MIAMI GARDENS, FL – OCTOBER 22: Josh McCown #15 of the New York Jets passes during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
NFLBy Brad Gagnon on

This Weekend in NFL Stupid highlights the dumbest moments and decisions in football throughout the season. For Week 7, we start with that controversial “simultaneous catch” in Jersey.

There’s no way in hell this should be a touchdown catch…

I don’t necessarily buy that it should have been an interception either. It was one of those cases in which it was impossible to know who gained possession at what time, which meant the official essentially had to guess. What’s stupid is that he was forced to do so, and that overturning such a decision is nearly impossible based on the burden of proof that is required under replay review rules.

The league should change those rules and make it possible for officials to refrain from making an initial ruling when doing so would be a guess. Then the review process can essentially decide the result of the play. And if it’s still impossible to tell what happened, the best solution might be to replay the down entirely.

Because what happened there doesn’t feel fair to the Giants.

Everything Falcons

From again ignoring superstar receiver Julio Jones in the red zone (at least before garbage time), to burning a crucial second-half timeout with more than 15 seconds on the play clock prior to a third-and-goal snap, to running a jet sweep on fourth-and-goal from the New England 1-yard line, to terrible play-calling in general, to the Adrian Clayborn roughing-the-passer penalty that wiped out an end zone interception, Sunday was a really stupid night for Atlanta in Foxboro.

The Bengals decided to stop running the ball in the second half of a close game

It was a one-score game between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh at halftime, with the Steelers leading 20-14 thanks to two field goals to close out the second quarter. The Bengals ran the ball a respectable 12 times in that first half, with top back Joe Mixon averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. But they ran the ball just five times on 21 second-half plays as Pittsburgh slowly pulled away.

Mixon inexplicably received zero of those carries.

“It’s frustrating. I feel like I’m seeing [Le’Veon Bell] got the ball 35 times, and I got it seven in the first half and then don’t touch the ball again,” Mixon said afterwards, per ESPN.com. “[Jeremy] Hill only got one touch in the second half. It’s frustrating to us running backs. We feel like we’re in the room and we feel like we’re part of the offense. If it worked in the first half, why not do it in the second?”

Because Marvin Lewis is a terrible coach, Joe. That’s why.

This game-sealing interception from Josh McCown in the final minute of a tie game…

The play call was ridiculous and the decision was worse, so here it is set to bad Titanic music:

https://twitter.com/TitanicTD/status/922201776211755010

The Browns doing Browns things

And Vontaze Burfict doing Vontaze Burfict things

I actually don’t think this is as egregious as some are making it out to be. But considering his reputation and track record, I think it’s enough to once again declare Burfict to be an idiot.

Opponent Le’Veon Bell summed it up:

This quote from Packers head coach Mike McCarthy

“I have three years invested in Brett Hundley, I have great confidence in Brett Hundley. I have two years invested in Joe Callahan. It’s a quarterback room that has structure. I feel great about the room.”

That’s what McCarthy said last week when defending the team’s decision not to sign an outside quarterback (like Colin Kaepernick) in the wake of Aaron Rodgers’ injury. But McCarthy’s actions spoke louder than his words on Sunday, and they screamed that he does not have confidence in Hundley, who was rarely given a chance to throw the ball downfield against the Saints. He finished with just 12 completions on 25 passes for 87 yards, and you’re not going to win a lot of games that way.

I refuse to believe Kaepernick wouldn’t have been able to do a hell of a lot more.

And a word for those criticizing DeShone Kizer for going out on the town 36 hours before a game 

(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

He’s a human being. A rich, 21-year-old human being. He knows his body, he knows what it can handle and I guarantee you going out on a Friday night with friends didn’t impact his play on Sunday afternoon. The optics aren’t great, but that’s only because far too many of us buy into the notion that professional athletes aren’t allowed to have lives outside of football.

His own head coach isn’t helping.

“A guy’s personal time is his personal time, but I still think that’s not what our guys do,” Jackson said Sunday, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “I think our guys work at what they do, and I would be surprised if that happened. I have never heard of that. I don’t think DeShone has that kind of character or personality that way. That is what it is.”

Dude, you think your guys don’t go out until 1:30 on Friday nights? And you think they can’t do that while also working at what they do? Come on, man!

We all deserve to have some fun when we’re not on the job, and Kizer had every right to hit the town with friends on Friday night.

Leave DeShone alone!

About Brad Gagnon

Brad Gagnon has been passionate about both sports and mass media since he was in diapers -- a passion that won't die until he's in them again. Based in Toronto, he's worked as a national NFL blog editor at theScore.com, a producer and writer at theScore Television Network and a host, reporter and play-by-play voice at Rogers TV. His work has also appeared at CBSSports.com, Deadspin, FoxSports.com, The Guardian, The Hockey News and elsewhere at Comeback Media, but his day gig has him covering the NFL nationally for Bleacher Report.

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