2017 NFL Season Thread

[gunnar hendershow]

I would wager that the Ravens wind up on Hard Knocks. Browns are the dream choice for HBO but the boring ass from top to bottom Ravens seem like what will wind up happening. Seriously, we were boring under Billick when we were on it the first time and they got blessed with the Jamal Lewis injury to spice things up. We'll be even more boring now under Mr. Personality John Harbaugh.

[Slogger]

11 minutes ago, damshow said:

I would wager that the Ravens wind up on Hard Knocks. Browns are the dream choice for HBO but the boring ass from top to bottom Ravens seem like what will wind up happening. Seriously, we were boring under Billick when we were on it the first time and they got blessed with the Jamal Lewis injury to spice things up. We'll be even more boring now under Mr. Personality John Harbaugh.

Forgetting about this guy?

[gunnar hendershow]

1 hour ago, Slogger said:

Forgetting about this guy?

Assuming he's still on the team next year.

[Adam]

Can someone more clued up than me in personnel matters explain to me how and why teams allow their top coaching staff to spend all this crucial play off prep time interviewing for other jobs? It seems odd to me but is clearly normal in the sport.

I understand that teams (such as my own Cards) need to get a move on with hiring a head coach now but I'm reading about Vikings' Pat Shurmur interviewing with basically everyone, and guys like Matt Patricia of the Patriots being lined up for lots of interviews too. Shouldn't there be a moratorium until after the play offs or something? Despite being a fan for nearly a decade now this kind of thing still stumps me a little.

[Meacon Keaton]

Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen are both going into the draft.

And teams have openings so they're looking to fill those vacancies. A coach's current franchise and he may agree he won't leave and take the job until after his current team is out of the playoffs, but if I'm the Cardinals and I'm hiring and want to make my decision as soon as I can and be done with that aspect of the offseason, then you're looking to hire. If you're in the playoffs and interviewing for head coaching jobs, I'd say you're probably a-ok with putting in a little more work, since it's clearly paying off. 

[munky]

The Vikings and Pats are both on a bye this week, so there's that.

[Lowerdeck]

The city of Jacksonville banned the purchase of folding tables to out of state residents, and allowing only one table for people with Florida IDs

[Lineker]

• The Green Bay Packers' coaching changes weren't limited to the defensive side of the ball. After deciding to fire defensive coordinator Dom Capers, inside linebackers coach Scott McCurley and defensive line coach Mike Trgovac, the Packers also have chosen to move on from offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett and quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Rob Demovsky. Van Pelt's contract expired after this season. Bennett was stripped of his offensive coordinator title, and there was a chance that he could go back to coaching a position, but that is not expected. The Packers also are looking for a receivers coach after Luke Getsy left to become offensive coordinator at Mississippi State. The Packers might pursue Joe Philbin to return as offensive coordinator. Philbin was the Colts' offensive line coach last season. They also could consider Giants coach Ben McAdoo, who was on McCarthy's staff in Green Bay from 2006-13. Offensive line coach James Campen, the longest-tenured Packers assistant coach, also could be under consideration for the offensive coordinator job. Campen, a former Packers player and one of the most respected offensive line coaches in the NFL, has been on the staff since 2004. The position likely would not involve calling plays. McCarthy said when he took the playcalling duties back in 2015 that he would call plays as long as he is the head coach.
• The Miami Dolphins will hire Dowell Loggains as their new offensive coordinator, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Loggains had been serving the same role for the Chicago Bears the past two seasons. The move reunites Loggains, the Bears' quarterbacks coach in 2015, with Adam Gase, who previously was offensive coordinator in Chicago before accepting Miami's head-coaching job. Gase will continue to call plays for the Dolphins. Loggains will take over for Clyde Christensen, who is likely to remain with the Dolphins and transition to another role, the source told Schefter.
• According to multiple sources, Dallas Cowboys special-teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia will be allowed to leave despite being under contract with the Cowboys for two more seasons, and quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson and secondary coach Joe Baker, whose contracts were set to expire, were told they will not be back with the team. Bisaccia will most likely to join Jon Gruden with the Oakland Raiders. The future of offensive line coach Frank Pollack is also in question.

On the field, the Dolphins have said that they will be moving forward with Ryan Tannehill returning as the starter in 2018.

[Lineker]

 

[Adam]

8 hours ago, Meacon said:

Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen are both going into the draft.

And teams have openings so they're looking to fill those vacancies. A coach's current franchise and he may agree he won't leave and take the job until after his current team is out of the playoffs, but if I'm the Cardinals and I'm hiring and want to make my decision as soon as I can and be done with that aspect of the offseason, then you're looking to hire. If you're in the playoffs and interviewing for head coaching jobs, I'd say you're probably a-ok with putting in a little more work, since it's clearly paying off. 

Oh I get all that, my confusion is more from the side of the team in the play offs who is having their coach's focus taken away from the important task of preparing for the play offs. Pats & Vikings having a bye this week might explain that a little but it still strikes me as a bit odd every year.

[Meacon Keaton]

2 hours ago, Adam said:

Oh I get all that, my confusion is more from the side of the team in the play offs who is having their coach's focus taken away from the important task of preparing for the play offs. Pats & Vikings having a bye this week might explain that a little but it still strikes me as a bit odd every year.

I mean, it's one thing if it's assistant coaches and coordinators. If it was your head coach, then I can see them saying, "What the hell?" But if you're trying to prevent your other coaches from progressing in their career, that'd be a pretty crappy thing to do and top-talent coaches would be more hesitant to join your franchise if you're going to huff-and-puff and make a big fuss about coaches trying to get promotions. 

Plus I think they have a little more free time than you may be under the impression. It's not like these guys are putting less time into their preparations. They're just using the little bit of free time that they do have to try to land a bigger gig. 

[Lineker]

DeMarco Murray is out this weekend.

[gunnar hendershow]

So ESPN apparently has a pretty big piece coming out tomorrow that details the simmering tensions in Foxboro between Brady, Belichick, and Kraft. Lot of stuff going on behind each other's backs. Curious to check it out.

[Meacon Keaton]

It turns out they've all been banging all along. 

[Pooker]

The report supposedly says that Belichick wanted to start Jimmy G, but Brady and Kraft wouldn't let it happen. I don't believe it.

[Lineker]

10 hours ago, damshow said:

So ESPN apparently has a pretty big piece coming out tomorrow that details the simmering tensions in Foxboro between Brady, Belichick, and Kraft. Lot of stuff going on behind each other's backs. Curious to check it out.

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

 

This is must-read stuff.

[Lineker]

Ryan Shazier's father says the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker continues to make progress in his recovery from a spinal injury he suffered last month. Speaking to WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh, Vernon Shazier said Ryan has feeling in his legs, but declined to comment on whether Ryan was walking again.

 

Elsewhere... the Raiders have fulfilled the Rooney Rule and can now go ahead and confirm the appointment of Jon Grunden. Cowboys special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia will be allowed out of his contract to join Gruden, per Ian Rapoport. Former Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, now a coaching free agent, is expected to run Gruden's defense. Rams quarterbacks coach Greg Olsen will reportedly move north as Guenther's offensive counterpart.

[munky]

On 1/2/2018 at 22:36, munky said:

$170K

$315K

Tyler Boyd is trying to get some of the love for his charity as well, hopefully he gets something.

[munky]

On 1/2/2018 at 22:36, munky said:

$170K

$315K

Tyler Boyd is trying to get some of the love for his charity as well, hopefully he gets something.

[Meacon Keaton]

2 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.

All that crap going on and they still go 13-3. Meanwhile Denver is as boring as an eighty-year old couple on a Friday night and can't win six games. 

That was a very interesting read. I think Tom Brady has always been an insecure little ninny, but now that his body is starting to feel it, it's only exacerbating his paranoia. That Guerrero guy has always sounded like a plum out to mooch money off of Tom, and that article did absolutely nothing to make me think otherwise. Greatest quarterback ever? Maybe. Bright guy off the field? Probably not. But I suppose if you get a guy who is constantly looking over his shoulder and you tell him everything he wants to hear, that's the best friend a schizo could ask for right?

If that article did anything, and something that I would have never thought possible, it's to feel some sympathy for Bill Belichick. He's always been perceived as an ass, though everyone that actually knows him says otherwise. The guy is clearly one of the brightest minds to ever be in football, and him being proud of Handsome Jimmy G's success in San Francisco actually makes me appreciate Belichick a lot more than I did. I don't want to see him or the Patriots win a sixth title, but at least now I likely won't shiver in disgust every time Belichick's face is on the screen. 

I hope Belichick does leave after this year. And I hope Robert Kraft and Tom Brady keep banging until they both turn to dust.