Who is Ben going to call out this week?

[Mojouw]

Maybe so - but running the Chicago anthem protest as an exercise in democracy and subsequent expressions of free will rather than a few veterans saying "this is what we are going to do - don't fuck it up" probably could have turned out better.

I hold the anthem protests as a separate thing from football. I realize that LaCanfora's reports paint it differently, but I don't really buy a ton of what LaCanfora sells. He paints himself as an "insider" but has to almost weekly walk back a few of his statements because they are revealed to be nonsense.

Additionally, the anthem protests and the media attention on them are a perfect storm of circumstances that professional athletes are ill-equipped to deal with or at the very least be spokespeople regarding.

The current problems are fully related to playing football - something these guys should be more than capable of doing.

[AtlantaDan]

I hold the anthem protests as a separate thing from football. I realize that LaCanfora's reports paint it differently, but I don't really buy a ton of what LaCanfora sells. He paints himself as an "insider" but has to almost weekly walk back a few of his statements because they are revealed to be nonsense.

Additionally, the anthem protests and the media attention on them are a perfect storm of circumstances that professional athletes are ill-equipped to deal with or at the very least be spokespeople regarding.

The current problems are fully related to playing football - something these guys should be more than capable of doing.

Agreed locker rooms are not constantly singing Kumbaya, but given Arthur Moats said after the Chicago loss that the anthem discussions were a distraction it apparently had a spillover effect for that game.

Also agreed La Canfora has credibility issues - but assuming one or more players (or their agents) talked to him and he did not simply make up both stories that were posted, that gets back to this team having a bad habit of using the media to get out their concerns.

[Mojouw]

Agreed locker rooms are not constantly singing Kumbaya, but given Arthur Moats said after the Chicago loss that the anthem discussions were a distraction it apparently had a spillover effect for that game.

Also agreed La Canfora has credibility issues - but assuming one or more players (or their agents) talked to him and he did not simply make up both stories that were posted, that gets back to this team having a bad habit of using the media to get out their concerns.

I can see that. I just have always had a hard time believing that "distractions" are as large of a component of team performance as the media/fan narratives make it out to be. I mean everyone is distracted all the time in every job ever.

To assume that "distractions" can be eliminated seems a bit fantastic. Each of these guys has families, outside lives/responsibilities, financial concerns, and all of the other worries and anxieties of any other moderately functioning adult.

For all we know Ben threw five INTS on Sunday because his kid is sick, he and the wife are in the middle of a knock-down-drag-out argument, and Ben hasn't been sleeping and when he has it has been on the couch.

But in addition to that being absolutely none of our business, the NFL coverage and chattering class is far more comfortable imagining these guys as robots whose only existence starts and stops at the walls of the team facility.

Regarding the anthem spat specfically, 31 other NFL teams by all accounts had the same series of contentious meetings and team debates a few Sundays ago. By the logic of NFL commentary, it was only a distraction for the 50% of the league that lost. And the other half was not distracted at all. That simply doesn't make sense.

[AtlantaDan]

I can see that. I just have always had a hard time believing that "distractions" are as large of a component of team performance as the media/fan narratives make it out to be. I mean everyone is distracted all the time in every job ever.

To assume that "distractions" can be eliminated seems a bit fantastic. Each of these guys has families, outside lives/responsibilities, financial concerns, and all of the other worries and anxieties of any other moderately functioning adult.

For all we know Ben threw five INTS on Sunday because his kid is sick, he and the wife are in the middle of a knock-down-drag-out argument, and Ben hasn't been sleeping and when he has it has been on the couch.

But in addition to that being absolutely none of our business, the NFL coverage and chattering class is far more comfortable imagining these guys as robots whose only existence starts and stops at the walls of the team facility.

Regarding the anthem spat specfically, 31 other NFL teams by all accounts had the same series of contentious meetings and team debates a few Sundays ago. By the logic of NFL commentary, it was only a distraction for the 50% of the league that lost. And the other half was not distracted at all. That simply doesn't make sense.

Steelers had a unique dynamic given the status of AV that may have added to the dysfunction of the meeting and pregame festivities - but I agree after the Jax loss that this team is fully capable of losing a road game to anyone even if everything is in perfect sync leading up to kickoff

[DesertSteel]

One thing is for sure: a win at KC will cure all that ails. Especially if #7 goes for 300/3/0. 4-2 will look pretty good then.

[AtlantaDan]

One thing is for sure: a win at KC will cure all that ails. Especially if #7 goes for 300/3/0. 4-2 will look pretty good then.

That is where I had them after 6 games preseason but my two losses were @Ravens and @Chiefs

Bettors see another loss coming - line opened at 3 and has trended up to Chiefs by 4&1/2 - 5 - Steelers $$ may be hoping it gets to 6

http://www.vegasinsider.com/nfl/odds/las-vegas/

[43Hitman]

That is where I had them after 6 games preseason but my two losses were @Ravens and @Chiefs

Bettors see another loss coming - line opened at 3 and has trended up to Chiefs by 4&1/2 - 5 - Steelers $$ may be hoping it gets to 6

http://www.vegasinsider.com/nfl/odds/las-vegas/

I'm damn near tempted to lay the 7 now. I think I can/ would still win on that. I just don't trust the Steelers on the road right now, especially after last week so I couldn't take the points. That line would have to reach 9 or so before I would feel good about it. I will say this though, Vegas didn't get all those fancy lights and hotels because they lose to the general public. Which has made me ask myself why this line has started so low.