Maximus Decimus

This was when the November thing really kicked in. The logic at the time was that, we'd had such a terrible year that you couldn't begrudge people celebrating early. I made the rather obvious point that it would become the norm and it has. Despite everything, and as early as it seemingly gets every year, I just can't see mid to early November becoming the norm. I used to think that we'd slowly get to the point where Halloween decs go down and Christmas ones go to. Barring a few outliers, I suspect the norm will settle on the weekend around the 25th November, as they can self-justify it being a month before. Personally, ours went up yesterday and to me it feels too early. I enjoyed it with the kids, had a couple of glasses of mulled wine and then realised it's still blimming ages away.

Lions, Cowboys, Packers, Chiefs, Jaguars, Colts, Chargers, Jets, Commanders, Steelers, Vikings, Rams, Buccaneers, Ravens, Bills, Broncos

Browns, Texans, Bears, Commanders, Dolphins, Chiefs, Buccs, Lions, Raiders, Cardinals, Packers, Eagles, Ravens

'When they start' is the key line. I'm not sure Jake ever really plans on stepping up. It also isn't the same as somebody doing 4 rounds against a fighter with a 10-36 record. Everybody knows what that is. Jake has tried to spin them as much more legitimate than they really are.

They're farcical in the way that he picks people that have the impression of being decent but aren't. For instance, he'll pick MMA fighters not known for their striking ability. Tyson is the epitome of this, but I think it's backfired on him as he looked so bad it just like like he was beating on an old guy (which he was). Also, he talks the talk but does he ever plan on stepping up to real boxers. I don't think so. He doesn't need to of course as he's made his money, but if he truly wants legitimacy he won't get it fighting YouTubers, MMA fighters and old men.

I'm guessing you didn't watch it.... If you think about it, if you got a team of 58 year old legends in football and put them against someone like Marine FC, they'd get absolutely mullered.

Taylor was clearly connecting with the better shots from about round 3. The commentary was terribly biased. That said, her use of the head won't have won her any friends.

This was my thoughts exactly. My initial thoughts about the fight were pretty much what ended up happening. However, you can't help but get built up by the hype and I considered getting up. That said, I've been around the clock enough to know those training videos are usually bull. There was just the 'what if' aspect. I knew from the ring walk, that I'd been duped somewhat. I think there was an element of an agreement, as it seemed like Paul could have stopped him pretty easily but chose not to. Either that, or he just didn't want to for whatever reason. My gut says these type of events will be seen as part of the decline of boxing rather than anything positive.

Eagles, Dolphins, Saints, Jets, Vikings, Packers, Lions, Rams, Ravens, 49ers, Broncos, Bills, Chargers, Cowboys

Yeh it's good. It used to be the one event where BDO players entered.

This is a feature of modern Christmas due to social media. Somebody will have an idea that gets shared on social media, a few copy and before you know it if you're not doing it your kids are missing out. I initially refused to do Elf on the Shelf because it seemed like a terrible idea. Instead of one night where the kids might catch you out, you now have 3 weeks plus of it. My lad had asked for one, and then went and wrote a letter to Santa that he put in his stocking. Heart-broken, I gave in. After around 5/6 years my ideas are well and truly spent. Now my lad knows, I've given him the responsibility this year of doing it for his sister! Christmas Eve boxes are another one that seemed to come from nowhere.

Ravens, Giants, Bears, 49ers, Chiefs, Bills, Commanders, Vikings, Falcons, Chargers, Cardinals, Eagles, Lions, Dolphins

Now I think about it, I wouldn't be surprised if the Mitchell and Webb sketch was responsible for much of my thoughts on the matter! There's always been an element if suspending disbelief when it comes to sport, but that really did burst the illusiory bubble.

I have noticed a trend of mince pies not being just a Christmas thing?

They mentioned something on Thursday's game about how the Jets would have a 28% chance of making the playoffs if they won. I looked it up and saw that they were right, but also that the Bears (who at the time were 4-3) had only a 5% chance. A big part of this is their run-in as they have the Lions, Packers and Vikings still to play twice. However, it also turns out the NFC is looking a lot stronger than the AFC this year once you take out the Chiefs and the Bills. There's a real chance a team at 8-9 could make the playoffs in the AFC but they'll need at least 11-6 in the NFC.

I'm unapologetically judgmental about this. For me it's like a lack of self-control and the epitome of the modern world's inability to have any restraint whatsoever. It always starts with the ridiculous outliers who'll have it up this week, which puts pressure on the flakey ones like my sister to put theirs up earlier than they would and before you know it you look like Scrooge because you won't put the tree up before December. That's how we've progressively gone from a few days before Christmas to November being the norm.

Thanks for this, although I was specifically meaning from the defense POV. I feel like I quite regularly see the above situation, and I'm disappointed because it is still a second down whereas if they declined the penalty it would now be third down. I understand that they know what they are doing, but I always feel like the extra 5 yards isn't worth the attacking team having a least 2 more shots at the first down. As for the second example, I think this is what I suspected it might be although I felt like maybe the defense had to have a certain number of players set. I do remember the Dak example but tbh it seems pretty fraught and dependent on how quick the Umpire is. I take it once the Umpire has placed the ball down, they are free to snap it as long as the attacking team doesn't have too many players on the field?

What a bizarre game. Following on from the errors of the first half and a very stop start affair, we saw a decent second half with a few excellent TDs by the Jets. However, at 14-10 the Texans had about a 45yd field goal that they got to make it 14-13. Unexpectedly, a flag came out and the Texans were given a 1st down so back to 14-10. They don't make anything of it, and the kicker comes out again but hits the post off a 26 yarder! The Jets went up the field and scored to end it as a contest.

Oh wow, this is the most Jets performance ever. They penalise the kicker on a 4th and 21. They bombed a touchdown by the runner letting go of the ball thinking he'd scored. Bodies are falling all over the place. Somehow it's still 0-0 but not for long I suspect.

So I've been watching a lot more NFL this year and there are still a couple of things I don't understand. Sometimes there'll be a situation where the attacking team is something like 2nd and 10, and there'll be an incompletion but a flag will come in against the attacking team. The refs will come in and say something like '5 yard penalty, repeat 2nd down.' As a fan, I'm always disappointed by this because I feel like the attacking team has another shot at it and I'd rather see a 3rd and 10. I understand that they can decline it, but in situations like that they don't seem to very often. The second one is a bit more technical. Sometimes the attacking team is trying to get going quickly because the clock is winding down. However, when I've seen it, they seem to have to wait for the referee or the defense or something like that before they can snap the ball. What exactly are the rules regarding when they can and when they can't snap?

Texans, Saints, Commanders, Bills, Chargers, Titans, Falcons, Bengals, Ravens, Bears, Eagles, Seahawks, Lions, Vikings, Chiefs

It was, but it wasn't as bad by virtue that the Bears had done a bit of a get out jail free thing to put themselves in a winning position anyway. And tbh I was still stewing by the Jets season being over after another shocker.

Talk about a real sucker punch. I stayed up to watch the Bears somehow get in front after being dominated.

Jets season effectively over after 8 games. What a total disaster. They haven't played well of course across the board especially Rodgers given his expectations, but I make that 3 games where Zuerlein has missed a kick that affected the win. He had a kick to win against Denver, missed 2 kicks against the Bills (albeit in torrid conditions) to tie it up and missed 1 kick and 1 extra point today that allowed the Patriots to win.

I tried to understand it by reading about it, and I actually thought the idea might be that it has to bounce. That would at least make some sense IMO. It doesn't seem to happen a lot, but in theory it could be 30 all and you could be 20 metres out with seconds on the clock and just boot it out to guarantee a point. Way easier than a field goal for instance.