Post by spiderfan on Jan 2, 2023 21:51:33 GMT -8
Happy New Year Sports Coast to Coast, it is I, Spiderfan here, coming to you with the Week 17 edition of Red Hot Gridiron. We have a lot to cover, so without further ado, let us begin!
Damar Hamlin Injury
Updates on this situation will be posted in the replies below.
Who Wants the #7 Seed?
When the NFL re-did their collective bargaining agreement in 2020, an additional playoff team was added to the playoff bracket (the owners couldn't get the players to agree to an 18 game regular season, so in addition to a 17th game an extra playoff game was added to the schedule). Going into Week 18 of the 2022 season, that extra spot is the desire of 3 teams in the NFC and 3 teams in the AFC respectively.
For the NFC it comes down to 2 games: Rams-Seahawks and Lions-Packers. If the Rams beat the Seahawks, the Seahawks are eliminated and the Lions-Packers becomes a win and in game for the Lions and Packers respectively. However, if the Seahawks beat the Rams, then the Lions are eliminated regardless of if they win against the Packers. If the Packers win against the Lions, both the Lions and Seahawks are eliminated, and the Packers clinch the #7 seed.
In the AFC it becomes a food chain situation. The Patriots are currently the #7 seed and they play the Bills. If the Patriots beat the Bills, then the Patriots clinch the #7 seed. However if the Bills beat the Patriots, the next up the chain is the Dolphins who play the Jets. If the Bills beat the Patriots and the Dolphins beat the Jets then the Dolphins clinch the #7 seed. However, if the Bills beat the Patriots AND the Jets beat the Dolphins, then next up the chain is the Steelers who play the Browns. If the Bills beat the Patriots AND the Jets beat the Dolphins AND the Steelers beat the Browns, then the Steelers clinch the #7 seed. If the Patriots, Dolphins, and Steelers all lose, then the food chain resets to the Patriots getting the #7 seed UNLESS the Jaguars lose to the Titans in which case the Jaguars would clinch the #7 seed (Titans-Jaguars is for all practical purposes a win and in game for both teams, but if the Titans lose they are immediately eliminated, while the Jaguars wouldn't be eliminated until either the Patriots, Dolphins, or Steelers win).
Who Wants the #1 Seed?
When the NFL re-did their collective bargaining agreement in 2020, as part of the restructuring of the playoff bracket, only the #1 seed in each conference received a bye week, as opposed to the previous structure where the top 2 teams received a bye week. This has made the #1 seed even more desirable then it was before, because not only does it secure home field advantage like it did before, but now as previously stated the team that secures the #1 seed is the only team in the playoffs to receive a bye week before their playoff game. Going into Week 18 of the 2022 season, the #1 seed is the desire of 3 teams in the NFC and 3 teams in the AFC respectively (Just the like #7 seed, Deja Vu I just been in this place before insert Deja Vu video).
For the NFC here is the food chain: The Eagles are currently the #1 seed and they are going to play the Giants. If the Eagles beat the Giants, the Eagles clinch the #1 seed. However, if the Giants beat the Eagles then next up the chain for the #1 seed is the 49ers who play the Cardinals. If the 49ers beat the Cardinals, and the Eagles lose to the Giants, then the 49ers clinch the #1 seed. However if the Giants beat the Eagles AND the Cardinals beat the 49ers, then next up the chain for the #1 seed is the Cowboys who play the Commanders. If the Giants beat the Eagles and the Cardinals beat the 49ers AND the Cowboys beat the Commanders, then the Cowboys clinch the #1 seed. If the Eagles, 49ers, and Cowboys all lose, the food chain resets and the Eagles clinch the #1 seed.
Due to Damar Hamlin's injury discussion about the AFC #1 seed food chain is postponed until further notice. When the time comes, it will be posted down in the replies below.
Other thoughts:
-Despite limping along and looking like they were going to shrink out of the playoffs, the New York Football Tinys had a giant blowout win against the Indianapolis Colts and secured a playoff spot. For all my mocking of them, I've got to tip my hat to Brian Daboll for getting the Giants (Yes, I'll call them for the Giants they deserve it) to the playoffs, something that the prior 3 coaches didn't even to close to achieving. Congratulations!
-Hiring Jeff Saturday was interesting experiment for the Colts, but I think at this point it is fair to say it is a failed experiment. Jim Harbaugh tried coaching his alma matter and repeatedly failed to win or even compete for a national championship, so ultimately that was a failed experiment. With Harbaugh being a more successful NFL coach than college coach, and Colts owner Jim Irsay clearly liking the idea of having a former Colt player coach the team, it only makes sense for Jim Harbaugh to come back to the NFL and coach the Colts.
-As far as I'm concerned, Josh Dobbs didn't look any better for the Titans than Malik Wills would have, so not playing Willis is mind boggling to me. Unless, of course, the speculation that now fired GM Jon Robinson was the one that liked Willis and HC Mike Vrabel does not, in which case I hope Willis gets traded to a team and a coach that believes in him.
-The Cardinals have shown a heck of a lot of fight the last couple weeks. If they had quit, I could see the Cardinals firing Kingsbury despite the extension they gave him earlier in the year. Because the Cardinals are still fighting? I don't think Kingsbury is a dead man walking.
-Even though they had a whole bunch of losses (some of them being WAY ugly) the Tommy Bay Buccaneers finally got themselves into the playoffs. As we all know a Brady led team in the playoffs is dangerous, so watch out.
-A combination of Zach Wilson looking like a bust and Mike White being an ineffective replacement, is IMO going to lead to Jimmy Garoppolo becoming the starting QB of the Jets next year. It makes sense considering the Jets coaching staff is filled with 49ers alum and Garoppolo is a free agent, meaning other than pure dollars, the Jets won't have to give up anything to get him.
-Admittedly, I'm not a Raiders fan so I don't have any dog in the fight per se, but with Derek Carr's tenure there FINALLY coming to an end in all likelihood (it seemed like every year for the last number of years his future with the Raiders was at least somewhat in doubt), I wanted to get this off my chest: It kinda bothers me that someone as mediocre as Carr holds all the Raiders QB statistical records for no other reason than because he was there a long time in an era friendly to passing. He's what the 5th best QB in Raiders history and yet he holds the franchise records?
With all of that said, that is all for this week's edition of Red Hot Gridiron. As always I hope ya enjoyed and I hope to see ya back for what should be an exciting Week 18. Remember, football is the greatest game in the world. This is spiderfan out.
