Four Down Territory: NFL Week 14
First Down
The Vikings are 6-6-1. They just fired their offensive coordinator. They’ve scored 17 points (many during garbage time) over the past two weeks. There’s a good chance they could miss the playoffs completely.
And none of that matters.
I saw this today on Twitter and I just can’t get over it.
If you count Kirk Cousins franchise tags with Redskins.
He essentially is in middle of a
6-year $152 million guaranteed contract.In a league where most contracts are heavily slanted towards owners, Cousins deserves to be in HOF
— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) December 11, 2018
For those keeping stock at home Kirk‘s record against winning teams is 4-24. That means there’s a 17% chance that Cousins is going to beat a good team.
He somehow found a way to fleece the Vikings for $84 million GUARANTEED. His numbers always look respectable but once you throw on the film it’s easy to see that those numbers aren’t all that they appear to be.
The irony of this? The Vikings felt like they were just a quarterback away so they gave Kirk the first fully guaranteed contract ever in the NFL. A contract that will most likely reset the quarterback market.
In Minnesota’s defense, it did appear that if Case Keenum were even average they would be in title contention every year. They have the defense, skill players…everything. Signing Cousins made all the sense in the world. Not at the contract but it made sense to why they’d go get him.
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Now they’re a team clinging on for their playoff life and even if they do make it in the odds that they win a playoff came are slim.
Kirk Cousins’ career will be defined as the perfect storm in a league that’s transitioning into a new era.
Most people aspire to be Tom Brady or Drew Brees. Give me Kirk Cousins/Brock Osweiler‘s career any day.
Second Down
Speaking of collapses; the Panthers have lost five straight after starting 6-2 and are on the verge of falling out of the playoffs.
What gives?
The offense over the past five games is averaging 20.8 points per game. The first six games they averaged 36.7. Let the record show that they hung 42 on Tampa Bay so that number is inflated. If you remove that they still averaged 35.6 points per game.
The other stat that pops out is that in every Carolina win, except against Cincinnati, Christian McCaffrey has under 100 yards of total offense.
In every Carolina loss, except for Atlanta, McCaffrey has over 100 yards of total offense.
When the Panthers build the offense around McCaffrey and stop distributing the ball to other skill players they become one dimensional and lose.
Philadelphia is having he same problem with Zach Ertz.
If the Panthers want to get out of the mud then they must go back to the offense in the beginning of the year. Keeping teams off balanced by spreading the ball is the key to Carolina’s success.
Too bad they still have to play the Saints, twice.
Third Down
We have a BIG MAN TOUCHDOWN ALERT!!!
Bet you didn't see this one coming. Or maybe you did. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
15-6, #DaBears! #LARvsCHI https://t.co/ncARc0xKoI
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 10, 2018
The Bears beat the Rams Sunday night in Chicago and have all but locked the NFC North. The defense is reminiscent of defenses of old and no one wants to play the Bears, espcially in Chicago.
When Trubisky was taken many, myself included, scoffed at that fact and though he hasn’t been spectacular he does just enough to keep the Bears afloat. He’s kind of like Dak in that regard. He’s in the middle of the pack in every passing statistic, except interceptions he has a lot of those, but Coach Naggie doesn’t need him to carry the offense.
Along with the Seahawks and Ravens the Bears are not folding to the new NFL trend of chucking it around the field. They’re going to win by running the ball and playing great defense.
A recipe that is tried and true in a league that’s almost been around for 100 years.
Fourth Down
This was going to go in the extra points section but it’s so spectacular that it deserves its on slide.
Patrick Mahomes' no-look pass. He's just different pic.twitter.com/oZxehCHXbg
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 9, 2018
No seriously, look at this.
Another angle to the Patrick Mahomes no-look passpic.twitter.com/yxCgZAcMOZ
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 9, 2018
BRUH LOOK AT THIS SH*T ONE MORE TIME
https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1071987786113273856
Mahomes for MVP until he retires.
Extra Points
Say what you want the these Seahawks uniforms are fire.
Let's hear it…. YAY or NAY on the #ActionGreen uniforms…#Seahawks #MINvsSEA #MNF pic.twitter.com/PKu0LGjYwE
— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) December 11, 2018
The Miami Miracle was awesome but further shows the point I made last week. Gronk does not have a lot of football left in his body. He looks like a offensive lineman and his angle was terrible.
👇 MUST WATCH 👇
This will go down in @miamidolphins history…
The Miami Miracle 👏 pic.twitter.com/Ahsn1izRH4
— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) December 9, 2018
The Saints struggled against the Bucs and still put up 28 points. They’ll be fine, folks.
@ me: madads14
As always, thanks for reading.
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