So as I’m watching the Sunday night game, I’m thinking Seattle gave up a first round pick and a pretty solid starting center to acquire Jimmy Graham during the offseason – and Jimmy Graham is really nowhere to be found in Seattle’s offense.
Graham did catch a TD in week one, but in the small portion of the game I saw, was on the field certainly no more than Luke Willson and seemingly less. The same seems to be holding true tonight against the Packers. If you’re going to give up that much to acquire a guy, you might be well served to have a plan on how to use him.
Lots of interesting tidbits today. We’ll start in Dallas, where the entire fantasy football roster there took a hit when Tony Romo broke his collarbone this afternoon. The running game already was a committee and, with Romo hurt, Brandon Weeden is going to be called on to more than likely just manage games. I’m not feeling too good about Terrance Williams or Cole Beasley, though Weeden did throw one nice slant to Williams that ended up a TD. I guess Jason Witten has looked good and probably remains a safe target. (more…)
It was a weird day in fantasy football, as Andrew Luck was stymied and Peyton Manning continued to look like he may be on his last legs. Meanwhile, the Titans looked unbeatable. It’s just one week, though, and here are some observations. (more…)
Andy: So I have Indy, Denver, New England and Baltimore winning divisions in the AFC and Seattle, Green Bay, Carolina and Dallas winning in the NFC. I’ll give Arizona, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Miami wild cards, with Marvin Lewis and Chip Kelly being two guys whose failures to make the playoffs will result in hotseats at the season’s end.
I think there are probably three teams in each conference I see as truly strong contenders for the Super Bowl, but I’ll give Indy and Seattle homefield advantages at this point, the Colts because they have clear sailing through a weak division and the Seahawks because though they are slightly flawed in some areas, including starting two converted defensive linemen on their offensive line, I think they still have the strongest defense in the NFC and you can’t beat their postseason experience from the last few years.
Tony: In the NFL, most years it seems that about half of the teams from the previous season’s playoffs don’t make it back. You’ve really gone out on a limb, predicting that a total of TWO teams from last year (Cincinnati and Detroit) won’t make it back, including a grand total of one new division winner (Baltimore in the AFC North).
Meanwhile, I have a much more respectable 5 new teams in the playoffs, with Indy, New England, Denver and Cincinnati winning the AFC divisions and Kansas City and Miami grabbing the wildcards, and Green Bay, Seattle, Dallas and New Orleans winning the NFC divisions, and Minnesota and Philadelphia grabbing wildcards.
I don’t know if I really believe all of that, but it makes me look better on paper, so I’m sticking to it for now.
Realistically, in the AFC, I’m not sure if I think anyone other than Indianapolis or New England can get to the Super Bowl, although even those teams have flaws—Indianapolis on the offensive line and defense, and New England their terrible knack for cheating at every opportunity they find. (more…)
Tony: So the New England Patriots have won the AFC East for the last 37 years straight or something like that, other than the year that Tom Brady folded his knee in half. His replacement was Matt Cassel, who managed to salvage an 11-5 season, but it wasn’t good enough to beat the also 11-5 Miami Dolphins. This year, Cassel is back in the AFC East, although once again riding the pine—and has to be somewhat frustrated…it’s one thing backing up Brady, it’s another backing up Tyrod Taylor. Still, the Bills defense is pretty strong, they added RB Shady McCoy, TE Charles Clay and headcase/headache Percy Harvin to go with second-year WR Sammy Watkins. In fact, Taylor might be the difference between whether it’s the Bills challenging the Patriots, or the…
Andy: Dolphins? Is that what you were about to say? Yeah, I like what the Bills have done this offseason too, for the most part. But without a QB, it’s going to be hard to beat New England, even if they do miss Brady for one-fourth of the season.
Ryan Tannehill isn’t a superstar, but he’s turned into a pretty solid QB. They went out and got a deep threat in Kenny Stills – though it’s questionable as to whether Tannehill is capable of utilizing the deep downfield passing game — and a short- and medium-range weapon in TE Jordan Cameron. The addition of Ndamukong Suh on defense won’t hurt either – I know you think he’s overrated, but teamed with DE Cameron Wake, that should be a heckuva tandem. (more…)
Tony: Remember that year in 2012, when the Indianapolis Colts were terrible? And the next year, when the Houston Texans still managed to beat Andrew Luck to win the division? Pepperidge Farm Remembers…
Those memories might have to keep Texans fans feeling good about their team for a while. I’m not honestly sure what Titans or Jaguars fans will hold on to.
The Colts ran away with the division in 2014, even with “just” an 11-5 record. Andrew Luck surpassed Aaron Rodgers as the best quarterback in the league in many people’s eyes, with 4,761 yards and 40 touchdowns. Sure, he threw 16 picks—but with a collection of Trent Richardson, Ahmad Bradshaw and Dan Herron running the ball, I’m assuming he was often facing defenses that were playing with 11 or 12 defensive backs at a time.
And this year, he should have a running game in Frank Gore. Not to mention that his WR2 and WR3 spots have been upgraded from Reggie Wayne and Hakeem Nicks to Andre Johnson and Phillip Dorset or Donte Moncrief. Gore and Johnson may not be in their primes, but even at the beginning of the tail end of their careers, they are significant offensive threats. If you want to play with 7 defensive backs, Gore will eat that up. If you want to shut down T.Y. Hilton, that should leave Johnson in single coverage—or Dorsett, or Coby Fleener or Dwayne Allen. Pick your poison.
Next up in the division? Oy.
If you want to go just on team quarterbacks…good luck. Running backs? Even better luck.
The Texans should have the edge, especially if Arian Foster can get back healthy sooner rather than later. They also still have JJ Watt, an unknown quantity in Jadeveon Clowney, and they added Vince Wilfork, who if he’s got anything left in the tank, will make their defensive line even more stout. (more…)
Tony: The AFC North sent three of its teams to the playoffs last season, and despite all the turmoil at quarterback, the lowly Browns even managed to finish 7-9. The Steelers won the division at 11-5, although I’m not sure I would have guessed that if you’d asked me on the street—my first thought would have probably been the Bengals, followed by the Ravens. Well, ok, my first thought would have probably been “Why the hell is this random person asking me who won the AFC North while I’m trying to enjoy this delicious Dilly Bar?” THEN I would have thought Bengals, Ravens and Steelers.
Possibly more amazing than the fact that they won the division is HOW they won the division—with offense. Ben Roethlisberger—who I’ve heard still isn’t exactly a “Student of the Game” when it comes to things like reading a defense—threw for just under 5,000 yards, with a 67% completion percentage, and 32 touchdowns—all career highs—and just 9 interceptions. It wasn’t just the passing game, though, as Le’Veon Bell tacked on 1,361 yards rushing and 854 yards receiving on 373 touches. Of course, a little preseason partying will cost him the first two games of 2015. Defensively…well, legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau was basically forced out the door, only to take a job in Tennessee less than a month later.
Will they be able to retain their crown in 2015? (more…)
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First let’s start with how the cutdown might go Cut from 15 to 10 Eric Allen Eli Manning Steve Smith…
yea hence my cautious note about potential first ballot eligible for class of 2030 as we really don't know about…
The Class Of 2030 will be interesting Paul but other than maybe, Miller, I see all those players coming back…
From a source and I don’t know the exact date (suspect Hall and voters prefer not to disclose) - might…
Paul where did you find this out and what’s the date