The Official 2013 NFL Thread

[Perpetual Change]

The Jets answer to their QB situation: David Garrard.... I guess?

Don't know how I can feel about that. On one hand, an overall QB rating of 85 is much, much better than what I realistically hope Mark Sanchez to put up.

On the other hand, add health issues and 2 years of rust to Garrard's stats, and what do you come up with?

I guess you come up with a guy that can compete with Mark Sanchez for the starting job, which brings that number up to four. Aside from Mark Sanchez, the Jets now have David Garrard, Tim Tebow, Greg McElroy, and Matt Simms on the roster, and there is serious talk of pursuing Kevin Kolb and Brady Quinn.

Think you can find a starter in that bunch?

With the old Eagles OC, it'd be interesting to see Kevin Kolb. Not sure he ever got the chance he deserved competing with Michael Vick, and Morningweg likes him so that might say something about his actual ability.

[Nick]

And my stance continues to be...

lolJets

Soon so much of their roster is going to be backup QBs that if an O-line man gets injured you'll see Tebow in there blocking the D.

[Perpetual Change]

Well, I'm not sure what else they can do. Fans are absolutely appalled with the idea of one more year of Mark Sanchez, and the Jets are struggling more and more to sell tickets. Which brings me to my next point about the Jets...

Whereas most NFL teams naturally ebb and flow from sucking to competence, the Jets seem mired in mediocrity year after year. I blame NYC and having to compete with the Giants.

After two seasons like the last two, and all the salary cap fumbles and locker room issues, a serious team would bring in a new GM with a new coach and start cutting all its high cost, low performance players. It'd probably mean a year or two of freakin' awful play, but eventually the Jets would draft a decent QB, have the cap room to aquire some good players, and finally enter into an era of competence.

But, since the Jets are always competing with the Giants for fandom and ticket sales, they never seem to take the necessary chances on outright sucking that comes with admitting you're in full-rebuild mode. They go into half-rebuild mode, and come up with teams that are mediocre, sometimes lucky enough to get to the post-season.

Some of the cuts they've been making lately do lead me to believe they are getting ready to start from scratch finally, and I will be pleasantly surprised if this year's Jets suck and start anew with a new head coach and newly drafted QB. What I really fear is sustained mediocrity that'll come if the Jets really do put together a mediocre team and wind up with 6 or 8 wins again.

[Nick]

The problem has nothing to do with the Giants, as they aren't just competing with them, but the whole league like everyone else. Sure they want to beat the Giants, but at the end of the day their fucked up and horrible management would have probably made these bone headed moves with or without the giants.

[Dark Castle]

I think he's talking about competing for ticket sales and relevancy in NYC against the giants more than actual playing football against them

[Nick]

I know. But with a second team nearby or not, a good long term solution will still win out over the Jets horrible decisions.

[Perpetual Change]

I think he's talking about competing for ticket sales and relevancy in NYC against the giants more than actual playing football against them

Yup. Even Izdik is VERY hesitant to say the Jets are "rebuilding" despite the fact he seems to be purging the team.

[snapple]

The Jets are a joke 

[KevShmev]

I wouldn't sweat losing Finley.  He has never lived up to the hype, and is a loud-mouthed doofus of the highest order.

I was thinking Driver

Well you certainly shouldn't sweat losing Driver. Emotionally, sure, but he has no business seeing the field.

Yeah, he was done anyway, so losing him is really no big deal at this point. 

[snapple]

Yeah, he's was always one of my favorite players, though. So it's kind of a bummer. 

[Dark Castle]

Nick and Snapple's Archer avatars are mixing me up 

[Perpetual Change]

The Jets are a joke 

Yeah, they are now, but thankfully, given the salary cap, the way the league works, and the relatively short career (and shorter contract) length of most players, NFL teams naturally ebb and flow between good and bad, unlike baseball teams which can stay great or horrible forever. So even if your team is bad now, chances are they'll be good within a few years. That's just how sports go. Of course, you can be an NFL fan and a frontrunner, but then you wind up changing allegiances every few years, or you just look like a dbag, like the majority of non-local Cowboys and Raiders fans all over the country.

Consider this: The Jets have made it to the playoffs 5 outta the last 10 seasons. That isn't horrible. In fact, minus the Super Bowl wins, that's on par with what the Giants have done. But that's why sharing a stage with Giants is tough: even though they've been mediocre, they've managed to win two rings recently, which makes the Jets seem even worse.

And Nick, really, I'm not taking any shit about being a Jets fan from you. You Niners fans had a 7(!) year post-season drought previous to Harbaugh, where 5 outta 10 would have been more than welcome. Any non-local Niners hanger-ons up until 2011 definitely filed under "obsolete ex-front runner" fan category that belongs mostly to Cowboys fans who aren't from Texas and members of the Raiders Nation

[King Postwhore]

Besides Joe, you're taking crap from a SF fan that lives in PA.  Nick!!!!

[Perpetual Change]

Besides Joe, you're taking crap from a SF fan that lives in PA.  Nick!!!!

Yeah, but I don't know where Nick is from originally. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt that he didn't just jump on board the Niner's bandwagon as a frontrunner in the 90s, before ignoring them and football for the entirety of the 00s. Which is not something I think Nick would do, but certainly the type of behavior expected from NFL frontrunners when their hand-selected teams of choice start doing poorly

[Nick]

I am from the Lehigh Valley all my life, and growing up I was amazed with Young and Rice and that's why I started following the team. I've watched them all my life and except for the first few years I watched I've stuck with them for what was a pretty horrible run, and stuck with them even through one of the most god-awful coaches I've ever seen (Singletary). They've made a fair share of bad choices, obviously, but I truly don't think they were ever quite as bad as some of the moves that have come out of the Jets camp in the past few years.

[Perpetual Change]

They've made a fair share of bad choices, obviously, but I truly don't think they were ever quite as bad as some of the moves that have come out of the Jets camp in the past few years.

They weren't. They were way worse, for way longer, without even flashes of hope from the team.

[Nick]

They've made a fair share of bad choices, obviously, but I truly don't think they were ever quite as bad as some of the moves that have come out of the Jets camp in the past few years.

They weren't. They were way worse, for way longer, without even flashes of hope from the team.

And the Jets have been setting themselves up for just as bad a run with the choices they are making now, which was my point. I didn't say the Jets are as bad at this moment as the Niners were at their lowest point, but with the decisions being made this year and last they are setting themselves up for years of spinning the tires to mediocre finishes.

[El Barto]

So Pat's resigned Talib for one year.  That good news now for the weird stuff.


They released Brandon Lloyd.  So we've lost in the receiving corps (I'm including RB's that catch)

Welker
Lloyd
Woodhead
Julian Endelman is still a free agent.

Man, talk about a revolving door again for Brady.  Crazy.

Edleman is a Belichick kinda guy, and I doubt he has much value on open market. He'll be around. However, he can't come close to filling any of those other roles. And I didn't know Woodhead left. Another of those role player kinda guys, so I'm not sure how effective he'll be elsewhere.

Talib was important. His acquisition was one of the few positives on their D last year.

[King Postwhore]

El Barto, They had Freeny and John Abraham in for a visit.  Id's like on to be signed.


Adrian Wilson was a nice secondary pick up.  I still love to see them spend big money for Ed Redd for like a 2 year deal (It seems that's all he's got so far from Houston ect...) but bringing back Talib was big for them.

[axeman90210]

The Jets right now are an example of what happens when you go all in on a "win now" push and don't win it all. I think Idzik is doing a good job so far of clearing a lot of the dead weight from the team. As much as I love Darrelle Revis's game, if he's really dead set on trying to get 16 million a year, I'd rather see us get some picks for him now. Word tonight is that Tampa's willing to include their 2013 first round pick in a deal, but I'd almost rather see them get Tampa's 2014 first rounder, as it could help us move up in the draft in a year when the QB class might actually be worth a damn. I wouldn't mind us taking either Warmack or Cooper at guard in the first round this year to shore up the O line for whatever QB we draft next year.

[CrimsonSunrise]

The Jets right now are an example of what happens when you go all in on a "win now" push and don't win it all.

Very true.  That's why I'm ecstatic that the new Rams front office is doing it the right way, and not the Jets/Skins/Philly way.  Build with youth, a couple key FA signings, and a shitload of draft picks over a 3 year period.  Hit on a good portion of those picks and the future looks very bright indeed.  I think last year showed, the NFC West aren't the NFL's patsies anymore.  We may need another year or two till we're at full force... but I think we'll be giving some folks some headaches this year 

[Destiny Of Chaos]

People in Baltimore are flipping out because the Ravens most likely will not be able to host the Thursday Night Kickoff game. Some are even blaming the Orioles.

Both the Orioles and the White Sox are playing the night before. MLB wasn't going to push the start time up. I can't fault the MLB at all.

Who I do fault is the NFL. They could have moved the game to Wednesday Night, just like their did last year for the Democratic National Convention. They refused, citing that it was a Jewish holiday, but this is the same league that has no problem scheduling games on Christmas.

If not Wednesday, then give the Ravens a home game on either Sunday Night, or Monday Night football. They deserve the home game, even if it can't be the Thursday Night Season Opener.

But at the end of the day, I'm just grateful that I/we was/were fortunate enough that the Ravens won the Super Bowl in the first place.

[yorost]

Understand the frustration, but you still get 8 home games.  It's hasn't been that long since the Super Bowl champ started getting that first game at home (and a feature), right?

[Nick]

Who I do fault is the NFL. They could have moved the game to Wednesday Night, just like their did last year for the Democratic National Convention. They refused, citing that it was a Jewish holiday, but this is the same league that has no problem scheduling games on Christmas.

This is the part that blows my mind. How the hell is it not possible to have a game that day...

[Destiny Of Chaos]

Understand the frustration, but you still get 8 home games.  It's hasn't been that long since the Super Bowl champ started getting that first game at home (and a feature), right?

The 2004 season was first time that the defending Super Bowl Champion got the Thursday night opener.

Who I do fault is the NFL. They could have moved the game to Wednesday Night, just like their did last year for the Democratic National Convention. They refused, citing that it was a Jewish holiday, but this is the same league that has no problem scheduling games on Christmas.

This is the part that blows my mind. How the hell is it not possible to have a game that day...

Me too, but most everyone that I've talked to is focusing on the baseball thing.  I don't have any numbers on it, but I'm thinking that the NFL wanted to keep the season opener on Thursday Night rather than Wednesday. Maybe the ratings for the Giants/Cowboys weren't up to season opening standards.

Goodell also knows that the Season Opener will get ratings due to a football crazed nation who will watch the game regardless of who's playing, even if it's the Jaguars vs. the Cardinals.

[yorost]

There was a controversy about playing on Jewish holidays a few years ago.  NFL tries to minimize conflict with Jewish holidays because the community apparently makes a big deal out of it.

If not Wednesday, then give the Ravens a home game on either Sunday Night, or Monday Night football. They deserve the home game, even if it can't be the Thursday Night Season Opener.

They did, the Ravens chose the away game over a home game on Sunday night.

[yorost]

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/20/sports/nfl-schedule-makers-try-their-best-to-please-everybody.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

There are requests not to play at home on certain holidays — the Jets and the Giants typically ask not to play home games during the Jewish High Holy Days. When the N.F.L. put the Jets at home on Rosh Hashana and the start of Yom Kippur in 2009, Katz heard about it from the team. And others.

 “I heard from every rabbi — ‘How could you screw that up?’ ” Katz said. (On Thursday, the N.F.L. moved the start of the Raiders-Dolphins game in Miami on Sept. 16 — Rosh Hashana — up from 4:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. to give Jewish fans more time to be home before the holiday starts at sundown.)

[yorost]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2013/03/22/ravens-to-play-on-the-road-in-nfls-season-opening-game/

Ravens officials preferred to play a Thursday night game on the road rather than hosting a Sunday night game in Baltimore on the season’s opening weekend. By playing on Thursday, the Ravens preserve their extended break before their second game of the season.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2013/03/22/ravens-to-play-on-the-road-in-nfls-season-opening-game/

Ravens officials preferred to play a Thursday night game on the road rather than hosting a Sunday night game in Baltimore on the season’s opening weekend. By playing on Thursday, the Ravens preserve their extended break before their second game of the season.

Leave it to the Ravens to find that silver lining. I love this team. Plus getting one of your potentially tough road games out of the way in September isn't a bad move either.

[hefdaddy42]

Who I do fault is the NFL. They could have moved the game to Wednesday Night, just like their did last year for the Democratic National Convention. They refused, citing that it was a Jewish holiday, but this is the same league that has no problem scheduling games on Christmas.

This is the part that blows my mind. How the hell is it not possible to have a game that day...

It's not the same as Christmas because Christians don't give a shit.

[King Postwhore]

Boy, religion doesn't mix with anything.

Politics, footballl...........

[contest_sanity]

Tebow's email hacked, LOL (and I love Tebow):

[Perpetual Change]

Quite the QB carousel going on. Matt Flynn in Oakland, Carson Palmer in Arizona, Fitzpatrick in Tennessee, a rusty David Garrad in New York, Alex Smith in Kansas City, and Colt McCoy's starter career on indefinite hold as Kaepernick's back-up in San Fran. Plus Aaron Rodgers and Tony Romo getting big extensions to stay put.

I guess no one is interested in Geno Smith?

[pogoowner]

Quite the QB carousel going on. Matt Flynn in Oakland, Carson Palmer in Arizona, Fitzpatrick in Tennessee, a rusty David Garrad in New York, Alex Smith in Kansas City, and Colt McCoy's starter career on indefinite hold as Kaepernick's back-up in San Fran. Plus Aaron Rodgers and Tony Romo getting big extensions to stay put.

I guess no one is interested in Geno Smith?

Opinions on this year's QB draft class seem to be all over the board. As they say, though, it only takes one team to fall in love with a guy...

[Dark Castle]

Fitzpatrick in Tennessee? :barf: I like the guy, a lot, which really made me sad to see the Bills split with him, but I HAAAATE Tennessee and can't see myself rooting for him anymore :C