Can't recall if this gem was posted:
In the Super Bowl era, there have been 877 instances of a QB throwing 20+ passes in a playoff game. Blake Bortles is the first with more rushing than passing yards.
— Zachary Kram (@zachkram) January 7, 2018
Colin Kaepernick got close in his final playoff game. 153 passing yards, 130 rushing.
Seahawks fire Darrell Bevell.
BOOOOO.
But they're keeping Tom Cable, right? Right?
Has there been any explanation for what the heck is happening at the Packers?
No, but it'll make for a great story!
Or, actually, it makes less for a great story and more of an obvious story: How the Rising Salary Cap Explains the NFL Playoffs
It may sound simplistic, but the cap is rising at such a rate, and the carryover money is so great, that most teams can do anything they want within reason to their roster. “Any team who was bad with their salary cap in the past now has a get-out-of-jail-free card,” said Jason Fitzgerald, who runs Over the Cap, a salary cap website, and has consulted for NFL teams. Teams, Fitzgerald said, can use the excess cap money to easily get rid of mistakes they make in free agency and move on to other plans.
This reality is slowly working its way through the league. Recently reassigned Packers general manager Ted Thompson notoriously stayed away from free agency, and something he used to be lauded for became a reason for criticism in recent years as the cap spiked. This week, the team’s new general manager, Brian Gutekunst, made a point to say the team would be active in free agency—and that excited the Packers’ staff.
Ted Thompson stuck to his process, which had become outdated, and he's now out of a job.
But, before I close, we come back around full circle to our favorite whipping boy:
As with any structural change, there are of course unintended consequences, too. Fitzgerald said that because teams can roll over their cap money every year, teams like the 49ers or Browns will wait until they feel they can compete before they spend any substantial money. Before they do, they make for easy victories when they appear on another team’s schedule. The two franchises are now each projected to have well over $100 million in cap space this offseason. You can start the clock on them being competitive at some point. “You can call it hitting on free agents, or you can call it ‘a broken clock is right once a day’ because at some point, they are bound to hit,” Corry said. In the modern NFL, even the Browns have a chance.
Expect the 49ers to pay out to some peeps this offseason now that they have a future Hall of Famer at QB. The Browns, we're still a ways away from that.
The Chargers had the first field goal kicking unit in the league last year. How did they chose to address this?
By signing Roberto Wide-Right-O, of course.
What could go wrong?
Half of that Jaguar defense is big free agency buys.
Calais Campbell, AJ Bouye, Malik Jackson, Tashaun Gipson. Now even a trade for Marcell Dareus. (Paul Posluszny too sort of, but that was years ago and he's on his second Jaguars contract).
Obviously they hit big in the draft too, with Jalen Ramsey, Telvin Smith, Yannick Ngakoue, and Myles Jack.
garion333: "I noticed you left off Da..." SHUT UP
But it's obvious that a team that is trying to ascend should be buying free agents until they have a good core that they just keep re-signing.
This is why I was never bothered with the Jaguars throwing around free agency contracts that were "overpaying" in the past, as long as they were structured to be escapable. Extra cap money can't tackle or catch passes. The only difference between signing Julius Thomas and Calais Campbell is that the latter one worked out. You sign who you can and try to get better and eventually some of them start to work out and you start a virtuous cycle.
The Chargers had the first field goal kicking unit in the league last year. How did they chose to address this?
By signing Roberto Wide-Right-O, of course.
What could go wrong?
*joy*
I missed him a lot.
Much like his kicking.
This is why I was never bothered with the Jaguars throwing around free agency contracts that were "overpaying" in the past, as long as they were structured to be escapable. Extra cap money can't tackle or catch passes. The only difference between signing Julius Thomas and Calais Campbell is that the latter one worked out. You sign who you can and try to get better and eventually some of them start to work out and you start a virtuous cycle.
Dude, let it sink in, that Kevin Clark's article basically lays out a framework that the Jacksonville Jaguars are the new model of success in the NFL. Let's just meditate on that a bit.
Holy. Shit.
And the 49ers are lined up right next to them.
Legion is the new Face of the NFL.
Let that sink in!
Green Bay has dismantled their front office. The Patriots are having or not having weird tiffs. Mike Mularkey was fired from the Titans.
Oh, wait.
Unfortunately, the Ravens are now the old school and are saddled with an albatross QB. Maybe soon they can be more like the Jaguars!
So the Bold Predictions episode of the Conference Call went up and Certis linked to last year's Bold Predictions thread and I couldn't help but notice the following:
7. Legion predicts the Jacksonville Jaguars will make the playoffs this year. The Jacksonville Jaguars will not make the playoffs this year.
Oddly enough, he was doubly wrong. *Legion* didn't post any predictions.
you can call it ‘a broken clock is right once a day’ because at some point, they are bound to hit,” Corry said. In the modern NFL, even Legion has a chance.
The Chargers had the first field goal kicking unit in the league last year. How did they chose to address this?
By signing Roberto Wide-Right-O, of course.
What could go wrong?
I assume you meant worst?
MilkmanDanimal wrote:The Chargers had the first field goal kicking unit in the league last year. How did they chose to address this?
By signing Roberto Wide-Right-O, of course.
What could go wrong?
I assume you meant worst?
First worst?
$#@&$!! autocorrect.
Oddly enough, he was doubly wrong. *Legion* didn't post any predictions.
My way of saying "f**k you" to Milkman twice!
Rat Boy wrote:Oddly enough, he was doubly wrong. *Legion* didn't post any predictions.
My way of saying "f**k you" to Milkman twice!
Even a stopped clock can overcome the stunning incompetence of Blake Bortles every once and a while.
*Legion* wrote:This is why I was never bothered with the Jaguars throwing around free agency contracts that were "overpaying" in the past, as long as they were structured to be escapable. Extra cap money can't tackle or catch passes. The only difference between signing Julius Thomas and Calais Campbell is that the latter one worked out. You sign who you can and try to get better and eventually some of them start to work out and you start a virtuous cycle.
Dude, let it sink in, that Kevin Clark's article basically lays out a framework that the Jacksonville Jaguars are the new model of success in the NFL. Let's just meditate on that a bit.
Holy. Shit.
And the 49ers are lined up right next to them.
Legion is the new Face of the NFL.
Let that sink in!
I offered my services to Cleveland! I was gonna give them all this. They chose Sashi and Baseball Paul instead.
*Legion* wrote:Rat Boy wrote:Oddly enough, he was doubly wrong. *Legion* didn't post any predictions.
My way of saying "f**k you" to Milkman twice!
Even a stopped clock can overcome the stunning incompetence of Blake Bortles every once and a while.
Actually when it comes to Bortles incompetence, it turns out to be much better to keep the clock running.
MilkmanDanimal wrote:*Legion* wrote:Rat Boy wrote:Oddly enough, he was doubly wrong. *Legion* didn't post any predictions.
My way of saying "f**k you" to Milkman twice!
Even a stopped clock can overcome the stunning incompetence of Blake Bortles every once and a while.
Actually when it comes to Bortles incompetence, it turns out to be much better to keep the clock running.
And Bortles as well, based on his stats from last week.
Rich Gannon will not be joining Gruden's staff after all.
Offensive coordinator will be Greg Olson, who was the Raiders' OC during Carr's rookie season, was OC in Jacksonville for two years (ie. the guy that got Bortles to throw for 4400 yards and 35 TDs in a year), and was QB coach for Goff in Los Angeles this year.
Seahawks fire Darrell Bevell.
BOOOOO.
But they're keeping Tom Cable, right? Right?
Seahawks fire Tom Cable.
BOOOOO.
MilkmanDanimal wrote:The Chargers had the first field goal kicking unit in the league last year. How did they chose to address this?
By signing Roberto Wide-Right-O, of course.
What could go wrong?
*joy*
I missed him a lot.
Much like his kicking.
I LOL'd at this. Honest!
*Legion* wrote:Seahawks fire Darrell Bevell.
BOOOOO.
But they're keeping Tom Cable, right? Right?
Seahawks fire Tom Cable.
BOOOOO.
DC Kris Richard and QB coach Carl Smith are also on the chopping block, it seems.
*Legion* wrote:*Legion* wrote:Seahawks fire Darrell Bevell.
BOOOOO.
But they're keeping Tom Cable, right? Right?
Seahawks fire Tom Cable.
BOOOOO.
DC Kris Richard and QB coach Carl Smith are also on the chopping block, it seems.
OK it's starting to get extreme. There's going to be no coaching continuity besides Pete? Breaking in a whole brand new staff and (at least on offense) system?
Interesting.
It would make more sense if he were attracting back guys that had been there before, like they tried with Gus Bradley. It's usually not a great sign for a head coach when they wipe out their whole senior coaching staff though. Are there any rising hotshots in their lower ranks that are due to get promoted to the bigger jobs?
MoonDragon wrote:*Legion* wrote:*Legion* wrote:Seahawks fire Darrell Bevell.
BOOOOO.
But they're keeping Tom Cable, right? Right?
Seahawks fire Tom Cable.
BOOOOO.
DC Kris Richard and QB coach Carl Smith are also on the chopping block, it seems.
OK it's starting to get extreme. There's going to be no coaching continuity besides Pete? Breaking in a whole brand new staff and (at least on offense) system?
Interesting.
It would make more sense if he were attracting back guys that had been there before, like they tried with Gus Bradley. It's usually not a great sign for a head coach when they wipe out their whole senior coaching staff though. Are there any rising hotshots in their lower ranks that are due to get promoted to the bigger jobs?
Yeah, which of them decided to not draft or sign an offensive line?
Apparently they drafted the most offensive linemen of any team since 2010.
I mean, there was a 2nd round center this year (Ethan Pocic), a 1st round tackle and a 3rd round guard a year ago (Germain Ifedi, Rees Odhiambo), two 4th round guards in 2015 (Terry Poole, Mark Glowinski), and a 2nd round tackle in 2014 (Justin Britt). So it's not like it's all been 6th round picks (of which they used one on linemen in each of 2017, 2016, and 2014 too.)
It's just that every single one of them has been terrible, and they went out and signed Duane Brown and Luke Joeckel to play instead. Brown has been decent, and Joeckel has been, well, Joeckel, but apparently that's enough to start 11 games and keep some of those draft picks on the bench, so that tells you where those guys are at.
Glad they're hitting the reset button.
Go Hawks.
BAD NEWS! Browns get rid of Grigson!
Hopefully someone else hires him.
The Seahawks, dissatisfied with having the kicker with the 32nd ranked field goal percentage in 2017, improved the position by signing the kicker with the 31st ranked field goal percentage in 2017, former Jags kicker Jason Myers.
At least Walsh made XPs, missing only one and ranking 10th in XP%. Myers ranked 33rd.
Apparently they drafted the most offensive linemen of any team since 2010.
I mean, there was a 2nd round center this year (Ethan Pocic), a 1st round tackle and a 3rd round guard a year ago (Germain Ifedi, Rees Odhiambo), two 4th round guards in 2015 (Terry Poole, Mark Glowinski), and a 2nd round tackle in 2014 (Justin Britt). So it's not like it's all been 6th round picks (of which they used one on linemen in each of 2017, 2016, and 2014 too.)
It's just that every single one of them has been terrible, and they went out and signed Duane Brown and Luke Joeckel to play instead. Brown has been decent, and Joeckel has been, well, Joeckel, but apparently that's enough to start 11 games and keep some of those draft picks on the bench, so that tells you where those guys are at.
Wow, that's even worse drafting than the Browns. Guess their finds on defense (and QB) vastly outweigh their massive swings and misses on OL.
This week's NFL Turning Point: Mariota to Mariota
Watching that again from 12 different angles and, my god, that's some serious athletic ability.
Most of the video is a short history of QBs who have completed passes to themselves. The video also shows Andrew Luck recovering his own fumble in scoring in a recent wild card game ...
... against the Chiefs!
Drew Magary on Blake Bortles' performance last week (emphasis mine):
The Jags made it as easy for Bortles as they possibly could—every pass called was a rollout with one target located roughly 0.3 yards away from him—and he STILL sucked shit! It was hypnotic. I’ll never get over it. It wasn’t some loud playoff collapse like what happened with Jake Delhomme. It was a quiet display of near helplessness.
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