American Football

[pride_of_notts]

I certainly agree about the Niners front, it is as good as I can remember seeing. Even so Mahomes is much more mobile than Rodgers at this point in his career and frankly he has better weapons outside of Davante Adams. The question will be how the Niners secondary holds up as they are largely zone and the likes of Hill and Hardman have the speed just to go right through that. To have any hope of stopping that KC offense you need to bump them at the line and disrupt their routes, that’s when they can get to Mahomes. That and maybe bracketing Kelce too, can’t allow him the sort of free releases the Titans were especially on third down.

Yeah I would agree there Mahomes is more mobile and the weapons are definately better than the Packers i think the Match up between them and 49ers is one of the most interesting Super Bowls can the Chiefs Receivers uncover before the 49ers get Mahomes Also I think both Kittle and Kelce will be major factors in both teams passing games.

 

[kieran_vale]

Now this site seems to be back up and running after going down for the 100000000th time seemingly congratulations to Craig on last night. Pleased for you, enjoy the moment.

Thought it was a terrific game. Shanahan may want some of his play calls back when he had the lead again. To happen twice now is going to fairly or unfairly haunt him. Even so to explode the way KC did on that defense is some achievement.

 

[Craig]

I’m at a loss for words really, amazing night and absolutely loving it.

There’s an overriding feeling that this won’t be Mahomes only SB appearance and it’s a damn good time to be a Chiefs fan right now. Keep the offense together and improve the D and we’ll be unstoppable for a long time to come.

 

[pride_of_notts]

I’m at a loss for words really, amazing night and absolutely loving it.

There’s an overriding feeling that this won’t be Mahomes only SB appearance and it’s a damn good time to be a Chiefs fan right now. Keep the offense together and improve the D and we’ll be unstoppable for a long time to come.

Really pleased for Andy Reid been long overdue for him to get that ring and the Chiefs do look really good short term but the Cap could become an issue especially with Mahomes contract fast approaching and that will definately set the market

 

[Stagat]

Playoff Predict van Dyke Update #4 - aka the last one

With the site being down I got some predictions by other means from some folks. They were as follows.

Lightweight Andy: 49ers 34 v 28 Chiefs + 3pts difference
Creg: Chiefs 41 vs 37 49ers + 10 pts difference
MBExFM: Chiefs 27 vs 21 49ers + 3pts difference

No predictions from Kieran or Tom but they still managed to score as many as most of us this week so well done to them and their superior use of their time and energy.

Anyway, here's how we all did. And I have to say, the state of this guys. We suck.

me 0 (49ers) + 0 (score bang on) + 0 (difference)
Kieran 0 + 0 + 0
Abers 0 + 0 + 0
Pride o' Notts 0 + 0 + 0
Lightweight Andy 0 + 0 + 0
Tom 0 + 0 + 0
MBExFM 2 (Chiefs, predicted last week) + 0 + 0
Creglington 1 (Chiefs, predicted this week) + 0 + 0

It took me a while to add all that to the existing leaderboard but I managed it in the end. Here's our final standings:

Final Standings!

1. Abers 15pts --- (3 week one + 8 week two + 4 week three + 0 week four)
2. MBExFM 14pts --- (1 + 7 + 4 + 2)
3. #stagat 13pts --- (1 + 6 + 6 + 0)
4. Tom 10pts --- (3 + 5 + 2 + 0)
4. Creg 10pts --- (1 + 5 + 3 + 1)
6. Kieran 7pts --- (1 + 5 + 1 + 0)
6. Pride o' Notts 7pts --- (1 + 4 + 2 + 0)
6. Lightweight Andy 7pts --- (0 + 5 + 2 + 0)

Great weekend for Creg as his Chiefs win the big one and he moves up to finish joint 4th in this! And MBExFM pipped me to 2nd, the bastard.

It wasn't enough to catch our winner though, the great predictator, measuring 15 on the predichter scale, the predictasaurus rex... congratulations and well done Aberstones!

Game notes

I tried to make it harder to score as we got deeper into the playoffs. And also with the chance to score increasingly more points as we went too so nobody became unassailable.

Definitely achieved the first thing judging by this week.

Thanks all for playing.

 

[kieran_vale]

Playoff Predict van Dyke Update #4 - aka the last one

With the site being down I got some predictions by other means from some folks. They were as follows.

Lightweight Andy: 49ers 34 v 28 Chiefs + 3pts difference
Creg: Chiefs 41 vs 37 49ers + 10 pts difference
MBExFM: Chiefs 27 vs 21 49ers + 3pts difference

No predictions from Kieran or Tom but they still managed to score as many as most of us this week so well done to them and their superior use of their time and energy.

Anyway, here's how we all did. And I have to say, the state of this guys. We suck.

me 0 (49ers) + 0 (score bang on) + 0 (difference)
Kieran 0 + 0 + 0
Abers 0 + 0 + 0
Pride o' Notts 0 + 0 + 0
Lightweight Andy 0 + 0 + 0
Tom 0 + 0 + 0
MBExFM 2 (Chiefs, predicted last week) + 0 + 0
Creglington 1 (Chiefs, predicted this week) + 0 + 0

It took me a while to add all that to the existing leaderboard but I managed it in the end. Here's our final standings:

Final Standings!

1. Abers 15pts --- (3 week one + 8 week two + 4 week three + 0 week four)
2. MBExFM 14pts --- (1 + 7 + 4 + 2)
3. #stagat 13pts --- (1 + 6 + 6 + 0)
4. Tom 10pts --- (3 + 5 + 2 + 0)
4. Creg 10pts --- (1 + 5 + 3 + 1)
6. Kieran 7pts --- (1 + 5 + 1 + 0)
6. Pride o' Notts 7pts --- (1 + 4 + 2 + 0)
6. Lightweight Andy 7pts --- (0 + 5 + 2 + 0)

Great weekend for Creg as his Chiefs win the big one and he moves up to finish joint 4th in this! And MBExFM pipped me to 2nd, the bastard.

It wasn't enough to catch our winner though, the great predictator, measuring 15 on the predichter scale, the predictasaurus rex... congratulations and well done Aberstones!

Game notes

I tried to make it harder to score as we got deeper into the playoffs. And also with the chance to score increasingly more points as we went too so nobody became unassailable.

Definitely achieved the first thing judging by this week.

Thanks all for playing.

Apologies Stagat, would have put a prediction in unfortunately this site having a few gremlins leading up to Super Bowl prevented my path to glory in this.

Re KC they’ve rightly been installed as the favourites for next season. Be very hard though, no team has gone back to back since we did in the early 2000s and they will now have a target on their back by all the other teams. Got a nice 2 year window though as theoretically they could use the fifth year option on Mahomes so shouldn’t be an immediate concern.

On to the off-season most uncertain time can remember for the Pats not least with the QB position. Probably will lose Van Noy also in free agency and may have to make some savings elsewhere if we are to provide whoever the QB is with sufficient weapons for next year.

 

[Aberstone]

Congrats Craig, feels good to win the big one huh?

Steelers FA plans will be to somehow keep Bud Dupree and Javon Hargrave. I think they'll plump to retain the former but if Hargrave goes, that's going to be a tough ask finding an adequate Nose Tackle without a first round pick.

Edit: Jags playing back-to-back home games at Wembley next season, games against Pittsburgh and Chicago will definitely take place in Jacksonville. Shad Khan really is clueless when to paraphrase him, he didn't think fans in Jacksonville would react negatively to the news.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Re KC they’ve rightly been installed as the favourites for next season. Be very hard though, no team has gone back to back since we did in the early 2000s and they will now have a target on their back by all the other teams. Got a nice 2 year window though as theoretically they could use the fifth year option on Mahomes so shouldn’t be an immediate concern.

They can take there time i think it is likely KC would like to tie up Mahomes quickly given the impending CBA after the 2020 season which tends to inflate contracts after it

On to the off-season most uncertain time can remember for the Pats not least with the QB position. Probably will lose Van Noy also in free agency and may have to make some savings elsewhere if we are to provide whoever the QB is with sufficient weapons for next year.

Yeah Patriots will be interesting there looks like a lot of holes Offensively and the Defence but a bigger worry for them is the Coaching holes in particular O-Line. It's for me think the Afc East is there for the taking this year

 

[Aberstone]

Adam Schefter reporting some pretty big news tonight re: NFL owners proposal for the current CBA. What we definitely know is that if the new CBA is approved in the coming weeks there will be 7 teams per conference in the playoffs starting next season with only the 1 seed getting a bye. Potentially pre-season could be shortened by a week and a 17 game schedule implemented too for teams.

I get that it's potentially diluting the competition but as someone who follows the NHL, they have 8 teams out of 15 or 16 (depending on conference) making the playoffs so I'm all for the extra team in the NFL.

Shame they couldn't have signed off on this last year otherwise Mason Rudolph or Duck Hodges would have been a starting QB in the playoffs. The ratings for The Pat McAfee Show would have gone through the roof.

 

[kieran_vale]

Congratulations to Houston for making potentially the worst trade of all time sending Deandre Hopkins and a fourth rounder to the Cards for David Johnson and a second rounder. That is absolutely appalling.

 

[Stagat]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1239757440297635841

Bloody happy to get Diggs in. Gave up a fair few picks but I read they were looking at using their first on a WR in the draft anyway so using some lower ones to get a proven guy rather than a rookie is okay IMO.

Not as good value as Arizona got like, but better than what Houston gave up to get their man.

 

[kieran_vale]

It’s a fantastic deal for the Bills and improves an area of weakness. Obviously too early to tell but I think I have you winning the division next season.

As for the Texans it’s still as bad as it seemed yesterday. The owner should really have vetoed that.

Meanwhile in New England.... Not unexpected but a sad moment nonetheless. My first inclination is to say sign Dalton and tank for Trevor in next years draft but not really the BB way.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1239895289424642050

 

[Stagat]

I wouldn't dare start proclaiming that myself at this point kieran_vale but possible. Miami are tooling up as well! Byron Jones, Shaq Lawson and van Noy in on defense and just seen they bringing in Jordan Howard too.

 

[pride_of_notts]

The Texans trade was just awful trading Hopkins a top 5 receiver on a good contract for a 2nd and David Johnson a Running Back on a bad contract with limited production the last few seasons

The Diggs trade personally I am really happy about we really needed that No1 Receiver and the only ones in the draft I was confident was those kind of Guys was Jeudy, Lamb and Ruggs and it would of probably cost more than Diggs did in draft capital.

Brady It's amazing to see him move on from the Pats it will be interesting to see what way they go QB as there is quite a few good options Also NFC South you have 3 MVP QB's plus Drew Brees if as suspected Brady does sign with the Buccs

 

[JJ1532]

I wouldn't dare start proclaiming that myself at this point kieran_vale but possible. Miami are tooling up as well! Byron Jones, Shaq Lawson and van Noy in on defense and just seen they bringing in Jordan Howard too.

Yes, but they also gave Ereck Flowers a 3 year, $30m deal. So you know, rough with the smooth.

Got to love the NFL, they go big every year. Brady to the Bucs though, I mean really? Maybe a new setting gives him a new lease of life for the next year or two, but it's also equally possible he's just cooked and they've tied themself to him for the next 2-3 years. Why not go long term and go back to the draft to find a guy? Although, busting on the #1 from 5 years ago is going to set you back.

Rivers to the Colts, I mean really? He's another who looks totally cooked, aren't the Colts trying to win now? Does he really do that for them?

As for the Pats, does Cam Newton not make a lot of sense? Ok, he's coming off a bad few years with injury, but get him back to the 2015 level and he'd be immense for them? Kinda odd to see the Panthers move on from Newton and sign Bridgewater. The latter gets a lot of love, now we get to see if it's justified. Newton just needs a solid OL, which BB should give him. Seems like a great fit no?

 

[kieran_vale]

Problem with Cam is you really have to completely revamp the entire offensive scheme to accommodate him and I just can't see that happening. Not to mention there are big question marks over him coming back from that injury, if he's lost all mobility then I don't see what he offers. Dalton would probably be my choice for a year or as much as I really don't rate him maybe Flacco could work in our system with the short passing game. Either way if looking at it today I am not against the idea of tanking next season to do a complete rebuild especially as we are also very tight to the salary cap at present with Brady incurring about $13m dead money now he has left.

Be interested to see where Jameis ends up now. I am almost certain it will not be New England as with his lack of ability to see whats in front of him I could see BB cutting him by the end of OTA's.

Brady to the Bucs makes sense from a football standpoint. Brady will want the best shot to give him another ring and the skill position players on that offense are scarily good. Also Tampa low-key has a very decent defense also. Personally I think Bradys decline is real, by the end of last season he was missing guys wide open in the flat but he will be surrounded by playmakers on that side of the ball who might be able to mask it.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Gronkowski is coming back out of retirement and has been traded to the Bucs for a 4th
The Bucs look really good offensively Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Gronk and O.J Howard is a really good set of receivers NFC South could be really interesting with Brees and Brady going at it.

 

[kieran_vale]

Can't complain at getting a 4th rounder for someone who was never going to play for us again regardless. At least until BB goes and spends it on a long snapper or something like that. I wonder if we would look to trade Edelman also, this upcoming draft in terms of receiver is very deep so may as well look to get younger. I'm also optimistic that N'Keal Harry will show this year what he's really capable of.

Buccs in terms of the skill positions look probably the best in the NFL. That said with that O-Line of theirs and Arians system of going vertical a lot Brady is going to get put in harms way a lot more than he was with the Pats. Sort that out and they have a very good shot next year.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Can't complain at getting a 4th rounder for someone who was never going to play for us again regardless. At least until BB goes and spends it on a long snapper or something like that. I wonder if we would look to trade Edelman also, this upcoming draft in terms of receiver is very deep so may as well look to get younger. I'm also optimistic that N'Keal Harry will show this year what he's really capable of.

Yeah I would agree it's good business a 4th for a guy who had no intention of unretiring to play for the Pats but it will be interesting to see how well Gronk can play also it will probably mean some tweeking on Ariens offensive style as he does not tend to use TE in the passing game a great deal and the Wide Receivers do look deep to see how quickly they go in the 1st especially the top 3 guys in Jeudy, Lamb and Ruggs

 

[kieran_vale]

Yeah I would agree it's good business a 4th for a guy who had no intention of unretiring to play for the Pats but it will be interesting to see how well Gronk can play also it will probably mean some tweeking on Ariens offensive style as he does not tend to use TE in the passing game a great deal and the Wide Receivers do look deep to see how quickly they go in the 1st especially the top 3 guys in Jeudy, Lamb and Ruggs

I would imagine they will all be gone by the time Philly have made their pick and I suspect they will have to move up to get one of them. Just looking at receiver needy teams I will say Jeudy to the Raiders as they will want a big splash moving to their new home, Lamb to the Broncos and Ruggs for Philly.

Worth seeing what happens with the Lions pick tonight. Easy assumption that Burrow and Young are going to be taken but the Chargers need a QB and may have to move to that slot to nab Tua ahead of Miami.

As for us tonight I wouldn't be surprised if we traded back. Most pressing needs are edge rusher (if Chaisson is still there then I pick him), receiver and tight end. Of the latter I'm not sold on any as first round picks and receiver wise there is a nice sweet spot in the third where we can go for that. I definitely do not want to see us doing something dumb like trading up for Love or spending our current pick on Fromm or someone like that.

 

[pride_of_notts]

I would imagine they will all be gone by the time Philly have made their pick and I suspect they will have to move up to get one of them. Just looking at receiver needy teams I will say Jeudy to the Raiders as they will want a big splash moving to their new home, Lamb to the Broncos and Ruggs for Philly.

Yeah thats my view as well I think it was partially the reason why the Bills traded for Diggs to get one of the top 3 guys would of cost a lot more in draft capital I would also put Jags in the market maybe taking Jeudy or Lamb as I think they probably need to give Minshew a good weapon

Worth seeing what happens with the Lions pick tonight. Easy assumption that Burrow and Young are going to be taken but the Chargers need a QB and may have to move to that slot to nab Tua ahead of Miami.

Yeah I have been thinking if any team are going to put there pick on the trade block it will be the Lions Dolphins would be the obvious candidate given the number of picks they can package together.

 

[kieran_vale]

Burrow really couldn't have looked less enthused if he tried there. As with last year not quite sure why it took almost the entire clock to make the pick when this was known about well in advance of the draft.

Once Young is taken at #2 feels like the draft will really start with Detroit.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Drama for tv I suppose as soon as the draft order was set Bengals and Skins would of picked weeks ago if they could Lions will be really interesting to see what way they go.
Lions keep there pick which is kind of suprising thought they would of traded down but Okudah is a really good pick.

 

[kieran_vale]

Am guessing the Chargers didn't make a play to get ahead of Miami unless they are happy with either Herbert or Tua. Either way its a nice result for Detroit in an area of need.

Giants go offensive line with Andrew Thomas. Good move and improves a real weakness of theirs instantly.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Yeah best thing the Giants could do was give the Jones the best Tackle in the draft I think both Tua and Herbert will go in the next two picks.

 

[kieran_vale]

Tua it is for Miami, they need to back that up with O-Line now as the Pats, Bills and Jets have some of the toughest defenses in the league.

Aye must be Herbert for the Chargers. I get the pick but he strikes me as more of a project type player than anything else.

 

[Aberstone]

Justin Herbert just screams bust to me, he probably shouldn't have gone back to Oregon for his senior year as he was touted as the #1 overall pick last year.

On another note, this is a really slick production from ESPN in tough circumstances.

 

[kieran_vale]

Yeah have been really impressed. Coverage has been very enjoyable so far, closest thing to live sports have seen in ages as well so that does help.

Herbert to the Chargers then. Personally I'm inclined to agree it errs more to bust. His accuracy would concern me.

Panthers have a nice slot here, can't really miss with either Brown or Simmons whichever way they choose to go.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Like the Cardinals pick Simmons I think it was obvious they had to either go D or O line kind of suprised they didn't go O line and give Kyler some protection
Keep getting the feeling Jags might go Receiver

 

[kieran_vale]

Like the Cardinals pick Simmons I think it was obvious they had to either go D or O line kind of suprised they didn't go O line and give Kyler some protection
Keep getting the feeling Jags might go Receiver

I can see that for sure. Either that or can see them going for offensive line maybe.

Panthers going for Brown is excellent especially in light of the fact they will be coming up against Brady and Brees and the fact that to get the better of them you need to get interior pressure on them. He will provide that and then some.