Are losing NFL teams quitting against good teams this time of the year?

[quantumleap]

I see a couple games:

• 1-11 Titans lose to the 8-4 Jags 20-3. Hardly an effort put in there it seems. (I didn't watch the game.)
• 3-9 Browns lose to the 9-4 Niners 27-8.

On the other hand, a couple losing teams did rather well against middle-of-the-road teams:

• 2-10 Saints lose to the 5-7 Dolphins 21-17.
• 3-9 Cards lose to the 7-5 Bucs 20-17.

 

[Wagerallsports]

I don’t think the players do unless it’s coaching decisions which indicate they are sort of surrendering for draft position

Nothing more frustrating as a fan than seeing your team which is out of the running, win meaningless games & hurt themselves

 

[quantumleap]

I don’t think the players do unless it’s coaching decisions which indicate they are sort of surrendering for draft position

Nothing more frustrating as a fan than seeing your team which is out of the running, win meaningless games & hurt themselves

Yeah, I forgot to mention the draft position situation with these teams.

 

[Tanko]

Do you think a way to check for this is to look in December at teams that are big dogs (i.e. losing teams) and see if they are NOT covering? This might be an indirect measure of a team giving up.

Last year, double digit dogs in weeks 13-18 (Dec 1st through Jan 5th) went 6-4.

It's obviously not scientific but it might show bad teams do "kind of give a crap".

 

[djefferis]

Kind of similar to the NBA - some teams I’ll openly tank for draft position - but a lot of players don’t go with that plan.

Look at Browns as the perfect example - starting Sanders trying to get a spark. Why ? Season is over for them - I get wanting to see how Sanders performs, but he’s not always going against the oppositions best efforts. Good teams are resting players in preparation of the playoffs - bad teams are doing the same bringing in rookies and unproven players.

These guys are playing for next years contracts and stats. You think Myles isn’t motivated by that sack record despite the Browns sucking (again). He wants those stats and to justify the contract - hit some incentives.

NFL dogs at home the way to go from here on - double up when they are +250 or better.

 

[Brock Landers]

Carolina played the game of their lives today

 

[Pimike]

Carolina played the game of their lives today

Carolina not out of it

 

[Wagerallsports]

Carolina played the game of their lives today

kind of but ultimately Matt Stafford gave them the game

 

[jjgold]

Nope, nobody quits in the NFL. They’re playing for their jobs and contracts next year around the league.

 

[quantumleap]

Carolina played the game of their lives today

They were 6-6 coming into today's game.

 

[quantumleap]

Another game was 8-4 Chargers against the 2-10 Raiders. Chargers won 31-14 although the Raiders got to within 10 in the 4th so you can't really say they gave up.

 

[quantumleap]

Nope, nobody quits in the NFL. They’re playing for their jobs and contracts next year around the league.

Valid point about some players not wanting to let their stats slip because of their jobs and contracts but just the utter size of the win margins makes it look like some on the team have given up.

 

[Pimike]

So Denver by that thinking

 

[quantumleap]

Nope, nobody quits in the NFL. They’re playing for their jobs and contracts next year around the league.

It's looking like Mariota for Washington isn't lying down. But I think he might also be trying for a starting position now that Daniels is injured.

 

[quantumleap]

So Denver by that thinking

Sorry, just saw this now.

See my reply to JJ. Mariota is playing for a starting position and looks to be playing well.

 

[jjgold]

Washington playing like superbowl

Nobody quits

 

[ktollinche]

Very rarely do teams quit.

Sure there are gonna be some whoppings, but getting 7+ points on bad teams at the end of the season is usually a money maker