It’s time to look back at the football weekend that just passed, put our heads together and try to figure out this crazy little thing we call life. Oh, and NFL football. Mostly NFL football.
EZEKIEL ELLIOTT IS SUSPENDED AGAIN, FOR NOW
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott rushed 33 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns Sunday against the Washington Redskins and got to celebrate that by being promptly suspended again after his preliminary injunction was denied by Judge Katherine Polk Failla Monday.
Tuesday morning, Judge Failla doubled down by denying Elliott and the NFLPA’s emergency motion for an injunction pending appeal.
Props to @EzekielElliott for fighting so hard to clear his name of something that the cops couldn’t even prove.
— Dallas Sports (@DFWSportsNation) October 31, 2017
As of right now, Elliott is now on the hook for his six game suspension from the NFL over alleged domestic violence. Allegations that could not stand up under any legal scrutiny whatsoever.
Needless to say, Elliott is appealing the decision, filing it with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. If the suspension stands through all of this, Elliott won’t be able to suit up again until December 17 when the Cowboys play the Oakland Raiders.
The appeal from the NFLPA could take weeks or longer to be heard in the Second Circuit, that means Elliott will be sitting this Sunday and maybe the next five.
GIANTS SUSPEND JENKINS INDEFINITELY
The New York Giants dumpster fire rolls on down the street unimpeded. Tuesday the team announced they had suspended Pro Bowl cornerback Janoris Jenkins indefinitely after he showed up to the team facility late after their bye week.
Landon Collins says Ben McAdoo didn’t explain exact details regarding Janoris Jenkins suspension to team #giants
— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) November 1, 2017
The suspension will cost Jenkins a chance to face off against his old team, the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday.
“As a member of this team, there are standards and we have responsibilities and obligations,” Giants soon to be fired head coach Ben McAdoo said in a statement. “When we don’t fulfill those obligations, there are consequences. As I have said before, we do not like to handle our team discipline publicly. There are times when it is unavoidable, and this is one of those times.”
Jenkins had started five games this season and played in six. He had 23 tackles, one forced fumble, six passes defended and one interception. His suspension will move Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie into an outiside corner position. Rodgers-Cromartie was suspended himself a few weeks ago for walking out of a team meeting.
Ross Cockrell and Donte Deayon will move up to the nickle and dime backs.
THE BROWNS CONTINUE TO BE AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE LEAGUE
Of all the lopsided and stupid trades that went down Tuesday, the absolute dumbest was the trade that didn’t happen. The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns had worked a deal for Cincy back up quarterback A.J. McCarron.
It was a bad agreement for the Browns, who were giving up a second and a third round pick for the former Alabama quarterback. It was a desperation move that, like all other Cleveland moves, would have blown up in their face.
Look, consider this a piece of Good Luck. It prevented the Browns from wasting a 2nd and 3rd round picks on AJ McCarron. That is absurd!
— tmac (@BromBones196) November 1, 2017
Here is why it didn’t happen. The Browns didn’t file the paperwork in time.
Yeah. That’s right. The NFL trade deadline all season was October 31 at 4 p.m. and the Browns missed it. The Bengals didn’t. Realizing they had the best possible deal for a mediocre player, they filed in a timely manner. The Browns went all Browns on it.
Of all the Cleveland Browns in the word, they are the Cleveland Browniest.
On the bright side, Cleveland’s own inept front office kept them from making an incredibly stupid trade. On the down side, it was pretty much the same excuse I used when I turned in my Wold Lit research paper in college.
The Browns actually argued to the league that there should be a grace period. The league denied that request with, what I can imagine, was a giant fart sound.
McCarron is still stuck with the Bengals for the rest of the season. The Browns are still stuck with DeShone Kizer, Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan. It’s just another black eye for a franchise running out of eyes to black.
SPEAKING OF THE BROWNS…
Our two winless NFL teams remain, but they begin the second half of their seasons on distinctly different paths. The San Francisco 49ers may have changed their fortunes for the future in trading for Jimmy Garoppolo. The former New England Patriots back up won’t start this week against the Arizona Cardinals, but this is a winnable game.
#49ers Kyle Shanahan & staff been cramming with Jimmy Garoppolo to school him on #49ers offense — and Cardinals D since he may back up CJ
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) November 1, 2017
The 49ers are playing at home and Arizona will be without Carson Palmer and David Johnson. The last time these two squads met up, it took a touchdown pass in overtime to put the Cardinals on top. San Francisco could pick up this win, then set the stage for the Jimmy Garoppolo era in the coming weeks.
For the Browns, every week seems like a new disaster. Their lazy paperwork filing cost them a trade and now they’re still stuck with Kizer, Kessler and Hogan. At least they have a bye this week.
To make matters worse, at least for their fans, head coach Hue Jackson has gotten the proverbial “statement of support” according the NFL Network’s Ian Rappaport. That doesn’t mean that Jackson won’t be fired at the end of the season, but Cleveland has made it clear they’re going to ride out this shitstorm with him in the saddle.
Cleveland travels to the Detroit Lions on November 12 for what should be their ninth loss of the season.
NFL NEWS
After getting cut by the 49ers immediately following the Garoppolo trade, Brian Hoyer will take Garoppolo’s old job backing up Tom Brady with the New England Patriots. New England signed Hoyer to a three year contract Wednesday. Hoyer was Brady’s back up from 2009-2011.
That moment you go from 0-8 to 6-2 @bhoyer7 !! Welcome back Brian!!! pic.twitter.com/ic2ASJHoce
— The Pats Zone (@ThePatsZone_) November 1, 2017
In spite of his statements to the contrary, Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph is making a change at quarterback. Trevor Siemian will return to manning the surface pad where he belongs while free agent acquisition and former Broncos starter Brock Osweiler will take over under center. Former first round pick Paxton Lynch should return to practice this week too. Siemian, before the month is out, could go from the No. 1 to No. 3 QB in Denver.
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