2014 NFL Season

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by habernac

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2014...were-numb-cold

my feet were numb. They bought this? Come on...

LOL...saw this tweet in that story from Geoff Schwartz of the NY Giants

Mr official, my hands were frozen, otherwise I wouldn't have held that guy. Totally using that next season.

But yeah....lamest/worst excuse imaginable. I was unaware that they couldnt use his previous history in this case as he had played 32 games without incident, and the CBA mandates if that happens the slate is considered clean.

Remarkable in its stupidity I'd say. So the 70G fine will have to suffice I guess.

Suh is a black eye for the league and another very accurate use of the term thug would apply here.

[Da_Chief]

Why are putting players on teams they're not on? Why not just remove the player and see how that team would do? There really was no standout QB this year but Watt was amazing. Without him the Texans struggle to win games. If they had a capable QB they'd be easily playoff bound. Without Watt texans are likely picking 1st overall again.

[Senator Clay Davis]

We saw what the Packers were last year without Rodgers, and that's barely better than the Jets. Aaron Rodgers is literally the difference between them being Super Bowl contenders and one of the worst teams in the league. JJ Watt is the difference between missing the playoffs by 1 game and being one of the worst teams in the league. Clearly just off that Rodgers is the MVP.

Houston's improvement in record has more to do with the last place schedule than Watt taking them there. In fact virtually every measure says Watt's 2012 season was better than this one. I think the offensive TDs have totally skewed people's perception of this year for him. He was more valuable in 2012 than this year.

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Why are putting players on teams they're not on? Why not just remove the player and see how that team would do? There really was no standout QB this year but Watt was amazing. Without him the Texans struggle to win games. If they had a capable QB they'd be easily playoff bound. Without Watt texans are likely picking 1st overall again.

so true, Watt had a fantastic year but the Packers arent much of a team without Rodgers, they are probably a 4 win team without him..... most games they need to put up 30 plus points just to win.... that defense can be exposed badly

[Bobblehead]

OK, but how many other QBs could get similar results with Green Bay. If you could replace Rodgers with any other QB for the season, would they be in the same place? I'd wager there are a few who could duplicate the results.

But I don't think any other player in the league could duplicate what Watt did.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Who could get similar results? Peyton's arm is too shot, Brady maybe, Brees no, Andrew Luck maybe. So Watt and Rodgers are both the same in that there are few if any guys who can do what they do (Rodgers, by the way, has the highest TD:INT ratio by an utterly absurd margin, like nearly 1.5 greater than Brady).

The difference is Rodgers can decide the outcome more because he plays offense. Fair or not, it matters a lot. Rodgers just has a greater impact on the game. Pretty much every team in the league would trade 10 first round picks for Rodgers. I seriously doubt more than a few would do the same for Watt.

[Bobblehead]

I think all of those would get close. Rodgers was the best QB this year, but swap in Brady and I think you get the same record. Although Brady does beat the Bills.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I think the voters also need to look at who Rodgers plays with vs who Watt plays with. Lacy, Nelson, Cobbs are all studs. Watt has no one on that Texans defence.

And, completely in jest, since people say Watt's offensive TDs are skewing people's view of him, how many positions could Rodgers play on defense and improve his team?

I was on the Watt MVP train all season until a few weeks ago when I said Rodgers should deservedly win. But with Rodgers having a couple bad games towards the end of the year and Watt doing things never done before, I say MVJJ

[Senator Clay Davis]

1-yard TD catches are utterly meaningless, offensive lineman catch those. So if somehow the Chiefs made Justin Houstin their goalline back a la Fridge, and he had 10 rushing TDs, he'd have to be overwhelming MVP favourite. Which of course is ridiculous, they're 1-yard TD runs. Nice highlights, but meaningless plays, they don't need JJ Watt to run those plays, they choose to use him.

No one in the history of the league is within 50% of Aaron Rodgers in terms of TD to INT. He's at 4:1 (!!!!!!). Tom Brady is next at 2.6:1. Somehow, someway, it seems Rodgers is actually underrated by some which doesn't seem possible but here we are. It's the LeBron thing, I saw it for years with that and am seeing it now. Rodgers is so far and away the best QB in the league people are gonna want to give other guys the MVP because it's boring to give it Rodgers every year, even if he's clearly worthy of winning it every year.

Using Rodgers receivers of course is foolish because that disqualifies Peyton's MVP last year because he has the best set of weapons in the league. Still gotta make the throws and manipulate the defenses. And the Texans defense actually is pretty good, been top 10 the last two years. It's not a bunch of scrubs Watt is playing with.

[transplant99]

Im all about Watt winning MVP...i think he deserves it, but its not because Rodgers has faults or anything, but because Watt put together a spectacular year.

Of the SEVEN Int's Rodgers threw this season 5 (iirc) were of the tipped ball off his receivers hands variety. That is an absolutely insane stat.

[Sylvanfan]

Yeah, Justin Houston had 22 sacks, 5 passes defended, and 4 forced fumbles. Not quite JJ Watt, but it's in the ball park. And the Chief homer in me believes that Houston is the man on the Chiefs D. They released Flowers, lost Johnson, and Berry to injury, and were a better defence because Houston was healthy. So it's not like Watt was the only good defensive player in the league.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I'm with transplant, not trying to discredit Rodgers and his season. But what Watt did this year was unheard of and to me that makes him the MVP.

EDIT: Rodgers is easily the best QB in the league, but his season wasn't so far beyond his peers, he didn't lead a single statistical category (now, making value claims based purely on stats is entirely useless). That can also be said for Watt, Houston had a really good season too. But being best QB in the league shouldn't automatically make someone MVP.

[Senator Clay Davis]

But the award is not best player in the league, it's most valuable player. Aaron Rodgers is the difference between the Packers picking in the top 5 and being one of the top 5 Super Bowl favourites. JJ Watt is terrific, but he's the difference between barely missing the playoffs and badly missing the playoffs. If this were the Heisman Watt would win easily. But it's the MVP and Aaron Rodgers value to the Packers is the same (and maybe even greater) than Peyton in his prime with Indy.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

But the award is not best player in the league, it's most valuable player. Aaron Rodgers is the difference between the Packers picking in the top 5 and being one of the top 5 Super Bowl favourites. JJ Watt is terrific, but he's the difference between barely missing the playoffs and badly missing the playoffs. If this were the Heisman Watt would win easily. But it's the MVP and Aaron Rodgers value to the Packers is the same (and maybe even greater) than Peyton in his prime with Indy.

But you can say that about almost any good QB. That's everyone's point. If that's the criteria for the award, then it's going to go to a QB every year.

[Senator Clay Davis]

And what's wrong with that? Blame the NFL for slanting the game so much towards offense and the passing game. Baseball is the more statistical game and they love WAR (wins above replacement), I can't even imagine what Rodgers is. It might truly be 8 games which is just astronomical. JJ Watt's value is indeed decreased by his position, but in that regard, the Cowboys offensive line is more valuable than Watt too and I doubt they get any MVP votes.

But I didn't see much campaigning for Watt in 2012 even though it was a better year. I really think the offensive touchdowns made that big a difference. He had a great year but Justin Houston was pretty insane, getting Revis brought New England's D back to the Super Bowl level, and the impact of Kam Chancellor and Bobby Wagner on Seattle's defense cannot be understated. This is why maybe it's time to just eliminate MVP and have Most Outstanding Player.

[Senator Clay Davis]

And from out of nowhere Doug Marrone has opted out of his contract. Bills are a QB away from being a contender, gotta think they'll be looking for a coach who can get a QB to be good enough.

[browna]

Not sure out of nowhere. He's getting $4m free and clear and with no ties, to exercise the option.
Brilliant on his agent to add that clause in.

The new owners don't look bad for firing the guy, just pay him to use the clause. And if he takes a job tomorrow, still gets the money from the Bills, who clearly have a coach in mind.

[PeteLFan]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Im all about Watt winning MVP...i think he deserves it, but its not because Rodgers has faults or anything, but because Watt put together a spectacular year.

Of the SEVEN Int's Rodgers threw this season 5 (iirc) were of the tipped ball off his receivers hands variety. That is an absolutely insane stat.

Rodgers only threw 5 not 7 and 4 got tipped 2 vs The Saints, 1 vs Seattle and Buffalo.

So he could have potentially had a 1 int season.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

Rodgers only threw 5 not 7 and 4 got tipped 2 vs The Saints, 1 vs Seattle and Buffalo.

So he could have potentially had a 1 int season.

Weren't you a Rams fan?

[PeteLFan]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Weren't you a Rams fan?

I am, but I'm a Aaron Rodgers fan as well.