NFL - Discussion Thread

Minnesota didn't have Bradford; Seattle has had issues scoring all year long. -_-

Patriots Defense is WORSE than mediocre right now. Philly is overrated, beating the mediocre Redskins, the 0-4 Giants by 3, and the 0-4 Chargers by 2. Redskins play to the level of their competition, and they continue to fail to close games. -_-

Losing Josh Norman right in the middle of one doesn't help. -_-

To be fair New York Giants could've very easily been 2-2 right now. After trailing 0-14 in Q4 against Philly they scored 3 unanswered TDs to lead 21-14, before eventually losing due to a miracle 61-yard FG. Then against Tampa Bay they trailed 0-13 in Q2 before leading 23-22 late in the game. It was only a field goal as time expired (again) that killed them. Yes they are done cause they are 0-4 but beating them isn't expected. At their best they can beat a lot of teams.

I agree Philly are a little overrated but at the moment they are playing decent football. Does it really matter who you beat? Having a 3-1 record is an achievement. Yes that Chargers scoreline is UGLY but imo that's about all that is.

I think it's harsh to call Washington mediocre. They are 2-2 yes, but their two losses have been Philly (Washington were 0-4 in opening games coming into this one) and KC (4-0, away from home, QB in great form, RB in great form). Their two wins have been Oakland (2-0 at the time, primetime, SB-fancies) and Los Angeles Rams (3-1, were kept 15 points below their average of 35, beat Dallas). If they are playing to the level of their opposition, that is a good thing. I'd love for Miami's offense to play to the same level as the Rams'. Also Washington's closest losing margin is 9 points.

About the defenses, it makes no sense to say Detroit have a bad defense. They are equal 3rd best in scoring defense (excluding Miami's stats). Who cares about yardage? If the opposition runs the entire field but then fumbles and loses possession, that's it. 0 points put on the board. This is a different Detroit altogether. While their running game has been awful in past seasons, while it's not that great this time, they are still utilising the running game (running on something like 42% of plays, which is a 12-year high). I don't think it's fair to judge Detroit on past seasons anymore. That is, unless they get shutout by Carolina this week

Green Bay's scoring defense is ranked 15th (top half). Last season they were 21st. There's an improvement there too. 34 of their 81 points against came in one game (Atlanta in Atlanta). 47 in three others (9, 24, 14).

« Last edited by Matt77 on Oct 6th 2017 »

Another week filled with surprises, not sure how the bungles beat Buffalo and Jacksonville battered Pittsburgh. I still think from what I've seen the best team in the AFC is Kansas City and they will see off the Patriots again at Arrowhead during the post season. In the NFC I still think Green Bay is the team with Philadelphia not far behind, whoever gets home field advantage in the playoffs wins it. It's looking like regardless what the stats say that on any given sunday anybody can be beaten, its not been like previous years where games are a foregone conclusion.

I'm changing my Super Bowl prediction from week one of Oakland vs Atlanta to Kansas City against Green Bay. After the Redskins exposed the Raiders and Carr getting injured there is no way Oakland can go all the way, they'll be lucky to get a wild card. As for the Falcons, they have been playing well but not convincing. I think Green Bay and Philadelphia are better and one of those teams will see off the Falcons in the Divisional Playoff.

I'm wondering though how good the Redskins are in the scheme of things as they have only been beat by Kansas City and Philadelphia which from what I have seen this season are playinng some of the best football in the NFL and neither team beat Washington convincingly. If only Washington had a running game...

I was surprised to see Miami walk away with a win this week, that must have made you feel happy Matt after the last couple of weeks.


« Last edited by Sanzano on Oct 9th 2017 »

7-6 so far, another mediocre week for me... :/

5-8 for me. An awful week. I knew pre-game Cincy would be a good chance to beat Buffalo, but didn't think they actually would. Cincinnati are definitely in the hunt for playoffs now despite being 2-3. Under the new offensive coordinator they are 2-1 (their loss was to the red-hot Packers, away from home & in overtime). And Pittsburgh had an UGLY home performance against the up and down Jaguars. Baltimore scored well but Oakland's D is terrible. That division is up for grabs if Cincy keep up their form.

New York Giants are gone, and so is Odell Beckham. Lost to the 0-4 Chargers at home...so bad. Only one team in history has made the playoffs at 0-5. Glad LA Chargers got a win; they deserved one.

DeShaun Watson...oh my god. After a 4TD, 1INT, & 1 rushing TD performance, he backs it up with a 5TD & 0INT game against the best team currently in the NFL. Houston have found their franchise QB. And KC were very impressive to put up 42 against the Houston D. Still, I'm not convinced about them yet. Playoffs are a whole different ballgame (Dallas were 13-2 when trying & went into the playoffs one and done).

I have no idea how Miami won that game. Yes I thought they would win, but when your QB passes for 92 yards at a 46% completion rate (1:1 TD:INT rate) you are bound to lose every game. Was glad to see the defense force the first two turnovers of the season. If there's one positive the defense had mightily improved. But still, it would be nice to intercept the quarterback (still have intercepted the QB 0 times this season).

Jay Cutler is a disgrace. I don't care if he passes for 700 yards and 10TDs next week, he is still a dud who is ruining this team. Still no passes above 30 yards in 4 games. Still no multiple TD games. Last week I saw a play where he literally stood there with hands on hips doing nothing while the rest of the team tried to advance. He doesn't want to play the game. He just wants his pay check. Ryan Tannehill would've got us an easy win against San Diego, a close loss to NY Jets, a close loss to New Orleans, and an easy win against Tennessee. It would likely be the same record, but with some big plays and some points. Even Matt Moore would be doing a better job; he actually wants to play for the team.

So what is everyone's Super Bowl prediction?
I'm going Kansas City vs Green Bay which just so happens to be the two teams in the very first Super Bowl back in 1967. I don't think the Patriots can do it this year, too many injuries in key positions and they won't have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Green Bay when Rogers is on form are the best team in the NFC, the guy has the experience.

« Last edited by Sanzano on Oct 9th 2017 »

I say New England beat Kansas City 31-27 in the AFC Championship game, with a game-winning TD late.
Yes NE's defense is bad right now, but they are a champion team as much as I hate them. They are undefeated away from home. Could've easily been 4-1 too. The simple fact is that the offense isn't going to diminish, and the defense can only get better. Kansas City's record should be enough to propel them into a good position come playoffs, and based off current form they should win to get through. but NE will do what they always do and steal a game from the jaws of defeat.

I also say Green Bay defeat Carolina 26-17 in the NFC Championship game.
Green Bay are in great form. They are 11-2 in the past 13 games. Enough said. And if Carolina continue their early season form they will surely push for a SB birth. They know how to get there too. But I say Green Bay would be too good.

Then I'd say Green Bay win 30-28 in the SB after a failed two-point conversion from NE.

Sticking with my preseason pick: New England vs Atlanta

We all know New Englands pedigree. We all saw how bad Atlanta crushed Green Bay.

Easy pick. Nuff said.

Atlanta lost to Buffalo, at home. Buffalo just lost to Cincinnati. Matt Ryan is looking down from last season (was he ever gonna be able to repeat last season's form?). Getting picked off 5 times in the last 2 games isn't pretty. A narrow escape from Chicago, then an impressive win against Green Bay, then a close call gave them a win against Detroit, and then a lackluster performance against Buffalo. Could easily be 2-2 right now and with bad luck could've been 1-3 who knows. And remember, you said Seattle's defense would stop Atlanta in the playoffs. After their performance against LA Rams, you're probably right.

I have a strange feeling about their match against Miami. Like either Atlanta will tear Miami to shreds, or Miami will suffocate Atlanta's offense completely. Miami haven't intercepted the opposing QB yet this season. It's bound to happen eventually. If Atlanta lose to Miami, at home, it's panic stations.

Have you seen the stats the Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback and Running Back are putting up? They are both world class and as good as anything in the history of the NFL.
Alex Smith has a Quarterback Rating of 125.8 and Kareem Hunt is getting 6.3 yards a carry.

I think its Kansas City's year, there's been other teams in recent years that have started fast putting together a string of wins before falling apart but this Kansas City team looks solid in all areas and is winning convincingly unlike the other teams that scraped through on a couple of their early wins. I think Atlanta were a one season wonder have blown their chance to win the Super Bowl, I wouldn't be surprised if Seattle or Washington beat them in the playoffs, they're not the same dominant team as last year. They beat Green Bay but that's all they've done this year that is impressive.

I think New England have used up all their luck, there's only so many miraculous comebacks a team can make regardless who the Quarterback is. The law of averages says they are due a loss and that will be the Championship game against Kansas City in Arrowhead.

If the Patriots get to the Super Bowl again I'm not going to bother watching it unless it is against the Packers as those two teams have a history of close high scoring games. Against anyone else the Patriots will just intimidate them with their wealth of experience in the big game.

The AFC Championship game is 14 weeks away. A lot can change in one week, let alone 14. Yes right now if the playoffs were on KC would easily get into, and win the SB. New England have a long time to re-calibrate.

Even if they do make it to the big dance, their lack of experience may hurt. Look at Carolina, the favourites to win the SB against a flailing Denver team who scraped past NE, while they thrashed Arizona. They lost 10-24. Look at Atlanta. Up 28-3 and being the first to score in the 2nd half, they were massively favoured to win. But again, their lack of experience killed them. Last season KC had a decent regular season. They got the #2 seed and a home divisional playoff. But a Pittsburgh team with tonnes of experience had the measure and composure to get the job done.

If New England didn't have the mid-game injuries they had they were more likely than not to beat KC. Then KC had a 7 point win against Philly. Then a thrashing against the 1-4 Chargers. Then they were fortunate again, with Josh Norman getting injured, and escaped with a narrower win than the scoreline (29-20) suggested. Then they gave up 5TDs to a rookie QB. There are much more good storylines than bad for KC, but there are some bad ones. They arguably should be 3-2.

If KC get to the SB against another inexperienced team maybe they can do it. But at the big dance, and in playoffs, they need to be on red alert.

Matt: Atlanta lost to Buffalo because Julio Jones and Sanu both went done with injury early in the game. They had that scare in Chicago because Soldier Field is tore up. Again, things that dont show on the Stats Line.

Dennis: KC aint nothing, and theyve actually started looking worse and worse. Wait until division play starts for them, youll start seeing the real KC in the loss column. They cant win in the playoffs anyway, and until they prove that notion wrong for once, they wont be considered any type of threat. Shoot, before their loss to Jacksonville, Pittsburgh was the Vegas favorite to win the AFC, with the Patriots in second and KC in third. Everyone knows the Chiefs arent as good as their record seems, much like the Eagles and Panthers. Being undefeated is nothing more than a paper stat.

« Last edited by Warrior13 on Oct 10th 2017 »

I'm not sure whether I should get on the KC hype train. Everywhere on the NFL site there is only praise for KC. I'm not sure whether to fall for their trap. Every week from now on I'll be waiting for their loss, but I'm not sure if it will come. What you said about Philadelphia & Carolina got me thinking, because imo they are not overrated. They are a combined 8-2, with both their losses coming to decent teams. Both QBs are in good form too, and both D's seem pretty reliable. One of them will be 5-1 soon. Perhaps at a stretch (even after a 34-7 demolishing of Arizona) Philly are overrated, but not Carolina. Their wins have been 23-3 over SF, 9-3 over Buffalo, 33-30 over NE (away), & 27-24 over Detroit (away). That is 3 impressive wins, alongside a thrashing of an awful team, and an awful 13-34 loss at home to New Orleans.

All through NFL history a team that just misses out on the Super Bowl one year comes back the following year more determined and focussed than previously while the team that won the Super Bowl don't quite hit the level of the previous year, you must have heard of 'The Super Bowl Slump'. That's why I'm going with Kansas City, the power rankings don't lie, they're usually a good indicator as are the odds coming out of Las Vegas. Professional gamblers bet with their head not their heart or by how well the team did the previous year. The one thing that worries me about Kansas City is their lack of experience in the big playoff games. They could end up being another Dallas.

As for the Carolina Panthers, I have a feeling they will be the team to beat next year. They now have a running back in Leonard Fournette people are saying is the best back to come into the NFL in 26 years. Once the Panters build around him like the Oilers did with Earl Campbel and the Rams with Eric Dickerson the Carolina will be knocking on the Super Bowl door.

Fournette plays for Jacksonville. But I guess the same could be said about Jacksonville. Their defense, when it's on, is epic. All that needs to happen is for either Blake Bortles to improve, or for them to draft a new QB, and they will be Superbowl contenders.

Bloody hell, if Carolina had Fournette they would be 5-0 and flying. They have an average to bad running game these days, yet are 4-1.

KC didn't even 'just' miss out on the SB. They lost in the divisional round of playoffs, winning 0 playoff games. That's what concerns me even more. Two seasons ago they began their campaign 1-5 with 5 straight losses, only to win 10 consecutive games, and then an eleventh as their first playoff win in years and years. Then they got comprehensively beaten by New England. Then the year after, they got the first week bye with the #2 seed, and lost their first and only playoff game. That's a combined 3 games (1-2 record) in recent times.

Remember when Denver won the AFC #1 seed back in 2013 I think, and made it to the Superbowl, only to be murdered 8-43 by Seattle, who hadn't even won a Superbowl ever in their history. It's looking like KC will win that seed themselves, but they could have a shocker in a playoff game like Denver did.

I believe in the Superbowl Slump. In Aus's AFL we call it the Premiership Hangover, and it happened badly to last year's winners. However I believe NE have had their slump, but will dig themselves out of it very soon.

« Last edited by Matt77 on Oct 10th 2017 »

Carolina actually wanted Fornette. If you actually think about it, he fits their system way better than McCaffery. But since either they didn?t want to trade up to get him or they couldn?t find someone to trade with them, they really had no choice but to draft McCaffery. It?s a shame, because they would all the better with Fornette. Though, I?m not that high on him or any RB these days.

As for Carolina... They?re offense has started to come alive, but their defense is slowly slipping away. If they don?t fix things quick, Atlanta gonna murder them later in the year. Almost as bad as Atlanta will beat Miami this week. XD

Don't worry Tortured Soul, the Miami game will be closer than you think...

(tl;dr - Miami have a great defense) Despite the woeful start to the season, Miami's defense has improved drastically. We rank 1st for points conceded (5 other teams have played 4 games too but are below Miami, & even with another game many other teams would still rank lower than Miami). If their average points conceded of 17 is added on then only 3 teams who have played 5 games are ranked better than Miami.

Last week's win was built solely on defense. 6 sacks, a forced fumble leading to a TD, conceding two scores only for 10 points. We had no right to win that game, yet somehow we did. That's the defense stepping up, and Matt Ryan better watch out, because our hungry defense is dying to pick off a quarterback. This game had the feeling of Miami v Pittsburgh last season. No-one gave Miami a chance except pessimistic Steelers fans. And what happened? a 30-15 dominant win (27-7 after QT) with the defense making a big impact. Yes we are away this time but this is one of those 'got nothing to lose' kinds games.

That said I think Atlanta will win, but it could be reminiscent of the ugly escape from Chicago.

I wish that would be the case, I really do, but I know it will be a blow out. Our overall defense is only ranked high because we?ve played a game less than everyone and our run game is decent, but our secondary is spotty at best. Matty Ice, the same we passed on in the draft so many years ago, is gonna show why we shouldve selected him. XD

Carolina and Jacksonville are two teams I always get mixed up.

Anyway, why is everyone so convinced New England are suddenly going to shore up their defense and become a power house over night? All I see are more defeats, especially when Brady gets injured which is bound to happen at some point this season as he's already taken 16 sacks which is more than he took the entire 2017 season. Apparently he's already carrying an injury, he has a sprained shoulder. I have no doubt the New England Patriots will come through and win the AFC East but they are not the same team as last year.

Can someone please tell me why Pittsburgh are the Super Bowl favourites with the bookies, their stats are less than impressive?

Adrian Peterson has been traded to the Cardinals, apparently he didn't fit in at New Orleans. The Cardinals have got rid of Chris Johnson to make room for him on the roster. Apparently the Cardinals will build their offense around him which was something that was never going to happen with the Saints. I personally think the Cardinals are taking a chance on a 33 year old running back who it at the end of his career.

Two games I will be keeping my eye on this week is Pittsburgh at Kansas City and Philadelphia at Carolina. Kansas I think will win 24-17 and Philadelphia will scrape past 17-14.


« Last edited by Sanzano on Oct 11th 2017 »

I explained above that Miami's defense is still very good. With the extra game they'd have to play, if they conceded their season average of 17, and other teams who have too played one less game played too, our defense would be ranked somewhere around 4th best in the league. 17, 20, 20, & 10 are very good numbers considering the offense is garbage and forces the defense to be on the field for long periods. And like I said before with Detroit & Green Bay, who cares about yardage. Yes the QBs pass easily through us, but it doesn't generate much points.

When teams play us their run game disappears too. The Chargers had 44 net yards & 1TD against us. New York Jets had 103 & 1TD. New Orleans had 86 & 0TDs. Tennessee had 69 & 0TDs. Miami are the 3rd best rush defense, behind only Denver & Cleveland. My logic is, that because of this, Atlanta will pass the ball, a LOT. But the hungry defense will pick Ryan off at least once. Hopefully.

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Arizona have no choice. they already have 0 running game. They mayaswell have 0 running game with Peterson. But who knows, he could thrive (doubtful though).

Pittsburgh the favourites? What website are you on? Pittsburgh are AVERAGE this season. They lost to the woeful Bears, with Mike Glennon as their QB. Then they lost 30-9 to Jacksonville, at home, a team who got murdered by the awful Titans 37-13, and who also lost to the awful New York Jets. One of the bold predictions was that Jacksonville would force 5 or 6 turnovers (can't remember) and they forced 3INTs & 2 pick 6's. AVERAGE.

New England are a champion team with the GOAT at QB, and a master coach. However I must say your bit about the injury is quite true. If Brady gets injured it's curtains. He's been sacked 16 times this season. Last ENTIRE season he was sacked less. He apparently had an AC sprain. Usually AC injuries are nasty from watching people in AFL, but in the NFL, where you need your shoulder working, that would be disastrous. If it is some sort of injury, they are in trouble. Personally I think they should keep him out against NY Jets.

« Last edited by Matt77 on Oct 11th 2017 »