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FMQB: The Drama Continues

Posted by fmquarterback on September 13, 2019
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Shorter post this week, mainly because I didn’t see a down of football. But some quick hits and interesting tidbits from Week 1.

 

Quick Hits:

  • The fall from grace of the Browns hype-balloon is probably the fastest I’ve ever seen. They got killed, at home, by a team that didn’t make the playoffs last year.
  • Speaking of a stomping, the Ravens manhandling of the Dolphins was also insane. It was 42-3 with time left in the FIRST half!
  • At one point in the 2nd quarter, the Redskins were beating the Eagles 17-0.
  • We have our 1st tie of the season, already.
  • I’m not surprised that the Patriots beat the Steelers, but am surprised at the lack of offense the Steelers have with 2 of the 3 B’s gone
  • Kyler Murray looked incredibly soft to start the game, but curious if the momentum he had in the 4th quarter is a picture of what could become.
  • Sam Darnold is out with Mono, I’ve literally never seen that on an injury report before!
  • I also don’t think I’ve seen a situation where “multiple players have contacted their agents to request a trade from the Dolphins.” Not the 2016 Browns, or the Lions.
  • Sad to see Nick Foles out for a good chunk of the season. Would have been interesting to see what he could have done there
  • The Saints/Texans ending looked like the most exciting game of the week

 

Stat of the Week:

God’s Gift to Man Cam is on a 8 game losing streak…

 

Stat of the Week #2:

Your top 4 QB’s in terms of yardage are Andy Dalton, Dak Prescot, Mathew Stafford, and Case Keenum

 

Stat of the Week #3:

Marlon Mack averaged 7 yards per carry, on 25 rushing attempts! And the Chargers should have known that the Colts would be run-heavy during their first game since the shocking Andrew Luck retirement.

 

Stat of the Week #4:

According to the official Win Probability numbers, when the Dolphins were down 59-10 with 1:05 remaining in the game, they statistically had a 0.1% chance of still winning the game.

Stat of the Week #5:

Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott both had perfect passer ratings on Sunday

 

Stat of the Week #6:

The Browns had 18 penalties for 183 yards, and three turnovers in the 4th quarter. Same ol Browns team.

 

Scheduling tidbit:

The Packers play 5 of the next 6 games at home, meaning their “Frozen Tundra” advantage may be minimal this year. Also primes them up to a hot start and cold finish ending 6 of their last 9 games on the road.

 

Antonio Brown Timeline:

 

The 6 day timeframe of AB was nuts, especially following it from Europe and waking up to see a new twist in the saga. Here we go:

Wednesday: Brown is fined by the Raiders due to missing 2 practices. Brown decides to post a picture of the letter from the GM on Instagram (brilliant move, and that’s either sarcasm or not depending on what you think Brown’s angle was.

Thursday: Brown gets in an altercation with the Raiders GM. Threatened to hit him, and reportedly had to be held back by teammates. Rumors he will be suspended by the team to avoid paying him his guaranteed $30M. Definitely won’t be playing Monday night.

Friday: Brown has an emotional apology within the locker room. Gruden is asked if Brown will play Monday night and he says “that’s the plan.”

Saturday: Brown decides to demand his release from the Raiders, they oblige and he’s officially a free agent.

Later Saturday: Brown signs with the New England Patriots (I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but tell me you don’t think this is fishy!)

Tuesday: Brown is accused of sexual assault, threat of being put on Commissioner’s Exempt list and not playing this season anyway

 

Thought of the Week:

The NBA is starting to wear off on the NFL. Basketball players run the league and they ran free agency this past offseason. Antonio Brown was able to essentially orchestrate his departure from the Raiders and sign with the Super Bowl contenders.

 

Memes of the Week:

 

 

 

 

 

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FMQB: Year 9, Knock on Wood if you’re With Me!!!

Posted by fmquarterback on August 30, 2019
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FMQB: Year 9, Knock on Wood if you’re With Me

Friday Morning Quarterback is back! Year 9!!!! It seems like forever since I’ve put out a post, and I have to say this is been one of the crazier offseasons for stories. Knock on wood if you’re with me!!!!!

 

It’s the NFL’s 100th season. Antonio Brown is getting weirder by the day, and is apparently being sued by a chef because he found his fish head in the freezer and thought it was a mob threat. Not to mention his helmet issues. The Packers played a preseason game on an 80 yard field and no kickoffs (do we think that was on accident)? The Giants were the laughing stock of the league when they drafted Daniel Jones, only to have him look like a veteran QB WAY ahead of Manning in the preseason. And are we really living in a world where the Cleveland Browns are the most hyped team going into the season? Don’t even get me going on the shockwave through the NFL of Andrew Luck retiring, likely leaving $100+ million and a hall of fame bust on the table.

 

This is my annual Prediction post. And I’ll have an abbreviated Week 1 recap next week. Finish the Dad joke and you’ll find out where I am currently honeymooning: “Did you know the first French fries weren’t made in France? No, they were fried in….”

 

2019 Predictions:

  • Rookie of the Year- NOT Kyler Murray
  • MVP- Patrick Mahomes again
  • Comeback player of the year- Cooper Kupp
  • The Daniel Jones Eli Manning narrative will dominate headlines. Manning will make it through the first 4 weeks going 1-3, and by Week 5 Daniel Jones is under center.
  • LeVeon Bell will underperform, starting all 16 games but not hitting 1000 yards, which will hurt the RB market for everyone else moving forward
  • Speaking of RB market, Zeke has a deal done by Week 3, but is outside the top 5 rushers. Gordon will hold out, into October. Gurley will play, but be affected by his knee, coming in outside the Top 10 but will be top 5 in TD’s.
  • Rosen is the starting QB for the Dolphins by Week 7, but will still struggle
  • Nick Foles won’t have the same success as in Philly, but will be a dramatic increase from Blake Bortles.
  • Odell Beckham will be mostly off the radar in terms of drama, but will light it up on the field. Antonio Brown however will continue adding to his weird saga, and will get extremely frustrated as him and Carr are on different wavelengths.

 

FMQB Ranting already:

I do want to step in and give my opinion of the new pass interference rule, and the fact it’s reviewable. My prediction is this is a one and done rule, and will be a disaster once games are won and lost due to it. (I get it Saints fans, you have a right to complain). But we’re going to have a scenario where a call is overturned in the end zone that is ticky tacky and decides the game. I guarantee this happens, and likely more than once. It’s almost a weekly occurrence that a 4th and Goal ends with a fade in the endzone, and now coaches are going to challenge every play. It’s going to be a situation where you look at the play and accept the call on the field, but under review there’s some minor hold that technically defines PI, and it’s going to change the outcome of the game. Just watch, that’s my prediction.

 

Take on Andrew Luck:

I was absolutely shocked to hear Luck was retiring. In fact, one way I know I’m old, is that I remember doing this blog the year leading up to Luck being drafted and now he’s retiring! Here’s my thing, yes the timing was absolutely terrible and essentially ruins the Colts’ season, but he had every right to do this. He’s a grown man and can make whatever decision is right for him. The fact Colts fans booed him off the field was also despicable. The organization was classy by letting him keep close to $25M, that’s a ton of money! But after seeing Calvin Johnson, Rob Gronkowski, and now Luck retire essentially in their prime, I think this is going to become a thing in the NFL. People are more cognizant of the toll it takes on their bodies, and enjoying life. I just wouldn’t be surprised to see some QB’s play well into their 40s, while other stars leaving at 29 is considered “normal.”

 

AFC North: I have the Browns and Ravens battling it out for the division. Should be fun to see the progression of both 2nd year QB’s. The Steelers will regress, and we’re nearing the end of this “regime.”

AFC East: Patriots have this in the bag as always, although I think the Jets are going to make a run at it and sneak in a wild card spot. Sam Darnold is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming years. Watch for the Dolphins to have a Top 3 pick.

AFC South: Such a weird division! You could almost argue for any team, but no team to be more than 10 or 11 wins. I had the Colts taking it until Saturday, now I think they’ll be in last place. The Texans will be solid, the Jags should improve with Foles, and the Titans would be playoff caliber if Mariotta stays healthy.

AFC West: The Chiefs should take this division handily as well. On the fence with Denver, if Flacco has some magic left they could be a team on the rise. Oakland also looks good on Hard Knocks, but that could be fancy camera work. Chargers should regress with Melvin Gordon and Keenan Allen missing time.

 

 

 

NFC North: Another weird division. I do think the Bears are the best team in the division, but their kicking woes could easily lose them 3 games. Packers should be better if Rodgers is healthy and a hungry coach. I think the Vikings have a 9-7 season and miss the playoffs again, and the Lions will pull a Lions and be obsolete by Week 5.

NFC East: Without Foles to fall back on, Wentz will have to stay healthy, but the Eagles have a chance to make a deep playoff run. The Cowboys will do what they always do under Jason Garrett, and go 8-8 after a playoff year. The Giants will be newsworthy, but not in the playoff hunt. And the Redskins will have QB woes that still aren’t addressed by January.

NFC South: The Saints are still a powerhouse, but their window is rapidly closing. They’ll take the #1 seed one last time though. The Bucs will have to move on from Winston after this year. Panthers will struggle with Newton staying healthy, and the Falcons will be in line for a Wild Card spot.

NFC West: The Rams are easily the best team in the division. The Seahawks will make a push, but they’ve lost too many players to make the playoffs. Jimmy G will lead the league in INT’s, so the 49ers aren’t in the picture. And Arizona will be a fun team to watch but Murray will have ups and downs.

 

Playoff Predictions

 

AFC:

Patriots

Texans

Chiefs

Browns

Ravens

Jets

 

 

NFC:

Eagles

Bears

Rams

Saints

Falcons

Packers

 

AFC Championship:

Chiefs vs. Texans

 

 

NFC Championship:

Saints vs. Eagles

 

Super Bowl:

Chiefs vs. Saints- Chiefs win it all

 

Quote of the Offseason:

“He drinks a gallon of milk every day. … I think it’s the milk that’s not pasteurized, either. I think it’s right out of the teat.”

Jay Gruden on Colt McCoy’s milk habits.

 

Best Quote of the Offseason:

“Knock on wood if you’re with me” Jon Gruden

 

Meme’s of the Offseason:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FMQB: Packerland

Posted by fmquarterback on December 28, 2018
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FMQB: Packerland

Bittersweet time, it’s the final week of the season! The stakes are finally here, but the games we get are also limited. 20 teams’ seasons end on Sunday.

 

Highlights:

  • The Titans snuck out a win after Mariotta went down to stay in the playoff hunt
  • I didn’t expect Ravens over Chargers on the road. Lamar Jackson isn’t putting up exciting stats at all, but they’re doing enough to win
  • Nick Foles has now also “shocked” the Texans to keep the Eagles in contention
  • I took a nap when the Packers were down 35-20, and woke up hearing they won the game in OT
  • Saints vs Steelers was the game of the week. Steelers totally had that game, but had 2 fumbles and a turnover on downs in the 4th quarter.
  • Mahomes vs. Wilson as also a good matchup, and it stinks we get that once every 4 years

 

Stat of the Week #1:

Christian McCaffery now has most receptions for a RB with 106

 

Stat of the Week #2:

Eli Manning has more passing yards this year than Drew Brees

 

Stat of the Week #3:

There have only been 9 seasons of 5000+ passing yards (Drew Brees has 5 of the 9). And only 5 QB’s have hit the mark. We’re about to get 2 more on that list, with Ben Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes less than 200 yards away

 

Stat of the Week #4:

Adrian Peterson just went over 1000 yards for the 8th time in his career, and the first time since 2015.

 

Stat of the Week #5:

In games where he started and finished, DeShaun Watson has not lost by more than 1 TD since he was a sophomore in high school.

 

For the Record:

  • Panthers were once 6-2, and are now in last place in their division
  • The Browns actually have a chance to finish above .500!
  • By this time 72 hours from now, likely 4 coaches won’t have a job anymore
  • 7 of the 10 Giants’ losses have been within a score.
  • Lamar Jackson is now 5-1 as a QB, and has taken down the Chargers and nearly the Chiefs
  • The Steelers celebrating fake punt that came up short was embarassing

 

Hit of the Season:

The hit of the season was just put on by a kicker…proof of how bad the new defensive rules have become. But dang, look at this! If you want a metaphor to how the Panthers’ season is going, it’s here: https://twitter.com/SBNation/status/1076919562715742208

 

What to watch for:

The NFC is fairly set, all 4 division winners are known. Only the Patriots have the division in the AFC, while the other 5 teams have some crazy volatility! Houston could be the #1, 3 or 6 seed, or the Chargers could also be set at #5, but jump up to #1. Even the Titans, which are currently the #7 seed, could secure a first round bye or miss out entirely.

Colts at Titans is the main game to watch, as the winner is in the playoffs as the 6th seed.

Bears at Vikings have some intrigue, Bears have a very outside shot of getting a first round bye (Rams would have to lose to the 49ers at home), so they could rest their players. Vikings can leapfrog the Seahawks if they lose and get the #5 seed, and in a worst case scenario the Vikes could be out if they lose and the Eagles get an anticipated win against the Redskins.

Browns at Baltimore is the last matchup to watch. The Browns are hot, and if they take down the Ravens the Steelers are in. Could the Ravens lose out on the playoffs for the 2nd straight year in Week 17?

 

The Chargers have likely locked up the #5 seed, but in the off chance the Chiefs slide continues, they’re up for the #1 seed!

 

 

Packers’ History:

I got to go to the Packers Hall of Fame inside Lambeau Field. Even as a non-Packer fan, I was in awe of the history! Everything from the beginning of the NFL, to Vince Lombardi, the other championships; I was geeking out as a football fan.  To all you Steelers fans out there, this is a reminder that the Packers have 13 NFL championships (in 100 years). The final room had 6 Earl Thorpe trophies (the trophy before the current design), their 3 NFC Championship trophies, and 4 Vince Lombardi Trophies. The plaque said that even with the fact that trophies weren’t given for their first 3 championship games, “you are still standing in the most decorated trophy room in the NFL.” Wow, chills.

 

This is the first Super Bowl trophy. Notice how it doesn’t say “Vince Lombardi Trophy” yet.

 

 

Memes of the Week:

 

FMQB: C’mon Finland!

Posted by fmquarterback on December 21, 2018
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FMQB: C’mon Finland!

 

2 more weeks left! The playoff picture is starting to form, with the Packers, Giants (yes I said it), Dolphins, and Broncos basically losing their chance to extend at this point. Another fairly surprising week, with the Seahawks, Patriots, and Rams getting upset.

 

Highlights:

  • Browns take out Broncos on the road, eliminating them from playoff hopes
  • Is Nick Foles like the biggest known secret in the NFL? He is 4-1 in his last 5 starts, including taking down the 2017 Falcons, winning the NFC Championship, Winning the Super Bowl, winning opening weekend, and now taking down the high powered Rams.
  • Bears clinch first division title since 2010, went from worst to first
  • Colts blank Cowboys, their first shutout since 2003 (which is surprising, they’ve basically been mediocre this whole time).
  • 49ers shock the Seahawks
  • Steelers give Patriots their 2nd straight loss

 

Stat of the Week #1:

Despite not starting Weeks 1 and 2, Baker Mayfield has more passing yards than Russell Wilson, Mitch Trubisky, and Marcus Mariota. Mayfield also has more TD’s than Matthew Stafford, Derek Carf, Eli Manning, Dak Prescott, Case Keenum, and Mariota. Fewer INT’s than Andrew Luck, Roethlisberger, Goff, Newton, and Trubisky. And a better rating than Manning, Mariota, Stafford, Dalton, and Alex Smith.

 

Stat of the Week #2:

The stat line for Derek Henry’s last 2 games, 408 yards rushing and 6 TD’s. Before Week 14, Henry was 28th on the rushing list, but has jumped to 11th.

 

Stat of the Week #3:

The difference a defense makes: The 49ers have a measly 2 INT’s this season, while the Bears have 26!

 

Stat of the Week #4:

Stat to Watch: The Saints are 68% kicking Field Goals, and a league worse 86% on extra points. Something to potentially watch come playoff time…

 

Stat of the Week #5:

The Jags had 43 offensive plays and a total of 20 yards passing.

 

Stat of the Week #6:

The Browns are 4-2 since Gregg Williams took over. That means it took 6 games for Gregg Williams to surpass the number of wins that Hugh Jackson had the previous 40.

 

Stat of the Week #7:

Stat to watch: Adrian Peterson is 78 yards shy of a 1000 yard season, and will pass Eric Dickerson to become 8th all time in rushing yards.

 

Headline of the Week:

“Raiders Power Rankings shoot up after Nathan Peterman signing” The Onion

 

For the Record:

  • The Patriots scored a TD on the 3rd offensive snap, and didn’t get in the endzone the rest of the day.
  • Remember the Titans came out 19 years ago. How in the world is this the first time the Titans team has done that celebration?!?!
  • Something seriously wrong with New England. Both Brady and Gronk don’t look like their normal selves
  • Something is also seriously wrong with Jared Goff. After being in the MVP race (and still making the Pro Bowl), in his last 3 games he’s 72-131 for 1 TD and 7 INT’s.
  • Despite the last minute FG, the Redskins Jags matchup had to have been the worst of the season. A team with a 4th string QB beat Cody Kessler who only threw it 17 times.
  • Seriously, the Raiders actually signed Nathan Peterman?!?! Although the thinking behind if makes sense, that makes Derek Carr look like a GOD compared to his backup. It’s about the same discrepancy between Drew Brees and myself, and that’s not exaggerating because Peterman has only 3 more TD’s but 12 more INT’s than I have.

 

Quote of the Week:

“Christmas comes at an inconvenient time, right in the middle of the football season” Bill Belichick

 

Quote and Stat of the Week:

“There were nine mistakes ahead of me” Josh Rosen. Um, looks like there may have been one. Only Josh Allen has a worse passer rating on the season.

 

Thank You:

So I get to see stats on where the blog reaches and how many clicks I get. Honestly, I enjoy doing it enough for the 12 avid readers to continue doing it, but diving in and looking at the reach that one guy who’s a bit more than a casual football fan can have, is truly remarkable. Not that they’re earth shattering numbers, but look at this map. People from every country that isn’t grey have clicked or read my article. Thank you for everybody who have given me 8 years! I plan on continuing, just humbled to see this. Although what the hell Finland?!?!

Memes of the Week:

 

 

FMQB: The Miracle in Miami

Posted by fmquarterback on December 14, 2018
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FMQB: The Miracle in Miami

What an absolutely crazy and insane weekend in the NFL! This by far had the most upsets, surprises, crazy plays, and it kept going with last night’s last minute Chargers win!

 

Week 14 Highlights:

 

  • Patrick Mahomes continues to be magical. His 4th and 9 conversion throwing across his body was nuts, he’s the only QB who can complete that throw 39 yards while running to the opposite direction. And of course his no look pass (which you NEVER see in the NFL) was a part of his repertoire that Safety’s should be fearing.
  • Amari Cooper had one of the most electric 4th quarters and Overtimes for one player that I’ve ever seen. His game winning catch after being tipped by the defender for a walkoff TD, superb!
  • The Bears defense will be scary in the playoffs, they just shut the Rams down with zero touchdowns
  • Panthers have lost 5 straight now, Cowboys have won 5 in a row
  • Utterly shocked to see that the Giants had scored 34 points by halftime
  • Colts upsetting the Texans at home leaves the door open for their playoff push and possibly the division!
  • Quick note about Thursday’s game. Holy cow San Diego (yes San Diego), scored 15 points in the last 4 minutes of the game. LOVE the call to go for 2 for the win or loss. You’re on the road, against the best team in the AFC and it’s a MUST win to try to get a home playoff game. Going for 2 has been a 60% conversion this season. Going into OT, the Chiefs likely have a slight edge. Way to play the odds. THAT is when you go for 2, not week 4.

 

Upsets:

Take a look at these upsets from last week:

  • Raiders over Steelers
  • 49ers over Broncos
  • Colts over Texans
  • Dolphins over Patriots
  • Bears over Rams
  • Browns over Panthers
  • And NEARLY Ravens over Chiefs

 

Stat of the Week:

Aaron Rodgers set the new record for most pass attempts without an Interception. With as much flak as he’s gotten for poor play, when you look at the stats it doesn’t support that. He has 22 TD’s and 1 INT

 

Stat of the Week #2:

The Browns have the same number of wins in 1 month (at 3-2) as Hugh Jackson had in 2 ½ years (3-36-1)

 

Stat of the Week #3:

Amari Cooper first person ever with 3 go ahead TDS in the 4th and OT

 

Stat of the Week #4:

Brady is 25-2 on the road in December, but against the Dolphins in December, he’s 1-6

 

Stat of the Week #5:

Baker Mayfield is the 3rd QB in NFL history with a TD in his first 10 games. The other two are Marino and Warner

 

Stat of the Week #6:

Sunday was Sean McVay’s 29th game as a head coach, and only the first time the Rams didn’t score a TD

 

Stat of the Week #7:

TE George Kittle set the franchise record for the 49ers (yes, beating Rice, Taylor, Owens, and other greats) with 210 yards receiving. Oh, I forgot to mention, he had the record by halftime

 

Stat of the Week #8:

Quiz time, guess which QB has the most rushing yards in a 3 game span, and just demolished Michael Vick’s record of 294 yards during that span? Cam Newton? Nope. Lamar Jackson has to be it now! Nope again. Josh Allen!!! And he has the record by 39 yards

 

Stolen Stat of the Week #9:

Since holding a 4th quarter lead over the Patriots in last years AFC Championship game, the Jaguars are 4-10.

 

Stolen Stat of the Week #10:

I’m nervous about Jared Goff. In his last 2 games, he’s completing 48% with 1 TD and 5 INT’s

 

 

The Miracle in Miami:

Hands down play of the year, which is why 1 play is getting it’s own section. There are so many things to talk about! First off, the Patriots absolutely blew basic situational football at the end of both halves which just never happens. Brady took a sack and the clock ran out in the first half, and then the Pats defense was not ready for the hook and lateral. For as good of a coach Belichick is, why the hell was Gronkowski on the field for the final play? There’s no QB in the league that could have made that throw, especially since most Hail Mary’s are thrown way behind the line of scrimmage anyway, so 75 yards by Ryan Tannehill? Never going to happen! Apparently on the Patriots radio broadcast, after the play happened there was 35 seconds of silence haha! For the record, “The Miracle in Miami” already has it’s own Wikipedia page.

 

 

QB Change:

Fairly surprised that Lamar Jackson remaining the starter over a healthy Joe Flacco. Although he’s 3-1 and almost beat the Chiefs at home. But other than his rushing, his stats are pretty mediocre. Jackson is completing 58% of passes and 4 TD’s to 3 INT’s. Bold move, especially for a team that is holding the 6 seed with 3 other teams tied with them.

 

AFC Shakeup?:

  • There is mathematically a scenario where the Browns still win the AFC North! And the Steelers’ next 2 games are against the Patriots and Saints! Buckle up!
  • Although also not likely, the Dolphins have a shot at dethroning the Patriots as well. They would have to win out and have the Pats lose 2 of 3.
  • The Colts can win the South under the same scenario
  • And the Chargers can beat the Chiefs if they win on Thursday (did they win last night) and win 1 more than KC the rest of the way.

 

 

Giants and Packers:

So, truth be told these crazy scenarios never work out. HOWEVER! There are 2 very likely scenarios, in which the Packers could still make it in, as well as the Giants who started 1-7. Because this isn’t “the Cardinals need to beat the Rams and it happens” type of scenario, they’re all realistic, I feel compelled to bring it up.

 

Packers: Of course the Packers need to win out, but they’ve already beaten the Bears, and the Jets and Lions should be doable. THEN, they need the Redskins to lose 1 game (with a 3rd string QB, they’ll probably lose all 3), the Panthers to lose 1 game (they’ve dropped 5 in a row), and the Vikings lose 2 of their last 3.

 

Giants: Also need to win out. BUT, they play the Titans, Indianapolis, and a Dallas team that will likely be resting. Tough, but very doable. Then, they need the Vikings to lose twice, Packers lose one, Panthers lose two, Eagles lose 2, and Redskins lose 2. And looking at the schedule, those are VERY possible.

 

 

Quote of the Week:

“So whoever’s watching that in New York should stay off the bottle”- Malcolm Jenkins. Haha, while funny, he should expect to be writing a check to the league very soon!

 

Games of the Week:

Packers at Bears

Cowboys at Colts

Patriots at Steelers

 

Memes of the Week:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FMQB: 26 Years of Mikes!

Posted by fmquarterback on December 7, 2018
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FMQB: 26 Years of Mikes

We’re down to the final 4 weeks of the season, which means….dun dun dun, my favorite website of all time is back up! http://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs/machine

 

Play around with it, and compare to my predictions below.

 

Week 13 Highlights:

 

  • Lamar Jackson is the last rookie 1st round QB to start, but he’s 3-0
  • The Broncos are getting hot at the right time
  • Cardinals over Packers in Lambeau? McCarthy deserved to get fired just for that
  • Crazy last play for the Bills. Guy was wide open, how do you miss that throw. I mean WIDE open, nobody within 15 yards of him in the endzone
  • The Panthers are getting cold at the wrong time, have dropped 4 straight and still have to play the Saints twice to end the season
  • How do the Colts win 5 in a row, and then put up 0 against the Jags?
  • The Chargers comeback was insane

 

 

Stat of the Week:

Phillip Rivers tied Peyton Manning with the most comebacks of 16 points or more. Both now have 7

 

Stat of the Week #2:

In their last 8 games, the Colts were averaging 33.1 points per game. They put up 0 on Sunday, against a team they scored 29 on 3 weeks prior

 

Stat of the Week #3:

Aaron Donald is 6 sacks short of tying the all time record. He has 4 games to do it. He’s on pace to be a half sack short.

 

Stat of the Week #4:

If/When the Patriots clinch their division, they will be the only team in the 4 majors to do so in 10 straight seasons; the other being the Atlanta Braves

 

Stat of the Week #5:

The stat line does enough justice. Derrick Henry: 17 carries, 238 yards, 4 TD’s, and 14 yards per carry. Became the 2nd person ever with a 99 yard TD run.

 

Stat of the Week #6:

Coming into Sunday’s game, the Steelers were 174-0-1 when leading by 16 points.

 

Stat of the Week #7:

 

 

The Situation:

I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about Kareem Hunt, the breaking news that came out literally minutes before I published last week’s article. I credit the Chiefs over the NFL in this situation. I think the NFL truly botched this one, and if it wasn’t for the video then Hunt would still be playing in the league. They didn’t even interview Kareem or the woman in question, it feels like they turned the other cheek. Credit the Chiefs on this one, it’s incredibly hard to straight up CUT a superstar, especially when you’re on a Super Bowl run. And they technically cut him for lying to them, not even the abuse. So kudos to them, that’s a hard business decision but the right one.

 

Mike Mike Mike:

Do we think the new Packer’s head coach will be another Mike? Their last 3 have been Mike McCarthy, Mike Sherman, and Mike Holmgrenn. That’s 26 years of Mikes!

 

Quick Hits:

  • Still can’t get over the Packers losing to the warmest of warm weather teams, at home, in December.
  • Mike McCarthy being fired was a foregone conclusion, but still crazy to me that a guy who took a team to the playoffs 9 out of 11 seasons isn’t good enough?
  • Laughed at the fact that Tom Brady FINALLY hit 1000 career rushing yards on the dot, and was afraid to kneel and lose a yard, so he awkwardly knelt forward to end the game.
  • The final field goal in the Chargers Steelers game was nuts. 3 straight offsides flags. First kick was wide right, but offsides. Second kick was blocked, but offsides. Third kick was made, but also offsides.
  • Crazy call for the Bears to have 1 play left with 3 seconds in the game, at the 1 yard line and down by 7. They put the ball in the hands of their RB to throw a pass, and converted!

 

 

FMQB’s Playoff Machine Predictions:

 

Whoah! Tennessee? Seattle? And Vikings? It looks like the AFC is actually more exciting than the NFC despite what it looks like now. I had the Broncos, Ravens and Titans all jumping into the 6th spot as I played around.

 

Meme’s of the Week:

 

 

 

 

I want to preface this last one, letting you know how wrong I know it is. However I did that “it’s offensive but I’m laughing” uncontrollably thing when I first saw it, so sorry in advance if you’re offended. (watch Facebook pick this as the cover photo)

FMQB: QB Perfection

Posted by fmquarterback on November 30, 2018
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FMQB: QB Perfection

Week 12 Highlights:

  • Utterly shocked that the Cowboys felled the mighty Saints. They held them to 10 points. The Saints had scored 10 points in 12 of last 20 QUARTERS.
  • The Bears won, on the road, a division rivalry, and with a backup QB. Feels like everything is going right for them this year.
  • After starting 0-3, the Texans are actually in the “Elite” conversation
  • The Bengals started off so strong, but now with Dalton on IR you have to wonder if Marvin Lewis finally gets the Axe.
  • Lot of QB’s down now, Flacco, Dalton, Alex Smith, Bortles,

 

Stat of the Week:

Since Hue Jackson left Cleveland, Baker Mayfield has thrown 9 TD’s to 1 INT

 

Stat of the Week #2:

Dan Carlson was 1 for 4 on FG’s with the Vikings, and is 7 for 8 since

 

Stat of the Week #3:

For the 3rd consecutive week, a team has put up 500+ yards and lost.

 

Stat of the Week #4:

Phillip Rivers record 25 passes to start a game, perfect. He ended 28 for 29, for an NFL record 96.6% completion percentage. You also know you’re old but dedicated when you remember watching Mark Brunell set the record with the Redskins, and David Carr with the Texans

 

Stat of the Week #5:

Brady passed Peyton Manning for the most all time passing yards, and is now the first person to accumulate 80,000 yards total offense

 

Stat of the Week #6:

Drew Brees is on pace to demolish the single season record for passer rating. Aaron Rodgers 2011 campaign gave him 122.5, Brees currently is at 127.3 with 5 games remaining. In fact, if the season ended today, 4 QBs would be in the Top 10 (Rivers, Goff and Mahomes are on the all time leader board). Which is crazy since in 2017 nobody cracked the top 50.

 

Follow up Stat:

Lamar Jackson ran it 26 times for his first start. Michael Vick, the quintessential running QB never had more than 15 attempts in his entire career. That truly surprised me.

 

Stolen Stat #7:

The NFL’s Final Four in 2017 (Philadelphia, New England, Minnesota, Jacksonville) has a combined record of 22-21-1.

 

For the Record:

  • The 4 longest win streaks currently are Texans, Bears, Colts, Cowboys. None of which made the playoffs last year
  • The Packers have lost 8 straight road games, yet Aaron Rodgers expects to win at the Bears as a part of his plan to make the playoffs.
  • It’s officially December (or will be tomorrow), and the Browns are only 1.5 games out of the playoffs right now.
  • Amari Cooper is proving people wrong, he has been an excellent pickup for Dallas
  • What does $54 million get you nowadays? A 60% completion percentage with 17 turnovers, a 46.8 QBR, and 3 wins in 11 games. That Blake Bortles contract was brutal.
  • In the span of 1 week, people were calling for Jason Garrett’s head, to now if the playoffs started today Dallas would host a playoff game.
  • I would NOT want to play the Colts, Seahawks, or Cowboys in the playoffs. They all are hot teams going into the final stretch
  • I think I may have crowned Nick Mullens a bit too early
  • Apparently the refs on Thursday night’s game had 148 years of combined experience. They blew a ton of calls.

 

Changing of the Guard:

Something that’s rarely discussed is the change of team ownership. In the past 12 months however, this is happening to a large percentage of the league and could have a few repurcussions on the future of the game. Carolina, Seattle, New Orleans, LA Chargers, Pittsburgh, now Houston have all had ownership changes or deaths.

 

More QB Perfection:

In Monday night’s game, there was 2:15 left in the 2nd quarter before an incomplete pass was thrown by either QB. For Phillip Rivers, there was 5:59 left in the 3rd quarter before he threw an incomplete pass.

 

Memes of the Week:

FMQB: Tripped on the 41 yard line

Posted by fmquarterback on November 16, 2018
Posted in: Football. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

FMQB: Tripped on the 41 yard line

Week 10 Highlights:

  • Shocked is an understatement, to see the Cowboys beat the Eagles at home.
  • Shocked for a 2nd time to see not only the Patriots lose to the Titans, but get demolished
  • Shocked for a 3rd time to turn on the 2nd half of 49ers vs. Giants and actually watch a very good game!
  • The Rams’ emotions are going to lose them some games, almost did on Sunday
  • Dang Cleveland!
  • Dang Matt Barkley!

 

Stat of the Week:

The Bucs became the 2nd team ever to have over 500 yards of offense, but only rack up 3 points

 

Stat of the Week #2:

We’re through Week 10, and Patrick Mahomes already has the team record for most Passing TD’s in a season. Pretty surprised that none of the Trent Green or Montana years had more.

 

Stat of the Week #3:

Larry Fitzgerald now #2 on receiving yards list. Only 6,943 away from Rice’s record

 

Stat of the Week #4:

We’re through week 10, and Aaron Donald just hit a career high number of sacks in a season at 12.5

 

Stolen Stat of the Week #5:

42 QB’s have started games this season in the NFL. In regards to passer rating, the 3 QB’s the Bills have started rank 40th, 41st, and 42nd.

 

Stat of the Week #6:

The Bengals became the first team to allow 500+ yards in 3 straight games

 

Stat of the Week #7:

Stat of the Week #8:

Brady and Jerry Rice are now the only players in NFL history to catch a pass at 41 years old

 

Bonus Pics:

 

For the Record:

  • RGIII was the only QB to practice on Thursday. OOOOOOOOO
  • Jacksonville went from AFC Championship, to 1st in the Division by Week 3, to now alone in last place after 6 straight losses.
  • You have one of the Greatest QB’s of all time, and punt on 4th and 2 with 4 minutes left in the game and 1 timeout? I think that’s the play that pushed me over the edge in agreeing Mike McCarthy should be fired this season
  • Falcons, Eagles and Packers are on their last breath. Another loss will kill any playoff chances
  • Ezekial Elliot went off on Sunday, holy cow!
  • Dude, LeVeon Bell, what are you doing? You’re 27 for a position with a short shelf life, and pass up $14.5M this year?

 

New RB trend:

Back in the day, you’d hand the ball off to Shawn Alexander or Larry Johnson 25+ times a game. Which made it easy to rack up 100 yards if you maintain even a normal average. The new trend I’m seeing is RB’s getting like 8-12 carries a game, but still racking up some pretty crazy yards. For example, Todd Gurley had only 16 carries but 120 yards, Mark Ingram had 13 for 104 yards, Aaron Jones 15 for 145. These are like 8-10 yards per carry games, and I’ve been seeing more and more of this. Watch for this trend this week.

 

Total Domination:

The Steelers possession results vs. the Panthers were touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, field goal, touchdown, half ends; touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, starters leave game.

 

Quick Hits:

  • Bears K Cody Parkey hit the upright 4 TIMES on Sunday! If you had told a pro to do that, you couldn’t replicate that again
  • Loved coach Vrabel calling the same play that Brady screwed up, Brady was wide open and somehow tripped over the 41 yard line
  • There are more and more trick plays this year. I think I mentioned this last week, but literally every week now!
  • Moving MNF from Mexico City to LA was the right call. Very embarrassing for the league, and embarrassing for Mexico City, but the right call
  • Sean Payton destroyed a fire alarm because it was annoying. That’s the kind of coach the NFL needs!
  • Patrick Mahomes puts Ketchup on steak. And yes, this is what we’re reporting nowadays.

 

Quote of the Week:

“I wanted to see if ours looked any better than theirs” Mike Vrabel, on why he called an identical trick play that didn’t work for the Pats

 

Quote of the Week #2:

“When I woke up this morning, I was feeling dangerous” Baker Mayfield

 

Memes of the Week:

 

FMQB: Hill has the runs and it TyREEKs!

Posted by fmquarterback on November 9, 2018
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

FMQB: Hill has the runs and it TyREEKs!

I’ll get to the title later, but poop jokes have infiltrated the NFL! We are halfway through the season! Teams are pulling away, teams are falling apart, and there are plenty of questions and playoff races abound.

 

Week 9 Highlights:

  • For those who stuck with the game, Rams at Saints lived up to the hype. I am convinced this will be the NFC Championship this year. I went from being depressed down 21, to saying “holy crap I can’t believe they came back to tie it!”
  • The only TD scored in Jets at Dolphins was a pick 6
  • Vikings set a franchise record of 10 sacks on Matthew Stafford.
  • The Falcons look like they may make a playoff run even at 4-4
  • Demarious Thomas had the unique distinction of being traded on Tuesday, and then playing IN DENVER on Sunday again, but wearing a different jersey. Texans stole a win from the Broncos to extend their win streak to 6.
  • The Seahawks having multiple chances to tie the game on the last play was exciting
  • Have to admit, despite being completely outplayed, the Packers hung in with the Patriots for much longer than I expected.

 

2003 Celebrations:

Let’s take you back 15 years, where there are no rules, and people are standing on the Cowboys star at midfield, and pulling out cell phones for the Saints. Wait, what? It’s 2018! I know a lot of people don’t like it, but it was really cool to see the throwbacks. The Titans celebration was a tad ridiculous, they were still losing at that point, but at least it was nostalgic (how has nobody done that in 15 years?). Even as a Rams fan, and with the play being a dagger to the game, I laughed when I saw Michael Thomas grab the cell phone from the endzone. He even legitimately got a flip phone like Joe Horn had years ago!

 

Quick Hits:

  • Not trying to go undefeated is a blessing in disguise. The Rams end the season with San Fran and Arizona. If they lock up a first round bye, one could argue you have nearly 4 weeks between meaningful games. The Rams also have the Chiefs which will be a bruiser, and the Bears, but otherwise 5 of the last 7 games are against teams with losing records.
  • The Saints needed that win. Not only could you tell that home field advantage was key to them, but they finish the season with Atlanta, at Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Carolina.
  • The last 6 Browns coaches to be fired were all fired within 24 hours of losing to the Steelers.
  • Dude, everybody and their Mom knew that Brees was going to Michael Thomas, someone stop him! He had a league-wide season-high 211 yards

 

Stat of the Week:

The Steelers and Panthers scored 3 TD’s in a 23 second span, setting an NFL record for the fastest 21 points scored in history.

 

Stat of the Week #2:

Sam Bradford has played 83 games and thrown 103 TD’s. His career record is 34-48-1, but has earned $130M.

 

Stat of the Week #3:

Nathan Peterman threw 3 INT’s Sunday (big surprise there). He has played in 8 games, in which he has 3 TD’s, 12 INT’s, and a 32.5 quarterback rating. To put this into perspective, the punter who goes 0-1 with 0 yards and 0 INT’s will have a passer rating of 39.6.

 

Stat of the Week #4:

We bid adieu to Adam Theilen’s 100 yard streak, ending at an NFL record 8 games to start a season. He did not look right out there Sunday, and not having Diggs to take away some of the doubles also hurt.

 

Stat of the Week #5:

On a happier note, we also bid adieu to Julio Jones’ 343 day TD-less streak! Despite putting up massive yards, it took him until Week 9 to make it into the endzone.

 

Stat of the Week #6:

The Bills faced the toughest NFL schedule through the first 8 games, and have the easiest schedule remaining for the last 8. I still blame Nathan Peterman…

 

Stat of the Week #7:

Todd Gurley has scored more points than the entire Bills team. Keep in mind, 2 team FG’s equals one of Gurley’s TD’s.

 

 

Story of the Week:

Apparently when Jamarcus Russell was in the league and bombing, coaches weren’t convinced he was watching film and preparing for games. It came out this week that they used to send him home with blank tapes. The next day they’d ask how the film was, and he would say “yeah, great to see those blitz packages and how I should avoid them.” Wow!

 

For the Record:

  • Doesn’t it seem like the amount of trick plays are fairly staggering? The Panthers seem to run something every week, but nearly every game I see a flea flicker or some other crazy end around where the WR throws it. Not complaining one iota, just making the observation.
  • Steelers Panthers was the Thursday night game I was most excited to watch this year, and I suppose if you like offense we got it. Holy cow, it was 52-14 by the end of the 3rd! Even so, Christian McCaffery looks like the real deal.
  • Bills fans have started a Go-Fund me page so Nathan Peterman can retire from the NFL. It has a goal of $1M, but is only hat $157.
  • Dez Bryant’s waiting game couldn’t have gone more perfectly. And now somehow the Saints look even more scary on offense!
  • So apparently on Sunday, a Bills fan found human poop in the stands. POOP! In section 122! The best part is that it looked “old” and they think it was leftover from the Monday night game against the Patriots.

 

Tiny Rant:

I am sick of Giants and Cowboys and other crap teams being in primetime. I don’t care if they’re America’s team, nobody wants to watch a 3-5 team that can’t convert 3rd downs every other week. If you want to know an actual problem with NFL ratings, it’s the fact that these mediocre teams in major markets keep getting primetime games. The Giants have 4 games this year, Cowboys 5, Raiders 4. The Chargers have 1, but it’s the Thursday game everyone gets, so none by choice.

 

2nd Half Predictions:

Midway point is always sad and exciting. Here’s a few predictions as well as playoff predictions.

  • NFL MVP goes to Mahomes or Brees. Brees has never won it believe it or not!
  • Raiders get the #1 overall pick
  • Packers miss the playoffs despite Rodgers playing all 16 games
  • Nick Mullens ends up starting most of the games, and for a different team next year

 

AFC: (I’m being lame, saying that all teams remain the same, just some shuffling)

  1. Patriots
  2. Chiefs
  3. Steelers
  4. Texans
  5. Chargers
  6. Bengals

 

NFC:

  1. Saints
  2. Rams
  3. Vikings
  4. Eagles
  5. Panthers
  6. Bears

 

I am super tempted to throw the Falcons in, I just couldn’t pull the trigger.

 

Quote of the Year!

“Tyreek Hill is the fastest player I’ve ever seen. The only thing faster than him is the jambalya that ran through me last night” Rex Ryan

Here’s proof: https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/watch-rex-ryan-makes-poop-joke-on-sunday-nfl-countdown-rattles-sam-ponder-to-her-core/

That’s poop joke #2, for the record.

 

Quote of the Week #2:

“I fully intend to be around for the 2022 rematch” Tom Brady, regarding the next time him and Rodgers would meet

 

Quote of the Week #3:

“We need volunteers, not hostages” Mike Tomlin, referring to LeVeon Bell

 

Meme’s of the Week:

 

 

 

And for everyone who voted…

FMQB: The End to Brock-Tober :(

Posted by fmquarterback on October 26, 2018
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Most recent Week here: https://fmquarterback.com/2018/11/09/fmqb-hill-has-the-runs-and-it-tyreeks/

FMQB: The end to Brock-tober ☹

Week 7 Highlights:

  • Panthers are quiet this year, but beating the defending champs on the road after being down by 17 in the 4th quarter is pretty special
  • I like the call by Vrabel going for 2 and going for the win in London after scoring a TD in the waning seconds. Not so much the execution, they had 2 shots at it due to a penalty. Roll Mariotta out and have him run it if nobody’s open
  • Aaron Donald went off on Sunday with 4 sacks!
  • The Bears Hail Mary down to the 1 yard line was the most exciting play of the year
  • Wow the Jags have fallen quickly. Blake Bortles looked awful Sunday against a very winnable game

 

Stat of the Week #1:

Patrick Mahomes, 22 TD passes is the most for a player’s first 8 starts ever

 

Stat of the Week #1:

After having no 100 yard rusher in the past 5 seasons, the Lions have 2 through 6 games this year.

 

Stat of the Week #1:

Odell Beckham Jr. is the fastest player to 5,000 receiving yards.

 

Stolen Stat of the Week #1:

In the first three quarters at Philadelphia, Cam Newton was 9-of-17 for 68 yards. In the fourth quarter Newton was 16-of-22 for 201 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Stolen Stat of the Week #1:

Until Sunday, Justin Tucker went 40-40 on PAT’s in High school, 71-71 in college, and 245-245 in the pros.

 

Stat of the Week #1:

Chandler Catanzaro missed an extra point, missed a 30 yard FG in the 4th, but nailed a 59 yarder to win the game in OT

 

Stat of the Week #1:

The Saints were 4 for 5 on 4th down conversions on Sunday, including one in the 4th quarter where a FG would have tied the game, or a failed conversion would have left them trailing.

 

Stat of the Week #1:

The fact that somebody has 4 blocked punts in 2 seasons should not be underappreciated!

 

Stat of the Week #1:

Patriots have scored 38 pts in 4 straight games, that has only happened 4 other times in last 20 years

 

For the Record:

  • Eagles vs. Jaguars LOOKED like a good London matchup, but both teams have struggled. It will be the 24th game played in London, and not 1 has offered 2 teams with winning records.
  • The fact that Justin Tucker can miss an extra point means the longer extra point is working. It’s not a gimme anymore and makes the play more exciting.
  • Blake Bortles was benched for Cody Kessler, who once went 0-8 with the Browns
  • There’s a lot of controversy in the Cowboys penalty, but fact of the matter is, the center is clearly moving the ball. I don’t care if that’s how he’s done it for years, that’s a penalty.
  • The Browns have 4 overtime games through only 7 weeks
  • Coming into Sunday, the Titans hadn’t scored a TD in 2 games. Which is also why I like the call to try to win the game right there.

 

Record Watch:

  • The Eagles and Jaguars; teams in last year’s Championship games, are 3-4 this year
  • The Bears could easily be 6-0 right now, with heartbreaking losses to the Packers in Week 1, Dolphins in OT last week, and both turnovers and 1 yard separated a win last Sunday.
  • After starting 0-3, the Texans are in 1st in their division after winning 5 in a row.
  • If the Playoffs started today, the Steelers would host a playoff game despite having 3 wins, while the Chargers would play on the road with 5 wins.
  • The Steelers, with a BYE, went from 3rd to 1st in their division despite both the Bengals and Ravens having 4 wins to Pittsburgh’s 3.

 

Sequence of the Week:

Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes went down with an injury. As rookie CB Holton Hill came in, the announcers said “This is a great time to attack the rookie, watch for Darnold to throw that direction.” Throw he did, and Hill got the first interception of his career.

 

Surprise ages:

Doesn’t it seem like Odell Beckham Jr. and Amari Cooper have been in the league for several seasons? Odell is in his 5th season, but is only 25 years old. Cooper is in his 4th, and is only 24. That’s nuts to think they both could have another decade in them!

 

Arrest of the Week:

The Broncos just released their backup QB Chad Kelly (nephew of hall of fame QB Jim Kelly) after his criminal trespass charge. The homeowner also beat him with a vacuum cleaner tube. Can’t make this stuff up!

 

Games of the Week:

Saints at Vikings: Should be an awesome offensive matchup, Minneapolis Miracle part 2?

Packers at Rams: Could be an early playoff preview

Browns at Steelers: I’m praying for another tie

 

 

 

Memes: