Really starting to hate instant replay. Week after week, I watch a player score a touchdown, only to find that whey then freeze-framed the image in a 5-minute process it's been determined that a blade of grass stood in the way of the ball crossing the goal line, or an elbow or thigh muscle grazed the earth in some multisecond prior to the ball being extended over the goal line. It's too much. "But it's important to get the calls right," says the argument. I don't know if accuracy to that kind of a degree is worth the angst. By the way: I wrote these words BEFORE Steelers-Patriots.
A simple improvement (which I suppose will never happen) is eliminating the "all turnovers and scoring plays reviewed" condition. Make coaches decide if it's worth reviewing a play that looks with the naked eye to be a touchdown. Anyway, that's what I think.
Quickly on the Saturday games: Lions passing game is excellent, get an early lead on the Bears and it's pretty much game over. Kansas City has rediscovered some of its early-season mojo, and the Chargers didn't respond well to the pressure (in any respect). Not the worst games to have on, especially if you happened to have Kareem Hunt or Melvin Gordon.
Dolphins at Bills: Despite the close final score (and Miami recovering an onside kick at the end to have a last chance before Jay Cutler threw a lollipop interception), Buffalo pretty much dominated this game. Nice game for LeSean McCoy, OK for Charles Clay, and good for most of the startable Dolphins -- Drake, Landry, and surprisingly enough, Parker instead of Stills.
Packers at Panthers: On the one hand, Aaron Rodgers was uncharacteristically careless with the football, with multiple interceptions. On the other hand, he threw 3 TDs and put up his usual type of numbers, and after recovering an onside kick the Packers really could have won this game. Ugly cheap shot on Davante Adams gave him a concussion and knocked him out of the game, affecting things (since Geronimo Allison lost a fumble to end the game). Big numbers for both passing games, not the running games, including a lot of receivers left totally wide open for touchdowns -- secondaries to exploit. Greg Olsen came out of nowhere with a huge game, he's back.
Ravens at Browns: About as expected. Browns offense couldn't do much, even with a nice wideout duo and with Jimmy Smith out for Baltimore. Josh Gordon is still human, Browns pretty good slowing down the run (helping Joe Flacco to a good game, Alex Collins a poor one, plus Javorius Allen ended up getting as much work). Benjamin Watson with his first good game since the last time these teams played. Duke Johnson the best Brown. I'm not wishing Ken Dorsey good luck. But he's gonna need it.
Texans at Jaguars: All Jaguars in this one. Only problem from a fantasy perspective is the number of touchdowns scored by guys not rostered in any or most leagues. Tommy Bohanon, Jaydon Mickens, Corey Grant, Keelan Cole. Ivory, Yeldon, Lee, Westbrook -- nope. Much of this came because Marqise Lee left early with an ankle injury, freeing up more targets for other wide receivers. Bohanon's TDs came while lined up at fullback in front of Ivory. For Houston, DeAndre Hopkins got his production, that was about it for players reasonably being started in most leagues. Nice game for Blake Bortles.
Bengals at Vikings: About as one-sided as you expect. A.J. Green had a chance at a late touchdown (after Vikings had pulled some starters and a turnover set Cincinnati up in the red zone) but couldn't bring it in. But matchups matter, and that's why he was ranked so low and a risky play. Of course, DeAndre Hopkins also had a tough matchup, but one play made his fantasy day. Anyway, terrible game for the Bengals, and unfortunately that also worked against Adam Thielen having a big day (instead, both Vikings running backs had huge games, and Diggs and Rudolph caught the touchdowns). It happens. Sometimes a downtrodden opponent isn't a good one for fantasy passing games.
Jets at Saints: So Michael Thomas had 2 TDs reversed by replay review in this game. One I don't really agree with. The other I didn't notice the details having thrown a brick through my TV. Fortunately he went on to catch one later on, so there that. Huge game for Mark Ingram (including what was basically a garbage-time TD) good one for Alvin Kamara. I believe Brandon Coleman lost two red-zone fumbles in this game, part of why it was still a game late. Not sure how Coleman keeps his spot on the depth chart, but he wasn't arrested in the offseason like Willie Snead. The Bryce Petty-led Jets offense wasn't as horrible as you might expect.
Eagles at Giants: Who was the more impressive quarterback in this game: left for dead Eli Manning, or written off Nick Foles. How many careers can be damaged by quarterbacks going to play for Jeff Fisher? Big game for Sterling Shepard, he can be dusted off and used next week. All-around passing production from both sides in this game, with lots of good fantasy performers. Didn't see it coming from a Giants offense that seemed to be going through the motions last week. And the Eagles can just maybe make a Super Bowl run with Foles? Can't be ruled out.
Cardinals at Washington: A very winnable game for the Cardinals, but Blaine Gabbert couldn't get things done in the red zone; moved the ball, but kept settling for field goals. In fairness, he was overrun playing behind a severely banged-up offensive line. But keep trading 7s for 3s and it's hard to win. Just a so-so game for Larry Fitzgerald, as the Cardinals seemed to want to waste time throwing to other players down near the goal line. Decent numbers from Crowder (early TD), not Perine.
Rams at Seahawks: Full disclosure: I was nervous about our high preseason ranking of Todd Gurley. I drafted him early in an FFPC league I'd invested a lot of money in and felt bad about it all the next day. But man, has he been worth it, all year long. And especially yesterday, with a huge game against an injury-riddled Seattle defense that just has an awful lot to overcome. Great game for the Rams, although their passing game underperformed what with Gurley's dominance. Shockingly awful for the Seahawks offense.
Patriots at Steelers: OK, so. I thought it was a touchdown. All during the review, I was thinking/saying/yelling "once the ball breaks the plane of the goalline, play is over." Alas, it wasn't; on these plays, the receiver has to control the ball all the way to the ground. And James didn't. I think the rule sucks. Logically, to me, he caught the ball, extended it over the goal line, and the play should have ended immediately after that happened. Maybe next year. All of that doesn't forgive Roethlisberger's crazy decisions on the next two plays, though: completing a pass in-bounds that had no chance of scoring or getting out of bounds, and then forcing a bad interception when a field goal ties it. Whatever. A great game marred by a crummy ending. Unless you're a Patriots fan.
Titans at 49ers: All of the Titans offensive mediocrity over the season is catching up with them now at exactly the wrong time. Not a team that gets the most out of its ability, and I sincerely hope this team doesn't manage to keep the Chargers or Ravens out of the playoffs, who would be a lot more interesting to watch in January. Nice Garoppolo pickup by the 49ers.
Cowboys at Raiders: Have there always been this many fumble-through-the-end-zone plays? It's crazy. A team goes from about to score the game-winning touchdown, as the Raiders were, to losing just like that. Game was kind of an ugly mess, which is what has been the case for both teams (especially Oakland) much of the season. Michael Crabtree, best option on either team, got his points. And Dallas is one of several 8-6 NFC teams with a shot at the playoffs. Ref used a folded index card to measure a first down -- glad we have all this great replay technology but can still go old-school (actually, they didn't use to do it that way) on some important plays.
Monday, Monday: I started Philip Rivers, and thus do not have to care how Matt Ryan does tonight (hopefully he doesn't make me feel too bad). Devonta Freeman, Julio Jones and Mike Evans probably have a few playoff hopes in their hands. Seems like the game can only be anticlimactic after Sunday. I'm anticipating a workmanlike Falcons win, let's say 27-17.