Welcome to the Week 12 version of the Sunday FreakOut, the place we react and overreact to every little thing that occurred within the Sunday afternoon video games. For the total Sunday roundup podcast-style, be sure you subscribe to The MMQB Podcast, in your feed each Monday morning…
Table of Contents
Issues That Made Me Giddy
Gronk After Catch: This was a classic Rob Gronkowski efficiency. Not a can’t-control-the-volume-of-his-voice-in-an-insurance-ad efficiency, however a mauling-his-way-for-chunks-of-extra-yardage efficiency.
Bengals-Steelers Is Not a Rivalry: That might indicate that the Steelers are aggressive when the groups play. During the last three video games, it’s Bengals 92, Steelers 37.
Patrick Graham’s Protection Nonetheless Works: Even with Logan Ryan out once more, this Giants protection had free defenders attending to the precise spots to destroy Jalen Hurts’s afternoon and throw the Eagles’ playoff hopes into peril.
Adrian Amos’s Fourth-Down Cease:
That Broncos Secondary: Notably Patrick Surtain on this one, who was glorious once more together with a 70-yard pick-six. It was one of two interceptions of Justin Herbert, because the Broncos at the moment are 5–0 once they get a number of takeaways.
Deebo Samuel With the Ball in His Arms: He’s the Kyle Shanahan-iest of all of the Kyle Shanahan receivers. He had two dashing TDs on Sunday, giving him 5 on the 12 months (earlier than leaving with a groin damage).
(*12*)Tua Getting Higher: Franchise quarterback higher? No. However baseline stage of competence higher? Sure! He’s displaying higher motion throughout the pocket, which can hopefully result in the Dolphins increasing this offense in some unspecified time in the future (assuming they’re not going to get three interceptions and a particular groups TD each week, through which case it doesn’t actually matter what they do offensively).
Dolphins D on a Run: Granted, no world-beaters on the schedule of late, however they haven’t given up greater than 17 factors in a recreation since Halloween. Will the takeaways—10 throughout their four-game win streak after 9 within the first eight video games—preserve coming?
Kene Ngwanu’s Velocity, Nonetheless: This time it was a 99-yard kickoff return, the second of the 12 months for the Vikings rookie. Once more, learn all about him from buddy of the present Marcus Krum.
Kevin Byard Blitzing From Deep: He’s a particular participant for lots of causes, however twice on Sunday he lined up someplace in Braintree and nonetheless managed to get there on a blitz (one for a strain, one for a sack), fully throwing off Mac Jones’s pre-snap learn.
Vita Vea’s Tooth: Thankfully the gamers’ affiliation didn’t commerce their dental plan for a keg of beer (but).
(*12*)Regrets
Titans Come to Foxboro Bearing Presents: Even when they did hand them out a couple of hours earlier than the official begin of Hanukkah. Three completely different Titans working backs misplaced fumbles, Ryan Tannehill threw a fourth-and-goal interception on the 1, and Randy Bullock doinked a PAT and a 44-yard try within the first half, all turning what was a bit of a dogfight right into a blowout in the long run.
Cam Newton Fizzles: Oof, we did simply see the Dolphins get the higher of Lamar Jackson and the Ravens a couple of weeks in the past. However on Sunday they made Newton look each bit like a man who couldn’t discover a roster spot till November. The Panthers struggled to guard, continuously failed to choose up blitzes and there was a smattering of drops, however Newton’s two interceptions had been totally on him—one ball got here out far too late, the opposite was a power to a receiver coated completely by Xavien Howard. The efficiency completely matched the ultimate stat line (5-for-21, 92 yards, two INTs, 5.8 passer score), and he was mercifully pulled for P.J. Walker late.
Dalvin Prepare dinner’s Knee: He was carted off with a knee damage, on a play on which he misplaced a fumble to set the 49ers up with a brief subject, in what was a brutal second for the Vikings offense.
(*12*)Jalen Reagor’s Arms: It’s been a tricky first season-plus for the 2020 first-round decide (chosen *sigh* one spot forward of Justin Jefferson). Sunday featured two drops on the aim line within the last minute of a six-point loss. The primary was an over-the-shoulder try, one with a reasonably excessive diploma of problem. The second was… yeesh. He had a fame for inconsistent arms coming out of TCU. (Possibly we’re a Nelson Agholor profession path?)
The Eagles Miss Too Many Alternatives: Not simply the 2 Reagor drops, however the third-and-goal from the 1 interception to finish the primary half, one of two red-zone INTs. It was a nightmare state of affairs in a recreation the place factors had been at a premium.
Rams Return Sport: J.J. Koski, the rookie return man from Cal Poly, bumped into Sony Michel on one kickoff return, crammed in for Cooper Kupp on a punt return and proceeded to fumble it away for a turnover, then muffed one other kickoff, pinning the Rams at their very own 20. Kupp got here again for the following punt return and did not subject it, letting the ball roll an additional 15 yards to the 1-yard line.
(*12*)The Onside Kick Needed to Go Away Years In the past: Everyone knows that the competitors committee is usually asleep on the change in the case of… properly, soccer. But it surely’s unbelievable that that is nonetheless one thing we topic gamers to in 2021:
Officers Go away Their Mark in Indy Once more: It’s unclear whether or not it was Frank Reich or Matt Eberflus who peed within the punch bowl on the Fraternal Order of Again Judges Annual Gala, however the go interference flags that got here out within the third quarter towards the Colts had been each game-altering and totally brutal. There was a mutual-hand-fighting, 37-yard penalty that Scotty Miller(!) drew to arrange a Bucs landing, and on the next drive a third-and-goal cease was erased by a phantom P.I. flag that, if something, ought to have been thrown on the offense. As an alternative, it resulted in a free 4 factors for Tampa.
Jackrabbit Has Myxomatosis: That is… some type of effort within the open subject:
(*12*)No matter Is Taking place in Houston: Justin Reid, one of the few gamers you might establish as a possible half of the group’s future, was a wholesome scratch on Sunday as a result of some type of disciplinary motion and was confused and dismayed to say the least. We’ve written about the Texans’ weird “tradition” a couple of occasions right here, and the very fact is you’re shrinking your pool of potential gamers with no matter that is they’re insisting on doing. So not solely will discovering gamers be a problem, however retaining the proficient ones already on the roster shall be too. Reid, by the best way, is within the last 12 months of his rookie contract. Oh, additionally, on Sunday they acquired de-pantsed, at house, by the Jets.
Moments We’ll Inform Our Grandkids About
Mike Vrabel’s Very Indignant Problem: Rightfully so, contemplating sky decide is meant to appropriate clearly incorrect calls on the fly. And even when the NFL rule {that a} participant have to be touched down is objectively dumb (nothing like including a subjective “giving himself up” judgement to already overwhelmed officers), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was 5 yards deep in the long run zone earlier than anybody on the Patriots touched him.
(*12*)This Antoine Winfield Jr. Choose: Kryptonite for the Carson Wentz Underthrow play.
Chris Myarick: On the Knees Staff.
No matter Mac Jones Is Celebrating: Although if we ever had a 12 months when an officiating crew was going to mis-spot a ball by three yards…
What We’ll Be Speaking About This Week
These Heartbreak Colts: After offensive red-zone struggles price them early within the season, they’ve been near-dominant over the previous two months however have misplaced three video games: two in time beyond regulation, one as a result of of a kicker damage, and two marred by atrocious officiating. On Sunday, they had been in management towards Tampa till a rash of second-half turnovers—a strip sack, an exceptional defensive play on a deep ball (that was, in actuality, nearer to go interference than both of the game-altering flags thrown towards Colts defenders), and a muffed punt. Indy can play with anybody within the NFL, however at 6–6, and with the Patriots and a visit to Arizona nonetheless on the schedule, there’s now just about no margin for error.
(*12*)Ben’s Final Stand: The query is whether or not it’ll take place in December, or if we already noticed it take place final December.
Subsequent Monday Night time’s Sport: ESPN’s flip to subservience to the NFL pays off, as as an alternative of getting, say, Dolphins-Giants subsequent week the NFL offers them the precise recreation of the 12 months, one with honest-to-God playoff implications: Patriots at Payments.
• Query or remark? Email us.
