2023 NFL Thread

[Fro]

Zeke won't command much money because the RB market is shit and he's past his prime. It sucks that RBs are "past their prime" at age 28 but that's the reality. I think whoever signs him will be getting a high-end RB2 at an affordable price. If a team has need at RB2 then he's a good alternative to picking one in the draft if you want to use your picks for other positions. The Jets probably don't have need since they have Michael Carter, but the Bengals could definitely use him. There's probably no rush to sign him since the draft is around the corner but if the Bengals don't come away with an RB they like (for sake of simplicity let's call it an RB taken in the first 4 rounds) then I think Zeke would make a lot of sense for them.

[Bandit]

One probably-overlooked attribute for Zeke too is that he's remained an elite pass-blocking RB. I imagine that's a big plus for Rodgers.

[3puppies]

Hearing that Green Bay understands they aren't all that likely to get the Jet's #1 this year, 13th overall, so they may be more comfortable waiting until after June 1st to make the trade. If they trade him before June 1, there's a bigger cap hit to them than if they wait until then, as waiting allows them to spread what they're on the hook for based on his current contract over two years instead of one.

Jets apparently want something conditional to protect them in case Aaron sucks, or only decides he wants to play one year with them. They may be okay with a 2 this year, and a 2 next year that could become a 1 if they reach the AFC championship game, or that drops to a 3 if they don't make the playoffs.

I wonder whose situation gets resolved first - Rodgers or Lamar?

[BGMaverick]

I wonder whose situation gets resolved first - Rodgers or Lamar?

Rodgers.

[Percussion]

Ravens Offered Lamar Jackson $175MM In Total Guarantees; Deal No Longer On Table

Long reported to have offered Jackson $133MM fully guaranteed, the Ravens proposed the former MVP a deal with $175MM in total guarantees. The $42MM injury guarantee would have shifted to a full guarantee early over the course of the contract, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. An additional $25MM — present in the fourth year of the contract — would have become guaranteed in Year 3 of the deal, Breer adds. Overall, that 2022 offer topped $290MM over six years. The $175MM in total guarantees would have topped Russell Wilson ($165MM) for second in the league.

Assuming this was a legit offer from Baltimore, kinda hard to feel too bad for Lamar here..

[3puppies]

What kind of BS is this $175 MM "total guarantees" when it's really only $133 MM guaranteed? I kind of respect Lamar for sticking to his guns here - he believes he deserves more than Watson, and I think he's right.

I think the league understands how much of a mistake it was for the Browns to guarantee Watson so much, and with Lamar's injury history, guarantees are certainly a huge risk.

I'd love to see him sit out a year, but I could see him eventually settling for just this one year at the franchise tag, then the Ravens get nothing for him. Teams may be willing to pay him that much, but not give the Ravens two 1st round draft picks on top.

[Fro]

Ravens Offered Lamar Jackson $175MM In Total Guarantees; Deal No Longer On Table

Assuming this was a legit offer from Baltimore, kinda hard to feel too bad for Lamar here..

I wouldn't describe myself as feeling bad for Lamar, but this report is bullshit. And by bullshit I'm not saying there aren't some nuggets of truth in it, but any sort of leak the team puts out via a reporter during a highly public negotiation should be taken with a mammoth grain of salt, especially given how complicated NFL contracts are and how easily they can be falsely summarized by throwing out a few numbers which don't accurately reflect the true summation of the supposed offer.

[Kneeneighbor]

Team Ravens > Team Lamar

[Fro]

Team Ravens > Team Lamar

white billionaires colluding to keep a black man from getting paid is not a cause I can get behind

[Kneeneighbor]

white billionaires colluding to keep a black man from getting paid is not a cause I can get behind

Just because the Browns acted a fool doesn't mean everyone has to pay the price for that.

[Fro]

Just because the Browns acted a fool doesn't mean everyone has to pay the price for that.

I don't want to get too deep into this because admittedly I don't know the details of the negotiations between Lamar and Ravens or Lamar and any other teams. My point earlier was that Albert Breer saying something the Ravens want him to say doesn't mean much. There is much we don't know.

In general though, I don't doubt that the stalemate involves the amount of guaranteed money. Pretty much all major NFL contract negotiations involve determining how much money will be guaranteed. Was Watson's contract an outlier versus a new norm? These are questions that should be answered by the open market. I tend to agree the Browns overpaid and it'll be an outlier for years to come before other QB contracts catch up to it. I'm not suggesting Lamar should get the same deal.

Where the problem comes into play is when the open market no longer answers this question, but rather one side (the side with power - ownership) subverts the market. When teams don't negotiate in good faith with the player because they need to set a precedent for other negotiations.

And then they might leak various things to the media about Lamar's contract demands to try to justify to the public or to the NFLPA why negotiations are not happening.

As an aside, I think Lamar would be better off hiring an agent. His deal is complicated simply by the nature of having the non-exclusive tag placed on him. There's trade and contract elements to sort out here so he really needs an agent IMO.

[Percussion]

I applaud your avoidance of the 'c' word.

[Kneeneighbor]

If anyone wanted to pay him and give up the picks they could. No one wants to because he isnt worth that. Owners all valuing a player the same way is not collusion.

[Percussion]

You're preaching the choir here, bud. To me that point is moot in merely the fact than when an owner decided to do what he damn well pleased he up and did it.

And it didn't even matter to him that he did it for a serial sex pest.

If any one owner out of 32 simply doesn't want to do a thing that they're under absolutely zero obligation to do then that's just that. They don't want, nor have, to. And there aren't even 32 teams in the market for a QB. There are maybe a handful plus, at most. And if any of them wanted to go full on Jim Haslem then that's on them. He showed it can be done. But they don't want to - at least not these handful of owners for this scheme-dependent, banged up as of late (and in particular with a play style that lends itself to more injury risk) QB who's seen is form decline from one year to the next since his initial quick ascendence in the league.

I just don't see 32 billionaires sipping scotch at a hidden compound somewhere twirling their mustaches and shaking hands to unanimously agree to keep Lamar Jackson unpaid.

[CWE]

Technically, there aren't 32 billionaire owners.

Packers and Bengals are under. Although, Mike Brown's net worth hasn't been publicly listed since 2015 that I can find. So he might be there by now. And the Packers are publicly owned.

[Fro]

If anyone wanted to pay him and give up the picks they could. No one wants to because he isnt worth that. Owners all valuing a player the same way is not collusion.

You are certainly buying what these mega billionaires are selling you. Andrew Brandt of Sports Illustrated put it this way yesterday:

"Is this collusion? Legally, probably not; there are probably no smoking gun communications out there. Is it punitive? Clearly, yes. NFL owners are dead set on having the Watson contract be an outlier rather than a precedent, cursing Browns’ owner Jimmy Haslam along the way."

I just don't see 32 billionaires sipping scotch at a hidden compound somewhere twirling their mustaches and shaking hands to unanimously agree to keep Lamar Jackson unpaid.

This is a foolish way to look at it. If you're debating that it isn't technically collusion in the legal sense of the word, I'm not arguing that point. This started with you saying it's hard to feel bad for Lamar and Knee saying he prefers the side of the team to the side of the player. If you really don't think something is going on here, that the free market has not been obstructed in any way before the start of free agency when all these teams proactively decided not to go after Lamar, you are very naive to the reality of this league and the way the owners operate IMO.

You guys will say "well Lamar is demanding the Watson deal" because NFL insiders and ESPN have reported that to you, but those insiders so clearly get their scoops from primarily from who? From teams, and from agents. Occasionally from players when some of these guys text with Josina Anderson and whatnot but for the most part teams and agents. The media is not to be trusted, not when some NFL owners literally own newspapers and ESPN is in a $100 billion dollar broadcasting deal with the owners.

Open your eyes. This issue isn't black and white. It's very grey.

[Fro]

To be clear I'm not denying that Jackson is seeking a guaranteed deal. A negotiation is an ongoing process and I'm not saying the reports have been factually wrong per se.

What I'm saying is that the way someone gets a fully guaranteed deal is you have 5 teams who want him and that creates a bidding war and that's how Watson ended up getting it. If the teams bow out before even trying to get him because they're unhappy about the Watson precedent, then of course Lamar won't get the Watson deal and in fact he won't even get market value (whatever you deem market value to be). And that sucks for Lamar. And the way the media portrays the negotiation as Lamar being stubborn and not willing to negotiate anything other than a Watson deal should be taken with a grain of salt.

[Percussion]

What should compel any particular owner to give Lamar the deal Lamar wants?

Of course the owners don't want fully guaranteed contracts to be the norm, nor should they. As a fan I don't want that either. And it's not because I just love the billionaires. It's because fully guaranteed deals in a collision sport with a hard salary cap is obviously a bad idea.

Is this where I tell you you're being naive and you should open your eyes, etc? Just wanna get the form right..

[Fro]

I don't think you really addressed anything I said, but I will address what you said:

What should compel any particular owner to give Lamar the deal Lamar wants?

This question itself is faulty because it lacks any nuance about negotiation. What should compel any particular owner to be interested in acquiring Lamar and negotiating for his rights would be their desire to win football games because he's a good quarterback.

Of course the owners don't want fully guaranteed contracts to be the norm, nor should they.

You are essentially saying you believe in collusion here. As I said earlier, in an open market a player is worth what the highest bidder will pay regardless of norms. If you want to acquire a player you have to bid higher than the other team bidding for him which is what the Browns did. If owners act in a way that is not based on the value of the player in the open market, but rather the desire to establish norms for the sake of future contract negotiations, that is a type of collusion. No?

If the Falcons and Commanders were negotiating with Lamar and he didn't get the Watson contract because neither team would go there because it's not worth it for them, this would be in line with what I think you're saying should happen. And there would be no issue. In this case, neither team negotiated with him.

[Percussion]

No, I just don't think it's collusion for someone to not do something they're not obligated to do.

And we don't know that teams aren't already aware that he's drawing a hard line in the sand for himself on a fully guaranteed deal. We don't know what kind of preliminary phone calls have taken place.

Jalen Hurts has just about as much, if not more, right to argue for a Watson deal as Jackson. If he doesn't is he colluding with the owners to set precedent?

[Fro]

No, I just don't think it's collusion for someone to not do something they're not obligated to do.

I swear I'm not trying to get into a semantics argument here but obviously it can be collusion for someone to not do something they're not obligated to do. A company (like any company, an airline for example) isn't obligated to lower their prices when demand drops. They can put their prices wherever they want them. The market is what would force them to lower their prices. If all the airlines decide to price-fix, none of them are individually breaking an obligation but they are colluding.

And we don't know that teams aren't already aware that he's drawing a hard line in the sand for himself on a fully guaranteed deal. We don't know what kind of preliminary phone calls have taken place..

Fair.

Jalen Hurts has just about as much, if not more, right to argue for a Watson deal as Jackson. If he doesn't is he colluding with the owners to set precedent?.

No and that is a blatant false equivalence. Going the Tom Brady route of taking team friendly deals to help your team is not collusion. That is completely different than what we're talking about.

[Percussion]

And I'm saying the owners haven't necessarily collectively decided to 'price-fix' against Lamar. But a handful or so that are likely in the QB market this year have each individually decided that they have no interest in making the kind of offer he appears to be looking for. And that's fair play to them. An owner before them has done what they wouldn't do and another perhaps will down the road.

I don't believe they're picking on Lamar. I believe the market for him isn't what he anticipated, in part because of his playstyle, in part because of timing, and in large part to his demands.

[_me]

Do you think the Chiefs would give Mahomes a fully guaranteed contract if he asked? Would the Bengals give Burrow one if he asked? Would any owner?

[Percussion]

One did.

[Percussion]

I've written of it repeatedly in fact..

[Percussion]

The Philadelphia Eagles and quarterback Jalen Hurts have reached an agreement on a five-year, $255 million extension, including $179.304 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.

Jalen cashing in big.

Also looks awfully similar to the deal Lamar reportedly turned down a few months ago.

[hithit]

Good for him.
Curious to see what Burrow and Herbert get

[Fro]

Jalen cashing in big.

Also looks awfully similar to the deal Lamar reportedly turned down a few months ago.

Has the Jalen deal even been revealed yet?

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse, but when it comes to NFL contracts the details matter and the initial report is only half the story. So you're now comparing a Jalen Hurts deal you haven't even seen to a Lamar deal you also haven't seen.

I'm just saying, it's odd to me how badly people want to vilify Lamar based on incomplete information. The first rule of NFL contract news is wait to see the details. It's great Jalen got paid, it's frustrating that people use this to shit on Lamar. Even if Lamar has been a bad negotiator in this ongoing negotiation, must we nail him to the cross and say "next time take what they offer you, boy"?

[Percussion]

I don't think of Lamar as a villain. And I've no desire to shit on him.

[Kneeneighbor]

I don't think of Lamar as a villain. And I've no desire to shit on him.

[hithit]

Has the Jalen deal even been revealed yet?

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse, but when it comes to NFL contracts the details matter and the initial report is only half the story. So you're now comparing a Jalen Hurts deal you haven't even seen to a Lamar deal you also haven't seen.

I'm just saying, it's odd to me how badly people want to vilify Lamar based on incomplete information. The first rule of NFL contract news is wait to see the details. It's great Jalen got paid, it's frustrating that people use this to shit on Lamar. Even if Lamar has been a bad negotiator in this ongoing negotiation, must we nail him to the cross and say "next time take what they offer you, boy"?

https://www.profootballrumors.com/20...nsion#ref=home

[Tyson]

That is outrageous money for Hurts.

[Fro]

I don't think it's outrageous. Hurts had such a good season and really proved himself. We still need to see what the actual contract is, but generally speaking I think locking him up at age 25 with a deal that maybe sets a new high-water mark for a QB contract in some ways (APY), but not other ways (guarantees), is smart. This is how you should handle a franchise QB - lock him up before it gets to franchise tags and free agency and stand-offs. We all know within a year or so, 2 or 3 other QBs will pass him on the APY list.

[BGMaverick]

Damar Hamlin got a clean bill of health and he's going to attempt to make a comeback next season.

[3puppies]

Damar Hamlin got a clean bill of health and he's going to attempt to make a comeback next season.

Great news.

[Percussion]

So Rodgers finally a Jet..

for essentially a 2nd this year and a 2nd next year that conditionally becomes a 1st if Rodgers plays 65% of plays next year.

[hithit]

About time. Glad the drama is over, now the Pack can focus on the draft and getting Love ready to go.

[hithit]

Didn't multiple people say GB wouldn't get a first??

[Percussion]

I never really had an opinion one way or the other.. but does it count until the conditions are met?

[hithit]

Oh I know it wasn't you.
And yes, they didn't get one yet, but I'm 99.9% sure they will be met.

[Percussion]

I certainly agree that it's likely, just that NY wasn't going to just fork over a 1st for Rodgers at this point in his career without a safeguard in place to help insure the value in return.

A year or two ago GB gets a surefire 1st in return for Aaron, as it stands now the picture is just a little muddier.

I think this is the epitome of a fair trade all around.

[Fro]

I think the Packers got a good return here. Barring injury, this is a 1st and a 2nd. And moving up 2 spots in the first round this year is good too.

I would take this deal if I were the Jets, but if anyone lost the trade it's them. If Rodgers only plays 1 season, it's not ideal for them.

[BigAl]

Can’t wait to try to trade Rodgers in my dynasty league. The guy who has G Wilson has already hit me up for a trade.

[Tyson]

The Packers win the trade:

-move up two spots in this year’s draft
-barring a Rodgers injury, that conditional 2nd rounder becomes a 1st
-the top end of the 2024 draft will be way better than this year’s, once the multiple underclassmen declare
-potentially having two first round picks next year is important in case Jordan Love fails his practicum
-massive addition by subtraction, they cleared a cancer who is losing his fastball out of their locker room

The Jets are still going to suck, even with Rodgers behind center. The Bills and the Dolphins are better than the Jets, the Jets and Pats are a pick’em. Enjoy 4-13, Aaron…

[CWE]

Didn't multiple people say GB wouldn't get a first??

Not me.

[Percussion]

The Jets are still going to suck, even with Rodgers behind center. The Bills and the Dolphins are better than the Jets, the Jets and Pats are a pick’em. Enjoy 4-13, Aaron…

So you're saying that a team that won 7 games with next to nothing at the most important position in the game will win that much less with a proven all-timer now at the helm?

Also a proven all-timer reunited with the same OC that he won 2 out the last 3 MVP awards with..

Have you actually looked at the Jets roster at all?

[Morrison]

of course he hasn't.

[Kdestiny]

Would've had the top 2 OROTY if Hall had stayed healthy and they still have pick 15 which is a solid spot.

[CWE]

So you're saying that a team that won 7 games with next to nothing at the most important position in the game will win that much less with a proven all-timer now at the helm?

Also a proven all-timer reunited with the same OC that he won 2 out the last 3 MVP awards with..

Have you actually looked at the Jets roster at all?

I think the Jets will find some way to Jets it up and disappoint their fans as usual.

[Fro]

The division is strong so the jets could easily miss the playoffs. They also play the chiefs, eagles, chargers, cowboys, giants. You don’t have to look further than their schedule to see why the jets might be hanging around .500 when half of their games are vs playoff teams.

If they do struggle this year, you wonder if retirement will be a strong consideration for Rodgers. I think he’ll probably give the jets 2 seasons but if the season is a grind and he doesn’t have fun, idk.

[Kneeneighbor]

So Rodgers finally a Jet..

for essentially a 2nd this year and a 2nd next year that conditionally becomes a 1st if Rodgers plays 65% of plays next year.

Imagine giving all that up for the second best QB off of someone else's roster.

[BGMaverick]

So you're saying that a team that won 7 games with next to nothing at the most important position in the game will win that much less with a proven all-timer now at the helm?

Also a proven all-timer reunited with the same OC that he won 2 out the last 3 MVP awards with..

Have you actually looked at the Jets roster at all?

They also had some pretty tough injury luck, too. Anything is possible but that also now includes the idea of them actually being good.

[3puppies]

Sounds like the Jets paid a lot, perhaps overpaid, but many Jets fans I know are very happy with them overpaying because of who Aaron Rodgers is, and how big a hole they had at the QB position.

[Percussion]

Sign me up for some of this collusion..

Lamar Jackson, Ravens agree on five-year, $260 million extension, making QB NFL's highest-paid player

[Randolph]

Jesus the Lions are fucking idiots.

[CWE]

I was a little sad when the Texans took Stroud at 2. He's a solid QB...but I wanted Anderson. Then IT happened...

[Percussion]

Caserio put his balls on the table..

Ain't mad about it..

[Fro]

Day 1 winners: Eagles, Patriots

[3puppies]

Day 1 winners: Eagles, Patriots

As a Pats fan, I am really happy about this. The Patriots had to fill a real need at corner, and they got arguably the best in the draft in Christian Gonzalez. Trading down and still getting their guy, and preventing the Jets from getting the guy they and the Steelers both needed, was a positive.

While I can agree with you about the Eagles, I think the Ravens fans had the best day 1, especially when just a day before they looked like they might not have a QB.

[BGMaverick]

In addition to those teams, I'd say the Seahawks, Steelers, and Giants had good first rounds.

[Percussion]

Nolan Smith is super intriguing. Great athlete, fluid as fuck, good bend, solid motor, but a lot of questions about production and what's left to coach up. Super high ceiling, iffy floor, quality bottom of the 1st round pick.

Jalen Carter has bust written all over his enormous fat ass. Shit motor, shit production, shit decision making, shit maturity. DT version of Jamarcus Russell. Crazy high ceiling, bottomed out floor, with the latter the odds on favorite.

[Randolph]

[Morrison]

Nolan Smith is super intriguing. Great athlete, fluid as fuck, good bend, solid motor, but a lot of questions about production and what's left to coach up. Super high ceiling, iffy floor, quality bottom of the 1st round pick.

Jalen Carter has bust written all over his enormous fat ass. Shit motor, shit production, shit decision making, shit maturity. DT version of Jamarcus Russell. Crazy high ceiling, bottomed out floor, with the latter the odds on favorite.

the thought is to get carter inside the building and hope the environment works him out. there are three of his former teammates in their with him in davis, dean and smith, and he'll be in the same room with fletcher cox and brandon graham. it's a decent enough idea and set up, though i feel like for a dude with maturity isssues, bringing him into a space where he's immediately got a bunch of his former college teammates around, it could set him up to be thinking this is college with a bigger paycheck and he'll act accordingly...

but given what we gave up to move up the one spot to grab him, it's not the end of the world if he fails out, i don't think.

[Percussion]

RIP the greatest rb of all time, Jim Brown..

[hithit]

The one guy from a previous Era I wish I could have seen play.
RIP Jim

[3puppies]

RIP Jim Brown. I was talking to my daughter about him and Barry Sanders being the two running backs I saw play in person, before her time, that really stood out to me. On the defensive side of the ball, I also got to see LT and Reggie White play live.

[BGMaverick]

Quarterbacks docuseries on Netflix was decent, but it didn’t live up to my expectations. It clearly had rich source material to work with but it felt like it just really dipped into the highlight reel well too often. The episodes would have a theme it wanted to work off of but it just went astray at a certain point in each episode. I will say, thought it was a great variety of QBs in terms of status between Mahomes, Cousins, and Mariota.

I think the unique takeaway from Mahomes was that he’s a pretty vocal guy in between the lines. Seeing his workout regimen and how he battled through the injury in the playoffs was a good watch. Cousins was interesting to me, as you got to see the willingness to really try anything to help him over the course of the season. You got a true feel for what a QB has to endure in terms of surviving the season with him. Mariota wasn’t portrayed in the greatest light over the series. Talked about how to rediscover his love for the game, admitted his commitment to his health through dieting wasn’t always sharp, and then the awkward nature of his departure from the team.

Hard Knocks has lost its fastball over recent seasons but it still is the gold standard compared to this series. Felt like a diet Hard Knocks and really didn’t have a constant through line or voice that could help steer the ship. It’s not bad, it just wasn’t great and felt like it left plenty of meat on the bone.

[Tyson]

Aaron Rodgers showing up at day one of Jets camp only because “Hard Knocks” is there…book it.

[Bandit]

Aaron rodgers would have been there day 1 either way... he always reported to training camp at GB, it was only OTAs (and mandatory mini camp in June 2021 after his disputes with Gutekunst) he started skipping annually.

And he was already attending some (lol) of the OTAs for NYJ this year, so he's already miles ahead in terms of his involvement compared to the last several years in GB haha.

[BGMaverick]

23 Predictions on Offense for 2023:

No one cares, but I gave myself seven full-on check marks and then four half-marks, so it went around 39 percent.

[lotjx]

Tomlin and crew need to be fired by the end of the night. It won't happen, but it needs to happen.

[BGMaverick]

Notes:
- Miami's OL did an incredible job keeping things relatively clean for Tua. Hill was an absolute monster. The were much stronger stopping the run last season so this negative output in the opener could be a concern.
- Baltimore has a real one in Flowers. That kid fits exactly what they need in that attack. Really tough to be challenged without Andrews and now incredibly tough luck for Dobbins.
- Cincinnati had no answers and you feel like there were going to be notable issues because of the weather and Burrow's lack of rhythm due to the injury. We'll see if this is a hiccup or a problem to be concerned about.
- Cleveland's defense really attacked Cincy and proved to be the aggressors of the game. Watson certainly looked more comfortable in terms of running when things broke down. Chubb is a true joy to watch as a runner.
- The hype train for Pittsburgh clearly went off the tracks today. I'm sure San Francisco played a large role in that but this is certainly a concern when you've got a very tough division like they've got.
- Richardson is going to be a pain in the ass for defenses as a rookie and help keep things interested for Indianapolis. He's just got to be sure to take care of himself on this scrambles out of the pocket. He got lit up at the end of the game and paid for it.
- Jacksonville's offense looks like it's going to be a problem for the rest of the division and their opponents this season. Ridley looked fantastic after the lengthy time away from the league.
- Tennessee is Tennessee. Vrabel is going to keep them competitive but there doesn't feel like there's enough there to steal the division.
- Denver really has to score more than 16 to have a chance to win. That was their issue last season and it continued here.
- Las Vegas doesn't feel like a complete team but they might resemble Minnesota a bit last season where the coin flips their way enough.
- Los Angeles' OL was fantastic until the very end, and their DL was terrible all game. Staley is going to be in the crosshairs now because he's supposed to be the defensive mastermind and he's now get six terrible quarters in a row (going back to the postseason game) where his area of expertise was demoralized.
- Kansas City is going to figure things out on offense over time. I imagine they'll different when Kelce and Jones return.

- Washington did just enough to upend a pesky Arizona team. Washington's OL seemed really dreadful but Howell's legs did just enough to give them a win.
- Stormy weather and it felt like the perfect storm for Dallas. The thing to monitor off the matchup is whether this stout defense got even stronger or if New York was just a walking disaster.
- New York played last season like they were ahead of the learning curve. Maybe they can get the benefit of the doubt for one week but this turd of a performance has to put them on red alert.
- Chicago's OL really doesn't seem that much better than last season. That fact and the general look of Fields not showing dramatic improvement is a very troubling sign.
- I'll be curious to see how Green Bay's offense looks with Watson in the mix. Love didn't look half bad at out there.
- The luck that was there last season for Minnesota wasn't there this time around. Regression will hit you and hit you hard.
- Detroit was the belle of the ball for the week. I love the way their lines dictated the terms of their opener against Kansas City. Hutchinson is going to be a major problem for the opposition and if they keep him clean, Goff will be able to sling it.
- Atlanta is boring as hell but they got a win. I don't feel like I saw a game where they endorse Ridder as their guy.
- Carolina doesn't have a lot there to be a safety valve there for Young. Pair that with a subpar OL, that feels like a recipe for disaster.
- There were lows and highs for Carr in New Orleans. I feel like he's a net positive over what they've had over the last season or two so that should help in a very winnable division. Shaheed looks like a dangerous x-factor for their offense.
- I'll be very interested to see if this surprise victory propels Tampa into a mini run. I'm not optimistic but you never know. They'll feel like a poor man's Tennessee where they kind of have to grind out victories. I'm not sure there's a winning formula there.
- Arizona was frisky but I'm not optimistic that carries them. I feel like it was a relatively soft opponent and opening-week excitement.
- Los Angeles proved that Kupp is a fraud. Just kidding. Nacua got a lot of hype out of the preseason and he certainly delivered the goods. If they can keep Stafford upright, they might be able to steal some games.
- San Francisco looks like the juggernaut we saw last season before Purdy got hurt. Watch out.

[Percussion]

cool

[lotjx]

Rodger is OUT!!

[hithit]

Rodger who?

[Defrost]

I think the best thing to do is tear the whole thing down now, trade Sauce, Wilson, Hall, everyone with value and get every pick possible and hopefully it works out where 3 or 4 years from now they're good in the right sequence of positions where it matters.

And by Wilson I mean the wide receiver not the shitty QB.

[Tyson]

I’m the furthest thing from a Rodgers fan but this definitely is not how I wanted it to go down…damn.

[BGMaverick]

If I'm the Jets, I'm looking to find a deal with Indy, Atlanta, or Washington for their backup. You already leaned into this season heavily and the team showed what its capable of. In for a penny, in for a pound. Have to stay aggressive.

[BigAl]

As a Colts fan I’m 100% on board with that. Trade them Minshew and rob them.

[lotjx]

Zach lead them to a win against the Bills. I say let it ride.

[Kdestiny]

I wouldn't say led as much as played with the team. Allen's turnovers were a huge difference.

[Fro]

It's Zach's job to lose but they should bring in a backup who can be potentially start later in the year, because the chances of Zach losing the job are high.

[Tyson]

The Giants looking like the Little Giants on TNF…

[lotjx]

Burrows questionable for Sunday, if this keeps up The Steelers and Ravens are probably going to fight for the division.

[Kneeneighbor]

The Bears Still Suck.

[Kdestiny]

The Bears Still Suck.

Good one

[Kneeneighbor]

Good one

[Kdestiny]

Really classy

[Kneeneighbor]

Classy is not something I have ever been accused of being.

[Kdestiny]

Classy is not something I have ever been accused of being.

Yeah, you're right.

You and virms seem to always have time to be douchebags about my teams.

[Kneeneighbor]

In fairness your football team and fans bring it upon them selves.

[Kdestiny]

In fairness your football team and fans bring it upon them selves.

I didn't bring anything upon myself.

You're just a dick.

[virms]

Yeah, you're right.

You and virms seem to always have time to be douchebags about my teams.

I'm a bears fan.

[Kdestiny]

I'm a bears fan.

And a Cubs fan

[virms]

And a Cubs fan

And a bulls and Blackhawks fan. Don't like cm punk as much though.

[Kdestiny]

Okay

[Kneeneighbor]

I didn't bring anything upon myself.

You're just a dick.

Best of luck drafting a QB this upcoming draft. You might have picks 1 and 2.

[Percussion]

My goodness it's nice to actually have what looks by and large like a real football team for the first time in 3+ years..

[Kdestiny]

My goodness it's nice to actually have what looks by and large like a real football team for the first time in 3+ years..

You're telling me

[lotjx]

I have no idea how the Steelers beat the Ravens and are now leading the AFC North when the fanbase wants the OC's head and Tomlin to retire. No clue....