American Football

[JJ1532]

Only disappointing thing about Denver winning this is the fact that the media will drool over Manning when it was Von Miller and their defence that won them the title. Hopefully Manning retires after this, he is a shadow of the player he used to be, needs to go out in a high.

Carolina shouldn't be too disheartened. That team is good enough to make multiple superbowls and I reckon they'll learn from the mistakes they made in this game. Newton will be back, he is too confident and cocky not to be.

 

[JJ1532]

Where does this Denver defence rank amongst the all time great defences? They've made 2 extremely talented quarterbacks/oftensive lines look very poor.

 

[kieran_vale]

Where does this Denver defence rank amongst the all time great defences? They've made 2 extremely talented quarterbacks/oftensive lines look very poor.

They're in the conversation for sure especially as tha secondary helps them get a lot of coverage sacks also. I think the 85 Bears will always be the measuring stick. Then you're looking at the Ravens maybe and also Seahawks one which absolutely destroyed a better version of Manning. Always hard to compare eras though especially as it's become far more of a passing league in the last 10 years.

Shame for Carolina, they haven't helped themselves with some of the pre-snap penalties etc though. Will be in contention next year though the stats say the losing team in the Super Bowl doesnt tend to bounce back the year after.

 

[Kim Mitten]

D wins Championships y'all. 10 for 12 now when the No.1 ranked D reaches the Superbowl. Said before this game would be close and so it proved. I wanted Carolina to win, but what an inept performance, even against such a great D, they had barely any variation on O, remind me a little of Seattle in that when they are behind for a long period they don't have an explosive play in them to get back. I'm happy Ware finally got a ring as well, for his career he deserves it. In him, Miller, Wolfe and Jackson the front four is near unstoppable.
Sadly the season is now over, already can't wait for more football.

 

[Renegade]

I'm never betting against great defences in the Superbowl again, was completely blindsided by that performance. The last couple of games the Broncos looked like the defence that was on historic pace through the first half of the season. Thought the Panthers didn't show up, Cam was under a lot of pressure but he didn't perform at all either, missed routine throws that he was making all season. Pretty dull game in the end, but was happy to see Peyton go out like that.

Painful amount of time until NFL returns.

 

[Bobbin']

Arian Foster cut

Was always on the cards but still an end of another era. Looking forward to seeing what happens this off-season in Houston, two big positions need filling.

 

[Kim Mitten]

Peyton Manning retiring official. I know a lot of people on here are relatively new to NFL so won't remember 1998 and the hype that came with Peyton but he has lived up to it and more so deserves all the plaudits coming his way. I don't hold with all the guff that you have to win a championship to truly be a great, Dan Marino remains the best QB I've ever seen, but Peyton Manning comes ever so close and the NFL will be a poorer place without him.

 

[Craig]

Hopefully Osweiler struggles to fill his shoes for more than a few games and they fail to replace him with anything good for a bit.

 

[Anon]

Peyton Manning retiring official. I know a lot of people on here are relatively new to NFL so won't remember 1998 and the hype that came with Peyton but he has lived up to it and more so deserves all the plaudits coming his way. I don't hold with all the guff that you have to win a championship to truly be a great, Dan Marino remains the best QB I've ever seen, but Peyton Manning comes ever so close and the NFL will be a poorer place without him.

I missed his prime, the first full season I watched was 2010 which was when he got injured, and I remember thinking at the time I was disappointed that even if he came back from the (third) neck injury I'd never get to see him play.

Agreed on the comparison angle too.

---

So, free agency is almost here. The time when often the teams proclaimed the 'winners' are those that end up signing the players to terrible rotten contracts and pay for it years down the line.

I actually do think TT will make some moves this year, we've got a lot of FAs and I don't think they'll all be filled with the draft. I can see Hayward leaving as he'll command top notch money at a premium position but at least we do have Shields (good but different sort of CB, on a par), Rollins (promising nickel) and Randall (on his way to being a top level corner) plus some ok depth.

Given the supposed dearth in top-end TE draft options, there are some FA TEs I'm intrigued by for us. Richard Rodgers is a highlight reel but isn't a consistent chain-mover, so having a compliment there would be handy. On the running back side, I'd be willing to take a punt on someone like Foster. Red flag for injuries, but probably not too costly, a good tie up to hopefully help Lacy on the straight and narrow, and might be willing to drop $ demands for the chance to play on a contender.

 

[Craig]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-retired?campaign=fb-nf-sf22159485-sf22159485

They're dropping like flies.

 

[kieran_vale]

Given our first rounder has been taken away from us for reasons that are not worth going into I expect we will make some moves in free agency this time. Mayo retiring has freed up a lot of cap space as has cutting LaFell and Chandler. First priority is getting Collins and Hightower extended, I'd be comfortable with us exploring trade options for Chandler Jones particularly if we can get a decent Guard in place of him.

Other than that I really want to see us go for Matt Forte, getting on a bit but if ever there was a player suited to a system then he is it for us. Eric Weddle has said he'd be interested in joining us as well (the usual spiel players give about every team). Safety is an area of strength but with the amount of times we are lining up in sub packages can never have too many of his quality at least.

See Philly have wasted no time in erasing the Chip Kelly era. Kiko Alonso must wonder what he's done to offend someone given this will now be his third team on his rookie deal. Great pick up for the Phins though they must have a huge percentage of their cap space invested on D now, not much room for moves on the offensive side.

 

[Bobbin']

Hopefully Osweiler struggles to fill his shoes for more than a few games and they fail to replace him with anything good for a bit.

Houston bound.

 

[Anon]

Philly are a strange one. For all the criticisms Kelly took (some fair, some not) I can't help but think that with the ridding of his headline signings they're cutting their nose off to spite the face. Alonso, Murray, Maxwell aren't bad players and in a new system, new HC and DC etc they could well be good players once again. Eagles have made their team worse because of another era. Not to mention with the eating up of parts of Maxwell and Murray's contracts they've also hamstrung themselves further.

Madness.

 

[kieran_vale]

Indeed, it seems they've put their franchise back at least a couple of years for the sake of erasing all sign of Chip Kelly, apparently they are also shopping Ryan Matthews. Alonso is an excellent linebacker when healthy, last year he was coming off an ACL injury but even so he looked good so don't see the thinking there, players like him can be integral to a defense. Maxwell I'm less sold on more so because I've always seen him as someone who benefited from having Sherman, Thomas and Chancellor alongside him but who knows.

Malik Jackson gone from Denver to the Jags reportedly around $15m a year, dude got paid. That team has a huge amount of cap space and you've got to think in a very ordinary division like the AFCS they have to win it this year to keep Bradley in a job. Be interesting to see if he's the same now he's got his money. I'm not sorry to see Denver weakened though.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Everything about the Eagles' decision making here has been a joke. They handed the keys to the franchise over to a bloke whose primary selling point was that he's an innovator, and would bring some novel perspectives in terms of preparation, schemes and (potentially) roster construction. It was surely obvious that that process would take a little while, and would entail some missteps along the way, since he'd never done it before in the pros. Meanwhile he went 10-6, 10-6 and 6-9. All without ever really having a QB to work with. He was not batting 1.000, but it was hardly a sinkhole of catastrophe either.

But they fired him anyway, and now all this, as you both say. May as well just hire Jeff Fisher and be done with it. At least he won't frighten the horses whilst going 8-8. Twats.

 

[Craig]

Deal reached with Tamba Hali, excellent news.

 

[Kim Mitten]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-retired?campaign=fb-nf-sf22159485-sf22159485

They're dropping like flies.

Massive loss for the coming season, injuries appear to be the reason he just can't go on, I thank him for all he has done and can't believe there are people questioning just how great he was because he was on a poor team. I've read things about how he couldn't 'get the Lions over the hump'. He set the single season NFL receiving record in a season when the team didn't reach the playoffs - what more could he do FFS line up in every position and just carry the ball himself!?! seems a lot of people have forgotten this is a team game.
Nothing in FA or the draft to help out WR really, hopefully they draft a couple in the latter rounds and hope they turn out to be gems, shouldn't be wasting early picks when both lines need such attention.
The silver lining is the Lions just went into the top 6 for cap space such a shame there isn't much about to use it on, still there is always next season and well, eternity, until the Lions might actually become a consistent winner.

 

[Kim Mitten]

Mavin Jones added at WR, need some more receivers from the draft but Jones/Tate as a 1-2, or rather a 2-2 is not bad. I see Miami have pulled Vernon's tag, hope the Lions go after him

 

[Bobbin']

Osweiler signing for the Texans!

Finally we have our QB.

 

[kieran_vale]

Good stuff, keep making Denver weaker. All in favour of that. At least the Texans now have someone they can invest in for the future, not sure how good Osweiler can be but he can't be much worse than anything since Schaub deteriorated quickly.

Forte to the Jets, there goes my big hope for free agency for the Pats. And to add insult to it we have to face him twice a year now.

Pats as ever not doing much at the start, am used to it now. Only name I've seen strongly linked is Sanu from the Bengals which I guess is natural given his Rutgers connection.

 

[Anon]

I can't believe the Broncos really wanted Osweiler or rated him as the future, otherwise given how well they know him they'd have paid the money at the most important position which has a dearth of quality available. Osweiler will have surely realised that, and so went to a team that really does want him and one that probably wouldn't bench him as easily as the Broncos did - was the right call by Kubiak for the team but not for Osweiler.

Plus, if Osweiler's not that good and after all there's only 7-8 games experience, makes sense to get the biggest contract.

 

[Kim Mitten]

Well thank god the Lions didn't go for Vernon, signed for the Giants - $52M guaranteed!!!

Doug Martin staying in Tampa, Alex Mack gone to Atlanta, lost their best WR yesterday, doesn't get any better for the Browns, does it. Ngata has re-signed for the Lions, thank god, prior to his and yesterdays re-signing of Walker there was just one DT on the roster.
Plus Matt Forte out of the NFC North can only be a good thing, well for everyone not named Chicago.

 

[Anon]

Glad no longer having to face Forte. Has tormented us for years, though was hoping it would be because he was on our roster after the rumours yesterday. Still hoping Foster might make sense to help contribute plus get Lacy back in line.

As someone else said on another forum, didn't think it was possible for the Browns to get worse on offense... but now Benjamin and Mack have gone...

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Osweiler = perfect QB to lead the Texans to another 10 years of 8 and 9 win seasons.

 

[Kim Mitten]

Far too much money to pay Osweiler, personally think the Texans will be behind the Jags next season who, for me, have become favourites for the division. Have no clue what is going on with the Colts, Titans should improve but likely to be at best 8-8.
Cannot believe who is being linked with the starting role in Denver, Kaepernick the favourite, RG3 and Mike Glennon, still they won a superbowl with a totally broken Peyton and Osweiler so maybe it doesn't matter, I expect their D is going to be only hope of a playoff return though.

 

[JJ1532]

The Raiders are making some noise in the free agency, look to be signing Osmele and Irving, also rumours that they are in hard on Sean Smith. With the pieces they have in place, they could have a good season coming up.

Broncos are getting picked off all over the place. Aside from losing their 2 main QBs, Malik Jackson is gone off the D line, also looks like their starting running back C.J Anderson might be on his way too.

With the Raiders looking much improved and the Chiefs there or there a bouts, that AFC West division looks set to be a competitive one next season.

 

[Bobbin']

Personally very excited to see Osweiler in Houston, certainly an upgrade on Hoyer and Mallett. It is a lot of money though.

A good day in Houston all in all, moved swiftly to land Lamar Miller to replace Foster and bolstered the O line with Jeff Allen. All were three positions that needed addressing, think Rick Smith has done well to be honest and we've not had use or trade any draft picks.

Would still have the Texans to take the division

 

[JJ1532]

Hmm, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jets apparently ways apart on a deal. If the Broncos have any sense, they'll get in there fast, not unless they want to mount their Superbowl defence with Kaepernick or RGIII as their starting QB.

 

[Bobbin']

Denver

Surely Sanchez isn't going to be the only QB they bring in.

 

[Anon]

Am sure Sanchez is just experienced backup, given who else is on the roster...

Quite like what the Bears have done so far in FA. Trevathan and Freeman both at ILB to fit Fox/Fangio's 3-4, and especially with Trevathan despite him being an ILB the contract seems fairly cheap considering he was a first day signing.

Martavis Bryant suspended for a year. Green is surely going to be a heavy part of the passing offensive come September.

We've resigned Nick Perry. One year prove it, less than his 5th year tender. First two seasons were injury riddled, but gradually got better through the next two seasons. Can't complain.