NFL - Discussion Thread

Removing kick offs from the game, are you serious? That's one of the best aspects of the game. It's getting ridiculous, the game has already been diluted enough, it's definately not the same violent contact sport I fell in love with in the early 80's. Nowadays it's more like school tag football, the NFL is already losing fans by the droves, if they impliment that new rule change they'll be doing themselves no favours.

I doubt Johnny Manziel will get another chance with an NFL team, the guy's bad publicity. I don't know much about him but during his college years he could play, he has a whole list of records to his name. I don't know what Belichick is playing at, the Patriots are losing important parts to their team left right and center and they're now talking about taking on a guy who has tested positive for substance abuse. Sounds like Belichick is trying to screw the Patriot organisation before he retires with now this after the Super Bowl debacle in February. I personally would rather take a chance with Lamar Jackson than Johnny Manziel. The guy's numbers weren't even that great in the games he played for Cleveland, mind you that was Cleveland.

« Last edited by Sanzano on Mar 29th 2018 »

You said a very important line at the end "mind you that was Cleveland". That alone says he deserves a second chance. If he screws up again that should be it forever, but a second chance should be given. It'll be interesting to see how he goes if he gets a gig, along with DeShone Kizer & Cody Kessler, who has just been traded away to Jacksonville for a 7th round pick.

I totally agree kickoffs need to stay. They also feature in Australia's NRL and are executed identically, except touchbacks don't exist. It's thrilling in either sport when you score off a kickoff. I actually wish touchbacks didn't exist in the NFL. If kickoffs didn't exist Miami wouldn't have made the playoffs 2 seasons ago. It's funny how the NFL are saying it's too dangerous and causes injuries, yet in Australia's NRL (rugby) 98% of players where no safety gear and run full bore into the opposition on almost every play.

The NFL is just soft in general. Players are actually on the field for about half the game time, with a break after every single play, including extended breaks after scoring and quarters ending. Teams travel the length of the country maybe twice a season, whereas in Australia 2 teams have to do it every second week. The NFL season is also 17 weeks, about 6-9 weeks less than Australian sports. In Australian sports there's maybe 15 seconds break whenever the ball goes over the boundary line, & about 40 seconds after scoring. But you're on the field consistently moving around for about 85% of game time. Some players never leave the field. Even soccer players work harder.

« Last edited by Matt77 on Mar 29th 2018 »

I think the same thing is happening to the US that has been happening in the UK, both are becoming nations of snowflakes. It's getting ridiculous, in the UK there are some schools that have banned sports days where kids compete against each other in races because one of the kids is going to be last and it may damage their confidence. Classic stories like Snow White have also been banned because it is felt ethnic minorities can't associate with the main character. It's something new every week. Now I'm told that a game that has been played since 1869 is having one of its main aspects changed because someone might get injured.

As for Johnny Manziel, I wouldn't touch him with a barge pole its just a matter of time before he's back on the party scene.

Lol that's hilarious. We always had sports carnivals, and yes someone did finish last and we had divisions. But you just do it and if you finish last so be it. I was always in the last division, but who cares? I knew I was bad and that was that. My confidence being 'shattered' lead to be coming 2nd and 1st respectively in two years lol. The classic also is how Ba Ba Black Sheep is banned; it's now Ba Ba Rainbow Sheep, and I'm not joking.

To be fair though, tonight in an NRL game 2 players got concussion after big hits from kickoffs... Then again they wear 0 protection compared to NFL players wearing layers of it as well as a helmet.

If a team picks him up it will cost very little at all. If he plays out and can't make it, teams will just release him and that's it. It's worth someone taking a chance on him. An organisation like the New England Patriots could do wonders for him.

If Manziel has changed for the better, I would rather have him as a backup than Brian Hoyer (as far as the Patriots are concerned). lol

Would probably even take Mason Rudolph instead of Hoyer. XD XD XD

« Last edited by Warrior13 on Mar 29th 2018 »

It would actually be smart by New England to draft a QB now. Rudolph could actually be an option. Like I say, he'd just be a test project, and if he doesn't work out so be it. Wasting a 3rd or 4th round pick isn't a big deal.

If I was drafting a project, I would go with that Texas Tech kid. He was a backup at Iowa, who runs a pro style offense, before transferring to Texas Tech, who run a spread. He basically knows most offensive schemes, which is good for a QB.

Oakland (and more specifically Jon Gruden) just released their "popular and productive" punter for an "unknown reason". He's been said to have an interesting personality, but to me this is a bad move. Yes you can find punters easily in the 5th+ round, but good ones aren't that easy to find. A good punter will find a way to push the opposition back 5-10 yards further than most, and in a tight game that can be the difference between the opposition having a game-winning FG from 50 yards out, or a hail mary pass from 60 yards out. To me Gruden is very overrated (his W-L record is something like 105-80 yet he's made out to be a god), and this is a selfish move. In Australia I've seen old experienced coaches that coached and had success in the past, took a break, and then came back do an awful job and have instant failure along with losing their jobs within 2 seasons. Older coaches don't understand how the players of this generation think and act, and their old-school methods can easily be disastrous if not delivered in the right way.

I think this signing by Oakland will be a total bust, and Oakland will miss playoffs for the next seasons to come. LA Chargers will own the division, Kansas City have a lot of talent, & Denver have a championship defense. Oakland have some big holes, especially on defense (it took them THREE MONTHS to intercept a quarterback).

And on an unrelated note, when did LeGarette Blount join Detroit?!?! Detroit are instantly a Superbowl contender now, no joke!

« Last edited by Matt77 on Apr 2nd 2018 »

Cleveland are begining to worry me, Baker Mayfield is visiting them today. Surely at this stage of the drafting process the Browns know who they are picking with their number one pick and this is just a courtesy invite to see what Mayfield brings to the table, or is it because they plan on drafting Barkley first and whatever quarterback is available with their fourth pick?

I think the Patriots have lost the plot, I don't think they are going to be the same dominant team this year, they are losing important cogs all over the field. Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, and Rob Gronkowski's contracts are all up after the 2019 season which doesn't help their cause. I personally think the team is on the decline now and as soon as Brady and Belichick retire which will be in a couple of years they will be seller dwellers for years to come as they try to rebuild.

Cleveland are only talking to Mayfield so that other teams like NY Jets & Buffalo take notice and panic, thinking their man will be taken. It's a solid move by Cleveland. Look at the psychology behind Chicago moving up from 3 to 2 last draft when San Francisco didn't even want a QB. If a team gets spooked, they'll trade up further than they planned to guarantee they get who they want. Buffalo are said to be interested in Allen the most, but if they don't want to move to #2, most mock drafts have them going for Mayfield. Logically there's a decent chance he'll be available at #12, but that's where Miami need to start having fake interest in him to bait Buffalo to move up a spot for no reason (Miami have already made this smart move). Denver have also been having a look at several QBs even though it's unlikely they'll draft one, in the hope that Denver can swap and get their picks 12 & 22.

I get what you're saying Dennis, but don't write off a champion team ever. New England were extremely close to winning that SB. There was a 4th down attempt by Philly slightly in their own territory late in the game that was successful, but if it had failed it would've been game over essentially (NE were leading by a point). There was also a 4th down attempt just before HT that Philly successfully converted into a TD. If it had failed NE could've been more conservative on the final play to get into FG range and kick the winner. tl;dr - NE easily could've won back to back SBs.

There have been a few games in the last 2 seasons where I've wondered "Is this the end for Brady's reign?" Every time he's responded the following week with an outstanding performance and shut me up. He was just the league MVP at age 40, and the season before he was runner-up. Gronk will probably retire at the end of this coming season, but Brady can adapt to whoever he is passing to (there were several injuries at WR this season). Also remember Gronk missed the entire playoffs of 2016/17. Remember their extremely shaky 2-2 start to the season? It turned into 15-4 and a SB appearance. Only ever say that NE is in a decline once they are 100% eliminated from playoff contention.

« Last edited by Matt77 on Apr 3rd 2018 »

Not sure we're on the same page Matt, the way I figure it is Mayfield going to have a look at the Browns is just a bluff to try and entice the Giants into giving up their number 2 pick to Buffalo (who will most certainly take a quarterback with it).

The Browns want the Giants to think that they will go Barkley number 1 and not 4. As things stand there's a chance the Giants will go Barkley with the number 2 pick but if Buffalo have that pick Barkley will almost certainly go to the Browns number 4, netting them Darnold and Barkley which would be amazing for them.

I hope this makes sense, I don't think I've explained myself very well.

Yeah, I got what you were saying, but I just started typing irrelevantly and forgot that I was supposed to be talking about NY Giants. Pretty much I think Cleveland are talking to Mayfield to force teams around them to doubt themselves and think about trading picks. If there's chaos around them, Cleveland can take advantage and hopefully get the players they want (Darnold & Barkley). Pretty much exactly what you said.

After seeing another Mock Draft I feel Baker Mayfield is going to slip back from the others. If Barkley is taken by NY Giants Darnold & Rosen get taken, & Allen is probably taken by Buffalo at #5. If not then Denver will. If NY Giants take a QB Darnold & Allen get taken, while Buffalo take Mayfield at #5. But it's unlikely the Giants will be taking one. If Buffalo trade up to pick 2, Darnold, Allen, & Rosen get taken, leaving Mayfield once again. There is a big opportunity for a team if they want to move up to pick 5-8. I think teams like Miami, Arizona, & Washington can very easily land Mayfield if they want to. It all depends on whether NY Giants draft Barkley.

LA Rams just acquired Brandin Cooks from NE for a 1st round pick. It's a big price to pay, but you've got to think LA Rams are one of the Superbowl favourites. Good on them for changing the culture though. For more than a decade they were cellar dwellers and had one of the worst W-L records in that period; now they're an offensive powerhouse with a young coach, young QB, young RB, & young WRs.

Meanwhile for NE this is a chance for them to consider their future, since they now have picks 23 & 31. I think it'd be a good idea for Miami to try bait NE into trading with them. I'd rather have two 1st round picks than one. They absolutely screwed up with Garoppolo and missed a chance to extend their dynasty by another 5 years, but if they can get a QB in now that dream stays alive. If NE trade up to pick 11 & NY Giants draft Barkley, Mayfield will be passed on when Buffalo take Allen at 5. As long as a team like Arizona doesn't trade into picks 6-10, Mayfield will be available at pick 11.

I think you're right Matt, New York's pick at number 2 is the key to how the draft will proceed. At the moment nobody is sure what they will do, they've got several options on the table and all of them are good possibilities. It all depends really I think whether they are confident they can mount one final assault at a Super Bowl with Manning or resigned to the fact he is in decline but would be a great tutor for a top young prospect.

What are New England up to? That's another important cog gone from their machine. I'm also beginning to wonder if they are stockpiling picks in the hope of trading with someone in the middle of round one for Baker Mayfield. The Patriots have to be thinking quarterback, time is running out for them. If Brady decided to retire tomorrow the franchise would be in serious trouble. I can't even name you Brady's backup, has he played a down in the NFL? Getting rid of Garopollo is starting to come back to haunt them, especially if San Francisco reach a Super Bowl with him in the next few years which is not beyond the realms of possibility as that team has improved dramatically over the last two years.

Brady's backup is Brian Hoyer, the same guy who threw 5INTs in a playoff game against the playoff chokers themselves Kansas City. With his age and lack of ability most of the time, he is most certainly not an option.

NE will get Malcolm Mitchell & Julian Edelman back from injuries that kept them out of all last season. Important cogs have been taken out, but some more will be put in place to keep the NE machine running strong. It's pretty much Cooks & Amendola out, and Mitchell & Edelman in. Quarterback is the main issue for NE. If they get one they're sorted.

NY Giants have probably a 2% chance to win the Superbowl, if they're lucky. They were putrid last season despite Eli's stats IMPROVING. Beckham is rumored to be heading out the door too, and that would be a big blow. NY Giants have to start rebuilding. There's no way this current team, lead by a digressing Eli Manning, will make the SB. I really think NY Giants should draft a QB to sit behind a guy who beat Brady in two SBs and learn the ropes before taking over in the 2019/20 season. But if Barkley is available they'll probably draft him and hold off a QB until next draft.

« Last edited by Matt77 on Apr 4th 2018 »

I absolutely agree with you Matt, the Giants need to go Quarterback. I think its on the cards now that they will, all four top quarterbacks have a scheduled visit at the Giants facility and its been pointed out that rarely do draft prospects get invited to the Giants complex without getting drafted, but then again rarely are the Giants in a position to draft a top prospect. Obviously not knowing for sure which Quarterback Cleveland is going to opt for at number 1 they have to play it safe and talk to all four. They've also scheduled a meeting with Barkley I feel to leave that element of doubt in the air because like I said before their number 2 pick is the key to how the draft will proceed.

I don't know if you noticed but Quarterback Robert Griffen III has been picked up by the Ravens. Griffen if you remember was the number 2 pick overal in the 2012 draft and the Heisman Trophy winner. He's still only 28 but if he can fully recover from the injuries that plagued his time with the Redskins and Browns and recover his form from the 2012 season where he set records for the highest passer rating and highest touchdown to interception ratio by a rookie quarterback, while leading the Redskins to the top of their division and their first playoff appearance in five seasons the Ravens will have picked up an elite player. He's only on a years contract at 1 million dollars so the Ravens haven't lost much if it doesn't work out.

I bet the Patriots trade their two number one picks and a second round pick to make a run at Baker Mayfield if he slips to pick 7 or 8 picks and they do a deal with Tampa Bay or Chicago. Mayfield is the sort of guy Belichick likes, he reminds me of a young Brady the way he carries himself with his self confidence.

I agree there's a lot of upside bringing RG3 back. I never knew his stats in his rookie season were so good (20:5 ratio and a passer rating of 102!). Going to Cleveland was a disaster (QB Graveyard). I actually think if Flacco doesn't improve his form there's every chance RG3 takes the starting job from him. He's been out of the game for over a full year, hopefully fixing his knee even more so that he's 100% healthy. He'd also have a solid Ravens defense around him (all the experts seem to think having a good defense does wonders for the QB).

Tampa Bay won't trade with anyone. They need defensive talent ASAP. Chicago & San Francisco are definitely options though. The team NE have to worry about is Arizona. If any team past pick 12 is going to trade up, it's Arizona. If I were working there I'd find a way to move up and take Arizona's pick 15. Possibly a trade involving NE's picks 23 & 2nd rounder. That way picks 15 & 31 would be a good deal to trade with.

« Last edited by Matt77 on Apr 5th 2018 »

Lol, having a good offensive line in front of them does wonders for a quarterbacks confidence. Good protection can add precious extra seconds inside the pocket. The last thing a quarterback wants to see is a linebacker bearing down on him from the outside or a defensive end who has got past the tackle and is in the backfield before he's set himself up to throw.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Griffen, I agree, going to Cleveland was not a good move for him. I wish the guy well, he basically got dumped by Washington after he got injured.

I wonder what is going to happen to Odell Beckham Jnr, I'm beginning to wonder if the Patriots don't get their quarterback they'll trade their two number one picks to the Giants for him. Can you imagine Beckham and Rob Gronkowski on the same team with Brady throwing to them...

I've actually heard about that Beckham rumor quite a bit. Personally I think it would be a terrible move letting go two 1st round picks (when have NE ever had such good early selections like this?) for a talented, but immature brat of a player. Trade off getting Brady a new offensive weapon, or getting 2 new o-line players to protect a soon-to-be 41 year old QB. When teams pressure Brady (Miami have consistently done this to Brady when he's traveled south) he is an average QB. It's hard to pressure him, but adding in 2 o-line players will make it nearly impossible.

That said, the Giants could benefit from dumping him, Then they can trade their #2 pick to Buffalo and have FOUR 1st round picks this year & another next year.

What are the Redskins playing at? They've just done another bone-head deal and picked up the Cleveland Browns third string quarterback, Kevin Hogan. How is a guy who is part of a team that has not won an NFL game in nearly two years going to help the Redskins. Now I read Washington are going to draft another quarterback.... Why are they not sticking with Alex Smith as the starter and Colt McCoy as backup and looking to find a decent running back. The recieving corp looks better for Washington this year but there's still a problem at running back and in the secondary.

I see the Dolphins are interested in Roquan Smith the linebacker. That would be a good pick for them, the guy can play.