NFL - Discussion Thread

Matt: I know they signed him. What I was saying is they should've just went with Cassel and save spending even more money on a backup QB. Sure, Cassel isn't anything special, but I honestly think him and Weeden are equal to one another.

I totally agree. Leaving Matt Cassel on the field against Miami is very necessary!!! Miami haven't intercepted the opposing QB all season!!!

Matt Cassel, isn't that the Quarterback who replaced an injured Tom Brady in the 2008 season and played so well there was talk of him keeping the starting job? Then during the off season when Brady returned he was traded to Kansas City. He put up some good numbers in 2008 so he can play.

The Bears are starting Trubisky vs. Vikings this weekend, should be interesting seeing as he was the number 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft.

Personally I disagree with starting Trubisky so early. Remember Jared Goff's stats last season when he was put in half way through the season? He was arguably the worst QB in the league at that time. Chicago's crop of WRs are awful. I predict he'll score one garbage time TD, along with 2 INTs that wont be his fault. If Chicago wanted to, and did pay Mike Glennon 16 million this season, why bench him after 4 games? What a waste of money. They should've played one QB for the entire season.

And on Cassel, I didn't know he played well during that stint. But nevertheless, that was NINE seasons ago. Carson Palmer's numbers 9 seasons ago would've been elite. Now they are average-ish.

I?ve got the Pats for tonight?s game. ;)

Why are all your apostrophes showing as question marks?

But yes, I have them winning too. I thought it would be a shootout but it's the Pats 13-7 at HT.

New England escaped with a 19-14 win.

Both teams played some ordinary football. New England's defense couldn't come through on third downs, and they chose to punt instead of kick a 48-yard FG. Tampa Bay gave away a stupid penalty to nullify a TD, the kicker missed all 3 FGs (31yrds, 49yrds, 56yrds), & chose an onside kick (failed) with over 2 minutes left. Hard to say who deserved to win that one.

Stupid iOS 11 Update. Won't stop making apostrophes and quotations into question marks on SC. -_-

1-0 to start the week. Couldn't ask for more. ;)

I would've loved to start 0-1 this week :(

Yep, that is the Pats for you. lol

Gotta love the Bucs kicking woes. Boy that was terrible to watch. Poor Folk. I couldn't believe he missed that 31 yarder. That was a game they should have won.

The pick Brady threw to the Bucs rookie corner was top notch. Hell of a catch.

I think it's pretty safe to assume going on the past five weeks games that unless the form of the New England Patriots dramatically changes we won't be seeing them in the Super Bowl next February. I'm actually pleased about that, after Dallas they are my next most hated team in the NFL. I'm surprised at that scoreline against the Bucs. I thought the Patriots would have put up more points and given up more. I see New England have drifted down to 12 in the NFL Power Rankings.

Although they are not winning all their games Detroit is ranked number 2 with Philadelphia coming in at 3. Dallas on the other hand come in at a lowly 19 which surprised me as I thought they would of been in the top 10. Matt, Dolphins are 28.

superbird5005 said:

The pick Brady threw to the Bucs rookie corner was top notch. Hell of a catch.

Yeah, I saw it on Youtube, it's Brady's first interception in a regular season road game since 2015. That is a unheard of stat when you think about it. That Bucs cornerback pulled off an amazing pick because that ball was going nowhere near him when Brady released it.

« Last edited by Sanzano on Oct 6th 2017 »

New England are heading to the Superbowl. There is little doubt in my mind. The performance against Tampa Bay shows that their defense is improving. Yes the offense spluttered but they have injured players all around the park that will eventually return. Against KC (4-0) they were leading 27-21 at 3QT. It was only 3 last quarter TDs that blew it out. Then they beat New Orleans by 16 away from home. Then they beat Houston (put 57 points up against a team who beat Seattle). Then they lost to Carolina (3-1, have had one bad game only) by a FG. Then they beat Tampa Bay by 5 away from home and significantly improved their D. NE's opposition combine for a record of 13-7.

New England are 3-2. They have won more games than they have lost. Tom Brady is playing on fire (113/195 [68%], 1702yrds [340 per game], 11TDs, 1INT, 2 fumble losses). With him playing they will always generate scores. Their defense can only improve. They'll likely finish 12-4 or 11-5.

One thing I will say about New England is that the decision to cut Blount looks like a bad one. He tore the Chargers to pieces with Philadelphia last week after he was given more of the ball.

I agree completely, Matt. New England remains the team to beat in the AFC. Who is going to defeat them in the playoffs? The Steelers that have only done it once against them? The Chiefs that only seem to defeat Houston in the Post Season? Yeah, don?t think so.

New England is the team to beat in the AFC, much like the Falcons in the NFC.

The good, and exciting thing is that the Pats at least look beatable. Last season every week we just knew NE would win. Now we think they will win, but could lose.

Oakland are too inexperienced; you were dead right. At 2-2 and without Carr for minimum 2 weeks their record could be damaged badly if they're not careful. Already two games behind KC is not good considering they probably have to win the division to contend.
Kansas City have won one playoff game in 30 or so years. They even lost (at home) to Pittsburgh (average away from home) when they didn't score a touchdown. That is disgraceful.
Pittsburgh, like I said, are average away from home. An overrated team imo. I mean they lost the division to Cincinnati a few seasons ago. Sheesh.
Denver are too unpredictable, and considering they don't know who their #1 QB is that is a problem. Go torch Dallas one week and then hand the game to Buffalo on a platter. Oh, and 4-8 to finish last season (including that fluke win against NO)
Houston are unproven. Yes they've been to playoffs for consecutive seasons (somehow) but they haven't gone deep.

No-one's beating NE in playoffs I suspect. Maybe they lose in the SB.

Bad thing is that they play New York Jets next week.

« Last edited by Matt77 on Oct 6th 2017 »

The Patriots won't repeat, the Kansas City Chiefs are destined to win the Super Bowl unless they self destruct or are crippled by injuries late in the season. The Patriots will probably still win the NFC East squeaking past Buffalo with a 10-6 record but will then fall to Denver in the divisional playoff where Denver will have homefield advantage because they finished 11-5. If the Patriots get past Denver they get buried at Kansas City where the fans will be screaming for their first Super Bowl appearance since 1970.

I'm beginning to wonder if it is beyond the realms of possibility that the Detroit Lions could win the whole thing. I rate that Matthew Stafford, I think he's the most underated Quarterback in the league. The Detroit Lions have never in their history been to a Super Bowl so as soon and the Redskins get eliminated I will be rooting for them. I know Detroit have lost a couple of times already but from what I've seen it could have gone either way.

Detroit have lost 1 game (where they arguably should've won). It was to Atlanta, the overtime SB runners-up. There's no doubt they will be a contender this season. Making playoffs again should be a default, and it looks to me like they'll top Green Bay. They have a big test against Carolina this weekend. At the start of last season I doubt many people thought Atlanta had any chance of going to the Superbowl. Yet they did. If there's a surprise team no-one would've picked it very well could be Detroit. I sure hope so.

Remember all the hype around Denver last season with their 4-0 start. And what happened? 5-7 in the last 12 games including a fluke win. 4-8 without it. That's a poor record, translating to about 6-10 in a regular season. Denver don't seem any better or worse this season than last season. The great rivalry between NE & Denver ended last season in a snoozer which NE won comfortably.

Dennis: There is a zero percent chance the Kansas Chiefs win the Super Bowl. Outside of the New England Game, they have beaten only mediocre teams and have looked mediocre themselves. They'll go 11-5 or 12-4 max, and then, as Matt has alluded to, lose to another above-average team in either the first or more likely second round of the playoffs. Just because they have gone 4-0 means nothing whatsoever. I'm sure a number of people thought Minnesota would win the Super Bowl after starting 5-0 last year, but, remember, they ended up finishing like 7-9 or 8-8. Mark it down: KC will not even make the Super Bowl.

Lions won't be making it either. More often than not, their offense is hot/cold. They've been mostly hot so far, but, as the Vikings game proved, they too have problems in their offense. One of their biggest issues is not having a reliable running game. You simply cannot become one dimension and pass 75% of the game, that's not gonna win playoff games. Not only will the Lions not make the Super Bowl, they will not even win their division. Green Bay is clearly the better team; however, both teams struggle mightily on defense, especially in coverage.

both teams struggle mightily on defense

Detroit - 14
Minnesota - 7

Seattle - 9
Green Bay - 17

Personally I think KC have some chance of making it, but it's only some. I think Houston will beat them at home this weekend/Monday/whenever it is. However I disagree with them beating only mediocre teams. NE are not mediocre, as you pointed out, but they also beat Philadelphia & Washington. Those two teams are mediocre at worst. Sure they're not amazing, but how often is a team going to play an amazing team? I think KC have started out in great form but will hit a slump eventually and return to their old selves.

I get what yo say about Detroit. Forgot about their non-existent running game. If they fix that up I stand by my comments, but otherwise I agree with you unfortunately.

« Last edited by Matt77 on Oct 6th 2017 »