The Frankish Reich

https://apnews.com/article/edward-snowden-russian-citizenship-441ab3c037b91145d17f2de2237f834d?taid=6331d2d3ad85850001c8e9f1 Meanwhile, noted libertarian and opponent of the surveillance state Edward Snowden has found an open, transparent, civil rights abiding country more to his liking. Congratulations, Comrade Snowden! And you will also be exempt from Putin’s free and fair draft, although I’m sure he’d let you volunteer.

I haven’t seen the stats geeks opine on this yet, but here’s what MIami had to consider: - safety + free kick = Bills take over at about the 30, needing about 30 yards for a 50/50 chance at a FG, or about 40 yards for a 70/30 chance. - punt from their own end zone (without full snap distance) = reasonable chance at a block, which could mean a safety (if did) or a Bills TD if recovered in the end zone. Otherwise, Bills probably take ove at Miami’s 40 or so, needing 40 yards for a TD. This was a really close call. Now that I think about it, I have to guess that the unintentional safety led to a higher Miami win percentage than a punt. Since most safeties are boring plays (Announcer: “and there’s a flag on the field … if that’s intentional grounding and the QB was in his own end zone, it’s a safety!!), I’d prefer to incentivize the more exciting alternatives.

From the weirdly interesting Wiki page on safeties - how “strategic safeties” may be used (and to me, how they can sap the energy from a game): “In American football, intentionally conceded safeties are an uncommon strategy. Teams have utilized elective safeties to gain field position for a punt when pinned deep in their own territory[12][13] and, when ahead near the end of a game, to run down the clock so as to deny the other team a chance to force a turnover or return a punt.[14][15][16][17]Teams have also taken intentional safeties by kicking a loose ball out the back of their end zone, with the intent of preventing the defense from scoring a touchdown.[18][19]”

Why not? We change rules all the time when the existing rule promotes gamesmanship that allows one side (offense or defense) a better chance to win by avoiding actual competitive plays on the field. This is why the NFL is still the king of American sports. Nobody’s blaming the loss on the rules. In fact, Miami obviously (and correctly) rejected the strategy of “take the safety.” I’m just saying that there are some games in which that is sound strategy. And boring strategy for the fans who want a real competitive ending to a close game. You can equate this to a rule change that disincentivizes endless end of game fouling in the NBA - that too is sometimes an effective strategy that kills the chance for an exciting finish.

We need a rule change on safeties. Modern NFL punters will easily get 60 yards in the air on a free kick with lots of hang time, so little opportunity for return. Which pins the receiving time back inside their own 30 or deeper. There’s too many situations (not Sunday) in which “taking the safety” is the better strategy. Give the team awarded the safety the ball on their own 40 or 45 and the equation changes, making it a better/fairer game.

Iran is still a mystery to me. I’ve known many Iranian Americans - an educated, “westernized” group of people - who’ve told me it’s just a matter of time before the regime toppled there. And in Iran itself there’s a large educated class of younger people. It’s not like Saudi Arabia. Yet the regime hangs on, decade after decade, preposterous/backward governance after ridiculous government policy decision.

Incredibly underwhelming, yet the cliche is true again: Playmakers make plays when the game is on the line. Russell Wilson made 2 or 3 big plays on that last drive. Jimmy G. made zero.

You mean AFTER Tom Brady signs with them in March??

Ladies and Gentlemen, you have successfully made it through the entirety of an imitation Preseason Game 3.

1. Unlike Week 1, they have not attempted any 64 yard field goals. 2. Unlike Weeks 1 and 2, they have not had multiple delay of game penalties. 3. Unlike Week 2, they have had a punt returner on the field every time the other team punts. Progress!

I'd be stunned if he did anything different.

And the Russell Wilson Experiment continues to pay dividends. 2-1 Broncos! 🤣

11-10 is just awesome. I mean, they should just stop this thing right now. Would that be the first 11-10 game in NFL history?

And yet ... they are one play away from taking the lead.

I can't tell for sure without seeing the All 22 or something like that. But this Broncos offense just seems rudimentary in design. Where are the routes over the middle? Crossing/rub routes? Where's the misdirection? All the stuff modern offenses specialize in. This is like 1970s football.

You have to think a FG ices this for SF. Ordinarily you'd say an 8 point lead is just a TD and 2 point conversion. But the Broncos seem completely incapable of pulling off two clutch plays.

I've seen all 3 Broncos games this year (glutton for punishment), and that's the first time I've seen Wilson actually tuck the ball away and seriously run. There have been scrambles behind the line of scrimmage and an occasional slide for a 1 or 2 yard gain, but no actual runs. And this is a guy who one season ran for 800+ yards.

Not even close. Gase. Which is not high praise for Gase, it's just an accurate statement of how awful Hackett has been

He looks tentative, almost scared out there. I don't know what happened to him last year in Seattle. He can still throw, he doesn't appear to be injured, he's "only" 33, but he just looks ... done.

Somehow still 16.5 minutes left in this stinker.

Damn. Two safeties is possible. Now I will always feel unfulfilled. He's also really annoying. Can't shut up. If they were playing well they'd say he has an infectious Ted Lasso type goofball energy. Now it's just annoying.

Baseball. Coors Field. 4th inning.

He was Aaron Rodgers bait. Nothing more or less than that. And it didn't work. I don't think he lasts the season.

YESSS!!! They put up a 5 spot! The most uncommon possible score in football

I wanted to say good defense beats good offense, but no ... I think you're right. These offenses are just crap.