2022-23 NFL Thread

[Cancer]

The Rams' schedule for 2nd half of the season is pretty brutal.

[unclevlad]

I saw a weird feature of the Cowboys schedule, when I was looking at the divisional crossover...the Cowboys play 4 straight against the NFC North...with a bye week after the first two, but still.  All October-November;  they have to go to Green Bay and Minneapolis, but Nov. 13th and 20th.  Weather isn't likely to be particularly bad.

[unclevlad]

On 5/15/2022 at 1:13 PM, Pariah said:

So I'm just watching the end of the Stallions / Stars game, and it's got me thinking. We're 5 weeks in, and nobody has mentioned folding the league yet. That's better than the AAF or the XFL were able to do. If the league makes it through the full season, might this be a sustainable model for spring football?

 

What I mean by that, specifically, is pick one city and hold training camps and the regular season there. This year it was Birmingham. Next year it might be New Orleans, or Pittsburgh, or Houston. Whatever. Rotate it every year.

 

I can't imagine this league is making much money from gate receipts, but the TV numbers appear to be okay. If TV revenue is the main money maker, does it really matter where all the action takes place?

 

Coming back to this...watching a semi-random game that doesn't involve Birmingham.

 

The stands are almost literally empty.  If there's 500 people in em, I'd be surprised.  Fox is CLEARLY piping crowd noise for the TV audience. 

 

TV might be the main money maker, but no attendance at all isn't viable.   

 

EDIT:  side point.  They're starting to get into EXTREME heat situations.  On-field temps today are 120+...and there's 4 more weekends to go, where it'll only get hotter.  When you have only one site, you have to schedule daytime games...this one kicked off at noon local, and Fox is pushing another game at 4.  And it's affecting all games...it's not just a few cities.  You can't schedule around it either by scheduling road games for teams like Phoenix.  

 

[Pariah]

The New Jersey Generals received the second half kickoff against the Houston Gamblers. They put together a long drive that resulted in a blocked field goal. Houston recovered and advanced the ball ... and then fumbled the ball, which was recovered by New Jersey. New Jersey then put together another long drive, which lasted until they scored a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

 

Meaning that Houston went the entire third quarter of this game without an offensive snap. New Jersey's official time of possession for the third quarter was 15:00 ... with no points.

[unclevlad]

Thus showing that time of possession means nothing on its own.....

 

The Gamblers offensive players probably needed another full warmup after that too...and I bet the defense was pretty gassed.  

[unclevlad]

I'm not sure if this was a contractual requirement (in terms of the timing), or a vote of no confidence...but the Giants have declined Daniel Jones' fifth year option.  Before even getting to preseason workouts for his 4th season.  The Giants can choose to franchise tag him after the season...but for substantially more. 

[Grailknight]

Vote of no confidence. If he improves' he'll get paid but they don't want to be on the hook for 18+ million like Carolina with Sam Darnold.

[unclevlad]

54 minutes ago, Grailknight said:

Vote of no confidence. If he improves' he'll get paid but they don't want to be on the hook for 18+ million like Carolina with Sam Darnold.

 

That was my initial thought, and I almost wrote it that way.  And it does say they don't have high confidence in him, by definition...they didn't accept the option.

 

But thinking a bit deeper, it can still be read as "you still need to prove yourself."  Which is...not a positive, to be sure, but not a condemnation.  The contract probably has a drop-dead date:  they have to decide to accept or decline the option by date D.  What is D?  Something between now and the start of training camp?  Then it's "prove yourself."  If it's after the season, then it's a clear vote of no confidence...and not something I'd expect them to do.  Doing it now, before the season ever starts, would make him a lame duck.

[Pariah]

Maybe in the meantime the Giants front office can have a "prove yourself" year too. It's not like they've been doing their team a lot of favors.

[Pariah]

We just saw the USFL's first overtime game, which utilizes a shootout format. Each team gets three two-point conversion attempts, with sudden death after that. I'm not a huge fan of shootouts in either association football or ice hockey, but this version wasn't entirely uninteresting.

 

The Panthers we're leading by 3:00 with under 2 minutes remaining. The Breakers drove inside the 10-yard line and called time out with one second left. Their kicker nailed the field goal to force overtime. The Panthers snap the ball over their quarterback's head on the first attempt and got a pass knock down in the end zone on their second attempt. Breakers quarterback Kyle Sloter (formerly of the University of Northern Colorado and the Denver Broncos practice squad) threw a touchdown in the flat on their first attempt and then walked untouched into the end zone on their second to seal the win.

 

The Panthers are now 1-6 on the season, with five of their six losses coming by one score or less. They're pretty much officially cursed.

 

Also notable in the game is that the Panthers' starting quarterback injured his hand, but the coach refused to take him out. Proving, I suppose, that even in the USFL, Paxton Lynch is never the right answer.

[Cancer]

Suggestions have been made that much of the last few months' moves from the Seahawk front office have come from uncertainties about a rumored fast-tracking of the sale of the franchise by the Allen Estate and whom the new ownership might be.  This seems obvious once it's pointed out, but it is also something that gets overlooked.

[unclevlad]

That doesn't explain parting with your top players, tho, which devalues the franchise somewhat.  Now, ok, if that's part of the reason...the other part being, they didn't think they could keep Wilson, for example...then clearing the deck makes more sense.

 

But the sale's not expected to happen that quickly, from what I read.  Not this year, possibly not even 2023.  That's a long time in football limbo if you don't start the rebuild soonish.

[Pariah]

On 5/28/2022 at 10:32 PM, Pariah said:

The Panthers are now 1-6 on the season, with five of their six losses coming by one score or less. They're pretty much officially cursed.

 

The Gamblers are also officially cursed. They have led at halftime in each of their seven games this season. But they're currently on a six-game losing streak.

[Pariah]

Ryan Fitzpatrick reportedly retiring from NFL after 17 seasons

[unclevlad]

According to NFL Talk, so is Frank Gore.  Hard to believe:  he's 3rd on the all time rush list.  16,000 yards.  Never flashy, but very solid.  I think we kinda forget that the Niners made back to back SB appearances...perhaps because Kap was the QB for both of em.

[Pariah]

Frank Gore: First ballot Hall of Famer? Yea or nay?

[unclevlad]

2 minutes ago, Pariah said:

Frank Gore: First ballot Hall of Famer? Yea or nay?

 

I'll hedge.  Depends on who else is on the ballot.  Right now there's Big Ben, who's a no-doubter.  Gore's probably the 2nd best...or at least 2nd best known.  Several of the others are linemen.

 

So I'll say yes.  It's hard to turn down #3 all time career rusher.

[Starlord]

His stats are hard to ignore, but at no point can I remember a year where I would have considered him one of the top 3 RBs in the league.  He never led the league in yards or TDs. Not a 1st ballot Hall of Famer IMO.

[unclevlad]

2 minutes ago, Starlord said:

His stats are hard to ignore, but at no point can I remember a year where I would have considered him one of the top 3 RBs in the league.  He never led the league in yards or TDs. Not a 1st ballot Hall of Famer IMO.

 

9 seasons with 1000+ yards, tho.  4.3 yards per rush for the overall career.  #5 ALL TIME in career combined yards...just missed 20,000.  #4 if counting scrimmage yards only...behind 3 guys named Jerry, Walter, and Emmitt.  Surpassed Faulk and Tim Brown.  NOTE:  all 5 of those are in.

 

Leading the league in yards or TDs is much too narrow and situational.  Sometimes there's a single player with a gonzo season;  TDs depend on overall team weapons and style.  16,000 yards in *today's* NFL.  Gore was the active leader;  Peterson at just under 15K is second.  The drop-off...Mark Ingram is 3rd with just under 7900.  

 

Running backs whose careers started in 2000 or later, who reach even 10,000 yards, are rare.  

 

So...OK, I'll change my stance.  Yeah, first ballot.  Too consistent for too long to be anything else.

[unclevlad]

From NYT:

 

Quote

How the Texans and a Spa Enabled Deshaun Watson’s Troubling Behavior

Watson met at least 66 women for massages over a 17-month period, far more than previously known. He had help from the Houston Texans, including nondisclosure agreements, in making appointments.

 

This is far, far more than admitted in the past;  Watson acknowledges 40 over 5 years.  66 in 17 months is close to 1 a week.  For the Texans, supplying a venue might be OK, but an NDA to quell complaints is going to draw the league's attention.

 

For subscribers:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/07/sports/football/deshaun-watson.html

 

The Browns have to be dreading the fallout.  The depositions and evidence might not show criminal issues...but the player conduct policy doesn't need that.  I think that's going to lead the league to hammer him.

 

Eventually.  Stupid league is so damn freakin slow.

[Pariah]

This surprises me not even a little bit.

 

Paxton Lynch was outplayed by a former Broncos minicamp QB in USFL game

[Michael Hopcroft]

9 hours ago, unclevlad said:

For subscribers:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/07/sports/football/deshaun-watson.html

 

The Browns have to be dreading the fallout.  The depositions and evidence might not show criminal issues...but the player conduct policy doesn't need that.  I think that's going to lead the league to hammer him.

 

Eventually.  Stupid league is so damn freakin slow.

The Texans probably confused Non-Diosclosure Agreements with Releases of Information (where a medicaL PROVIDER WILL NOT RELEASE YOUR RECORDS TO SOQmeone without your permission). They are direct opposites. And I'm not sure what they compelled the massage therapists to sign, but my understanding that in the case of a breach of professional decorum, a perovider would be encouraged to report such conduct ROI or no.

 

A therapeutic massage is a medical procedure, which makes a masseuse a medical professional. Would anyone demand sex of their dentist or acupuncturist? Didn't think so.

[Pariah]

It's official: The Denver Broncos are being sold for a record $4.65 billion to Rob Walton (heir to Walmart), Carrie Walton Penner (his daughter) and her husband Greg.

 

Everyone made the same hilarious 'Simpsons' joke about the Broncos getting sold

 

My biggest concern is that if you go to a game and need a snack or a beverage, there won't be enough registers open.

[unclevlad]

With the revelations about their involvement, the Texans have been added as defendants to the Watson lawsuits, as facilitators.  

 

Elsewhere, semi-related, the Browns have pretty much burned every bridge with Mayfield.  Both sides "mutually agreed" to excuse him from mandatory OTAs next week.  Granted that we all figured he was gone, but this is a tangible indicator of the schism.  AND Watson's situation keeps getting messier.

 

The Browns are quite thoroughly doing their angels....in yellow snow.....

 

EDIT:  on the down side, what this will do...Watson's legal team said they will add the Texans, but it hasn't happened yet...is make the timeline for this, that much longer, which may well mean the NFL gets to what they do best...nothing...for longer.

[Pariah]

What I can't really wrap my head around is why the Seattle Seahawks seem to think that Drew Lock and Geno Smith are still better options than Baker Mayfield.