NFL Thread

[sprig0701]

And man do the Bills suck!! Up 21-0 and let the Pats rip off 49 unanswered points!!! Not trying to rile Bills fans up, but that was an embarrassment of a game for them!!

So did the officials not want to make the Packers fans to cry and helped them stay undefeated at home? What was up with not calling that obvious TD a TD? He clearly had both feet down well in bounds, and never bobbled the ball. It's like they called it incomplete because the Lions couldn't challenge it at that point. So they had to settle for a FG, and lost by 4 points. Big surprise there. Terrible defense by both of those teams yesterday, especially going into the play-offs.

I'd say Drew Brees over Aaron Rodgers for MVP. They both had amazing seasons, but Brees played all 16 games and Rodgers sat this last one out, and that showed even a back up can put up unbelievable numbers with that offense. I think that really hurt Rodgers case for MVP, IMO. Now cue JediMike with "I really very much like Drew Brees and really very much think he deserves the MVP. He is a gooder person and plays very much well and builds orphanages and adopts every homeless child. My Saints are all very well much betterer than your team and I know they will do winning and they do because I know they will."

 

[wofford29]

I'd personally say that Brady is the real mvp this season. You take him off that team with that defense and they'd be fighting the Colts for the top pick.

 

[karamazov80]

I have bit my tongue a bit on the Brees MVP angle so far (it seems that every year I'm trying to make his case), but I think he deserves it at least as much as Rodgers. Rodgers was essentially handed the MVP by all the analysts about half-way through the season, and frankly, his team's record and his all-time great QB rating warrant such talk. However, 8 INTs and 2 losses are what makes the difference there between Rodgers and Brees. Not insignificant numbers, but consider that Brees has the greatest completion percentage in history (besting a record he previously set), the all time season passing yards record, the most TDs in the league this year (yes, Rodgers didn't play the last game, but Brees sat in a handful of 4th quarters this year, as well), and facilitated Sproles attainment of the all-time all-purpose yardage record and Jimmy Graham briefly winning the all time reception yards by a tight end record before Gronkowski beat him out by a handful of yards.

Factor in the effectiveness of the Pack passing attack without Rodgers yesterday, and I think a very strong case could be made that Brees deserves the award at last as much as Rodgers does. I don't suspect Brees will win, however. The Rodgers hype train has been going too strongly for too long to slow down. And Rogers is worthy. . .but Brees is moreso

As for Brady, the case could also be made. Seems like he was 2nd or 3rd in just about all those statistical categories that are used to judge QBs, and they got the top seed in the AFC on Brady's shoulders. The QB elite of the league this year was definitely those 3 guys and, maybe, Stafford, with no one else very close.

 

[wofford29]

Urlacher with a torn ACL and PCL. I'd be surprised at his age if he makes a legit comeback.

 

[Grenouille]

And man do the Bills suck!! Up 21-0 and let the Pats rip off 49 unanswered points!!! Not trying to rile Bills fans up, but that was an embarrassment of a game for them!!

After losing 4 straight Super Bowls, I doubt a loss like this would even phase Bills fans.

This whole season has been so full statistical anomalies. The Patriots were beaten to death in the media for having a porous defense that needed turnovers. They ended up 13-3.

The Packers defense is now statistically the worst in NFL history. They went 15-1.

 

[karamazov80]

This whole season has been so full statistical anomalies. The Patriots were beaten to death in the media for having a porous defense that needed turnovers. They ended up 13-3.

The Packers defense is now statistically the worst in NFL history. They went 15-1.

Like I posted earlier today, the Colts developed this model, and other teams have followed it and succeeded by doing so. Offense is what matters in today's NFL.

 

[Darth Madden]

The Saints won't have trouble with the Giants. They've already beaten them this season on Monday Night Football by a score of 49-24. I disagree with you karamazov80. The Saints defense does not suck. Sure they have not had as many takeaway pick 6 scores as in their Super Bowl run in 2009. But they have had some key takeaways when it counted. Plus the defensive line and secondary have played tough this season, and sent other teams to punt on a 3 and out offensive series. I have faith in the Saints defense, just like their explosive offense.

Remember I'm the optimistic Saints fan? I always remember you telling me that you're more of a pessimistic one.

You shouldn't have had any trouble with the Seahawks last year either and look what happened. This is the playoffs.... anything can (and unsually does) happen.

 

[wofford29]

Here's some quick math and a little more fuel to the fire of the MVP debate of the three the media are hyping. These are the numbers keeping everything the same except attempts. Drew Brees had 46 more attempts than Brady and 155 more attempts then Rodgers. I factored in each players season ending completion percentage and yards per catch and TD per attempt to come up with these numbers. Here's the results...

Aaron Rodgers: 15-1
5,623 yds.
59 TD

Tom Brady: 13-3
5,492 yds.
42 TD

Drew Brees: 13-3
5,476 yds.
46 TD

 

[karamazov80]

But what you can't account for is the role that the running games play for those teams. The fact that the Saints threw more meant that they didn't run as much, meaning that defenses could play more one-dimensionally against them. If Rodgers threw as much as Brees, he might have thrown more interceptions, and may have been less effective because defenses may have been better able to anticipate that he was going to throw. In a way, that helps to explain why Brees and Brady throw for more INTs than Rodgers. It's like a point guard that has a really high shooting percentage, but only shoots the ball when he has a great shot. It is misleading if you extrapolate those percentages to another player who took more shots absolutely and say that your Jeff Hornaceks of the world should shoot 40 times a game.

That's why I actually think Brees's completion percentage may be the most impressive stat of all QBs this year. Despite throwing over 650 times this year, his completion percentage is over 70%! Rodgers attempts are middle of the "pack" in the NFL, because the Packers could rely more heavily on their running game to facilitate their passing game. In other words, more evidence for Brees over Rodgers

 

[wofford29]

You do know the Saints are ranked 6th in rushing right?

Patriots rank 20th and the Packers are 27th.

 

[The Josh]

Urlacher with a torn ACL and PCL. I'd be surprised at his age if he makes a legit comeback.

That does not surprise me after seeing that injury.

As far as the MVP goes whoever they go with is most worthy of the award between Brees and Rodgers I should say. Maybe Co-MVP's.

 

[karamazov80]

You do know the Saints are ranked 6th in rushing right?

Patriots rank 20th and the Packers are 27th.

But that's largely due to their passing game opening up the run. They are 20th in rushing attempts in the league. But now that I see the numbers, the Pack are 26th, so your Packers argument has a bit more weight (Pats are 17th). The Packers just run less plays than the Saints. Though, again, throwing less means less opportunity for interceptions (as well as yards and TDs). I don't know the whole story here. Obviously, the Packers have lots of quick scoring drives. But they may also have a lot of 3 and outs. If the ability to use up clock is a factor, then Brees and Brady would have an edge over Rodgers.

 

[wofford29]

I'm still sticking with Brady as my MVP when you look at the actual definition of the award and what he means to that team this year.

Realistically I think Rodgers will get it.

 

[karamazov80]

By the definition of what the award is supposed to be, then I think you give it to Manning. . .Peyton, that is.

BTW, Saints have fewest punts in the league (46), followed by the Chargers (47), then Packers (55) and Patriots (57). Rams and Broncos are highest with over 100 each.

 

[wofford29]

By the definition of what the award is supposed to be, then I think you give it to Manning. . .Peyton, that is.

Agreed.....

 

[karamazov80]

I knew things were bad for the Jets, but they come off as extremely dysfunctional here:

https://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/st...es-mark-sanchez-clashed-last-week-sources-say

Funny how the Jets' previous two coaches started out extremely well then sunk fast.

 

[SixMillionDollarMan Guy]

Well I'm not sure I should chime in. After all, I do root for a losing team which means I don't have much credence here, right Josh? Okay, I'll try.

"Bucs fire coach Raheem Morris"

https://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/...-fire-coach-raheem-morris-10-game-losing-skid

 

[karamazov80]

Not much room for error for an NFL coach. Teams want to keep rolling the dice, hoping that a new coach will instantly help them to win. You don't get 3 seasons to prove yourself, and doing well in the first season doesn't buy you much good will (see Eric Mangini).

But in fairness to Bucs ownership, losing 10 straight is pretty unacceptable behavior IMO.

 

[The Josh]

Yeah, losing 10 games in a row is pretty much gonna get anyone fired. They really looked bad in all of them from what I saw.

 

[SixMillionDollarMan Guy]

I just looked at the box score from the Bucs/Falcons game. Bucs were down 42-0 in the middle of the second quarter. Yikes!

The Bucs were a 10-6 team last season, just missing the playoffs.

Man, did the wheels come off there.