2018 NFL thread

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I still think they should trade for Bridgewater and let Jameis go. Seems like a no-brainer to me but then this is the same front office that spent a second round pick on a kicker, so what do I know?

It's too bad Winston has maturity issues because he's got a lot of talent as some of his advanced stats are pretty impressive and if he could just stop making the bonehead plays and mature off the field he could be elite. Bridgewater is a nice story but his ceiling is a caretaker QB as he lacks the arm strength to stretch a defense and needs a solid running game to thrive.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Now you are changing the goal posts as you said they would win less than 6. But I'm game if you are. I will let you take a good look at their schedule first before committing though to be fair and pick 9 for sure losses. I don't think people realize how much of a train wreck it was last season and they still won 6 games with a difficult schedule. The defense went from bottom five to top 10 in the final six weeks after KNJ (2nd worst DC in the history of the organization) was fired and Todd Downing the OC that JDR hired had never been an coordinator at any level and he's out of the league. They still won 6 games with a paper napkin offensive playbook and a difficult schedule. Now they have legit coordinators and a soft schedule. I realize there are a lot of skeptics of Gruden but he's surrounded himself with experience coordinators and while I doubt they are a Super Bowl contender this season or maybe even a playoff team they should be able to win 8 games on that schedule especially seeing the AFC West is a bit of a mess right now. Also the best travel schedule they have had in a long time so plenty of factors pointing to an increase in the win column over last season.

This wasn't me just crapping on them because I dislike them or anything. I've just looked at some of the advanced stats, and much like last year, they aren't favourable for the Raiders. They were actually somewhat "lucky" to even get to six wins last year.

Now you could be right and Gruden could be the cure, but I think the game has kind of passed him by and I still see way too many question marks on the team to be willing to bet on them improving by two games.

Looking at their schedule, I really only see four games that I would consider locks for them to win.

But yeah I'm willing to set their O/U at 7.5 and bet the under if you want to take the over.

[jeffporfirio]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

It's too bad Winston has maturity issues because he's got a lot of talent as some of his advanced stats are pretty impressive and if he could just stop making the bonehead plays and mature off the field he could be elite. Bridgewater is a nice story but his ceiling is a caretaker QB as he lacks the arm strength to stretch a defense and needs a solid running game to thrive.

Winston has strength and accuracy, but no brains. You can't correct his stupidity. Bonehead plays will continue. Again, I hope this is his last year with the Bucs.
They had the chance to get Mariota over him.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by rubecube

This wasn't me just crapping on them because I dislike them or anything. I've just looked at some of the advanced stats, and much like last year, they aren't favourable for the Raiders. They were actually somewhat "lucky" to even get to six wins last year.

Now you could be right and Gruden could be the cure, but I think the game has kind of passed him by and I still see way too many question marks on the team to be willing to bet on them improving by two games.

Looking at their schedule, I really only see four games that I would consider locks for them to win.

But yeah I'm willing to set their O/U at 7.5 and bet the under if you want to take the over.

I'm up for that. $100?

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I'm up for that. $100?

Sure.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

the Chiefs will take a step back with Mahomes.

My concerns with the Chiefs is the defence and the offensive line. I do think people really under rated Alex Smith's football IQ, and how much he masked what has been a pretty mediocre offensive line with his ability to move around.

But Alex Smith can't launch a ball 70 yards down the field after Tyreek Hill runs past the defence like the new guy can. If Al Davis was alive last yar, Mahomes is probably a Raider. No way he'd pass up that kind of arm.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

My concerns with the Chiefs is the defence and the offensive line. I do think people really under rated Alex Smith's football IQ, and how much he masked what has been a pretty mediocre offensive line with his ability to move around.

But Alex Smith can't launch a ball 70 yards down the field after Tyreek Hill runs past the defence like the new guy can. If Al Davis was alive last yar, Mahomes is probably a Raider. No way he'd pass up that kind of arm.

I have the Chargers as the favourites in that division if they can survive some of their injuries on defense. They under-performed their expected wins by 1.5 games. Teams that do that generally improve by at least 2 wins the following season.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

My concerns with the Chiefs is the defence and the offensive line. I do think people really under rated Alex Smith's football IQ, and how much he masked what has been a pretty mediocre offensive line with his ability to move around.

But Alex Smith can't launch a ball 70 yards down the field after Tyreek Hill runs past the defence like the new guy can. If Al Davis was alive last yar, Mahomes is probably a Raider. No way he'd pass up that kind of arm.

Don't get me wrong as there will be some big plays from Mahomes that would have never been possible with Smith but I also think Smith was very undervalued as he was phenomenal with ball control and a big part of the Chief's success under Reid is winning the turnover battle. Their defense was poor last season especially against the pass and it's not much improved and I expect Mahomes to turn over the ball a lot more which is going to put a lot more pressure on a below average defense.

Reid is a smart coach and has supplied Mahomes with a lot of weapons so they will score points but if he struggles they are in a world of trouble and with only one start under his belt who knows what they have in him as JaMarcus Russell could throw the ball 70 yards from his knees and he didn't turn out too well. Maybe he's lights out and they surprise but right now it's too early to say.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Chiefs are doing themselves a disservice if they don't run at least five max protect fly routes to Tyreek every game. You'd figure they hit at least one of out five with Mahomes arm.

[Drake]

If Tyrod Taylor is your “please stop asking us about it” starting QB you don’t put him back in a meaningless preseason game after he suffers a wrist injury. Hue Jackson is an idiot. No wonder he has 1-31 record.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

I'm looking to get into NFL again. I live outside the country so was thinking of picking a team and signing up for the NFL GamePass Follow Your Team plan.

I was a Bills fan back when Flutie was there but lost interest since then. It looks like the Bills will suck again according to the SuperBowl odds so not sure I want to pick them as my team.

I took this test to see who I should cheer for and apparently I should cheer for the Carolina Panthers.

Are they an exciting team?

You guys have any suggestions? I don't want to cheer for the Pats or the Eagles but want a decent team that has the chance of making the playoffs and doing some damage.

Getting back to this I would suggest the Titans. I think they have an interesting few years coming up and they play some pretty decent football.

I'm also quite intrigued by Dallas right now. I love Prescott but they have a lot of holes in their lineup.

[devo22]

that Tyrod injury happened when they had 1st and goal from the 1 and Haley called 4 passing plays in a row. Jackson and Haley are a match made in heaven. I'm baffled anybody would put their starting QB back in after an injury (dislocated pinky) in a meaningless preseason game, but somehow I'm not shocked that it's Beavis and Butthead of all people to make that call.

[troutman]

The score of that game was 5 - 0. I bet that hasn't happened before.

[devo22]

NFL tight end Julius Thomas is hanging up his cleats for a doctorate degree. Thomas is retiring from professional football to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology, the 30-year-old announced in the Players' Tribune on Friday.

Thomas said he will focus his doctorate on "investigating the effects of contact sports on brain trauma and neurobehavioral performance." He will also participate in research to "identify early warning signs of brain disease."

He said he felt particularly called to the study of CTE: "I knew I wanted to help and knew that this would be a great way to help football players, to be that person who could help them understand what we all are at risk of. I felt inside that this was stuff I needed to understand."

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2...psychology-cte

pretty cool ... and refreshing on a number of levels.

[Nadal Fan]

Originally Posted by jeffporfirio

Winston has strength and accuracy, but no brains. You can't correct his stupidity. Bonehead plays will continue. Again, I hope this is his last year with the Bucs.
They had the chance to get Mariota over him.

As a Titans fan i thank the Bucs everyday for that mistake.

[Ducay]

As a Hawks fan, I'm really looking forward to this season; solely because my expectations are about as low as they can get. 5 win season wouldn't surprise me in the least.

And Earl Thomas can go eat a big ol' bag o'dicks. Trade his rights to the Cowboys like he wants and lets just be done with him. Legion of Boom can now be history and work on starting something new

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Ducay

As a Hawks fan, I'm really looking forward to this season; solely because my expectations are about as low as they can get. 5 win season wouldn't surprise me in the least.

And Earl Thomas can go eat a big ol' bag o'dicks. Trade his rights to the Cowboys like he wants and lets just be done with him. Legion of Boom can now be history and work on starting something new

I would be surprised if Wilson makes it through the season without getting significantly hurt. I think he will try to do too much this year to carry the offense and will take a pounding from the opposing defense.

[PostandIn]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I would be surprised if Wilson makes it through the season without getting significantly hurt. I think he will try to do too much this year to carry the offense and will take a pounding from the opposing defense.

Their O line looks improved from last year already and Wilson has had a notable lack of happy feet so far in the preseason. The Vikings have an elite D and they didnt get much pressure on him last night and didn’t register a sack. Steps in the right direction given that he was the most pressured and sacked QB last year.

[bubbsy]

Another long season ahead for this dolphins fan. Vanilla, below average offence, mixed in with a d that cannot stop the run.

Dolphin football at its best for close to 2 decades now.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Nadal Fan

As a Titans fan i thank the Bucs everyday for that mistake.

understandable. But honestly, any time I watch Mariota, I come away underwhelmed too. Maybe it's just me, but I don't see anything really special there. Yesterday against the Steelers too. Just preseason, but a stupid interception and a couple of underthrown passes. Doesn't seem to get any chemistry with Corey Davis, which is bad news considering where they drafted him.

Maybe I'm unfair here though, I'm certainly not a Titans fan and don't watch Mariota every week.