The Frankish Reich

I’m not about to criticize the man for playing a round or four of golf is he feels fine to do it. But … remember the stories about how Josh kicked back and didn’t think about football at all last offseason? You may be on to something here. Perhaps just a tiny bit too comfortable with where he and the Bills really were this season.

Now Staley just needs to take extended bathroom breaks every time a Chargers possession begins.

True. The Cowboys got better as the season progressed, and they were pretty clearly the 3rd best team in the NFC. It’s just that this is Philly’s year (and not SF’s now for obvious reasons). Hmm, clearly the third best in their conference. I wonder what other team fits that description?

Right. It’s true in an obvious way that you are better off with a very good QB on a rookie contract than with one on a first megadeal. But there’s no prescription for team building here. “Draft a guy like Mahomes or Allen or Burrow who will be ready to perform at an elite level by his second season, ride the wave of success in Seasons 2-4, then start all over again” isn’t a recipe for success. Setting aside almost 20 years of the Pats defying the competition cycle, about the best you can realistically hope for is something like the Packers pattern since Rodgers took over: great teams, down years in which you go 7-9 while clearing deadwood/bad contracts, then a rebound to true SB competitor again. Andy Reid and Mahomes look like possible successors to the Pats dynasty, but there’s a loooong way to go before they hit that status. I’d expect the Packers/Rodgers pattern both there and in Buffalo. And that’s a pretty damn good pattern from where I sit.

Exactly. Kelce all fired up about defending the sanctity of Arrowhead, the Church Of The Chiefs with their moronic drumbeat war chant.

I would say Rodger Saffold. But he wasn’t drafted.

I noticed that too. I see we have have a mix now of those ultra short nondescriptive topics (“Dorsey and Allen” or something like that), and those now popular cryptic two-sentence topics (“The Bills Are Well-Coached. But That’s Part of the Problem”). I think we may need a Post-Titling training session: “How to Title a Post. Hint: It’s Not Like This.”

Cowboys were 4th in scoring offense this season (and 5th in scoring defense). Usually when a team is statistically that solid yet underperforms (and did they underperform? Not really. The Eagles and Niners were clearly better), it’s the head coach that gets fired.

When I saw the topic I knew this would be a good place for a few laughs. You guys didn’t let me down. Thanks!

Wasn’t that Rex Ryan?

Then wait 20 seconds like they do all the time. I’m not saying it wasn’t a foul, and I’m really not defending it. I’m just saying that the standard for throwing a flag like that should be a bit higher in the final seconds of a championship game.

My left brain agrees. It’s a clear penalty. My right brain still hates to see a playoff game effectively end on a penalty that did not impact the play of the field. I’d say the same about a running into the punter, taunting, et. So yes, I think there should be a somewhat different standard in the playoffs. I’ll admit it’s hard to know where to draw the playoff line, but this one just seemed unnecessary.

Agreed. And not intent to injure, and indeed no harm done to Mahomes. Kind of like throwing a taunting flag in a critical game situation. Or a piddly technical foul late in a close NBA game. As they say, people don’t pay to see the refs. Let the play on the field decide it.

My big one was the late hit on Burrow that wasn’t called. Not sure it had any impact on the result in the end, but it was pretty obvious. Certainly as obvious as that last second out of bound late hit on Cincy

I was more like “no, they are NOT going to throw the flag on that one…holy crap they just threw the flag!

The stupid meaningless crap mayors do. Didn’t he say Burrowhead? Ooh, I’m sooo offended. Go drugs with Andy Reid’s sons Kelce.

That home field didn’t seem to be enough, did it

Maybe there’s a safeties coach they can let go

Who’s the old bat wearing the fur?

He’s Willis Reed, Knicks 71 for old timers! Kirk Gibson, Dodgers 88 for almost old timers! The Legend Lives. Put him on the Mr Rushmore of Sprained Ankles.

It’s an old school Marvin Lewis Bengalsey way to lose. Vontaze Burfict is smiling somewhere.

True. Philly is a constant. The Chiefs are now the worst.

Maybe 5 more rings?

Right. The old “you don’t want the refs deciding the game” is a thing of the past. The late hit here didn’t have any impact on the game between the lines, Mahomes wasn’t hurt, no need to throw that flag.

And there you have it. The unnecessary unnecessary roughness call.