Looks like the Broncos are going to start Captain Jack Sparrow Paxton Lynch since Trevor Siemian is still recovering from his left shoulder sprain. I like Lynch, but I hope Siemian is ready to play for the Thursday night game against the Chargers. I think it’s too soon for Lynch to be the starter.
However, for this game I’m not really that worried given that he played decently against the Bucs (LOL), and also this is a non-conference game that doesn’t mean all that much as a tie-breaker; it won’t hurt the Broncos that much if they lose to the Falcons so they have the luxury of not having to limit the playbook that much. I am a bit worried about the Broncos running game not developing yet. I think we might have TE Virgil Green back and that would be a huge help in the run game, same with Donald Stephenson. I’m also a bit concerned about the Broncos defense against the run after the Bengals tore them up. I think it’s a Broncos win, but probably not by the large margin that some are predicting.
Topic for discussion: Everyone can see that the new touchback rule has completely backfired. I have a radical suggestion that could save the kickoff from going extinct: The NFL should adapt a version of the single point from Canadian Football. I don’t think they should implement it as is; from Wikipedia: one point is awarded when the ball is kicked into the end zone by any legal means, other than a successful field goal, and the receiving team does not return, or kick, the ball out of its end zone. It is also a single if the kick travels through the end zone or goes out of bounds in the end zone without being touched, except on a kickoff. After conceding a single, the receiving team is awarded possession of the ball at the 35-yard line of its own end of the field. Instead of using the CFL rule, I think they should instead make it a single point for the kicking team if the kicker kicks the ball through the end zone (even if it bounces its way out), and then if the ball IS caught in the end zone by the receiving team and not advanced, the receiving team gets the single point and the ball at the 20. I admit it’s a big change, but it would accomplish the NFL’s goal of reducing kick returns while not abandoning it altogether. This also gives me a reason to put this clip here of my favorite CFL play involving a potential single point.
Our oven died the other night, which means we’ll be at Lowe’s looking for a new one and I’m going to end up missing most of the early game (we only get one? FUCK YOU NFL.) It figures then that we’d get the Texans/Vikings game, which is one I really wanted to see. I don’t know how to pick that one. The Texans got pounded by the the only really good team they’ve played so far (the Chiefs are pretenders) and now they’re up against an undefeated Vikings team that has won even when they probably shouldn’t have. Add in the loss of J.J. Watt and it points to a probable Vikings win. But... my gut tells me the Vikings might be due for a letdown. After all they’re still feeling things out with a QB that has only been there for about a month. I don’t know, so I’m not picking. There’s no late game on CBS this week in Denver because the Broncos are on FOX (again, FUCK YOU NFL).
Sunday Night Football is Giants @ Packers, which seems like it’ll be a Packers win to me. Monday Night will be two 1-3 teams, and I’ve already changed the channel. It’s still weird to me how Monday Night Football is now the game no one pays attention to and that Sunday Night Football is the ratings bonanza, when it used to be the other way around (in the 90's).
How’s your team doing at the quarter point of the season?