NFL 2024 season - v. Greatest Pats...and 31 other cool teams

[hefdaddy42]

I don't expect him to be good at it at all.

[faizoff]

Leaks of the 2024 schedule indicates Netflix is getting the Christmas games.

Reportedly paying 150 million per game. That's kinda crazy.

[faizoff]

Schedule officially out, Bucs get 4 prime time games.


Chargers social media team at it again posting the schedule as Sims characters... so many easter eggs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gt0v7iW890&ab_channel=LosAngelesChargers

[Stadler]

I don't expect him to be good at it at all.

I just hope he brings his knowledge to the game and doesn't try to be a "personality".  It's a fine line, and some don't balance it right; Romo started off by bringing his football acumen; now he's trying to be a "personality" and Jim Nantz is sucking him down the toilet.

[faizoff]

Romo was so much fun to listen to in the first couple of years.  I guess they all have to "evolve" into something more boombastic to stay current.

[El Barto]

I just hope he brings his knowledge to the game and doesn't try to be a "personality".  It's a fine line, and some don't balance it right; Romo started off by bringing his football acumen; now he's trying to be a "personality" and Jim Nantz is sucking him down the toilet.

By and large a I agree, but Romo was always walking that line. Even when he just started off, and all of that football knowledge was on display, there were plenty of times when I just wanted him to STFU. He tried like hell to ruin the Pats/Chiefs playoff game, and he wasn't even lusting after Mahomes at that point.

[Dream Team]

Wow the Steelers last half of their schedule is legit the toughest I've ever seen. They play ALL 6 of their division games in the last 8 weeks of the season with 2 Super Bowl teams being the other 2 games (Chiefs, Eagles). They better go about 7-2 over their first nine or bye-bye playoff hopes.

[bosk1]

The Eagles are a Super Bowl team?

[hefdaddy42]

The Eagles are a Super Bowl team?

I mean, they HAVE BEEN in the Super Bowl before.  Maybe that's the only metric being used?

In that case, the Panthers are also a Super Bowl team!  Yay!

[bosk1]

I'm not sure a majority of their players or fans know how to spell Super Bowl.


EDIT:  Eagles, not Panthers.

[hefdaddy42]

I'm not sure a majority of their players or fans know how to spell Super Bowl.


EDIT:  Eagles, not Panthers.

I would also have accepted Panthers.

[KevShmev]

By and large a I agree, but Romo was always walking that line. Even when he just started off, and all of that football knowledge was on display, there were plenty of times when I just wanted him to STFU. He tried like hell to ruin the Pats/Chiefs playoff game, and he wasn't even lusting after Mahomes at that point.

Romo's problem, allegedly, is that he is lazy and doesn't do his homework.  That worked when he had first retired and started broadcasting because he was familiar with most of the players still, but most of the guys who were in the league when he was playing are now retired as well, so he is clueless about a lot of them, not to mention that he doesn't know when to shut up.  Him yapping non-stop after the Chiefs winning TD in the Super Bowl broke a cardinal rule of announcing.  In a moment like that, you let the play-by-play announcer make the call and then don't say anything for a good 20-30 seconds at least; let the moment speak for itself.  Go back to Auburn/Alabama when Auburn scored that winning TD off the missed FG. There was literally a minute of silence by the announcers as they let the moment and the roar of the crowd do the talking.  Romo is like the kid in school who always gets in trouble because he never knows how or when to keep his yap closed.

[El Barto]

In a moment like that, you let the play-by-play announcer make the call and then don't say anything for a good 20-30 seconds at least; let the moment speak for itself.

Or, spend the next five minutes badmouthing the other coach for his play call. 

My take on Romo is a bit different. It used to be that he had a wicked sharp understanding of defenses and play calling. The aforementioned Pat/Chief's game was a prefect example. Hoss Y Juke is well known now, but he was catching it in real time in all its variations. He was watching the game from Brady's perspective and knew what all the routes would be and which D player it would hinge on. I don't see that dissection of the game from him anymore. I'm wondering if that's the familiarity with the game that has passed him by. In any case, he does seem to be leaning more on his personality than his analysis, like Stadler said.

[Dream Team]

The Eagles were in the SB 2 years ago and were 10-1 last year when the wheels mysteriously fell off. Everyone says they still have the best roster in the league. They’ll be in the hunt for the SB again. But heck, fine, let’s call it a cakewalk game for the Steelers then. 

[pg1067]

It'll be interesting to see how much Jason Kelce's retirement affects the Eagles' offense.

[Dream Team]

Wow the Steelers last half of their schedule is legit the toughest I've ever seen. They play ALL 6 of their division games in the last 8 weeks of the season with 2 Super Bowl teams being the other 2 games (Chiefs, Eagles). They better go about 7-2 over their first nine or bye-bye playoff hopes.

Sorry guys, I meant to type Super Bowl CALIBER teams  . Usually proofread better than that.

[King Postwhore]

The best division in the NFL.

[El Barto]

For all of the attention that the triplets got for the 90's era cowboys, Larry Allen was probably the most dominant player at his position of that era, and a huge part of the reason it all came together the way that it did. I'm not sure Emmett gets the record without Allen to run behind, and he made all three of them much better. Dude was the anchor of one of the all time great O-lines. Sad to see him go at 52.

It'll be interesting to hear what his peers have to say about him over the next day or two. Probably some real good stories.

Also, 325lbs, benched 700, and ran a 4.8 40. Talk about an absolute freak of nature.

[Dream Team]

For all of the attention that the triplets got for the 90's era cowboys, Larry Allen was probably the most dominant player at his position of that era, and a huge part of the reason it all came together the way that it did. I'm not sure Emmett gets the record without Allen to run behind, and he made all three of them much better. Dude was the anchor of one of the all time great O-lines. Sad to see him go at 52.

It'll be interesting to hear what his peers have to say about him over the next day or two. Probably some real good stories.

Also, 325lbs, benched 700, and ran a 4.8 40. Talk about an absolute freak of nature.

I remember John Randle and others talking about playing against Allen. Someone asked Randle if he ever tried bullrushing him and Randle looked at him as if he was from another planet  .

[pg1067]

Ross Tucker told a story about the year he spent with the Cowboys (2002) and started 7 games at LG because of an injury to Allen.  He said that, when the starting lineups were announced, the opposing D-linemen were high-fiving each other because they didn't have to deal with Allen.

[Dream Team]

Ross Tucker told a story about the year he spent with the Cowboys (2002) and started 7 games at LG because of an injury to Allen.  He said that, when the starting lineups were announced, the opposing D-linemen were high-fiving each other because they didn't have to deal with Allen.

Yeah, also saw that a lot of times they'd have "nagging injuries" that prevented them from playing. You know, ooh my hammy's a little tight or I have a strained pec. 

[hunnus2000]

And then there's this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFcWMC9vkZg

[Stadler]

And then there's this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFcWMC9vkZg

One of the comments had it exactly right: the announcers forgot all about the bat and the interception and focused almost entirely on the Allen part of the play (and rightfully so).

[El Barto]

One of the comments had it exactly right: the announcers forgot all about the bat and the interception and focused almost entirely on the Allen part of the play (and rightfully so).

Yeah, it's funny that it ends right in front of the cheerleaders, who are understandably celebrating the pick, while everybody watching on TV is cheering Larry Allen.

[TAC]

Wow, that was an amazing highlight.

[Stadler]

Yeah, it's funny that it ends right in front of the cheerleaders, who are understandably celebrating the pick, while everybody watching on TV is cheering Larry Allen.

It's crazy; I've watched that about five times now, and that's not the linebacker hotdogging it, that's not the LB getting held up by someone else and Allen finishing him off.. that guy was MOVING.  The LB had a 15 yard head start and Allen caught him on a deadrun and brought him down.  I'd never seen that play before, but man that was impressive.

[El Barto]

It's crazy; I've watched that about five times now, and that's not the linebacker hotdogging it, that's not the LB getting held up by someone else and Allen finishing him off.. that guy was MOVING.  The LB had a 15 yard head start and Allen caught him on a deadrun and brought him down.  I'd never seen that play before, but man that was impressive.

Watch some highlights of his blocking (and he can pull to block the other side as fast as he chased that LB down). There was a play where he hit a rushing linebacker and knocked him backwards into another player, putting them both on the ground. It's hard to get real excited about offensive lineman play, unless you're John Madden, but he makes it a lot easier. (And Madden considered him the GOAT).

Apparently he could dunk a basketball, too.

[pg1067]

And then there's this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFcWMC9vkZg

Dan Dierdorf practically had an orgasm on live TV!  That said, GREAT play.

[pg1067]

I randomly read something this morning about Chuck Noll.

He coached the Steelers for 23 seasons from 1969-1991.

From 1972-1979, the Steelers posted an 88-27-1 regular season record (.759) and a 14-4 playoff record (.778).

However, for the other 2/3s of Noll's career, the Steelers were a sub-.500 team with a 105-114 regular season record (.479) and a 2-4 playoff record (.333).

From 1972-1979, the Steelers had 10 future HOF'ers.  All 10 of those players stuck around through at least the 1981 season.  Only four were there prior to 1972.

I'm not sure I have a point, but I found this to be pretty interesting since Noll is generally regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

[El Barto]

I randomly read something this morning about Chuck Noll.

He coached the Steelers for 23 seasons from 1969-1991.

From 1972-1979, the Steelers posted an 88-27-1 regular season record (.759) and a 14-4 playoff record (.778).

However, for the other 2/3s of Noll's career, the Steelers were a sub-.500 team with a 105-114 regular season record (.479) and a 2-4 playoff record (.333).

From 1972-1979, the Steelers had 10 future HOF'ers.  All 10 of those players stuck around through at least the 1981 season.  Only four were there prior to 1972.

I'm not sure I have a point, but I found this to be pretty interesting since Noll is generally regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

It's that 1974 draft. They already had Franco Harris and Bradshaw. Then in 74 they drafted Lynn Swann, Mike Webster, Donte Stallworth, and Jack Lambert in the first 5 rounds, and also signed Don Shell in free agency. It's not at all surprising that they suddenly had a 8 year string of success. That said, plenty of teams have had stacked rosters and failed to achieve without an excellent coach to put it all together. Just look at the Cowboys. Under Landry they were Pitt's only real competition. Under Jimmy Johnson they loaded the roster again, but as soon as he left they descended into mediocrity and never looked back. 

[Stadler]

I randomly read something this morning about Chuck Noll.

He coached the Steelers for 23 seasons from 1969-1991.

From 1972-1979, the Steelers posted an 88-27-1 regular season record (.759) and a 14-4 playoff record (.778).

However, for the other 2/3s of Noll's career, the Steelers were a sub-.500 team with a 105-114 regular season record (.479) and a 2-4 playoff record (.333).

From 1972-1979, the Steelers had 10 future HOF'ers.  All 10 of those players stuck around through at least the 1981 season.  Only four were there prior to 1972.

I'm not sure I have a point, but I found this to be pretty interesting since Noll is generally regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

But Belichick sucked and forgot how to coach after two subpar seasons and one First Round draft bust. 

Don Shula isn't quite as stark, but he had peaks and valleys as well (though to Shula's credit, he had a much less stable roster over the span of his coaching career).

[El Barto]

The Matt Light/Bill Belichick email exchange cracked me up. Bill's got a subtle and sly sense of humour.

https://www.boston.com/sports/morning-sports-update/2024/06/05/matt-light-bill-belichick-patriots-email-story/

Finally Matt, there is no need to use multi-syllable words in your email that neither you nor I know. I am unimpressed.

This will conclude my email exchange and I will return my efforts of trying to do a better job of coaching this football team. As for the PA meetings, don’t worry about helping me. As I have said many times, and I remind myself, the best thing we can for ourselves and our families is WIN. Try to keep that in mind in your quest for world peace.

Sincerely and respectfully,

Bill Belichick, Head Coach of the New England Patriots

  

[pg1067]

But Belichick sucked and forgot how to coach after two subpar seasons and one First Round draft bust. 

Don Shula isn't quite as stark, but he had peaks and valleys as well (though to Shula's credit, he had a much less stable roster over the span of his coaching career).

That's the thing.  The Steelers had 10 HOF'ers that were all on the roster for all four Super Bowls in the '70s:

- "Mean Joe" Greene (whose real name I recently learned is Charles) (drafted #4 overall in 1969)

- Terry Bradshaw (#1 overall in 1970)

- Mel Blount (#53 overall in 1970)

- Jack Ham (#34 overall in 1971)

- Franco Harris (#13 overall in 1972)

- Lynn Swann (#21 overall in 1974)

- Jack Lambert (#46 overall in 1974)

- John ("don't call me Donte") Stallworth (#82 overall in 1974)

- Mike Webster (#125 overall in 1974)

- Donnie Shell (undrafted in 1974)

In addition, you had pivotal players like Gerry Mullins, Rocky Bleier and L.C. Greenwood who were around for all four Super Bowl seasons (and Mike Wagner for the first three).

They were already on their way with the '72 season (that ended with a narrow loss to the undefeated Dolphins following the "Immaculate Reception" game), but that '74 draft put them over the top.Obviously, it was a different time in terms of roster turnover, but that's some incredible consistency (that Shula didn't have in the latter part of his career and Belicheck never had).  I think any of us could have won with that roster.

[El Barto]

- John ("don't call me Donte") Stallworth (#82 overall in 1974)

 

[KevShmev]

Dan Dierdorf practically had an orgasm on live TV!  That said, GREAT play.

Dierdorf tailed off post-MNF, but he was great in the 90s, and his reaction to that Larry Allen play was awesome.  It's crazy that a guy as big as Allen was could run that fast.  Definitely a wow play.