2017-2018 NFL thread

[Blobfish]

Will be having a shot of Tennessee Whisky for every Touchdown the Titans get this year.

Goodbye liver

The Titans have recruited really well

Hopefully , Marcus Mariota stays well this year.

If he stays well, I reckon the Titans will go very far.

http://www.titansonline.com/news/art...c-0a249e0b548c

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A week into training camp, quarterback Marcus Mariota is feeling good about himself.

Even if it takes him a little longer to get warmed up for practices.

“It is feeling better with every day,” Mariota said on Thursday. “We haven’t had a setback or anything like that, so a lot of credit goes to the training staff here in helping me get warmed up and helping me once practice is done, get prepared for the next one.”

Mariota was limited during the team’s offseason work as he worked his way back from the fractured fibula he suffered against the Jaguars last December.

But he’s looked better each day during the first week of training camp, especially from a mobility standpoint.

[xskarma]

Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony is on going (I missed the first part with Jason Taylor). Last year was pretty interesting with Brett Favre, and his speech was pretty good in parts. Morten Anderson just started his speech. Mostly curious about Jerrah later though. His speech should be....interesting.

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Morten Anderson's speech was pretty funny at times, Terrell Davis after him has been pretty damn boring. He's just dropping names and not making any notable remarks or things to keep your attention on the speech.

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LaDanian Tomlinson had a pretty powerful speech. I never took him for much of a thinker or orrator, but that was pretty good.

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Jerry Jones is having a nice speech, but he's the only guy I've ever seen the crowd get to boo someone. He tried to talk Roger Goodell up and the crowd was having none of it. xD

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Crap. I thought Jerry was the last one but Kurt Warner is coming up now. Going to give that one a pass and read about his speech tomorrow, cause I need my bed.

[xskarma]

The will he/won't he around Cutler and the Dolphins keeps going back and forth. Seen reports today both saying he will stay retired and that he;s considering playing again.

The longer it goes on, the more certain I get the Dolphins are just going to force Tannehill on IR and sign Cutler for the Season...


...and possibly beyond. Tannehill is signed till 2020 but they can cut him with minimal cost next year. If they sign Cutler to a 2 year contract with an option for the second year and he plays well this year, they might just move on from Tannehill.

It's not like Tannehill has been that impressive and knee injuries can still rob a guy of his movement skills and cause him to have a down year before recovering. Is that worth it to a Dolphins team that is somewhat built to win right now?


Intriguing storyline!

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Life comes at you fast lol

"Miami and former Bears QB Jay Cutler are finalizing a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN. Two sides are expected to hammer it out shortly."

Shefter


Seems like it's already happening.

[Crackleslap]

Goddamn it xskarma beat me to it. D:

Interesting to see how this turns out. Dolphins are my AFC team after all! So I hope it turns out to be good!

[xskarma]

Goddamn it xskarma beat me to it. D:

Interesting to see how this turns out. Dolphins are my AFC team after all! So I hope it turns out to be good!

I don't think it makes much difference for the Dolphins. Cutler and Tannehill are both average, unspectacular QB's that know how to run an offense and (usually) make no big mistakes that will cost you games.

There's a style difference, but Gase is a smart coach with many parts to his offense. I'm sure he can accentuate the parts that Cutler is good at instead of having it more tailored to Tannehill's style.


I think the more interesting thing will be Matt Moore. He took over last season, and has taken over currently. Cutler obviously wouldn't come back if he wasn't starting, but if he's struggling with connecting to his team mates and the chemistry is slow, what do the Dolphins do then? They have Matt Moore waiting, and he's perfectly acclimatized to the team. Would they throw Moore out there if Cutler isn't ready or would they just go with Cutler regardless of what happens?

[Grube]

I would take Cutler over Tannehill every day, but that is based almost entirely on how he did in Denver since I did not watch many games he played in Chicago. Won't really make much of a difference because they won't be in contention for their division even if Cutler plays amazing. They should still be able to get a wild card depending on how Cinci does since the AFCW will just beat each other up and Miami/Cinci get the Jets/Browns twice.

[xskarma]

I would take Cutler over Tannehill every day

In this current situation on the Dolphins, I probably would too. Gase gets the best out of his QB's and I think Cutler might have a bumpy start but will likely start being pretty okay down the stretch.

Main reservation I have is that Cutler has gotten injured quite a lot the last few years. If he gets nicked up then this whole thing will still turn into nothing for the Dolphins (and Cutler too).

Cutler is basically in the same situation as Sam Bradford now. He gets a chance in a situation with a banged up QB and if he performs, he;s got every chance to supplant that other QB. But he needs to show it and needs to deliver.

We might end up with a situation where next year's QB market has Kirk Cousins, Jay Cutler, Sam Bradford, Teddy Bridgewater, Jimmy Garoppolo, and potentially Drew Brees. That's a pretty amazing run of QB's and definitely means that teams won't have to draft one that badly and still get a potentially good starter.

, but that is based almost entirely on how he did in Denver since I did not watch many games he played in Chicago. Won't really make much of a difference because they won't be in contention for their division even if Cutler plays amazing. They should still be able to get a wild card depending on how Cinci does since the AFCW will just beat each other up and Miami/Cinci get the Jets/Browns twice.

Honestly, Miami's schedule has a rough ending. Bye, @Pats, Broncos, Pats, @bills, @chiefs, Bills. They could easily get 3 or 4 losses there.

They basically have an urgent need to start the season strong and not drop any games there, which is getting complicated with having to get Cutler up to speed, in just around 4 weeks.

If Gase manages to get the Dolphins to the playoffs for the second year in a row, that would put to rest any notion that last year was an accident and that he is indeed a really good young coach.

[Fencers]

Cutler was under served in Chicago. He did his part to shit the bed, sure. But dude rarely had solid players around him and an O-line that was non-existent for a long time.

[draynay]

We might end up with a situation where next year's QB market has Kirk Cousins, Jay Cutler, Sam Bradford, Teddy Bridgewater, Jimmy Garoppolo, and potentially Drew Brees. That's a pretty amazing run of QB's and definitely means that teams won't have to draft one that badly and still get a potentially good starter.

Wouldn't be the first time things looked interesting a year out and then turned out to be pretty mundane after extensions and such.

[xskarma]

Wouldn't be the first time things looked interesting a year out and then turned out to be pretty mundane after extensions and such.

Yeah, true. Any kind of injuries or just bad play will quickly remove anyone from serious contention.

Cousins is losing his toys (due to injury and free agency) so he might not produce.
Cutler might just get injured or suck again.
Bradford could prove that last year wasn't just an O-line problem and that he just doesn't have it.
Bridgewater might not recover fully and still hadn;t quite put it together.
Jimmy G. is very unlikely to play this season and he's looked shaky so far with 7 INT in camp.
Brees likely signs another extension.

Easy to eliminate the whole list with very probable reasons.

On the other hand. I could have added Carson Palmer and Alex Smith to that list of potentials, cause both their teams seem to be looking at them as temporary starters before a youth movement takes place. I just felt that since they are still under contract it made less sense to add them.

We'll see as the year goes on.

[xskarma]

I dont think Teddy ever comes back to 100%

There was some noise early in training camp, cause they put him on PUP, but he looked good and I think he even worked out a bit without a knee brace and stuff? Idk, something like that. I don't follow the Vikings at all, pretty much, so little of their news filters through to me. I think there was some optimism about him though.

[Woz]

Also keep in mind that Cutler had one of his three best years (maybe it was more?) with Gase as the OC.

Not saying he's going to be spectacular but 2+2 usually = 4.

[xskarma]

Vince Wilfork's officially retiring and going into....BBQ'ing?!

https://twitter.com/wilfork75/status/894604103455657984

[Grube]

Denver's 1st depth chart is interesting. Demarcus Walker (who has been playing DE/DT and OLB in camp) is listed as Von's backup rather than DE, and Lorenzo Doss who has been a pick machine in camp is listed behind a project corner. 2 WRs many fans expected were going to be cut are listed as the 3 and 4 as well. That is probably still the position I am most interested in because the 3-7 WRs all seem to be close.

Also keep in mind that Cutler had one of his three best years (maybe it was more?) with Gase as the OC.

Not saying he's going to be spectacular but 2+2 usually = 4.

It was his most efficient season it looks like. Most yards by a lot is still 2008, most TDs 2014. Dolphins run game is pretty good, so that should help him out at least.

[Pendulous]

Anquan Boldin expected to sign today with the Bills.

Vince Wilfork's officially retiring and going into....BBQ'ing?!

https://twitter.com/wilfork75/status/894604103455657984

More impressive that he was able to do the jumping heel clack thing.

[Grapefruitsnz]

Yeah, true. Any kind of injuries or just bad play will quickly remove anyone from serious contention.

Cousins is losing his toys (due to injury and free agency) so he might not produce.
Cutler might just get injured or suck again.
Bradford could prove that last year wasn't just an O-line problem and that he just doesn't have it.
Bridgewater might not recover fully and still hadn;t quite put it together.
Jimmy G. is very unlikely to play this season and he's looked shaky so far with 7 INT in camp.
Brees likely signs another extension.

Easy to eliminate the whole list with very probable reasons.

On the other hand. I could have added Carson Palmer and Alex Smith to that list of potentials, cause both their teams seem to be looking at them as temporary starters before a youth movement takes place. I just felt that since they are still under contract it made less sense to add them.

We'll see as the year goes on.

Could also throw in Stafford to that list. Contract extension talks are still going and apparently they have agreed on the years of his new deal, Lions president rod wood came out last week and said there's still a sizeable gap between the two side on actual numbers. Highly doubt he doesn't end up back with the team but there is a chance he could go to FA.

[Pendulous]

Could also throw in Stafford to that list. Contract extension talks are still going and apparently they have agreed on the years of his new deal, Lions president rod wood came out last week and said there's still a sizeable gap between the two side on actual numbers. Highly doubt he doesn't end up back with the team but there is a chance he could go to FA.

If Stafford ends up as a free agent, the Lions deserve to go 0-16 again.

[xskarma]

Well then. OT Branden Albert (a Jaguar player at the moment) has decided that he wasn;t going to retire after all and wants to report to the team.

Wonder if that has anything to do with the SIZEABLE amount of money he would have had to pay back the Jags if he stayed retired. Hahahaha

Would you even want the guy on your team at that point? He's only doing it so he gets paid and has zero interest in anything else at that point. Motivation would be almost impossible, cause if you cut him, you are actually doing him a favor. To have a guy like that in your lockerroom and on your team, probably not giving his all and potentially not even being a part of the starting line up. Is there really any use to getting him back?

If I'm Jags brass, I'm pretty damn tempted to just tell him to get the hell out of there. I wonder if they could tell him to stay retired and still recoup the money he owes them. With some kind of claim that he only is coming back cause of the payments and that he's breaking the rules of his contract in some way.

[Vetali]

Well then. OT Branden Albert (a Jaguar player at the moment) has decided that he wasn;t going to retire after all and wants to report to the team.

Wonder if that has anything to do with the SIZEABLE amount of money he would have had to pay back the Jags if he stayed retired. Hahahaha

Would you even want the guy on your team at that point? He's only doing it so he gets paid and has zero interest in anything else at that point. Motivation would be almost impossible, cause if you cut him, you are actually doing him a favor. To have a guy like that in your lockerroom and on your team, probably not giving his all and potentially not even being a part of the starting line up. Is there really any use to getting him back?

If I'm Jags brass, I'm pretty damn tempted to just tell him to get the hell out of there. I wonder if they could tell him to stay retired and still recoup the money he owes them. With some kind of claim that he only is coming back cause of the payments and that he's breaking the rules of his contract in some way.

I'd kindly say fuck off.

[xskarma]

I'd kindly say fuck off.

After reading some Jaguars stuff (they are practicing with the Patriots at the moment, so I added some temporary Jags writers to my twitter feed), it seems the Jags might not actually have much choice, cause their O-line is godawful and they need every bit of help they can get.

Jags are coming out of this looking bad either way though. Either he plays and the whole "team accountability" thing Coughlin was trying to install is laughable OR gets cut and gets his money anyway and then maybe even signs elsewhere to play if he;s really intending to play. The only way they save face is if he indeed sticks with the team and then plays well this year. Otherwise this looks like a typical bad Jags decision.