These Thursday Night Games Have To Go

[Cherry 1,302]

 

Lol? Cincy aint gonna be beaten by New England.

We're the Bengals. We will drop any game.

[Dutch 874]

We're the Bengals. We will drop any game.

 

That's not true. It's not the playoffs yet

[Dutch 874]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/arian-foster-isn-t-a-fan-of--thursday-night-football--211726846.html

 

Arian Foster isn't a fan of 'Thursday Night Football'

 

CBS' involvement with "Thursday Night Football" has brought more attention to that series of games, and more attention to the fact that the Thursday night games almost always stink.

Maybe it's a long-running coincidence, or the matchups haven't been good enough, but there have been only a handful of great games since regular Thursday night games returned in 2006. The closest Thursday night game this season was decided by 20 points. The last three games have been decided by 42, 31 and 32 points. And CBS might not want to have Houston Texans running back Arian Foster do the promo for this week's game.

Houston is slated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night, and Foster let it be known he's not all that excited.

 

“I don’t know a player that likes it,” Foster told the Houston Chronicle. “I really don’t know a fan that likes it, either. I think it’s just the league’s way of trying to generate more revenue.”

I don't think the NFL will be putting that quote on any of the "TNF" ads.

Foster made an oft-repeated point that there's too great of a physical toll on the players with such little recovery time. Foster had 23 carries for 157 yards in an overtime loss to Dallas on Sunday. He'll rest for three days and then do it all over again against the Colts. He called the league hypocritical for putting in safety measures but still cashing in on Thursday night games. And he's absolutely right.

 

“They emphasize concussions when they start getting hit with lawsuits and they care about the players’ safety but Thursday Night Football is putting every player on the football field in danger,” Foster said, according to the Chronicle.

The outspoken Foster took a bonus shot at the players' union when asked if the union should do something about Thursday night games, saying, “Union and the league is kind of the same thing."

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It takes a lot to get NFL fans to want less football, but Foster is correct. This isn't just something the players hate but fans love. The Chronicle posted a poll asking fans if they enjoy Thursday night NFL games, and more than 60 percent replied "no." The television ratings are doing just fine, because fans don't want to miss out. But that doesn't mean fans are enjoying the terrible Thursday night product.

Thursday night games aren't going anywhere. There's too much money involved. But it might be nice if the NFL can figure out a way to make the games better, if that's possible for teams on three days rest.

Edited October 6, 2014 by Dutch

[Vin+ 3,121]

I love "I don't like [insert thing x here]. And I don't know [insert random grouping] who like [insert thing x here] either." statements.

[Mathias 394]

lol *checks the TNF score*

 

*17-0 Colts lead in the 1st quarter*

 

 

[Bay 2,003]

Arian Foster fuming Do something about it, Arian

[Thanatos 2,847]

lol *checks the TNF score*

 

*17-0 Colts lead in the 1st quarter*

 

 

Maybe should wait a bit before assuming things.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Tonight was a good game so maybe the whining about TNF will slow down a bit.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

Yeah, only took 6 weeks for there to be a single digit margin game on TNF!

 

[Mathias 394]

Problem solved!!!!! Lmao

[KempBolt 498]

I don't think we have enough of a sample size to make a really solid determination on the quality of TNF one way or another. But I hate it when my team has to play of short rest, especially on the road. Fewer players dealing with injuries are able to get back in time to play. There's less time to install a gamepan. And it wears a team out having to play three times in 11 days. And because I hate it for the Chargers, I don't wish it on anyone else's team.

 

The Chargers just played a physical game with the Jets. A lot of players went down, and we were already banged up. Now we go to Oakland, where we always end up with a lot of injuries. Seven days later, we got the Chiefs coming off their bye. That's all fine... just how it goes. But 4 days after all that, we have to go to Denver and play the Broncos? That's BS.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Problem solved!!!!! Lmao

 

Yeah, only took 6 weeks for there to be a single digit margin game on TNF!

 

There's been five TNF matchups. As I laid out, none of them with the exceptions of Hawks/Packers, (which doesn't count as it was at the beginning of the season, plenty of time to prepare), and possibly this game, depending on how good you think Houston is, would have been competitive on Sunday.

 

The problem this year has been matchups, not the fact that they're on TNF.

Edited October 10, 2014 by Thanatos19

[Crash3021 101]

I don't think we have enough of a sample size to make a really solid determination on the quality of TNF one way or another.

 

I'm more inclined to go with this line of thinking, even though the majority of games haven't been close I'm curious to see if the ratio of close games to blowouts ends up evening out more at the end of the season. Only time will tell, but hopefully we get more games like last night that even though started out one-sided ended up being a pretty good finish.

[Mentch 42]

I'm not a fan of TNF either, but the matchups that they're picking aren't matchups that you would want to see on national TV. Now Steelers @ Ravens was a good choice to kick it off, it wasn't a great game but it was better than the score indicated. But Bucs @ Falcons? Vikings @ Packers? I'm guessing those were just attempts to get a bad team on national TV, and of course, they put a good team in there so that people would actually watch

 

 

Giants @ Redskins actually looked like it could be a good matchup with the way that Kirk Cousins put up the 2 weeks before that, it just happened to be a blowout because the Skins defense was so overmatched. Colts @ Texans was the first really good matchup we've had, but of course let's not ignore that it was 24-0 in the 2nd quarter

 

 

There are some good matchups in there. Chargers @ Broncos looks to be great, and let's not forget the Chargers went into Denver in Week 15 on TNF and beat them to keep their playoff hopes alive. Saints @ Panthers also looks like a good game, Browns @ Bengals could be decent depending on which Browns team shows up, Cowboys @ Bears in Week 14 could be critical depending on if both teams are still in the playoff hunt by then

 

 

But overall, the matchups are generally crap. Jets @ Patriots? They should have learned their lesson last season when that exact same matchup on TNF sucked ass. Bills @ Dolphins actually seems ok but it's not one I would go out of my way to watch. Chiefs @ Raiders? Please. Cardinals @ Rams was a bit of a gamble before the season, but now it looks like it will be a one sided matchup. And what better way to finish off another season of TNF than Titans @ Jaguars? Are you fucking kidding me...

 

 

So bottom line, it's not very high quality football, but the matchups aren't always exactly set up for it to be that way

Edited October 10, 2014 by Mentch

[SteVo+ 3,702]

There's been five TNF matchups. As I laid out, none of them with the exceptions of Hawks/Packers, (which doesn't count as it was at the beginning of the season, plenty of time to prepare), and possibly this game, depending on how good you think Houston is, would have been competitive on Sunday.

 

Sorry Bware, but there's no way you can make such an absolute comment like that. On the previous page of this thread, when you said, "Cincy aint gonna be beaten by New England." Remember that?

 

It's good that you point out how bad the matchups are, though, because that's the problem. The NFL isn't interested in wasting their best games on a Thursday night; they save them for Sunday and Monday. Thursday Night Football exists for profit only. For that reason it always has and always will suck ass.

Edited October 10, 2014 by SteVo

[Vin+ 3,121]

Most of the primetime matchups have been a letdown. There've only been two "good" MNF/SNF games a piece, and I would count last night as a "good" TNF game, despite the fact that I bailed on it after the first quarter (which oddly enough the Texans started playing better after I turned it off).

 

I think part of TNF's problem is that it's made up solely of divisional matchups. Those are great when they work out, but 90% of the time they're going to suck.

[Thanatos 2,847]

 

Sorry Bware, but there's no way you can make such an absolute comment like that. On the previous page of this thread, when you said, "Cincy aint gonna be beaten by New England." Remember that?

 

It's good that you point out how bad the matchups are, though, because that's the problem. The NFL isn't interested in wasting their best games on a Thursday night; they save them for Sunday and Monday. Thursday Night Football exists for profit only. For that reason it always has and always will suck ass.

Am I seriously going to have to start putting "In my opinion" at the beginning of every post?

 

Its not absolute, it is in my opinion. However, no one has bothered to counter the post or reply to it.

 

To be fair, I forgot that Baltimore/Pitt was on TNF, those games normally are competitive.

 

To run through the list again, and why don't you say why I'm wrong here:

 

Tampa Bay, (with Josh McCown) AT Atlanta Falcons.

New York Giants AT Washington Redskins

Pittsburgh Steelers AT Baltimore Ravens

Indianapolis Colts AT Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings (with Christian Ponder) AT Green Bay Packers

 

Green Bay @ Seattle hardly counts since it was the first game and they had time to prepare, which is the whole reason why TNF is such a pain during the season- no time to prepare.

 

I believe we can outright dismiss TB @ ATL and Minny @ GB as obvious blowout material. Not that those games will always be blowouts, but you wouldn't blink an eye were the same result to happen on Sunday.

 

The Giants have been playing very well as of late. The Skins are a divisional opponent, however, and those games are close fairly often.

 

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore was one week removed from Baltimore losing its opener to Cleveland. Despite the score being 26-6, the game was closer than the final score indicated.

 

Colts @ Texans was a good game. The Colts went up big early, but it became a great game in the end.

 

So two out of five with both being iffy, (IN MY OPINION), were blowouts that perhaps would be different on Sunday. According to Campins earlier post, 43.5% of all games played so far have been blowouts. There have been a very high number this year.

 

My issue is, a lot of people here would assume, had Pittsburgh and Carolina played on TNF with the same result that occurred on SNF, that it was the fault of TNF and pin the blame on that.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Just put it in your sig like I do.

[oochymp 2,393]

 

There's been five TNF matchups. As I laid out, none of them with the exceptions of Hawks/Packers, (which doesn't count as it was at the beginning of the season, plenty of time to prepare), and possibly this game, depending on how good you think Houston is, would have been competitive on Sunday.

I think most people would say the Colts/Texans game was a lot closer than expected

[Thanatos 2,847]

I think most people would say the Colts/Texans game was a lot closer than expected

So TNF made it closer than it would have been?

 

This is just really early in the season to claim that its TNF and not, "Texans played a good ballgame."

[oochymp 2,393]

So TNF made it closer than it would have been?

I'm not sure I was making that point, not sure what point I was trying to make, something about picking bad matchups, that even though this game ended up with a close score it still wasn't a good one to put in primetime? not sure, I've had a bit of bourbon tonight, I do like that they're highlighting divisional matchups on Thursday night tho

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

It seems like there's just more blowouts in general like that stat I posted. It's a strange year, seems like when most teams derp it up early it just cascades into an all night/day marathon of derp. There's a few instances like last night, the Browns against Titans the week before, and Eagles against Jags in week one (obviously not primetime games, but for my point of there being more blowouts in general) where the team getting dogged in the first half turns it around and makes a game of it or wins. But it hasn't happened much this year. It's been more like college games where the better team just steam rolls.

 

The biggest problem with TNF match-ups is that (atleast I think) every team gets a TNF game no matter what or how bad they are. I'm not positive, but I remember when TNF came about it guaranteed every team atleast one primetime game because that's the only way my Jags have gotten a primetime game in the last several years as shit as they've been. So it kind of ties TNF's hands on picking quality football match-ups. They're forced to have the league dregs on their schedule.

Edited October 11, 2014 by CampinWithGoatSampson

[Thanatos 2,847]

How has every team gotten a TNF matchup? Did it start in week 2 in prior years as well? I thought we didn't have it start till like week 6 or so.

[Bay 2,003]

How has every team gotten a TNF matchup? Did it start in week 2 in prior years as well? I thought we didn't have it start till like week 6 or so.

2006 and 2007 seasons TNF started in late November.

 

2008-2011 early November.

 

2012 -Present obviously September.

 

 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Network_Thursday_Night_Football_results_(2006–present)#2006_season

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Saw this on another message board and thought it would be a good fix:

 

They should only start the Thursday night games after Week 4 (or whenever the bye weeks start) and then have the two opponents be the teams just coming off their bye week.