NFL 2015

[WayAbvPar]

And feeding their running back until he is too fat for any single defender to wrap up.

[HaemishM]

So Kirk Cousins is apparently a competent NFL starting QB now or something. Though if you watched the last play of the first half, you wouldn't believe it. I'm not sure WTF he was supposed to be doing there. If you're just going to spike the ball there to stop the clock, why not just put the field goal unit out there when Philly called a timeout or the refs called a stoppage. But then to kneel down... WTF?

I had to root for the Racial Slurs tonight. Though I hate both Philly the team, the owner, the coach and the fans, I feel the same hatred for Washington. But at least now that Washington has won and secured the NFC East, I can stop paying attention to any of the games in that division. AND the winner won't make the playoffs with a losing record. They'll still get bounced first round most likely but with the shitty state of the NFL, you have to take the positives where you can. How Chip Kelly keeps his job(s) I'm not sure. This team is not good in all sorts of ways from penalties to inconsistent QB play to being constructed like a mad libs fantasy football autodraft.

[Tannhauser]

Well, I guess someone had to win the NFC East.

[Paelos]

Yeah I take it back, Arizona is just melting Green Bay down. They look like a shell team as you've said.

[Segoris]

As a Bears fan, this may be the most beautiful Packer's game I've ever seen. As an NFL fan, this game is putting me to sleep and I feel bad for Rodgers since I actually like him as as QB.

[brellium]

Scary that the Rams could end up being a team to watch out for next year. The only team to get victories while away at both Arizona and Seattle, that and they might go 8-8 and miss the playoffs, but that's the NFC West.

The Panthers had to win decisively against Atlanta this week, after the close game last week.  That game showed they were mortal, Atlanta demonstrated they can be beat.

The only real must watch game next week will be Seattle at Arizona.

[Tannhauser]

As a Bears fan, this may be the most beautiful Packer's game I've ever seen. As an NFL fan, this game is putting me to sleep and I feel bad for Rodgers since I actually like him as as QB.

I'm a Lions fan but I can't hate Rodgers; really seems like a great guy and he's pulling top shelf tail in the form of Olivia Munn.

[HaemishM]

Thankfully my DVR decided to play a shell game with the Packers game and I didn't get to watch it. But just seeing the score and some of the box stats, yeah, that's about what I expected. It's not just the loss of Jordy Nelson, their entire team is really weak and I think it comes down to the OC and DC. I've bitched about Dom Capers many times but this new OC, Clements - his playcalling is seriously weak and predictable. And these wideouts just aren't getting the job done. And Arizona is my current pick to make it to the Super Bowl.

After watching the Panthers today, I just don't trust them in the big games. Their running game is solid but their wideouts are ordinary at best and if they get shut down and it's all on Cam's legs, they are beatable. Of course, Atlanta had Julio Jones who is just a goddamn monster. That TD catch he had was fucking unreal.

I'm happy to say that I'm no longer entirely convinced by the Patriots as I think their injuries are really affecting them more than usual. It wouldn't surprise me if we have a Pats/Cards Super Bowl.

[jgsugden]

Cards / Chiefs is my pick for the Super Bowl, with a Cards win there.

Cards are such a complete team right now, even without the Honeybadger.  Green Bay, Washington, Minnesota and Seattle are all full on pretenders and Carolina is the weakest juggernaut we've ever seen.  I don't see the offense of Arizona falterinf against any of those teams, and the defense is strong enough to make all of them falter.

Chiefs should start off versus Texas on Wildcard weekend -  which should be a gimme.  Chiefs are not a sexy team, but they're quietly very complete while Houston has gaps, especially at QB.  That  should put them up against NE - who is so riddled with injury - in week 2.  I think they win that game - NE struggles most against balanced teams where their "take the best player out of the equation" doesn't work so well.  I think they also match up well against Bungals and Broncos to get to the Super Bowl... but the Cards should destroy them. 

[WayAbvPar]

Never trust an Andy Reid team in the playoffs. No matter how strong they look, they will find a way to tap dance all over their dicks.

[Chimpy]

It's also the Chefs we are talking about here. They haven't been able to get over the hump since Len Dawson retired.

[Mithas]

As much as I'd like to see NE take a dump in the playoffs, I'm not sure that is going to happen. Kansas City has a decent defense and that matters in the playoffs, but QB play matters more. Brady will find a way. I think it will be Patriots/Cardinals and praying for a Cardinals win.

[sickrubik]

Also, NE will be getting people back by then, especially Edelman.


EDIT:  

Edit 2: "McCarron injures wrist on final play of MNF " Oof.

[HaemishM]

The Bungles bungling it up again. 

Too bad for McCarron. Despite being a cocky bitch, he seems to be a decent QB. He's probably no worse than the Brock Lobster. Both seem to have decent arms and haven't made a lot of stupid decisions with the ball when I've seen them play. Osweiller's biggest problem is playing in Gary Kubiak's offense, which seems to put a ball and chain on the offense until they are 2 TD's down, then finally lets them play football. Also, he never met a bootleg he didn't like and as a result, his QB is often taking hits and having to throw the ball away because of a lone defender that is unblocked by design. And what a shank! The Broncos really did try to lose that game but if they win next week, they get the bye for sure and possibly home field advantage so who knows? I still think they are a one-and-done unless they play someone like Cincy or KC.

[Paelos]

Too bad for McCarron. Despite being a cocky bitch, he seems to be a decent QB.

Couldn't disagree more. He's always been an overrated game manager with no real ability to win you a game if your defense has issues. AJ doesn't know how to push the ball down the field with the intermediate to deep passing game at the NFL level. He can make tons of the little dink and dunk shit that move the ball, but once the defense figures out that he's not going to take the top off the game often enough, they cheat up.

That's what happened in the second half. All of a sudden the pressure was turned up and those short passes weren't going as well. Denver was determined to make Cincy operate in a small box with the running and passing game. That's how you beat AJ McCarron at the NFL level, and why college players had issues with him. He's very smart and can make hot reads, but that doesn't matter if the NFL defenses with their speed are operating in a 10 yard area.

[Merusk]

Pretty much what we said while drinking and cussing their ineptitude at a friends house last night.

Dude didn't pass 2nd half. It was all run and screen plays and they got smeared for it. It should have been over at the field goal but for the gods of football REALLY wanting to humble McCarron by letting him fumble a goddamn hike.

[Paelos]

Also never trust Alabama people on QBs. They usually suck at the next level. In fact, the guy that they love to HATE, Jacob Coker, is probably the best NFL prospect QB they've produced in years. Not that the draft positions will rank him as such.

Blake Sims was fucking awful, and they loved him. McCarron was their boy, and he can't do more than dink and dunk. Greg McIlroy was their buddy, and he's an analyst now because he can't play the position at the top end.

But Coker? He has the actual size 6'5" 230, and arm that other Alabama QBs didn't have. His main problem is he's not as smart on the field, even though his arm can bail him out of problems. I'd much rather draft Coker in the 4th or 5th round and let him learn as a backup for a while.

[HaemishM]

I actually don't disagree with you about McCarron's abilities. I just disagree with you that that makes him a bad QB. It makes him an ADEQUATE QB as either a backup or a starter on a shitty team. Even with all that pressure, he didn't throw a pick last night. In fact, the only picks he's thrown have come in his first game where he came on in relief - which meant he probably wasn't really prepared to be the QB as much as when he starts. He was making passes against some of the better corners in the league (doesn't hurt to have AJ Green catching the ball though). Unlike most, I don't take "game manager" as a bad label for a QB. It just means they probably won't win you the game by themselves but they can get you to the playoffs and if the rest of your team is good enough, they can win you a Super Bowl.

I guarantee you there are 5 teams or more in this league that would improve their starting QB situation with him. I didn't say it would take those teams to the next level but can you really say the 49ers would be worse with him as opposed to Kap or Blaine Gabbert? Would he be better than Johnny Football in Cleveland (which may be a bad example because I'm not sure Brady could improve that team)?

As for dinking and dunking, that's about 80% of the offenses out there now and it chaps my ass. It's boring ass football. The Packers are running it and I fucking hate it. That's entirely the West Coast offense and if you can run that, you can be successful in the NFL if the rest of your team isn't made up of recycled monkey parts. Alex Smith has made a pretty good living off of "game managing" just by not throwing picks.

That said, if I was Cincy, I'd be praying for Dalton to come back because he is better at the deep ball. They'll both choke on it in the playoffs but better the choker you know...

[Paelos]

There's a difference between an NFL game manager and just a "game manager" QB.

Russell Wilson is an NFL game manager. He can make plays, he extends the play in the zone, and he has the arm to go down the field. He's heady, doesn't make a ton of mistakes. When you have a good defense, and a good runnning game, you don't need more than that.

However, most of the time you don't have BOTH a good defense and a good running game in the NFL due to cap (and the amount the QB earns). Cincy doesn't have a good enough running game to have a game manager QB. Simply put. They have the great defense, but they lack the top tier running attack.

You know what teams DO have the best defenses and the running attacks right now? Seattle and Arizona, and I think Arizona has the better QB. Which means I expect them in the Super Bowl. They are the most balanced with the best complete team.

[HaemishM]

I agree with you about Arizona. They are scary good and I LOVE their offense.

As for Cincy, I think they COULD have a top tier running attack if they make Bernard their focus back instead of trying to stick with Hill. He's good but Bernard is so much better and more versatile.

[K9]

And thus ends the Chip Kelly experiment

I feel sorry for whoever has to try and unpick the hot mess that's the Eagles roster next season.

[WayAbvPar]

I am surprised it took them this long. Never trust anyone who wears a visor.

[HaemishM]

Wait, you mean trading away all your best players for spare parts doesn't make for a successful franchise is the NFL? The great offensive innovator can't actually coach an NFL team? Shocked I am, SHOCKED, I tell you!

Fuck him. Let him go get paid millions to be a Little Hitler to some impressionable teenagers in some big name college franchise.

[Chimpy]

Wait, you mean trading away all your best players for spare parts doesn't make for a successful franchise is the NFL? The great offensive innovator can't actually coach an NFL team? Shocked I am, SHOCKED, I tell you!

Fuck him. Let him go get paid millions to be a Little Hitler to some impressionable teenagers in some big name college franchise.

Has USC hired a permanent coach yet? 

[Ruvaldt]

I hope he ends up in Nashville.  The Titans can't get any worse and he'll deliver some excellent entertainment regardless of whether he's successful ( ) or not.  I'm rooting for a Kelly-Mariota reunion in 2016.

[HaemishM]

After what he did to Philly, I'd be amazed if any NFL owner hired his ass. Though the Titans probably are just that desperate, though I'm not sure Kelly would take it when he could have his pick of college jobs.

[Trippy]

Somebody may hire him as a coach (even though players hate him). Nobody that hires him will let him or anybody he picks make player personnel decisions, however,.

[Ruvaldt]

After what he did to Philly, I'd be amazed if any NFL owner hired his ass. Though the Titans probably are just that desperate...

This is the team that hired Ken Whisenhunt to be head coach.  Three eight-year olds standing on top of each other in a trench coat, pretending to be an adult, communicating exclusively through semaphore, could do a better job than Ken Whisenhunt.  Chip Kelly is the goddamned kwisatz haderach of football compared to Ken Whisenhunt.

[01101010]

Chip couldn't destroy the Titans since they really have no one on that roster. He might actually work out down there...

[Chimpy]

Oh, the Patriots might not have home field you say?

 

[HaemishM]

Just saw the Dolphins' "Color Rush" uniform. HOLY... FUCK.

[HaemishM]

ANNNNDDDD Denver is trying real fucking hard to lose both the #1 seed AND the AFC West to the goddamn Chargers.

[01101010]

J E T S .... choke, choke, choke.   

[K9]

Tomsula and Pettine both fired, unsurprisingly. I feel a bit sorry for Jim Tomsula, he was dealt a bad hand and in a bit over his head. Apparently the Eagles firing chip had a part in the 49ers decision to axe him though, apparently they might be interested in him.

I pity whoever winds up in Cleveland

[WayAbvPar]

Just saw the Dolphins' "Color Rush" uniform. HOLY... FUCK.

First set I have actually liked. It is a great color for an 80s neon lover like me  

I feel a bit sorry for Jim Tomsula, he was dealt a bad hand and in a bit over his head. Apparently the Eagles firing chip had a part in the 49ers decision to axe him though, apparently they might be interested in him.

I would be thrilled for the Seahawks to get to play Chip Kelly twice a year.