Nfl 2015 season
- Thread starter omen616
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Just gotta say I am eating my words for griping about 'Skins earlier on this thread. Yeah, it's the weakest division in the NFL and yeah the team got in with a 9-7 record, and yeah there's still some serious weaknesses on defense, but you have to hand it to Gruden for betting his contract on Cousins and to Cousins for stepping up big time in the second half of the season. How do you figure on the guy going 23-3 TDs/INTs and setting the team yardage record? Maybe it's smoke and mirrors, but it's been quite a ride.
I give them more than a puncher's chance against the Packers. As I mentioned in a previous post, the Packers have serious issues with their o-line, having to move Josh Sitton to OT against the Vikings and we saw what that o-line did against the Cardinals. The Redskins may have some success running the ball as BJ Raji was in the concussion protocol and is probably at best questionable for Sunday. Plus, with all due respect to Aaron Rodgers, their passing game isn't as dynamic without Jordy Nelson.
The Redskins are playing well right now. They aren't the best team in the NFC, but they are on a roll. You never know when success will come in the NFL, so enjoy the ride.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments; great to read insights from someone who so obviously analyzes objectively. My view is that it depends on which Packers team shows up on Sunday and could not agree more about Jordy Nelson.
I guess you can explain a 23/3 TD/INT by noting that Cousins has gotten much more comfortable in the pocket, his O line is giving him time, he is not trying to ******* a ball into double/triple coverage, and his overall mechanics and decision-making is vastly improved. Good sign that Morris hit the century v. Dallas, since the ground game has been anemic of late.
Rodgers is a streaky QB -- if he gets into a good rhythm he can ******* you in a hurry, and the 'Skins D has given up a lot of yards and points even when the team has been winning handily.
I'd love to see the 'Skins go all the way to the big show, but even if they don't, the season has been a surprise and they have absolutely nothing to feel bad about. For the first time in an eon, it actually feels like they are a team -- win or lose they are in it together. That's cause for optimism and plenty of reason to sit back and just enjoy the ride no matter what.
I guess you can explain a 23/3 TD/INT by noting that Cousins has gotten much more comfortable in the pocket, his O line is giving him time, he is not trying to ******* a ball into double/triple coverage, and his overall mechanics and decision-making is vastly improved. Good sign that Morris hit the century v. Dallas, since the ground game has been anemic of late.
Rodgers is a streaky QB -- if he gets into a good rhythm he can ******* you in a hurry, and the 'Skins D has given up a lot of yards and points even when the team has been winning handily.
I'd love to see the 'Skins go all the way to the big show, but even if they don't, the season has been a surprise and they have absolutely nothing to feel bad about. For the first time in an eon, it actually feels like they are a team -- win or lose they are in it together. That's cause for optimism and plenty of reason to sit back and just enjoy the ride no matter what.
Thanks for the kind words. I guess my years as a high school football coach gives me that analytical approach to the game, and since my team has already cleaned out its lockers and has begun interviewing for its next head coach, I have nothing to be but analytical.
So while we wait for Saturday, anybody have any thoughts on the coaching carousel? I was very shocked to see Lovie Smith get *******-canned, especially considering what he had to work with, and the timing.
@MacNfries, what do you think of the Panther's DC Sean McDermott as a head coaching candidate? He is from Philadelphia, coached with the Eagles during the Andy Reid era, and is rumored to be on their radar.
@MacNfries, what do you think of the Panther's DC Sean McDermott as a head coaching candidate? He is from Philadelphia, coached with the Eagles during the Andy Reid era, and is rumored to be on their radar.
I was pretty surprised by the Lovie Smith firing too. He seemed to have them on the right track.
Anybody going to post their thoughts/analysis of Wild Card Weekend?
How about them Chiefs???
Love Mitch Holthus' touchdown call:
I think Brian Hoyer just threw another interception.
Well, the Rams are moving back to Los Angeles and it looks like the Chargers may be returning with them:
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14558668/st-louis-rams-relocate-los-angeles
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...cle_ae537abe-8471-5ac3-9edc-2c3174ce7fd9.html
I feel bad for the fans in both cities, the Chargers fans in San Diego who supported the Chargers for more than 50 years, and for the fans in St. Louis who adopted the Rams as their own and have now lost two NFL franchises in less than 30 years.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14558668/st-louis-rams-relocate-los-angeles
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...cle_ae537abe-8471-5ac3-9edc-2c3174ce7fd9.html
I feel bad for the fans in both cities, the Chargers fans in San Diego who supported the Chargers for more than 50 years, and for the fans in St. Louis who adopted the Rams as their own and have now lost two NFL franchises in less than 30 years.
.....Sorry, BM, didn't see this addressed to me ... I think Sean is still learning, actually, plus he seems to have a much appreciated job at Carolina with a team that is doing well, making HIM look good. I don't consider Sean a top level defensive coordinator; good, but not top shelf. He has good friendships with Kuechly, Hardy, and Norman, and if I recall, his departure from the Eagles wasn't all that pleasant. He's being looked at by several teams, though ... Cleveland for one. If he leaves Carolina, I'm fairly comfortable with knowing that Jerry Richardson already has a few replacement candidates. Richardson does the recruiting anyways ... Sean basically inherited the players he has for the most part. If Cam goes down, though, so do the Panthers.
......I just wish ALL these teams that are shopping around would have the courtesy of leaving the playoff teams alone until after the season is over for those teams ... its tremendously distracting, and Carolina's road to the Superbowl is tough ... Seahawks, then Cardinals, then probably Patriots. They don't need the added distractions. I can't believe the Vikings choked on that fieldgoal in the final seconds ... bummer!
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SIC 'EM BEARS!!! . . . er, sorry. That's college. GO PATS!!!!!!
In a perfect world that would be the case, but the logistics of the NFL calendar don't provide for it. The coaches of the teams that didn't make the playoffs but didn't fire their head coach are already reshuffling their coaching staffs. The period from after the final regular season game and the Super Bowl is the prime time for recruiting and signing assistant coaches. If the guys in the playoffs don't interview now and devote a small portion of their time to networking then they will be at a tremendous disadvantage. Also, in a few weeks the various college all star games get going, and obviously scouting gets ramped up but also, that's another chance for coaches to network. The bottom line is that when coaching hires are concerned, you have to move quickly to get the guy and guys you want. As an example (though maybe not the best because it isn't from the NFL) I've coached high school football for 16 years. The head coach at the school I've coached at the past 4 seasons resigned the Monday after Thanksgiving. He was offered the head coaching position at another school the first week in January. By contrast, the school he left didn't even start interviewing until this past Thursday. I'm casting my lot with him, even though both schools will be behind the 8 ball in terms of off season preparation, the school I'm going to will have a full staff assembled and our off season work will have begun before before my old school even hires a coach.
BM, the coaching carousel is an interesting dynamic. At the pro level, you have those coaches who REALLY know what they are doing. They are sought after like crazy - parcells, dungy, billicheck, johnson. Then you have their assistants (can't name them). Sought after almost as much. But the thing that totally amazes me is that, for the most part, the same people who were coaching a losing team last year are coaching on a winning team the next year!!!
I am pro everyone's "right" to have a job or try for one. But seriously. These guys were on the worst team in the NFL last year, why does anyone think they will be super coaches on the best team the next year? I just don't get it. Maybe, as a coach, you can explain it to this naive football watcher/enjoyer?
BTW, congrats on the new job, my friend.
Oh. And BTW. GO PATS!!!!!! lol.
Thank you, I'm looking forward to it.
It is an interesting dynamic, one that as a coach on a lower level, I have experienced. Like my college roommate (who also coaches football) once told me, "there are two kinds of football coaches, those who have been fired, and those who are going to be fired."
Football, probably more so than any other sport, is a copy-cat sport. The guys who get the head coaching gigs every year are, as a rule, from playoff teams. You can be the coordinator of a non-playoff team, have a top 5 offense or defense, but because you aren't part of a winner, your chances of getting a head coaching job that year aren't very good. Look at what happened to the Patriots when they won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years- Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel both got jobs. Gus Bradley and Dan Quinn parlayed their success as defensive coordinators of the Seahawks into head coaching jobs. Think back to the the mid 1990's and the Cowboys, Jimmy Johnson's coordinators- Norv Turner and Dave Wannstedt- both were coveted and got their own head coaching jobs. Even in college, when Power 5 conference teams are in the market for a coach, they often poach guys from the Group of 5 conferences.
You can't win in the NFl, or any level of football, without players. If a GM botches the draft, signs the wrong free agents, makes lousy trades, gives salary cap crippling contract extensions etc, etc, no amount of first class coaching will overcome that. In addition, so many other intangibles factor into the equation, injuries, outside distractions, team morale, etc, etc. I'll point a few examples. This year the Baltimore Ravens didn't make the playoffs. Does that make John Harbaugh a substandard coach? No, they were beset by injuries to key players, and in the salary cap era and with quarterbacks absorbing so much of that cap, teams don't have the financial flexibility to stock their roster with quality backups. Look at the Cleveland Browns, they change coaches as often as some women change their hairstyle. While the guys moving through that revolving door aren't Hall of Fame candidates, they have been killed by terrible drafting (if the Browns take Jared Goff with the #2 pick in the draft, he will be the third QB the Browns have drafted in the 1st round in the past 6 years). Take Jim Tomsula in San Francisco. He inherited the job after Jed York and Trent Baalke ran Jim Harbaugh out of town, he inherited a team whose defense was decimated by retirements, defections, and off season legal problems by amost all of the impact players on their defense, and an offense bereft of talent at the skill positions. They went 5-11 which was a minor miracle in and of itself, yet he still got thrown under the bus.
Another dynamic to consider is coaches who are miscast in their role. There are coaches who are great position coaches and/or great coordinators, but they don't make great head coaches. Guys like Josh McDaniels, Todd Haley, Rex Ryan and others make their bones as coordinators, but the big stage exposes their limitations, most likely because their new teams don't have the players that their old teams had that bolstered their reputations. Also, guys with no background in player personnel who get the title of head coach/general manager usually are way in over their heads.
.....Another tough game for the Panthers today ... well, guess they're all tough at this point of the season. But, I feel that the winner of the Cardinal - Panthers game, today, will be your eventual Superbowl Champions. Last week, my ******* & I had the awesome opportunity to go to the Seahawks - Panther game, and actually had pretty good seats. Not quite as fortunate this week; we'll be at the Buffalo Wings restaurant for this one.
.....I believe offensive coordinator, Mike Shula, learned a valuable lesson last Sunday. I know Cam Newton was very upset about the conservative play calling the second half in which the Seahawks almost got back into the game. When you have a talented entertainer like Cam, you don't want to have him go conservative, particularly when there's a whole 2nd half of football to be played. If the Panthers would be lucky enough to get a huge 1st half lead on the Cardinals, I believe you won't see Cam Newton starting the 2nd half in conservative mode.
.....It's the game of Heisman QBs today ... The Panthers are seriously weak in their secondary ... over 300+ yards have been given up by the Panthers the last 3 games. I'm sure Palmer & company have realized that weakness and will try to exploit it, so pass rushing by the Panthers will again play critical as it did with Seahawks (5 sacks). Panthers can not allow Fitz & other receivers to get open deep.
I think the fact this is being played at the Panthers + I think Panther kicker Gano is way superior to Cardinal Catanzaro, I believe this game (played in the cold, night weather outdoors) will be settled by a couple field goals.
.....I believe offensive coordinator, Mike Shula, learned a valuable lesson last Sunday. I know Cam Newton was very upset about the conservative play calling the second half in which the Seahawks almost got back into the game. When you have a talented entertainer like Cam, you don't want to have him go conservative, particularly when there's a whole 2nd half of football to be played. If the Panthers would be lucky enough to get a huge 1st half lead on the Cardinals, I believe you won't see Cam Newton starting the 2nd half in conservative mode.
.....It's the game of Heisman QBs today ... The Panthers are seriously weak in their secondary ... over 300+ yards have been given up by the Panthers the last 3 games. I'm sure Palmer & company have realized that weakness and will try to exploit it, so pass rushing by the Panthers will again play critical as it did with Seahawks (5 sacks). Panthers can not allow Fitz & other receivers to get open deep.
I think the fact this is being played at the Panthers + I think Panther kicker Gano is way superior to Cardinal Catanzaro, I believe this game (played in the cold, night weather outdoors) will be settled by a couple field goals.
Mac, I agree with your assessment, for the most part. However, there's one huge issue you didn't mention. Fitzgerald now works the middle of the field and the seam, more than going deep. That means the Panthers linebackers come into play. Just ask Green Bay, as Fitzgerald weaved his way 75 yards to set up the win. I think today that Cam will be the 'X" factor in today's game
Dropping my predictions for today?
-- Everyone on the Patriots tip, bt they coundlnt stope the run last time in Denver and I see that again today. Broncos win with little impact from #18 (Manning). 27-17
-- Carolina defense gets them a lead early like last week. Cardinals come ack hard but end up just short 3128 Panthers
-- Everyone on the Patriots tip, bt they coundlnt stope the run last time in Denver and I see that again today. Broncos win with little impact from #18 (Manning). 27-17
-- Carolina defense gets them a lead early like last week. Cardinals come ack hard but end up just short 3128 Panthers
