NFL Week 9: What Hurricane? What Election?

[CountDeMoney]

KC    at    SD    -7.5                        
BUF    at    HOU  -10.5                        
CHI    at    TEN   +3.5                        
DEN    at    CIN   +3.5                        
ARI    at    GB   -11.5                        
DET    at    JAC   +3.5                        
MIA    at    IND   +2.5                        
CAR    at    WAS  -3.5                        
BAL    at    CLE   +3.5                        
MIN    at    SEA   -5.5                        
TB    at    OAK  -1.5                        
PIT    at    NYG   -3.5                        
DAL    at    ATL    -4.5                        
PHI    at    NO    -3.5

A lot of tricky spreads here.

I love Coach.  You want injury reports, fine.  You got 'em.

In the wake of the NFL fining the Ravens $20,000 for failing to list free safety Ed Reed's torn shoulder labrum on injury reports, the team deluged Wednesday's injury report by placing a season-high 15 players on it.

Defensive end Pernell McPhee did not practice because of a thigh injury. Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (right shoulder), cornerback Jimmy Smith (groin) and wide receiver Jacoby Jones (foot) participated on a limited basis.

Eleven players practiced fully. Eight are starters, and they are safeties Bernard Pollard (chest) and Reed (labrum), offensive tackles Michael Oher (ankle) and Kelechi Osemele (ankle), outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (right Achilles tendon), right guard Marshal Yanda (shoulder), nose tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu (sprained right knee) and inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hand).

Three reserves in offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie (thigh), safety James Ihedigbo (hand) and cornerback Chykie Brown (ankle) fully participated.

The Cleveland Browns, Sunday's opponent, took a page out of the Ravens' playbook and listed 17 players on the injury report. Starting defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin (calf) missed practice.

Middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (foot/toe), strong safety T.J. Ward (hand/shoulder) and rookie running back Trent Richardson (chest/rib) were limited in practice.

Five starters fully participated. They were outside linebacker James-Michael Johnson (knee/groin), defensive end Frostee Rucker (shoulder/toe), wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (hamstring), right guard Shawn Lauvao (groin) and rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden (groin/thigh).

[derspiess]

Denver by only 3.5?  Ehm... 

[jimmy olsen]

I finally broke down and NFL Gamepass is awesome!

[sbr]

I can't find an article to link to yet, but espn is reporting the nfl has voided Sean payton's contract making him a free agent when his suspension ends.

[Liep]

I finally broke down and NFL Gamepass is awesome!

Indeed. I haven't had time to watch many games live this season, so I love that all games can be watched later.

[Neil]

I can't find an article to link to yet, but espn is reporting the nfl has voided Sean payton's contract making him a free agent when his suspension ends.

Any idea why?

[sbr]

I can't find an article to link to yet, but espn is reporting the nfl has voided Sean payton's contract making him a free agent when his suspension ends.

Any idea why?

Supposedly because of a clause that would have let Payton void the remaining years on the contract if the Saints got rid of GM Mickey Loomis.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources-paytons-contract-voided-nfl-170007814--nfl.html

The multi-year contract extension the New Orleans Saints gave to suspended coach Sean Payton in September of 2011 was voided by the NFL, sources told ESPN.com Sunday.
If the deal is voided, Payton will be a free agent at the end of the year.
Payton was suspended for a season for his suspected role in the bounty scandal. His status with the Saints after this season is questionable because he will likely be a heavily sought-after coach.
However, the NFL issued a statement saying that it has "made no determination" on Payton's contract status for next year.
"All contracts between clubs and their employees must be approved by the commissioner, and we do not comment on specific terms of individual contracts," the statement said. "Any comment regarding the matter should come from Coach Payton and the Saints."
Payton told Fox Sports Sunday morning that he "absolutely plans" on staying with the Saints, regardless of his contract status.
Payton was reportedly told by commissioner Roger Goodell in March when he appealed his suspension that his contract was not satisfactory as constructed. The league took issue with it because it contained a clause that Payton could void the deal if general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended, fired or left the Saints.
Apparently, the NFL felt that the clause set a bad precedent for other coaching contracts. The contract was rejected before Loomis was suspended in the bounty scandal. Loomis was suspended for the first eight games of this season.
New Orleans is 2-5 and hosts the Philadelphia Eagles Monday night.
Payton and the league made attempts to resolve the issue with the contract since the beginning of the season but were unsuccessful.
The league allowed Payton to work for the NBA's New Orleans Hornets, owned by Saints owner Tom Benson.
ESPN speculated that the Dallas Cowboys will want Payton if the contract is indeed voided. He worked in Dallas as its assistant head coach from 2003-05. During that time, quarterback Tony Romo began his career with the Cowboys. He attended Eastern Illinois, the same college as Payton.
The Cowboys went 8-8 last season under coach Jason Garrett. They are 3-4 heading into Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Garrett is in his second year as the team's head coach.

[CountDeMoney]

Nothing like playing the Browns to get your ship righted.
Oh, and remembering to use one of the best running backs in the game helps.

[Neil]

The Ravens are tough as nails coming off a bye.  If you give John Harbaugh an extra week to prepare he's unstoppable.  Have they lost an opening day or the week after a bye under Harbaugh?

[Grey Fox]

The 1st Quarter still isn't over & the Chicago defense has 2 td, 1 sack, 1 int, 2 fumble recovery & a block kick.

Dudes.

[CountDeMoney]

And that's why the Cleveland Browns are the Cleveland Browns.

[CountDeMoney]

lol, they just switched over to the Broncos and Bengals.  So that's who got to suffer from Gumbel and Dierdorf today.

[Neil]

lol, they just switched over to the Broncos and Bengals.  So that's who got to suffer from Gumbel and Dierdorf today.

It's shocking how bad the #2 CBS team is.

Still, aside from the first quarter and the last eight minutes, that game gave me some indigestion.

[MadBurgerMaker]

The Texans looked like they were just sort of going through the motions a lot of the time today, but Buffalo is bad enough that they still got the W.  Eh.

[Ed Anger]

lol, they just switched over to the Broncos and Bengals.  So that's who got to suffer from Gumbel and Dierdorf today.