NFL 2018: Week 16

Earlier this year, Patrick Mahomes became 1st in post-merger NFL history in yardage thrown through his first seven NFL games.

Last week, Nick Mullens became 3rd.

Did Denver play any of their starters last night? It looked like they were maneuvering for a draft pick.

*Legion* wrote:

Earlier this year, Patrick Mahomes became 1st in post-merger NFL history in yardage thrown through his first seven NFL games.

Last week, Nick Mullens became 3rd.

Modern NFL and the rules are making a mockery of records and performance norms. It’s a joke.

TheGameguru wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

Earlier this year, Patrick Mahomes became 1st in post-merger NFL history in yardage thrown through his first seven NFL games.

Last week, Nick Mullens became 3rd.

Modern NFL and the rules are making a mockery of records and performance norms. It’s a joke.

Yup. It's turning into Arena Football.

Can't let that new XFL clone steal their viewers.

TheGameguru wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

Earlier this year, Patrick Mahomes became 1st in post-merger NFL history in yardage thrown through his first seven NFL games.

Last week, Nick Mullens became 3rd.

Modern NFL and the rules are making a mockery of records and performance norms. It’s a joke.

This season even more than most, though I haven't checked to see if the stat trends I was pointing out earlier in the year have held steady or not.

Barnwell wrote an article recently that showed that offenses have dipped a tonne over the last month.

Taking a quick glance, team offense yards per game is at 354.1, an exact 20 yard jump from 2017's 334.1.

So it's not quite peeking over 360 like I think it was earlier in the year, but overall it's held pretty strong.

*Legion* wrote:
TheGameguru wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

Earlier this year, Patrick Mahomes became 1st in post-merger NFL history in yardage thrown through his first seven NFL games.

Last week, Nick Mullens became 3rd.

Modern NFL and the rules are making a mockery of records and performance norms. It’s a joke.

This season even more than most, though I haven't checked to see if the stat trends I was pointing out earlier in the year have held steady or not.

Something tells me the trends are not holding up.

Regardless, it is what it is. If you try to make the game safer for human being to survive without getting their brains bashed in, it's going to lead to more offense. The solution is to offer defenses advantages to limit offenses that do not also increase the severity of the hits.

I've been pretty open with my hypocrisy this season. If Mahomes was not a thing, I would not have watched a snap this season. I was done with the stupidity of the NFL. But the prospect of Mahomes was more than i could withstand. He was poised to have a huge breakout year which was going to be a revelation for Chiefs fans even if it didn't result in a single record broken.

So, I see every whine about arena football, mockery of norms, XFL-like play as nothing more than a desire to see more athletes brains concussed. For me, it's just made Madden more fun, because Madden is more like the NFL now!

If you want he-man football, the only answer i to strip the goddamn pads and helmets off the players. At least the helmets have to go. Maybe they can keep a soft leather helmet like the old days. But you have to strip the ability to launch yourself out of the game. It will slow the game down, and force even more strategic playcalling.

Otherwise, the other best answer is flag football, which I would actually still enjoy. they ought to make the Pro Bowl flag football, and we could get a taste of what it might be like.

Regardless, the moment I tire of Mahomes and Co., I'm done with this sport. For now, I would rather watch the high scoring aerial attacks than the brain crushing physical football so many crave. And really, defenses are already adjusting. The Chiefs, Saints, and Rams are all having a tougher time winning games by relying on offense only.

Is the sport different? Yes. Was the 60's different than the 70's, the 70's than the 80's, the 80's to the 90's? Yes, just like every sport. This kind of complaining is just the worst. We are privileging one era over another for no other reason than one came first. but one thing remains the same. Strategy matters. What ever the set the rules, however they are enforced, there are strategical advantages and disadvantages to different roster moves, play design, and clock management.

Face it, we are really just waiting for soccer to take over. As much as I wished the NFL was still in St. Louis, the city is going to be better off if the current soccer stadium plans and the the hopeful expansion team will be much better for the city going forward.

I don't know what my endgame is with Mahomes. for now, I'm loving this team and enjoying the games, even when they lose. But the NFL is still mostly a sh*tshow. If the Chiefs win the Super Bowl, maybe I'm done then. Maybe I got 5-10 years to watch this kid. I can't really say. But Mahomes and the aerial offenses are the only thing keeping me watching. I guess I'm part of the problem.

But wishing for the gameplay of the past is evil. Even before we understood the full impact of CTE, the lives of some of our favorite players, especially linemen, has been miserable. I worked with Conrad Dobler at KCMO radio in the 90's. What football did to him, and how little the NFL did for him is f*cking crime.

So, I admit that I'm a hypocrite for still following this sport. But I'm not going to feel bad about not wanting it to be like the old days.

Jayhawker wrote:

I've been pretty open with my hypocrisy this season. If Mahomes was not a thing, I would not have watched a snap this season. I was done with the stupidity of the NFL. But the prospect of Mahomes was more than i could withstand. He was poised to have a huge breakout year which was going to be a revelation for Chiefs fans even if it didn't result in a single record broken.

Same, with Lamar. Didn't watch an entire game until he got to start. And then I've watched almost every snap of the last 6.

I came for GARAPALOOZA, I stayed for MULLENSANITY.

I would believe everything you said if I actually believed the game was somehow safer now than it was. Pretty sure all the players playing now and in the near future will face the same odds of CTE and debilitating lifelong injuries.

Face it, we are really just waiting for soccer to take over.

Maybe you guys are. I'm waiting for hockey to develop a more sane game schedule.

ccesarano wrote:
Face it, we are really just waiting for soccer to take over.

Maybe you guys are. I'm waiting for hockey to develop a more sane game schedule. :D

The best NHL season was the lockout season that began in January and had 48 games instead of 82.

*Legion* wrote:
ccesarano wrote:
Face it, we are really just waiting for soccer to take over.

Maybe you guys are. I'm waiting for hockey to develop a more sane game schedule. :D

The best NHL season was the lockout season that began in January and had 48 games instead of 82.

That's the year that the NJ Devils won their first Cup, so I agree!

TheGameguru wrote:

I would believe everything you said if I actually believed the game was somehow safer now than it was. Pretty sure all the players playing now and in the near future will face the same odds of CTE and debilitating lifelong injuries.

That’s why I said the real solution is to strip helmets and such out, to fundamentally change the game. I’d say the current rule changes are only marginally better, but it’s still better.

Jayhawker wrote:
TheGameguru wrote:

I would believe everything you said if I actually believed the game was somehow safer now than it was. Pretty sure all the players playing now and in the near future will face the same odds of CTE and debilitating lifelong injuries.

That’s why I said the real solution is to strip helmets and such out, to fundamentally change the game. I’d say the current rule changes are only marginally better, but it’s still better.

Lipstick on a pig. But if it makes you feel better then that’s all that matters. I suspect nothing will resolve it though. The brain sits in a fluid sac and simply the force of stopping and starting really fast cause it to hit the sides of the skull over and over even when you get a perfectly clean tackle that doesn’t involve the head in anyway. Like I said it “looks” like it’s better but in the end it’s still pretty much the same.

My first point wasn’t to say the game was better when players went back in with multiple concussions or when Defensive players could hit with little or no reprocussions but rather that the stats were so inflated that it’s all but useless as a comparison.

I'd love a more rugby-esque NFL. I think the feats of strength by Marshawn Lynch types would just be amazing.

Packers interview Jim Caldwell for their head coach job.

Spoiler:

IMAGE(http://mymediadiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/jim-caldwell.jpg-w600h375.jpg)

Gotta satisfy the Rooney rule somehow...

They also interviewed Chuck Pagano.

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is also a candidate and will probably interview following their bowl game.