2018 NFL Thread - The Dynasty

[King Postwhore]

Every time a team has it's Superbowl playing the Pats they get shellacked the next week. Killed by a team the Pats beat.

Sometimes you just can't understand the NFL.

BTW, sound like Big Ben has cracked ribs.  Funny he wasn't on the injury list for that and took some time off this week.  Can we just get rid of the injury report?  Who cares about betters?

[King Postwhore]

Pass interference my ass.  Lead to a TD. 

[TAC]

Yeah, a weak call.


Great Special teams play, but WTF it doesn't matter if you give up 36 f'n yards the next two plays!

[King Postwhore]

For sure.

[King Postwhore]

Steelers D playing a damn good game.

[King Postwhore]

Going to be fun being at the game next week.  I'll be pissed off the whole time.

[King Postwhore]

Yup.  Crap week.

[El Barto]

For a team that's supposed to be so disciplined they really suck at tackling and make far too many penalties. Same last year.

[King Postwhore]

Yes. It feels so much like 2009.

[KevShmev]

If that means the Patriots are going to lose in the 1st round, I like it.

HUGE win for the Steelers.  The game really wasn't as close as the final score.

[King Postwhore]

It sure seems like that is a possibility Kev. This team does not have "it."

[KevShmev]

Never know.  They need to hope the Texans lose one of their last two to get that bye back.

Meanwhile, the Rams are looking mediocre for the third week in a row.  Maybe they thought that win over the Chiefs was their Super Bowl, but they haven't looked good since.

[Dream Team]

Just watched the game on DVR. Man what a defensive battle. The difference for the Steelers was the young guys Washington and Samuels stepping up big time. Not counting NE out at all, even if his arm is fading a veteran QB like Brady can still win with his brain, kinda like Peyton did in 2015 when his arm was toast.

I think a couple of those calls on NE were iffy, but then again they are the least penalized team in the league.

[El Barto]

Just watched the game on DVR. Man what a defensive battle. The difference for the Steelers was the young guys Washington and Samuels stepping up big time. Not counting NE out at all, even if his arm is fading a veteran QB like Brady can still win with his brain, kinda like Peyton did in 2015 when his arm was toast.

I think a couple of those calls on NE were iffy, but then again they are the least penalized team in the league.

I don't think Brady's arm is fading. His decision making isn't looking so sharp, though. He doesn't put that ball straight up in the air for an easy pick, or makes a better decision on his final pass, and we're probably having a different conversation. Gronk's looking like he's done, though. All the more reason they should have traded him before the season started when he was being douchy. Maybe after the season we find out he's been playing through some injury we don't know about, but if this is him being as healthy as he can be then he's kaput.

Houston might well get beat by the the Eagles team we're seeing tonight. That said, there's no guarantee that NE doesn't lose stupidly to Buffalo or something. Most likely NE gets the number 3 seed and plays at home against a non AFC-W team, which should be winnable. Most likely Pitt or Indi. After that all bets are off. Unless they manage to unfuck themselves over the next couple of weeks any of the teams remaining will demolish them in the DIV round.

[El Barto]

Rams just didn't want to win tonight. Anytime Phili handed them a chance they gave it away.

[Dream Team]

Cowherd and the other talking heads always criticize the Steelers for being sloppy and undisciplined, but it was actually NE yesterday with the drops and pre-snap penalties, just showing again NFL is such a week-to-week league. The early season powerhouses KC, NOR, and LAR have all looked vulnerable and literally ANYONE could win the Super Bowl this year - yes even the Browns. 

[King Postwhore]

Just watched the game on DVR. Man what a defensive battle. The difference for the Steelers was the young guys Washington and Samuels stepping up big time. Not counting NE out at all, even if his arm is fading a veteran QB like Brady can still win with his brain, kinda like Peyton did in 2015 when his arm was toast.

I think a couple of those calls on NE were iffy, but then again they are the least penalized team in the league.

I don't think Brady's arm is fading. His decision making isn't looking so sharp, though. He doesn't put that ball straight up in the air for an easy pick, or makes a better decision on his final pass, and we're probably having a different conversation. Gronk's looking like he's done, though. All the more reason they should have traded him before the season started when he was being douchy. Maybe after the season we find out he's been playing through some injury we don't know about, but if this is him being as healthy as he can be then he's kaput.

Houston might well get beat by the the Eagles team we're seeing tonight. That said, there's no guarantee that NE doesn't lose stupidly to Buffalo or something. Most likely NE gets the number 3 seed and plays at home against a non AFC-W team, which should be winnable. Most likely Pitt or Indi. After that all bets are off. Unless they manage to unfuck themselves over the next couple of weeks any of the teams remaining will demolish them in the DIV round.

Yeah, his decision making was very poor yesterday.  Did you see the 3rd down at the end of the game?  White was wide open and I think he could have got close to the first down and could have run out of bounds.

Cowherd and the other talking heads always criticize the Steelers for being sloppy and undisciplined, but it was actually NE yesterday with the drops and pre-snap penalties, just showing again NFL is such a week-to-week league. The early season powerhouses KC, NOR, and LAR have all looked vulnerable and literally ANYONE could win the Super Bowl this year - yes even the Browns. 

The Pats were very undisciplined. 

[mikeyd23]

Just watched the game on DVR. Man what a defensive battle. The difference for the Steelers was the young guys Washington and Samuels stepping up big time. Not counting NE out at all, even if his arm is fading a veteran QB like Brady can still win with his brain, kinda like Peyton did in 2015 when his arm was toast.

I think a couple of those calls on NE were iffy, but then again they are the least penalized team in the league.

To the bolded, the Steelers showed again that the success of their run game has a lot to do with the O-line. Putting Connor in there and finding success was one thing, but doing it with a border-line guy like Samuels - I mean come on.

I'm with Barto on this, TB's arm still looks fine to me, some bad decisions yesterday though. Big difference maker in the game yesterday was Watt. He was continually getting pressure from his side and TB was rushed in the pocket because of it.

To the game as a whole - I'm still surprised the Steelers won. It felt like they would, but TB and the Pats have owned the Steelers in recent years so I still half-expected them to score at the end and take it into OT.

[Stadler]

I'm going to gently and with little vigor push back on the "his arm's okay..." line.  Maybe in comparison with the decision-making, sure, but when you get "tired" arm, you get balls that sail high.  Brady isn't known for missing and he's missing a lot, and as in that last drive, his misses are high.   That floater that got intercepted, it wasn't even a good jump ball.   

I don't know; I'm a deep fan of Belichick but I don't see them competing with the offenses that force mistakes and take advantage of indiscipline, like New Orleans, like Los Angeles, and (at times) like Kansas City (though I think New England beats KC in the playoffs). 

[KevShmev]

Several ex-NFL players have said that when Father Time starts to get you, your legs are the first to go, so I am not sure it is a case of Brady's arm going so much that he isn't getting the push he wants to make on certain throws.  That fake doctor can rub him from head to toe till he is raw, but he is still 41.  He still makes plenty of great throws and decisions, but the plays where something seems off seem to be increasing every week, even if it just a handful or so. 

I will be stunned if Gronk plays after this season, and I am starting to think the same thing about Brady. I don't see him being the type who wants to hang on and keep playing when he can't play at the level he is used to.

[King Postwhore]

Maybe him not being in the OTA's for the first time is the reason for his average play?  we'll have to see what he does in the off-season.

[Samsara]

I hate Brady. Can't stand the guy. But for all the questions about him, his season is statistically on-par with his 2006 season, when he was 29. So, a 41-year-old, having the same season he did when he was 29. Think about that. Brady is fine. (And it pains me to say that, being a Jets fan - I remember watching as Mo Lewis put that hit on Bledsoe that ended up starting Brady's career...and cheering wildly. Little did I know what would happen - lol. ANd no, not cheering for the injury, cheering that it was a huge play by the Jets.)

I don't think Brady is going to play until he is 45. If he's smart, this year or next year should be it. Retire with your ability still there, but knowing it is starting to slip, so you go out on your own terms. While Manning won a Super Bowl his last year, it sucked how that guy went out, after the career he had. Father Time gets you. You see him knocking, time to bail. He's not up to Brady's door yet, but he's clearly on the sidewalk, ready to make that turn onto Brady's property.

[El Barto]

Maybe him not being in the OTA's for the first time is the reason for his average play?  we'll have to see what he does in the off-season.

Nah, I think he's probably done.

It'll be an interesting thing should he decide he wants to play another year. Brady is obviously loyal to the guy, as we saw during the off-season. And he'll certainly make the case that half a Gronk is still better than anybody they could bring in. He's got a 12 mil cap hit coming up, though. And his trade value is nothing close to the 1st rounder on the table 6 months ago. Bill would obviously jettison him, but it's not really looking like it's his team anymore.

[King Postwhore]

Sorry.  I was talking about Brady.  Gronk sure looks done.

[KevShmev]

And that is why I cannot put this underachieving (by their standards) season on Belichick.

He wanted to keep the young, upstart QB.  The owner made him trade him, thanks to Brady.

He wanted to trade Gronk in the offseason when he still had tons of value.  The owner wouldn't let him, thanks to Brady.

Imagine what a dismal state the Patriots will be in next season if Brady and Gronk really do both retire.  I will laugh if Belichick calls it a day as well and tells Robert Kraft, "Good luck with this disaster now."

[El Barto]

And that is why I cannot put this underachieving (by their standards) season on Belichick.

He wanted to keep the young, upstart QB.  The owner made him trade him, thanks to Brady.

He wanted to trade Gronk in the offseason when he still had tons of value.  The owner wouldn't let him, thanks to Brady.

Imagine what a dismal state the Patriots will be in next season if Brady and Gronk really do both retire.  I will laugh if Belichick calls it a day as well and tells Robert Kraft, "Good luck with this disaster now."

Hell, part of me would like to see that. Kraft would have nobody to blame but himself. Presumably JMD is the fallback option when Belichick leaves; they've been grooming him for the gig. Why would he want to stick around after seeing Kraft drive the car into a tree, though? Following Bill would be a nightmare even if you still had all the pieces. Imagine trying to be the guy who has to rebuild the whole thing. He'd probably be best off bailing for Green Bay.

On a side note, can we finally just pronounce the Wittenbooger experiment a failure? I really hope they didn't do something foolish and sign these people to a three year deal or something. Surely they must have learned their lesson after Dennis Miller.

[King Postwhore]

What am I going to cry about? This was quite a run that no team will ever match.

[TAC]

And that is why I cannot put this underachieving (by their standards) season on Belichick.

Sure you can. You can put it squarely on him. Sure, Brady is aging and Gronk is damaged goods, but that is not why their season is substandard. Not by any stretch. Belichick, the GM, has been atrocious. His drafts blow. He trades draft picks for guys that can't play.

[El Barto]

What am I going to cry about? This was quite a run that no team will ever match.

Indeed. But I would have liked to see a few years of football after Bill/Tom parted ways. I think they'd have both appreciated the opportunity to establish themselves independently, and I would have, as well.

[El Barto]

And that is why I cannot put this underachieving (by their standards) season on Belichick.

Sure you can. You can put it squarely on him. Sure, Brady is aging and Gronk is damaged goods, but that is not why their season is substandard. Not by any stretch. Belichick, the GM, has been atrocious. His drafts blow. He trades draft picks for guys that can't play.

Like Josh Gordon for a sixth round pick? He's an aggressive GM who makes a lot of moves. Some work and some don't. I'm not sure how you can really complain about his management after 18 years remarkable success.

[TAC]

The Gordon trade has worked out so far, for sure.

[Stadler]

Several ex-NFL players have said that when Father Time starts to get you, your legs are the first to go, so I am not sure it is a case of Brady's arm going so much that he isn't getting the push he wants to make on certain throws.  That fake doctor can rub him from head to toe till he is raw, but he is still 41.  He still makes plenty of great throws and decisions, but the plays where something seems off seem to be increasing every week, even if it just a handful or so. 

Well, I wrote "'tired' arm", but you're right, it IS the legs.  It's the same with pitchers.   Well, the "off plays" were one a game, or sometimes even one every two games.  Then it was one a half.  Now it's one a drive. Seriously.   

I will be stunned if Gronk plays after this season, and I am starting to think the same thing about Brady. I don't see him being the type who wants to hang on and keep playing when he can't play at the level he is used to.

I don't know about Gronk, but I've already made the call (might even have been here) that I say Brady retires after this season.  I think Belichick, Kraft and Brady have a real heart to heart, and that's the outcome.  The only way he doesn't is if they win a Super Bowl (and I'm not even saying that then it won't happen). 

[El Barto]

The Gordon trade has worked out so far, for sure.

A lot of them do. It's just easier to remember the ones that don't. It's also hard to compare player value with cap space. Belichick has managed the cap amazingly well over the years, and that means you get rid of good players sometimes. Gordon essentially replaces Brandon Cooks, and Brandon Cooks was a fantastic deal for The Patriots. He was a bargain under the cap, and NE got back pretty much the same thing they gave up to acquire him for that season.

[El Barto]

I will be stunned if Gronk plays after this season, and I am starting to think the same thing about Brady. I don't see him being the type who wants to hang on and keep playing when he can't play at the level he is used to.

I don't know about Gronk, but I've already made the call (might even have been here) that I say Brady retires after this season.  I think Belichick, Kraft and Brady have a real heart to heart, and that's the outcome.  The only way he doesn't is if they win a Super Bowl (and I'm not even saying that then it won't happen).

Brady doesn't retire on his own unless they win a super bowl. He might retire when Gronk goes, though. Especially if Gronk is forced out rather than retiring gracefully. JMD booking up might also be a trigger. All things being equal I think he wants to keep playing, though.

[KevShmev]

I'm not sure how you can really complain about his management after 18 years remarkable success.

Patriots fans have slightly turned on Belichick in the sense that they will defend him against almost everyone, but when it becomes "the hoodie" vs "Tom," they aren't about to blame 12 for much, so Belichick becomes the fall guy.

Edit: And most fan bases would do the same thing when it comes to a superstar vs a coach.  It is much easier to get emotionally tied to rooting for a player than rooting for a coach (unless you are a dweeb who roots for Duke ).

Well, I wrote "'tired' arm", but you're right, it IS the legs.  It's the same with pitchers.   Well, the "off plays" were one a game, or sometimes even one every two games.  Then it was one a half.  Now it's one a drive. Seriously.   

It's not just one drive. Go compare his numbers this year vs last year.  Heck, do just the eye test.  He is obviously still very good, but he's not consistently playing at the GOAT-level anymore, and all you have to do is watch to see this.  They have scored 10 points in three games this season.  10 points.