NFL 2011

[Segoris]

Roy Williams sucks. Good luck Bears!

I want to agree but he's being re-united with Martz in an offense he was productive in so I'm trying to stay hopeful.

[stu]

As a huge huge Dolphins fan, I gotta say I'm not to keen on the Bush trade/signing, I woulda preferred Sproles or Bradshaw.

I started getting excited when Bradshaw's name came up. Bush just seemed to come out of left field.

[01101010]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6816873/nnamdi-asomugha-agrees-five-year-60-million-deal-philadelphia-eagles-source-says

LMAO...

[HaemishM]

A lot of I think bigger transactions that aren't getting reported thanks to Plaxico signing with the Jets.

Cullen Jenkins signed with the Eagles. They are starting to look like they will be a real defensive monster this year. They weren't bad last year but two really good corners and a decent pass rush DE.

Marion Barber goes to the Bears. Normally, this would be a bigger deal, but Barber has absolutely fallen off a cliff in terms of production the last two years. In a Mike Martz offense, I don't know that he'll have that big a role.

Darren Sproles goes to the Saints. Perfect replacement for Reggie Bush. Has the speed, punt return and pass catching ability.

Mike Sims-Walker goes to the Rams. Hey, Sam Bradford might actually have a weapon.

[WayAbvPar]

Seahawks released Lofa Tatupu when he wouldn't restructure his deal. Carroll better get where he is going with this team quickly, because he is confusing and alienating a metric shitton of the casual fans by dumping the only guys on the roster they could name. I would venture to guess that 60% of the jerseys (at least) on game day are Hasselbeck and Tatupu, and they are both gone now. Mine is Walter Jones, but I am still gonna wear it since he retired and is headed to the HoF instead of being cast aside to play for another team. If I was going to invest in another right now I think it would be Earl Thomas.

[ghost]

Carroll is a shitty NFL coach.  He won at USC because of the talent and his coordinators, and in the NFL coaching the Seahawks is the equivalent of coaching the Kentucky Wildcats or Kansas Jayhawks.  He would have sucked at those schools because of the talent drop off. 

[HaemishM]

Seahawks released Lofa Tatupu when he wouldn't restructure his deal.

That was... unwise.  

I don't know what the fuck Carroll is doing - makes no sense to me. More and more I think that division is coming down to the Rams and the Cards. It's a tossup either way. The Cards have better talent but the Rams have Bradford. Just saw that Todd Heap signed with the Cardinals. He'll be good the 8 games he plays healthy.

James Jones resigned with the Packers. I'm actually happy about that. If he could just be more consistent with his hands, he's a solid #2. He gets the dropsies way too often.

The Redskins got Cofield from the Giants and Tim Hightower from the Cardinals. I think that'll be a better defensive team this year, but the offense is going to keep that team out of a lot of games.

Vince Young to the Eagles? WTF? Did they really need two running QB's with behavior problems?

[HaemishM]

More free agency signings:

Ronnie Brown goes to the Eagles. That's a good pickup for them, as he won't have to be the top guy and can still provide some good yards.

Michael Jenkins from the Falcons to the Vikings. Not really a replacement for Sidney Rice. McNabb is going to find it hard going in Minnesota.

Zach Miller signs with the Seahawks. Best signing they've made this offseason. Jackson will need a bit TE he can dump the ball off to when he's running for his fucking life.

[Paelos]

Where the hell were the Eagles hiding this money? Switzerland?

[WayAbvPar]

Zach Miller signs with the Seahawks. Best signing they've made this offseason. Jackson will need a bit TE he can dump the ball off to when he's running for his fucking life.

And he replaces another fan favorite (and also very young player) John Carlson, further alienating an already annoyed fan base. When Pete Carroll gets fired there will be parties in the street.

[Paelos]

To be fair, if alienating the base is what it takes to win, you can get a new base. Not that I'm saying Carroll will win, but I'd rather go up or down with my guys in the lineup than the leftovers that haven't won in the previous years.

[shiznitz]

Where the hell were the Eagles hiding this money? Switzerland?

They have been pretty stingy the last few years.  I think they were $20MM under the cap in 2009, which is a lot.  I could be off.

They might have to give up Assante.  I won't like seeing that but he isn't staying for a 1 year contract.

[Paelos]

As a Cowboys fan, I hope you are forced to play Vince Young for 4 games this season. 

[shiznitz]

In all honesty, that has a reasonable chance of happening.   I just hope Young's reps are in week 5 (Bills) and week 13 (Seahawks).

[Paelos]

I wouldn't sleep on the Bills this year. They are showing signs of promise after last season.

[ghost]

I wouldn't sleep on the Bills this year. They are showing signs of promise after last season.

 

[Paelos]

I wouldn't sleep on the Bills this year. They are showing signs of promise after last season.

 

Laugh it up, but they will win some games against teams that overlook them this year. They won 4 last year, and I think they can win 7 this year. Fitzpatrick isn't a bad QB, he just spends a ton of time on his back because their OL is was injured, inexperienced, or just terrible. Now, I think they will have that better sorted out and hopefully healthier, giving Fitz more time to do his thing.

[stu]

The Bills lost three OT heartbreakers to the Ravens, Steelers and Chiefs last year, so if they've improved I wouldn't take them lightly. Plus, Fitzpatrick is fun to watch. I think he out-gained his RBs a couple times last year.

[shiznitz]

The Bills lost three OT heartbreakers to the Ravens, Steelers and Chiefs last year, so if they've improved I wouldn't take them lightly. Plus, Fitzpatrick is fun to watch. I think he out-gained his RBs a couple times last year.

Those schemes will not work this year due to the prevalence of film.  Fitzpatrick ain't no Vick.

[Paelos]

Those schemes will not work this year due to the prevalence of film.  Fitzpatrick ain't no Vick.

There's no film on the Bills. I mean come on. They blacked out all the games. 

[HaemishM]

More signings:

Le'Ron McCLain from the Ravens to the Chiefs. They list him as a fullback but he could play tailback on most teams. He's also a damn good pass catcher and runner.

Legedu Naanee from the Charagers to the Panthers. Naanee has some speed, though don't know if he has the skills to make it big as a wideout. He might at least provide some deep threat for Cam Newton.

Jerious Norwood from the Falcons to the Rams. A good, hard-hitting running back to give Stephen Jackson a rest.

[ghost]

I wouldn't sleep on the Bills this year. They are showing signs of promise after last season.

 

Laugh it up, but they will win some games against teams that overlook them this year. They won 4 last year, and I think they can win 7 this year. Fitzpatrick isn't a bad QB, he just spends a ton of time on his back because their OL is was injured, inexperienced, or just terrible. Now, I think they will have that better sorted out and hopefully healthier, giving Fitz more time to do his thing.

I will guarantee that they will win more games than the Seahawks. 

 

[HaemishM]

Another big (IMO) signing I saw yesterday. Steve Smith from the Giants to the Eagles. Now, granted, he won't be healthy until October, but when he's healthy, he's damn good. That receiving corps is already pretty stacked with Jackson, Avant and Maclin (the latter two aren't great, but they are good enough). The Eagles really are making a go big or go home sort of statement here. You'd be crazy not to tap them as favorites to win the East but now that the Giants are weaker at receiver (we saw how bad they were without Smith last year), Dallas hasn't really done anything to improve and the Skins are going with John Beck and Rex Grossman as their QB options. Good luck with that.

[Sjofn]

I am not looking forward to this season, no. I fucking hate the Eagles so much.

[Paelos]

I am not looking forward to this season, no. I fucking hate the Eagles so much.

They are going to suck. They didn't learn anything from the Miami experiment. Throwing a bunch of big names onto a football will not win you a championship. They will make the playoffs but that's only because the Giants aren't great, the Cowboys are rebuilding with a new coach, and the Redskins are fucking awful.

[Sjofn]

"Sucking less than the Giants" is still a recipe for a shitty season for me.

[JWIV]

I am not looking forward to this season, no. I fucking hate the Eagles so much.

I wouldn't give a shit about the Iggles except I've got a buddy of mine from PA who won't stop texting me or shut the fuck up about whatever bit of random trivia comes out of their camp or how any random player of theirs is somehow a hall of fame lock.

Personally, looking at the Ravens, I see we seem to be looking at some of the same questions as last year - questionable O-line and Cam Cameron possibly continuing  alternating between getting too cute/too conservative, though we also now have the added bonus of a giant gaping hole in the #2 QB slot.   On the upside, no more god damn 3 man rush stupidity.

[HaemishM]

The Ravens are going to take a step back unless Flacco miraculously grows some accuracy. Losing Derrick Mason is really going to hurt that team, no matter how old he is, especially when they also lost Donte Stallworth, their only real deep threat. They will have to rely on the D a lot more. In a division with the Steelers and an improving Browns team (who will also still suck, IMO) at least they can look forward to pounding a floundering Bengals team.

[01101010]

The Ravens are going to take a step back unless Flacco miraculously grows some accuracy. Losing Derrick Mason is really going to hurt that team, no matter how old he is, especially when they also lost Donte Stallworth, their only real deep threat. They will have to rely on the D a lot more. In a division with the Steelers and an improving Browns team (who will also still suck, IMO) at least they can look forward to pounding a floundering Bengals team.

Sadly, it's the Steeler's division to lose this year. The Browns are going with a "draft the talent" building approach which translates into a an NFL development squad. Switching to a west coast offense and then NOT going after any receivers is going to doom them for years. Ravens have more holes this year on an aging team and the Bengals are still the Bengals.

[Merusk]

These aren't the old Bengals!

No, really.  Apparently there's only one returning vet player.  Hilarious.  I can only hope none of the games sell out so I can actually watch football this year instead of being forced to watch the Bengals week after week. I don't even root for the goddamn team yet I'm forced to tolerate them

[naum]

Still puzzling over NFL rule change to move kickoff to 35 yard line.

Yeah, the deafening clamor for more touchbacks.

Now we can be presented with a sequence of a 35 yard field goal and touchback spread over several commercials.

Somebody tweet me when the game action is live again.

[Malakili]

Giants might be really, really bad this year.

[caladein]

Still puzzling over NFL rule change to move kickoff to 35 yard line.

Yeah, the deafening clamor for more touchbacks.

It's a safety thing, along with limiting the running start by the kicking team to only five yards.  I don't know if it those were the superior options over 25yd touchbacks and killing wedges off entirely, but it's progress.

[HaemishM]

Giants might be really, really bad this year.

Yeah, I think you are correct. Get used to seeing the Eli face A LOT.

[Paelos]

Still puzzling over NFL rule change to move kickoff to 35 yard line.

Yeah, the deafening clamor for more touchbacks.

It's a safety thing, along with limiting the running start by the kicking team to only five yards.  I don't know if it those were the superior options over 25yd touchbacks and killing wedges off entirely, but it's progress.

Had to happen. The NFL is fighting concussions on too many fronts, and bad injuries due to kickoffs were high on that list. Is it boring? Yeah. But it also provides for some strategy by your special teams units if you want to catch people off guard.