2016-2017 NFL Thread

[Northern Goblin]

I regret not staying awake to watch this now.

Chargers might get over that whole choke up in the 4th mindset they have struggled with.

This also almost guarentees we are either going to kill ourselves against Kansas, or finally win a game comfortably.

[apepi]

So Denver lost but it's still funny to me that the Chargers almost blew it again.

The Chargers always reminded me of the Saints. With a shittier offense but a better defense.

[Grube]

Okung left in an ambulance with an IV after the game. Guess whatever was wrong is why he was struggling late in the game. Hopefully it was just dehydration or something since he was released already.

Kubiak's issues ended up being severe migraine problems (really hope he wasn't watching the game, no way that could have helped), so at least he didn't give everyone the bad flu going around.

[xskarma]

Looking ahead at Sunday, the early slate has some really aweful games. Only game remotely interesting me is Bengals-Patriots (even without rooting interest) the rest all seem either one sided as hell OR to not have any realistic playoff implications. Afternoon games though, oh boy. They all seem good. And then Sunday night it's going to be Indy-Houston, which is probably going to feature a lot of terrible football, which I'm going to watch anyway, cause I'm a football addict and there's nothing else to do.

[Milchshake]

Okung shows flashes of brilliance, gets injured, and never quite recovers his form.

I think Seahawk fans have seen this script before.

[Northern Goblin]

Ravens/Giants might be a decent match as well.

Never thought Cowboys/Packers would be such a big game going into this season though.

[Grube]

There are a lot of games this week that could easily go either way, half of them will probably have more to do with who picks early in the draft than who makes the playoffs though.

[xskarma]

I'm pretty confident that Elway is going to put major effort into retooling the O-line next offseason, cause this can't continue. Last year the O-line was problematic but Elway managed to shore it up somewhat with Mathis, but this year it's just really subpar. Seeing your O-line the past 2 weeks I'm starting to think that even the Denver defense can't make up for it, especially not against the elite teams in the AFC.

Patriots have work in that department as well this offseason. Our RT and swingtackle's contracts are up and the LT's contract has 1 year left then. All of them are 30-ish or older. We have 1 developing tackle in Fleming, but he's a RFA this offseason and thus a UFA the season after, at the same time as LT Solder.

I very much suspect that the Patriots will draft a tackle in the first round next draft, possibly with a pick they get for trading Garoppolo. That would mean we get the rookie at RT for the year, and Solder at LT in his last year, then after the season evaluate if the rookie can move to LT or if we have to extend Solder. Depending on what happens with Solder we'd be in a position to extend Fleming as the RT (and we'd probably draft another tackle high that year as well, to replace Fleming in the swingtackle role and have young blood).

And then we'd have to figure the guard situation out as well, cause we've drafted 4 guards the past 2 years and so far only 1 has really worked out. No idea what will happen in that regard. >.<

[Grube]

The thing with Denver's o-line is that nothing outside of Mathis and Okung so far have worked out, and even Mathis was hurt a lot and played through that. Sambrailo and Schofield were both high draft picks, neither can play tackle, and Schofield is at least serviceable at guard. Garcia is a 4th round pick from last year who has been really inconsistent and hardly ever is in the middle ground. Conor McGovern was drafted this year but has been a game day inactive each game and struggled a lot in camp. I would not be surprised if it is a lot to do with the zone blocking scheme, not being able to find guys that are comfortable in it, and the rule changes to eliminate chop blocks hurting it in general.

The play calling also doesn't help when it was as predictable as it was, then you get in 3rd and long and guys that struggle in pass protection get exposed even more. They were bad, but it was not all on them. Siemian only got sacked 2 times tonight, but I lost count how many times he had to just throw it away or times the o-line was in the backfield on running plays. Better than last week when Lynch got sacked a ton, but more likely that was on Lynch.

Biggest issue is that it is super unlikely they will take a 1st round o-lineman, not sure if a Kubiak team ever has. Elway's day 1-2 offensive picks as a whole have been duds. Not sure how the organization misses on early picks, and gets 6th/7th/UD guys to contribute often, but that is a whole other thing.

[Denkou]

The Chargers always reminded me of the Saints. With a shittier offense but a better defense.

Yeah, Brees and Rivers are the first two guys I'd think of if someone were to ask me who's most likely to throw for 5,000 yards a season. Love watching them play.

[draynay]

Bah... drafts... the Saints released their entire 2014 draft except Cooks by the time 2015 was over. We're drowning in dead money, better miss on all our draft picks too, I often wonder how Loomis is still around.

[Northern Goblin]

How many first round OL have actually done well since Eric Fisher went first for KC in 2013? I recall a lot of them struggling to adjust, and some coming up complete busts. There are a couple in there that are pretty decent, but I can see the aversion to drafting Oline early amongst teams.

[Blobfish]

lol wtf Siemian. Does he have tiny hands or something?

Not Good for Jacking it in San Diego. lol




I think San Diego have finally got their act together, and may go on to win quite a few games now this season.

I quite like Hunter Henry. Chargers tight end.. Only 21 he has lots of potential

[xskarma]

I quite like Hunter Henry. Chargers tight end.. Only 21 he has lots of potential

Yeah, he's come on strong the past few weeks. I have a shrewd suspicion he's going to be the reason that San Diego will say goodbye to Antonio Gates after this season.

[draynay]

He was drafted to replace him, and he was a good looking prospect so I'm not surprised. Was hoping the Saints might've targeted him to replace Watson, but they signed that futuredeadmoney guy from the Colts instead.

[Grube]

Hunter Henry was the big name TE in the draft for a reason, he is a really good pass catcher. Seems like he is gaining River's trust too, which doesn't hurt.

How many first round OL have actually done well since Eric Fisher went first for KC in 2013? I recall a lot of them struggling to adjust, and some coming up complete busts. There are a couple in there that are pretty decent, but I can see the aversion to drafting Oline early amongst teams.

Isn't the Cowboys entire line early draft picks? Ravens have a couple guys I think too. They are just not prepared for any real blocking once they are drafted because not many schools in college play defense, and they are not taught to block. Might just show the teams with the better o-line coaches and scouts to pick the right guys for the system than it does the players honestly. At least in Denver's situation, some of it has been trying to put guys that struggle with speed rushers at tackle, which does entirely on the coaching staff and other teams might have the same problem.

[Northern Goblin]

Yeah, Frederick and Martin are both first rounders and really the ones I was referring to when I said decent.

It's weird that college football hasn't adapted better to the pro game.

[Milchshake]

My fondest memory of Bo, is when he literally ran through the Kingdome. Made me appreciate his rare athleticism, even as a Seahawks fan. I think the "Bo Knows" ad campaign even pre-dated the rise of Michael Jordan at Nike. He was everywhere on TVs, it made a person believe 2 sport athletes were a regular occurrence. Turns out he was most likely the last 2 sport star. Michael Jordan couldnt quite pull it off.

And now an update on Tim Tebow.

Scouting Guru Keith Law of ESPN:

Tebow the baseball player is not a baseball player; he's a washed-up quarterback who has size and nothing else.
In short, there's absolutely no baseball justification for Tebow to be here.

[Grube]

I'm tempted to try to see Tebow play just to watch him throw a baseball. He couldn't hit the green monster standing at the base of it with a football, who knows where a baseball would go. I don't think anyone, including Tebow thought this was anything but a publicity stun, then again he refused to play anything but QB (Pryor is a perfect example of what he could have done) when he clearly couldn't so could be wrong there.

[xskarma]

Oh shit, and just like that on an ordinairy Friday, we might really, REALLY have the Las Vegas Raiders.

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/787031729093640192

- - - Updated - - -

Now it is probably up to the other owners. Will Mark Davis be able to cajole the other 31 owners to let him move the team to Vegas?