2018 NFL Thread - The Dynasty

[Dublagent66]

A Dallas win this Thursday would be huge, but I'm not holding my breath.  Saints are too damn good.  I just hope it's a good game.

[bosk1]

The AFC playoff race is REALLY intriguing to me right now.  KC should be just about the runaway favorite to win the #1 seed.  But their remaining games are against the Ravens, Seahawks, Chargers, and Raiders (twice).  They win both of those Raiders games.  But the others?  I'm not so sure. 

The Texans could easily win out.  Their only potentially tough looking game, as far as I can see, is against the Colts. 

The Pats have a few tough games against contenders (Steelers and Vikings...maybe the Dolphins).  But I would never bet against the BB/Brady-led Pats in the last 5 games of the regular season.

The Steelers are in much worse shape, with games against the Pats, Saints, and Chargers looming.  I can see them dropping to the #4 seed.

Anyhow, bottom line is, I can easily see the Chiefs dropping a couple of games over the last 5 and losing the #1 seed to the Texans or Pats.  I ran a couple of scenarios with the playoff machine with them dropping 2 games and the Texans stealing the #1.  I could see it happening.

[KevShmev]

Given how lucky they always are, and how soft their divisional games are, the Patriots will probably get the 1 seed when KC loses at Seattle in December and when the Steelers stick their heads up their asses and lose to the Patriots in a game we will all look back on and think, "Pittsburgh should have won that."

Then again, Father Time is clearly catching up to Tom Brady, so they could easily stumble and lose a game or two that they should win.  This is, after all, the same team that got drilled by Blake Bortles' Jags and got trounced by the 4-7 Lions.

[bosk1]

Totally.  But what about the Texans?  My eyes and guy tell me they aren't deserving of a #1 seed.  But my head looking at the remaining schedule tells me they could EASILY win out since their remaining schedule is so soft.

[KevShmev]

It's hard for me to get past my "Bill O'Brien is a doofus" line of thinking, so I'd be shocked if they win out to go 13-3.  Indy will be a tough game, and at Philly could be tough as well if the Eagles actually get it together.  Shoot, playing the Browns this weekend won't be easy.

[El Barto]

There are a ton of unpredictables left in the AFC. AFC-W games often go in strange directions. The Texans are a weird team. NE will beat the good teams but probably lose a stupid one to Buffalo or something. Cleveland is a really fun wildcard. About the only thing I can predict with any certainty is that there won't be any AFC teams taking week 17 off. I wouldn't be surprised if there were 4 teams battling it out for the 1 and 2 seeds in W17 thanks to some quirky tie-break scenarios.

[Stadler]

No one has  mentioned it yet, but history says that KC WILL fold at some point. Whether it's week 13, 17 or some (early, IMO) playoff round, it WILL happen. 

[Destiny Of Chaos]

No one has  mentioned it yet, but history says that KC WILL fold at some point. Whether it's week 13, 17 or some (early, IMO) playoff round, it WILL happen.

 I don't think Mahomes care about what happened before he took over the starting job. And the Chiefs have never had anyone like him.

[bosk1]

No one has  mentioned it yet, but history says that KC WILL fold at some point. Whether it's week 13, 17 or some (early, IMO) playoff round, it WILL happen. 

You are actually the last person I would expect to say that since you have a better handle than most on what statistics and prior history actually prove and don't prove.  They haven't had this specific combination of players on their roster and haven't played this specific roster of players on other teams in any past season.  So whatever they may have done in the past is irrelevant to what they will do in the future.  Yeah, you can say that their coaching staff is the common denominator and has a history of folding down the stretch.  But given how different their roster is, and how dominant this roster has been in a number of its games this season, you can't make that sort of prediction solely based on what they have done in the past.

[KevShmev]

History means almost nothing when it comes to sports team and whatnot.

The Broncos had a history of getting their asses kicked in the Super Bowl...until 1997.

The Eagles had a history of never winning the big one...until last year.

The Saints had a history of never winning in the playoffs...until Sean Payton and Drew Brees arrived.

etc.

If the Chiefs do lose in the playoffs, it will be because they get outplayed, not because history dictates that the Chiefs must lose.

[rab7]

Totally.  But what about the Texans?  My eyes and guy tell me they aren't deserving of a #1 seed.  But my head looking at the remaining schedule tells me they could EASILY win out since their remaining schedule is so soft.

If we survive Cleveland (if I looked into the future from 12 months ago and saw myself making this comment, I'd think I was drunk or high), and Indianapolis, I think we can win out.

I am used to perpetual disappointment, so I too, feel like we don't deserve the #1 seed. But we'll see what happens

[bosk1]

If we survive Cleveland (if I looked into the future from 12 months ago and saw myself making this comment, I'd think I was drunk or high), and Indianapolis, I think we can win out.

In all seriousness, although I haven't followed the team at all, I look at who they have beaten this year, and who they have left, and I am pretty optimistic about a 4-1 or 5-0 finish for them.  Yeah, anything can happen on any given Sunday, but the odds are in their favor.

[Stadler]

No one has  mentioned it yet, but history says that KC WILL fold at some point. Whether it's week 13, 17 or some (early, IMO) playoff round, it WILL happen.

 I don't think Mahomes care about what happened before he took over the starting job. And the Chiefs have never had anyone like him.

He's not Len Dawson yet, so let's ease up on his induction into the Hall of Fame.

And they still have Andy Reid.   

[El Barto]

No one has  mentioned it yet, but history says that KC WILL fold at some point. Whether it's week 13, 17 or some (early, IMO) playoff round, it WILL happen.

 I don't think Mahomes care about what happened before he took over the starting job. And the Chiefs have never had anyone like him.

He's not Len Dawson yet, so let's ease up on his induction into the Hall of Fame.

And they still have Andy Reid.

Hall of famer or not, he is the reason they have a very good chance of bucking history. At the same time Andy Reid is the history they have to beat, and I'm not sure that they can.

[KevShmev]

Stadler is busting out the Skip Bayless shtick.

*young player bursts on to the scene and plays well*

"people praise said player for playing well*

"Skip/Stadler acts like everyone is putting them in the Hall of Fame already*

 

[Stadler]

Stadler is busting out the Skip Bayless shtick.

*young player bursts on to the scene and plays well*

"people praise said player for playing well*

"Skip/Stadler acts like everyone is putting them in the Hall of Fame already*

 

I think I feel the same about being compared to Skip Bayless as others here do about being compared to me.     (I'm really stealing that shtick from Bill Parcells, but that's quibbling).

I recognize that we're not putting him in the Hall of Fame, but still; the league is brutal, and there have been some great QBs that weren't able to sustain the momentum, and so I'm just loathe to give that any real weight in terms of predicting the rest of the year.  And really, my big problem with Mahomes is really in the last half of el Barto's last sentence.   

[KevShmev]

KC's biggest problem is their defense, which is utter trash.  Consider that their two losses were by scores of 43-40 and 54-51.

[cramx3]

and I still believe defense wins championships.  I'm not sure Mahomes will be the reason KC doesn't win the superbowl this year.

[KevShmev]

Defense can win championships ('00 Ravens, '02 Bucs, '13 Seahawks, '15 Broncos), and sometimes a team wins it when their defense is better than their offense ('01 Pats, '03 Pats, '05 Steelers, '07 Giants, '08 Steelers), but plenty of teams win it nowadays when their offense is better ('99 Rams, '06 Colts, '09 Saints, '14 Patriots).  In other words, there is more than one way to skin a cat, and more than one way to win a championship.

[cramx3]

Defense can win championships ('00 Ravens, '02 Bucs, '13 Seahawks, '15 Broncos), and sometimes a team wins it when their defense is better than their offense ('01 Pats, '03 Pats, '05 Steelers, '07 Giants, '08 Steelers), but plenty of teams win it nowadays when their offense is better ('99 Rams, '06 Colts, '09 Saints, '14 Patriots).  In other words, there is more than one way to skin a cat, and more than one way to win a championship.

Of course, but your example just listed a lot more defensive teams winning than offensive.  And your example of the Cheif's two losses look so typical of the team that wins a lot in the regular season with their offense but fail in the playoffs because of their defense.  Can they win? Of course they can, but I'd pick a few teams over them at this point.

[Stadler]

and I still believe defense wins championships.  I'm not sure Mahomes will be the reason KC doesn't win the superbowl this year.

Why would I get a new phone?  This flip phone works perfectly fine.

[King Postwhore]

I do too but in this day an age, defenses are playing with one hand tied behind their backs. 

I think turnovers caused by defenses is the measuring stick these days.

[DragonAttack]

Pre-Week 13 Power Rankings
Trending up:
Seahawks - huge road win
Broncos - have an outside shot at a playoff berth now
Browns - Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb both looking like great picks now
Bills - Josh Allen looks like he could be a good one
Ravens - two easy games for Lamar Jackson, but what will happen when he faces a real team?

My stepdaughter attended Delaware, and we attended five games during the two years that Flacco played there, including a wild 59-52 win at Navy (https://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/102707acr.html).  So we've had more than a 'love affair' with Joe in Baltimore, good Joe or not so good Joe.  I mean, other than Testaverde for a couple of years in the 90s, and McNair in 2006, QB was a sore spot for this franchise.  Every game during his first seven years meant something, and it's a shame that the Denver HC position opened up after 2014, because we all wish Gary Kubiak had stayed here as OC. 

But the contract he signed after the SB win showed that it's 'all about the money' with nothing to do about winning (if they'd have just had a tad bit more money to keep Anquan Boldin here....).  This year he looked good, he had some above average WRs for a change (last year's group that left the team have ZERO receptions this year). 

So.....sadly.....time to move on.  If Flacco does play again, the run offense will go back to being horrible, the OC will throw 40-50 times, and it will be same inconsistent crap we've seen the past few years.  Plus, the cap hit next year is a ridiculous $27M, so the Ravens might as well let the kid get more experience this year.  Jackson showed some zip and threw a couple of really good looking long passes last week (a spot on 43 yarder called back because of a hold).  None of the defenses he'll face the rest of the year are in the Top 25 except the Chargers.  I hope the kid stays healthy, improves on his mechanics, and can come close to what Watson has as far as that 'IT Factor' some time in the future.  He has already progressed far more than I would have initially predicted.

Maybe they'll get waxed 35-10 against the Falcons, or they'll run and run and run and use up 6-8 minutes on numerous drives as they've done the past two weeks.  At least it will be 'interesting'.

[DragonAttack]

btw.....after the Sean Taylor doll and Reuben Foster missteps, if Daniel Snyder of the Potatoes needs a PR person for half the price and ten times the common sense, I am available.

[Dublagent66]

If the Chiefs do lose in the playoffs, it will be because they get outplayed, not because history dictates that the Chiefs must lose.

Well, as long as Andy Reid is there, history could definitely repeat itself.   

[Stadler]

If the Chiefs do lose in the playoffs, it will be because they get outplayed, not because history dictates that the Chiefs must lose.

Well, as long as Andy Reid is there, history could definitely repeat itself.   

I was the one that raised "history", and while I do think that some organizations have a "tradition" that is hard to overcome (they're just losers) I didn't mean what I said to be so abstract.  I specifically meant that I think Andy Reid is a good coach, but not a Super Bowl winning coach.   I think that when you get past the mid-season games and into the playoffs - one and done, and where little things make a huge difference - he can be the difference in a game, and his inability to move from a "Fuck it, what have we got to lose, let's go for it on 4th and 7 on our own 32 yard line" to a "let's manage the shit out of this game and do what we need to do to make sure that when the clock goes to 0:00, we have more points than they do." you're going to have problems, and problems that Mahomes (and more importantly Hill and Kelsce) aren't going to be able to change that.  He's a HORRIBLE game manager, and an even worse clock manager.   It's not just once; there are countless examples of Reid-coached games where the last two minutes turn into a debacle over simple, sometimes obvious decision-points. 

[Dublagent66]

^Totally agree with that.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

Yes Reid has a track record... but his star was for the most part hitched to McNabb and Smith.  Mahomes showed you how he's going to go down slinging it @LA. That game didn't end up in his favor, and I'm sure that he learned from it, especially with a bye week to think about it.

[Dublagent66]

I don't buy it.  Mahomes didn't need to sling it in order to have a chance at going to OT.  His coaching staff didn't have a plan for that scenario because that was probably one of the few times they were actually trailing at the end of the game.

[KevShmev]

Anyone else get a kick out of Big Ben this week finding a way to blame everything but himself for the Broncos loss?  Way to be a leader as always, Ben. 

[King Postwhore]

Anyone else get a kick out of Big Ben this week finding a way to blame everything but himself for the Broncos loss?  Way to be a leader as always, Ben. 

Mike Tomlin's influence.   Let them say ......anything!

[El Barto]

The score doesn't reflect how much of a beatdown that was. When they weren't shooting themselves in the foot Dallas was really dominating the Saints.

[KevShmev]

Sean Payton's aggressiveness works more often than not, but I'll bet he's wishing he had taken that 3 in the first half instead of going for it 4th and goal.

Also, brutal night for the officials.  Tons of bad and missed calls, for and against both teams.

All of that aside, Dallas earned that win.

[Dream Team]

Anyone else get a kick out of Big Ben this week finding a way to blame everything but himself for the Broncos loss?  Way to be a leader as always, Ben. 

Yeah that’s not a good look. He used to always say “it’s on me” in post-game interviews so I’m not sure what’s changed. It should never have come down to that play at the end, I share the frustration that he threw 4 TD passes but only 1 ended up on the scoreboard.

[Rattlehead]

Anyone else get a kick out of Big Ben this week finding a way to blame everything but himself for the Broncos loss?  Way to be a leader as always, Ben. 

I found that funny as well, I'm not sure I'd call it a fluke when you throw the ball directly to the other team in the end zone  If Harris wasn't there, then Roby probably would've picked it off anyway.