NFL 2019 Thread

[CONN CHRIS]

I didn't watch much of the Patriots / Dolphins game but I did see a short incompletion where Fitzpatrick threw to a crossing WR that was wide open with no other receivers behind him and he ducked so the pass wouldn't hit him in the helmet. Comical stuff.

[CONN CHRIS]

Found it. It was the RB actually. Hilariously glad that I am not a fish fan.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl...way/ar-AAHkTSY

[Bluenoser]

Well first time I've seen a defense put up 37 pts in fantasy football, but the Patriots did it.

It's a shame to see how low the Dolphins have sunk. A once proud franchise being run into the ground, not good for the league or the game.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

It's a shame to see how low the Dolphins have sunk. A once proud franchise being run into the ground, not good for the league or the game.

That behavior is rewarded. 8-8 is the worst record you could have, not 1-15 or worse. They need to randomly select the draft order for non playoff teams. The puts an end to this.

[monkeyman576]

Well, the draft is a crapshoot so I'm not sure that's exactly true. Good draft scouting easily makes up for bad draft position.

[Rizon]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

Well first time I've seen a defense put up 37 pts in fantasy football, but the Patriots did it.

It's a shame to see how low the Dolphins have sunk. A once proud franchise being run into the ground, not good for the league or the game.

How low have the Dolphins sunk?

They have been outscored 102-10.
Their leading rusher has 31 yards on 10 carries.
They have been outgained in rushing yards 391-63.
Passing, they have thrown 1 TD vs 6 INTs ... while giving up 8 passing TDs and 0 INTs. Dolphins "QBs" have completed 46.5% of passes, while the "D" has allowed 79.6%.
I could go on and on.

I feel there is a real possibility the Dolphins could score less than 100 points for the season combined. I'll set the mark at <150 to give myself buffer. I'm not sure what the modern 16 game team mark is for fewest points scored and most points given up ... could the Dolphins set both marks?

[Cobra Mgr]

You can put me in front of a piano as long as you want. My fingers will not hit the keys and then put Mozart or Stevie Wonder to shame. Because no matter how sophisticated the instrument is, I'm not competent or trained to play beautiful music.

That's the problem w/the NFL's refs. You can give them replay, you can allow turnovers and pass interference to be reviewed. None of it matters if the people making use of it are incompetent. I'm for replay simply because no one is perfect. Mistakes will be made because we are human. Or vantage point, subconscious biases may cause us to see or "un-see" in error. But some mistakes aren't due to being human. They are due to being incompetent.

The missed PI in last year's NFC title game wasn't the problem. The problem was the zebras who couldn't tell that it was PI. I expect a ref to be able to make that call without any assistance, aids or do-overs.

Cut to yesterday's missed fumble in the NO-Rams rematch. I don't blame the refs for not being able to tell if it was a fumble or a fwd pass. But I do blame him for blowing his whistle. The refs have long been under the mandate to let plays run their course. They can always reset to correct an error. But we are robbed of that option when they blow the play dead too soon. This is inexcusable. This is incompetence. This is when serious evaluations of person's ability to perform his duty needs to be checked with due diligence. This is not the time to change rules of the game. All that was asked of him was the simplest of tasks: DON'T DO ANYTHING. And he failed.

Here's another one. Derek Carr's INT to KC. Notice to the bottom of the screen how #19 in black runs into a KC DB. Carr was rightly miffed that not only did the ref not call def PI. But he actually flagged the Raiders receiver for offensive PI reasoning it was a pick play. As Carr noted, if he was trying to set a pick, then why would Carr throw to him? Sounds logical, don't you think? Officials have to have enough common sense to figure that out. If they can't, they shouldn't be getting a salary.

And here's a play from Sunday that has been under the radar this week. Chicago's miracle comeback was aided by, to put it mildly, a questionable roughing the passer call on Bradley Chubb. Now where I come from, this is called a tackle. Your normal everyday play you see in the NFL, college, HS, junior varsity, Pop Warner. How was this a penalty? How do you make that call? That was an extra 15 unearned yards. Think that matters when the game was lost at the buzzer on a 56 yd fg?

As a result of changing the rules we now have a ton of confusion over what is PI. Antonio Brown's TD catch. Somehow we can't see the PI that was on the ball. But in Green Bay, they can find a player off the ball committing a violation.

More needs to be done about weeding out the incompetent instead of focusing so much on rule changes and technology. I've said it a million times and I'm going to say it a million and one. Why are we expecting 50 yr old men to police a game that 40 yr old athletes are too ancient to play? Refs need to be younger. You need men w/better eyes and better health to keep up w/22 super athletes that are running the field.

[Cobra Mgr]

Big Ben to have season ending elbow surgery.

Drew Brees could be out 6 weeks.

[Rizon]

Antonio Brown is a real piece of ...

[ForeverRoyalKC]

Now Jalen Ramsey wants out of Jacksonville and has asked for a trade. I can just hear the Jags offices now...

"Mr. Khan, Mr. Kraft on line one."

[Cobra Mgr]

Jets down to their 3rd string QB. And it is just week 2

[monkeyman576]

Week 1: 6-7 Week 2: 7-9 Total: 13-16

Week 3 picks vs. the spread.


TEN(-1.5) at JAX - This should be close but I'll go with the home team here. PICK: JAX

CIN at BUF(-6.0) - The Bills are improved but I don't think they're that much better than the Bengals PICK: CIN

MIA at DAL(-21.0) - Gotta go against the Dolphins until they prove they can be competitive PICK: DAL

DEN at GB(-8.0) - I think the line is about right, but Denver may be a little better than people think. PICK: DEN

ATL at IND(-2.0) - The Falcons have the superior passing game I think. PICK: ATL

BAL at KC(-6.5) - Expect this game to be closer than the spread. PICK: BAL

OAK at MIN(-7.5) - Could get ugly early. PICK: MIN

NYJ at NE(-10) - As long as the Patriots play for the whole game this should be easy. PICK: NE

DET at PHI(-7.0) - Detroit seems underappreciated. PICK: DET

CAR at ARI(-2.5) - Murray not at the Cam Newton level yet. PICK: CAR

NYG at TAM(-6.5) - Giants defence is awful. PICK: TAM

HOU at LAC(-3.0) - Will be a very close and exciting game. PICK: HOU

PIT at SF(-7.0) - Always tough when you lose your starting QB. PICK: SF

NO at SEA(-4.5) - Seahawks games are usually closer than they should be PICK: NO

LAR(-3) at CLE - Could be a close game but I think the Rams are slightly better. Pick: LAR

CHI(-4.0) at WAS - Redskins have problems playing for four quarters.PICK: CHI

[Ragnar]

Sometimes I don't know what the refs are looking for. Do they want to throw the flag? That was only roughing the passer if it's not permitted to hit the QB in the pocket.

Also, like I mentioned earlier on the illegal crack back block. They shouldn't be throwing the flag if they don't know the rule.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by monkeyman576

Well, the draft is a crapshoot so I'm not sure that's exactly true. Good draft scouting easily makes up for bad draft position.

You make a good point, still doesn't make what I said false. Even if it's a perceived reward, it's the reason teams tank. They tank for better draft picks. No guarantee of a high draft pick, no tanking.

Then again, if you're like Miami and going to collect 1st rounders like trading cards, what difference does it make? I can be wrong in that regard.

[monkeyman576]

Originally Posted by Ragnar

You make a good point, still doesn't make what I said false. Even if it's a perceived reward, it's the reason teams tank. They tank for better draft picks. No guarantee of a high draft pick, no tanking.

Then again, if you're like Miami and going to collect 1st rounders like trading cards, what difference does it make? I can be wrong in that regard.

I'm not saying tanking can't suceed, but playing to win is a better strategy in the long term than tanking. Tanking is just a short term solution, and good teams stockpiling free agents have kind of made it a necessity.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by Rizon

I feel there is a real possibility the Dolphins could score less than 100 points for the season combined. I'll set the mark at <150 to give myself buffer. I'm not sure what the modern 16 game team mark is for fewest points scored and most points given up ... could the Dolphins set both marks?

In '92 the Seahawks scored a blistering 140 points.

In '81 the Colts allowed a ridiculous 533 points.

It's only been two weeks. But the Dolphins are on pace to beat both. That said, I think they'll score more than 140 points. That's just under 9 points a game.

[damientheomen3]

Originally Posted by monkeyman576

I'm not saying tanking can't suceed, but playing to win is a better strategy in the long term than tanking. Tanking is just a short term solution, and good teams stockpiling free agents have kind of made it a necessity.

While you're right that the draft is a big enough crapshoot that tanking isn't worth it, the way teams go about finding their quarterback nowadays, mostly anyone with a pulse will be picked top 10 (some exceptions of course; Lamar Jackson was more athlete than quarterback coming out, Dwayne Haskins I feel like just fell), and it's cheaper to sell off veterans for assets than to give up future assets to move up and get your guy.

While it's clear the Dolphins are in complete tank mode, I don't think that was their intention with the Tunsil deal. I think that was more about taking advantage of a head coach out of his depth in the GM role and robbing him blind. Considering the value placed on first round picks and the fact Tunsil has been more reputation than production so far, they absolutely robbed Houston blind on that deal. Committing to the tank was a result of the move, but I don't think it was necessarily their plan before the deal

[PocketsAintFull]

Daniel Jones named Giants’ new starter over Eli Manning.

Not sure what the point was in Eli starting the season if they were gonna change that quickly

[Cobra Mgr]

Tanking to get better players works better in the NBA. But tanking is still valuable in the NFL because you get an easier schedule the next season as well as better draft position.

[Rizon]

Miami continues with the Tanking/OKC Draft Pick Hoarding by trading Fitzpatrick.

The Dolphins could hoard 10 first round picks, but they are the Dolphins and they'll find a way to screw it up. Maybe pick a kick returner with the highest pick or something.