NFL Week 11

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by Jim_G

Anything can happen, but as long as Mike Tomlin is coaching the Steelers I will never lose any sleep over the prospect of a Belichick led program playing them. Yo Mike, maybe try something other than zone D next time. What you're doing now is the definition of insanity.

Of course if I were actually on the same field as James Harrison instead of safely ensconced on my living room couch on game day I'd be losing plenty of sleep. And I dunno, Big Ben might just have one more SB in him.

jpd, have you noticed that I did not freak early this year when the D was stinking up the joint? I'm still not overly impressed with them, but I'm coping.

This post made me LOL. I had to check your location to see if you were a Pats fan or a yinzer yokel still lamenting over the retirement of Bill Cowher.

I’ll grant you that Tomlins coaching decisions are laughable and that he’s probably a better motivational coach that a tactition, but the other post from ththe other Pats fan speaks volumes about how effective and successful the Steelers have been. My only concern is that the Steelers don’t beat themselves and allow the Pats to embarrass them to add insult to injury.

[jpd]

Originally Posted by Jim_G

Anything can happen, but as long as Mike Tomlin is coaching the Steelers I will never lose any sleep over the prospect of a Belichick led program playing them.

jpd, have you noticed that I did not freak early this year when the D was stinking up the joint? I'm still not overly impressed with them, but I'm coping.

It's a bit of wizardly magic! If they can keep 'em on the field without anymore injuries....

[jpd]

Originally Posted by posternutbag

Nobody wins an NFL football game alone, but nobody comes as close as Matthew Stafford. He is the John Elway of the 21st century. No O-Line, no running game, inconsistent receivers...

And now a *D* that's letting everyone run thru them Stafford is a gamer. I can only hope the Lions don't give the Vikings a free Turkey on Thursday morning

[posternutbag]

Originally Posted by jpd

And now a *D* that's letting everyone run thru them Stafford is a gamer. I can only hope the Lions don't give the Vikings a free Turkey on Thursday morning

I hope not.

But the NFL has truly become the "Anything Can Happen" League. The quality of play this year is so bad that outside of the Patriots (on the plus side) and the Browns (on the other side) anybody has a chance to win or lose each week.

This is what parity looks like... Two teams at 8-2, one team at 7-3, two teams at 6-4, two teams at 5-5, a whopping 6 teams at 4-6. Only 3 teams have won at least seven games so far, and one of them is Jacksonville.

25 years ago, the NFL decided that parity was the missing component in pro football. In the first 25 Super Bowls, 4 different teams won back to back Super Bowls, but Pittsburg did it twice. Of the next 25 Super Bowls, three teams have won back to back Super Bowls, but only the Patriots have done it in the 21st century, and there have been no back to back winners since 2005.

It took a generation, but dynasty's are dead, unless you are New England.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by posternutbag

I hope not.

But the NFL has truly become the "Anything Can Happen" League. The quality of play this year is so bad that outside of the Patriots (on the plus side) and the Browns (on the other side) anybody has a chance to win or lose each week.

This is what parity looks like... Two teams at 8-2, one team at 7-3, two teams at 6-4, two teams at 5-5, a whopping 6 teams at 4-6. Only 3 teams have won at least seven games so far, and one of them is Jacksonville.

25 years ago, the NFL decided that parity was the missing component in pro football. In the first 25 Super Bowls, 4 different teams won back to back Super Bowls, but Pittsburg did it twice. Of the next 25 Super Bowls, three teams have won back to back Super Bowls, but only the Patriots have done it in the 21st century, and there have been no back to back winners since 2005.

It took a generation, but dynasty's are dead, unless you are New England.

People hate to admit it, but it seems like NE might get again this year. They ironed out the kinks, and everyone is staying relatively healthy.

[posternutbag]

Originally Posted by 1neeto

People hate to admit it, but it seems like NE might get again this year. They ironed out the kinks, and everyone is staying relatively healthy.

New England seems to have figured something out that no other team has, how to consistently win in the era of free agency. Maybe it is organizational, maybe Brady and Belicick are really that good, but for whatever reason, the Patriots stay ahead of the curve.

My theory is that it is mostly preparation. Teams in the NFL don't practice as much as they used to, and they rarely hit. Quarterbacks and receivers are out there playing glorified flag football. Offenses and defenses are simpler than they were two decades ago. Pro teams run the spread because 1) College football primarily produces spread QBs that are used to 1 or 2 read systems, and 2) 1 and 2 read spread systems are all that OCs have time to implement. Brady is one of the last true "pro style" QBs that understands how to see the whole field and work through multiple progressions. Plus he is smart enough to avoid big hits that could end his season in a flash. He has been in the system forever. These are small advantages, but with the talent dilution that comes from 32 teams filled with specialists and niche players, it is enough of an advantage to keep the Pats ahead of the curve.

[David M123]

Originally Posted by posternutbag

New England seems to have figured something out that no other team has, how to consistently win in the era of free agency. Maybe it is organizational, maybe Brady and Belicick are really that good, but for whatever reason, the Patriots stay ahead of the curve.

My theory is that it is mostly preparation. Teams in the NFL don't practice as much as they used to, and they rarely hit. Quarterbacks and receivers are out there playing glorified flag football. Offenses and defenses are simpler than they were two decades ago. Pro teams run the spread because 1) College football primarily produces spread QBs that are used to 1 or 2 read systems, and 2) 1 and 2 read spread systems are all that OCs have time to implement. Brady is one of the last true "pro style" QBs that understands how to see the whole field and work through multiple progressions. Plus he is smart enough to avoid big hits that could end his season in a flash. He has been in the system forever. These are small advantages, but with the talent dilution that comes from 32 teams filled with specialists and niche players, it is enough of an advantage to keep the Pats ahead of the curve.

You are right about this. I think it is all about preparation. And it is not just about Brady being good. New England won games last season with Jacoby Brisset (a rookie, 3rd string quarterback) under center. I'm not saying they would have won the Superbowl with him at the helm, but seriously, who expected the Pats to be 3-1 without Brady? I had thought they'd do well to be 2-2, especially after Garoppolo got hurt.

Belichick has built a system where the players are members of a team and everybody works with each other with the mantra "Just do your job". There are no head cases on the Patriots team. Gronk is as big a star on the team as anyone, but just watch him celebrate when somebody else scores a TD. He's just as happy to be able to provide the block, or keep a DB away from the play.

Belichick also has a history of seeing the potential in players that other teams have under-utilised or discarded. Wes Welker was a special teams player only for Miami before he became Brady's most productive receiver. Malcom Butler was an undrafted rookie who won a spot on the team in open try-outs through effort and persistence and then won the Superbowl for them with a spectacular play. Belichick is responsible for bringing players like these into the system and giving them the tools to be successful.

What we consistently see with the Patriots is that no matter who gets injured, there is somebody else ready to step up and fill the spot. There is no one on the team that they cannot do without. Even when Brady was injured in the 1st game of 2008, the Patriots went 11-5 with Matt Cassel as QB. And they only failed to make the playoffs due to the oddities of the wildcard rules.

Belichick has built a system that works and has worked for 17 years. During those 17 years, the Patriots transformed from a perennial also-ran to winning 14 Divisional Titles, and 5 SuperBowls. I think he has a legitimate argument for being the best Head Coach the NFL has ever seen.

[robj144]

Originally Posted by Jim_G

Anything can happen, but as long as Mike Tomlin is coaching the Steelers I will never lose any sleep over the prospect of a Belichick led program playing them. Yo Mike, maybe try something other than zone D next time. What you're doing now is the definition of insanity.

Of course if I were actually on the same field as James Harrison instead of safely ensconced on my living room couch on game day I'd be losing plenty of sleep. And I dunno, Big Ben might just have one more SB in him.

jpd, have you noticed that I did not freak early this year when the D was stinking up the joint? I'm still not overly impressed with them, but I'm coping.

You were talking to me last year about the defense a lot. I had to convince you last year and I'll do it again this year... we'll be fine.

[Rudals]

Originally Posted by AX17609

Totally true. To my eyes they appear to be a well-coached but massively under-talented team. Cousins is a very pleasant and hard-working B or B+ quarterback. He'll play well for 2 or 3 quarters but can't get it done at the end of the game. The miracle in Seattle notwithstanding, he can almost always be counted on for a last minute fumble or soul-killing interception. Time to move on.

I couldn't agree with you more. He chokes when it's crunch time in 4th quarter. It's always an INT or a fumble to end the game. I am just glad he's better than...QBs on maybe 20 other teams. The 2018 franchise tag will be $28M and if some team wants to pay him $30M or plus then do go ahead, the Browns.

[Dr. Spivey]

I'm off work for five days, so the Packers game Sunday should be a huge anti-climax.