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

Posted by fmquarterback on August 30, 2019
Posted in: NFL. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

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:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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: 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: 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:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FMQB: Kermit the Frog Strikes again

Posted by fmquarterback on October 5, 2018
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FMQB: Kermit the Frog Strikes again

Week 5 is also suspension week, where some players will start their season. Julian Edelman will help a .500 Patriots team immensely and now sees him lining up with Josh Gordon and Gronk, look out…Mark Ingraham is also back to help the Saints, and he should be able to plow in some TD’s rather than relying on Brees to do the heavy rushing work haha.

 

Overtime Madness!

Titans Eagles was a bit of a shocker. The Eagles went up by a FG in OT, and the Titans converted 3 4th down conversions on the final drive (including a 4th and 15) to win the game. On one 4th down, it was super bold for Mike Vrabel to take the FG team off the field and go for it. Keep in mind we call him bold, but the next coach an idiot…

 

In Texans vs. Colts, the Colts went for it on 4th and 4 on their own 43 with 27 seconds left. I absolutely hated the call when I saw it, even before the failed 4th down happened. Because I knew the Texans needed 1 play to get into FG range. I still wasn’t a fan of it until I read an interesting point. A punt ensures a tie, the Colts are not a playoff team this year, but they had a hot QB and a hall of fame kicker, and a rookie coach who wanted to show his team that he had faith in them. I have changed my mind and like the call in that situation.

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FMQB: Puddin’ Pops

Posted by fmquarterback on November 3, 2017
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FMQB: Puddin’ Pops

 

Buccaneers disappointing

What happened to Jameis “Puddin Pops” Winston this year? Came into the season with so much promise. Analysts were basically putting him as a top 7 or 8 QB this year, with the team making the playoffs. Granted Hard Knocks can make any team look like a Super Bowl contender (case in point, watch the Rams one from last year). But they seemed to show a ton of promise on that show too.

 

For Liberty and Justice For All!

As you know I’m staying out of the politics of the national anthem, but the Ezekiel Elliot back and forth is utterly ridiculous this year. This truly highlights what’s wrong with our court system in America. His suspension has been imposed 3 times, and successfully appealed all 3 times. Make a decision already! Look at this below, why the heck are there so many chances to appeal? For the record, had Elliot served the 6 games, he’d already be a game into his season, with fresh legs and the ability to carry his team into the playoffs. Take a look at this (it’s not fair that I have lawyer friends who read this. I’m sure I’ve butchered this so take it with a grain of salt).

 

8/11: Goodell imposes 6 game suspension on Ezekiel Elliot

9/8: After taking the NFL to court, Elliot was granted an emergency injunction that allowed him to play Week 1.

9/15: NFL files an emergency motion to stay the injunction

10/12: Court rules in NFL’s favor, re-states 6 game suspension

10/16: Elliot’s lawyers ask for an emergency hearing. Is granted a temporary restraining order allowing him to play

10/30: Judge denies temporary injunction, thus re-instituting the 6 game suspension

11/3: Court of Appeals grants a request for an administrative stay, allowing Elliot to play

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FMQB: Feel the Rhythm, Feel the Rhyme, C’Mon Friday, It’s Football Time!

Posted by fmquarterback on October 6, 2017
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FMQB: Feel the Rhythm, Feel the Rhyme, C’Mon Friday, It’s Football Time!

 

Last season was the season of comebacks. I’m already sensing a theme this year which is the season of surprise wins. Last week had 10 underdogs take it in one of Vegas’ most lucrative weekends. This week we had Rams beat Cowboys in Dallas, Bills beat Falcons, Panthers over Patriots in New England, and Texans with 57 points over Titans. I really don’t remember back to back weeks where I looked at the scoreboard to 5+ “wows.”

 

Surprise Records too!

The Bills and Rams are alone in 1st place in their division. Keep in mind these are divisions who have the Patriots (in 3 of the last 6 Super Bowls) and Seahawks (in 2 of the last 4 Super Bowls).

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FMQB: Elite 8, Week of Rematches

Posted by fmquarterback on January 13, 2017
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GREEN BAY, WI - JANUARY 08: Randall Cobb #18 of the Green Bay Packers catches a touchdown pass in the second quarter during the NFC Wild Card game against the New York Giants at Lambeau Field on January 8, 2017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

FMQB: Elite 8, Week of Rematches

 

Well we got rid of all the riff-raff (well mostly, sorry Texans). Sort of a rough week of games, really none were super competitive minus the 1st half of the Giants and Packers game. All 4 home teams won, and yours truly went 3-1 in picks, with the only miss-step on thinking the Lions would actually put up a fight. The weekend can be summed up in one run-on sentence. Bill O’Brien has been to the playoffs with 3 different QB’s has still won 2 playoff games, the Lions can’t win a playoff game on the road, Matt Moore got smoked worse than the Dolphins did, and Aaron Rodgers is the deadliest weapon in the game. We should have a better slate this week at least! Every game is a rematch from earlier in the year.

 

Seattle at Atlanta– Rematch of earlier this season, when Seattle won 26-24 on a questionable pass interference call. This could be an interesting game, you could really see it as a Seattle rout, an Atlanta rout, or a very close game. Reminds you of the 2012 game where Russell Wilson came onto the scene, and nearly had a huge comeback win in Atlanta. Once again, depends on which Seattle team shows up. I see the score flipping, and Falcons win 26-24 (on a missed Steven Haushka game winning kick).

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FMQB: Playoff Time!

Posted by fmquarterback on January 6, 2017
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week-17

 

FMQB Playoff Time

Wild Card Weekend tends to be the best of the playoffs. Unfortunately this year there are enough teams with QB uncertainty that it’s taking a bit of the wind out of my sails. You still have to watch, but I think you could skip both AFC matchups and not miss anything.

 

 

Stat of the Week:

Tom Brady was tied for the 7th most TD passes, despite missing a quarter of the season

 

Stat of the Week:

Matt Ryan had the 5th highest passer rating in a season, ever

 

Stat of the Week:

Sam Bradford had the highest completion percentage in a season, ever

 

Stat of the Week:

TY Hilton led the league in receiving yards, and LaGarrett Blount led with 18 rushing TD’s.

 

Stat of the Week:

There were 12 1000 yard rushers this year, vs. only 7 last year

 

Stat of the Week:

There have been 9 seasons where a QB has thrown for 5000+ yards, and Drew Brees has 5 of them

 

Stat of the Week:

Brady with 28 TD’s and 2 INT’s

 

 

For the Record:

  • There is legitimately no clear cut MVP this year. You can pick Brady, Ryan, Rodgers, Elliot, Carr or Brees and be ok but also have a lot of upset fans
  • The Browns very nearly ended the season with a 2 game winning streak
  • The Titans and Buccaneers, with 2 young QB’s, will be teams to watch next year
  • Both Super Bowl teams did indeed miss the playoffs
  • I don’t think Chip Kelly got a fair shake in SF. He inherited a terrible team, and they cut him after a year
  • Still think the Vikings made a mistake in trying to save their season. A 1st and a 4th is too high a price for an 8-8 season and a QB controversy next year
  • Au Revior Steve Smith, Robert Mathis, and Chris Berman. Football won’t be the same on Sunday’s

 

 

Wild Card Preview:

 

Raiders at Texans:

Brock Osweiler vs. Connor Cook, no thanks! Technically it’s backup QB vs 3rd string QB, yuck. I braved the worst game of the season, watching the Bengals and Texans duke it out. For the first time in a long time, I have zero desire to watch a playoff game. Now watch, since I said that it’s going to be an awesome back and forth contest with a Hail Mary to win it. Either way, I might stick to the highlights on this one. Raiders 10, Texans 12.

 

Dolphins at Steelers:

Was a good matchup earlier in the season. The Dolphins’ 6 game win streak started with their win over the Steelers, a game where Ajayi ran 204 yards. I could be overlooking Matt Moore, who’s led the team to a 2-1 record since Tannehill went down. But I think this could be a tough game to watch too, with no way the Dolphins run game keeps up with the Steelers offense. Steelers 38, Dolphins 10

 

Lions at Seahawks:

People are overlooking this game, but I think it could be the best one of the weekend. It really depends on which Seattle team shows up. Is it the one that lost to the Rams/Cardinals, or the one who beat the Patriots? The other thing we learned is that the Lions are NEVER out of a game. This is my upset pick of the weekend, with the Lions winning (with a missed Haushka field goal) 24-21.

 

Giants at Packers:

Both Giants Super Bowl wins involved wins at Lambeau Field, but the Packers may be hot enough to melt the frozen tundra. Despite not being as cold as the infamous NFC Championship game, this will still be a Football lovers football game. The Giants are another team that is very hit and miss. They took down the infallible Cowboys twice, but that Eagles loss was killer and they barely beat the Rams, Bengals, and Bears. I think Green Bay stays hot and win it 35-17.

 

Playoff Fact:

The Patriots are essentially guaranteed to make the AFC Championship this year. They can only play the Dolphins, Texans, or Raiders (none with their starting QB) in the Divisional Round.

 

Playoff Fact #2:

The Steelers and Packers are entering the playoffs with 6 and 7 game win streaks respectively. This is the first time in NFL history that 2 teams with that long of a winning streak have entered the tournament.

 

Defense Wins Championships:

The top 2 defenses in regards to points allowed are….Giants and Patriots

 

photo credit nfl.com