Greg Bedard of BostonSportsJournal.com joined the Felger and Mazz program on Tuesday, as he does every week to discuss the Patriots and the NFL games from the past week. While on, Greg Bedard did his weekly “10 Questions” segment on the program following week 13 of the 2023 NFL season…
Before the 10 questions, here’s some notes from around the NFL….
With the Kansas City Chiefs loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Miami Dolphins have leapfrogged into the top spot in the AFC standings. The Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens are each 9-3 but the Dolphins have a better in-conference record.
The Philadelphia Eagles currently possess the top record in the NFC with a 10-2 record. The Eagles dropped their second contest of the season on Sunday when they fell to the San Francisco 49ers 42-19. The 49ers sit just one game behind the Eagles at 9-3 and would hold the tiebreaker in the standings.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence injured his ankle in the team’s Monday Night Football matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. Lawrence joins quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers (Jets), DeShaun Watson (Browns), Joe Burrow (Bengals), Kirk Cousins (Minnesota), and Anthony Richardson (Colts) who have gone down with injuries in 2023.
The Carolina Panthers became the first team in the NFL to officially be eliminated from the playoffs in the 2023 season. The Panthers loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday dropped them to 1-11 on the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is in his 17th season as Steelers head coach. Tomlin has never finished a season under .500 as head coach. The team is currently 7-5 during the 2023 season.
Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud leads the NFL in passing yards with 3,540, while Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill leads the NFL in receiving yards with 1,481 receiving yards. Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers leads in rushing yards with 1,032.
The 10 Questions
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – DECEMBER 03: Carrington Valentine #37 of the Green Bay Packers defends a pass intended for Marquez Valdes-Scantling #11 of the Kansas City Chiefs during a game at Lambeau Field on December 03, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Chiefs 27-19. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
10. Of all the blown calls at the end of the Chiefs-Packers game, what was the worst?
Greg Bedard: The pass interference. It was horrible. He climbed over the guy’s back. It was awful.
9. After games like that you once again hear calls that the league needs to “do something” about its officiating problem. Do they, in fact, need to “do something,” and if so, what?
Greg Bedard: No. Nothing is ever going to be perfect in that realm. Ever. I don’t care what system you have, something will get missed. Plus, the only way they’re going to make it better is if the owners agree to pay a boatload of money to make all these guys full time to do training around the clock and all that stuff. And those cheap bastards are never doing it, so it’s never changing.
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 04: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is helped off the field by trainers after being injured against the Cincinnati Bengals during the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium on December 04, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images)
8. Add Trevor Lawrence to the list of starting QBs who have gone down this year. Rank, IN ORDER, the three most damaging injuries at that position – to the league in general.
Greg Bedard: Joe Burrow. Aaron Rodgers. Then DeShaun Watson, because I think Trevor Lawrence will be back in a couple of weeks.
7. Is there anything the league can do or should do to limit the injuries at QB?
Greg Bedard: Not really, but I have three ideas for the future: flags on the quarterback, two hand touch sensors on their uniform, and limiting the amount of rushers the defense can bring at the quarterback.
Felger: Are you serious about these things?
Greg Bedard: I’m just saying these are ideas for the future down the road.
Felger: No blitzes? Well, no you could bring five. Like a maximum of five.
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – DECEMBER 03: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 03, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Chiefs 27-19. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
6. Are the Kansas City Chiefs in trouble?
Greg Bedard: For the Super Bowl? Yes. For the AFC Championship? No, because everybody keeps getting hurt and they have Patrick Mahomes. So, I think they’ll be okay.
Sep 8, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) looks to pass the ball against the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
5. Who is the biggest toolbag Pittsburgh Steeler of all time?
Greg Bedard: Ben Roethlisberger.
4. Who is your favorite Pittsburgh Steeler of all time?
Greg Bedard: Mike Webster. (Center, 1974-1988)
FOXBORO, MA – SEPTEMBER 10: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots cheers as he runs on to the field before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium on September 10, 2015 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
3. What’s your favorite Patriots-Steelers game of all time?
Greg Bedard: 2015 regular season when the radio broadcast was in the Steelers headset and Mike Tomlin had Zo in his headset during the game and complained about it after the game.
2. What would you rather be: A Patriots fan from 1973 to 2023….or a Steelers fan from 1973 to 2023?
Greg Bedard: Obviously it’s close but I went with the Steelers just because I think there was more consistency over the the entire time that they were more competitive and had a chance every year.
TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 12: An NFL logo as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on October 12, 2008 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
1.Renegade…or Josie?
Greg Bedard: Renegade. It’s just a better pump up song.
