2017 NFL Season Thread

[Lineker]

Lamar Jackson will apply for early eligibility to enter the 2018 NFL Draft.

[Maxx]

3 hours ago, Lineker said:

Patriots on the brink: A 40-year-old QB, a furious coach and cracks starting to show

 

This is must-read stuff.

[VerbalPuke]

Shit....I wish when my football team started showing cracks we were still a Super Bowl favorite. Instead we go 0-16.

[Meacon Keaton]

18 minutes ago, VocalVomit said:

Shit....I wish when my football team started showing cracks we were still a Super Bowl favorite. Instead we go 0-16.

Exactly. "Look how flawed they are! They even cliched homefield advant-oh shit. They still good."

[SeanDMan]

Belichek should go fix The Browns.

[The Buscher]

He already tried.  He went to the Browns after being the defensive coordinator for the Giants and he went 36-44 with a playoff appearance before getting fired.

Actually, people in Cleveland would be dancing in the streets if you signed them up for that for the next five seasons.

[Meacon Keaton]

He went 11-5 with them in '94 and then the next year, halfway through the season they announced they were moving to Baltimore, which kind of doomed them (they were only 4-5 at the time) from a fan support perspective. He was going to be gone with the move anyway, but still. 11-5.

[VerbalPuke]

Kinda makes you wonder what the Browns history would look like had they never moved in the first place. 

[Lineker]

Didn't the Ravens win their first championship with the bulk of what was that BB Browns team?

The Oakland Raiders are calling a significant press conference for Tuesday at which time they will introduce Jon Gruden as the team's next head coach, a league source confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday.

Gruden, who coached Oakland from 1998 to 2001 and has been working as an ESPN analyst, is returning to the Raiders to replace Jack Del Rio, who was fired after the regular-season finale on Sunday.

ESPN reported Saturday that Raiders owner Mark Davis was prepared to pursue Gruden with a strong offer that could include an ownership stake in the team, which would have to be approved by NFL owners.

The date of the official announcement was first reported by RaidersSnakepit.com.

[Meacon Keaton]

I'm gonna say it now: Jon Gruden won't be a success. I think people see him through way too rosey rose-colored glasses. I may eat crow and Oakland may run the AFC West for years to come, but I very seriously doubt it. 

[Schlitzbrille]

6 hours ago, Lineker said:

Patriots on the brink: A 40-year-old QB, a furious coach and cracks starting to show

 

This is must-read stuff.

[Lineker]

The NFL announced Friday it is granting a total of $16.3 million to three research projects focusing on neurodegenerative diseases. The funding is part of the original $30 million investment allocated to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health for similar research. The league's five-year agreement with FNIH ended in August.

Quote

Antonio Brown was one of four repeaters from last season on the Associated Press 2017 NFL All-Pro Team, and the only unanimous choice.

The Pittsburgh Steelers' star receiver drew all 50 ballots Friday from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. Brown missed the last two-plus games with a calf injury.

He was among four players to make a fourth All-Pro squad, joining New England tight end Rob Gronkowski (five), Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly and Los Angeles Rams punter Johnny Hekker.

The repeaters from 2016 were Brown, Hekker, Rams interior defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who got 49 votes, and Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner.

In their turnaround season, the Rams led the way, with six All-Pros, including two more specialists: kicker Greg Zuerlein and kick returner Pharoh Cooper. Running back Todd Gurley and left tackle Andrew Whitworth were also honored.

"Dang, that's crazy. It means a lot, honestly," said Gurley, who likely would have led the league in rushing had he played in L.A.'s finale. "It's a blessing. I've got so much respect for everybody in this league, and to be in this position just means so much to me.

"I've been following people around the NFL my whole life, and to be considered as an All-Pro, man, God is good, honestly. Honestly."

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady made his third All-Pro team.

Three Steelers joined Brown on the roster: Le'Veon Bell as the flex, interior defensive lineman Cam Heyward and right guard David DeCastro. No other team had more than two All-Pros, with the NFC getting 18 players and the AFC 10.

Two rookies made it: punt returner Jamal Agnew of Detroit and special teamer Budda Baker of Arizona.

Also making it: Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson and center Jason Kelce; Panthers left guard Andrew Norwell; Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins; Jaguars edge rusher Calais Campbell and cornerback Jalen Ramsey; Saints edge rusher Cameron Jordan; Cardinals linebacker Chandler Jones; Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes and safety Harrison Smith; Detroit defensive back Darius Slay; and Titans safety Kevin Byard.

First-timers made an impression on both sides of the ball, with 15 on the team: Byard, Slay, Rhodes, Jones, Jordan, Ramsey, Campbell, Hopkins, Norwell, Kelce, Johnson, Agnew, Baker, Gurley and Cooper.

Wagner is on his third All-Pro squad.

"When you get voted for these types of awards," Wagner said, "it shows you all the work you do in the offseason, the grinding, all the things you push through. ... When you get this, when people say this is not AFC, NFC, this is the league, this is who we deem the best at their position in the league, that says a lot.

"And you see the guys before you, the things they were able to accomplish, you've seen those things, and you want those things. It's part of that mindset of wanting to be great and understanding what comes along with that, and wanting that kind of acknowledgment."

While making All-Pro has become almost natural for Wagner, Jordan finally got there in his seventh pro season.

"I'm definitely trying to push myself to be better than I was the year previous," Jordan said. "I think I had a really good year last year. Of course, sack numbers won't show that, but in terms of playing the run, in terms of getting after the passer I thought last year was one of my better years [7.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss]. So what I wanted to do this year is, of course, push myself to be better than last. That probably only poses the problem of where I go next year. Now I've got to shoot for more than what I did this year."

The full AP 2017 NFL All-Pro Team:

FIRST TEAM
 

OFFENSE

Quarterback: Tom Brady, New England

Running Back: Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Flex: Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh

Tight End: Rob Gronkowski, New England

Wide Receivers: Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh; DeAndre Hopkins, Houston

Left Tackle: Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams

Right Tackle: Lane Johnson, Philadelphia

Left Guard: Andrew Norwell, Carolina

Right Guard: David DeCastro, Pittsburgh

Center: Jason Kelce, Philadelphia

DEFENSE

Edge Rushers: Calais Campbell, Jacksonville; Cameron Jordan, New Orleans

Interior Linemen: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams; Cam Heyward, Pittsburgh

Linebackers: Chandler Jones, Arizona; Luke Kuechly, Carolina; Bobby Wagner, Seattle

Cornerbacks: Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville; Xavier Rhodes, Minnesota

Safeties: Kevin Byard, Tennessee; Harrison Smith, Minnesota

Defensive Back: Darius Slay, Detroit

SPECIAL TEAMS

Placekicker: Greg Zuerlein, Los Angeles Rams

Punter: Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles Rams

Kick Returner: Pharoh Cooper, Los Angeles Rams

Punt Returner: Jamal Agnew, Detroit

Special Teamer: Budda Baker, Arizona

SECOND TEAM
 

OFFENSE

Quarterback: Carson Wentz, Philadelphia

Running Back: Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh

Flex: Alvin Kamara, New Orleans

Tight End: Travis Kelce, Kansas City

Wide Receivers: Julio Jones, Atlanta; Adam Thielen, Minnesota

Left Tackle: David Bakhtiari, Green Bay

Right Tackle: Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City, and Daryl Williams, Carolina

Left Guard: Rodger Saffold, Los Angeles Rams

Right Guard: Zach Martin, Dallas

Center: Alex Mack, Atlanta

DEFENSE

Edge Rushers: Everson Griffen, Minnesota; Demarcus Lawrence, Dallas

Interior Linemen: Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia; Calais Campbell, Jacksonville

Linebackers: Von Miller, Denver; C.J. Mosley, Baltimore; Telvin Smith, Jacksonville

Cornerbacks: Casey Hayward, Los Angles Chargers; A. J. Bouye, Jacksonville

Safeties: Earl Thomas, Seattle; Micah Hyde, Buffalo

Defensive Back: Xavier Rhodes, Minnesota

SPECIAL TEAMS

Place kicker: Brett Kern, Tennessee

Kick Returner: Tyler Lockett, Seattle

Punt Returner: Pharoh Cooper, Los Angeles Rams

Special Teamer: Matthew Slater, New England

[Pooker]

Raiders are giving Gruden a ten year deal worth $100 million.

[Lineker]

1 hour ago, Pooker said:

Raiders are giving Gruden a ten year deal worth $100 million.

That's madness!

 

So, the New England Patriots have issued a joint statement from owner Robert Kraft, coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady on Friday, the day ESPN published a story detailing tension among the three:

Quote

"For the past 18 years, the three of us have enjoyed a very good and productive working relationship. In recent days, there have been multiple media reports that have speculated theories that are unsubstantiated, highly exaggerated or flat out inaccurate. The three of us share a common goal. We look forward to the enormous challenge of competing in the postseason and the opportunity to work together in the future, just as we have for the past 18 years. It is unfortunate that there is even a need for us to respond to these fallacies. As our actions have shown, we stand united."

Don Yee, the agent for both Brady and Garoppolo, also issued a statement regarding the ESPN story on Friday:

Quote

"I don't really know what to say; it's tough to have a response since it didn't appear to me to have one on-the-record quote. All I can suggest is don't believe everything you read."

[VerbalPuke]

Hell yeah, good for Slay and Agnew making it as All-Pros.

[Taxation is Theft]

3 hours ago, VocalVomit said:

Kinda makes you wonder what the Browns history would look like had they never moved in the first place. 

The same without three missing years.

4 hours ago, Busch E said:

He already tried.  He went to the Browns after being the defensive coordinator for the Giants and he went 36-44 with a playoff appearance before getting fired.

Actually, people in Cleveland would be dancing in the streets if you signed them up for that for the next five seasons.

We are doing that tomorrow anyway.

[GhostMachine]

I don't know which is more unbelievable: 

Browns fans having a parade `celebrating' the team going 0-16, or the University of Central Florida having a national championship parade the day before the national championship game that they're not even in.

 

 

[Pooker]

Give it a few years and they'll stop keeping track of the score and who wins or loses and everybody will just play for the fun of the game.

Parades for everybody!

[Lowerdeck]

It wouldn't surprise me that Belichick leaves first, especially if the Pats win another Super Bowl this year.  I've heard of a rumor saying he might be interested in going to the Giants, but I don't believe that so much.

Regardless of this current controversy, I couldn't have seen Brady and Belichick being around more than a couple years anyway.

[Meacon Keaton]

Wildcard weekend, folks. Go Titans, Rams, Jags, and Saints.