American Football

[Stagat]

Main takeaway (no pun intended) from this half is this game is drunk. Turned it over four times but only down by six. Our offense in so far as it can be called that is a disgrace. Maybe it’s just we’ve done so well defensively but more I see I think Buffalo has a growing Josh Allen problem; he doesn’t look right.

We just need to escape this game with a win seeing as it looks like Miami are losing today. Reset and winner takes all next week.

 

[kieran_vale]

We just need to escape this game with a win seeing as it looks like Miami are losing today. Reset and winner takes all next week.

Yeah I think that scoring drive to open the third quarter should be enough to win this game. I didn’t fancy Miami pregame in Baltimore as I just don’t think they can trusted when up against a live opponent but that is a thorough beat down.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Main takeaway (no pun intended) from this half is this game is drunk. Turned it over four times but only down by six. Our offense in so far as it can be called that is a disgrace. Maybe it’s just we’ve done so well defensively but more I see I think Buffalo has a growing Josh Allen problem; he doesn’t look right.

I think thats the Bills experience this year we play up or down according to the opponent we play the better teams we put in really good performances against the bad we tend to play down.

 

[kieran_vale]

Congrats on the win Stagat pride_of_notts and all the best beating Miami next week. I’m not sure it’s possible offer any cogent analysis on that game other than it was just weird from start to finish.

But every cloud for us. Cards shocking the Eagles in Philly and we now hold the #2 spot. Next week just roll out BB at QB and find a way to take the L against the J-E-T-S and all is good.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Think the Pats are 3rd based on sos the Dolphins should be a great game fighting it out for the 2nd seed especially Allen tends to play great against the Dolphins.

 

[Stagat]

Congrats on the win Stagat pride_of_notts and all the best beating Miami next week. I’m not sure it’s possible offer any cogent analysis on that game other than it was just weird from start to finish.

Cheers mate. As p_o_n said we play down to the bad teams and play well against the good ones so not surprised we had to escape with that tonight (the exact word I used earlier, just escape with the win) and also wouldn't be surprised if we convincingly beat the Dolphins (more like Lolphins tonight) next week.

Not sure it'll matter in the long run mind! Who is beating Baltimore from now on in?!

 

[kieran_vale]

Cheers mate. As p_o_n said we play down to the bad teams and play well against the good ones so not surprised we had to escape with that tonight (the exact word I used earlier, just escape with the win) and also wouldn't be surprised if we convincingly beat the Dolphins (more like Lolphins tonight) next week.

Not sure it'll matter in the long run mind! Who is beating Baltimore from now on in?!

It’s perfectly set up, Buffalo could win the division and get second seed or be out the post season completely which is exactly the kind of final week the NFL will have dreamt up.

Right now it’s hard to see who can match the Ravens. They look a really good well rounded team and Lamar has lived up to his new contract. That said they haven’t had the greatest post season record since they last won the Super Bowl. I wouldn’t rule out Cleveland when it comes to the playoffs, they are that stereotypical team that nobody will want to come up against.

 

[kieran_vale]

Long time since I’ve seen a proper snow game like this between the Pats and Jets. Both teams offensively finishing the season as they’ve started i.e. not very well!

 

[pride_of_notts]

Titans secured us the Playoff place by beating the Jags now it's all about getting the Afc East title and the No2 seed.

 

[kieran_vale]

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!!

Thank you very much we get at least the 3 seed. A fitting end to a complete shambles of a season. Zappe has been properly exposed firstly by the Bills and now the Jets. Sorry for BB his final game ends on a loss but if it’s any consolation that’s knocked them down the draft order and out of contention for the two blue chip tackles Fashanu and Alt. Nice if Washington could beat Dallas to give us the #2 spot but #3 will more than do for any of Caleb / Maye / MHJ.

 

[pride_of_notts]

If Belichick is gone it does feel like an end of an era but it will interesting does he retire or does he try his luck elsewhere also I think it will be really interesting to see what the Bears do with the No1 spot take Williams or trade back

 

[kieran_vale]

If Belichick is gone it does feel like an end of an era but it will interesting does he retire or does he try his luck elsewhere also I think it will be really interesting to see what the Bears do with the No1 spot take Williams or trade back

He will certainly coach next season. I don't think it'll be an outright firing on Black Monday like say I expect for say Arthur Smith in Atlanta or Rivera in Washington. It'll be either a mutual parting of ways or maybe the Pats could try to trade him. Problem with the latter is the senior bowl etc is not that far off so need to get a jump on that with getting front office staff in place. Incidentally if I was him I'd look at Atlanta, they've got some serious weapons offensively just Smith is clueless how to use them (I'm saying that partly in bitterness that Bijan Robinson was a bust on my fantasy team this year) and he could coach up their defense in a pretty poor division.

Bears I think Fields is improving so either go MHJ or if find a trade partner for the #1 pick move down and draft someone like Nabers instead.

 

[pride_of_notts]

He will certainly coach next season. I don't think it'll be an outright firing on Black Monday like say I expect for say Arthur Smith in Atlanta or Rivera in Washington. It'll be either a mutual parting of ways or maybe the Pats could try to trade him. Problem with the latter is the senior bowl etc is not that far off so need to get a jump on that with getting front office staff in place. Incidentally if I was him I'd look at Atlanta, they've got some serious weapons offensively just Smith is clueless how to use them (I'm saying that partly in bitterness that Bijan Robinson was a bust on my fantasy team this year) and he could coach up their defense in a pretty poor division.

Bears I think Fields is improving so either go MHJ or if find a trade partner for the #1 pick move down and draft someone like Nabers instead.

I think trying to trade Belichick is massively risky the biggest issue would be it would set the Pats own recruitment back and the guys who they are looking at when they have traded Belichick could be gone.

On the Bears it's either QB or trade back I just can't see the Bears using a no1 overall on a Wide receiver given what they can get for a trade as there will be teams willing to sell the farm to draft Williams which also could bring in either Pats or Washington unless they want to lose out on the QB they want.

 

[kieran_vale]

I think trying to trade Belichick is massively risky the biggest issue would be it would set the Pats own recruitment back and the guys who they are looking at when they have traded Belichick could be gone.

On the Bears it's either QB or trade back I just can't see the Bears using a no1 overall on a Wide receiver given what they can get for a trade as there will be teams willing to sell the farm to draft Williams which also could bring in either Pats or Washington unless they want to lose out on the QB they want.

You may well be right. To me I think looking at the current draft order (as below subject to a couple of changes based on the late games) realistically only those down to Tennessee could have the capital to go straight to first unless they are prepared to do a Trey Lance type deal then you’d better be right with the pick. Of those maybe NYG depending on Daniel Jones could be an option. Cards have said they’re going with Kyler again next year. Me personally for the Pats I wouldn’t trade up and if Caleb and Maye are gone worst comes to worst Jayden Daniels is the next best and I think goes top 10. Penix will probably move up draft boards too if he can win a National Championship too.

 

[Stagat]

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!!

J-E-T-E innit

 

[Stagat]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1744180978627620957

There aren't many QBs can make that pass

 

[Stagat]

 

[kieran_vale]

Fantastic for the Bills to win the division, some serious momentum into the playoffs and the Steelers you’d think should be a rather favourable matchup. The Fins I’ve felt are a bit of a flat track bully beating up teams like ourselves but against a live opponent they’ve not been so good. Choking a division title like this is the kind of thing that can break a team completely and with a decision on a Tua extension hanging over them tricky times lie ahead.

I do like that Packers-Cowboys matchup too. I’m calling an upset there I think.

 

[pride_of_notts]

That tends to be my view on the Phins they beat up the bad teams but against the good teams when you tend to have to lean on your QB it's been shown Tua has limitations it will be interesting to see what the Dolphins do in regard to extending my feeling is they are gonna pay Tua $50m+ a year similar to like the Giants did with Jones and then they have other guys they need to pay as well like Waddle

On the Steelers it looks very favorable especially with Watt going down who is by far there best player.

 

[Stagat]

Didn't think Vrabel would get fired! He's gonna end up back at NE, isn't he? Would be very good for the Pats, that.

 

[kieran_vale]

Didn't think Vrabel would get fired! He's gonna end up back at NE, isn't he? Would be very good for the Pats, that.

Am amazed they’ve just outright fired him, must be some internal politics going on there. What I would say is if Kraft was looking to move on from Belichick he couldn’t have schemed up the circumstances to do it better and with a readymade replacement in Vrabel as well as not needing to trade for him. He was inducted into the Pats HOF this season and did a speech at halftime in the Bills home game referring to the Pats as “we” and said something along the lines of “it’s not like this anywhere else” which probably wouldn’t have gone down well in Tennessee thinking about it.

 

[kieran_vale]

Pete Carroll gone from Seattle is a bit of a shock. Got some decent pieces in place already there also though somewhat depending what you think of Geno at QB.

 

[Stagat]

He was inducted into the Pats HOF this season and did a speech at halftime in the Bills home game referring to the Pats as “we” and said something along the lines of “it’s not like this anywhere else” which probably wouldn’t have gone down well in Tennessee thinking about it.

I heard that somewhere this weekend too. Not sure if it was mentioned on TV or maybe I saw it on Reddit. Also saw some Titans higher-up say they got rid of him coz if they tried to trade him, the time it would have taken to go through that process might have meant they missed out on their next target.

Seems the ideal set-up for him to go back to NE to me now, and I think he'd do well there too. Think something (among others) he does well is gets above average performances out of average players.

Carroll another shock too yes, same as Vrabel. Didn't expect either. Sirriani rumours too now...

 

[pride_of_notts]

Carroll is a shocker didn't expect Seahawks to move on from him and with reporters now confirming Belichick is gone which does feel like an end of an era even if it seems likely he is likely to be coaching somewhere else the start of the Off Season has been wild.

 

[kieran_vale]

One of those moments where you knew it’d happen but even now it has it’s a strange feeling. 24 years in the same place is unheard of in most sports let alone the NFL. Don’t think anybody will ever achieve what he did again. All early signs point to Atlanta for BB and probably one of Mayo or Vrabel for us.

Still think there might be one or two more shockers to come. In addition to Sirianni could Jerry finally move on from McCarthy if they are one and done and also there have been rumblings that Tomlin might choose to step aside if the Steelers lose at Buffalo this weekend.

That’s not to mention Nick Saban’s retirement from Bama. That could have implications on which jobs are in demand too.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Mayo to me would seem a major risk largely on his lack of game calling experience but I could see Vrabel as HC and Mayo as the DC

On the other potential HC sackings/ retirements I don't see it currently but the coaching movement this off season has been wild so really you can't rule anything out.

 

[kieran_vale]

Well Mayo it is. For what it’s worth I’d share that concern about the game day management but I guess it’s one of those you never know until you seem them do it. With the third most cap space and the #3 pick in the draft the GM is going to be the key one as ultimately it’s the lack of talent that has gotten us where we are. Exciting times ahead though.

Looks like the game in Buffalo this weekend is going to be badly affected by the weather. Should bring it closer to the Steelers you’d think. I’m still saying Buffalo to win it but I’m not sure that 10 point line is going to be covered.

 

[Stagat]

Well Mayo it is. For what it’s worth I’d share that concern about the game day management but I guess it’s one of those you never know until you seem them do it. With the third most cap space and the #3 pick in the draft the GM is going to be the key one as ultimately it’s the lack of talent that has gotten us where we are. Exciting times ahead though.

Looks like the game in Buffalo this weekend is going to be badly affected by the weather. Should bring it closer to the Steelers you’d think. I’m still saying Buffalo to win it but I’m not sure that 10 point line is going to be covered.

Had honestly never heard of Jerod Mayo until about yesterday. Not that I'm expected to know who other teams' linebacker coaches are, like. But it's not like a Bill O'Brien or Josh McDaniels or Magical Matt Patricia known-name (ex-)Pats coach that is being promoted here, is it.

I agree with you mate that it's exciting times for you. An analogy would be like if Vale or Stags were after a new manager would you be more excited by Neil Warnock (or anyone else off the tired old merry-go-round) or some young chap with new ideas doing well in non-league? Of course the latter.

Yeah that weather forecast for Sunday does look like a playing field leveller for sure but then again the Bills don't need inclement conditions to make it a close game against a supposed inferior opponent. And tbf I also remember a playoff game at Orchard Park in terrible weather a few years ago where the Bills scored a TD on every drive so, who knows!

(i'd put my money on an uncomfortably close game over summat like that again tho ofc)

 

[Stagat]

I do like that Packers-Cowboys matchup too. I’m calling an upset there I think.

My strongest suspicion for an 'upset' is the Rams beating the Lions. Although I'm not even sure it would be that much of one, tbh. Feel like the Rams got hot once Kupp and Kyren (who was a fantasy beast for me when fit) came back from injury and they're generally better now than their record suggests. Stafford and Puka too man, and Donald ofc, this game against the Lions might be like a 50/50 at this point.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Well Mayo it is. For what it’s worth I’d share that concern about the game day management but I guess it’s one of those you never know until you seem them do it. With the third most cap space and the #3 pick in the draft the GM is going to be the key one as ultimately it’s the lack of talent that has gotten us where we are. Exciting times ahead though.

Looks like the game in Buffalo this weekend is going to be badly affected by the weather. Should bring it closer to the Steelers you’d think. I’m still saying Buffalo to win it but I’m not sure that 10 point line is going to be covered.

Yeah I would agree you don't know what you got until it starts next year he could be good or it could go badly and the Pats find themselves back in there current position also it will be interesting to see exactly what the Pats do in this draft whether it is QB or draft someone like MHJ and look at free agency for a QB

On the bad weather should be really interesting for us I feel more confident now we have a serviceable run game with Cook and Allen will still throw even with the bad weather also the weather could be a big factor in the KC game as well.