Make the Titans forfeit (probably the path they're going with, which is shitty for the Titans, but hey, we get a win and 10 days to prep for KC).

[cordrann]

3) Make the Titans forfeit (probably the path they're going with, which is shitty for the Titans, but hey, we get a win and 10 days to prep for KC).

If the NFL starts forcing forfeits it will put an even bigger asterisk next to this season than there already is, I'm guessing that is the last option on the table.

[eschatological]

If the NFL starts forcing forfeits it will put an even bigger asterisk next to this season than there already is, I'm guessing that is the last option on the table.

I don't see how they can avoid it, especially with this story: https://twitter.com/PaulKuharskyNFL/...95872200048640

"#Titans broke protocols, gathered for a workout last week"


Don't know who this guy is, but if it's credible (there's pictures), then forfeit may be how it goes.

[xskarma]

I don't see how they can avoid it, especially with this story: https://twitter.com/PaulKuharskyNFL/...95872200048640

"#Titans broke protocols, gathered for a workout last week"


Don't know who this guy is, but if it's credible (there's pictures), then forfeit may be how it goes.

And there goes any competitive balance, with the Bills getting a free win.

I know this will sound like a salty Patriots take, but I'm sure the Chiefs, Ravens, Steelers will feel the same way about this.

Fucking Titans man, fucking things up for the rest of the league. It should be punished, but I'm more in favour of draft picks/salary docked and fines then fucking with the already shaky competitive balance.

[eschatological]

And there goes any competitive balance, with the Bills getting a free win.

I know this will sound like a salty Patriots take, but I'm sure the Chiefs, Ravens, Steelers will feel the same way about this.

Fucking Titans man, fucking things up for the rest of the league. It should be punished, but I'm more in favour of draft picks/salary docked and fines then fucking with the already shaky competitive balance.

I keep hearing shit about how you "have to play the schedule you're given."

The Bills didn't somehow finagle their way into playing the Titans precisely two weeks after a major outbreak on their team, the first week being maneuvered around by switching byes.

As for your solution, yeah, draft picks make more sense.....but at some point there's also the risk that positive players in the incubation period will be playing against the Bills on Sunday, and I don't see how you can knowingly do that.

[draynay]

And there goes any competitive balance, with the Bills getting a free win.

I know this will sound like a salty Patriots take

Very much so, considering it is a major public health crisis and the concern is with "competitive balance".

I'm more worried about whether the season will complete or even if it should.

[ohiostate124]

Time for the Kyle Allen era in DC. Haskins went for qb1 to 3rd string and inactive.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Time for the Kyle Allen era in DC. Haskins went for qb1 to 3rd string and inactive.

Geeze trade the guy to San Francisco or Denver at that point.


Also the NFL already threatened to start handing out forfeits if teams continue to flaunt the protocols. The Titans might be hit with one if it's true they broke protocol.

[eschatological]

From what I'm reading, the unauthorized Titans practice was from Sept 30th, the day after they were locked down, and the memo threatening potential forfeits only came down after that, so they can't retroactively make the Titans forfeit.

So I guess they're going to try and reschedule?

It seems insane to me that they'll try and make the Titans play on one day's practice (if that, they still have to go negative tomorrow and Friday too).

[ohiostate124]

Geeze trade the guy to San Francisco or Denver at that point.


Also the NFL already threatened to start handing out forfeits if teams continue to flaunt the protocols. The Titans might be hit with one if it's true they broke protocol.

Trade him for Rypien just because.

[dwightyo39]

Watch as literally no players who catch covid end up with anything more than minor symptoms. Enough of this cancel the season nonsense.

[Faltemer]

Watch as literally no players who catch covid end up with anything more than minor symptoms. Enough of this cancel the season nonsense.

Or watch a top player get it, develop breathing problems, and be forced to retire. Wish people would stop with the downplaying of a global pandemic nonsense.

[xskarma]

I'm more worried about whether the season will complete or even if it should.

I've said from the start that the NFL was risking players and fans by having a season. But given they are hellbent on having one, they should at least make sure that it's not a complete sham.

Far as I'm concerned they should have put the season on hold once the Titans kept getting positive cases and their game had to be moved, but it was very obvious the NFL just wants to play on as much as they can and won;t stop until they absolutely cannot play anymore.

So let me rephrase then:

This might be seen as a salty Patriots take cause we are down our best 2 players, but I think the NFL should probably pull the plug on the season till they have things under control again and a better set of protocols.

[draynay]

I think the NFL should probably pull the plug on the season till they have things under control again and a better set of protocols.

I wouldn't argue against it, but I don't have TV contracts and ad revenue to worry about.

[Brubear]

From what I'm reading, the unauthorized Titans practice was from Sept 30th, the day after they were locked down, and the memo threatening potential forfeits only came down after that, so they can't retroactively make the Titans forfeit.

So I guess they're going to try and reschedule?

It seems insane to me that they'll try and make the Titans play on one day's practice (if that, they still have to go negative tomorrow and Friday too).

Would seem like the more preferred punishment versus forcing them to forfeit the game. The problem is they've already had to postpone one of their games, it's going to be hard for them to postpone a second one for them as well without extending the season. Plus, if they reschedule this one as well, what happens if another team has a major outbreak and need their games rescheduled (could very well see it happen with the Raiders after that charity event)?

As others have said, the NFL really isn't built to reschedule games regularly to the extent that COVID is starting to force them to. Which would be worse for them, causing a team to forfeit a game but allowing the season to continue, or having a major outbreak that leads to the season being postponed/cancelled (or even worse, players developing major issues and retiring/dying)?

So their options are either
a) Let them play with only 1 day of practice if they can go the next two days without a positive.
b) Move a bunch of games around/extend the schedule to try and accommodate the Titans again.
c) Have the Titans forfeit, adding an even bigger asterisk to an already dubious season.
d) Postpone/cancel the entire season.

A is going to be the easiest and likely most-preferred option for the NFL and all the teams, B would be a logistical nightmare since the Titans already lost their bye week (and would get exponentially worse if another club also has an outbreak), C would suck for every other team who now plays one more game and give this season a bigger asterisk than the players strike seasons, and D is literally the worst-case scenario for the NFL and all of the teams.

If I were the Titans I know which option I'd prefer.

[dwightyo39]

If the players union, and thus the players, are ok with playing, that's good enough for me. People should be allowed to make a living. Those who were not willing to have opted out.

But as the fans of underperforming teams that are normally good/great want to see it shut down, I'll admit that I as a Bills fan don't want to have panic cancel the season. This is the first Bills team in almost 30 years that gave me any real hope.

[Crissi]

Making a living is fine. Disregarding protocols and rules is not. If the players want to disregard those like children, they should be punished like children.

[dwightyo39]

Making a living is fine. Disregarding protocols and rules is not. If the players want to disregard those like children, they should be punished like children.

Yeah that's fine by me. It looks like the disregard thing isn't a league wide issue

[Vetali]

I don't think theres a good way to do it without forfeiting. Plus it works way better in the NFLs favor of only having the Steelers Titans game postponed rather than potentially (and likely at this point) 2 weeks of make up games.

Lets say the practice was held by players and no coaches knew/were aware of it. If you suspend those players + count the current players with covid then the Titans would have more than half their roster sitting. Can't just plug in that many players and make a game work.