Official NFL Discussion Thread

[Mammoth]

Interesting comment on the radio today: if Peyton Manning (especially), Aaron Rodgers, or Andrew Luck throw that pick to end the game, they would be getting slaughtered as supposedly elite QBs...Wilson tries to take the blame for the throw and skates by with everyone blaming Carroll.

There wasn't really anything wrong with the throw though. The throw was right on point, it's just that Malcolm Butler made the perfect read, overpowered Ricardo Lockette to the ball and made the interception. The problem was the call. I'm not saying you're wrong because Rodgers and Manning would probably be slaughtered but in my opinion, that would also be unjustified.

[crownsy]

There wasn't really anything wrong with the throw though. The throw was right on point, it's just that Malcolm Butler made the perfect read, overpowered Ricardo Lockette to the ball and made the interception. The problem was the call. I'm not saying you're wrong because Rodgers and Manning would probably be slaughtered but in my opinion, that would also be unjustified.

 

Thank you for mentioning what a play Butler made on that. I live in Boston, and of course I have nothing to complain about, but if there is one it's this Idea that has developed that that interception was somehow anything less than an amazing read by butler.

 

To hear it told in the 48 hours since, Wilson threw a duck and Butler was just lucky to be there. I forget where I saw it, but a picture is floating around of the coverage as Wilson threw the ball. The guy is wide open in the shot and you can see Butler just starting to drive on the ball as Wilson is starting to throw. The pic is captioned "I would have thrown this too". I think a ex-QB tweeted it.

 

IT was an amazing play by Butler, not a choke job by Wilson. It irks me that Butler is getting no credit, even here in Boston, for an absolutely amazing play. Wilson didn't throw that away, Butler took it. The playcall was awful, but Butler made one of the best reads and jump routes I've seen in awhile to get that.

 

Amazing Superbowl, props to the Seahawks, that team is awesome. Really came down to who made the last big play, and luckily for the pats if was us.

[CQI13]

The point the radio host was making was more that so much is expected out of the three listed (add Brady, make it four) that regardless of the quality of the throw, the public would (unjustifiably) crucify them. He was saying that the public's expectation on Wilson is lower than on the aforementioned QBs.

 

Because I agree, the throw itself was fine. But have Manning/Rodgers/Luck/Brady make that throw? No one would be talking about the play call.

 

The Boston Globe had an interesting article with regards to the play call too:

 

More to the point, Lynch doesn’t have the bulldozing track record that one might anticipate from the 1-yard line. He was handed the ball at the 1 five times in 2014, getting into the end zone just once — a 20 percent success rate well short of the league average of 57.5 percent.

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/02/02/statistically-seahawks-play-call-not-bad-you-think/9Tt9A9avhWuaZGXBlTdTDI/story.html

[Imarevenant]

It was a fun game. I half-get the decision to throw the ball, but throwing it over the middle of the field? It would've been better to just throw a jump ball in the corner where if you miss there's minimal chance of a pick if you just want to burn 10 seconds and a down.

 

I had a problem when Carroll said that. I just don't get the play call and that specific reasoning given how Seattle is built. Their identity is their defense and running game.

 

So, why play against your strengths in the superbowl? They should have put the game in the hands of their best units. Marshawn should have been able to punch that in, given it took a great play by Hightower to stop him from scoring on that first down to begin withd.

 

They should have been able to rely on the teams biggest strength to keep Brady at bay for 40 seconds. Sure it could have resulted in overtime but I'd much rather rely on what got them to the superbowl in the first place instead of outhinking oneself and losing the game in that fashoin.

[crownsy]

Just as an addon to my post, here is the view at the moment Wilson threw it. Just drives home that Butler made an unreal read and break on the ball.

 

[The Swanton825]

Peterson's agent is pissed at the Vikes and wants him out of Minnesota.

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12370283/adrian-peterson-agent-gets-heated-exchange-minnesota-vikings-official

 

My mom had the money in her wallet stolen yesterday and I broke my monitor in a childish tantrum today. I really needed good news like this. The Vikes can finally ditch AT (All Talk) and use that cap room to rebuild. Maybe now we can get on the road to the Super Bowl...about ten years from now.

[CQI13]

This gives them the excuse...I think he had wanted to leave for Dallas for a while.

[RKOwnage]

With Marshall out of the division, Suh now out of the division (to Miami), and Cobb back in green and gold, it's real good to be a Packer fan right now.

[The Swanton825]

With Marshall out of the division, Suh now out of the division (to Miami), and Cobb back in green and gold, it's real good to be a Packer fan right now.

 

Oh the Vikings will show you Packer fans, they'll show you...right to the playoffs as the Packers beat them like Peterson beats his kids.

[smurphy1014]

With Marshall out of the division, Suh now out of the division (to Miami), and Cobb back in green and gold, it's real good to be a Packer fan right now.

 

 

Don't forget Brad Jones is no longer around to draw stupid penalties and blow pass coverage.

[BHK1978]

I was reading on Yahoo that Giants owner John Mara believes that a team or two will be moving to Los Angeles. The teams that are most likely to head there are the Rams, the Chargers, and the Raiders. I just find it funny that the three teams that have already left Los Angeles once now have a good shot at returning there.

[The Swanton825]

I was reading on Yahoo that Giants owner John Mara believes that a team or two will be moving to Los Angeles. The teams that are most likely to head there are the Rams, the Chargers, and the Raiders. I just find it funny that the three teams that have already left Los Angeles once now have a good shot at returning there.

 

L.A. fans: "It's not fair! We deserve an NFL team too!" *NFL team moves* "Pfft! Who want to watch our NFL team? They never win. Let's go to a Lakers game instead." *NFL team moves out due to lack of fan support* "It's not fair! We deserve an NFL team too!", and so on.

[LoganRodzen]

Well, I'm pretty darn impressed with how my Titans picked in this draft. Made a lot of good decisions. Wicked pumped for Mariota!

[The Swanton825]

Well, I'm pretty darn impressed with how my Titans picked in this draft. Made a lot of good decisions. Wicked pumped for Mariota!

 

I'm not convinced about Mariota in Tennessee yet. He's got an amazing amount of potential, but I've yet to see an Oregon quarterback come out of that system ready for the NFL and I don't think the Titans have anyone on staff who can get him ready.

[Craig Edwards]

i like my Bengals picks we got our two OT of the future. and our future MLB and most likely got one of the best kick and punt returners.

[RKOwnage]

It was a pretty solid Packers draft. A couple of corner prospects which were much needed. Love the Jake Ryan pick at ILB, hoping he can turn into an AJ Hawk-type. And I really like grabbing Hundley and stashing him behind Rodgers.

[BHK1978]

I live in Patriot country, or I should say it is Patriot country when they are a winning team, and all I have heard is about how the Patriots are being unfairly persecuted by the NFL. It is so annoying, look the organization is dirty this is not the first time they have been caught cheating. That being said I am sure every organization cheats in the NFL because as the old adage goes, "If you're not cheating, you're not trying."

 

However, the Patriots seem to be the only team that gets caught time and time again. So there is no conspiracy against them, they just do stupid stuff to give them a competitive edge and they seem to get caught every time for doing it.

[RKOwnage]

Dante Fowler Jr is out for the season after he tore his ACL. Poor Jags

[D-Lyrium]

So I've decided to give the NFL another go, now that I have a proper team to follow (Steelers, for the same reasons I follow the Pirates in baseball). I've got Madden 15, and have been learning the game that way. Pretty fun so far.

 

The last time I watched NFL was back in 2000ish and I didn't really understand what was going on. I'm starting to understand now, looking forward to the new season when I can get to know the players and such.

 

With that said, could anyone give me a quick rundown on the Steelers? What're we good at, what's our team looking like? How'd we do in the draft, etc?

 

So far I've gathered from watching clips and asking people that we're a long-passing team without much of a running game who recently aquired a badass running back but usually pass to him. Roethlisberger is hard to spell but amazing at passing, and is built like a linebacker so sometimes doesn't bother.

 

Seems we have a bit of a sucky defence too.

 

 

There's no minor league system for the NFL right? Players go straight from colleges onto NFL teams? I know roughly how a depth chart works... would first round draft picks usually expect to go straight into the starting spot on the team? They got drafted because they play somewhere a team needs improvement usually, right? I'm guessing later rounds would be further down the chart.

The only other experience I have of sports drafts is baseball, where players will go into minor leagues, sometimes for several years, before the bigs. It feels weird for a guy you just drafted to be starting games the same year.

 

Is there still a development system in Europe? I remember there being a Scottish Claymores team a few years ago.

 

Basically my question boils down to, if you're drafted but aren't quite ready for the starting team yet, do you stay with the team and only get sporadic playing time, or is there somewhere else you go to get experience?

[Jaysin]

With that said, could anyone give me a quick rundown on the Steelers? What're we good at, what's our team looking like? How'd we do in the draft, etc?

 

Being scum bags and having some of the worst bandwagon fans ever. The only teams that have worse bandwagon fans are the Patriots and Colts.

[The Swanton825]

There's no minor league system for the NFL right? Players go straight from colleges onto NFL teams? I know roughly how a depth chart works... would first round draft picks usually expect to go straight into the starting spot on the team? They got drafted because they play somewhere a team needs improvement usually, right? I'm guessing later rounds would be further down the chart.

 

First round picks are also sometimes used for positions where the team believes their current starter will be retiring soon. This typically has the benefit of not only giving the player time to acclimate to a new system, but also a potential mentor in a veteran NFL player.

 

The only other experience I have of sports drafts is baseball, where players will go into minor leagues, sometimes for several years, before the bigs. It feels weird for a guy you just drafted to be starting games the same year.

 

What you need to understand about our football is that we treat it just as seriously (if not more so) as Europeans treat assoc(cer)iation football. This is especially apparent at the college level where players are held to a standard just as high as their NFL counterparts. So really, there is a minor league, it just has a four year limit.

 

Is there still a development system in Europe? I remember there being a Scottish Claymores team a few years ago.

 

NFL Europa got shut down close to ten years ago because only the German teams were making a profit.

 

Basically my question boils down to, if you're drafted but aren't quite ready for the starting team yet, do you stay with the team and only get sporadic playing time, or is there somewhere else you go to get experience?

 

The Arena or Canadian Football Leagues. They use different rules, but several players have successfully proven themselves in one and played well in the NFL. Kurt Warner and Warren Moon are great examples of that.

 

Being scum bags and having some of the worst bandwagon fans ever. The only teams that have worse bandwagon fans are the Patriots and Colts.

 

Don't forget about having the refs win their last two Super Bowls for them.

[The Final Countdown]

Swanton covered a lot of this before I could finish my reply, but I'll post what I typed anyway in case it might help.

 

There's no minor league system for the NFL right? Players go straight from colleges onto NFL teams? I know roughly how a depth chart works... would first round draft picks usually expect to go straight into the starting spot on the team? They got drafted because they play somewhere a team needs improvement usually, right? I'm guessing later rounds would be further down the chart.

The only other experience I have of sports drafts is baseball, where players will go into minor leagues, sometimes for several years, before the bigs. It feels weird for a guy you just drafted to be starting games the same year.

 

Is there still a development system in Europe? I remember there being a Scottish Claymores team a few years ago.

 

Basically my question boils down to, if you're drafted but aren't quite ready for the starting team yet, do you stay with the team and only get sporadic playing time, or is there somewhere else you go to get experience?

Yeah, no minor league system for football. Most first round picks would probably be expected to start right away, especially guys who are taken high. It used to be that many 1st round QBs would be backups for a year or two and watch and learn from the incumbent starter, but that seems to be fading in recent years. Later rounds would be further down the depth chart, and anyone who goes in the last few rounds goes into the preseason fighting for a spot on the team. There are differing philosophies in the draft; some teams will pick for need, while others like to select the best available player regardless of position.

 

NFL Europe is gone. Teams carry several backup players at most positions. Teams have a 53-man roster, but only 46 players can dress for the game itself. Players who aren't good enough to crack the 53 man roster will bounce around and try to catch on with another team, and failing that they might go play in one of the arena football leagues in America, or the CFL in Canada. There are some examples of players who work their way through some of those lesser leagues before making it to the NFL and excelling (Kurt Warner and Warren Moon being the first two that come to mind for me.)

[RKOwnage]

Steelers have (arguably) the best all-around skill player in the NFL, Le'Veon Bell as their running back. Get him the ball and put an offensive line around him (theirs is pretty solid) and he'll be magic. Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton are two nice, young, fast receivers. Antonio Brown is perhaps the most talented receiver in football. Ben Roethlisberger is getting up there in age but he can still hang around in the top 10 of QBs in the league because of his arm strength and intangibles.

 

The defense, on the other hand, is not so great, especially in the secondary. Troy Polamalu has been the anchor at the safety position for over a decade, but he fizzled out late in his career due to injuries, and now he's retired. Ike Taylor retired. They overpaid Cortez Allen for a mediocre job at corner. Mike Mitchell is terrible. James Harrison was a monster but is getting up there in age. They do have a solid defensive line though. And the linebacking corps should be getting better with Bud Dupree, their first round pick this year.

 

Overall, if you can re-tool the defense a little bit they'll be a really good team. The loss of defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is going to hurt the chances of that though. And people can say what they want about their being Steelers bandwagoners, but every single historically great team has bandwagoners and the Steelers aren't nearly the worst in that regard. At least of the people I've met, almost all of them have been fans of the Steelers for as long as I've known them. The Eagles fans are way worse, and they're even in the same state.

[Craig Edwards]

So I've decided to give the NFL another go, now that I have a proper team to follow (Steelers, for the same reasons I follow the Pirates in baseball). I've got Madden 15, and have been learning the game that way. Pretty fun so far.

 

The last time I watched NFL was back in 2000ish and I didn't really understand what was going on. I'm starting to understand now, looking forward to the new season when I can get to know the players and such.

 

With that said, could anyone give me a quick rundown on the Steelers? What're we good at, what's our team looking like? How'd we do in the draft, etc?

 

So far I've gathered from watching clips and asking people that we're a long-passing team without much of a running game who recently aquired a badass running back but usually pass to him. Roethlisberger is hard to spell but amazing at passing, and is built like a linebacker so sometimes doesn't bother.

 

Seems we have a bit of a sucky defence too.

 

 

There's no minor league system for the NFL right? Players go straight from colleges onto NFL teams? I know roughly how a depth chart works... would first round draft picks usually expect to go straight into the starting spot on the team? They got drafted because they play somewhere a team needs improvement usually, right? I'm guessing later rounds would be further down the chart.

The only other experience I have of sports drafts is baseball, where players will go into minor leagues, sometimes for several years, before the bigs. It feels weird for a guy you just drafted to be starting games the same year.

 

Is there still a development system in Europe? I remember there being a Scottish Claymores team a few years ago.

 

Basically my question boils down to, if you're drafted but aren't quite ready for the starting team yet, do you stay with the team and only get sporadic playing time, or is there somewhere else you go to get experience?

 

 

Boo steelers suck. lol I'm a Big Bengals fan so i have to get on you for wanting to be a fan of theirs as those the Steelers and Bengals are rivials.

[D-Lyrium]

Yeah, I kinda realised I was "Manchester United-ing" it a bit with the Steelers (picking one of the most successful teams), but I didn't care because A, I didn't pick them for their winning record and B, it'd make a nice change if ONE of my sports teams finally won something.

 

Thanks for the answers so far.

 

That reminds me of another question I forgot to ask; who 'leads' the defence? Is there a position responsible for calling audibles and adjustments to defence on the field? Or does that vary from team to team depending on the experience of the players etc?