Thursday, October 12, 2017

By The Pigskin Of Our Teeth, Week 3: One-Point Stance




Then this game happened. I'm not sure I'd call it "good", necessarily. But it was far more entertaining -- especially from the Niners' side -- that it had any right to be. (Rams 41, 49ers 39)

So my friend Rob pointed this out:

"No matter where one stands on anthem protests (and I always stand for the anthem myself) it is terrifying to me how many people, including apparently our POTUS, have no idea that the Supreme Court decision Barnette v West Virginia exists or that it is illegal to compel someone to participate in the anthem (and therefore, illegal to fire someone for refusing to participate)."

Colin Kaepernick hasn't hurt anyone with his protest. (Except himself, and then only financially.) Colin Kaepernick never said he didn't love this country. Colin Kaepernick never said he was protesting the military. Nobody even noticed he was sitting last year until after the second preseason game, and the only reason it came up then is because a reporter asked him about it and he made his case. So when our garbage fire of a president calls kneeling players sons of bitches, he's not just insulting Kaepernick -- he's insulting the idea that these guys are capable of caring about something other than themselves, and are actually willing to risk something to prompt discussion about it. What you're seeing today is NFL players banding together and saying, "No. We don't stand with you."


To deny the actual point of Kaepernick's protest is simply to deny reality. That's why those who oppose him twisted it into "disrespecting the flag" and "disrespecting the military"; to pit more people against him while ignoring the real issue he expressed concern about. Colin Kaepernick has (or, had) a platform. He had something he cared about. He used that platform in the best way he could think of to draw attention to that cause. Protests don't work if nobody can see them. Protests don't work if they don't make you uncomfortable. But at the same time, unless you're a racist cop who gets off on the idea of harassing, assaulting, or shooting innocent black people, this protest... isn't about you.


And since we've all decided to post up in each other's feelings about all this, I am wondering one thing: Has anyone asked the flag how it feels?

Let's stop making symbols more important than the things they (are supposed to) represent.

Anyway, on to England.


Are... are we sure Joe Flacco's still good? Also, the Jaguars should move to London. They actually win there. (Jaguars 44, Ravens 6)

Signal Finder: NYG @ PHI, PIT @ CHI (end), CIN @ GB

The Giants and Eagles on their respective sidelines, arms locked, while the NFL violates the hell out of the U.S. Flag Code. Corey Clement active and returning the kickoff. Eagles blew that punt by crowding Grugier-Hill and pushing him into the end zone. No McLeod, either? Did they challenge this? That was dumb. So was that Bradham face mask. That's a bad call on Robinson. So far Warmack's not an upgrade on Semualo at left guard. Giants go three-wide on third and 1, call a toss, and Jenkins blows it up. Buck also not sure about that play call. Eagles run on first down and the crowd cheers. Then he goes for 17 and gets a massive cheer. And again! See, Coach? See how this works? Fourth and 1 and the Eagles go for it from their 48. Sproles in, oddly. Wentz sneak! First down. GREAT blitz pickup by Smallwood, which saved Wentz and allowed him to find Agholor for a first down. Uh-oh, Sproles down. He walks off, thankfully. Wentz scrambling. Good catch by Burton on a high throw. Touchdown Blount. Or not, as he was down within a half-yard or so. NOW touchdown.




The Giants have wisely called a lot of quick throws for Eli, who won't survive behind this line. Interception! Man, Brandon Marshall's done nothing this year. Douglas had that all the way.




Clement gets a carry. Smallwood doing things. Fourth and 8? This one I'm less sure about, even though they're in Giants territory. The Giants call time out because they're not sure what's happening, either. They're doing this? Wentz misses Blount and gets sacked. Giants getting ahead of themselves. No one covered Shepard. Touchdown Giants and that's on Pederson and Wentz. Actually, I'm not sure this is a touchdown, either. Call reversed. Buck and Aikman think this is four-down territory and they're probably right. How the hell is THAT not a touchdown? These fucking rules, man. Buck lighting up McAdoo's play calling here. Darkwa STUFFED! And the Eagles defense bails Pederson out. This may be too much to ask of a rookie.


Tip? Interception! Ertz and Wentz combine to pull the Eagles out of a 3rd and 10 hole. That's interference. Wentz put a little too much on that for Ertz, who still had a shot to catch it, as Aikman said. Got THAT one, though. The way the Giants are playing, that might be ball game. Aikman criticizing the Giants' draft strategy, as they still have a bad O-line and still can't run the ball.


Fourth and 2 from the 12 and the Eagles stop them again. Giants almost forcing the ball to Marshall now, but it's working. That's great footwork by Beckham and that's a touchdown.




This is getting weird. Buck: "These officials now basically have to be dance judges." Then Collins forces a fumble by Ertz and the Giants get the ball right back. By the way, Cox and Hicks won't be back today for the Eagles, either. Another circus catch by Beckham and we're somehow tied. Not sure the Eagles should be relying on Clement in this situation. That was weird. Whistle blows right as Harris catches the punt but no one stops? Oh wow. That throw by Eli just blew up the Eagles defense. They're not catching Shepard. This is getting weird. That's the first time the Giants have had the lead this season and we're halfway through the fourth quarter of Game 3. Some decent grabs by Torrey Smith, then he draws a big pass interference penalty. Clement... Touchdown! Welcome home, kid. I thought they might get Beckham for that one, actually. Then they get Jenkins for one that's pretty easy. And Beckham's down? Cramp, maybe? Eli's 11 for his last 11? Wild. Wait, WHAT? They called the Giants' right guard for grabbing one of the Eagles so he can't get off the field? That's insane! (It's weird, y'all. And you know what that means.) Even Aikman can't believe it. Who's the Giants' kicker? Field goal is good. Eagles, with all three time outs, go back to the ground. Smallwood with some nice gains. Terrible face mask penalty by Jeffery. Elliott's kick is good and we're tied again. The Giants have to punt here. Torrey Smith back to receive it? That's interesting. Not a great punt. Jeffery picks one between two defenders and gets out of bounds with one second left. They're gonna try this, and why not. Sixty-one yards.

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...

...

...

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IT'S GOOD!!!!!






Real kickers do real things. (Eagles 27, Giants 24)




Oh. Oh, wow. I... I think that was a touchdown. Then this happened:



(Falcons 30, Lions 26)


This dude just ran through the Steelers like a hot knife through butter. Wait, they said he stepped out of bounds? I... don't think he did. Call stands. Then Jordan Howard takes care of the rest. This game didn't make sense. (Bears 23, Steelers 17, OT)

Wait, Case Keenum tore up the Bucs? CASE KEENUM? REALLY? (Vikings 34, Buccaneers 17)

TOUCHDOWN BENGALS!! Yes, that deserves exclamation points It's their first one this season.
If Adams didn't fumble this ball, he's lucky. And I'm surprised he's not injured because that landing was awkward as hell. Call REVERSED. Nice coverage, Bengals.


We're tied at 7. OK, this is my first time hearing Romo for an extended period. Two things: 1. I had no idea that's what his voice sounds like; 2. This analysis of the Bengals' new offensive coordinator having to simplify things for himself is something I'm not sure I've heard before. I think I'm in.
Nice coverage, Packers. Their defense is still bad, apparently. Flea-flicker! PICK-SIX FROM RODGERS. (Not on the flea-flicker.) Dude jumped the route and took off.


Ty Montgomery's still a running back. Wears 88 because he grew up a Michael Irvin (who wore 47 in college) fan. Rodgers outran a D-lineman who was chasing him down and got the first down. But he didn't outrun those guys. This Murphy kid is getting used and abused. Did the Bengals just hand the Packers three points with that muffed punt? Oh, it's halftime. Never mind. You CANNOT give Rodgers that much time. I'd blitz these two replacement tackles every damn snap. The Packers got Ahmad Brooks? Huh. This Jones kid on the Packers has been wreaking havoc all game.




Did Marvin really use a challenge on a "12 men on the field" call? Did that happen? Nelson CAUGHT that? And it WASN'T intercepted? That's nuts. Tie game.


OT coming. Rodgers is 0-7 lifetime in overtime games?


A timeout before the first play of overtime? That's so Bengals. GERONIMO! Well, that's two things crossed off the list. (Packers 27, Bengals 24, OT)

Wait, JPP's in the SNF opening in 2017? R's standing, some kneeling, arms locked. Snyder with them, which is shocking. Raiders sitting, arms locked. You knew the Raiders would do something, while I can't believe the R's did. Carr goes deep and gets intercepted. Oh, they're saying he's down? OK. Chris Thompson might be their best running back. Touchdown. Another interception. The Raiders need corners. Touchdown Vernon Davis, who's still around. That's a... generous spot. Booth review coming, because that was some home cooking there. Yeah, they moved it back. Fourth and inches. I don't understand why teams don't just snap the ball if the hard count doesn't work. 14-0 at halftime.


Thompson gets free again. Wait, wasn't he down? Raiders are challenging and they should (and do) win this. Holy hell, Josh Doctson just worked that dude. Touchdown.


Collinsworth is surprised, as I am, that the Raiders offense has done nothing tonight. On cue, Swearinger stuffs Lynch and Carr gets sacked again. Big punt return by Crowder. Too bad Hopkins missed. (It's not really that bad. ;) ) Now it's Kerrigan's turn to stuff Lynch. Crowder muffs the punt and the Raiders get it. Jared Cook gets free and scores. Three touchdowns off of turnovers tonight. OK. Chris Thompson might be their best PLAYER. Goodness. Raiders lucky to only give up three. Crabtree takes a shot and drops a third-down ball. FUMBLE! Raiders ball again. Carr almost just threw a third interception, and that dude would still be running. Why not run it once? Who was THAT to? Raiders forced to settle for three here as there's still time left. Washington counters with another field goal. Raiders now looking at 4th and 23. That ended predictably. This "effects of the protests" discussion went absolutely nowhere. Do they even have a backup quarterback? Now a brief Vegas interlude which basically amounts to "If you build it, they will come."


(Redskins 27, Raiders 10)

And to put an exclamation point on the overriding issue:






It never was. It. Never. Was. (Cowboys 28, Cardinals 17)

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