Weekly WTF Moments – Week 4 of the 2017 NFL season
Week 4 of the 2017 NFL season kicked off with the Chicago Bears, previously victorious over the Pittsburgh Steelers, traveling to Green Bay to face the Packers… in a one-sided blowout.
Aaron Rodgers threw for four touchdowns, while Bears QB Mike Glennon accounted for four of something else (turnovers) in the same game. Glennon appears to have lost his job to rookie Mitchell Trubisky, the Bears first-round draft pick, who was announced as Sunday’s starter.
That’s not the WTF from this game however, as I have some lingering WTF feelings from Week 3 (The Steelers couldn’t beat this team?).
On another WTF note in the same game, there is no place for a reckless helmet-to-helmet hit like Bears LB Danny Trevathan put on Packers WR Davante Adams. It was 100% unnecessary. The two-game suspension soon-to-come fine should send a message to all players: safety is paramount.
Off of the field, there was a lightning delay during the game as well. People weren’t compelled to move, however, until it started raining!
WTF people! Those are metal bleachers!!! Find shelter inside!
Meanwhile across the pond
Heading into Sunday’s game, I once again had to set my alarm for 6:20 am if I want coffee with my London, England, American football. Yes, in consecutive weeks, we had another blowout game across the pond with the Saints shutting out Miami 20-0.
There has to be some new Jay Cutler memes coming soon. Cutler threw a pick in the red zone during the first quarter. Then he lined up in the Wildcat formation as a wide receiver, with his hands on his hips watching the direct snap from the right. It was comical because is anyone really buying the fact that Cutler is a decoy? It’s hard to even buy the fact he’s a quarterback.
The UK games continue to be ugly affairs too. This game had 16 penalties and three points total in the first half.
And I woke up for this? WTF?
I wonder if Cutler is regretting coming out of retirement. I also wonder if he will get another media job if he calls it quits soon? Oh, and did I mention the Dolphins became the first team EVER to be shutout in London? Yeah…how was that flight home?
Adrian Peterson is another living, breathing WTF. The Saints running back accounted for four carries on Sunday… for four yards. Total. He also missed a block which resulted in a sack on Saints QB Drew Brees. (He was benched for the remainder of the game.)
It is time to call this experiment over?
Repeat performances
Sunday wasn’t without some surprises too. The Patriots lost at home, this time to the Panthers. It’s comical seeing New England tied with the Jets for SECOND PLACE in the AFC East.
It’s even more comical to see the Pats giving up a league-worst 32 points-per-game. The media anointing this team as unbeatable is for sure a WTF.
The LA Chargers and the NY Giants are both 0-4. I’m not surprised, but their coaches are probably saying, “WTF am I going to do with this team?”
Steelers WTFs
The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are arguably the most storied rivalry in the modern NFL. Yet, the games have been lopsided lately, with the Ravens especially holding the edge in games played at M&T Bank Stadium. Pittsburgh had not won there since 2012 and Ben Roethlisberger even longer, going back to 2010, before Sunday’s victory. The Killer B’s were back, as Le’Veon Bell had over 140 yards rushing and more than 40 yards receiving. AB, on the other hand, was only targeted five times with four receptions for 34 yards.
The takeaway from the game wasn’t the production of either player, rather, late in the second quarter, Ben threw an incomplete pass to Bell, on a play that saw Antonio Brown running uncovered down the middle of the field. If Ben had seen this and got the ball to AB, it would have been a clear touchdown.
Yep, that’s what Brown said, hand up in the air, then knocking over a Gatorade bucket on the sidelines, and pushing offensive coordinator Todd Haley’s hand away in frustration.
Temper, temper AB!
As Ben often says, “Sometimes there are just not enough footballs to go around.”
When is a catch not a catch?
The biggest WTF moment of the game, and possibly the weekend, has to be the catch/no catch controversy, where Roethlisberger ends up with an interception after the play was reviewed.
Brown catches the ball, takes two to three steps with it secured, then gets tackled to the ground, with his knee clearly down before the ball pops out. The ball never touches the ground and ends up in Ravens S Eric Weddle‘s hands.
The play was blown dead on the field, ruled down by contact. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh throws a challenge flag and it’s somehow ruled an interception!
WTF?!
So the Ravens ended up gaining three points on that play, courtesy of the officiating crew.
Those points are on the referees entirely. They earned them… what a ridiculous call!
