NFL 2021: The playoffs thread

Interesting tidbit: Fangio's interview in Jacksonville was "not necessarily" for head coach, but possibly defensive coordinator. Which possibly makes more sense, because again, didn't seem like Fangio would be Baalke's biggest fan.

Leftwich head coach and running the offense, with Fangio running the defense? That's usually the part of the dream where I wake up.

With the increased Watson to Browns rumors, can I jump in your dream Legion?

UpToIsomorphism wrote:

With the increased Watson to Browns rumors, can I jump in your dream Legion?

Absolutely. Welcome aboard. Just don't look behind that door that's labeled "REDHEADS".

*Legion* wrote:
UpToIsomorphism wrote:

With the increased Watson to Browns rumors, can I jump in your dream Legion?

Absolutely. Welcome aboard. Just don't look behind that door that's labeled "REDHEADS".

Mike Glennon back to Jacksonville confirmed.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:
*Legion* wrote:
UpToIsomorphism wrote:

With the increased Watson to Browns rumors, can I jump in your dream Legion?

Absolutely. Welcome aboard. Just don't look behind that door that's labeled "REDHEADS".

Mike Glennon back to Jacksonville confirmed.

QB Coach Andy Daulton?

*Legion* wrote:

The Jags slipped in another head coach interview, with... Vic Fangio?

Fangio, some of you might remember, was the defensive coordinator in San Francisco during Harbaugh's time there, and was becoming a head coaching candidate in his own right, when Baalke chose to instead elevate Jim Tomsula above Fangio to be Harbaugh's replacement.

I would have assumed he hated Baalke, but this feels like Baalke desperately reaching for candidates who aren't trying to get him out, so, maybe he doesn't?

Maybe this is why:

Former Colts’ defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is being hired as the head coach of the Chicago Bears, per sources.

Eberflus was Baalke's remaining candidate in the Jaguars job hunt. Now he's got nobody left.

I would have laughed my ass off if John Harbaugh requested Fangio to interview for the Ravens DC position.

When you're desperately refreshing Twitter for news about a former Jaguars QB, but you don't find the one you were expecting.

*Legion* wrote:

When you're desperately refreshing Twitter for news about a former Jaguars QB, but you don't find the one you were expecting.

I half expect the camera to pan left and show this:

IMAGE(http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/ricos_van_450.jpg)

Dan Quinn is withdrawing from head coaching consideration and is staying in Dallas.

Which is disappointing, because watching McCarthy lose both coordinators would have been great.

Of course, he may end up keeping both, because I haven't seen anyone interested in Kellen Moore ever since they lost their home playoff game to a li'l old 6 seed...

It's sounding like Leftwich and Wilson are close to being official for coach and GM.

What's still getting conflicted rumors is if Baalke is out, or if he's being moved into a "new role". Which probably would mean something like Coughlin's old EVP of football ops position. Which would be the most Jaguar way ever of f**king up this slam dunk.

*Legion* wrote:

When you're desperately refreshing Twitter for news about a former Jaguars QB, but you don't find the one you were expecting.

somehow I was expecting that.

Finally, the Panthers make a move at head coach!

Jeff Fisher hired as head coach of the Michigan Panthers of the USFL.

*Legion* wrote:

Finally, the Panthers make a move at head coach!

Jeff Fisher hired as head coach of the Michigan Panthers of the USFL.

Solid choice. There's a lot to juggle when you try to create a new football league, and being able to set the Panthers' record to .500 before the season even starts is a great time-saver.

Rams’ effort to block 49er fans from buying tickets for NFC championship game may have backfired

Sixty-five percent of fans at SoFi Stadium on Sunday will be supporting the 49ers, according to Vivid Seats’ initial projection. That forecast caught even Spiewak by surprise since Vivid Seats estimates that the average NFL crowd is roughly 85 to 90 percent in favor of the home team.

Energy from those fans helped the 49ers rally from a 17-point deficit that day, salvaging a spot in the playoffs and extending their win streak over the Rams to six. After the game, Matthew Stafford admitted his offense had trouble communicating at times because of the crowd noise. Kelly Stafford, the wife of the Rams quarterback, said her husband resorted to using a silent count in his home stadium.

"I'm not going to lie. I've never seen so many of the opposing team's fans at a game,” Kelly Stafford said.

The memory of that embarrassment was still fresh for the Rams when they beat Tampa Bay on Sunday to earn another shot at the 49ers. Soon after that game, Rams coach Sean McVay urged Rams fans to “hold onto those tickets” and the wife of Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth pleaded for fan loyalty.

“If you @RamsNFL fans want to sell your tickets — I’ll buy them,” Melissa Whitworth wrote. “Just DO NOT sell them to the other team PLEASE!”

I think that 65% estimate is going to prove to be low.

Hopefully the Rams can convince both of their fans to show up this week.

*Legion* wrote:

When you're desperately refreshing Twitter for news about a former Jaguars QB, but you don't find the one you were expecting.

Rob McElhenney?

*Legion* wrote:

When you're desperately refreshing Twitter for news about a former Jaguars QB, but you don't find the one you were expecting.

Rodgers + Adams for Minshew and some of those picks.

Come on Philly. You already have Ben Simmons. Why not one more super star you will definitely hate.

Sounds like one possible holdup for the Jaguars is that, according to the Rooney Rule for executives, the Jaguars have to interview two minority GM candidates, even if the guy they've decided on for GM is a minority.

If Leftwich is indeed making Adrian Wilson GM, the team still needs to arrange an interview with another minority candidate. Since they weren't planning on making a change at GM, they didn't have their other interviews taken care of the way other franchises did.

The zombified corpse of Deadspin published an article criticizing the head coach candidacy of 49ers OC Mike McDaniel, who the article describes as a "white guy" that doesn't deserve a look ahead of all these black coaching candidates.

There's now a correction at the top of that article. For you see, "white guy" Mike McDaniel is actually biracial, half black. Oops.

Interestingly, this article came out back on Saturday, but only caught everyone's attention today, because nobody reads post-exodus Deadspin.

The best part is that they put the correction at the top of the article but they left the part below where they make a snarky comment about him being a white guy. What an embarrassment.

*Legion* wrote:

The zombified corpse of Deadspin published an article criticizing the head coach candidacy of 49ers OC Mike McDaniel, who the article describes as a "white guy" that doesn't deserve a look ahead of all these black coaching candidates.

There's now a correction at the top of that article. For you see, "white guy" Mike McDaniel is actually biracial, half black. Oops.

Interestingly, this article came out back on Saturday, but only caught everyone's attention today, because nobody reads post-exodus Deadspin.

I honestly thought they shut down.

garion333 wrote:

I honestly thought they shut down.

Nah, they just stuck to sports.

They scooped up the next wave of journalism graduates that were desperate for a job, and re-opened after a few months away.

Readership is in the tank, but in no way were the corporate overlords gonna let the property go entirely to waste.

Now, if only Defector didn't charge so damn much. I can't afford PFF, The Athletic, and Defector.

I'm still tossing my coin to Defector because they're fighting the good fight.

I hope they continue to be able to support their staff and their content, my god, it's soooo good.

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FKHc1_nUYA0jb7Y?format=jpg&name=small)

*Legion* wrote:

Sounds like one possible holdup for the Jaguars is that, according to the Rooney Rule for executives, the Jaguars have to interview two minority GM candidates, even if the guy they've decided on for GM is a minority.

If Leftwich is indeed making Adrian Wilson GM, the team still needs to arrange an interview with another minority candidate. Since they weren't planning on making a change at GM, they didn't have their other interviews taken care of the way other franchises did.

Was thinking about this. For the Rooney Rule doe they have to bring in legit candidates? Or can they find someone in the building to sit down for the interview and call it a day?

garion333 wrote:

Was thinking about this. For the Rooney Rule doe they have to bring in legit candidates? Or can they find someone in the building to sit down for the interview and call it a day?

Strictly speaking, or as a practical matter?

I don't think there's technically any rule that the interviewee must fit any particular criteria besides their racial identity.

That said, I'm certain both the league office and the Fritz Pollard Alliance would have plenty to say about an interview that was even more blatant a sham than the typical obviously-for-the-Rooney-Rule interviews.

And the Jaguars already drew the ire of the Fritz Pollard Alliance last year for Urban's brain-dead hiring of Chris Doyle.

The Jags are on the verge of earning back some diversity credibility with their seemingly imminent hiring of both a black head coach and general manager. No need to fumble the ball by cutting corners procedurally.

*Legion* wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Was thinking about this. For the Rooney Rule doe they have to bring in legit candidates? Or can they find someone in the building to sit down for the interview and call it a day?

Strictly speaking, or as a practical matter?

I don't think there's technically any rule that the interviewee must fit any particular criteria besides their racial identity.

That said, I'm certain both the league office and the Fritz Pollard Alliance would have plenty to say about an interview that was even more blatant a sham than the typical obviously-for-the-Rooney-Rule interviews.

And the Jaguars already drew the ire of the Fritz Pollard Alliance last year for Urban's brain-dead hiring of Chris Doyle.

The Jags are on the verge of earning back some diversity credibility with their seemingly imminent hiring of both a black head coach and general manager. No need to fumble the ball by cutting corners procedurally.

You mean, more than they already have.

garion333 wrote:

You mean, more than they already have.

Truth. Here we sit, with still no announcement. You can feel the power struggle happening. You can feel ownership unable to make a good decision. It's embarrassing.

It could be worse. You could be dealing with Dan Snyder...

In better news, KeeSean Johnson FRESNO STATE has signed a futures contract with the 49ers, where we will become the team's next run blocking, YAC-gaining star WR.