Ongoing NFL Discussion Thread V

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

Love this Texans D. They're amazing without Watt. Scary.

Amazing is a bit far - they're pretty good, nothing special.

Number one D in the NFL without their best player.

They're one of about 8 teams to hold that tag - and lets face it it's measured in yards...in points the #1 D was the Pats.

No great defences out there this year, just a lot of pretty good ones. If they had Watt, maybe they'd be great...but they don't

[GSC]

Blame has to fall on the Falcons offense. 21 points, 7 of those coming on a short field and no points in the last 20 minutes. Who would have thought Matt Ryan would come up short in the biggest game of his life.

[skins4ever]

Best Superbowl ever IMHO. I don't hate the Patriots, but I wanted Atlanta to win. Have to hand it to Brady and Bilichick, GOAT. Question for them is whether there is enough in the tank to go for 6 wins.

On reflection, Falcons play calling was dubious at times. They seemed to want to go for fancy plays when a simple smash mouth approach early in the 3rd would have put it away. I wouldn't say Ryan had a bad game, but not his best. If they can build on their D, they could easily come back next year.

But the Patriots epitomise never giving up. Brady is just a baller. And Edelman's effort has to overthrow Dwight Clark's The Catch. Amazing concentration and effort.

Fantastic game and excellent entertainment all round.

[GSC]

I can't see Atlanta coming back next year. Dont think they're particularly special

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

The thing that made the offence great was it's scheme and they're losing that. Ryan will probably revert to top 10-15 ala Flacco too

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Brady a true champion. People keep grating their nuts over deflate gate well Brady shut them up once and for all.

[Number-25]

I just think that the Falcons players realised halfway through the 3rd quarter that winning would have meant they'd have had to go meet Donald Trump.

[crazy_dave23]

The game was lost in two plays by Atlanta... the sack Ryan took when they had got into field goal range after their first drive of any note in the second half... then the holding penalty they took 1 or 2 plays later on 3rd down that put them 3rd & 33 well out of field goal range

[TM Moot]

Went to bed at half past midnight, just after the pick 6 with a PAT to make it 21-0...game over and my Falcons bet looking good

Fair play Brady and Bill, not a Pats fan but wow...

[skins4ever]

The game was lost in two plays by Atlanta... the sack Ryan took when they had got into field goal range after their first drive of any note in the second half... then the holding penalty they took 1 or 2 plays later on 3rd down that put them 3rd & 33 well out of field goal range

Actually I'd argue it was lost before that. Key stats tell a tale and for all the Falcons big play ability going into the game, they only converted 1 of 8 3rd downs to the Patriots 7 of 14. While the Pats did struggle early on, the Falcons D got worn down over 4 quarters by a Pats O that kept chipping away on long drives. They dominated time of possession by a factor of nearly 2:1. The MVP they'd leaned on all season only threw the ball 23 times, though he did complete a healthy 17 of those, to Brady's 62 (43 completed). Jones caught all 4 of his targets, but to target arguably the best WR in the game 4 times is criminal. The Patriots put the ball in the hands of their best player, and Falcons did pretty much the opposite. Yes they should have run the ball 3 times and kicked the FG, but what they really should have done is gone for the jugular in the first half and buried the Pats under a pile of points and then the margin would have been impossible to overcome. THey took their foot off the Patriots throat and it cost them.

And maybe we're better off for the that - we all got a great game and got to see the best QB and coach ever (imho) get an unprecedented 5th SB together. I can't see that coming around again soon (and more so if they go on to get a 6th).

[Lowlandbrit]

The game was lost in two plays by Atlanta... the sack Ryan took when they had got into field goal range after their first drive of any note in the second half... then the holding penalty they took 1 or 2 plays later on 3rd down that put them 3rd & 33 well out of field goal range

There were also multiple plays on that drive where the clock was running and they snapped the ball with well over 10 seconds left on the play clock.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

The game was lost in two plays by Atlanta... the sack Ryan took when they had got into field goal range after their first drive of any note in the second half... then the holding penalty they took 1 or 2 plays later on 3rd down that put them 3rd & 33 well out of field goal range

There were also multiple plays on that drive where the clock was running and they snapped the ball with well over 10 seconds left on the play clock.

For me this was the worst thing Atlanta did. I can understand throwing it, it's how they got to the dance and it was working for them, but they must've kept about a minute, two minutes on the clock doing this. I mean the Pats actually got back with two timeouts and a minute left because of this!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I see the redskins have seen trump and gone, we ain't the most dysfunctional administration in this neighbourhood, as they try to force out their GM because he doesn't want to pay cousins but the coach does.

Oh and they're doing it via Chris Cooley bringing up his alcoholic demons of the past

Classy

[GSC]

Good to see Danny S laying the groundwork to fire his GM.

Can't allow qualified people too much room to run the team

[skins4ever]

Revis Island? More like Rikers Island:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000786400/article/darrelle-revis-charged-with-four-felonies-after-alleged-altercation

Could be the end of his career at this stage, even if he avoids time.

[Number-25]

LOL at people reading too much ProFootballTalk and attaching credence to anything Chris Cooley says!

[GSC]

Yea, a team employee speculating the GM is relapsing back into alcoholism on a radio show owned by the team owner is meaningless

[Number-25]

It's meaningless when the "team employee" is Chris Cooley

[Number-25]

Kirk Cousins tagged... all that remains now is the trade negotiations. How much will 49ers give up for him?

Redskins have almost zero leverage here... I reckon they'll do well to get a single 2nd round pick off of San Fran for him.

[Pr4wn]

Also, Eric Berry is about to get a monster deal worth $78m from the Chiefs.

[GSC]

They have the leverage of having him under contract.

I wouldn't budge for less than a swap of firsts. A 2nd this year doesn't do much for you.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Washington has all the leverage - they have the QB

[Pr4wn]

Also, the Chiefs are releasing Jamaal Charles today.

[Number-25]

'Skins have almost zero leverage because they don't think that Cousins is worth what he wants who in turn knows that he would get what he wants, or at least close to it, from Kyle Shanahan. There's no motivation for Cousins to shift his stance and value of himself which means unless the Redskins come up to that, he'll play the season on the tag. In that scenario, they face losing him next season for nothing cos they can't tag him again without committing salary cap suicide. It all adds up to getting what they can for him this offseason which would be fine if there was more than one team interested but there likely isn't.... realistically San Fran are the only suitors.

Stuck with a player they have to trade and only one team interested in a trade, the Redskins have very little leverage.

[GSC]

They'll easily get a 3rd back as a comp pick for his contract. While Kyle Shanahan goes 2-14 with Matt Schaub under center. Why settle for a 2nd.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

They'll easily get a 3rd back as a comp pick for his contract. While Kyle Shanahan goes 2-14 with Matt Schaub under center. Why settle for a 2nd.

Exactly

And playing under the tag means Cousins will be the highest paid player in the NFL the past two years, with another chance to hit free agency next year - why would he not want to do that

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Pats have not tagged Hightower - essentially giving him the McCourty treatment of two years ago (ie. let him test the market and decide if taking a extra few million a year is worth being on a loser for)

[GSC]

Because if he messes up his knee and never play a again he gets nothing more.

[Number-25]

Cousins is happy to play on the tag. He'd be happy doing that and then moving to San Fran next year in FA... that's his ideal scenario cos it's how he maximises his earnings. Even if he tears his knee up, providing he plays well before it, he should still get a good deal... busted knees are less of an issue for pocket QBs.

Redskins' problem is that they only get that 3rd round compensatory pick if they lose him in FA next year which isn't much. There's only one trade partner in the running though - San Fran - so there's no need for them to hang little more than a 2nd round pick in front of the Skins this year. Redskins would be as well just taking that and moving on from Cousins this year.

[Number-25]

BTW, not saying a trade will happen.... but I'd be really surprised if the Redskins weren't trying to make one happen. With the way Cousins played in big moments in big games last season in the Packers' playoff game in the 2015 season, I find it hard to fault them for not committing a huge chunk of salary cap to Cousins.

[GSC]

Of course there'd be more than 1 partner. Teams are desperate for QB and this class supposedly sucks.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I'd be shocked if Chicago, Cleveland in particular weren't sniffing around - probably loads more too

[Number-25]

Of course there'd be more than 1 partner. Teams are desperate for QB and this class supposedly sucks.

But only 1 that Cousins would be willing to go to.... San Fran. If he can't get himself traded there then he'll hang on and play on the tag and sign with them next year.... providing they still want him then.

[Number-25]

I'd be shocked if Chicago, Cleveland in particular weren't sniffing around - probably loads more too

Cousins wouldn't go to either of them this season.... he'd sit tight and play on the tag if the Redskins try to force him anywhere but San Fran. As an FA next year he can pick his spot.... and if San Fran still need a QB then and Kyle Shanahan hasn't somehow been fired then that's where he'll likely end up.

[GSC]

I have a hard time seeing Cousins turning down 20m a year because he wants to go play for the 2nd worst team in football.

[GSC]

In other news Scot McCloughan was reportedly sent home on Feb 20th and told not to return.

[GSC]

The Bears shed Jay Cutlers contract to give Mike Glennon 15m a year

[Pr4wn]

The Redskins have just signed Vernon Davis to a three year deal.

Seriously.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Miami bulked at paying Olivier Vernon 8m per year in 2015

Now paying Andre branch (yeah I don't know either) 9m per year in the same position

Bills appear to be trying to close the gap to the pats by signing all the fullbacks

[crazy_dave23]

The Bears shed Jay Cutlers contract to give Mike Glennon 15m a year

I still don't get the Mike Glennon obsession... I know QB money just keeps inflating, but its just odd

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Carolina sees Chicago give Mike Glennon 15m a year and thinks we can top that

As they sign Matt Kalil to a 5 year, 55.5m deal with 25m guaranteed.

[Guest]

Osweiller traded to Cleveland

God bless the Browns fans.

[Pr4wn]

Why? The Browns got Osweiler (who is obviously garbage), a second round pick and a sixth round pick in exchange for a fourth rounder.

Great trade for both teams, I think. Texans lose the $16m cap hit and the Browns, with all that cap space, get a second and a sixth in exchange for a fourth.

Crazy trade, not really seen anything like that in the NFL before.

[Pr4wn]

Now the Texans can use that cap space to go after Romo.

[Number-25]

The Redskins.....

I think I might have a year off from the NFL in 2017.

[Pr4wn]

Pats have paid Stephon Gilmore a ton of money. Good player, though.

[Guest]

Apparently the Browns already receiving calls with interest to trading Osweiler

Jeffrey 1yr in Philly. Went has some targets to throw to this year

[Pr4wn]

Browns have made some good moves so far. I like that they tied up Zeitler and Bitonio, two very good players.

[Number-25]

The Redskins.....

I think I might have a year off from the NFL in 2017.

Ah, panic over, we've signed Stacy McGee (?????) and have Terrelle Pryor visiting

[GSC]

ALSHON

[Pr4wn]

He can play half of the games this season for $14m.

Seriously, though. Good deal. I like one year contracts for players like that.

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