NFL '17 Season Thread

[The Yak]

Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to start one of these.

Congratulations to the New England Patriots. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick now stand alone atop Olympus with 5 rings as starting Quarterback and Head Coach.

The consensus among league-talking heads is that Super Bowl runner up Atlanta plans to extend Matt Ryan's contract during the off-season and make him football's highest paid player. Speaking as a fan of a recent Super Bowl losing team, Atlanta can look forward to weekly reminders of their historic Super Bowl collapse from the color commentators every time the Falcons go up by 10 or more points next year. Every time that Cam Newton was sacked last year, the commentators felt compelled to remind viewers that the pass protection in the preceding year's Super Bowl loss was less than stellar.

Free agency starts in less than a month. The Draft is after that. Before you know it training camps will start and NFL football will be back. NFL Season '17 Thread starts now.

 

[Jack Davenport]

I think the Panthers can be very good, or they could suck donkey balls. No middle ground.

And by donkey balls, I mean not winning it all.

 

[cometcomma]

The raiders and miami will grow balls and play in the big game.

 

[cometcomma]

She will make the foot balls during the offseason.

GO HERE- Re: Is It Possible For a Girl to Stick a Football up herself? If so, Who did it?

 

[Fapus Aurelius]

The raiders and miami will grow balls and play in the big game.

You mean the Raiders or Miami.

Personally, I just can't wait until fantasy football starts.

 

[FOUser#4510856320198a]

I think the Steelers will get their shit together. I hate the Steelers, but they're going to make a very strong push next season. Tomlin is running out of time, even Steelers coach time. They'll respond. Keep Ben healthy, and keep improving the defense. Stop the run. They've got the means, motive, and opportunity. I think Coates will make more of a difference than Bryant (reinstated?) will.

And, of course, the Redskins will kick the shit out of them in the Super Bowl.

 

[wasabi]

I think the Steelers will get their shit together. I hate the Steelers, but they're going to make a very strong push next season. Tomlin is running out of time, even Steelers coach time. They'll respond. Keep Ben healthy, and keep improving the defense. Stop the run. They've got the means, motive, and opportunity. I think Coates will make more of a difference than Bryant (reinstated?) will.

And, of course, the Redskins will kick the shit out of them in the Super Bowl.

Tomlin's job is not in jeopardy. Since 1969 the Steelers have had only three head coaches as the Rooney family are loyal to their head coaches. Noll and Cowher both retired with 5 Super Bowls rings combined and with Tomlin getting the 6th one has his job safe IMO.

 

[FOUser#4510856320198a]

Tomlin's job is not in jeopardy. Since 1969 the Steelers have had only three head coaches as the Rooney family are loyal to their head coaches. Noll and Cowher both retired with 5 Super Bowls rings combined and with Tomlin getting the 6th one has his job safe IMO.

That's the Steelers fan go-to, even if you're just talking about the weather: "Yup, storm's a'comin'. Say, did you see those six rings that the Steelers have?"

Like they were on those teams, or something. Those teams from 40 years ago, when 2/3 of those rings were won. Even the QB that won most of those rings doesn't have any time for that rapist-led squad, coached by clowns that can't play by the rules, keep coming on the field, mixing it up with the opposing team, or just trying to trip them during the course of play. Taking a page from Grayson Allen. Yeah, all class. Lotsa rings. Oh yeah. Steelers are asshole cancer.

Okay, so that's out of the way.

Yeah, I think they'll wait too long to fire Tomlin. My opinion, they already have. He's not so much the reason for the success they have, as Colbert and the scouting department, Haley, and the rapist. That order. Asshole cancer.

 

[Fapus Aurelius]

One thing that can be guaranteed, Ted Thompson won't do anything in free agency, forcing Aaron Rodgers to carry the team like he often does.

 

[The Yak]

Humorous in hindsight news article:

http://www.albanyherald.com/sports/...cle_225a9027-8dba-5f17-a91f-bb9a0037abc4.html

 

[FOUser#4510856320198a]

Humorous in hindsight news article:

http://www.albanyherald.com/sports/...cle_225a9027-8dba-5f17-a91f-bb9a0037abc4.html

I streamed the Falcons as a fantasy defense at about the midway point of the season - they were rushing the QB really well at the time, and they were playing an inexperienced QB behind a shoddy line. In that game, they were destroying them halfway into the 3rd, and then they started to let up - they thought they had a comfortable lead. They still won, but they let the other team come back to within two scores (it was a Tecmo Bowl final score, IIRC). Ruined my fantasy finish. So I'm not saying that I am the reason that Atlanta went on to lose the Super Bowl, but I did stomp around my house, calling Hell down on the Falcons for screwing up my matchup that weekend. So maybe.

 

[BCT]

The raiders and miami will grow balls and play in the big game.

The Raiders will but only because the NFL is fixed. I don't care who thinks the WWFL is real, I will always think its all BS.

 

[cometbird]

The Raiders will but only because the NFL is fixed. I don't care who thinks the WWFL is real, I will always think its all BS.

It wouldn't surprise me if you're right on that point

 

[BCT]

It wouldn't surprise me if you're right on that point

I know I'm right, do you really think professional coaches who have been doing this for years would be stupid enough to not know when to run the ball or manage a clock? It works out a little too convenient for the NFL. I'll admit when I was younger I got suckered into this sport but its nothing more than one big Gambling Racket while they suck off the superstars.

 

[D-rock]

One thing that can be guaranteed, Ted Thompson won't do anything in free agency, forcing Aaron Rodgers to carry the team like he often does.

While a lot is made of his reluctance to use free agency, what most of those people fail to consider is that a lot of the quality people they already have on the roster would almost certainly have been let go already if they had used free agency much more in the past. Free agency is usually poorly efficient as it's best people are usually filled with overpriced veterans or stars off their rookie contracts that cost a premium amount. Sometimes a GM can find a gem, but it's best use is to find role players at a decent value. If somebody can find decent value in the draft it's almost always much cheaper and that person will be younger with a better chance to improve. Free agency might also be good for loading up on talent for one last shot at a closing championship window when you accept that there will be cap hell and a bad rebuilding period for years afterward. Teams that are good year after year tend to not go that route.

A lot of people, even some professional writers, commentators, and football TV personalities, act as if Ted Thompson had used free agency more that he would somehow have the the same team he has now except for a large handful of additional good players, and that very doubtfully would be the case. I think the compromises he would had to make to afford those people would likely negate the gains he probably would have made and been shorter term.

As it is Green Bay is one of the better teams of this generation. True that's easier to do with somebody like Aaron Rodgers, but then again, most of the best teams in recent history also had the best QBs in the league so the team can't have that held against it anymore than any other teams.

 

[Fapus Aurelius]

@D-Rock
Those are good points, and as good as Thompson has been at mining the draft for talent, it seems like he has relied on it a little too much. They could take an additional chance or two over the next couple years. True, you don't want to sacrifice the teams future, but Rodgers can't play forever, and I doubt the Packers are going to have a three-peat of HoF quarterbacks.

 

[The Yak]

Some interesting goings-on recently:

Antonio Brown is now the highest paid wideout in the NFL. Looking at his contract (4 years, 68 million. ~17M per season), speculation has begun about how much the Giants will have to pay OBJ when the time comes.

Franchise tags have been given out ahead of Wednesday's deadline (Leveon Bell, JPP, Kawann Short) with more being speculated as likely (Eric Berry). The Bears are not expected to tag Alshon Jeffrey meaning he will reach the open market if a long-term deal is not reached.

 

[Jack Davenport]

I think tagging Kawann is a mistake. 13.4 million in cap money right there.

Maybe Gettlman is rolling the dice thinking if the Panthers don't have a great season they will dismantle anyway. If they don't make the playoffs next year Riverboat Ron is gone.

 

[FOUser#4510856320198a]

I think tagging Kawann is a mistake. 13.4 million in cap money right there.

Maybe Gettlman is rolling the dice thinking if the Panthers don't have a great season they will dismantle anyway. If they don't make the playoffs next year Riverboat Ron is gone.

I don't know their roster situation, but I've watched him play, and if he's got a good head on his shoulders, he's a helluva disruption inside. Young, strong as shit. I know I wouldn't want to lose him.

 

[Fapus Aurelius]

Kirk Cousins got the franchise tag again!? The Washington Washingtons can't seem to decide what they want to do.