2022 NFL Thread (Chiefs win Super Bowl 57)

[Dublagent66]

@ Stads & Barto.  I agree with you both and not really arguing anything.  All I'm saying is, none of these players are hurting for money.  You don't need to be a millionaire to take care of your family and put a roof over your head.  Even if they have a short NFL career, most of them still have college degrees to fall back on.  I have no sympathy for players (or anyone for that matter) who live beyond their means.  No amount of money can cure that problem.

[hefdaddy42]

Some of the guys going for the money might as well; they're never going to get the alternative, unless they can latch onto a team like the Pats or the Rams or the Bucs, who have a legit shot to win a champeenship.  Other guys - the Brady's of the world - can instantly MAKE a team a champeenship team, and so it makes a little more sense  for them to balance the money.  Tom Brady is not going to ever be known for the money he made, he will be known for the championships he has won.

Well, that was my point, which I may not have made clearly enough.  Except I would change "Some" to "Most".  It's just a numbers game.  Of course the goal is to be the best player you can be, and to help make your team to be the best that it can be.  But every year, there are only a relative handful of teams whose realistic goals should include championships.  For all the other players on all the other teams, their goals should include things like "hit all my bonus marks in my contract" and "don't get injured", because their team is going to be average at best. 

[KevShmev]

I see both sides of the coin here.

As fan, we usually judge players by championships and success, so in our minds, once they are already making millions, we think, "Chase rings, not money," but as players who have a short window to maximize their earnings, many want that super big payday when they can get it, and it is hard to blame them, especially since I am guessing many players are not frugal, so it's a safe bet that many players spend the money as fast as they make it, so they are always wanting more, not even for savings in some cases, but to spend. 

Even though I am hard wired to hate the Raiders, I have to give them props as their acquisition of D. Adams had a double pronged effect.  One, it made their team better, and two, it made Tyreek Hill want crazy money which led to his departure from the AFC West.

[hunnus2000]

So I think that Baker will stay in Cleveland until DeShawn gets on the field. It would make sense from a lot of different perspectives one being that he could increase his stock around the league.

But if that doesn't happen, what about the Fins as a landing spot? Baker could be had for cheap and would be good insurance in case Tua flops.

Opinions??

[Stadler]

So I think that Baker will stay in Cleveland until DeShawn gets on the field. It would make sense from a lot of different perspectives one being that he could increase his stock around the league.

But if that doesn't happen, what about the Fins as a landing spot? Baker could be had for cheap and would be good insurance in case Tua flops.

Opinions??

Respectfully, Baker is not going to Miami.  They have Teddy Bridgewater already in reserve. 

I'm of two minds on him staying until Watson gets on the field; if I'm Baker, "WHY?"  Are you going to show your maturity then?  I don't think that changes any minds on that level, but on the downside, you're a lame duck QB, they are not going to "scheme" for you and if you take a helmet to the knee, you're fucked.   And on the browns side, they lose any leverage or value they have in him.  I think he goes sooner rather than later, frankly.  The wild card will be the draft and the lead up to the draft. If you're, say, Seattle, do you go with a Baker Mayfield and see if Pete Carroll can whack some sense into him, or do you start fresh with the draft? 

[hunnus2000]

BTW - I read an article earlier in the week where Pete Carrol wants Gino Smith back because he thought he did a good job in relief of Russell last year.

We'll see........

[ProfessorPeart]

The Browns need to know sooner rather than later what the league is going to do to Watson. People are expecting he will be suspended. The question is for how long. Based on the sheer number of allegations, I could see Goodell giving him a whole year even though he sat last year. Difference is, he got paid last year.

[Skeever]

BTW - I read an article earlier in the week where Pete Carrol wants Gino Smith back because he thought he did a good job in relief of Russell last year.

We'll see........

They faired about the same with Geno as they did with Russell.
So, why not? Trading Russell Wilson means you've got problems that can't be fixed anytime soon. Seahawks are officially rebuilding, Geno's just as good as anyone else on the market currently.

[KevShmev]

Respectfully, Baker is not going to Miami.  They have Teddy Bridgewater already in reserve. 

 

When Tua gets hurts, Tyreek Hill is really gonna miss Mahomes when he is 10 yards down field past the deepest corner and Checkdown Teddy is throwing it to the RB for 2-yard loss.

The Browns need to know sooner rather than later what the league is going to do to Watson. People are expecting he will be suspended. The question is for how long. Based on the sheer number of allegations, I could see Goodell giving him a whole year even though he sat last year. Difference is, he got paid last year.

Sure, they need to know, but the NFL should not hurry their decision to make it easier for the Browns to prepare.  That is not their job.  If the Browns have to sit and wait to see what punishment gets handed down, that is the price you pay for giving that kind of money to a QB accused of being a serial sexual creep (to put it nicely).

[Stadler]

Respectfully, Baker is not going to Miami.  They have Teddy Bridgewater already in reserve. 

 

When Tua gets hurts, Tyreek Hill is really gonna miss Mahomes when he is 10 yards down field past the deepest corner and Checkdown Teddy is throwing it to the RB for 2-yard loss.

They're BOTH known for that.  The knock on Tua is his less-than-elite arm strength.  He's had some success throwing downfield, but he's no Brady, Rodgers or Mahomes.

[Dream Team]

Well one thing for sure I’m looking forward to this season because we just had the wackiest off-season ever. QB carousel like never before. Some divisions are SO STACKED like the AFC West that it’s impossible to project standings.  Kinda sucks for Carr, Herbert, Wilson, and Mahomes but makes for must-see viewing for those inter-division games.

That makes me think of a fun discussion topic, what were some of those most stacked divisions of all time? NFC East must be in there somewhere - early to mid 90s maybe.

[Cool Chris]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33617341/nfl-says-all-teams-add-minority-offensive-coach-expands-rooney-rule-include-women

All 32 NFL teams will hire a minority offensive assistant coach for the 2022 season, part of a series of policy enhancements announced Monday to address the league's ongoing diversity efforts.

[El Barto]

It'll do more for women than it does for minorities.

Is there any team in the league that doesn't already have at least 5 minority assistant coaches? Looks to me like the Patriots already have 6/14 black guys plus a Cabrera, and of the remaining 7, two of those guys are Belichicks. This is actually more meaningless than the original Rooney Rule.

[Stadler]

It'll do more for women than it does for minorities.

Is there any team in the league that doesn't already have at least 5 minority assistant coaches? Looks to me like the Patriots already have 6/14 black guys plus a Cabrera, and of the remaining 7, two of those guys are Belichicks. This is actually more meaningless than the original Rooney Rule.

I hate these initiatives. Placating, is all it is.   There was just an article in the local news about how "Connecticut college sports is not hiring the best!".  And how do we know?  Because only 8% of Division I head coaches are black, and 44% are female.  I'm confused by that leap of logic.   We've had Jim Calhoun, Hall of Famer, his successor was Kevin Ollie, African American (who won a national title as coach, but was also run out of town for ethics scandals).  We currently have the greatest coach in college basketball history, Geno Auriemma, whose legendary assistant (who has been offered countless head coaching jobs in her career, and turned them down to be part of one of the greatest programs in college sports) is Chris Dailey, female.  Both programs have generated a significant number of coaches and assistant coaches; Shea Ralphs, former WNBA player and Uconn athlete just took a head coaching job at Vanderbilt, and Patrick Sellers, former NBA player and Uconn athlete is now the head coach at Central Connecticut.   Only 10.5% of the state is African American, so I'm not sure what the "target" here is.   I'd love to see how many women are applying for Uconn football positions (we're not a football power) in order to assess how that 44% (the state is 51% female) is playing out.

We're not that big a community; it's not necessarily true that "the best" will lead to pure demographic numbers.   So we go through the motions and tell ourselves that concentrating MORE on race than ever before, in fact, making it the predominant reason for decision-making, is going to end the divisiveness and make us true to the "not the color of our skin, but the content of our character".  Seems counter-intuitive to me, but what do I know.  I know for me, I rarely if ever thought of race growing up, and through college.  I am FAR more conscious of race in my day-to-day life than I ever was, and it's not a good thing.

[faizoff]

Sean McVay on his reaction to Tom Brady's un-retirement: “I was thinking, ‘Shit, man, can we get this guy the hell out of this league?’ ”

I'm sure he's not the only one.




Additionally the owners have agreed to a change in OT rules for Playoffs that ensure each team has a possession before moving to sudden death.

[DragonAttack]

With the new NFL playoff OT rule, I know one thing:  if I'm the HC and win the toss, and this is not deferring, but I am defending a specific goal line (dome or no dome).  I know I'm getting the ball, so then I'll know what I have to do.  The big plus, if it's outdoors, I'll have the wind at my back. 

[TheCountOfNYC]

Something I feel like almost everyone is ignoring about the new OT rules: without the first TD being sudden death, the extra point/two point conversion decision comes into play. If you’re getting possession first, do you kick the extra point and risk the opposing team going for two to win it, or do you go for two and risk not converting, making it so the opposing team can win with an extra point? And on the flip side, if you’re getting possession second and the opposing team kicked the extra point, do you go for the tie and risk the opposing team getting into field goal range, or do you go for two and the win, but risk not converting and losing the game?

[King Postwhore]

Arians retires and moves to the front office?

Sounds like Brady won.

[faizoff]

Well that came out of nowhere.

[TAC]

Arians retires and moves to the front office?

Sounds like Brady won.

First thing I thought of.

Well that came out of nowhere.

Er...not really.

Brady was hell bent on not playing for Arians.

[faizoff]

Well that came out of nowhere.

Er...not really.

Brady was hell bent on not playing for Arians.

Not sure why that rumor keeps coming up.


There's no real merit to it, I follow a lot of local reporters and they would've sniffed it first if there was any legitimacy to that.

[TAC]

Do you really think Brady retired.....thought about it a bit more...and decided he just wasn't quite ready?

Why do you think he "retired"? Do you really think there's no correlation to Brady unretiring and Arians stepping aside?

[faizoff]

LOL where is that coming from? I have no way of knowing one way or the other, all I'm saying is this last year I've been following the Bucs like I've never done before and didn't hear any kind of chatter that Brady was unhappy with anyone in the coaching staff. The front office has been really cool with him and the relationship has been pretty much solid throughout.

[TAC]

Well, if it's anything like here, a lot of the media is in the bag with the team.

[El Barto]

For all of these years we kept hearing that Brady was the embodiment of the Patriot way. No player is as important as the team. Over the last year or so King has convinced me that he's actually a whiny little bitch, though. So be it. What I wonder is when that became the case. He couldn't have always been like that. It has to have been a gradual shift. Clearly he's been of the mindset that he deserved preferential treatment for some time. Now he's of the mindset that he's more important than the GM, and he'll personally determine who the next head coach is. Man, I'm really starting to hate the guy.

Also, who wants to sign on as HC only to be Brady's yes man?

[El Barto]

LOL where is that coming from? I have no way of knowing one way or the other, all I'm saying is this last year I've been following the Bucs like I've never done before and didn't hear any kind of chatter that Brady was unhappy with anyone in the coaching staff. The front office has been really cool with him and the relationship has been pretty much solid throughout.

I've been hearing rumbles about it for at least a year. They put on a happy face, but they don't really get along all that well.

[KevShmev]

For all of these years we kept hearing that Brady was the embodiment of the Patriot way. No player is as important as the team. Over the last year or so King has convinced me that he's actually a whiny little bitch, though. So be it. What I wonder is when that became the case. He couldn't have always been like that. It has to have been a gradual shift. Clearly he's been of the mindset that he deserved preferential treatment for some time. Now he's of the mindset that he's more important than the GM, and he'll personally determine who the next head coach is. Man, I'm really starting to hate the guy.

Also, who wants to sign on as HC only to be Brady's yes man?

It makes you wonder if he was always like this and hid it well given how stone faced he usually was with the Patriots (because that was the "Patriot Way"), or if success has gone to his head so much that it has blown up to mammoth proportions.  Either way, I agree with you.  He seemed more likable when he first got to Tampa, but he has really shown his ass in the last year and change.  It could be the Michael Jordan thing where the drive and personality that makes him such a great player is also makes him not that good of a person off the field/court.

[faizoff]

Eh I don't know. Maybe it's true he's a grade A asshole and too stuck up his own ass. It just didn't appear that way in all the press conferences and interviews with all the staff and players and coaches and reporters that he's been here so far. I would think these reporters pick up on all these as that's the bread and butter for them and they have reported on issues they've found.

[El Barto]

For all of these years we kept hearing that Brady was the embodiment of the Patriot way. No player is as important as the team. Over the last year or so King has convinced me that he's actually a whiny little bitch, though. So be it. What I wonder is when that became the case. He couldn't have always been like that. It has to have been a gradual shift. Clearly he's been of the mindset that he deserved preferential treatment for some time. Now he's of the mindset that he's more important than the GM, and he'll personally determine who the next head coach is. Man, I'm really starting to hate the guy.

Also, who wants to sign on as HC only to be Brady's yes man?

It makes you wonder if he was always like this and hid it well given how stone faced he usually was with the Patriots (because that was the "Patriot Way"), or if success has gone to his head so much that it has blown up to mammoth proportions.  Either way, I agree with you.  He seemed more likable when he first got to Tampa, but he has really shown his ass in the last year and change.  It could be the Michael Jordan thing where the drive and personality that makes him such a great player is also makes him not that good of a person off the field/court.

His image started tanking long before he left for Tampa, in my book. It's starting too look pretty clear that he tried to pull this with Belichick, and Kraft quite reasonably told him to bugger off (he wanted O'brien as HC). As for when, I think it's both. Players from the early days were pretty clear that even when he was playing at an elite level he was still super down to Earth. He was picking people up at the airport, and introducing himself to all of the new players. "Hi, I'm Tom. I play quarterback. Good to meet you." By all accounts he was pretty sincere. If I had to guess, I'd say rather than just his ego growing with his success, like Mahomes, it was the gradual realization that he really was better than everybody else and he wasn't supposed to realize it. I don't get the feeling that he's caught up in his own hype.

[King Postwhore]

I'd assume as he got older and dealing with BB when going through Deflategate and his mom having cancer chamged him. Add the struggles of getting a contract with his pedigree he decided to take control of his career and now we see him leaning more to how Rodgers acts. 

[Stadler]

So who does he want now? Leftwich? 

[Skeever]

For all of these years we kept hearing that Brady was the embodiment of the Patriot way. No player is as important as the team. Over the last year or so King has convinced me that he's actually a whiny little bitch, though. So be it. What I wonder is when that became the case. He couldn't have always been like that. It has to have been a gradual shift. Clearly he's been of the mindset that he deserved preferential treatment for some time. Now he's of the mindset that he's more important than the GM, and he'll personally determine who the next head coach is. Man, I'm really starting to hate the guy.

Also, who wants to sign on as HC only to be Brady's yes man?

This is why, stats and records aside, Peyton will always be my personal GOAT. He just embodies the position, the game, and the best of the off-the-field character that you hope to see from a player. For me, he is up there with John Madden in terms of people who are just synonymous with the game. I'm sure part of it's just an extremely polished public persona, and marketing. But still. To me Peyton is legendary. I fully expect Brady's records to be broken in another decade or so. I don't expect anyone to like him or his awful personality or look forward to seeing him on TV from then on. Meanwhile, I expect Peyton to be something like the next Madden. Someone who adults remember and love about the game, but also who even kids too young to remember look forward to seeing as a marquee game broadcaster or whatever else he decides to do going forward. 

[Stadler]

For all of these years we kept hearing that Brady was the embodiment of the Patriot way. No player is as important as the team. Over the last year or so King has convinced me that he's actually a whiny little bitch, though. So be it. What I wonder is when that became the case. He couldn't have always been like that. It has to have been a gradual shift. Clearly he's been of the mindset that he deserved preferential treatment for some time. Now he's of the mindset that he's more important than the GM, and he'll personally determine who the next head coach is. Man, I'm really starting to hate the guy.

Also, who wants to sign on as HC only to be Brady's yes man?

This is why, stats and records aside, Peyton will always be my personal GOAT. He just embodies the position, the game, and the best of the off-the-field character that you hope to see from a player. For me, he is up there with John Madden in terms of people who are just synonymous with the game. I'm sure part of it's just an extremely polished public persona, and marketing. But still. To me Peyton is legendary. I fully expect Brady's records to be broken in another decade or so. I don't expect anyone to like him or his awful personality or look forward to seeing him on TV from then on. Meanwhile, I expect Peyton to be something like the next Madden. Someone who adults remember and love about the game, but also who even kids too young to remember look forward to seeing as a marquee game broadcaster or whatever else he decides to do going forward.

I like this.  Everything you said here comes out in one form or another in the Monday Night Football broadcasts he does.  He's got a genuine love of the game, he's got a genuine appreciation and respect for those that play it at a high level, and he seems to have a genuine interest in those guests that DON'T have a connection to football, but love the game themselves.   As you noted, it may be carefully crafted, but it FEELS real.  It FEELS honest.

[faizoff]

So who does he want now? Leftwich? 

Todd Bowles the Defensive Coordinator is the head coach now, they signed him up for five years.

From the Tampa reporters I follow, they're saying Bruce Arians had already informed the front office and Brady around his un-retirement announcement that he was stepping down.
I think this move was coming regardless of who was going to be at QB.

[Stadler]

So who does he want now? Leftwich? 

Todd Bowles the Defensive Coordinator is the head coach now, they signed him up for five years.

From the Tampa reporters I follow, they're saying Bruce Arians had already informed the front office and Brady around his un-retirement announcement that he was stepping down.
I think this move was coming regardless of who was going to be at QB.

So Leftwich got hosed again for a HC job, in favor of a guy who has failed one (Jets) and a half (Dolphins interim) times as a head coach in the past.   So much for the Rooney Rule, eh?