NFL updates/news

[Vetali]

You really can't base anything off pre-season games.

I'm going to wait until the first three weeks are played to see how Brady / NE look.

There is a lot to base off of preseason games. Roster depth and trade potential are 1 and 2...

Oh yeah RIP in piece Von Miller for 6 games. Its official.

[PBitt]

There is a lot to base off of preseason games. Roster depth and trade potential are 1 and 2...

Oh yeah RIP in piece Von Miller for 6 games. Its official.

I think he was saying you can't judge how good a team is going to be in the actual season based on how they perform in the pre-season, which I agree with 100%, but of course you are right about what you mentioned as well...and that's about all you get out of pre-season games.

[Vetali]

I think he was saying you can't judge how good a team is going to be in the actual season based on how they perform in the pre-season, which I agree with 100%, but of course you are right about what you mentioned as well...and that's about all you get out of pre-season games.

Depends on the team really. A team like the Patriots, yeah. BB won't give any sort of material for teams to prepare on during the start of the actual season.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh holy shit I missed it because of the Von Miller stuff blowing up twitter, but the John Moffitt trade was voided and is now heading to Denver.

And Golden Tate with a great answer to "Will you Lambeau leap if you score a TD," "Oh no, they might shank me or something - I'm not doing that."

[Jibjabb]

I think he was saying you can't judge how good a team is going to be in the actual season based on how they perform in the pre-season, which I agree with 100%, but of course you are right about what you mentioned as well...and that's about all you get out of pre-season games.

Yup, people who get excited over preseason performances and/or outcomes havent watched the NFL very long. They are completely and utterly meaningless. Its been shown time and time again that playing well/poorly in the preseason for a team or individual can have zero impact on the upcoming season. Heck Peterson didnt even play a snap and had one of the greatest rushing seasons of all time

[draynay]

Yup, people who get excited over preseason performances and/or outcomes havent watched the NFL very long. They are completely and utterly meaningless.

Well for clarity's sake, they aren't meaningless, where people get confused is where they think its about anything other than competition within the team. How they fare against opposing teams is meaningless, how individuals who are competing for jobs fare is what it is all about, and if people are looking for interest anywhere else then they are going to be disappointed.

My preseason takeaway is "Oh good, the young receivers are playing well enough that they will get the chance to play once the season starts, I hope they can carry it over." I don't think people should get much further than that with their own teams. Am I going to expect the defense to be great because they got 7 sacks against the Raiders? No way, but its better than no sacks, hopefully the preseason experience will help get the new defensive scheme set up, but I have received no indicators whether or not it will work once the games count.

[Deleted]

Don't put any logic into the preseason. Most of the time you play 2nd stringers that ain't nearly as good. The preseason is meant to get the players into the habbit of playing week after week again, after many months of relaxation.

[conscript]

Yup, people who get excited over preseason performances and/or outcomes havent watched the NFL very long. They are completely and utterly meaningless. Its been shown time and time again that playing well/poorly in the preseason for a team or individual can have zero impact on the upcoming season. Heck Peterson didnt even play a snap and had one of the greatest rushing seasons of all time

Proof that the preseason means absolutely nothing:
The 2008 Detroit Lions finished the preseason 4-0 with a +48 point differential thanks to giving up a stellar 8.0 ppg.
They then proceeded to be the first team in the history of the NFL to finish 0-16. Their ppg against? 32.3.

Fun fact: From the last game of 2007 to the last game of 2009, the Lions went 2-31. If you include preseason, that mark bumps to 9-32. Yes, the Lions were 7-1 in the preseason in 2008-2009 when they finished 2-30 in the regular season.

Funner fact: If you stretch that from week 17 in 2007 to week 13 in 2010, the Lions went 4-41 in the regular season and 10-2 in the preseason.

- - - Updated - - -

Someone want to explain to me how this hit is worth a $21,000 fine for Bostic:

I don't see:
-Helmet to helmet contact
-Targeting of the head
-Leading with the helmet
-Hitting a defenseless receiver
-Extreme taunting
-Anything but a great hit

Also, that play is a fumble, not an incompletion. Receiver had possession of the ball and made a couple football moves by turning up field.

[Deleted]

Looks like leading with the helmet to me...

If you're using the html5 version of youtube try playing it at 0,25 speed.

[draynay]

I saw leading with the helmet, defenseless receiver is so vague they could apply it all over the place, and I'm pretty sure they've done away with the whole "football move" thing, but I would've called it a fumble still.

[TheFNK]

He should have politely asked the receiver to tackle himself to prevent an injury. Irresponsible. Really painful to see this fine when you look at the Hartline comments complaining about going low. So you can't go high. You can't go low. And you hit a guy between the shoulderpads and you get a fine.

[draynay]

Really painful to see this fine when you look at the Hartline comments complaining about going low. So you can't go high. You can't go low. And you hit a guy between the shoulderpads and you get a fine.

pretty much

[conscript]

Looks like leading with the helmet to me...

I would love to see a diagram of how to tackle without leading with your helmet. In that picture, I see his arms extended in front of his body. The receiver is running near perpendicular to the angle of the tackler making it very difficult to line up and hit with your shoulder exactly. There should be a difference between hitting with your helmet while making a tackle and leading with your helmet where you launch with it aimed at another guys head and make no effort to wrap up.

Barring evolution or medical advancement which increases arm length to about 10 feet, I don't see how it is possible to make a tackle without helmet contact to the receiver.

[Pendulous]

I would love to see a diagram of how to tackle without leading with your helmet. In that picture, I see his arms extended in front of his body. The receiver is running near perpendicular to the angle of the tackler making it very difficult to line up and hit with your shoulder exactly. There should be a difference between hitting with your helmet while making a tackle and leading with your helmet where you launch with it aimed at another guys head and make no effort to wrap up.

Barring evolution or medical advancement which increases arm length to about 10 feet, I don't see how it is possible to make a tackle without helmet contact to the receiver.

I really think they expect all defensive players to be standing perfectly upright when they make tackles.

[conscript]

I really think they expect all defensive players to be standing perfectly upright when they make tackles.

I can't wait until some guy goes cleats first to make a tackle.

[Stommped]

Just remember, everyone wants to blame the NFL for shit like this - but they HAVE to do these rule changes/fines in order to protect themselves from being sued for millions of dollars from ex-PLAYERS. Wouldn't you do the same if you were running the business? Will be interesting to see if any of these guys who played during these crazy fine days like James Harrison end up joining the players who are suing the NFL. That would be the ultimate irony.

[Vetali]

Someone want to explain to me how this hit is worth a $21,000 fine for Bostic:

I don't see:
-Helmet to helmet contact
-Targeting of the head
-Leading with the helmet
-Hitting a defenseless receiver
-Extreme taunting
-Anything but a great hit

Also, that play is a fumble, not an incompletion. Receiver had possession of the ball and made a couple football moves by turning up field.

I feel like game changing plays like this shouldn't be fined. Cheap shots, clubbing people with their own helmets, and wearing their socks too low is more acceptable to fine than fining that.

And yeah, that was a clear fumble.

Though the Kam Chancellor to Vernon Davis hit wasn't fined. Thats why I think this shit should be reviewed in the booth before making a game changing call. Obviously the NFL looked at it and deemed it not fine worthy.

[Deleted]

I would love to see a diagram of how to tackle without leading with your helmet. In that picture, I see his arms extended in front of his body. The receiver is running near perpendicular to the angle of the tackler making it very difficult to line up and hit with your shoulder exactly. There should be a difference between hitting with your helmet while making a tackle and leading with your helmet where you launch with it aimed at another guys head and make no effort to wrap up.

Barring evolution or medical advancement which increases arm length to about 10 feet, I don't see how it is possible to make a tackle without helmet contact to the receiver.

Problem is that he lowers his head and rams him like a bull. I think some players in Pittsburgh got fined all season for doing that over and over again. There are plenty of ways you can tackle without using the ramming technique.

[draynay]

I would love to see a diagram of how to tackle without leading with your helmet. In that picture, I see his arms extended in front of his body. The receiver is running near perpendicular to the angle of the tackler making it very difficult to line up and hit with your shoulder exactly. There should be a difference between hitting with your helmet while making a tackle and leading with your helmet where you launch with it aimed at another guys head and make no effort to wrap up.

Yes, he certainly didn't launch himself, if it wasn't clear from my response, I also felt it was not a fine-worthy hit. That is generally the stance I take, but sometimes it can be really difficult, I always go back and look at the hit by Chancellor on Davis along the sideline, it was exactly the kind of hit we grew up watching and appreciate, but it was also dangerous, it can be a fine line. This hit did not look to be near that fine line, it looked like a normal hit to me.

[obdigore]

I don't see:
-Helmet to helmet contact
-Targeting of the head
-Leading with the helmet
-Hitting a defenseless receiver
-Extreme taunting
-Anything but a great hit

Also, that play is a fumble, not an incompletion. Receiver had possession of the ball and made a couple football moves by turning up field.

Looked like his helmet was lead with and caught the receivers helmet when he tackled him, when it plays at full speed.

That said, Defensive backs HAVE to be confused about how they can hit. Can't touch the receivers helmet, or you get a fine. Can't touch their knees, or you get a fine. What happens when those receivers put their shoulder and helmet down as you are diving at their waist to tackle them? Fine.

It is really fricken silly, and it is all because of the lawsuit about how the NFL isn't doing enough to protect players from concussions.

[icausewipes]

Looked like his helmet was lead with and caught the receivers helmet when he tackled him, when it plays at full speed.

That said, Defensive backs HAVE to be confused about how they can hit. Can't touch the receivers helmet, or you get a fine. Can't touch their knees, or you get a fine. What happens when those receivers put their shoulder and helmet down as you are diving at their waist to tackle them? Fine.

It is really fricken silly, and it is all because of the lawsuit about how the NFL isn't doing enough to protect players from concussions.

I thought the new rule protects the player from lowering their helmets outside the tackle box?