NFL Week 11: When you play a game of football, you win or you lose.

[DanteGabriel]

This weekend's slate of games might be the most exciting all year. Pats-Panthers on Monday night in what may be the first decent Monday matchup, Broncos-Chiefs Sunday night, Saints-49ers (evoking memories of a pre-2002 NFC West). Even Browns-Bengals is a bigger deal than it has been for, what, two generations at least? I haven't actually watched that many games the last few Sundays, but this weekend may change that.

[Rhom]

Saints-49ers (evoking memories of a pre-2002 NFC West).

Except the Saints were terrible back then... If only they still were.

[Jaime L]

Saints-49ers (evoking memories of a pre-2002 NFC West).

Also one of the great playoff games of the last few years.

Skins/Eagles should also be fun to those who believe defense is a fad better left to the 70's.

[DanteGabriel]

Also one of the great playoff games of the last few years.

Right, that too... Sometimes I remember 20 years ago better than I remember two years ago.

[Jace, Extat]

Don't suppose I should bother recommending some of Kentucky's finest bourbon. You wouldn't want to drink anything fermented in that shit hole. ;)

Ahh, you're learning.

The Colts say they'd trade for T-Rich again. At least the writer of the article is on the level.

[Maithanet]

Also one of the great playoff games of the last few years.

If this game had anything like that drama, it will be an instant classic.

If I were making a list of best postseason games of the past five years, I'd go with:

Ravens-Broncos 2013

Niners-Giants 2012

Niners-Saints 2012

Saints-Vikings 2010

Steelers-Cardinals 2009

[sperry]

Just noticed this, but as far as I can tell, Julio Jones is the only one of the approximately 7,000 Nick Saban players recently drafted to make a pro bowl. Obviously these guys are all young and coming into their own, but that's kind of shocking.

[Jaime L]

Ahh, you're learning.

The Colts say they'd trade for T-Rich again. At least the writer of the article is on the level.

It's called cognitive dissonance. It's the same thing all Pontiac Aztek owners experience.

No, it's a great looking car. Wouldn't trade it for the world....

If this game had anything like that drama, it will be an instant classic.

If I were making a list of best postseason games of the past five years, I'd go with:

Ravens-Broncos 2013

Niners-Giants 2012

Niners-Saints 2012

Saints-Vikings 2010

Steelers-Cardinals 2009

It's a good list. Not sure i'd switch any of those out in a top 5 but you could also put up there Packers-Cardinals 2009 (was like a 48-42 game that ended on Rodgers getting strip sacked and fumbling), also Seahawks-Falcons 2013 (Russell Wilson's amazing comeback undone by a Matt Ryan Hail Mary to get into field goal position)

Just noticed this, but as far as I can tell, Julio Jones is the only one of the approximately 7,000 Nick Saban players recently drafted to make a pro bowl. Obviously these guys are all young and coming into their own, but that's kind of shocking.

A while back I remember actually looking up all Alabama players drafted in the last 5 years because it seemed like none had panned out. There were like 10-12 first rounders taken and only Julio Jones has remotely lived up to his draft position. The next closest IIRC was Andre Smith who also spent 3 years as a bust before getting his shit together.

[White Walker Texas Ranger]

Why did everyone think that Trent Richardson would be good sat the beginning of this year? Was it just that everybody remembered seeing him run at Alabama but nobody watched the Browns?

Is an Alabama running back every going to be selected in the first two rounds again?

[Maithanet]

It's a good list. Not sure i'd switch any of those out in a top 5 but you could also put up there Packers-Cardinals 2009 (was like a 48-42 game that ended on Rodgers getting strip sacked and fumbling), also Seahawks-Falcons 2013 (Russell Wilson's amazing comeback undone by a Matt Ryan Hail Mary to get into field goal position)

I considered the Packers-Cards game, but it was undermined for me by the sheer lack of defense on display for most of the game. I was pleased to see the game turn on a defensive play, but it wasn't enough for me.

Seahawks-Falcons was a good game, but I don't think I'd call it an a true classic.

Really, if I were to put on a "runner up" it would probably be the Patriots-Ravens game in 2012, just because that ending was so ridiculous. It got left off the list because IMO it wasn't even the most exciting game of the day.

[Jaime L]

Why did everyone think that Trent Richardson would be good sat the beginning of this year? Was it just that everybody remembered seeing him run at Alabama but nobody watched the Browns?

Well the theory was he was never 100% last year. He had a big game against the Bengals early in the season last year putting up the kind of numbers that seems impossible for the current iteration of TR. His career may have peaked in his 2nd game.

Is an Alabama running back every going to be selected in the first two rounds again?

See above. Judging by recent results no Alabama player should be drafted in the first two rounds ever again.

[Kalbear]

Well in general RBs shouldn't be selected in the first two rounds. Definitely not the first.

[Jaime L]

Well in general RBs shouldn't be selected in the first two rounds. Definitely not the first.

First two rounds? Even if you argue round 1 is too early, round 2 is far from sacred. I mean 90% of all impact RBs in the game were selected in either rounds 1 or 2. It's hard to say the Packers and Bengals didn't get value with Lacy and Bernard. Or the Bears with Matt Forte or Ravens with Ray Rice or the Bucs with Doug Martin or the Eagles with LeSean McCoy. Jamaal Charles clearly should have and would have gone before the 3rd round if they knew what kind of impact he was capable of.

Sure there are some busts there too...just like every other position.

[sperry]

A good running back is worth a first round pick. The problem is they are incredibly difficult to predict. The two slam dunk, can't miss prospects of the last decade have been Adrian Peterson and Darren McFadden. Well, Peterson is a HOFer and McFadden would be worth it if he could stay on the field, which of course he can't.

Personally, barring another Adrian Peterson coming a long, I think it's reasonable to select a running back in the 20s or above, but probably not any hgiher than that.

[Maithanet]

A good running back is worth a first round pick. The problem is they are incredibly difficult to predict. The two slam dunk, can't miss prospects of the last decade have been Adrian Peterson and Darren McFadden. Well, Peterson is a HOFer and McFadden would be worth it if he could stay on the field, which of course he can't.

Trent Richardson was widely considered the best rb prospect since Peterson (07), which would include McFadden (08). And that's the problem with "can't miss" prospects. Even guys that have everything you want, both physically and mentally, can get derailed by injury. There is no such thing as a "can't miss" pick in the NFL.

[Jabronius Maximus]

If this game had anything like that drama, it will be an instant classic.

If I were making a list of best postseason games of the past five years, I'd go with:

Ravens-Broncos 2013

Niners-Giants 2012

Niners-Saints 2012

Saints-Vikings 2010

Steelers-Cardinals 2009

I'd put the Cards-Steelers right at the top of that list. The stories leading up to that matchup were intriguing, all the stars came to play (offense and defense), and that finish was outstanding. Just an all-around phenomenal game.

[Maithanet]

Disclaimer: I'm not old enough to remember any football before 2001 - hell even then I used to think the Eskimos (CFL) and the Packers were one and the same (because of the same green and gold unis). That said, I'd put the Cards-Steelers right at the top of that list. The stories leading up to that matchup were intriguing, all the stars came to play (offense and defense), and that finish was outstanding. Just an all-around phenomenal game.

Yeah, that wasn't ordered by how awesome the games were, it was just reverse chronological.

Picking the best Super Bowls ever is just so hard, I have seen every one since Giants-Bills. So many of them were great in their own way. Broncos-Packers, Rams-Titans, Patriots-Panthers, Patriots-Giants(#1) and Cards-Steelers were all pretty amazing.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

Really, if I were to put on a "runner up" it would probably be the Patriots-Ravens game in 2012, just because that ending was so ridiculous. It got left off the list because IMO it wasn't even the most exciting game of the day.

The 2012 Playoffs in general were just chock full of exciting, back and forth nailbiters. Den/Pit, SF/NO, SF/NYG and NE/Bal were all classics. I can't remember a playoff year that had as many close games.

[Kalbear]

First two rounds? Even if you argue round 1 is too early, round 2 is far from sacred. I mean 90% of all impact RBs in the game were selected in either rounds 1 or 2.

I'm going to go out on a limb and state that the 90% figure is entirely pulled out of ass.

But let's try the exercise. Who are the 'impact RBs'? I don't know what impact means, but I'll try and guess what those might be. I just grabbed the top 24 RBs from FO because they list when each player was drafted. I don't like FO's rankings of RBs, but I figure the top 24 will at least have a good selection of 'impact' RBs.

AP (1st)

Shady (2nd)

Lynch (1st - but was only truly effective after being traded for a 4th after 4 years of fairly unproductive work - should we count that as a 1st or a 4th? I'd argue a 4th, since the Bills got nothing out of him)

Morris (6th)

Stevan Ridley (3rd)

Eddie Lacy (2nd)

Knowshown Moreno (1st)

DeMarco Murray (3rd)

Fred Jackson (undrafted)

Frank Gore (3rd)

Matt Forte (2nd)

DeAngelo Williams (1st)

Jamaal Charles (3rd)

Arian Foster (undrafted)

Reggie Bush (1st, but on his third team)

Zak Stacy (5th)

Gio Bernard (2nd)

Le'Veon Bell (2nd)

Ben Tate (2nd)

Ryan Matthews (1st)

Pierre Thomas (undrafted)

Lamar Miller (4th)

Bilal Powell (4th)

CJ2k (1st)

So of those, 13 of the 24 are in the first or second rounds (including Lynch). Notables that were left out? Um...CJ Spiller (1st)? Ray Rice (2nd)? MJD (2nd)? I guess that helps the argument, bringing it to 16 of 27.

But maybe that's not impacty enough. Maybe you're just talking about the true cream of the crop, like AP and Shady. Okay - but Alfred Morris was a 6th, Arian foster undrafted, Jamaal Charles 3rd. And yes, if people knew how good those players were they'd go higher - but they didn't. If people knew how good Russell Wilson was, he would have been a top 5 pick. That's not the point; the point is that you can find quite a few really good RBs in later rounds.

It's much harder to find really good tackles, DEs, CBs and QBs in later rounds.

[Jace, Extat]

I don't know, Joe Webb set a standard at LT.