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NFL
Nov 29, 2021 20:59:28 GMT
Post by kds on Nov 29, 2021 20:59:28 GMT
The Vikings were without Everson Griffen (another mental health crisis) and Dalvin Tomlinson is yet another of our unvaxxed guys to miss time with COVID. With Danielle Hunter out the year and Michael Pierce also out, our defensive line was just decimated even going in.
Then losing Dalvin Cook obviously didn't help, not that he was doing much. At 5-6 and with the injuries we've got, it seems the year is over. Though I thought that a few weeks ago before they got a few more wins. But it's hard to be excited about this team, I will tell you that much.
You should really try to talk some sense into the Ravens fans around here. The 2021 Ravens have been heavily hampered by injuries, and yet, still find themselves 8-3 with the best record in the AFC going into December. Yet, half our fanbase is ready to jump off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. It's really weird, all this team has done since the year 2000 (I'm discounting the 1996-99 "Honeymoon Era") is win, but you wouldn't know it around here.
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NFL
Nov 29, 2021 21:16:50 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Nov 29, 2021 21:16:50 GMT
Heh, well Vikings fans are usually quite irrational, too! This year I feel more rational mostly because I have been keeping some distance from the team, watching only here and there when I'm not busy and feeling like it. The more wrapped up you get, the harder each setback is. (Which explains how I am so irrationally angry at the Gophers' QB announcing he's going to return for a 6th season thanks to his redshirt year and then the free COVID year. He's among the most successful QBs the team has ever had, but he's very imperfect and frankly I he annoys me. So while we're 8-4 and headed to a nice bowl somewhere, I'm angry he's coming back!)
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NFL
Nov 30, 2021 13:11:47 GMT
Post by kds on Nov 30, 2021 13:11:47 GMT
Heh, well Vikings fans are usually quite irrational, too! This year I feel more rational mostly because I have been keeping some distance from the team, watching only here and there when I'm not busy and feeling like it. The more wrapped up you get, the harder each setback is. (Which explains how I am so irrationally angry at the Gophers' QB announcing he's going to return for a 6th season thanks to his redshirt year and then the free COVID year. He's among the most successful QBs the team has ever had, but he's very imperfect and frankly I he annoys me. So while we're 8-4 and headed to a nice bowl somewhere, I'm angry he's coming back!) I think I can understand the irrationality of Vikings fans a little more than with Ravens fans.
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NFL
Nov 30, 2021 13:21:53 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Nov 30, 2021 13:21:53 GMT
As far as picking games, predicting things, and just the overall up-and-down nature of teams' performance - this is the strangest season I can ever remember. I suppose COVID19 is partially to blame, but I'm wondering if more parity is starting to creep into the sport.
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NFL
Nov 30, 2021 14:33:20 GMT
Post by kds on Nov 30, 2021 14:33:20 GMT
As far as picking games, predicting things, and just the overall up-and-down nature of teams' performance - this is the strangest season I can ever remember. I suppose COVID19 is partially to blame, but I'm wondering if more parity is starting to creep into the sport. Each year, the injury reports seem to get longer and longer. Throw COVID 19 into the mix, as well as an extra week of regular season football, that'll give you a crazy year.
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NFL
Nov 30, 2021 14:39:08 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Nov 30, 2021 14:39:08 GMT
As far as picking games, predicting things, and just the overall up-and-down nature of teams' performance - this is the strangest season I can ever remember. I suppose COVID19 is partially to blame, but I'm wondering if more parity is starting to creep into the sport. Each year, the injury reports seem to get longer and longer. Throw COVID 19 into the mix, as well as an extra week of regular season football, that'll give you a crazy year. I think part of that is players are taking their long-term health more seriously, and teams are thinking about their longer-term investments. In the past, guys would play through pain and injuries far more often--even though they suffered a lot of post-career health consequences. Now, I just don't think as many guys are as willing to do that.
What's funny is, the value of the sport has gone way, way up, and yet this change in holding guys out more often and for lesser injuries means the quality inherently goes down. The very thing that leads them to protect themselves/their investments is what actually makes the game worse, and could theoretically lower the value. How's that for a catch-22?
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NFL
Nov 30, 2021 14:41:04 GMT
Post by kds on Nov 30, 2021 14:41:04 GMT
Each year, the injury reports seem to get longer and longer. Throw COVID 19 into the mix, as well as an extra week of regular season football, that'll give you a crazy year. I think part of that is players are taking their long-term health more seriously, and teams are thinking about their longer-term investments. In the past, guys would play through pain and injuries far more often--even though they suffered a lot of post-career health consequences. Now, I just don't think as many guys are as willing to do that.
What's funny is, the value of the sport has gone way, way up, and yet this change in holding guys out more often and for lesser injuries means the quality inherently goes down. The very thing that leads them to protect themselves/their investments is what actually makes the game worse, and could theoretically lower the value. How's that for a catch-22?
I chalk that up to the obsession with fantasy football. That's the only reason a mediocre product like Thursday Night Football draws ratings each week.
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NFL
Dec 6, 2021 14:49:13 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Dec 6, 2021 14:49:13 GMT
The Vikings lost to the worst team in football, making the Vikings...? The remaining schedule includes at least three teams who will be favored over us in Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Los Angeles Rams, as well as two games against Chicago. Talk of major changes (including the coaching staff) is back after wins against the Chargers and Packers temporarily cooled it. But especially with players dropping to injuries (Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, Anthony Barr, Danielle Hunter, Eric Kendricks) and COVID (Bisi Johnson the latest in what has been a constant thing for this sadly largely unvaxxed team) and even mental health issues (Everson Griffen) all on top of the general malaise setting in, the odds of a strong finish seem slight.
(Thank goodness I had the good sense to watch the Gophers basketball team play at Mississippi State instead. They defied expectations and won going to 7-0.)
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NFL
Dec 6, 2021 14:51:51 GMT
Post by kds on Dec 6, 2021 14:51:51 GMT
The Ravens lost a tough one 20-19 to Pittsburgh, failing on a two point conversion after scoring a TD with 12 seconds left. When asked why John Harbaugh went for the win instead of OT, he responded that CB Marlon Humphrey was injured, and wasn't sure what kind of a defense he could field in OT.
Yet another injury to another key player. Crazy thing is, the Ravens are still in first place, with the Bengals losing yesterday. But, the wheels are definitely wobbling.
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NFL
Dec 10, 2021 13:20:47 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Dec 10, 2021 13:20:47 GMT
Sheriff John Stone, did you hang on to Dalvin Cook through the season for your fantasy team? If you played him this week, congrats to you. Quite a game last night, it seems. (I didn't actually watch it, but see the box score.)
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NFL
Dec 10, 2021 14:17:10 GMT
Post by kds on Dec 10, 2021 14:17:10 GMT
While I'm glad to see the Steelers lose, it's a bit disheartening to see that other teams seemingly have little problems dealing with their defense. They looked like the Steel Curtain against the Ravens last Sunday. Although, I think if we had JK Dobbins or Gus Edwards, the game, and probably our season, would be different.
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NFL
Dec 10, 2021 20:07:30 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 10, 2021 20:07:30 GMT
Sheriff John Stone , did you hang on to Dalvin Cook through the season for your fantasy team? If you played him this week, congrats to you. Quite a game last night, it seems. (I didn't actually watch it, but see the box score.) I respect the heck out of Dalvin; he's a tough guy. But, due to the beatings he takes and his injuries, I haven't been playing him for awhile.
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NFL
Dec 13, 2021 13:26:48 GMT
Post by kds on Dec 13, 2021 13:26:48 GMT
The Ravens dropped another close game yesterday. Although it was impressive how they almost came back after falling behind 24-6 and losing Lamar Jackson.
And, thanks to a Bengals loss, the declining 8-5 Ravens still find themselves in first place in the AFC North with four weeks left to play.
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NFL
Dec 20, 2021 13:15:40 GMT
Post by kds on Dec 20, 2021 13:15:40 GMT
The Ravens, with about half of their starting defense out or on the COVID list, almost pulled out a miracle last night against Green Bay, losing 31-30. For the second time in three weeks, we drove down for a TD in the final minute only to try, and fail, at a two point conversion.
I'm not sure if John Harbaugh thinks that, with all of the injuries that we have to key personnel, that we're playing with house money, so we should let it ride, but it's looking increasingly more and more like these gambles might cost the Ravens a playoff spot.
At 8-6, we're tied with Bengals, although they have the head-to-head, so they're in first place right now. So, this Sunday's match up in Cincy will likely decide the AFC North.
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NFL
Dec 21, 2021 14:33:19 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 21, 2021 14:33:19 GMT
A great article calling out Bruce Arians:
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