[asskickingboots]

Fantasy football players are likely well aware of Christian McCaffrey's absence much of this season due to injury. This game potentially marks his return to football.

The Panthers offense has been substandard without him, but they have not been entirely incompetent. They still are surprisingly efficient in a number of areas. RB Mike Davis still is averaging 4.2 ypc, which is okay. Teddy Bridgewater has been efficient and overall pretty decent, albeit mostly a short yardage thrower with a completion percentage over 71%.

They really aren't that far off from being a decent team, and adding CMC back should get them closer, but there's a reason why they're 3-5, have a -14 point differential, and have dropped their last 3, and it isn't all on CMC.

This game also marks the return of AKB. This will be my first game back in the stands since the AFC Championship Game. Going to be a weird feeling, but I'm ready for it.

[NOLA]

I love Teddy Two Gloves and genuinely wish New Orleans had retained him to be their successor QB, but there's no way he can keep pace in this game. Carolina's defense isn't good enough to keep them in it.

[tyecopeland]

Well I'm glad Chris Jones is cleared to practice after going on the covid list. We'll need our d line to play well because I don't expect our lbs to cover mccaffrey out of the backfield very well.

[tyecopeland]

That was close. I didn't get to watch but bits and pieces but I was not impressed with the defense from what I did see. And the running game was just gone today. I realize we only ran it 12 times but damn. 14 yards led the team.

[NOLA]

That was close. I didn't get to watch but bits and pieces but I was not impressed with the defense from what I did see. And the running game was just gone today. I realize we only ran it 12 times but damn. 14 yards led the team.

Maybe it was just me, but I felt like the final score was closer than the actual game.  I was never worried about the win.

[asskickingboots]

That was close. I didn't get to watch but bits and pieces but I was not impressed with the defense from what I did see. And the running game was just gone today. I realize we only ran it 12 times but damn. 14 yards led the team.

Maybe it was just me, but I felt like the final score was closer than the actual game.  I was never worried about the win.

Agreed

This is what being the Champs is like. That was an average NFL team's best shot, aided by multiple early 4th down conversions and the return of their best player. If you're facing the Chiefs, you can't count on getting those conversions, and missing just one of them would have probably lead to a double digit victory instead.

Of course I'd like to see a better performance by our defense and run game, but I didn't think that was a disappointing performance by the team.

[asskickingboots]

Not going to make a bye week thread or start the other thread too early.

Anyway, here's this tidbit.

Kelce: 58 receptions, 768 yards, 6 TDs

TEs closest to Kelce:
Kittle: 37 rec, 474 yds and 2 TD
Hurst: 37 rec, 411 yds and 3 TD
Waller: 50 rec, 394 yds and 4 TD
Schultz: 35 rec, 383 yds and 2 TD
Hockenson: 34 rec, 360 yds and 5 TD
Henry: 33 rec, 357 yds and 1 TD
Fant: 32 rec, 349 yds and 2 TD
Engram: 36 rec, 332 yds and 1 TD
Gesicki: 22 rec, 331 yds and 2 TD
Gronkowski: 27 rec, 323 yds and 3 TD
Tonyan: 24 rec, 314 yds and 5 TD
Smith: 24 rec, 304 yds and 6 TD
Graham: 35 rec, 302 yds and 5 TD
Andrews: 26 rec, 297 yds and 5 TD

[tyecopeland]

Mecole Hardman on the covid list.

[NOLA]

Mecole Hardman on the covid list.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/3029...-union-rep

[tyecopeland]

Mecole Hardman on the covid list.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/3029...-union-rep

Weird. Dont think it amounted to anything since it said that meeting happened last month but still. The union always hints at the league not caring about player safety but then a rep goes out to teams without precautions.