The NFL Thread (may contain spoilers!)

crunchman

How does Brady keep getting away with it?  That was pass interference.

the_jaffa

Trying not to tempt fate but the Dolphins are looking rather good at the moment and a wildcard place (at least) looks achievable.

From 1-3 to 5-3 is quite a change and when all three of the losses were actually pretty narrow it’s looking encouraging

11-5 maybe?

Quite exciting really

crunchman

the_jaffa said:

Trying not to tempt fate but the Dolphins are looking rather good at the moment and a wildcard place (at least) looks achievable.

From 1-3 to 5-3 is quite a change and when all three of the losses were actually pretty narrow it’s looking encouraging

11-5 maybe?

Quite exciting really

With 7 teams in the conference getting a playoff place, 10 wins should get in, and 9 wins might.  I think the Steelers would have got in at 8-8 last year if there had been 7 teams.  I don't see 8-8 getting in this year though, with the AFC North teams piling up wins against the NFC East.

not_the_dj

Nasty injury for Joe Burrow in the Cincinnati loss to Washington (my team). 

Pleased we got the win but takes the shine off it to see such a young talent go out like that. 

crunchman

not_the_dj said:

Nasty injury for Joe Burrow in the Cincinnati loss to Washington (my team). 

Pleased we got the win but takes the shine off it to see such a young talent go out like that. 

That was very nasty.

Good to see Alex Smith back after all he's been through.

You might have been better off sticking with Haskins though, and getting a top 3 pick to get a long term QB.

earwighoney

not_the_dj said:

Nasty injury for Joe Burrow in the Cincinnati loss to Washington (my team). 

Pleased we got the win but takes the shine off it to see such a young talent go out like that.

The worst thing about it how is inevitable it has been almost from Burrow's first snap. The Bengals seemed incapable of providing any protection in the slightest, they couldn't guard a half tonne standing statue, under their watch they'd probably cause it topple.

The Bengals O-Line needs quality for sure, otherwise their QB's will continue to get beaten up.

I think Burrow was carrying the team, I can't see them winning many/any matches without him for the rest of the season.

crunchman said:

You might have been better off sticking with Haskins though, and getting a top 3 pick to get a long term QB.

I can imagine a few teams will be looking for a new QB in Draft 2021, eg Jets, Jaguars. Even though Giants have improved a bit, Daniel Jones doesn't really inspire. I can also see the Bears looking to draft another QB.

not_the_dj

crunchman said:

That was very nasty.

Good to see Alex Smith back after all he's been through.

You might have been better off sticking with Haskins though, and getting a top 3 pick to get a long term QB.

I was disappointed that Haskins didn't get more of a chance, he was heading in the right direction as far as I could see. I am amazed how strong Alex Smith has come back, but he clearly isn't going to be the long term guy we need.

not_the_dj

Lol at the Cowboys fake punt last night...on 4th and 10. 

https://youtu.be/BR6jvpJVy50

Great morning for Washington fans, but we have the Steelers next, gulp. 

crunchman

I'm a Steelers fan.  We have a tendency to play down to our opposition.  We only just beat the Cowgirls a couple of weeks ago.

We may also be coming off a bye of sorts if the Ravens game gets cancelled.  We are awful off of byes.

Go on behindthesteelcurtain.com next week and there will be plenty of negativity ahead of the Washington game.

not_the_dj

Woah, Giants and Seahawks!

I’ve only seen the score this morning, need to watch the catch up on that. 

crunchman

not_the_dj said:

Woah, Giants and Seahawks!

I’ve only seen the score this morning, need to watch the catch up on that. 

Saw bits of it on Redzone.  Seahawks can't stop the run.  Giants defence looks competent.

If the Giants win the NFC East, the wildcard team going there will need to take them seriously.

joneve

not_the_dj said:

Woah, Giants and Seahawks!

I’ve only seen the score this morning, need to watch the catch up on that. 

FUCKSAAAAAAKE. 

Giants earned the win to be fair, but pisses me off that the other 3 teams in the west played the NFC east at the beginning of the season when they were all fucking terrible. Giants Defense has been much improved the last few weeks and they’re riding a 4 game win streak. 

Still, Seattle played terribly so didn’t deserve anything from the game. 

not_the_dj

crunchman said:

I'm a Steelers fan.  We have a tendency to play down to our opposition.  We only just beat the Cowgirls a couple of weeks ago.

We may also be coming off a bye of sorts if the Ravens game gets cancelled.  We are awful off of byes.

Go on behindthesteelcurtain.com next week and there will be plenty of negativity ahead of the Washington game.

Well well well, as a Washington fan my gast is flabbered.I knew our defense were up to it, but still doubted our offence could capitalist on it.

crunchman

not_the_dj said:

crunchman said:

I'm a Steelers fan.  We have a tendency to play down to our opposition.  We only just beat the Cowgirls a couple of weeks ago.

We may also be coming off a bye of sorts if the Ravens game gets cancelled.  We are awful off of byes.

Go on behindthesteelcurtain.com next week and there will be plenty of negativity ahead of the Washington game.

Well well well, as a Washington fan my gast is flabbered.I knew our defense were up to it, but still doubted our offence could capitalist on it.

Not sure where to start.  That was awful all around.

The defence will probably be ok if we can get players fit again but I'm not sure that the offensive problems are fixable this season.  We need different personnel.  Our O line just aren't physical enough in  run blocking.  DeCastro (and Pouncey when he's fit) can pull, but we need some big maulers that we just don't have.  We couldn't run it last week either, when half the Ravens defence was missing because of Covid.  We will get killed in the post-season if we are one dimensional and have no running game.

earwighoney

crunchman said:

You might have been better off sticking with Haskins though, and getting a top 3 pick to get a long term QB.

And it looks like WFT will be in the draft for a new QB.

I'm a recent fan to the sport, but it seems a lot of teams will be after QB's in the 2021 draft. Is this a normal predicament or is this an anomaly?

not_the_dj

Good riddance to Haskins. I’d given him the benefit of the doubt a few times I thought when he got his second chance this season he’d grab it by the horns and prove himself. Instead he’s out partying with strippers and then being utterly appalling on field. 

Crucial final weekend for the NFC East, the winner of which will most likely be knocked out the very next match. 

Still Chase Young has proved his worth for sure as the shining star of our defence. 

My money’s predictably on the Chiefs winning it again, against either the Packers or Saints. 

crunchman

not_the_dj said:

Good riddance to Haskins. I’d given him the benefit of the doubt a few times I thought when he got his second chance this season he’d grab it by the horns and prove himself. Instead he’s out partying with strippers and then being utterly appalling on field. 

Crucial final weekend for the NFC East, the winner of which will most likely be knocked out the very next match. 

Still Chase Young has proved his worth for sure as the shining star of our defence. 

My money’s predictably on the Chiefs winning it again, against either the Packers or Saints. 

I wouldn't crown the Chiefs yet.  They struggled to put a poor Atlanta team away, and have scraped a few other wins as well.  If they play like that against some of the playoff teams they will lose.

There are other teams that could win the AFC.  The Chiefs defence isn't great, and other teams will be able to score on them.  Teams like the Steelers and Colts have enough defence to slow Mahomes and keep it within reach.  The Titans could run Derek Henry all over them, and keep the ball for 40 minutes.  The Ravens could also run the ball and play a time of possession game..

I do think that whoever wins the AFC is likely to win the Superbowl though.

earwighoney said:

crunchman said:

You might have been better off sticking with Haskins though, and getting a top 3 pick to get a long term QB.

And it looks like WFT will be in the draft for a new QB.

I'm a recent fan to the sport, but it seems a lot of teams will be after QB's in the 2021 draft. Is this a normal predicament or is this an anomaly?

Probably less this year than some years.  There have been a lot of good young quarterbacks come into the league in the last 5 years or so.  Mahomes, Watson, and Prescott are the headliners, but Burrow and Herbert look like long term keepers as well.

There are other players who the jury is still out on, but their teams won't be willing to give up on yet e.g. Daniel Jones with the Giants.  When you add the established veterans, there are probably less desparate teams now than there were a few years ago.  You won't see a player like Paxton Lynch getting drafted in the first round this year.

If you look at the projected top ten picks as it stands now:

1: Jaguars - will take a QB

2: Jets - might take a QB, but if they do Darnold will go to a team picking later in the round

3: Atlanta - might take a QB, but Ryan still has a year or two left, and will start somewhere

4: Dolphins - have Tagavailoa.  Won't take a QB.

5: Bengals - have Burrow.  Won't take a QB

6: Eagles - have Hurts.  Won't take a QB.

7:  Lions - won't get a QB better than Stafford for the 2021 seasonm but could trade him and go for a complete rebuild.

8: Panthers - will probably take a QB

9: Broncos - might take a QB, but not 100% certain they are ready to give up on Lock yet.

10:  Chargers - have Herbert.  Won't take a QB.

Some of those teams will take Quarterbacks, but I don't think I can recall a draft when there were only 2 teams in the top ten you could be reasonably certain would take a quarterback. It's possible that the Patriots or 49ers could trade up into the top ten for a QB.

the_jaffa

Week 17; here it is. 

Win and in for the Dolphins but against Buffalo that’s a tough call. 

Best hope for us is probably a Browns implosion against the Steelers

the_jaffa

Oh dear

crunchman

the_jaffa said:

Oh dear

You are relying on 4th quarter heroics from Mason Rudolph.  It's not looking good.