2018 NFL Thread - The Dynasty

[Nick]

Okay, but Richard Sherman isn't helping.   It's less about "not caring for the rest of us" than  it is having no clue how to solve a perceived problem.   The QB is standing still, looking downfield and you have some of the greatest athletes in the world barreling down on them at full speed.    It's not at all lost on me that Richard Sherman is pushing back on the NFL for simply asking these guys to control themselves. 

Not saying I agree with Richard Sherman, as the NFL has looked to increase safety in other areas, but I fully disagree with your assessment regarding the QBs. Are they football players or not? Part of the benefit of having a strong pass rush is that the opposing QB should be forced to focus less on his targets and more on what's around him. If a DB gets a nice clean hit on the QB to potentially knock a ball loose that's the entire point of the damn game.

Don't want your QB getting so much pressure? Run more, give him better protection, practice pocket presence with him, but don't keep going down this stupid path of expecting DBs to place a pillow under their head as they lay them gently to the ground.

[El Barto]

Agreed. I'm really not sure how the game is supposed to work anymore. Seems to me that if they're going to go this route, the next step is going to be a rebound where refs whistle in the grasp instantly. That won't be any better, and it sucks if you're an "athletic" quarterback.

What I do know is that the product is getting worse and worse, and this silliness about "protecting" the quarterback has been the biggest blow.

[Stadler]

Okay, but Richard Sherman isn't helping.   It's less about "not caring for the rest of us" than  it is having no clue how to solve a perceived problem.   The QB is standing still, looking downfield and you have some of the greatest athletes in the world barreling down on them at full speed.    It's not at all lost on me that Richard Sherman is pushing back on the NFL for simply asking these guys to control themselves. 

Not saying I agree with Richard Sherman, as the NFL has looked to increase safety in other areas, but I fully disagree with your assessment regarding the QBs. Are they football players or not? Part of the benefit of having a strong pass rush is that the opposing QB should be forced to focus less on his targets and more on what's around him. If a DB gets a nice clean hit on the QB to potentially knock a ball loose that's the entire point of the damn game.

Don't want your QB getting so much pressure? Run more, give him better protection, practice pocket presence with him, but don't keep going down this stupid path of expecting DBs to place a pillow under their head as they lay them gently to the ground.

No, no, I totally agree with you; I'm not defending the rules there, I'm just saying that Richard Sherman is way off base and tried to explain why.  I actually don't think the league is really protecting the QB with their rules.  I believe that you let them play.  When you have players thinking too much, THAT'S when guys get hurt.  I think that was part of the problem with Jimmy G.  Not the hit, not the "staying in bounds" but the uncertainty of what he was going to do.  If he went straight out, or turned up field with authority, he would have been fine.  Instead, he looked like he changed his mind at the last minute, and there you go.   

[bosk1]

Wow, 49ers fell 8 spots in the power rankings.  I mean, I'm not surprised, and I don't feel that is at all wrong.  It just has a harder impact seeing it on "paper" (screen).  /sadbosk

[Cool Chris]

Speaking of Power Rankings.... When is KevShmev going to start posting his?

[Dream Team]

Count me as another one who thinks the new roughing rules are terrible. Now defensive guys are getting injured trying to avoid landing on the QB. Like Schlereth said this morning, how about applying a little common sense to the calls? You can usually tell malicious intent. Make it a reviewable play if you have to. Also, if you don't want your QB to get hit - PUT GUYS ON THE O-LINE THAT CAN BLOCK.

[lordxizor]

I personally don't see what the problem was with roughing the passer calls as they were in previous years. It covered virtually all of the really bad stuff. There were always a handful of questionable calls, but it wasn't as bad as it is this year so far. I get it, Aaron Rogers got hurt on a legal play that some people didn't like. That's football. Players get hit hard sometimes. And sometimes they get hurt. That sucks, but it's part of the game. I would guess this one issue is driving away fans about 100 times more than the stupid kneeling thing ever did.

[DragonAttack]

Hey, anybody predict there'd be no losing teams in the AFC North after week 3? 

The NFL can tweak this stupid QB rule.  Do it now!  Don't wait for the end of the season.

Things I also wish they'd fix:  change the automatic 1st down on the 'incidental' helmet rule to a five yard penalty from the spot.  No automatic first down.  If a guy launches with intent, then by all means, that's a 15 yarder, review it, and toss his axe out.

Same goes with the 'illegal contact downfield'.  I see too many 3rd and 15+, where there's contact one time at about 7 yards downfield,  a flag, and a first down.  Make it a five yard penalty.  No automatic first down.

On to the 'nitpicking trivial:  hey, NBC, I don't need you to change the turf green between the line of scrimmage and the 1st down line on 3rd downs.  I already have the little 'down and distance' box at the lower right corner, the helpful 'imaginary line' on the field, and the stupid digital team logo on the field with down and distance.  I'm not that stupid.  Seriously, I'm really not.

(I also don't need the idiotic rectangular strike zone box over the plate on many baseball telecasts.  But that's for another sport's thread.)

[Cool Chris]

On that topic watching an old NFL/college game from before Fox and everyone else starting putting all that text/images/logos/enhancement crap on the screen feels reminiscent of watching a black & white movie. Seriously, go to ESPN classic and watch an old college game (with Keith Jackson!) It's a trip just seeing the field and the players.

[bosk1]

Agreed. I'm really not sure how the game is supposed to work anymore. Seems to me that if they're going to go this route, the next step is going to be a rebound where refs whistle in the grasp instantly. That won't be any better, and it sucks if you're an "athletic" quarterback.

What I do know is that the product is getting worse and worse, and this silliness about "protecting" the quarterback has been the biggest blow.

I agree.  I LOVED football as a kid and a young adult.  I couldn't get enough and would watch as many games as I could.  Now, I find it difficult to muster the interest to watch anymore, outside of catching "my team" when it's convenient, maybe seeing a couple of playoff games, and watching the SB because it is always a fun social event.  And even then, it often feels like more of a chore than entertainment.

[KevShmev]

Speaking of Power Rankings.... When is KevShmev going to start posting his?

I can bring them back if people want to see them.  They didn't seem to create as much chatter last year, and since we are literally the only forum left on the internet that doesn't have a "like" button , I have no idea if people actually enjoyed seeing them or not. 

[King Postwhore]

I like you Kev. 

[bosk1]

Speaking of Power Rankings.... When is KevShmev going to start posting his?

I can bring them back if people want to see them.  They didn't seem to create as much chatter last year, and since we are literally the only forum left on the internet that doesn't have a "like" button , I have no idea if people actually enjoyed seeing them or not. 

I loved seeing them, and I think most others did as well.  Unfortunately, the forum simply isn't as active as it was, say, five years ago.  So there isn't as much chatter.  And people often read and move on without responding.  But the posts were great.

[pg1067]

Speaking of Power Rankings.... When is KevShmev going to start posting his?

I can bring them back if people want to see them.  They didn't seem to create as much chatter last year, and since we are literally the only forum left on the internet that doesn't have a "like" button , I have no idea if people actually enjoyed seeing them or not.

[TAC]

I bet Stuart Smalley has a "like" button.

[KevShmev]

Alrighty then, by unpopular demand...

Pre-Week 4 Power Rankings
1. Rams - easily the most well-rounded team, but injuries to the top two corners could hurt for a while
2. Chiefs - defense will bring them down eventually, but that offense is something else right now
3. Eagles - they just need to keep winning games while they get healthy and get it together
4. Saints - similar to the Chiefs in that they have a phenomenal offense and a shaky defense
5. Dolphins - I don't see this lasting, but 3-0 is 3-0
6. Jags - major letdown after beating New England, but I think they'll be okay
7. Panthers - one of those really good teams no one seems to be talking about
8. Bucs - feels like Fitz's magic is on borrowed time, as we saw in the first half last night, but they've have a heckuva start
9. Steelers - another great offense/bad offense team
10. Bengals - tough loss to the Panthers, following two impressive wins

Trending up:
Bears - not sure I am sold on their young QB, but they look much improved overall
Redskins - was kind of an afterthought for most of the offseason, but a 2-1 start with a butt kicking of the Packers is a good start
Browns - you are trending up any time you win a game for the first time in 21 months
Titans - looking better than I thought they would
Bills - great road win after looking like utter trash the first two weeks

Trending down:
49ers - their upside with that tough schedule was limited anyway, but losing their QB for the year means they are done
Patriots - this won't last, but consecutive double digit losses is eye-opening
Texans - Bill O'Brien might not last the season
Raiders - Gruden showing already how overrated he is
Cardinals - look like a mess

[King Postwhore]

Trending up.  Stiff Arms.


DID YOU SEE THAT STIFF ARM.

[bosk1]

1. Rams

Yeah, going back to your earlier post, that reminded me:  Another reason I sometimes didn't respond to your power rankings post, despite reading them, is because I was pretty sure that if I started, it would end in a fight.  Putting "1." and "Rams" in the same sentence is fightin' words where I come from. 

2. Chiefs

See above.

49ers - their upside with that tough schedule was limited anyway, but losing their QB for the year means they are done

Sadly, I agree.  Some teams might be able to survive it.  The '9ers were a good team on the rise that might have snuck into the playoffs or, more likely, just missed this year.  They aren't a team likely to survive this.  Not this year.  I just hope it doesn't completely demoralize them and set them WAY back in terms of the long haul.

[Dream Team]

Rankings are fun, and I will try to make a meaningful contribution. For this first set, not much to argue about - please note for the Steelers you put great offense/bad offense 

[KevShmev]

Maybe that was a Good Ben/Bad Ben pun, rather than a typo.

[PowerSlave]

Glad to see the rankings return. Sometimes I agree with them (this week's is spot on), and sometime I disagree. But the effort is appreciated either way.

Random observation, I watched a Joe Greene highlight video that popped up on my facebook feed last night and a great majority of the plays in the video would have been illegal by today's standards. I certainly understand the league outlawing some of the stuff that used to go on, but they've went beyond too far to the point of being ridiculous.

[Stadler]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I found this week to be a TOUGH week to pick.   

[mikeyd23]

Maybe that was a Good Ben/Bad Ben pun, rather than a typo.

BOOOO 

[pg1067]

1. Rams

Yeah, going back to your earlier post, that reminded me:  Another reason I sometimes didn't respond to your power rankings post, despite reading them, is because I was pretty sure that if I started, it would end in a fight.  Putting "1." and "Rams" in the same sentence is fightin' words where I come from. 

It'd be even better if the "1" were next to "Broncos," but that ain't happening this year.

Trending down:
49ers - their upside with that tough schedule was limited anyway, but losing their QB for the year means they are done
Patriots - this won't last, but consecutive double digit losses is eye-opening
Texans - Bill O'Brien might not last the season
Raiders - Gruden showing already how overrated he is
Cardinals - look like a mess

I don't know if you can actually "trend down" when you're already at the bottom.

[Dublagent66]

Yeah Kev, how did 3 winless teams get into the trending down category when Dallas could've been there? 

[Dream Team]

Ugh, I’m not ready for Steelers-Ravens so soon . . .

[KevShmev]

Yeah Kev, how did 3 winless teams get into the trending down category when Dallas could've been there? 

This is an inexact science.

Maybe I will rank the starting QBs from 1 to whatever (leaving out the rookies/first year starters since it is too soon to judge them) and really start some debating.

It'd be even better if the "1" were next to "Broncos," but that ain't happening this year.

Not with that coach and that QB.

[pg1067]

It'd be even better if the "1" were next to "Broncos," but that ain't happening this year.

Not with that coach and that QB.

I don't think it's so much the QB as it is the offensive line.  Even John Elway in his prime needed SOME protection!

[KevShmev]

Jared Goff is putting on a show.

[King Postwhore]

Jared Goff is putting on a show.

The future.

[KevShmev]

Cousins looks really good as well, but the Rams offense is just on a whole other level.  And they haven't even used Gurley that much so far tonight.

[TAC]

Jared Goff is putting on a show.

The future.

Good thing his parents didn't name him Jack.

[King Postwhore]

Cousins looks really good as well, but the Rams offense is just on a whole other level.  And they haven't even used Gurley that much so far tonight.

That spells doom for many teams.

[King Postwhore]

Jared Goff is putting on a show.

The future.

Good thing his parents didn't name him Jack.

Middle name Me.

[King Postwhore]

I guess defense is think of the past.