NFLRT 1/10/2023

The questions and discussion…

1) The Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton benched QB Russell Wilson in favor of Jarrett Stidham, who started Sunday’s home game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Wilson in turn told reporters, “(The Broncos) came up to me during the bye week, the beginning of the bye week, on Monday or Tuesday and they told me that if I didn’t change my contract, my injury guarantee, that I’d be benched for the rest of the year. … I was definitely disappointed about it. … The NFLPA and NFL got involved or whatever, I think, at some point.”

And the NLFPA has in fact released a statement that informed the Denver Broncos that the team’s threat to bench quarterback Russell Wilson if he did not agree to adjust his contract was illegal and violated its collective bargaining agreement with the NFL, creating the strong possibility that the union would initiate an arbitration proceeding or litigation against the team and the league.
What is your opinion regarding this entire situation? Why?

And will Wilson be the Broncos’ starting QB, or even on the team for the opening game of next season? Why or why not?

Dan: This is a sticky situation.

The Broncos messed up with threatening Russ that he will be benched if he doesn’t alter his contract to eliminate the injury guarantee clause for 2024 out of the deal. He fought back with the help of the NFLPA. Denver is likely looking at punishment from the league office regarding this if the NFLPA pushes the issue. But I also think it kicks Russell Wilson out of the Denver organization. And while that might be the move Denver needs in a complete reshuffle of the roster that Sean Payton wants to do, I don’t think it’s the smartest financial decision by the Broncos due to the amount of dead cap money they will add by releasing him.

I don’t think Russ will start for them next season and I don’t think he’s even going to be on the team next year either.

The Broncos also messed up their negotiation tactic by backing down from the bluff Russ called on them. If he restructured his deal, thinking the Broncos were going to bench him if he didn’t, would anything have changed? If the Broncos really benched him, it would’ve shown other players that the Broncos are serious on their word. But that’s minor. The reality of the situation is that while Russ did improve this season, he just wasn’t the fit for Denver. And him entering late in his career and getting close to 40-years-old, Sean Payton wants a younger quarterback and his own style quarterback to lead his team. And Russ is making a lot of money, that Denver would rather eat then have Russ waste more time as their quarterback without being their future.

Joe: First, I can’t even grok that the Broncos/Payton were dumb enough to attempt to get Wilson to redo his contract by threatening him in the manner they did.

Second, due to that threat its violation of the CBA and the very probable NFLPA arbitration proceeding… if Wilson is even on the Broncos next season I will be immensely surprised.

2) Dan Campbell took the aggressive coaching approach and went for the two-point conversion to beat the Dallas Cowboys in the closing seconds Saturday night in Arlington, Texas. It didn’t work out for the Detroit Lions but not for lack of trying or the chances allowed.

The Lions failed on the two-point conversion attempt in confusing and controversial fashion when first the Lions appeared to convert on a gadget play, with Goff completing a pass in the end zone to offensive tackle Taylor Decker. But the officials disallowed the conversion, penalizing Decker for illegal touching of a forward pass, saying he had not reported to referee Brad Allen as an eligible receiver before the play. The officials said post-game that another offensive lineman who came on the field for the play, Dan Skipper, reported as an eligible receiver for the play and that Decker did not.

The Lions players in post-game interviews disagreed with the officials explanation of what took place on that two-point try.

After that penalty, the Cowboys were in turn called for being offsides on the second try, a play in which Dallas intercepted Goff. Finally, the sequence concluded with Dallas forcing an incomplete pass to hang on for the win.

What is your take on the entire sequence of events on the two-point conversion attempts and the involvement of the officials? Why?

And putting all of the above aside…

If you are the head coach for the Lions do you go for the tie and kick the extra point and try for the win in OT or do what actually transpired… go for the win and attempt the two-point conversion? Why?

Dan: I thought it was a good move by the Lions to go for the two-point play after scoring the touchdown to take the lead. It would’ve been huge if the play was done correctly by the officials. And I would’ve made the same move.
But, after the penalty, I’m not sure if it’s worth it to go for two again. Kick the extra point and go to overtime. But they went for it a second time and got saved by a Dallas’ offside penalty. Then they went for it a third time, which I definitely didn’t agree with. You had two opportunities. The universe showed Detroit that it wasn’t meant. Go kick the extra point and win it in overtime. Don’t play your luck on this two-point conversion that, ultimately, you didn’t even get a pass into the end zone on.

But going back to the original play, I shared video on my Twitter right after the game and spoke my thoughts there. They have to get the call right. The correct players came and informed the official who is going to be eligible. The offensive tackle who caught the pass did not have anybody lined up on the outside of him, which gave him the ability to be eligible. The Lions also didn’t have a timeout, so when the official made the wrong announcement, they didn’t have time to correct it out and make sure it was correct on their end. That’s why Dallas, who were playing man coverage, didn’t have a body on him. They weren’t even aware that he was an eligible receiver. This has to be corrected out and has to be resolved for the future games.

And with the punishment of not being able to officiate a playoff game was good, I think there needs to be a little more accountability for the implications that had happened for this game. I think they should’ve been fined as well. That game check goes straight to the league for the error. In a season where we have had officiating problems after officiating problems, this just topped the cake, and the NFL needs to correct out the officiating problem the best they can this off-season. It’s become unacceptable.

Joe: I think the officials in NFL are probably the worst officials in the four major pro organizations that play in the U.S. and Canada. And the biggest problem is that unlike the three other sports… MLB, NBA and NHL… the NFL referees are considered part-time employees. Officiating NFL games is not their primary occupation. Many NFL referees have careers outside of football, ranging from professions like lawyers, teachers, and business executives to various other fields. Fix that and things will go a long way to improving the way the NFL games are called.

However, I also think the players involved bear some of the responsibility with the snafu that occurred also. They should have made absolutely sure that the officials knew who was going to be eligible and not eligible by getting a specific verbal confirmation from officials. Why take a chance something could be misconstrued as in fact it wound up the being the case?

All that aside…

Personally, I would have gone for the tie and took my chance in OT.

But I totally understand Campbell’s thinking in going for the win and getting out of Dodge so to speak. But when everything went kablooey I think he should have had his kicker out on the field and just go for the tie.

3) In leading the Baltimore Ravens to a 56-19 trouncing of the Miami Dolphins did Lamar Jackson lock up the NFL MVP award? Why or why not?

Dan: Lamar Jackson in absolutely torching the Miami Dolphins locks him up for the MVP Award in my opinion.

But there’s a new candidate that has emerged that has been under the radar of most NFL fans this season that have been keeping track of the MVP race and that’s Josh Allen, who has a total of 42 touchdowns (passing and rushing combined) this season. If he leads the Bills back from on the brink of elimination to an AFC East divisional title, you have to put him in the conversation with Lamar.

But Lamar performing in the biggest games he has had this season (49ers, Lions, Dolphins, Seahawks) the way he has, without his key tight end Mark Andrews and without JK Dobbins in the backfield, I think is a big deal. And from going from a drop issue with his receivers last year to playing very confidently with them and running less has only helped secure his MVP trophy.

Joe: A week ago I wasn’t so sure Jackson was necessarily the MVP but after the way he led the Ravens versus the Dolphins combined with the other games he has led the Ravens in wins against top notch teams…

Yeah, now I thin k he has locked it up and is the NFL MV this season.

4) On Sunday the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Arizona Cardinals 35-31. What is significant about loss is that the Eagles lost a football game to a team that entered with a 3-12 record, giving up 35 points and 449 yards to an Arizona offense that didn’t put up 30 points or more than 440 yards all year.

Will the Eagles be a “one and done” team in the NFC playoffs? Why or why not?

Dan: While the Eagles’ secondary is a huge problem and has cost them multiple games this season, I think they have the offense that will keep them alive after their first playoff game. They have a good organization, who just went to the Super Bowl and almost won last year, that is going to give them an advantage in the Super Wild Card round. So while I think the team has looked very different this season compared to last season, I think they will be able to survive a playoff game.

But they need to have, at least, some semblance of a secondary. Some semblance of an ability to stop the run. They’ll have to compete in shootouts to win. And if Jalen Hurts looks panicked or looks completely different than he did last season, I think that’s going to be an issue. But Goedert can be a machine. AJ Brown is one of the best wide receivers in the league. Devonta Smith has emerged as a big weapon on that offense. Swift and Gainwell are a nice combo back and they have the Brotherly Shove that has become unstoppable this season for them. They have the ability to throw up points after points. But they need a clean game with some defensive stops to win. And I think they can pull off one game like that.

After that? It’s highly unlikely.

Joe: After they lost to the Giants on Sunday… got their butts handed to them in my opinion… this is a team that is in total disarray.

So, yes, I think they will be a one and done team in the playoffs.

Editor’s note: Due to technical difficulties this column is late in being printed so Dan’s comments to the next question were made prior to the games being played while Joe’s were made after the games were completed and the playoffs were determined.

5) In Week 18 the Houston Texans face the Indianapolis Colts in a game that has not only playoff implications for both teams but with three teams in a virtual tie for first in the AFC South it also could determine which team wins the AFC South.

Which team wins the Texans vs Colts game? Why?

And which team wins the AFC South… Houston, Indianapolis or Jacksonville? Why?

Dan: Texans win this game.

While Minshew has been a great fill-in for the Colts this season after the injury of Anthony Richardson at quarterback, I think the Texans have a better defense and a better offense with CJ Stroud at quarterback. And I think the Texans are going to come through in their biggest game in multiple seasons. CJ Stroud has been at the tops of the Rookie of the Year talks; they’ve had an emergence and excellent play from Nico Collins at wide receiver and their running backs have come up big. They absolutely throttled Tennessee last week. And the Colts barely beat the Raiders. I’m more confident in the Texans. I’m more confident in CJ Stroud leading the Texans, especially if the game comes down to the last couple minutes in the fourth quarter which I think it will. CJ Stroud takes them to victory.

As for who is going to win the division, I think it comes down to whether Trevor Lawrence plays against the Titans. And while the Titans aren’t the best team and I think Jacksonville will likely win no matter if Lawrence or Beathard is at quarterback, I really think that they can lose that game. But I’m taking the smart pick and going with Jacksonville takes the division.

But I have a gut feeling and really want to say the Houston Texans take the division and bring Stroud to the playoffs as a division champion in his first NFL season. But let’s take the more for sure bet. The Titans haven’t been good. They’ve shown some glimpses this season, especially from Will Levis some weeks, but I just don’t think they have enough to take down the Jaguars. And the Jaguars are going to rely on Travis Etienne a little more this week just like last week after they shut out the Panthers. And they’ll continue winning out the season.

But as far as the playoffs, I don’t think Jacksonville is going to be able to pull off a victory. I can see Houston winning more playoff games than Jacksonville this season. Let’s hope they meet again.

Joe: As I write this the Texans beat the Colts on Sunday and the Jaguars lost to the Titans, so the Texans are in the playoffs as the AFC South winners and the Jags are out of the playoffs entirely.

I would like to say that was what I predicted but being honest while I had the Texans beatin Indy I didn’t think the Jaguars would lose to the Titans.

So I had it half right at any rate.