2015-2016 NFL thread

[THE Bigzoman]

Dolphins are lol tier right now.

Yeah, I like how Suh is still being Suh and showing future prospective teams his real value.

[xskarma]

It seems its never enough to be bad in the AFC East, a team has to go full laughinstock, be it the Dolphins or Jets. Couldn't they just content themselves with every-day badness, why always must they reach for the stars?

(Not so much directed at you, but more latching on to what you said.) They all do the same thing: Try to make moves that put them ahead of the curve against New England (and I'm sure it's not limited to the AFC East and the Patriots. I'm sure GB inspires similar behaviour in the NFC North, and other succesful teams have done the same at times.)

Over and over teams in the AFC East have made splashy moves that were meant to close the gap, that in reality only lead to making the gap bigger eventually. Jets spent big, got into cap trouble and had to purge to get back on track. Same thing seems to have happened to Miami allready, and the Bills even before Rex Ryan came along were making desperate moves (Sammy Watkins) and have only continued to do so with him there.

It works, sort of, for a year or 2, and then the bad contracts they piled up start weighing them down and they have to make tough decisions and/or rebuild. Free agency is cool and all, but the most succesful teams have all become succesful through drafting and developing and consistency.

If you have a coach/GM in place for a longer period you keep bringing in similar type players, these players learn the same things, and help eachother learn and grow in this 1 system. It's one of those things where it's actually easier to keep it going then it is to start it up. For teams that switch coaches and GM's often it just means a constant switching of systems, constant switching of ideal players, never any consistency in what players know and can teach eachother.

And that's what kills most teams. They just go through these cycles of being in a bad state financially and play wise, purging, starting to rebuild, getting close and over reaching and descending again due to bad contracts and/or bad coaching. Depending on if the problem is more due to coaching or more due to player management a team might be able to make a quick turnaround, but actually going out and completely breaking the cycle and starting to have both coaching and player management in order and creatign stability is what seperates the Steelers of the world from the Browns.

It's not a reach to say it starts with owners as well. Smart owners know who to hire and when to put their foot down abotu things, contract wise or any other. But there's plenty of owners who don't seem to have a clue about football and make bad decisions in who they hire and who they fire and how to direct their management to guide all these things. It's no coincedence that several teams have football families who have been able to sustain relative success for long periods and there's teams that seem to always have some kind of change going on.



In the end my personal opinion is that at least where it concerns the Dolphins and Jets that the owners are just clueless and put pressure on the organization to deliver, which leads to bad decision making, which leads to spectacular meltdowns instead of teams just being mediocre for a time. The Bills had Ralph Wilson for ages, and he was a football institution that knew very well how to run a succesful football team, but you have to wonder just how in control he was these last few years of his life when the Bills seemed to perpetually struggle. The Pegula's seem to have fallen for Rex's bluster and hype so I personally think they started off on the wrong foot* (and should have stuck with Schwartz), but I wouldn't lump them in with the first 2 owners just yet.


(* unintended Rex Ryan foot joke ftw)

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Well then. Not only is Matt HAsselbeck starting instead of Luck, but Hasselbeck is sick still and had IV's as late as this afternoon. Says energy levels are very low and he;s not sure he'll make it 4 quarters.

I think that's a good thing. I mean, it's only fair that both teams play without a QB this game.

[ProphetFlume]

Don't understand how the Texans can have everyone healthy yet be this bad.

[THE Bigzoman]

(Not so much directed at you, but more latching on to what you said.) They all do the same thing: Try to make moves that put them ahead of the curve against New England (and I'm sure it's not limited to the AFC East and the Patriots. I'm sure GB inspires similar behaviour in the NFC North, and other succesful teams have done the same at times.)

Over and over teams in the AFC East have made splashy moves that were meant to close the gap, that in reality only lead to making the gap bigger eventually. Jets spent big, got into cap trouble and had to purge to get back on track. Same thing seems to have happened to Miami allready, and the Bills even before Rex Ryan came along were making desperate moves (Sammy Watkins) and have only continued to do so with him there.

It works, sort of, for a year or 2, and then the bad contracts they piled up start weighing them down and they have to make tough decisions and/or rebuild. Free agency is cool and all, but the most succesful teams have all become succesful through drafting and developing and consistency.

If you have a coach/GM in place for a longer period you keep bringing in similar type players, these players learn the same things, and help eachother learn and grow in this 1 system. It's one of those things where it's actually easier to keep it going then it is to start it up. For teams that switch coaches and GM's often it just means a constant switching of systems, constant switching of ideal players, never any consistency in what players know and can teach eachother.

And that's what kills most teams. They just go through these cycles of being in a bad state financially and play wise, purging, starting to rebuild, getting close and over reaching and descending again due to bad contracts and/or bad coaching. Depending on if the problem is more due to coaching or more due to player management a team might be able to make a quick turnaround, but actually going out and completely breaking the cycle and starting to have both coaching and player management in order and creatign stability is what seperates the Steelers of the world from the Browns.

It's not a reach to say it starts with owners as well. Smart owners know who to hire and when to put their foot down abotu things, contract wise or any other. But there's plenty of owners who don't seem to have a clue about football and make bad decisions in who they hire and who they fire and how to direct their management to guide all these things. It's no coincedence that several teams have football families who have been able to sustain relative success for long periods and there's teams that seem to always have some kind of change going on.



In the end my personal opinion is that at least where it concerns the Dolphins and Jets that the owners are just clueless and put pressure on the organization to deliver, which leads to bad decision making, which leads to spectacular meltdowns instead of teams just being mediocre for a time. The Bills had Ralph Wilson for ages, and he was a football institution that knew very well how to run a succesful football team, but you have to wonder just how in control he was these last few years of his life when the Bills seemed to perpetually struggle. The Pegula's seem to have fallen for Rex's bluster and hype so I personally think they started off on the wrong foot* (and should have stuck with Schwartz), but I wouldn't lump them in with the first 2 owners just yet.


(* unintended Rex Ryan foot joke ftw)

- - - Updated - - -

Well then. Not only is Matt HAsselbeck starting instead of Luck, but Hasselbeck is sick still and had IV's as late as this afternoon. Says energy levels are very low and he;s not sure he'll make it 4 quarters.

I think that's a good thing. I mean, it's only fair that both teams play without a QB this game.

What Xskarma says is true. I can't even be too upset when some teams fail to make FA splashes anymore.

[xskarma]

The only good thing about this game so far is that it's likely that Bill O'Brien is probably going to get fired and will be available as a OC candidate for the Patriots when McDaniels inevitably gets a HC job somewhere else. Texans really suck on both sides of the ball.

[Vetali]

This starting colts team might literally be the oldest age average group ever to play an NFL game.

[xskarma]

This starting colts team might literally be the oldest age average group ever to play an NFL game.

AARP Colts against the Houston Texans

[Vetali]

AARP Colts against the Houston Texans

I was going to go with that joke..

Hasselbeck looks good so far. Better than any backup QB that has started this year besides maybe Manziel

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Colts showing what roughing the passer really is. Hoyer in now.

[xskarma]

Hasselback turning point will probably be the half. If he can somehow stay loose and warm during the intermission he might be able to finish the game. Colts have the ball to start second half, so he's got a shot to do it.

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I mean, if he cools off during the intermission he might not get back up to speed again. He's probably coasting on adrenaline and hype right now, btu if that feeling goes he might just lose it all.

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Succesful Hail Mary!

Can't believe how bad the Colts looked on that play.

[ProphetFlume]

1 defender boxed 3 others out

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This will be the second game I was wrong for picking against the team that was doing terrible then got stuck with a backup qb in his 40s.

[xskarma]

1 defender boxed 3 others out

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This will be the second game I was wrong for picking against the team that was doing terrible then got stuck with a backup qb in his 40s.

Hasselbeck gets rid of the ball, for better or worse. Luck has been holding on to it and getting sacked or intercepted on late throws. Hasselbeck gets some dump off yards and some thrown away balls, while Luck seems to get negative plays or (rarely) huge chunks.

[Fritters154]

This will be the second game I was wrong for picking against the team that was doing terrible then got stuck with a backup qb in his 40s.

He's old but he is probably one of the better backups in the league for QB. Makes very good decisions and can still make quite a few good plays.

[Pendulous]

He's old but he is probably one of the better backups in the league for QB. Makes very good decisions and can still make quite a few good plays.

People forget. He's not a backup quarterback because he's always been one, and has just sat on rosters for fifteen years. He's always been a very solid quarterback his entire career.

[Darth Belichick]

This is a far more entertaining game than I thought it was gonna be. Not a great game, but entertaining enough. Better than the MNF game.

[Fritters154]

People forget. He's not a backup quarterback because he's always been one, and has just sat on rosters for fifteen years. He's always been a very solid quarterback his entire career.

Exactly, dude was a 3 time Pro Bowler and went to a Super Bowl.

[ProphetFlume]

Nobody forgot who Hasselbeck was. Doesn't change the fact he hasn't started in like 4 years and was supposed to be half dead before this game.

[Vetali]

I fucking hate the colts even more.

[xskarma]

I fucking hate the colts even more.

Welcome to the club!

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I was hoping Big Vince would do some damage with his friends, but the Texans D has just been aweful. Crennel was good on the Patriots but he screwed up with a talented Chiefs roster, and now with this talented Texans roster. He should not be a DC anymore.

[Vetali]

Welcome to the club!

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I was hoping Big Vince would do some damage with his friends, but the Texans D has just been aweful. Crennel was good on the Patriots but he screwed up with a talented Chiefs roster, and now with this talented Texans roster. He should not be a DC anymore.

I'm not sure how the hell they are this awful with that much talent. Seems impossible.

Hoyer looks good. Not sure how the Texans saw Mallet as their #1. Its why you shouldn't knee jerk after a bad performance from your QB, then go with your backup because he throwin dimes in garbage time.

[Pendulous]

I'm not sure how the hell they are this awful with that much talent. Seems impossible.

Hoyer looks good. Not sure how the Texans saw Mallet as their #1. Its why you shouldn't knee jerk after a bad performance from your QB, then go with your backup because he throwin dimes in garbage time.

Yeah, but Mallet was doing good before he got hurt. Not sure why they decided to just leave Hoyer in. He did just terribly miss an open Hopkins for a touchdown.