2019 NFL Thread v. Chiefs are Champs, Missouri rules the sports world

[Nick]

Damn...don't think I can take another close game by the Niners...and we're at Seattle next week with the division on the line. Fuck.

Correction, it's the difference between the conference and the #5 seed.

[Cool Chris]

Just saw that as well. I am not enough of a fan to ever pay to go to a game, but is it not annoying at all to buy a ticket for a game, and then find out the time has been changed?

[KevShmev]

Kev, nailed it.

Write down today's date, since I am sure it will be a while before you say that again.

[pg1067]

I have not paying that much attention to this 100 greatest players thing the NFL is doing, but I did like seeing that neither Terrell Owens nor Cris Carter were chosen as one of the 10 wide receivers.

Haven't been following closely, but I have checked a few times to see who made it.  The biggest snub to this point was the omission of Paul Krause.  Dude is the NFL's all-time interception leader, as a safety, but he's not one of the top six safeties?  Give me a break!

I can't argue with anyone on the WR list, but I don't remember who got excluded from the nominees.

How's this for a new rule: Anytime somebody's doing some stupid end zone dance you're allowed to tackle him?

I could get behind this! 

Ditto.  Also when a defense runs 50 years to the end zone for a group photo.  Just stop.

[KevShmev]

I have not paying that much attention to this 100 greatest players thing the NFL is doing, but I did like seeing that neither Terrell Owens nor Cris Carter were chosen as one of the 10 wide receivers.

Haven't been following closely, but I have checked a few times to see who made it.  The biggest snub to this point was the omission of Paul Krause.  Dude is the NFL's all-time interception leader, as a safety, but he's not one of the top six safeties?  Give me a break!

I can't argue with anyone on the WR list, but I don't remember who got excluded from the nominees.

Seems like most of the people picking these players are older, which explains why so many players from the pre-Super Bowl era are making it.  I mean, how did 12 RB's make it and none of them were Marshall Faulk or L. Tomlinson? 

[pg1067]

I have not paying that much attention to this 100 greatest players thing the NFL is doing, but I did like seeing that neither Terrell Owens nor Cris Carter were chosen as one of the 10 wide receivers.

Haven't been following closely, but I have checked a few times to see who made it.  The biggest snub to this point was the omission of Paul Krause.  Dude is the NFL's all-time interception leader, as a safety, but he's not one of the top six safeties?  Give me a break!

I can't argue with anyone on the WR list, but I don't remember who got excluded from the nominees.

Seems like most of the people picking these players are older, which explains why so many players from the pre-Super Bowl era are making it.  I mean, how did 12 RB's make it and none of them were Marshall Faulk or L. Tomlinson?

It seems to me like they went out of their way to ensure 20% of the players are pre-SB era (or something like that).  With the RBs, I've never heard of "Dutch" Clark, and I always thought Steve Van Buren was a QB.  I know Lenny Moore's name but nothing else, and Gale Sayers didn't have a long enough career to be there.  That said, I don't buy into LT as a top 12 RB.

[KevShmev]

It seems to me like they went out of their way to ensure 20% of the players are pre-SB era (or something like that).  With the RBs, I've never heard of "Dutch" Clark, and I always thought Steve Van Buren was a QB.  I know Lenny Moore's name but nothing else, and Gale Sayers didn't have a long enough career to be there.  That said, I don't buy into LT as a top 12 QB.

Me neither, but I buy into him being a top 12 RB.

I almost shuddering at what QB's are gonna be on there.  I think there are gonna be 10 and my guess is these 8 are a lock:

Otto Graham
Sammy Baugh
Johnny Unitas
Joe Montana
John Elway
Dan Marino
Peyton Manning
Tom Brady

The last two will probably be two guys we've never heard of who played back in the 30's.

[cramx3]

I'd really like the Giants to not win this. Chase Young would look great in blue next year. This season has been so bad that getting a top draft spot would make something positive out of it.

[pg1067]

It seems to me like they went out of their way to ensure 20% of the players are pre-SB era (or something like that).  With the RBs, I've never heard of "Dutch" Clark, and I always thought Steve Van Buren was a QB.  I know Lenny Moore's name but nothing else, and Gale Sayers didn't have a long enough career to be there.  That said, I don't buy into LT as a top 12 QB.

Me neither, but I buy into him being a top 12 RB.

GAAAHHH!!!

I think you're right about the QBs.  The other two will probably be guys like Sid Luckman and Bobby Layne.

[KevShmev]

I think you're right about the QBs.  The other two will probably be guys like Sid Luckman and Bobby Layne.

I will vomit if they put Joe Namath on there, but won't be surprised.  I could see Staubach, Bradshaw, Aikman, Favre or Brees all having a shot as well.  Not saying what players I would put, but who I think the committee will.

[max_security]

Bert Jones .

Fine day in the NFL indeed. Get to knock the rust off the ole RG3 next week , yes indeed.

[King Postwhore]

Kev, nailed it.

Write down today's date, since I am sure it will be a while before you say that again.

 

Btw, this is the first time me seeing the Broncos color rush 3rd uniforms.  I don't like them at all. 

[KevShmev]

A little too much orange.

[King Postwhore]

Still not as bad as those Jets/Bills.

I think I had a seizure when I turned on that game.

[KevShmev]

Looks like SF is the 1 seed if they win next week no matter what.  New Orleans would then need to win and hope GB loses one of their last two to get the 2 seed.  If SF, GB and NO all end up 13-3, SF is the 1, GB the 2 and NO the 3.

If Seattle wins next week, GB can get the 1 seed by winning tomorrow and next week.

[Cool Chris]

With Brees topping the TD passing list, and Brady reaching Manning, I was curious and checked out the all-time list.

I am barely old enough to remember when Marino passed Tarkenton (who had the record for a while), but do recall him retiring with 420 (surpassing Tarkenton by nearly 80 TDs). That was almost one of those sports numbers you just knew, like Aaron's 755 HRs or Maris' 61, records that would stand for a long, long time.

Since then 8 other people have passed Tarkenton, and 4 have passed Marino, all of those 4 by 80+ TDs.

Going down the list and seeing some names I would never think fall where they do, Philip Rivers is #6, Testeverde is #16, and Dave Krieg is #18.

Not really going anywhere with this. I just like looking at these kinds of stats.

[KevShmev]

I remember when John Elway threw his 300th touchdown pass in the last regular season game in 1998, and it was a big deal since he was only the 3rd QB to hit the 300 mark.  He is now 12th on the list for most TD passes ever.

Funny thing about that TD pass, too, is was on a goal-to-go play from the 1, and instead of giving it to Terrell Davis for the sure TD, which was the norm that year, Shanny called for a pass.  I would bet my life savings that Shanny knew that Elway was going to retire, was on 299, and wanted him to get to 300 that day.  Same thing with the Super Bowl a month later when the fullback Howard Griffith got two 1-yard touchdowns and then Elway scored on a draw from like the 2 in the 4th quarter.  I suspect Shanny called those plays because he wanted Elway to be the MVP of the game, and he knew that if Davis had 2-3 touchdowns to go along with his 100+ yards from scrimmage, he'd get it. 

[Cool Chris]

Kinda like when Pete Carroll wanted Wilson to get the SB49 MVP instead of Lynch so called a pass play on the 1 at the end of the game? 

[KevShmev]

I never bought that narrative, and still don't.  People love to forget that Marshawn Lynch wasn't very good that year in short yardage situations.  Unlike Terrell Davis, the Hall of Famer, who was a beast. 

[Cool Chris]

It is a theory here that, while not wholly embraced, never seems to die. 

[bosk1]

I love it when week 17 has some rarified stakes.  It is unusual for a TON to be up in the air.  But for a week 17, this isn't a bad year.  Some stray observations:

NFC:  Yeah, the teams may be set (other than the NFC east).  But the outcome of the SF/Seattle game is going to completely shake up the seedings for the 1, 2, 3, and 5. 

And speaking of the NFC east, that division is still up for grabs.

AFC:  The division winners and the Bills are set.  But the wildcard race is still fun.  This is one of the more interesting ones I've seen in that the Raiders need, I think, 5 variables to ALL fall their way to get in, and yet, that scenario is entirely plausible.  If I remember correctly, they need all of the following to happen:
-Raiders beat Broncos:  Not unlikely.
-Ravens beat Steelers:  Pretty likely.
-Colts beat Jaguars:  Pretty likely.
-Browns beat Bengals:  Pretty likely. 
-Texans beat Titans:  Not unlikely.  But this is probably the biggest challenge in the bunch, simply because the Texans have their division title and seeding locked up and will likely rest their starters, while the Titans are pretty hot (despite the loss to the Saints) and probably feeling like they are in "must win" mode.  I think the Titans are the clear favorite for the #6 spot.  But it's interesting that both the Raiders and Steelers have very plausible paths.

[jammindude]

Local sports radio and some insiders are claiming that Marshawn will be flying into Seattle to talk to the Seahawks.

:

[Cool Chris]

Just saw that. Of course when your #1 and #2 RBs are hurt and out, and your #3 (and last) guy has 8 rushing attempts total, in his career, you might want to start making some calls.

[bosk1]

I have no idea whether he is still physically able to be much of a difference maker coming in cold without having taken a snap in a few seasons.  But given their RB situation, just him coming in to provide leadership could make a difference.

[jammindude]

I have no idea whether he is still physically able to be much of a difference maker coming in cold without having taken a snap in a few seasons.  But given their RB situation, just him coming in to provide leadership could make a difference.

Has it been a few? I thought he played last year? Not much, but thought he played a few games.

[bosk1]

Just looked it up.  Yeah, I guess he did play 6 games last season.  It just seems like forever since I heard his name. 

[pg1067]

I think you're right about the QBs.  The other two will probably be guys like Sid Luckman and Bobby Layne.

I will vomit if they put Joe Namath on there, but won't be surprised.  I could see Staubach, Bradshaw, Aikman, Favre or Brees all having a shot as well.  Not saying what players I would put, but who I think the committee will.

I'll join you in the vomiting if Namath makes it, but I don't think there's any chance.  Bradshaw and Staubach are typically underrated.  Aikman is slightly overrated.  I don't think Brees will make it if for no reason other than that I don't think they'll pick two active players.  Favre is the single most overrated player in NFL history.  He doesn't belong anywhere near this list.

-Raiders beat Broncos:  Not unlikely.
-Ravens beat Steelers:  Pretty likely.
-Colts beat Jaguars:  Pretty likely.
-Browns beat Bengals:  Pretty likely. 

The Broncos game is at Denver, and the Broncos have been surging with Lock at QB.  To me, this makes it less likely that the Raiders will win.

Lamar Jackson isn't likely to play, so I think the Steelers game is up in the air.

The other two games between eliminated games are, in my mind, total pick 'em games.

[Cool Chris]

I will vomit if they put Joe Namath on there, but won't be surprised.

But he is BROADWAY JOE! He GUARANTEED a Jets win in SB3! He wears FUR COATS!

[bosk1]

-Raiders beat Broncos:  Not unlikely.
-Ravens beat Steelers:  Pretty likely.
-Colts beat Jaguars:  Pretty likely.
-Browns beat Bengals:  Pretty likely. 

The Broncos game is at Denver, and the Broncos have been surging with Lock at QB.  To me, this makes it less likely that the Raiders will win.

Lamar Jackson isn't likely to play, so I think the Steelers game is up in the air.

The other two games between eliminated games are, in my mind, total pick 'em games.

That's all fair.  I'm just saying that I can't think of another time when a team needed help from so many other teams to make the playoffs, but such a convolluted scenario was actually as plausible as this year's Raiders team.  None of those outcomes is a huge longshot, IMO.

[El Barto]

Local sports radio and some insiders are claiming that Marshawn will be flying into Seattle to talk to the Seahawks.

:

Is he eligible to play this year? I thought we'd passed a cutoff point for retired players to sign with a team. I know Gronk's eligibility to return ended about a month ago.

[jammindude]

Local sports radio and some insiders are claiming that Marshawn will be flying into Seattle to talk to the Seahawks.

:

Is he eligible to play this year? I thought we'd passed a cutoff point for retired players to sign with a team. I know Gronk's eligibility to return ended about a month ago.

You got me curious, so I just found this tidbit on ESPN’s article regarding the matter.

“Lynch has not filed retirement paperwork with the league, but he has not been linked with any team this season.”

[TAC]

Gronk didn't file papers either.

[jammindude]

I wonder if they have certain exceptions in place if a team happens to be sufficiently depleted at a certain position

[TAC]

No team was more depleted at TE than NE.

[El Barto]

It looks to me like the distinction is that Marshawn is a free agent and Gronk is still under contract with the Patriots. Gronk would have had to file to be reinstated after missing most of the season. Since Lynch could have signed with anybody at any time he's still eligible.