I think the Bengals are going to win this one

[Catseye3]

The writers are calling the Bucs-Rams game (today) evenly matched. At first they were giving an edge to the Rams, then to the Bucs. Now they’re all (I guess) saying it’s two strong teams, and either one could win.

The Bucs lost five players, to the COVID list or the injury list. So that may be why the Bucs are not being looked upon with as much favor as earlier.

[Catseye3]

End of 1st Quarter: No Score.

For players who use the same body part every game, like QBs and kickers, when they’re in civilian life I wonder how careful they have to be to safeguard that body part against injury. To what degree do they avoid normal everyday activities that you and I do, like gardening or repairs.

QB: “Gee, honey, I’d love to empty the dishwasher, but remember that time the fork got stuck and I gave it a yank and almost sprained my wrist? Boy, that was scary, huh?”

[Mik]

Rams are killing them. But that's irrelevant in the light of Cincinnati whipping Pittsburgh at Heinz Field.

[LuFins Dad]

@mik said in I think the Bengals are going to win this one:

Rams are killing them. But that's irrelevant in the light of Cincinnati whipping Pittsburgh at Heinz Field.

LOL, we were whipped. Our line is garbage, and without TJ Watt, our defense is off balance.

[Catseye3]

@mik said in I think the Bengals are going to win this one:

Rams are killing them. But that's irrelevant in the light of Cincinnati whipping Pittsburgh at Heinz Field.

Congratulations! Happy for you.

I am sad.

[Catseye3]

Sobering injury report this morning across the teams that played yesterday. Nine teams listed, 10 injuries.

Bears
Chargers
Colts
Giants
Patriots
Saints
Steelers
Titans

For the Steelers, it was Juju. For the Bucs it was Gronk, which was reeeeally scary. The Bucs were debilitated already; losing Gronk one week before the Patriots game would have been totally sickening. But he came back to the game.
As for the shithead player who hit him, my rational mind acknowledges he was doing his job; my emotional self wants to drop his ass off a cliff.

[Jolly]

Football is not a contact sport, it is a collision sport.

At the pro level, nobody escapes unhurt.

[Mik]

Cats, if you watch the players carefully you will see many things they do and ways they tackle where they try very hard not to injure another player. But it still happens.

[Catseye3]

@mik I'm glad to hear that, and have no problem believing it. Maybe Gronk's tackler overestimated the force necessary to bring him down, seeing Gronk is a GIANT.

He had an MRI done on his ribs; it came back negative.

[Jolly]

As someone who played the game at a very minor level, I don't think anybody ever pulled up on a hard hit. It's why you play the game.

You don't take cheap shots and you don't intentionally try to maim or hurt people, but hit them just as hard as you can? That's football.

I've slobber-knocked some guys, I've knocked some guys out. I had a guy hit me so hard, it broke all the bolts in my four-way chinstrap.

As long as the hit is clean, it's just football...

[LuFins Dad]

3-1, congratulations again!

[Jolly]

It was a good game, featuring two future stars.

[Mik]

Jacksonville sure did not look like an 0-4 team. Still, Meyer lost the game. When you are 0-3 and ahead by 14 you take the field goal. Your team has already been playing well enough to have confidence.

[Mik]

But what I saw was a team that adjusted at halftime successfully. That never happened during the Lewis years. Bravo coaches.

[Jolly]

@mik said in I think the Bengals are going to win this one:

But what I saw was a team that adjusted at halftime successfully. That never happened during the Lewis years. Bravo coaches.

The Bengals are a second half team. Seems to be their personality . Lawrence is going to continue to get better. Hopefully, Jacksonville doesn't stay mired in dysfunction.

[Catseye3]

A mixed bag for the Bucs. Gronk was kept out of practice yesterday because of his ribs; I'm hoping it's just a matter of extra precaution. Bucs signed Richard Sherman this week; apparently this is good news as Sherman is a respected cornerback and the Bucs' secondary is causing worry and it's thought Sherman will help with this. Don't know if it's a legitimate worry that they're putting him in on Sunday already; are they that worried about the lineup as it stands?

Scotty Miller is out for three weeks with turf toe.

The good news is that Antonio Brown is off the COVID list and will play Sunday.

Brady was hoarse during his press conference yesterday; second time. Making me a little nervous, but maybe it's just that he's been straining his vocal chords during practice.

Not sure, but I think the Bucs are the favorites at this point.

God, I wish this game was over with. I'm not cut out for this level of suspense.

[Jolly]

I think Sherman is past his sell-by date.

[Catseye3]

Stupid CBS headlined that Brady appeared to be "extremely sick" at his presser.

He did NOT look extremely sick. It's not like he was streaming sweat and using the podium to hold himself up. Other than his voice, he seemed fine -- although he did look tired. Big surprise, on the Thursday before Foxboro. CBS ginning for ratings.

Assholes.

Bucs had loud recorded crowd noise during practice this week. Brady had to shout over it to be heard.

[Catseye3]

Season-ending hip injury to Pats' James White. HUUGE implications apparently.

https://www.sportscasting.com/patriots-suffer-devastating-injury-blow-season-altering-implications-mac-jones/

[Catseye3]

Is it me, or is this game shaping up as a match between the lame and the halt?