2020 NFL Thread v. Tom Brady aging better than Mila Kunis

[King Postwhore]

Or Brady finally has lost his fastball at age 43. Put 31 year old Brady on another team and it would be different.

[hefdaddy42]

Or Brady finally has lost his fastball at age 43. Put 31 year old Brady on another team and it would be different.

Probably

[King Postwhore]

I'd think it's a strong educated guess.

[Stadler]

I think it's apples and oranges.   I think Belichick has the advantage in the short term.  I've seen too many games where a guy was out or something similar, and he used duct tape and bailing wire to make it happen.  Heck, they went, what, 3-1 with the third string guy two years ago?   I think Cam getting stuck on the 1 yard line is evidence of more than just one play; I think it's evidence of the real patchwork nature of the offense at this point; McDaniel couldn't go for something too much more complex at that point. 

The one thing about Cam that has surprised me is how much they've used him going downfield; even with that, though, they're not really asking him to throw the really intricate timing patterns that result in risky throws (and the one time they did, he got in trouble throwing behind the receiver).   

I have no doubt that Tom wants to win every game, but for him to do his magic, he does have to be comfortable in the offense and he's not there yet.  He's not going to pull games out of his ass single-handedly anymore (not that he ever really did) and certainly not until it's "his" offense.  The only trick is, can he wait for that to come about? 

[El Barto]

TB12 is reliant on a good rapport with his receivers, and it's not a given that he'll ever gel with any given WR. Plenty of decent receivers have come through NE and Tom's simply failed to connect with them. That might be the case down in Tampa, too. On the other hand, other QBs in NE have been willing to throw to anybody, for better of for worse. My hope going into this was that either Cam or Stidham would play a little less refined, and thus be willing to throw to the guys Brady wouldn't, and that's what we're seeing. Brady's rigidity is great when he's got his players. It's a failing when he doesn't, and I think that's what we're seeing now. Brady is 10x the QB that Newton is, and when the playoffs come around the situation might well be different, but right now NE is better off with Cam. He's better suited to playing a wide open gameplan.

[pg1067]

WTF with that call in the Rams @ Bills game??!!  Buffalo player makes a catch, Rams defender grabs the ball, they both go to the ground, and it's the RAMS ball?

[pg1067]

WTF with that call in the Rams @ Bills game??!!  Buffalo player makes a catch, Rams defender grabs the ball, they both go to the ground, and it's the RAMS ball?

And the refs give Buffalo a payback, gift pass interference call that led to the Bills winning.

[King Postwhore]

Dammit. I was thrilled that the Bills would lose.

Oops.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Dan Quinn needs to get fired after that. Two weeks in a row you choke away a sure win.

[Stadler]

The NFL hates this, but good defense can be boring.    That Bengals Eagles overtime was about as exciting as a Pop Warner game that your kid ISN'T playing in, yet it was pretty well played (up to the false start penalty at the very end). 

[TheCountOfNYC]

The Jets looked like a professional football team for one quarter.

[Cool Chris]

The Jets looked like a professional football team for one quarter.

[TheCountOfNYC]

The Jets looked like a professional football team for one quarter.

Life is rough right now as a Jets fan. I know that’s usually how it is, but this is worse than it’s been in a very long time, since Rich Kotite. The Jets are the worst team in football, and it’s not even close.

[T-ski]

The last play of the Chargers/Panthers game was almost incredible.

[Dream Team]

The NFL hates this, but good defense can be boring.    That Bengals Eagles overtime was about as exciting as a Pop Warner game that your kid ISN'T playing in, yet it was pretty well played (up to the false start penalty at the very end).

Amazing fact about that game, football writer Mike Tanier predicted a 22-22 tie. It ended up 23-23.

[dparrott]

The last play of the Chargers/Panthers game was almost incredible.

Yea, just ran out of time.  Panthers D blocked a big TD catch.  But rookie Herbert was lookin like a vet there!

I was almost 0-4.  Thankfully Wilson pulled it out at the end.  Another butt clenching win for the Seahawks.

[Stadler]

That New Orleands/Green Bay was really a test of (my) will.    I picked Green Bay, so that's where my head was, but I kept looking at the picks to see if it would hurt me too badly if NO actually won.  Brees looked good (for the part I saw) and it came down AGAIN! to penalties.   I have  a feeling (maybe it's a wish) that NO might be able to right this ship as we go.

In the meantime, that GB offense looks strong.   I'm of the opposite feeling though:  right now it's a huge lovefest, what with Aaron Rodgers doing little heart things from the field to Matt LeFleur (he didn't, but he might as well have) but I want to see what happens when it doesn't work, and Aaron's inner "little boy" takes over. 

[Dream Team]

Brees cannot throw the ball downfield at all. Eventually teams will just stack the box to stop Kamara and the short passes.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Very excited for tonight’s game. If their success continues, Mahomes/Jackson has the potential to be the next Brady/Manning, and Chiefs/Ravens could be the most intense non-divisional rivalry in all of American sports.

[Stadler]

Very excited for tonight’s game. If their success continues, Mahomes/Jackson has the potential to be the next Brady/Manning, and Chiefs/Ravens could be the most intense non-divisional rivalry in all of American sports.

But I have to watch with the sound down.  The announcers are ridiculous in their praise.   To hear them talk, there's no one else on the field.  Just now, after the punt, going into the break, this was the caption on the bottom of the screen:

[TAC]

I'm more impressed with the dude holding the two Gatorade bottles.

[Dream Team]

Watching the game. Mahomes is just a sick sick talent.

[El Barto]

There are some really nervous former Dolphins right now.

[Dream Team]

There are some really nervous former Dolphins right now.

Glad somebody else is watching the biggest game of the year to date.

[TheCountOfNYC]

There are some really nervous former Dolphins right now.

At least Shula got to go out with that legacy still intact.

[King Postwhore]

Not looking forward to next weeks game against a juggernaut.

[Dream Team]

Ravens had the #1 scoring D going into the game and Mahomes was just toying with them. It was amazing to watch. Their kicker left 4 pts off the board, their backup RB fumbled deep in Bal territory and 7 of Bal’s points was off a kickoff return. 45-13 is a much more accurate score to describe what actually took place. 513 yards to 229. Mahomes was otherworldly on 3rd down and against the blitz. If you’re a fan of great QB play last night was a feast.

[T-ski]

Uh oh....

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/09/29/titans-vikings-suspend-in-person-activities-over-titans-positive-covid-19-tests/

[hunnus2000]

Uh oh....

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/09/29/titans-vikings-suspend-in-person-activities-over-titans-positive-covid-19-tests/

Yep - just got the word about 20 minutes ago.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Uh oh....

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/09/29/titans-vikings-suspend-in-person-activities-over-titans-positive-covid-19-tests/

The two teams and the league are taking the right precautions. It was bound to happen, but the swift response from all involved parties is promising to see. IMO, the next step should be to bar all fans from all stadiums (with full refunds of course). This will protect players, coaches, and fans alike from the one variable that teams and the league can't control: where fans go before and after game time.

[DragonAttack]

There's a possibility those two games involving the Titans and Vikings might get switched to Monday night.

KC-Balto:  the Ravens are who I thought they were.  Not having a pass rush, mostly experienced LBs, and Thomas and Young in the secondary really showed.  Add to that Marshall Yonda's retirement, and the OL overall is not as good as last year.  Add onto that, for some reason our OC, who I might question once or twice a game, has totally thrown out the game plan when trailing during their last two losses.  The Ravens can score in under three minutes by throwing AND running.....they did so numerous times last year in their hurry up offense.  That OL cannot pass protect effectively without having the run option.  Dropping five passes against a team like the Chiefs isn't the same as against the Browns.

Damn.....Reid and Bienemy design some crazy deceptive plays (nothing new there).  And..........Mahomes is Mahomes.  That falling backwards long TD pass was yet another WTW moment.

Finally, a shoutout to fellow Central Michigan alumnus Eric Fisher.  Over the past eighteen regular season games, the former first overall draft pick OT now has one more TD reception than fellow Chippewa Antonio Brown

[El Barto]

Wow. Looking forward to a real thriller tonight.

And the league wonders why nobody watches TNF.

[Stadler]

Wow. Looking forward to a real thriller tonight.

And the league wonders why nobody watches TNF.

I almost have a fascination with how bad it COULD be.  Kind of like watching repeats of Who's The Boss and reveling in the realization that this is being broadcast on national television.   Or watching the Presidential debates. 

[T-ski]

Wow. Looking forward to a real thriller tonight.

And the league wonders why nobody watches TNF.

I almost have a fascination with how bad it COULD be.  Kind of like watching repeats of Who's The Boss and reveling in the realization that this is being broadcast on national television.   Or watching the Presidential debates. 

Teenage T-ski watched Who’s The Boss for one reason and one reason only.

[Stadler]

Wow. Looking forward to a real thriller tonight.

And the league wonders why nobody watches TNF.

I almost have a fascination with how bad it COULD be.  Kind of like watching repeats of Who's The Boss and reveling in the realization that this is being broadcast on national television.   Or watching the Presidential debates. 

Teenage T-ski watched Who’s The Boss for one reason and one reason only.

PLEASE don't say Katherine Helmond.  PLEASE.