week 15 (we need lots of help) other games...

[gbgary]

we need to beat the fuckin' bears and...

we need these teams to lose:

det,
min,
nyg,
sea,
phi,
ari,
atl,
tb,
was.

[ThunderDan]

We don't need MN to lose. We have our own destiny in hand when discussing the Vikes.

[Patler]

All the Packers need is for Detroit to lose one of the next two games.
The rest is in the Packers hands.

[BZnDallas]

All the Packers need is for Detroit to lose one of the next two games.
The rest is in the Packers hands.

Both games against the two teams playing right now. NYG and Dallas.

[denverYooper]

All the Packers need is for Detroit to lose one of the next two games.
The rest is in the Packers hands.

The Lions close the season @Giants, @Cowboys and home vs GB.

The Packers close the season @Bears, home vs Minny and @Lions.

There's a very good chance that the last game is for a playoff spot.

[call_me_ishmael]

I don't see the Lions winning at both NYG and Dallas. There's a very, very good shot week 17 is for the division. I cannot believe the Packers won today, let alone in the form they did. What a game!

[pbmax]

Lions playing pretty well but that Stafford injury could change the equation quite a bit.

[gbgary]

We don't need MN to lose. We have our own destiny in hand when discussing the Vikes.

we don't want to count on that. with Rodgers and others hurting it would be better if we got help.

[Fritz]

We don't need MN to lose. We have our own destiny in hand when discussing the Vikes.

I have my own destiny in hand when I think about Drew Barrymore.

[gbgary]

I have my own destiny in hand when I think about Drew Barrymore.

your destiny with her is in HER hands.

[Tony Oday]

The Lions will lose 3 straight, we will win 2 of the last three losing to the Bears and the Vikes lose the next two weeks.

[red]

well the rams just fired good ole jeff fisher

just a week after announcing he signed an extention last offseason

and a day after becoming the losingest coach of all time

[pbmax]

well the rams just fired good ole jeff fisher

just a week after announcing he signed an extention last offseason

and a day after becoming the losingest coach of all time

Perfect.

I don't know what went wrong with the guy, he used to be very likable and seemed to be able to assemble an offensive coaching staff and philosophy. Yes, his defense was all about pushing the line on hitting after the whistle and all the other Buddy Ryan crap. But he seemed to be pretty grounded.

[gbgary]

seattle are arrogant...the rams suck. that is all.

[pbmax]

NFL Playoff scenario generator. Doesn't work just with records. Its predicting what happens in all games after you make a selection.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-nfl-predictions/

ESPN more traditional approach: http://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs/machine

[pbmax]

This is your brain on Pete Carroll.


http://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/5d777442-c350-11e6-8b82-32cca6721c2b-1020x604.jpg


Jon is in the concussion protocol. Pete says not to worry because Russell and Jermaine have both volunteered to punt if Jon's brain is still scrambled.

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-coach-pete-carroll-defends-fake-punt-call-says-team-will-have-to-wait-to-see-if-jon-ryan-can-return-next-week/

[pbmax]

I'll give Pete this, this is how you should approach each game as a coach:


He then elaborated further saying: “We had a tremendous preparation for an opportunity to take that we knew could be like a turnover in the game. If we could get the opportunity we would go for it. It didn’t matter when it happened, we were looking for it the whole night. The opportunity that we took, it gave us a chance to hold onto the football and not give them even the chance to get the ball back. What more could I do to help my team? How it gets perceived and all, that’s what you guys get to talk about when you want to and I think it’s a waste of energy but I understand it. I don’t expect that you can see it from our perspective. I thought it was an excellent demonstration of planning and prep and execution. It worked perfectly, except for the end of it was terrible. But that allowed us to keep the football and it didn’t have anything to do with something with the score or anything, just trying to finish the game as well as we could, in command of it as we were.”

[pbmax]

Even the author of this piece doesn't understand the difference between his results oriented viewpoint and Carroll's process oriented viewpoint:


Special teams have been an especially big factor in the Rams-Seahawks series in recent years, and Los Angeles had tried and failed on a fake punt earlier in the game that handed Seattle a field goal. If Carroll was trying to maybe send a message to the Rams, though, will probably be left to history to figure out.

[Freak Out]

That was a beautiful play until Ryan fucked it up.

[gbgary]

I'll give Pete this, this is how you should approach each game as a coach:

exactly...but if it were me i'd have taken the score into consideration and saved it for another game when i needed it. but that's just me.


That was a beautiful play until Ryan fucked it up.

yup. he'd have had plenty of time to slide and avoid that had he not fumbled it.

the goff hit was his fault too. he's got to be more aware of the situation than he showed.

[pbmax]

exactly...but if it were me i'd have taken the score into consideration and saved it for another game when i needed it. but that's just me.



yup. he'd have had plenty of time to slide and avoid that had he not fumbled it.

the goff hit was his fault too. he's got to be more aware of the situation than he showed.

In retrospect, yes it looks like stopping the call is wiser.

But you ask players to go make impact plays and give them the tools to do so. You ask them to believe you when you tell them a scheme will work and ask them to execute the scheme when they read the keys.

People often talk about how a coach gets players to buy into their plan or program, letting them run this play or other reads like it are one way of doing that.

The play worked beautifully until Ryan somehow lost the handle on the ball.

[ThunderDan]

exactly...but if it were me i'd have taken the score into consideration and saved it for another game when i needed it. but that's just me.

I agree with you gbgary. Los Angeles couldn't move the ball all game and were on the backup QB at the time. The game was out of touch. Sea just tipped their hand on a fake punt that will now be schemed and watched more. The loss on return yards by the team making su a fake punt is going to happen with be made back by Russell Wilson's shitty punts.

[pbmax]

It does bear an uncomfortable resemblance to the botched FG block Zook called versus Seattle.

[Joemailman]

Arrowhead Stadium after they removed the tarp this morning.

http://d2s3dt9f4iyeup.cloudfront.net/images/resized_v1/37086ce9-11d4-427f-b9a7-bbeab662a73f.jpg

[gbgary]

looks like Lambeau back on that fateful day against dal. "Mr. Lombardi's field began to freeze."

[red]

Arrowhead Stadium after they removed the tarp this morning.

http://d2s3dt9f4iyeup.cloudfront.net/images/resized_v1/37086ce9-11d4-427f-b9a7-bbeab662a73f.jpg

that looks painful

and do they even have in field heating that far south?

[Joemailman]

that looks painful

and do they even have in field heating that far south?

Just installed it this year. http://www.chiefs.com/news/article-2/Chiefs-Recently-Installed-Multi-Million-Dollar-Heating-System-Under-Playing-Surface-/9c3547c0-1aac-4db3-82bc-fc37ab23a7ee


“We’re going to blow heat underneath the tarp because what happens is the moisture from the ground comes up from the bottom of the tarp, condensates and forms ice,” Hamilton said of the rise in soil temperature from the system. “So we’re going to keep the ice from forming on the bottom side of the tarp, but the unknown is when we pull that tarp off and it’s three or four degrees Sunday morning, it may instantly frost.

“We may have what looks like a frozen field, but it will be is just the blades of grass having frost on them. The soil itself and the root zone itself will be warm.”

Maybe it won't be as bad as it looks.

[pbmax]

It looks like their plan to blow air in to evaporate the moisture under the tarp was slightly under-powered. Worked at each end and not in the middle.

[gbgary]

we need to beat the fuckin' bears ✔
and...

we need these teams to lose:

det ✔
min ✔

sea :roll:
phi ✔


ari,
atl,
tb,
was.

[Guiness]

Osweiler benched. Wow did the Texans throw some money away there.

In other news: Ponder warming up for the 49ers!

[gbgary]

Osweiler benched. Wow did the Texans throw some money away there.

In other news: Ponder warming up for the 49ers!

in retrospect sf blew some money not cutting kap when they had the chance.

[gbgary]

i'll go out on a limb and call the sf/atl game for atl.

beat the fuckin' bears ✔
and...

we need these teams to lose:

det ✔
min ✔

sea :roll:
phi ✔


ari,
atl :roll:
tb,
was.

[gbgary]

saints up 24-13 wow

[gbgary]

beat the fuckin' bears ✔
and...

we need these teams to lose:

det ✔
min ✔

sea :roll:
phi ✔


ari ✔
atl :roll:
tb,
was.

[Pugger]

looks like Lambeau back on that fateful day against dal. "Mr. Lombardi's field began to freeze."

My husband was at that game when he was a kid. His feet are still screwed up and get cold easily.

[esoxx]

Tampa Bay is a team to be reckoned with. Lots of talent, learning to win.

[Fritz]

Wonder how they'll do against Dallas.

[pbmax]

Dallas just went down the field on them again.

[pbmax]

I don't want to alarm anyone, but I think the most likely playoff scenario for the Packers is winning the Division and hosting the Giants in the playoffs.

[gbgary]

TB is sucking. totally overmatched.

[gbgary]

I don't want to alarm anyone, but I think the most likely playoff scenario for the Packers is winning the Division and hosting the Giants in the playoffs.

hope you're right but just in case let's take the help if offered.

[esoxx]

TB leading after 3rd quarter 20-17. Not overmatched at all.

[Joemailman]

TB leading after 3rd quarter 20-17. Not overmatched at all.

No dominant team in the NFC. Any NFC team that makes the playoffs will be a threat to go to the Super Bowl. And will probably be the underdog in the Super Bowl.

[Zool]

Is it wrong to hate the Cowboys as much as I do? I'm having a hard time hoping they win right now.

[esoxx]

Correct, no dominant team.

[gbgary]

beat the fuckin' bears ✔

and...

we need these teams to lose:

det ✔
min ✔
sea :roll:
phi ✔
ari ✔
atl :roll:
tb ✔
was tbd

[gbgary]

Is it wrong to hate the Cowboys as much as I do? I'm having a hard time hoping they win right now.

me too but i fought through it. lol

[King Friday]

Well, we now have a better chance at the last wild card spot...if we have to go that route.

[gbgary]

if the Packers win-out there is a scenario that they could end up with the 2nd seed and a 1st round bye.

go here (http://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs/machine) and work it out.

[Harlan Huckleby]

TB leading after 3rd quarter 20-17. Not overmatched at all.

As I saw it, Cowboys played terrible and still won. At no point in the game did I think TB would pull the upset. Cowboys O-line + Elliott is too much.

Of course if Cowboys had lost I wouldn't be here bragging about my keen powers of prediction.

[Fritz]

It does look that the Packers, IF they win out (a big, big "if") they'll face the Giants at home. And the Giants look like the real deal. They look like one of those typical nasty, hard-working outfits that the Packers can't match. And it's not the Packer offense - I think the Packer defense cannot match up with the Giants' offense.

[Pugger]

Good lord, not the Giants! :-P

[King Friday]

if the Packers win-out there is a scenario that they could end up with the 2nd seed and a 1st round bye.

go here (http://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs/machine) and work it out.

Well yeah...if the Giants and Seahawks both lose all of their remaining games. I don't see any chance of that happening...at least before pigs start flying. The Seahawks still have SF left, for crying out loud.

[pbmax]

It got them a Super Bowl, granted, but that fabled football executive John Elway has a mess on his hands now:

Denver Broncos' frustrations boil over after loss to Patriots (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000759572/article/denver-broncos-frustrations-boil-over-after-loss-to-patriots)

[denverYooper]

Dan Shaughnessy has been reading pb's posts:
Are the Patriots this good, or is every other team a Tomato Can? (https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/patriots/2016/12/18/are-patriots-this-good-every-other-team-bad/T31PtxHihdcbpGBhsrGmHJ/story.html)

Shaughnessy points out that the non-Patriots teams in the AFC East has mostly been terrible for the last 15 years.

[gbgary]

Well yeah...if the Giants and Seahawks both lose all of their remaining games. I don't see any chance of that happening...at least before pigs start flying. The Seahawks still have SF left, for crying out loud.

was just pointing that there is a chance, not that it's likely. lol

[ThunderDan]

It got them a Super Bowl, granted, but that fabled football executive John Elway has a mess on his hands now:

Denver Broncos' frustrations boil over after loss to Patriots (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000759572/article/denver-broncos-frustrations-boil-over-after-loss-to-patriots)

It looks like neither Super Bowl team will make the playoffs this year.

[Pugger]

Dan Shaughnessy has been reading pb's posts:
Are the Patriots this good, or is every other team a Tomato Can? (https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/patriots/2016/12/18/are-patriots-this-good-every-other-team-bad/T31PtxHihdcbpGBhsrGmHJ/story.html)

Shaughnessy points out that the non-Patriots teams in the AFC East has mostly been terrible for the last 15 years.

I didn't read the comments by readers in the article in your link but if they are like NE fans down here they probably will stomp their feet and tell you the AFCE is a tough division and scoff at the notion they've been beating up on cupcakes for years.

[denverYooper]

I didn't read the comments by readers in the article in your link but if they are like NE fans down here they probably will stomp their feet and tell you the AFCE is a tough division and scoff at the notion they've been beating up on cupcakes for years.

The Masshole contingent is well-represented in the Denver metropolitan area. They get particularly feisty around here because the Broncos have elbowed them out of the AFC a few times recently.

[gbgary]

car starting off well.

[Zool]

Who was the turnstile at RT for the Bucs last night? I think he studied at the Marshmallow Newhouse school for shitty o-line play.

[gbgary]

if the Packers win-out there is a scenario that they could end up with the 2nd seed and a 1st round bye.

go here (http://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs/machine) and work it out.

just found out this espn link has a flaw. DISREGARD!

Packers will be sitting in the 6th seed spot with car win tonight.

[King Friday]

Washington continues to be a pretender. Kirk Cousins is way overrated.

[King Friday]

Seems like most of the help we needed came through this week...thanks Santa.

[gbgary]

beat the fuckin' bears ✔

and...

we need these teams to lose:

det ✔
min ✔
sea :roll:
phi ✔
ari ✔
atl :roll:
tb ✔
was ✔

things worked out great for the Pack. we're sitting in the 6th playoff spot.

[Airin' Rodgers]

beat the fuckin' bears ✔

and...

we need these teams to lose:

det ✔
min ✔
sea :roll:
phi ✔
ari ✔
atl :roll:
tb ✔
was ✔

things worked out great for the Pack. we're sitting in the 6th playoff spot.

Can we clinch next week? We win, vikings are eliminated. Washington loses to Chicago, they are eliminated with a Packers win. Tampa loses....can they pass us in SOV with a week 17 win and a Packers loss?

[yetisnowman]

Wow what a perfect weekend for the Pack...we beat minny and Washington and Tampa bay lose , we are in right?

[gbgary]

Can we clinch next week?

I'm told we can if we win and NO, ATL, and CHI all win...but this info isn't 100%. will probably know for sure tomorrow.

[yetisnowman]

So I believe I figured it out. If we win this weekend and lose to detroit, and Tampa bay goes 1-1, the two teams would have identical division records and identical conference records. Next tiebreaker is common opponents, which I believe Tampa Bay would have the edge. Obviously we win out and we are in. But we do have wildcard options now. Which is amazing, considering where we were a month ago.

[Pugger]

If the playoffs started today we are the 6th seed.

http://www.nfl.com/playoffs/playoff-picture

[hoosier]

So I believe I figured it out. If we win this weekend and lose to detroit, and Tampa bay goes 1-1, the two teams would have identical division records and identical conference records. Next tiebreaker is common opponents, which I believe Tampa Bay would have the edge. Obviously we win out and we are in. But we do have wildcard options now. Which is amazing, considering where we were a month ago.

Division records have no role in WC tiebreaker for teams in different divisions. If the first two steps don't break the tie (they won't) then it comes down to SOV, which the Packers will win against TB and/or NYG.

[Fritz]

Can we clinch next week? We win, vikings are eliminated. Washington loses to Chicago, they are eliminated with a Packers win. Tampa loses....can they pass us in SOV with a week 17 win and a Packers loss?

The only thing we'll be clenching will be our sphincters when Minnesota's ahead in the fourth quarter.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Washington continues to be a pretender. Kirk Cousins is way overrated.

The Native Americans didn't melt down because of Cousins. I saw a lot of dropped passes. Also, Carolina has a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. When they hit on all cylinders they are, well, an internal combustion engine I suppose.

Is Kirk Cousins overrated? I think he is correctly thought of as a good, 2nd tier QB.

[vince]

Division records have no role in WC tiebreaker for teams in different divisions. If the first two steps don't break the tie (they won't) then it comes down to SOV, which the Packers will win against TB and/or NYG.
Right. It looks like a Packer win on Saturday (MIN) OR week 17 (DET) gets them a playoff spot IF the Bucs (@NO, CAR) and Skins (@CHI, NYG) each lose one of their last two games.

The Bucs or Skins winning out would require the Packers to win out and win the North.

In other words, it looks to me like the Packers are in with one win as long as neither the Bucs or Skins win out. A Packer win combined with losses by the Bucs and Skins on Saturday seals a playoff berth for GB - with the division yet to play for.

Here's a good layout along with scenarios, tie-breakers, etc. (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/standings/playoffrace)

EDIT: Actually the Packers get in as the North champs if they lose to MIN and beat DET IF Dallas beats DET - regardless of what the Bucs or Skins do. That scenario would end in a two- or three-way tie at the top of the North division and Green Bay wins tie-breakers in that situation - thanks to the Bears already beating both the Vikes and Lions while the Packers beat the Bears twice.

The teams we want winning this week are all at home:
Packers (vs. MIN - Sat. Noon)
Saints (vs. TB - Sat. 3p)
Bears (vs. WAS - Sat. Noon)
Cowboys (vs. DET - Monday Night)