NFL - Discussion Thread

I'm going Vikes, Falcons, Patriots, and Steelers. Thought about Jags, but I just can't see it.

Case Keenum becomes a free agent after the Super Bowl, and Minnesota already have Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater. There's rumours circulating around the internet that if Kirk Cousins walks away from Washington the Redskins will pick up Keenum for about $18 million. That's a whole lot cheaper than the $34 million they would have to pay Cousins if he remains in the capital. After reading that I'll be watching the Saints vs Vikings game with renewed interest to see how Keenum performs under intense pressure as we already know Cousins crumbles and is just a stats man. Is Keenum the guy to take Washington to the Super Bowl or is he just a stop gap until the Redskins pick up a high round draft pick in the next couple of years?

If Keenum leaves for another club he will once again become a mediocre backup QB. Washington have very average WRs and an awful o-line, not to mention a front office that makes bonehead decisions.

Minnesota will definitely get rid of Bradford, but they'll have to get rid of either Bridgewater or Keenum. They did see Bridgewater as their franchise QB before his torn ACL and dislocated knee, and while I think healthy Bridgewater is probably the better option, his injury was brutal and he may not be the same when he comes back. Minnesota should keep Keenum as he's proved he can be a competent game manager of sorts that throws very few INTs but isn't Tyrod Taylor.

No matter who Washington have play at QB, they will surely own a 6-10 record at best and be last in the NFC East. The signs are NOT good for Washington I'm afraid. That is unless Cousins stays. But even if he does it'll be 9-7 best case scenario which probably won't be enough for playoffs in the NFC. Since making playoffs at 9-7 due to a 4-game winning streak to end, they've finished 8-7-1 and now 7-9.

Bridgewater's contract is also over after the Superbowl and the price isn't cheap to keep him. Personally I want to keep Keenum in Minnestota, because he's a good solid quarterback who rarely turns the ball over. Our defense is what makes us win anyway.

Exactly. The 2015/16 Denver defense made Brock Osweiler seem like a superstar. That is an amazing accomplishment.

If Minnesota win the Super Bowl like lots of people are predicting there's no way they will get rid of Keenum. He will be the darling of Minneapolis and accomplished something great quarterbacks in the past like Fran Tarkenton, Brett Favre, Tommy Krammer, Randall Cunningham and Warren Moon could not do for the club and brought back the Vince Lombardi to the city.

Sam Bradford will be shipped out, too much money and Bridgewater will be relegated to being Keenum's back-up. There's no way Keenum isn't the starting quarterback next year if he performs well in the playoffs. He may not be the greatest quarterback in the world but he fits Minnesota's style of play of getting the job done without making mistakes and let the defense take care of the rest.

I can't see Keenum going to Washington under any circumstances to be truthful, he's played at a number of clubs and apart from this year with Minnesota has been average, done nothing spectacular in the NFL to be truthful, all his accomplishments came at the college level which is a different ball game altogether.

According to some stats again, these are each team's chance of winning the SB:
New England - 49.5%
Minnesota - 38.6%
Pittsburgh - 32%
Philly - 30.2% (???)
New Orleans - 20.4% (???)
Jacksonville - 15.1%
Atlanta - 10.1%
Tennessee - 3.4%
Am I missing something here. How can Philly be more likely to win the SB than New Orleans, Jacksonville, & Atlanta? I just did a random list generator with 1 w and 2 l's and it picked the w. Philly let the NY Giants score 29, nearly lost to the woeful Raiders AT HOME, and then got shutout AT HOME to the awful Cowboys. Nick Foles has proven himself to be the same backup QB as always, and Philly have maybe a 10% chance to win this week.

I agree with you Matt, that list is wrong. The information the computer was fed probably took into account the whole season in which case it will have all the Philadelphia games Wentz played. It would be more realistic to take the last months stats and feed them into the computer. I bet if you did that Philadelphia would have a 3% chance of winning the Super Bowl.

The team that surprises me on that list is Atlanta, why no love for the Falcons. When I look at all the teams still remaining in the tournament to me they are the dark horses that could walk away with the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the day. They may not be as explosive on offense as they were last year but the defense is playing a lot better and if they suddenly hit form they are capable of beating anyone on that list. Not sure why New Orleans is so low on that list either, I personally think they are the most balanced team on there with strengths, experience and leadership in all the right places and if there is one thing I have learned over the years watching NFL games its that there is no substitute for experience in key positions in high pressure playoff games.


« Last edited by Sanzano on Jan 10th 2018 »

Like you say the percentages are likely based on stats. Stats wise Atlanta are probably average since in the regular season they were very average and were a Detroit TD-approval away from not even making playoffs at all. Certainly though in playoffs stats aren't that relevant. Statistically Tennessee were so mediocre and had very little chance to win, but they did. Statistically Atlanta should've been certainties to win the SB at 25 points ahead, but the clutch and experience of NE made a huge impact.

A more realistic list would be: (this is not my list)
New England
Minnesota
Pittsburgh
New Orleans
Atlanta
Jacksonville
Philly
Tennessee

If I had a list it would be the above one but would have NE & MIN switched, and also PIT & NO switched.

« Last edited by Matt77 on Jan 10th 2018 »

Mine would be:

New Orleans
Minnesota
New England
Atlanta
Pittsburgh
Jacksonville
Philadelphia
Tennessee

I don't rate the AFC teams as highly as everyone else seems to because they had an easier schedule to reach the playoffs. Don't get me wrong, I still think New England are a great team even though I personally dislike them, I just don't think they're as good as previous years. Pittsburgh to me are no better than the LA Rams, Atlanta, or Detroit. I think they would have struggled with any of those above average but not great teams.

I would rank things like this:
Patriots
Falcons
Steelers
Saints
Vikings
Jaguars
Eagles
Titans

Patriots could literally have to face Titans and Jaguars to reach the Super Bowl, which is laughable. Falcons could only have to go through the Eagles and Vikings tp reach the Super Bowl, which is among the easier paths. As like the Patriots, the Steelers could have the same path to the Super Bowl, which is why I have them third. Saints I put fourth because their offense is dangerous, with Vikings a close fifth because of that defense (I am still picking the Vikings to defeat the Saints). Jaguars, Eagles, and Titans all have tough roads, but I guess nothing is impossible.

Vikings
Patriots
Saints
Steelers
Falcons
Eagles
Titans
Jaguars

Warrior, why the Minnesota hate? They have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs (Philly WILL lose to Atlanta) and are 7-1 at home. They've proven themselves against quality opposition and have narrowly failed just one of their many tests this season while scalping several other contenders along the way. While the AFC teams have an easy path, when they get to the Superbowl they will be stunned at the sheer quality of the NFC teams and will lose the SB.

Mewtwo, why the Jacksonville hate? Yes they're mediocre atm but the least likely to win? Philly are god awful & Tennessee just aren't good enough (while also travelling to face NE). Surely they are more likely to win it.

Dennis your list is much more sensible.

I'd go:

Vikes - 30%
Saints - 28%
Falcons - 24%
Patriots - 10%
Steelers - 6%
Jagulars - 1%
Titans - 1%
Eagles - 0%

No way the Eagles win the Super Bowl. Actually 0%. Titans could have come miracle run, although highly unlikely. This is really the NFC's Super Bowl to lose in my opinion.

« Last edited by FreezShock on Jan 10th 2018 »

Please Philly. Win the Superbowl!!!

Your list is pretty good apart from Philly at 0% (should be 0.1%) and NE at 4th. Atlanta are chokers who have never won a SB; how can they be a better chance than the team that outscored them 54-0 in around 80 minutes of football? NE have to be higher than Atlanta. And despite Pittsburgh and Big Ben being the most overrated team and QB I've ever seen, they have more than a 6% chance sadly.

I saw an interesting program yesterday that showed the different schemes New Orleans now employs to move the football and if they use them against Minnesota on Sunday night the Vikings will have trouble dealing with them as it basically involves stretching the field and taking advantage of Kamara's lightning speed.

Two factors Minnesota do have in their favour though that could be a problem for the Saints is they are playing at home and the crowd will be going wild and even though the game is played in a domed stadium the cold weather may affect the Saints players in the lead up to the game when they have to travel about the city. I didn't think this was a problem but a former NFL player who was on the panel said that it can be a nightmare trying to adjust to a different climate in a short amount of time.

For the Saints to be successful it's important they come out of the blocks fast and silence the crowd otherwise crowd noise could be a problem for them. Also by doing this it will put intense pressure on Keenum who will likely start making mistakes if he starts forcing the ball trying to keep the Vikings in the game. He just doesn't have the experience to cope with that situation as he's never experienced anything like it in the NFL. The poor guy's literally got a whole city on his shoulders expecting him to win the game, in some lists I've seen fans place him higher than the likes of Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, and Tommy Krammer as the best ever Minnesota quarterback which is laughable seeing as he hasn't done anything yet in the post season to warrant such a high status.

You are crazy if you say anyone outside New England has the greatest chance of reaching and winning the Super Bowl. They are facing the Titans... the Titans... After they win - and yes, they will be winning - they will play crummy Blake Bortles who could barely defeat the Bills or the Steelers who never seem to have what it takes to defeat them.

Matt: No love to the Vikings because they do not have a real quarterback, which you need to win the Super Bowl. Keenum is a Game Manager, not a playmaker, and Alex Smith already proved how valuable (or worthless) they are in the Playoffs. Everyone has written Philly off because their QB is out, but the likes of having Keenum, Bridgewater and Bradford (as well as Bortles for the Jaguars) isnt much better. If not for the stout Defense they have, I would not be going with the Vikings on Sunday. Actually, based on their QB Situation alone, most people are actually siding with the Saints.

Warrior13, I've noticed people are starting to slide with the Saints after Brees performance last week. What you say about Keenum only being a game manager and not a playmaker like a Brady, Brees or Rogers is why I think the Saints will win. Correct me if I'm wrong but if you were putting a team together you'd want the best player in that team to be the quarterback? He's the guy in control who everyone is looking to for leadership. If I was a player and my quarterback under center had no experience in high pressure games, he was a journeyman who couldn't cut it at several other NFL clubs and he is a back-up at the club I play for I would be a bit nervous going into the game.

It's a given that New England will be representing the AFC, as soon as they got homefield advantage throughout the competition it was over. Pittsburgh can't beat New England at the Patriots in the playoffs, neither can Jacksonville and certainly not Tennessee. The only way Tennesse can cause an upset is if the running back Derrick Henry has the game of his life and I don't think that is going to happen.

The only interesting thing left in this season now is who will they be facing, Minnesota, New Orleans, or Atlanta. I'm hoping its not Atlanta, we know already what happens when those two teams meet. Minnesota's defense against Brady would be interesting though as would Brees be Brady.

Just wondering, who would you say is the better quarterback and why, Keenum or Foles? To me they are both backup quarterbacks yet everybody has written off Philadelphia. People forget Foles went to the Pro Bowl in 2013 and was the MVP of that game and also holds the record of having 7 Touchdowns in one game. Not even Brady has done that.

Case Keenum has made a lot of good throws though, he's made plays with his feet, ducked under sacks, it's amazing. He's an amazing athlete and certainly a playmaker, sure, maybe a poor man's ARod for now, but don't count him out. I've watched EVERY Vikings game, so I can say firsthand how good he has been.

Matt: I gave the Falcons a huge tip over the Pats because the Pats haven't ever been really hot this year. Good, but never, "WOAH". Falcons, on the other hand, are back for revenge, so if they play NE (of course they will, they're the one good AFC team), I feel like they'd win.

« Last edited by FreezShock on Jan 11th 2018 »

Freez: Do you think Keenum is worth $20 million a year? XD

Sanzano: Of course you need a QB when building a team. However, you, a person that saw or at least remembers the greatness of older teams, knows more than anyone that it doesnt need to be your best player. You still need a QB though in the present day NFL.