NFL: News and transactions

johnmd20

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The team that wins the Super Bowl will be the team with the least amount of injuries.

Last year, Tampa was actually very healthy in the playoffs. And they had Tom Brady.

Baltimore has no chance to win the SB this year. They are all smoke and mirrors. Kind of like the Pats in 2019 and Pitt last year.
 

The Talented Allen Ripley

holden
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Texans waive LB Zach Cunningham. He was a healthy scratch on Sunday vs. the Colts for disciplinary reasons (late for a COVID test), which was the latest in a line of transgressions, apparently.

Cunningham had a tardiness problem. He was benched for Sunday’s game against the Colts because he was late to COVID-19 testing that morning, Culley said. Culley also sat Cunningham for the first quarter of the Texans’ Week 2 game against the Browns because of a disciplinary issue. And Cunningham missed a preseason game for an unspecified personal reason.
 

E5 Yaz

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Texans waive LB Zach Cunningham. He was a healthy scratch on Sunday vs. the Colts for disciplinary reasons (late for a COVID test), which was the latest in a line of transgressions, apparently.
Ouch

"We have standards," coach David Culley said. "I didn't feel like those standards were being met consistently. It wasn't tough at all (to waive Cunningham). It's about the team. It's not about one individual player."
 

MuppetAsteriskTalk

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Feb 19, 2015
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Ouch

"We have standards," coach David Culley said. "I didn't feel like those standards were being met consistently. It wasn't tough at all (to waive Cunningham). It's about the team. It's not about one individual player."
I think I would have went with, "we don't comment about players that are no longer on our team."
 

luckiestman

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I think I would have went with, "we don't comment about players that are no longer on our team."
I’m kind of surprised by the Texans this year. I expected Kotite’s Jets level stuff and it hasn’t been that. They lose a lot of games but they look like a professional football team most of the time.
 

johnmd20

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I’m kind of surprised by the Texans this year. I expected Kotite’s Jets level stuff and it hasn’t been that. They lose a lot of games but they look like a professional football team most of the time.
Come on man. They are 2-10 with a -159 point differential. That is worse than Jacksonville's differential.

It is a team made up of professional football players. Some of them are even great players. They might not be the Bad News Bears of the NFL because no team is the Bad News Bears of the NFL. But they are atrocious, Kotite level bad.
 

E5 Yaz

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To be charitable, they look like a professional football team to a Jets fan
 

luckiestman

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Come on man. They are 2-10 with a -159 point differential. That is worse than Jacksonville's differential.

It is a team made up of professional football players. Some of them are even great players. They might not be the Bad News Bears of the NFL because no team is the Bad News Bears of the NFL. But they are atrocious, Kotite level bad.
I was ready for something special. They might not even be the worst team in the league.
 

Cellar-Door

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Come on man. They are 2-10 with a -159 point differential. That is worse than Jacksonville's differential.

It is a team made up of professional football players. Some of them are even great players. They might not be the Bad News Bears of the NFL because no team is the Bad News Bears of the NFL. But they are atrocious, Kotite level bad.
They have really really bad talent, and their starting QB has missed a huge chunk of the year. In the games Tyrod played the bulk of they were dead even heading into IND. They were down 21-0 when he got hurt.
They're a medium bad team but the differential is exacerbated by the games played by a 3rd round rookie who was expected to be 3rd on the DC.
 

johnmd20

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They have really really bad talent, and their starting QB has missed a huge chunk of the year. In the games Tyrod played the bulk of they were dead even heading into IND. They were down 21-0 when he got hurt.
They're a medium bad team but the differential is exacerbated by the games played by a 3rd round rookie who was expected to be 3rd on the DC.
Yes, they are a very bad team.

But even the worst teams in the NFL are made up of professionals who know how to play football. They aren't bumbling around, just getting crushed because they stink.
 

Time to Mo Vaughn

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Mar 24, 2008
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The Dolphins keep winning I could see them and Pats getting flexed to Saturday.

View: https://twitter.com/mysportsupdate/status/1470775664534040577?s=21
Don't these games usually have to have no playoff dependencies that would give an unfair advantage to a team playing a later game? I feel like they will be very limited in their ability to choose which games they can flex unless of course they just abandon this philosophy and don't mind giving someone a competitive advantage.
 

Mystic Merlin

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Don't these games usually have to have no playoff dependencies that would give an unfair advantage to a team playing a later game? I feel like they will be very limited in their ability to choose which games they can flex unless of course they just abandon this philosophy and don't mind giving someone a competitive advantage.
They usually try to flex games with self contained playoff implications, eg, a division matchup where the winner is in (division champ) and the loser is out. Of course, and as you note, this depends on there being such matchups available.
 

Dogman

Yukon Cornelius
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Yeah, that was very well done.

With the upcoming problem the NFL will almost certainly have, I wonder if there is the potential to extend the season/playoffs. It is going to get ugly fast with positive cases like this.

Imagine the NFL forcing teams to play a playoff game if they have a number of starters on their Covid lists? The SuperBowl may be a bit different with the two weeks and limiting media exposure but holy cow, the wild card, divisional, and CG could all be hugely affected.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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View: https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/1470856884148125701?s=20


Albert Breer
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Source: The Rams had several players who played in last night’s game come up positive for COVID-19 this morning (the tests were administered before the game). Beckham is one of those.

League is going to have to deal with these sorts of things the next couple months.
I haven't been paying super close attention to the league protocols but is this as shady as it sounds? The league is testing just before games to fulfill testing requirements, but not so soon before that a positive player would get pulled last minute—do I have that right? If I can get test results in 15 minutes from the walk-in clinic down the street I am pretty sure the NFL can get their test results sooner than "conveniently after the game is finished."
 

Justthetippett

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Aug 9, 2015
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View: https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/1470856884148125701?s=20


Albert Breer
@AlbertBreer
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8m
Source: The Rams had several players who played in last night’s game come up positive for COVID-19 this morning (the tests were administered before the game). Beckham is one of those.

League is going to have to deal with these sorts of things the next couple months.
Way to hold them to account Breer. “Going to have to deal with” what, exactly? Covering up test results that would affect high profile games? Don’t forget the integrity of the shield!
 

mauf

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I haven't been paying super close attention to the league protocols but is this as shady as it sounds? The league is testing just before games to fulfill testing requirements, but not so soon before that a positive player would get pulled last minute—do I have that right? If I can get test results in 15 minutes from the walk-in clinic down the street I am pretty sure the NFL can get their test results sooner than "conveniently after the game is finished."
If the NFL is testing asymptomatic, vaccinated people, that’s going above and beyond. I don’t have a problem with them timing those tests so they don’t wreak havoc hours before a game. Besides, the primary risk of transmission is in the locker room, not on the field; the risk on game day probably isn’t much different than it is the rest of the week.
 

johnmd20

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If the NFL is testing asymptomatic, vaccinated people, that’s going above and beyond. I don’t have a problem with them timing those tests so they don’t wreak havoc hours before a game. Besides, the primary risk of transmission is in the locker room, not on the field; the risk on game day probably isn’t much different than it is the rest of the week.
I couldn't agree more. This teeth gnashing is absurd. "Hold them to account." Whose account are we being held to?

Covid is everywhere right now. What is the league supposed to do? There are no more shut downs and I'm not even sure shutting down is the right move with high quality vaccines available.
 

Justthetippett

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Aug 9, 2015
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I couldn't agree more. This teeth gnashing is absurd. "Hold them to account." Whose account are we being held to?

Covid is everywhere right now. What is the league supposed to do? There are no more shut downs and I'm not even sure shutting down is the right move with high quality vaccines available.
We don’t know who the NFL is testing, when, how and under what protocols. Even when they say one thing they could be doing another. A huge chunk of the population remains involuntarily unvaxxed (every child under 5), meaning every schlub on the sideline has his family put at risk when exposed to a known case. I get that we’re all tired of COVID and want to enjoy football, but this is reckless and dumb. The longer it circulates, the more it mutates, the more likely it is to evade vaccines.

(I work on vaccine distribution in poor countries; they would literally kill for the access we have and take for granted.)
 

johnmd20

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(I work on vaccine distribution in poor countries; they would literally kill for the access we have and take for granted.)
I salute you for your work. But that doesn't have much to do with what is happening in the NFL.

What schlub on the sideline are you referring to? A presumably vaxxed person who is earning a living? Do you feel the same way about every waiter and waitress in the world? How about people who work at Target and CVS?

What schlub are you protecting?
 

cornwalls@6

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I couldn't agree more. This teeth gnashing is absurd. "Hold them to account." Whose account are we being held to?

Covid is everywhere right now. What is the league supposed to do? There are no more shut downs and I'm not even sure shutting down is the right move with high quality vaccines available.
Agree. And apparently Florio has gone round the bend as well. Absent specific cause or evidence, the league should do a deep dive investigation into the efficacy of every vaccine card that wasn’t done at a team facility? Because of one documented case of fraud? I bash the league office for a lot things, as much as anybody. But railing against them on this feels like hysterical over reaction. They have reasonable protocols in place. As you point out, we have very effective vaccines, widely available. And a soon to be available, apparently very effective, treatment medication. Absent a completely unrealistic shut down, what else can they really do? (asking rhetorically)

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/12/14/with-fresh-covid-outbreak-nfl-should-look-for-fake-vaccination-cards-now/.
 

koufax32

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I think we’re about to hit a unique patch from now until maybe even part way through the playoffs, where any team that can get everyone boosted AND have the self-discipline to proactively up their protocols, can have a significant advantage. Like affecting playoff seeding/participation. I have no doubt that BB has already started preaching this. I wonder if anyone else has?
 

Justthetippett

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Aug 9, 2015
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I salute you for your work. But that doesn't have much to do with what is happening in the NFL.

What schlub on the sideline are you referring to? A presumably vaxxed person who is earning a living? Do you feel the same way about every waiter and waitress in the world? How about people who work at Target and CVS?

What schlub are you protecting?
I do yes. Primarily because the don’t have a lot of choice (facilities guys, etc.) about what they do for a living. I would expect a higher standard from the NFL because of the resources at their disposal. And for competitive reasons, if you’re going to eliminate a guy for testing positive on Friday, the same rule should hold for Sunday or Monday.
 

RedOctober3829

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Agree. And apparently Florio has gone round the bend as well. Absent specific cause or evidence, the league should do a deep dive investigation into the efficacy of every vaccine card that wasn’t done at a team facility? Because of one documented case of fraud? I bash the league office for a lot things, as much as anybody. But railing against them on this feels like hysterical over reaction. They have reasonable protocols in place. As you point out, we have very effective vaccines, widely available. And a soon to be available, apparently very effective, treatment medication. Absent a completely unrealistic shut down, what else can they really do? (asking rhetorically)

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/12/14/with-fresh-covid-outbreak-nfl-should-look-for-fake-vaccination-cards-now/.
How about enforce mandatory masking in the facility at all times regardless of vaccination status? How about encouraging people not to go out to dinner or be in a public setting where COVID can become a high risk? This country has gotten way too lax when it comes to proper procedures beyond vaccinations. Many think because they are vaxxed that they can just go out and live a normal pre-covid life.
 

cornwalls@6

Less observant than others
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How about enforce mandatory masking in the facility at all times regardless of vaccination status? How about encouraging people not to go out to dinner or be in a public setting where COVID can become a high risk? This country has gotten way too lax when it comes to proper procedures beyond vaccinations. Many think because they are vaxxed that they can just go out and live a normal pre-covid life.
I was referring specifically to the league’s policies. I think they’ve done about as much as they can to try and keep infections as low as possible, and keep their business operating. Masking at the facilities may be a good addition to the protocols. But there’s going to be cases regardless of what they do. As far as what people in general should or shouldn’t be doing, I’m going to leave that to the threads in V & N where it has been discussed throughout the pandemic.
 

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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In other news, Kevin James (????) is playing Sean Payton in a movie about his year off due to Bountygate.

 

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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Oh man. Why.
My favorite part of the trailer is when the coach of the other pee-wee team informs Payton that "(You're) in football country now!!!" Because, you see, youth football in the South is big-time. Payton is not ready for that.
 

Dogman

Yukon Cornelius
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It does look horrible for sure. But why does it look horrible? He said it did so I assume he watched the trailer. If he watched the 2 minute trailer then taking 15 seconds to write out why he feels it is horrible is what we are looking for, similar to what DJ said in his followup post.

That isn't asking much.