Photo Credit: NFL.com
Good morning FMQB-ers! Today is a pretty big milestone for me, with my 100th FMQB post!!!! Thanks for those readers who have stuck with me these past 5 years. It’s time consuming but fun, and it gives me an excuse to help my football-fix during the week.
Comeback Complete:
This season has definitely felt like the season of comebacks, at least it feels like I’m writing about it every week. We had two more epic ones this week. First, the Jaguars led the bills 27-3 only to have the Bills score 28 unanswered points and shock the Jags. But then Blake Bortles mounted a late drive of his own to take the win anyway, but 28 points would have been quite the story. Instead everybody is talking about Washington, who set a franchise record for the largest comeback. They were down 24-0 before Kirk Cousins led them on 5 scoring drives including a last second TD to Jordan Reed.
Quick Hits:
- How about Miami! 41-0 at halftime against one of the better defenses from last year
- Jadeveon Clowney recorded his first NFL sack on Sunday
- Tom Brady led the Patriots in rushing on Sunday for the first time in his career
- How about those Raiders! Up 30-6 at halftime on the road, and beating the Chargers. With Carr, Murray, Cooper, and Crabtree this could be an explosive group
- Going into Week 8 with 5 undefeated teams is an NFL record
No Call No Show:
I get incredibly frustrated hearing about star athletes who take what they have for granted and yet somehow screw up their ticket out of having to work again for the rest of their life. The Plaxico Burress gun incident is a major pet peeve of mine. Granted I would take the JJ Watt route, work hard all through my 20s with no drinking/drugs/etc. and then have the next 50 years of retirement to enjoy life to the fullest. Seriously Ryan Mallett, you’re a backup quarterback. You have the best job in the NFL because there’s no pressure, you don’t take any hits, and if for some reason your starting QB goes down, the fanbase doesn’t actually expect you to come in and do anything. You literally only need to “show up.” This was apparently too hard for Ryan Mallett, who is forfeiting a $7M contract because he was late to 2 meetings and then was the 1 person out of 100 Texans personnel who missed the plane to Miami (granted, it didn’t seem like any of the Texans “showed up” on Sunday). Even if you’re a backup, if you just go to work you get paid, it’s ridiculous that he screwed that up. Kudos to the Texans for releasing him.
Lackluster London:
The London games get a lot of hype each year, and supposedly players say that it feels like a Super Bowl atmosphere. But I have a serious question for the NFL. Why do they throw either the crappiest teams or worst matchups over there? The Jaguars have played there the last 3 years (and scheduled the next 4), and they have the worst fan base in the NFL. Somehow these games are worse than the NFL Network Thursday night games. They got luck with a great game on Sunday, but Bills vs. Jaguars? And how did 33M people log in to watch this game online?!?! Two teams play there this week as well, and it’s the 1-6 Lions vs. the 2-5 Chiefs. Out of the 14 games played at Wembley, none of them have pitted two teams with winning records together. They’re somehow getting tons support from “across the pond,” but one can only imagine what would happen if a Packers vs. Patriots showdown occurred. Personally I think the NFL is either lucky, or not putting its best face forward.
Stolen Stat of the Week:
At one point in the game, the Dolphins led 28-0 and had 275 yards offense vs. 0 yards for the Texans
Stolen Stat of the Week #2:
The Titans are 1-15 in their last 16 games, their only win is against the Buccaneers who have the 2nd worst record during that stretch
Stolen Stat of the Week #3:
Interim Coach for the Dolphins has them scoring 30+ points in consecutive games for the first time in 6 seasons
Stolen Stat of the Week #4:
Todd Gurley has 150+ yards from scrimmage his last 3 games. The last Ram to do so was Marshall Faulk in 2002
Stat of the Week #5:
Arizona and Atlanta have players in the Top 5 for Passing, Rushing, and Receiving. All 3 Arizona players are over 30.
Stat of the Week #6:
Every team with a winning record is at least 12th or higher on the Give/Take Away list
Stat of the Week #7:
Oakland, Atlanta, Miami, Buffalo, and the NY Jets are all in the Top 10 points per game
Stolen Stat of the Week #8:
Ryan Tannehill completed the first 18 passes of the game, giving him 25 consecutive over 2 games which was an NFL record
Quote of the Week:
“You like that!” Kirk Cousins
Refs on Monday night: Missed eligible receiver call, Chris Johnson forward progress,
Skoal Vikings:
Adrian Peterson was apparently downgraded to Questionable on Sunday due to accidentally swallowing his chewing tobacco on the team flight, making him sick. Enter this into the odd sports injuries (although it’s no John Smoltz burning himself while trying to iron a shirt while wearing it).
FMQB 