2016 NFL: WEEK ONE

[J.T.]

I am a Steelers fan and my girlfriend is a Giants fan.  Her son and son-in-law are Redskins fans and her daughter is a Cowboys fan.

Opening Day is going to be pretty rough..

[Hail Sabin]

Sunday morning drive over from Tally to the Packers at Jaguars game for my 1st time seeing my Packers live in person!

[APO]

I'm leaving from Dothan on Friday to make it down to Duval for Jags/Pack. Kinda hoping to see Rodgers get bisected by Malik Jackson and Dante Fowler while throwing a pick-6 to Jalen Ramsey, but I'll settle for at least a half-way competent pass rush for once.

[steve]

On 9/6/2016 at 0:24 PM, CSC said:

I didn't watch a single second of the preseason and I'm not sure I'm emotionally prepared yet for Thursdays Carolina/Denver game.

I watched about two minutes. BUT, those two minutes were enough to remind me that KB is back baybeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~

I'm a lil' excited, now.

[Ryan]

2 hours ago, APO said:

I'm leaving from Dothan on Friday to make it down to Duval for Jags/Pack. Kinda hoping to see Rodgers get bisected by Malik Jackson and Dante Fowler while throwing a pick-6 to Jalen Ramsey, but I'll settle for at least a half-way competent pass rush for once.

You're thinking of the wrong QB for that to happen, usually. He'll still be sacked a few times, probably by the guy Josh Sitton was going to be guarding.

[Hail Sabin]

If Rodgers throws a pick to Ramsey I will never hear the end of it because I've told so many FSU fans for two years Ramsey can't catch.

[Niners Fan in CT]

Niners could win in week one again.  The Rams look extra shitty this week but maybe not quite shitty enough

[Mike Campbell]

11 hours ago, APO said:

Kinda hoping to see Rodgers get bisected by Malik Jackson and Dante Fowler while throwing a pick-6 to Jalen Ramsey,

As a fan of the Chicago Bears, I would also like to see this happen. 

[RIPPA]

For those of us who are old - this one stings

Former kicker Cary Blanchard died at the age of 47 (most likely of a heart attack)

[supremebve]

7 hours ago, Niners Fan in CT said:

Niners could win in week one again.  The Rams look extra shitty this week but maybe not quite shitty enough

Why isn't there more conversation about the #1 overall pick not even dressing for the first game?  They traded up to get a quarterback that most of us have ever seen play, and guess what...we still aren't going to see him play.  We aren't even going to see that dude in a uniform.

[FluffSnackwell]

19 hours ago, Jerome Miller said:

The Eagles tight end corp. all have names that sound like WWF jobbers circa 1988:

*DING DING DING*

Mel Phillips: The following contest is a 3-against-1 handicap match, it is set for one fall.  Currently in the ring, at a combined weight of 780 pounds, the team of Brent Celek, Zach Ertz, and Trey Burton!

Mel Phillips: Their opponent, to be led to the ring by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, from Grenoble, in the French Alps....

With green as grass rookie beeotch Carson Wince throwing to them.

[FluffSnackwell]

12 minutes ago, supremebve said:

Why isn't there more conversation about the #1 overall pick not even dressing for the first game?  They traded up to get a quarterback that most of us have ever seen play, and guess what...we still aren't going to see him play.  We aren't even going to see that dude in a uniform.

Didn't he get drafted ahead of Wentz because the Rams thought he was a more NFL-ready product? Some guys are just doomed to be generic assembly line models that can't play for shit. Busting on a QB is one thing but the stench is much more rancid when you gave up so much to get one. The company line is that Fisher did the exact same thing with Steve McNair but in the 21 years since his rookie season, letting QB's that were picked high come in and take their lumps has become the norm.

[evilwaldo]

25 minutes ago, supremebve said:

Why isn't there more conversation about the #1 overall pick not even dressing for the first game?  They traded up to get a quarterback that most of us have ever seen play, and guess what...we still aren't going to see him play.  We aren't even going to see that dude in a uniform.

The Rams have a bad Oline so starting Goff would be a disaster for him and his career.  Until their Oline is sorted out the best place for Goff to learn to be a NFL QB is in the booth.

[supremebve]

4 minutes ago, evilwaldo said:

The Rams have a bad Oline so starting Goff would be a disaster for him and his career.  Until their Oline is sorted out the best place for Goff to learn to be a NFL QB is in the booth.

That is a valid point, but when in the history of football has, "Our line is bad, we shouldn't play our quarterback," ever been said by an NFL coach?  The biggest issue here is that somehow getting A quarterback has become such a priority no one even bothers to think, "Is this guy the right quarterback?"  There is a tipping point coming and Jared Goff might be it.  The Broncos won the Super Bowl last year with Peyton Manning being a bottom 5 quarterback in the league(Johnny Manziel had a significantly better QB rating), but the rest of the team was good enough to make up for it.  There are only about 15-20 quality quarterbacks on the planet, and banking your entire franchise on the hope that you find one of those guys is kind of dumb.  If you are the Rams and have a young workhorse running back, and a quality pass rush, couldn't you try to build a team around defense and running the ball?  Instead they gave up valuable draft picks to pick a quarterback who might not be NFL caliber, when they weren't a quarterback away to begin with.  

[J.T.]

1 hour ago, RIPPA said:

For those of us who are old - this one stings

Former kicker Cary Blanchard died at the age of 47 (most likely of a heart attack)

Jesus. we are.. were... the same age..

[Elsalvajeloco]

1 hour ago, supremebve said:

That is a valid point, but when in the history of football has, "Our line is bad, we shouldn't play our quarterback," ever been said by an NFL coach?  The biggest issue here is that somehow getting A quarterback has become such a priority no one even bothers to think, "Is this guy the right quarterback?"  There is a tipping point coming and Jared Goff might be it.  The Broncos won the Super Bowl last year with Peyton Manning being a bottom 5 quarterback in the league(Johnny Manziel had a significantly better QB rating), but the rest of the team was good enough to make up for it.  There are only about 15-20 quality quarterbacks on the planet, and banking your entire franchise on the hope that you find one of those guys is kind of dumb.  If you are the Rams and have a young workhorse running back, and a quality pass rush, couldn't you try to build a team around defense and running the ball?  Instead they gave up valuable draft picks to pick a quarterback who might not be NFL caliber, when they weren't a quarterback away to begin with.  

I am going to go with the safe answer and say Jeff Fisher.

[Jerome Miller]

Is Shaun Hill the last player on the Vikings who wore the "Dennis Green/Mike Tice Era" uniforms?

[evilwaldo]

2 hours ago, supremebve said:

That is a valid point, but when in the history of football has, "Our line is bad, we shouldn't play our quarterback," ever been said by an NFL coach?  The biggest issue here is that somehow getting A quarterback has become such a priority no one even bothers to think, "Is this guy the right quarterback?"  There is a tipping point coming and Jared Goff might be it.  The Broncos won the Super Bowl last year with Peyton Manning being a bottom 5 quarterback in the league(Johnny Manziel had a significantly better QB rating), but the rest of the team was good enough to make up for it.  There are only about 15-20 quality quarterbacks on the planet, and banking your entire franchise on the hope that you find one of those guys is kind of dumb.  If you are the Rams and have a young workhorse running back, and a quality pass rush, couldn't you try to build a team around defense and running the ball?  Instead they gave up valuable draft picks to pick a quarterback who might not be NFL caliber, when they weren't a quarterback away to begin with.  

They should have focused on the Oline.  If you put Goff in now and all he does is run scared how does he build on that?  Chances are he gets injured and sits out a bunch of games.  There used to be a study that showed starting a QB on a bad team Week 1 leads to more failure than success.  Before you say Luck from Indy; they tanked the year before.  

Reid used to talk about why he did not start McNabb Week 1 and he pointed to having the QB in the booth with the coordinators during the game so he could watch plays develop and learn how they were shuffling packages and calling plays.  

If Goff is not 100% ready to go in terms of reading defenses behind a bad line he could get happy feet and lose confidence quick,  Not something you want to have for a franchise QB because by Week 8 the press is questioning if he is the right guy.

You can sit him now and play him later sending the message that this is a rebuilding year.  Guy struggles when he starts the second half of the season you chalk it up to rebuilding.

You want him to be in the best position to succeed.

[supremebve]

2 minutes ago, evilwaldo said:

They should have focused on the Oline.  If you put Goff in now and all he does is run scared how does he build on that?  Chances are he gets injured and sits out a bunch of games.  There used to be a study that showed starting a QB on a bad team Week 1 leads to more failure than success.  Before you say Luck from Indy; they tanked the year before.  

Reid used to talk about why he did not start McNabb Week 1 and he pointed to having the QB in the booth with the coordinators during the game so he could watch plays develop and learn how they were shuffling packages and calling plays.  

If Goff is not 100% ready to go in terms of reading defenses behind a bad line he could get happy feet and lose confidence quick,  Not something you want to have for a franchise QB because by Week 8 the press is questioning if he is the right guy.

You can sit him now and play him later sending the message that this is a rebuilding year.  Guy struggles when he starts the second half of the season you chalk it up to rebuilding.

You want him to be in the best position to succeed.

The Pro Football Prospectus guys did a study and found that there is no real difference between quarterbacks who start right away and quarterbacks who sit right away.  I think it is all based on the guy playing, but I can see your point.  Taking a beating can't be good for anyone long term, but if a player is talented enough to play, he should play.  Steel sharpens steel, while there is a lot you can learn by watching, eventually you have to buckle your chin strap and take some hits.  

My bigger overall point is that if you don't think your quarterback is good enough to even dress for your first game, he probably isn't the type of player who is worth mortgaging your future.  The NFL draft is a crap shoot at every position, but drafting a quarterback in the first round is like buying a luxury car that you can barely afford.  If you keep making the same amount of money, and have no unexpected expenses, you can afford it.  Your hope is that you keep getting pay raises, you have good health, and your car payment becomes an after thought.  But...if your income takes a hit, or if your kid gets sick, you are going to have a problem on your hands.  All the fun of driving your luxury car becomes secondary to the misery you feel every time you make a payment.  You are going to go outside look into your driveway and ask yourself, "Why the fuck didn't I just buy a Civic?"  You could have been happy with a Civic.  You wouldn't stand out in a crowd, but imagine what you could do with that extra cash.  They are making payments on a BMW they can barely afford, but they're scared to drive it.  My problem isn't that he isn't playing right away, my problem is they paid too high of a price for him if he isn't ready to play.  

 

[Brian Fowler]

I do truly believe putting David Carr behind that Texans line ruined him.

And I fear Indy has done the same to Luck, just more slowly. I'm worried he's broken.

[johnnyboy]

7 minutes ago, Brian Fowler said:

I do truly believe putting David Carr behind that Texans line ruined him.

And I fear Indy has done the same to Luck, just more slowly. I'm worried he's broken.

When you own two of the top three sacked seasons it has to add up.  There's taking your lumps and there's being put in a situation where you don't have a chance.

Luck looks like he's really suffering physically now.  The famous pat-wince is horrible.

https://gfycat.com/FrayedWarmGreatwhiteshark

"Please don't touch the ribs Matt!"

[Niners Fan in CT]

The truly baffling thing about the Rams is that some people still think Jeff Fisher is good.

[supremebve]

7 minutes ago, Niners Fan in CT said:

The truly baffling thing about the Rams is that some people still think Jeff Fisher is good.

If anyone watched Hard Knocks, they can't possibly believe that.  I honestly don't think he said one thing about football that I didn't already know.  He was basically that one boss everyone's had that doesn't know nearly as much as you, but they think they need to tell you a bunch of nonsense to justify their position.  With that said, Mike Singletary looked like he knew his shit, so maybe Hard Knocks isn't the best way to judge coaches.  

[Elsalvajeloco]

1 hour ago, supremebve said:

The Pro Football Prospectus guys did a study and found that there is no real difference between quarterbacks who start right away and quarterbacks who sit right away.  I think it is all based on the guy playing, but I can see your point.  Taking a beating can't be good for anyone long term, but if a player is talented enough to play, he should play.  Steel sharpens steel, while there is a lot you can learn by watching, eventually you have to buckle your chin strap and take some hits.  

My bigger overall point is that if you don't think your quarterback is good enough to even dress for your first game, he probably isn't the type of player who is worth mortgaging your future.  The NFL draft is a crap shoot at every position, but drafting a quarterback in the first round is like buying a luxury car that you can barely afford.  If you keep making the same amount of money, and have no unexpected expenses, you can afford it.  Your hope is that you keep getting pay raises, you have good health, and your car payment becomes an after thought.  But...if your income takes a hit, or if your kid gets sick, you are going to have a problem on your hands.  All the fun of driving your luxury car becomes secondary to the misery you feel every time you make a payment.  You are going to go outside look into your driveway and ask yourself, "Why the fuck didn't I just buy a Civic?"  You could have been happy with a Civic.  You wouldn't stand out in a crowd, but imagine what you could do with that extra cash.  They are making payments on a BMW they can barely afford, but they're scared to drive it.  My problem isn't that he isn't playing right away, my problem is they paid too high of a price for him if he isn't ready to play.  

 

I'm feeling the same way. My thing is, if you're the Rams and used the first overall pick on Jared Goff, you need a clear, legitimate timetable of when he would be able to step up and take over as quarterback. At the very least, figure out when he would be 1b. Right now, it's looking like an awful pick because you don't have that. To go from having all the confidence in the world in the draft to "oh yeah, he is our third string QB" in a situation where CASE KEENUM and SEAN MANNION are your other two quarterbacks is cause for concern. So if that's the case, what makes you believe Jared Goff is the QB you need to pocket for X number of years at the expense of drafting potentially anyone out of a slew of excellent players made available? If Goff was a late 1st round experiment for a team that went to the playoffs the previous year and probably going back, then I could understand because the number of legit, legit starters is finite past a certain pick.

I am not saying you need to play him because we need to see what's up. With quarterbacks, usually, you're going to see what he has sooner rather than later. My question is when evilwaldo is talking about the best possible place to succeed, are you assuming that is a positive connotation? Based on what I know about the Rams, for me, it is not one. Even with the glimpses of success here and there and getting good divisional wins, I don't have a ton of faith they will put Goff in a position where the idea the Rams taking the NFC West title is far from laughable. Because if you're thinking, "hey, maybe this dude we took FIRST OVERALL in the draft may be good enough to be a backup QB in 2018", I believe you fucked up bad. If a team is rebuilding (whether it is bullshit or legitimate), it's assuming you're going to use those building blocks that you got. If you feel Keenum and the other guy are expendable enough to put them behind a terrible O-line, uh what are you going to do when (not if) those guys get hurt? Sign some dude off the couch or send Goff out there in bubble wrap? If you're doing the former, then you could have a drafted a critical OL piece (who can...you know...start) this year and then waited a quarterback to come down the line at some point. Is there a severe shortage of quality QBs in college that I'm not aware of?

If it's the latter, then it's going to seem like an obligation that you had to do because you had no other options. At least good ones anyway. Then, how as a team that was suppose to use these last several months to put a fresh coat of paint on the franchise do you revert to or revert back to being a league laughing stock? Because that's going to happen whether the reasons make sense or not.

[evilwaldo]

You are making a bigger deal out of 3rd QB on Week 1 than you should.  Week 1 is meaningless in the development of Goff.  Week 17 is much more important.

Ok, he does not dress but he sits in the booth with the coordinators and watches them call a game from above.  He gets to watch the game full speed hopefully picking up on mistakes so that when he does start, hopefully week 8, he has a good idea of how fast the game moves at this level and what the coaches expect from him during a game.

If he goes out and plays well; not necessarily wins but plays well Week 17 the time sitting will be worth it.  If he gets thrown in early and gets injured from playing behind a poor Oline you can set yourself back further.