Ongoing NFL Discussion Thread V

[Pr4wn]

First topic message reminder :

Tom Brady's ban has been nullified.

Red faces at NFL HQ.

[Number-25]

Well, I hope we don't end up losing this one by 4 points or less otherwise DeSean Jackson is going to have a bit of explaining to do.

That said, this has been a good start by the Skins.

[mikeygnfl]

Apologies to all Vikings fans! If snatch defeat from the jaws of victory here then feel free to blame me.

Definitely think the Seahawks have used all their luck up for the playoffs in that one game.

The Redskins have started well. It could have been more but I'm sure they would have taken being 5-0 in late in the 1st quarter at the start of the game.

[Number-25]

I'm getting nervous already... I think we needed to do what we have been doing of late and jumping out to a big early lead cos our defense has a habit this season of starting well enough and then giving up yards and points as the second half wears on.

[Number-25]

I'm in love with Jordan Reed!!

Missed extra point though.... that's 5 points we've left on the field now.

[crazy_dave23]

#12MenOnTheField

[crazy_dave23]

But on a serious note, why can't our offence do that more often. Until that point we were absolute trash!

[Number-25]

Shame on us if we fall for that again in this game so hopefully the Pack have used their hurry up gimmick token for the day.

Nice to see their rattled enough to be resorting to that this early.

Big drive here for the Skins. If we can't score on this drive then we could find ourselves behind very shortly.

[Number-25]

Momentum all with the Pack now.

[Number-25]

Redskins pass rush has been useless.

[Number-25]

17-11 Pack

I think that's game over

The Pack have worked things out and our defense isn't good enough to keep up. That bit doesn't surprise me but the worry is that our offense has started playing scared in this 2nd quarter.

[Number-25]

Redskins defense just isn't doing anything. Packers are dumping all over us now.

[Number-25]

Oh well, that's that then.

I'll take the 9-7 season and bank it as a positive step in the Redskins' rebuild. Big step too far to think we could go an beat the Packers in the playoffs.

Another positive from tonight is that Cousins had a distinctly average outing so at least he won't end up extracting really stupid money from us... it'll just be stupid money hopefully on team friendly terms.

Much work to do for us in the offseason. Need to improve that run game somehow but most of all, we need to improve that defense, starting with the D-Line and moving backwards through the ILBs and on to the DBs. Every unit on that side of the ball needs work.

Bye bye 2015/16 season! I'll check back in at the start of FA.

[GSC]

Ultimately they were an average team in a division of bad teams. I cant get away from the fact that only we managed to beat a team with a winning record.

Winners are often lucky, but the Seahawks keep hitting the jackpot.

[Pr4wn]

Not sure what happened to the Skins defensive line after the first quarter.

[skins4ever]

Not sure what happened to the Skins defensive line after the first quarter.

Same thing as has happened throughout the season, they disappeared. As was commented by Aikman last night, Barry doesn't dial up enough blitzes, and those he does are not varied enough. I think without genuine shut down talent in the DB's he's scared to expose them.

For me, Breeland, Dunbar and Goldson are the only DB's I would absolutely hang on to this spring. We need a Luke Kuechley type MLB and a dominating FS in the draft, plus if possible an upgrade at C, LG and Nose. For all that some guys have really stepped up this season, some of them would still only be 2nd string talent on a good team, so we can't get hung up on how well they performed for a 9-7 team. I've been pleasantly surprised by Cousins though, and while I'm not convinced he's franchise material, they can now build something around him and groom a replacement (look for a QB or two to be drafted in the 3rd/4th round or lower). Fix the OL and the running game will only make him better.

All that said, I can't be too disappointed considering the seeming chaos at QB in pre-season and the low expectations we've faced all season. Yes it's a bad division, and I think the Pats and Panthers games exposed our weaknesses for all to see, but winning a division title in the NFL is not simply a matter of just turning up. There's plenty of positives to look at. We can win the division again next year, given that the Eagles will struggle under a new HC (and no identity), the Giants need fresh talent at too many spots, and Dallas is, well Dallas. But we need the holes in the roster filled to be sure of that, and to be able to make a run in the playoffs.

PS, from what I saw this weekend, none of these teams are SB material. That said, I can see the Seahawks upsetting the applecart. Seem to have been riding their luck all the way form week 7.

PPS I'm not bitter about last night as the Packers were clearly the better team on the day. But again we've seen some pretty awful officiating this weekend, in places. NFL is in a hard place with replay exposing faults in officiating, but there needs to be more consistency and common sense applied. For example, as Deion Sanders pointed out, Burfict's hit was not vicious or obviously malicious (how was he expected to avoid contact there?). Officials shouldn't have allowed the Steelers coach anywhere near the players on the field, so the flag wouldn't have been needed (though Jones is an idiot so deserved it). I always admired NFL officials, like rugby officials, because they took no crap from players. They need to get back to that state and worry less about what replays will show. And tell the NFL to have clearly defined rules with as much ambiguity cut out as possible!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

One second you don't think Burfict's hit on Brown was vicious??? What hit are you watching, it's one of the dirtiest hits I've seen in a long long time

[skins4ever]

One second you don't think Burfict's hit on Brown was vicious??? What hit are you watching, it's one of the dirtiest hits I've seen in a long long time

If you watch it at full speed, it's a bang bang incident, just like the same one that got flagged in the Skins v Panthers game. He didn't lower his shoulder into Brown's helmet, Brown lowered his head (though I would never say that was deliberate). He was coming in full steam to hit him after the catch (legal) and he didn't catch it. Watch the replay, Burfict makes one step after Brown touches the ball. I defy any human being to fully change his momentum, body positon etc. in the fraction of a second that took. If he had taken 2 steps and lowered his pads into his helmet, no argument, but this is too close to call.

Footballs a contact (or more realistically, a collision) sport. Some hits are fully avoidable and so should be flagged, but others are not, and this rule causes the officials to make a judgement call. Just like PI, why can't these plays be reviewed so the judgement can be validated?

Watch what Deion Sanders said about the hit on NFL.com - http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap3000000620215/Deion-and-LT-debate-Burfict-hit-on-Brown - it's not clear cut.

[Breadvan]

A shanked 27yd chip shot! Good grief...Hope the Panthers but a 50 burger on them next week.

[GSC]

Burflict is a cheap shot artist

[Lowlandbrit]

One second you don't think Burfict's hit on Brown was vicious??? What hit are you watching, it's one of the dirtiest hits I've seen in a long long time

In a long time? This was Burfict not even a week earlier: https://twitter.com/JohnCUrschel/status/686226566368526337

[skins4ever]

One second you don't think Burfict's hit on Brown was vicious??? What hit are you watching, it's one of the dirtiest hits I've seen in a long long time

In a long time? This was Burfict not even a week earlier: https://twitter.com/JohnCUrschel/status/686226566368526337

That's a bad example. It's legal to hit a receiver within 5y of the LOS and if he puts him on his ass, part of the game. We coach guys to contact a receiver like that, and likewise, receivers to be aware on crossing routes. That was shoulder to shoulder and legal, hence no flag and no fine.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Rapoport saying that Mike Mularkey is the front runner for the Tennessee titans job.

Does that franchise just wanna go 3-13 for the rest of time?

[GSC]

No they're trying to sell the team.

[Number-25]

So what's the Eagles interview of Coughlin all about? Just trying to get an insight into how a divisional rival works? Or seriously considering hiring a Coach who has jumped from his old job before he was pushed for several consecutive years of failure?

[Number-25]

Burfict suspended the first 3 games of next season.

Must admit, I didn't realise until reading the report just how big the extent of his "previous" was. Dirty hits and cheap shots are one thing but last year he deliberately twisted the ankles of Cam Newton and Greg Olsen in a game against the Panthers. The video footage of those incidents is kinda nauseating.

He would appear to be something of a d1ckhead.

[Lowlandbrit]

He would appear to be something of a d1ckhead.

That was also the issue that dropped him out of the first (and every other) round of the draft.

[crazy_dave23]

So the Raiders Chargers bid has been put forward as the "recommended" bid for the switch to LA... I can't help but think only 1 team should be going at this stage...

[Lowlandbrit]

Supposedly the most likely outcome is a compromise Rams/Chargers move to the Rams' proposed site.

[GSC]

Voncraze Goonflict

[mikeygnfl]

I would be surprised if the Rams don't move to Los Angeles. It looks like the Chargers will be joining them.

I agree that it probably would have been better to just the Rams there dirst and.see how well it goes?

[mikeygnfl]

So after 22 years we have the Los Angeles Rams back. They ended up with the backing of 30 of the 32 teams. Seen as they were almost already building in Inglewood and Stan Kroenke had just about severed ties with St Louis.

The Chargers or Raiders could still join them. Thr Chargers have a one year option to move. If they don't then the Raiders will have an option the year after that.

[Lowlandbrit]

It's not just that they're closer to starting, it's that it's basically an LA Jerrydome. Going to be interesting to see what deal if any the Chargers do to move, since the owners apparently don't like each other at all and it's not really clear how much Kroenke is willing to offer to share.

[Number-25]

Difficult to see the Chargers wanting to go share with the Rams. I think it would be a dangerous move for them since Kroenke doesn't appear to me to be the sort of guy you want to jump into a business bed with. They would always seem to be very much like the junior partner in that deal... they'd basically be to the Rams what the Jets are to the Giants.

Stay in San Diego!!

Re the decision itself... backed by Jerry Jones, the league's second richest owner got his way.... I guess money talks.

[kwinigolfer]

Talking of Rams:
Lawrence Phillips found dead in his prison cell, apparent suicide. Not what the Rams hoped for when he was the 6th pick of the draft.
Anyone shocked? More likely surprised he made it to 40.
Could've been a Hall Of Famer.

[Lowlandbrit]

Re the decision itself... backed by Jerry Jones, the league's second richest owner got his way.... I guess money talks.

Sounds like Spanos was counting on the fact the other owners like him a lot more than Kroenke. In the end it was only enough to get him a first option on a tenancy though.

In other news, the Browns have hired Hue Jackson.

[TM Moot]

I did read one journo who reckons St Louis may now try to nab the Jaguars from Jacksonville/London.

I think the town approved a new riverfront stadium in principle, just need a team to play there.

[Pr4wn]

The problem is that so many people in St Louis support the Chiefs.

The Jags would be so much better off if they moved to somewhere like Oklahoma City or Portland.

[Lowlandbrit]

Looks like the Giants are going with Ben McAdoo, which just leaves the Buccaneers, 49ers, Eagles, and Titans jobs open (for now).

[GSC]

Koetter
Shanahan
Coughlin
Mularkey

[kwinigolfer]

Chip Kelly to the 49'ers, Coughlin has taken himself out of the running for the Eagles' job.

[Number-25]

Eagles' HC search is going really well

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

They've hired Andy Reid v2

[GSC]

Id take Andy Reid v2

[GSC]

Pedersons a good coach though. Possibly out of his depth but better than the alternatives.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Shanahan the only one I'd have taken over him tbf

[Lowlandbrit]

Imagine having a head start on everyone, only for the Browns to come away with a better candidate.

Koetter to the Bucs is done too.

[Pr4wn]

Tbh I'd rather have Koetter than any of the other possibles purely because of his relationship with Winston. Happy Bucs fan here.

Anyone else getting their popcorn ready for Chip in San Fran?

[GSC]

The Browns gave him personnel control though. No coach was getting that here.

[Number-25]

I'm finding it really funny how the media are suddenly talking Colin Kaepernick up again now that Chip is San Francisco. People did see the work of Foles, Bradford and Sanchez in his system didn't they??

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Blaine Gabbert is a much better fit in that system than Kaepernick anyways

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