CD Newsletter Week 14

Grizzlies to make the playoffs @ +725 on some books sure looks like a great Chanukah Gelt Sprinkle to me,,,assuming Kid Ja has outgrown his toy gun phase 

The line movement looks like some pro $ is on the Buccaneers. I can't disagree with that. Y'all know what I think of the Falcons. 

The Dirty Birds would of lost to the Jets last week if the Jets punted on all their possessions. 

I'm just not so fond of the Bucs. We should look into this game thoroughly even though I didn't want to at the beginning of the week.

Any volunteers?

@undermysac

 Ok I'll give it a shot. 

The Falcons are in sole possession of 1st place in the NFC South with an outstanding 6-6 record, with a -14 pt differential. 

The Buccaneers are 5-7 with a -12 pt differential. 

It's a revenge game for the Bucs, losing 13-16 to them on the first go around.

In that boxscore, it was a pretty even game. The Falcons rushed a hell a lot more than the Bucs, and the Bucs had 25 more passing yards. The Bucs had 1 more first down. T.O.P. was nearly even, Bucs had 2 more seconds. Both teams had 9 penalties. The Falcons had 3 turnovers, and Bucs had 2. The coin flipped and landed Falcons.

@undermysac

 Tampa should sell out to stop the run and force Desmond to beat them. 

Great writeups so far, but I jut got to this one and thought I could share some additional thoughts to tap into.

1. Both Brandon Staley and Sean Payton will get up big time for this game. It's no secret that Sean Payton wanted the Chargers job -- or, should I say, have the team court him this past season and give up draft picks -- and replace Staley. This is the first time these have squared off as HC vs HC. (I haven't looked to see if Staley played against Payton when he was on the Rams or Bears coaching staff.) There will be incentive for both head coaches to prove that either Payton should've been hired on as the Chargers head coach (thus letting Brandon Staley for it) or Payton isn't the savior that was spoken of for the franchise.

2. In the past two games (Ravens and Patriots), it seems like the Chargers have turned it around on defense. The Chargers D held one of the better offenses in the NFL to 20 points and then the Patriots to 0. It's really hard to shut out any team in the NFL. And while it didn't seem like a big accomplishment at the time, you just saw the Pats offense put up 21 points in one half against the Steelers, before the Steelers' D adjusted.

3. The main problem is with the Chargers offense. They scored a combined 16 points in the past two games. 10 points against the Ravens and 6 against the Patriots. The run game has been non-existent and it just looks like Austin Ekeler has regressed. The O-line without Corey Lindsley isn't doing both the overall run blocking and rushing attack any favors. But ever since Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer went out with injuries, it's been a 1-man show (Keenan Allen) in the passing game. An already one-dimensional offense has gone down to a pretty square and predicable one, and Kellen Moore (for the most part) doesn't have much to work with. Or just isn't as creative as we thought he was.

Joshua Palmer may be back for this game. He's been designated to return from IR and his practice window has been activated. He had a limited session yesterday (and haven't checked to see if he put in a full one today). If he plays, this will be huge for Justin Herbert and the offense as he has a WR who can do a little bit of what Keenan and Mike Williams does. He's obviously not as good as either, but he's consistent, reliable, and is a fine #2 WR. He also knows the playbook well. Maybe this will open things up for Quentin Johnston as well.  *shrugs*

4. Every player on the Broncos practiced in full this year. According to a tweet I saw, "In December the last few years the (Broncos) injury list was longer than Dead Sea Scrolls."

Anyway, I like the storyline here among the coaches the best. There was nothing personal said about the other, but both understand the narrative.

Flacco might start...

I didn't watch the Browns game last week, but he's got to be better than DTR.

@iConsciousness

 Amazing write up!

Im talking to myself “How the hell does he know all this stuff?  He probably has stats on what the left tackle had to eat last night and how that affects his play when pulling on a sweep!”

https://www.si.com/college/minnesota/football/gophers-to-start-cole-kramer-for-quick-lane-bowl-p-j-fleck-says

Friends, we must bet BG again. And then again, and probably a few more times until the line is BG -2.

Don't forget the ML

I played along on both ...dont screw me over Pennypacker 

OK it's done. I appreciate your Christmas gift yet to come. 

And Icon, the Chargers as always are just in a bad place. I love your thoughts on the team. I totally agree that the offense has become stagnant since Mike Williams was lost and they may have whiffed on 1st rounder Q. Johnston. Ekeler has had a hell of a run for an undrafted RB but he was playing when Rivers was the QB. RBs get old fast in this league. Maybe the defense bails them out but it probably doesn't. 

Had a fine American white ale at the ACB tasting house this afternoon. Crisp, clean with just enough pop from a spicy finish. Very nice. 

Quick, what do these things have in common.

potato, Pop Tart, avocado, coffee, mayonnaise, wasabi, cereal, chicken, and Cheez Its.

@Biscuiteater1

Its everything you ate today.....too easy 

Bigred is involved in this somehow.

@Biscuiteater1

 Boston College is catching +11 vs smu at Fenway at the Wasabi Bowl.

Flutie playing ?

same and same 

Why is the 49ers / Seahawks game taken off the board?