2017 NFL thread v. Patriots Dynasty

[Cool Chris]

<mike Corey drop.

[dparrott]

Seahawks playing with typical post-SB49 Seahawk heart. See you guys next season! Well, the ones who are still on the team anyway.

Yep.     ESPN made a good point: Their numbers were almost identical as last year, but the Rams being better made the difference this year.

So, um, go Rams! 

[dparrott]

A spiked ball hits the Pats Bademosi in the chin, then he flops! 
https://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/jets-robby-anderson-spikes-ball-patriots-johnson-bademosi-flops/ipzylks9mp6q1ghg0fvd9o5gt

[Nick]

Niners finish the season with the only 5 game winning streak in the league. Chiefs are behind them as the only team with 4 in a row. Ya'll enjoy the post-season, I'll be getting ready for next season.

[PowerSlave]

A spiked ball hits the Pats Bademosi in the chin, then he flops! 
https://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/jets-robby-anderson-spikes-ball-patriots-johnson-bademosi-flops/ipzylks9mp6q1ghg0fvd9o5gt

Where's the soccer refs when ya need them? 

[King Postwhore]

Yellow card!

[Stadler]

I'm watching this Bills-Dolphins game, and while I'm excited for Buffalo, I watch when they cut to Tie Rod Taylor on the sideline, and he's sitting slumped on the bench, staring at the scoreboard with his tongue sticking out of his mouth, in a 13-pt game where momentum is completely moving in Miami's direction. 

Contrast that with Rodgers, Brady, Wilson, Prescott, Ben, Brees...  all working with teammates and studying film/photos/Surface Tablets to get the advantage. The difference between good players and CHAMPIONS.

And.....ten seconds later all those QBs are just sitting there, and ten seconds later Tyrod is talking to a teammate or on the phones upstairs talking about a play.  I hate close ups of QBs on the field calling signals, I hate close ups of QBs sitting on the sidelines ('they're not playing defense, Mr. Cameraman and Mr. Director).  I've seen way too many pictures of Ben, Brady, Flacco et al 'just sitting there'.  Same goes for stone faced head coaches, assistant coaches, or coaches talking behind their play cards. 

Now, get off my yard!

<mike drop>

Nah, I'm sticking with my assessment.  It wasn't "one screen shot".   It was at least three that I saw, and his numbers in the second half - particularly in the fourth quarter - do not change the equation one bit.  He disappeared. 

[mike099]

I do not see any AFC first round  team winning against the Patriots or Steelers.
The NFC may be more likely to have a first round  team play for the NFC championship.

[RoeDent]

Browns coach said in his post-game interview "I can't do anything about it." If that's the case then why are you even in coaching?! One of a coach's biggest jobs is to motivate the players to play well, surely?

It's a shame there isn't promotion or relegation involved here, whereby the worst teams get dropped down to a lower league. The worst teams will just finish bottom, knowing they still get to enjoy a cut of the massive wealth the NFL generates without fully deserving it.

[ReaperKK]

Watched most of the panthers game last night, curious what the hell happened to Cam.

[El Barto]

Browns coach said in his post-game interview "I can't do anything about it." If that's the case then why are you even in coaching?! One of a coach's biggest jobs is to motivate the players to play well, surely?

Marvin Lewis said pretty much the same thing after the playoff implosion a couple of years ago. "Burfict's on the field and I'm on the sideline. What am I supposed to do about it?" Shit like that is automatic termination if I'm running that show.


So Elway gets a big contract extension. Am I the only one that thinks he's the biggest problem in Denver? Manning retired 2 years ago and he's essentially done nothing whatsoever to replace him, and next year will most likely be more of the same. All he really needed was somebody competent. Seems to me he squandered the last couple of years of a great team. Is he really the guy you want to rebuild the thing?

[kaos2900]

I do not see any AFC first round  team winning against the Patriots or Steelers.
The NFC may be more likely to have a first round  team play for the NFC championship.

I think Kansas City could beat the Patriots or Steelers. They have the talent but said talent would all have to show up and play lights out. The Jags defense could keep the game close too. As a Chiefs and Vikings fan I'm pleased with the match-ups. We'll see what happens.

[pg1067]

So Elway gets a big contract extension. Am I the only one that thinks he's the biggest problem in Denver? Manning retired 2 years ago and he's essentially done nothing whatsoever to replace him, and next year will most likely be more of the same. All he really needed was somebody competent. Seems to me he squandered the last couple of years of a great team. Is he really the guy you want to rebuild the thing?

Siemian and Lynch are both competent (hell, even Osweiler might meet that low standard).  The offensive line is terrible, as is the play calling.  With that being the case, C.J. Anderson cannot be the #1 back.  It was a very painful season, and I'm not optimistic that next season will be much better.

On a completely unrelated note, when the broadcast got switched over to the Bengals v. Ravens game, I caught a random comment about John Harbaugh complaining about a penalty "to Sarah Thomas who wasn't the official who threw the flag."  I was not aware that the NFL had a female official (this having been her third season, so maybe I'm the only one who didn't know this).  Props to the NFL for this.  I also learned that there is no longer a "head linesman" in the NFL.  The NFL changed the designation to "down judge" to make it gender neutral.

My predictions for the wild card games:

Chiefs
Rams
Bills
Panthers

[KevShmev]

Elway definitely deserves a lot of the blame for this past season's mess.  I am not sure I agree with the decision to bring Vance Joseph back.  Hopefully, the rumors of them going after Kirk Cousins are true. I'd be happy with him at QB.

Also, how in the world do Marvin Lewis and Hue Jackson still have NFL coaching jobs?

[King Postwhore]

 I'm with you on Vance Joseph. Seems to be a big mistake.

[pg1067]

Also, how in the world do Marvin Lewis and Hue Jackson still have NFL coaching jobs?

Good question.  The current incarnation of the Browns has existed for 19 seasons.  during that time, the team has had nine head coaches, nine general managers, three owners, two .500 or above seasons, one playoff appearance and zero playoff victories.  The team has won 41 games over the past 10 seasons and only 4 games over the past 3 seasons.  The franchise is the epitome of failure and ought to be burned to the ground.

[KevShmev]

Yep. Knowing them, they will take Baker Mayfield, who has bust written all over him.

I was surprised to see Jim Caldwell get the axe in Detroit.  36-28 over four seasons is pretty good for a franchise used to not winning.

[TAC]

Maybe they have their eye on someone else.

[KevShmev]

If I am "someone else," I am pulling a John Elway/Eli Manning and publicly stating that I will not sign with the Cleveland Browns. Why would any top prospect in their right mind want to be stuck with that franchise for 6+ years?

[TAC]

Hasn't the kid from USC already done that?

[Cool Chris]

While I don't like that level of extortion from a 22 year old who has never played a down in the NFL, I can't say I would blame someone taking that route. But what's their leverage? Sit our a year? Play in the Arena League (is that still a thing?)

[KevShmev]

I think Rosen has said it, not Darnold.

I have no problem with a prospect having a large say in where they are going to end up working for the next 6+ years.  If you are a top QB prospect, you have a shit ton of leverage. 

[PowerSlave]

Yeah, it was Rosen from UCLA that said it. I think that he (and Darnold) both have a year of elligibility left, so neither one of them would be "forced to go to Cleveland" in this year's draft. However, it's more than likely that Cleveland will be drafting near the top next year as well.

[Cool Chris]

I have no problem with a prospect having a large say in where they are going to end up working for the next 6+ years. 

Doesn't that undermine the whole point of a draft?

[TheCountOfNYC]

I have no problem with a prospect having a large say in where they are going to end up working for the next 6+ years. 

Doesn't that undermine the whole point of a draft?

[Grappler]

I have no problem with a prospect having a large say in where they are going to end up working for the next 6+ years. 

Doesn't that undermine the whole point of a draft?

I agree - playing professional sports is a privilege, not a right.  If you want to play, you go where you are drafted to.  You may not like it, but not everyone can play for the same, winning team. 

[El Barto]

Isn't he effectively saying that he'd rather not play than play for Cleveland? Cleveland can therefore not draft him, draft him and hope he's bluffing, draft him and trade him, or draft him and potentially lose a number one pick for somebody that sits a season out.

[bosk1]

I'm watching this Bills-Dolphins game, and while I'm excited for Buffalo, I watch when they cut to Tie Rod Taylor on the sideline, and he's sitting slumped on the bench, staring at the scoreboard with his tongue sticking out of his mouth, in a 13-pt game where momentum is completely moving in Miami's direction. 

Contrast that with Rodgers, Brady, Wilson, Prescott, Ben, Brees...  all working with teammates and studying film/photos/Surface Tablets to get the advantage. The difference between good players and CHAMPIONS.   

I could not agree more.  And, yeah, you can cherry pick shots where some QB's happen to not be looking at film, when there are plenty more of the QB doing that very thing, and vice versa.  But there are clearly guys who put in the effort to do whatever it takes, and guys who clearly don't.  That was one of the biggest issues I had with trying to defend Kaepernick during his two good years and then the first year of his "slide."  He had some spectacular on-field moments.  And there were lots of stories during his first full season about him being the first guy at the practice facility every morning, etc.  But on the sidelines, the guy did nothing except sit and brood, while his contemporaries that were catching up to him or surpassing him were clearly working hard to find any edge they could to help their team during games.

[Stadler]

I have no problem with a prospect having a large say in where they are going to end up working for the next 6+ years. 

Doesn't that undermine the whole point of a draft?

I agree - playing professional sports is a privilege, not a right.  If you want to play, you go where you are drafted to.  You may not like it, but not everyone can play for the same, winning team.

I think el Barto is saying this already, but whether it's a privilege or a right is immaterial.   If I'm willing to NOT PLAY AT ALL versus play for Cleveland, that's my prerogative.   I can opt not to sign.  It's not as if these players are breaking the rules, and by announcing that, they are only saying "this is the choice I will make, now you make yours".   If I'm Cleveland, and so-and-so won't play for me, I'm at least going to try to get what I can from someone else for that player.   Someone like the Pats will be interested in what I have to say.

Though I have to say, that doesn't really work out for the drafting team (SD - No Super Bowls, NYG - Two; Elway and the Colts, at least until Manning came on board).   And for the record, the Browns - as the Ravens - HAVE won a Super Bowl.   

[pg1067]

I don't remember exactly what Rosen said, but the talk around Southern California is that Rosen has all but committed to the draft, whereas Darnold is probably returning to USC.  If the Browns draft Rosen and he doesn't want to play there, I think his only realistic option is to sit out.  Isn't it a rule that he can't go back to college if he hires an agent (or maybe that's only basketball?).  The Arena Football League does still exist, but it presently has only four teams.  I suppose maybe he could go play in Canada.  I sure as hell wouldn't want to play for the Browns.

[kaos2900]

Why would you not want to play for the worst team in the league? They have talent on that team. Good WR's, good O-Line, Good RBs. Having the chance to turn around the shit show and becoming a legend pretty quickly would be something I'd want in a player. If you can't accept the challenge I wouldn't want him anyway.

[pg1067]

Why would you not want to play for the worst team in the league? They have talent on that team. Good WR's, good O-Line, Good RBs. Having the chance to turn around the shit show and becoming a legend pretty quickly would be something I'd want in a player. If you can't accept the challenge I wouldn't want him anyway.

I get where you're coming from, but this is why:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Cleveland_Browns_starting_quarterbacks

First of all, this team has had 28 starting quarterbacks in the 19 years that the "new" version of the team been in existence.  It's where quarterbacks go to die.  Would it be great to be the guy who turns it around?  Sure.  It would also be great to be the military leader to makes East Timor the world's greatest military power.  It would be great in both cases, but in both cases it's just not realistic.

[bosk1]

^Yeah, exactly that.  And there is no indication that the ownership has the desire or ability to turn things around or do anything more than lip service, or that coaching has the ability to do anything.  Much like where the 49ers were.  And that is why I wrote them off and refused to support.  The difference there is, York said he had a plan and vision, and was committed to making the team great again, and he made some actual moves, not just in terms of coaching and players, but in terms of front office, that seem to support that.  It at least SEEMS like he finally realizes he doesn't have all the answers himself and didn't have the right pieces in place that had the answers either, and he has taken steps to get the right people in place.  So I am cautiously VERY optimistic about my team, which I did not see happening the end of the Harbaugh era.  Cleveland fans have no such reason for any optimism.  Neither does any QB who stands to be drafted by them.

[Cool Chris]

From ESPN: "Newly re-signed Marvin Lewis says Bengals will 'start from scratch'"

In a related story, Martha Stewart says it is ok to bake bread from scratch using 16 year old milk.

[TAC]

From ESPN: "Newly re-signed Marvin Lewis says Bengals will 'start from scratch'"

In a related story, Martha Stewart says it is ok to bake bread from scratch using 16 year old milk.

Martha Stewart also says it's ok to do your taxes from scratch using the 1999 version of Turbo Tax.