NFL Thread

[Jx223]

According to ESPN and other reports Rex Ryan has just been fired as the Bills Head Coach. I know he didn't make a lot of progress with them but I do feel sorry for him. I like Rex and his players seem to really like him as well.

[mojoween]

So the Bills have cleaned house of Ryan brothers.  Does anyone think it's going to make a difference?

[Jx223]

The Bills have also decided to bench Tyrod Taylor for this last game. They will play EJ Manuel.I have heard some speculation from analysts as to whether or not they want to keep Tyrod Taylor.

Rex was a big supporter of him so his firing could definitely have an impact on Tyrod's possible future of the Bills. (Also, it's being reported that one reason Tyrod is sitting is to protect him from injury and possibly having to pay him guaranteed money when they aren't sure if they want to pick up the option of his contract.)

Edited December 27, 2016 by Jx223

[BitterApple]

2 hours ago, TobinAlbers said:

 

Who does Brady want to face? Eli or Dak? I think Dak. Although can you imagine the ratings for the third Giants/Pats SB?

Absolutely Dak. Eli's beaten the Pats twice in the Super Bowl and for whatever reason the Giants get into Brady's head, even if he won't admit it. I think Dak is a great kid and talented player, but at some point the pressure's finally going to hit him and he'll get shaky. I think either a Cowboys/Pats or Giants/Pats SB will have crazy ratings. 

[topanga]

32 minutes ago, Jx223 said:

According to ESPN and other reports Rex Ryan has just been fired as the Bills Head Coach

Just out of curiosity, has ESPN or Adam Schefter ever been wrong about anything?

[Jx223]

6 minutes ago, topanga said:

Just out of curiosity, has ESPN or Adam Schefter ever been wrong about anything?

I think they have been wrong with some things they have speculated about in the past. (Like predicting what teams some players might be traded to) But I can't remember a time where they have ever been wrong when they have said a coach has been officially fired.

[Popples]

I wonder what Bills' fan is going to by Rex's truck.

[FuriousStyles]

3 hours ago, TobinAlbers said:

Who does Brady want to face? Eli or Dak? I think Dak. Although can you imagine the ratings for the third Giants/Pats SB? Part of me wants Eli to get his third crack at Brady to cement that monkey on his back and every time Tom sees Eli flashing this 3 rings he knows that they could've been his. But I can also see Tom finally getting his revenge. He'd probably start sobbing in the middle of the field like LeBron. 

But if Eli/Giants were to pull it off all his critics need to kick rocks about him falling into those rings. He earned them-albeit with sometimes crazy inconsistent play and a lot of interceptions. He put the points on the board to win and the defense kept the other side from out scoring. Team effort. And as much as I adore Peyton, Eli getting his 3rd ring so he can tease 'Unless you come out of retirement....you not? Oh, well. Guess I'll be the only Three time SB champion in the family' would be hilarious.

Not only that...but a 3rd ring from Eli at the hands of Patriots IMO, will put an end to the "is Tom Brady the greatest QB ever".  You can't be the greatest ever at anything if you've been beaten by the same team and same QB THREE times.  That would be the best sort of bragging rights Eli could have. Thwarting Brady's "greatest ever" legacy while simultaneously enhancing his.

[merylinkid]

ESPN was very wrong about the PSI's on the "deflated" footballs.   The NFL leaked wildly inaccurate numbers to make the Pats look bad and claimed ALL the balls were that low.   It turns out only a few of them were low and then only by a little bit.   ESPN never corrected its story.

As for Ryan - what the hell is the point in firing them with one week left int he season?   Are you going to get that much of a head start on your head coaching search?   Or protect your guys you already have under contract by making them "interim?"   Just fire them on the Mondya after Week 17 like it's meant to be done.

[topanga]

39 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

As for Ryan - what the hell is the point in firing them with one week left int he season?   Are you going to get that much of a head start on your head coaching search?   Or protect your guys you already have under contract by making them "interim?"   Just fire them on the Mondya after Week 17 like it's meant to be done.

It seems like these GMs get off on humiliating coaches by pulling moves like this. Waiting a week until the season was over would absolutely send the same message: 'Rex, you've failed us as a coach, and aren't a good fit for our team.' Firing him before week 17 says, 'You're so bad, we don't even want you to coach the final game of the season, which is a meaningless game since we're eliminated from the playoffs. But coaching the team one more week might damage our players beyond repair. No, I want you to spend the final week of the season thinking about what a bad coach you are.' A real dick move, IMO.

[Fukui San]

There's a story out there that it's the money. Specifically, Tyrod Taylor's $30 Million injury guarantee.  Now that they're officially eliminated from the playoffs, they want to bench Taylor to keep their options open, and maybe to do that they have to can Ryan if he wouldn't go along with that. Same as the Colin Kaepernick thing earlier this season.

[Bastet]

Quote

I was hoping this would be like that end of season Giants/Pats game where no one gave the Giants a chance but then they played their hearts out and gave them such a run for their money that even though they lost, they came so close that it heartened them to go into the playoffs with crazy good momentum and they beat every big dog NFC team in the playoffs so that when they got to the SB it was a rematch with the Pats who they weren't scared of anymore and they had beaten the odds for the last 3 weeks so that while no one else believed in them, they believed in themselves.

I remember that game so well.  I love that Tom Coughlin kept the voice mail John Madden left him after that game:

Quote

Just called to congratulate you and your team for a great effort last night. Not good, but great. I think it's one of the best things to happen in the NFL in the last ten years, and I don't know if they all know it, but they should be very grateful to you and your team for what you did. I believe so firmly in this: that there is only one way to play the game, and it is a regular season game and you go out and win the darn game. I was just so proud being a part of the NFL and of what your guys did and the way you did it. You proved that it's a game and there's only one way to play the game and you did it. The NFL needed it. We've gotten too much of, "Well, they're going to rest their players and don't need to win, therefore they won't win." Well, that's not sports and that's not competition. I'm a little emotional about it. I'm just so proud. It's something we all need to thank you for, and I believe the NFL needed that.

[xaxat]

4 hours ago, merylinkid said:

As for Ryan - what the hell is the point in firing them with one week left int he season?   Are you going to get that much of a head start on your head coaching search?   Or protect your guys you already have under contract by making them "interim?"   Just fire them on the Mondya after Week 17 like it's meant to be done.

 

The Bills lost to the Dolphins in overtime Saturday in large part because Ajayi managed to rip off a fifty plus run when the Bills only had ten men on the field. 

It might not be the most rational of moves, but I can totally understand that being the tipping point.

[caracas1914]

17 hours ago, TobinAlbers said:

 

Who does Brady want to face? Eli or Dak? I think Dak. Although can you imagine the ratings for the third Giants/Pats SB? Part of me wants Eli to get his third crack at Brady to cement that monkey on his back and every time Tom sees Eli flashing this 3 rings he knows that they could've been his. But I can also see Tom finally getting his revenge. He'd probably start sobbing in the middle of the field like LeBron. 

 

Maybe it's me but I would think Tom would relish getting a crack at the Giants and Eli, it's not as if they were blown out of the 2 SB's they lost.  *If* it's the Giants the Patriots  face.   

Having said that, I don't think somone like Brady gives all that much of fuck who he's going to face as far as the opposing QB, it's a matter of which defense he's encountering.  

Dak is the wild card because no one knows how he'll react to the reality of playoff pressure, their is no history or experience there.   Sometimes that's a "good" thing. 

[merylinkid]

Mostly though, lack of experience is a bad thing.   The big thing Cowboys have going for them is mental.   They've kept the momentum up, even after losing to the Giants.   They bounced back both times and got back in the groove.   They are home throughout the playoffs, so no wear and tear in traveling.   The Super Bowl will even involve minimum traveling since its in Houston.   The closest we've come to that in the past was the 1987 49ers when the Super Bowl was at Stanford.   Just being on "home" territory will be helpful.

But the Boys are lightening in a bottle.   It's magic that we don't know how long will last. 

[Carey]

San Francisco wasn't in the Super Bowl in 1987. That was New York in that calendar year and Washington in the 1987 season

I agree that Dallas playing at NRG Stadium is very beneficial; even if they had to travel, it would faze the likes of a Dak or a Zeke.  I think they’re having the mentality that New England has had over the past decade in a half (and the Patriots still have that today).  No matter the situation, they play the game

Even if they don’t win, the Cowboys are going to be a tough out in the years to come if/when all goes well, especially when the defense rises one more level.  Really they have been in contention since 2006 (save for a couple years).  But a super bowl berth close to home is helpful, as it was with Denver last year and for Seattle a year before, albeit 99 yards within a 100-yard field

Rex getting fired reminded me of Singletary's ouster.  That one was a little lame since the 49ers weren't going anywhere.  Same thing here, right when Buffalo was mathematically gone.  What sucks here was that the guy was given 2-years only and really didn't falter like the Jets, or other teams outside that division like Jacksonville & Cleveland.  Really, I think it may have been a mistake to hire Rex; I guess Doug Marrone was right to flat out quit.  I do remember saying that he saw something in the Pegulas that would have someone saying "No Thanks!" to the job

Edited December 28, 2016 by Carey

[benteen]

I don't think Rex is a good coach and he's always been far, far more interested in being the coach of the defense then being the head coach.  Like Chip "I refuse to accept that I'm a college coach" Kelly, he would have been wiser to sit out coaching for a year so he could have gotten a better job.  He should have taken a year off and started learning more about offense, perhaps scout a future offensive coordinator he could have hired.  But like Chip, he rushed back into coaching by taking the first lousy job that was offered (Eric Mangini also did this) and his chances of being an NFL coach again are practically nil.  He will definitely be a DC again if he wants it and could probably get a good college head coaching job.  But a two-time failed NFL coach doesn't often get another shot.

Chip Kelly could have waited out a year and he would have been offered the Texas and LSU job this year.  But Chip is convinced he's an NFL coach so he would have turned that down.  Likely another good job would have opened up in the NFL after a year or two and he could have pointed to his 26-21 record at the Eagles and how the coach who succeeded him has done a terrible job.

Speaking of which, Doug Pederson has shown why Andy Reid never allowed him to call plays.  The Eagles should have let him remain Reid's clipboard holder.

I do agree though that Terry Bradshaw is out of line with Tomlin but he's always had a bug up his ass about certain people.  I read he used to trash John Elway for his Super Bowl performances and ignore the fact that the only reason the Broncos made those first three Super Bowls was because of how Elway played in the playoffs (ie the drive against Cleveland).  Terry is lucky he was surrounded by a lot of great players on those Steelers because he may have been an average player at best without them.  Bradshaw had only four regular season games where he passed for 300 or more yards.  He played great in two of the Super Bowls he won, no question about it.  But he benefitted immensely from being surrounded by a lot of great players.

Edited December 28, 2016 by benteen

[stealinghome]

ITA that Rex made a big mistake jumping right back into the first head coaching gig he was offered after the Jets. Even several sportswriters wrote about it at the time--too bad for him he didn't take heed. I see him moving to broadcasting.

I hope Buffalo gets a crappy coach, since they have enough talent to be really consistently tough if they can snag a good coach.

[Crs97]

3 hours ago, benteen said:

Terry is lucky he was surrounded by a lot of great players on those Steelers because he may have been an average player at best without them.  Bradshaw had only four regular season games where he passed for 300 or more yards.  He played great in two of the Super Bowls he won, no question about it.  But he benefitted immensely from being surrounded by a lot of great players.

I remember watching a "behind the scenes" Steelers-Cowboys classic when they interviewed players about the game-changing plays.  There was a moment when Terry changed the play at the line and looked like a genius.  They show the play and Terry talks about what he saw and why he changed it.  Then they switch to the defenders who, to a man, laughingly explain how Terry misread their defense but then called the wrong play to counteract the defense he thought he saw so that he basically lucked into the touchdown.  Never the sharpest knife in the drawer.

[twoods]

No matter what coach the Bills get, they are still going to miss the playoffs. That's their thing. They can't decide who to make their QB (Tyrod or EJ) so will keep flipping back and forth. Their D started off decent but has faded. I just can't with them anymore.

[mojoween]

The NFL is moving the Hall of Fame game to Thursday and I cannot fathom why.

[merylinkid]

Because the Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony is held on the same field on Saturday night.   They then have to remove the covering on the field, paint it with the team logos and hope the paint dries before the game.   Last year it didn't so they tried to speed up the drying with hot blowers.   Which led to the field melting and the cancellation of the game.

If the game is on Thursday they can get the field in shape well in advance of the game.   THEN cover it up for the Ceremony.

[Constantinople]

3 hours ago, mojoween said:

The NFL is moving the Hall of Fame game to Thursday and I cannot fathom why.

I can't fathom why they have a Hall of Fame game.  No better way to honor the best players in the history of the game than by holding a meaningless game that no one cares about, full of players who'll be fortunate to make a roster or even a practice squad.

[Carey]

Or full of players that would not automatically be cured for meaningful games if they got hurt in a meaningless game!

[topanga]

1 hour ago, Constantinople said:

I can't fathom why they have a Hall of Fame game.  No better way to honor the best players in the history of the game than by holding a meaningless game that no one cares about, full of players who'll be fortunate to make a roster or even a practice squad.

I guess they figure NFL fans want to see an NFL game. I've been to the Hall of Fame weekend, and the only players I cared about were the ones being enshrined and the players/journalists I saw roaming around over the weekend:  Barry Sanders! Sean Lee! Willie McGinest! Rich Eisen! 

I honestly don't care much about watching a pre-season game--except that it meant I got to see the analysts and sideline reporters up close. But I doubt the NFL would ever get rid of the game completely. 

[merylinkid]

A few years ago, the Baseball players union wanted to get rid of the Hall of Fame game because it "difficult" to get to Cooperstown.   No it's not.   But anyway, it was strongly pointed out that if players want to get into the Hall of Fame someday they should some damn respect and play a game.    I feel the same way about the Football Hall of Fame game.  After getting a Super Bowl ring every player's goal is to be enshrined in the Hall.    So they should acknowledge what it takes to get there by playing a game there.  

Also to me, it shows Football is back, baby, after the long offseason.

[mojoween]

I understand that there are other preseason games that are played on Thursdays but they are not that well-attended are they?  Because how many people do they anticipate taking time off from work from Thursday to Saturday, when ostensibly when the game was on Sunday they might not need to take any work off at all?

[Constantinople]

28 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

A few years ago, the Baseball players union wanted to get rid of the Hall of Fame game because it "difficult" to get to Cooperstown.   No it's not.   But anyway, it was strongly pointed out that if players want to get into the Hall of Fame someday they should some damn respect and play a game.    I feel the same way about the Football Hall of Fame game.  After getting a Super Bowl ring every player's goal is to be enshrined in the Hall.    So they should acknowledge what it takes to get there by playing a game there.

It's the league, not the players, who show a lack of respect by tying a meaningless preseason game to the Hall of Fame induction.  Players show their respect by giving it their all in the regular season and the playoffs.  No one was ever inducted for their great preseason play.

Also, I don't find the comparison with baseball apt.  It seems a lot more football players are injured in preseason games, and much more severely, than baseball players are in spring training games.

[DrSpaceman73]

On ‎12‎/‎26‎/‎2016 at 0:31 AM, merylinkid said:

 

http://www.stampedeblue.com/2016/12/28/14109642/speculation-begins-to-grow-about-possibility-of-peyton-manning-returning-to-the-colts-jim-irsay

Rumors of Manning returning to the Colts as GM

I for one am not a Colts fan that supports this.  Not right now.  It could be a good move one day, but its not the right team for either Manning or the Colts for this to happen

Manning has only been retired a year and needs some more time away from the game I think before he would be able to commit to the hours again needed to do the job

On top of that, as great as he was as a player, and as his own scout in preparing for games, he has no GM experience.  The Colts needs an experienced person to upgrade the roster, not a big name former player with no actual GM experience. 

I'd be OK with him coming in as QBs coach or OC, then continuing to learn on the job from someone with more front office experience, but not him just stepping in as GM after being out of the league only a year. 

Plus it still would not solve the Colts coaching problem, though there are rumors about this as well, I believe may be also mentioned on the article

Heck Jeff Saturday would be a better choice than Manning if this is the route the Colts want to use.  He has been doing front office work since retiring and was one of the key players in the last union/league negotiations. 

 

Edited to add :  no idea why the quote from merylinkid appeared, its not relevant and seems to be a websight error I can't get rid of

Edited December 30, 2016 by DrSpaceman73

[merylinkid]

Oh fine, just make me feel bad.   Here I got all excited you were quoting me then it turns out it was mistake.

 

As for Manning as GM.   Just no.   I love the man -- 5 head and all -- but he does not have the experience to be a GM yet.   Give him a front office job, sure.  But not GM, not right out of the gate.  

This is someone's wishful thinking after how bad things have gone with Luck.

[mojoween]

I can offer Peyton a position to come and hang out with me.  It's completely unpaid but at least I won't make him sing the jingle!

Did Polian and Irsay have a messy breakup?  They could use him.  The Bills could use him again too for that matter.

[voiceover]

5 hours ago, merylinkid said:

Oh fine, just make me feel bad.   Here I got all excited you were quoting me then it turns out it was mistake.

Here you go.  For reals. ?

@DrSpaceman73, I've noticed the same kind of "burping" lately in every other post.  Either the last post I wrote shows up immediately, or it has me quoting someone, without quoting them!  

I confess I'm relieved it's happened to someone else -- I had a stroke last year & thought the symptoms were revisiting me.

[Carey]

With all of the injuries, lack of interest, and low attendance in the preseason games, I think the 18-game schedule is in the foreseeable future.  As far as fans wanting to see football within preseason, I have to say no to that. At least the majority of fans don't love the thought of paying a lot of money to see people playing that will end up bagging groceries or fixing cars in September.  18 games within a season would make sure the owners and league don't lose a penny for getting rid of two preseason games in favor of two more meaningful games, while testing the players for this change

 

Peyton being the GM is a great idea.  Based on what we know, I agree it's too soon.  Maybe Manning has the skills to lead, which was shown throughout his tenure.  It's a different level.  Sure Elway joined as a big time leader, but it helps to know John had nearly a decade of experience in the AFL, much more than Manning has now.

IMO, Peyton and Bill Polian now would be an upgrade over Grigson.  Not sure the relationship, with Peyton not retiring with Indianapolis; with Polian, despite getting exposed for not having a contingency over Manning's absense after all the warnings of that, probably shouldn't have been booted for one year of awfulness following a decade of dominance

[Silver Raven]

Every year, the 49er players name one of their teammates for the Len Eshmont award for most inspirational player.  This year they voted the award to Colin Kapernick.

[BitterApple]

Huh. Not sure I agree with that one, but whatever, it's their team not mine.

Edited December 31, 2016 by BitterApple

[FuriousStyles]

I see why they voted Colin.  He sparked one of the biggest conversations about race thru his silent protest; and did inspire a lot of players not only in the NFL but in other sports to make their own gestures (at least for a time); had the President (and soon to be President) talking about his protests.  He ended up on TIME magazine, etc. etc.  I by no means agree with everything Kaepernick did this year (not voting...and then announcing to the world he didnt vote; saying Hillary and Donald are equally terrible; and some other ignornant statements he's made just had me SMH, but overall I can see why his team would give him that award.

[merylinkid]

From the files of "I'm incredibly slow," thanks to the new Papa John's commercial, I just realized that Peyton Manning only played for teams that had a horsie for mascot.

Make your resolution for the New Year to be kind to the slow on the uptake amongst us.

[Moose135]

1 hour ago, merylinkid said:

I just realized that Peyton Manning only played for teams that had a horsie for mascot.

I never really thought about it - and I avoid Papa John commercials - but you are right!

[Jx223]

According to Ian Rapoport from NFL.com the 49ers are expected to fire Chip Kelly and GM Trent Baalke.

Edited January 1, 2017 by Jx223

[mojoween]

I cannot find anything online about this at all, but there is a note on my local FOX station that says FOX has been taken off the air because Verizon and Bristlecone are feuding.  It's weird because the same thing happened last year or the year before.

All I know is if I can't watch the Giants play I am going to be super pissed.

[merylinkid]

I did a twitter search -- they reached an agreement.   You can watch your kryptonite, I mean giants, tomorrow.

[mojoween]

I think that might have been the 2015 agreement because it's still out.  However since I have Verizon Wireless they can't stop me from watching the game on my phone apparently.  Yay. 

[Jx223]

Now it's being reported by places like ESPN, and NFL.com Gary Kubiak is likely to retire. There are a whole lot of head coaching vacancies/potential vacanies opening up. And it's not even Black Monday yet. I wonder what coaches will end up filling these open HC positions. Tom Couglin has interviewed for the Jags position and I'm hearing familiar names being mentioned as potential candidates for other teams.

Edited January 1, 2017 by Jx223

[Magog]

Quote

 cannot find anything online about this at all, but there is a note on my local FOX station that says FOX has been taken off the air because Verizon and Bristlecone are feuding.  It's weird because the same thing happened last year or the year before.

All I know is if I can't watch the Giants play I am going to be super pissed.

Quote

I think that might have been the 2015 agreement because it's still out.  However since I have Verizon Wireless they can't stop me from watching the game on my phone apparently.  Yay. 

I have Verizon Cable & my local FOX station is still on. 

Is there any reason what so ever to even watch the 1pm games today? There would of been one today, but you can thank the Chargers for messing that up last week. I am still very mad about that. Normally, I don't ever do this on an NFL Sunday, but I think a 3 1/2 hour nap would be more productive for the early games. 

[mojoween]

My husband got an email from Verizon and it says FOX in Syracuse is the one they are having a pissing match with.  I can't believe that the last time they pulled this shit they apparently only signed a two year agreement.  

Jim Irsay is being cryptic and so now Colts staffers are concerned.  But the Bears are not thinking of making changes right now.  This is all per ESPN.

[Popples]

Adam Schefter on ESPN just said that the Chargers will probably get rid of Mike McCoy. He's completely underachieved and lost to an 0-14 team, so that seems like the correct move. Black Monday is going to be a hell of a thing to watch tomorrow.

57 minutes ago, Magog said:

Is there any reason what so ever to even watch the 1pm games today? There would of been one today, but you can thank the Chargers for messing that up last week. I am still very mad about that. Normally, I don't ever do this on an NFL Sunday, but I think a 3 1/2 hour nap would be more productive for the early games.

Football naps are so good, and the early slate does look coma inducing. I usually take them on Saturdays because college games goes well past midnight on the east coast.

[merylinkid]

I am so bad -- I am glad I don't have to work tomorrow making it is easier to follow the coaching firings.    Usually I have to do around the day job.  

I can't figure out why Kubiak would walk away from the Broncos.   He has one of the premier jobs in football, the undying support of the front office and he inherited a decent team.   Why would leave that voluntarily?

As for the Colts, Pagano needs to go too.   It can't all be blamed on Grigson not knowing how to build a team.   They didn't have all the pieces the year Bruce Arians was interim while Pagano was sick.   That should tell people something.

I'll have the games on at 1 just because it's the last day of the regular season.   Soon we won't have football at all.

[xaxat]

14 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

I can't figure out why Kubiak would walk away from the Broncos.   He has one of the premier jobs in football, the undying support of the front office and he inherited a decent team.   Why would leave that voluntarily?

Health reasons. He's had migraines that kept him from coaching a couple of games and suffered from a mini-stroke.

[Carey]

Yeah, it's 100% health related for Gary Kubiak.  I think definitely the correct call. I think Tom Coughlin to Denver would be a great fit (unless I'm forgetting something)

Quote

Adam Schefter on ESPN just said that the Chargers will probably get rid of Mike McCoy. He's completely underachieved and lost to an 0-14 team, so that seems like the correct move. Black Monday is going to be a hell of a thing to watch tomorrow.

Tomorrow is going to be a joy. My popcorn is on the clock. Though with Mike McCoy, the injury situation was surreal so maybe he survives, but if not, it would be the correct call

[BitterApple]

1 hour ago, merylinkid said:

 

As for the Colts, Pagano needs to go too.   It can't all be blamed on Grigson not knowing how to build a team.   They didn't have all the pieces the year Bruce Arians was interim while Pagano was sick.   That should tell people something.

 

Pagano should've been fired a long time ago. I think Isray fears a PR disaster if he axes the guy who beat cancer. I can't think of any other reason they've kept him around for as long as they have.