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Page 159 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Jun 19, 2009
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Amsterhammer said:
Forcing me to watch the Skins twice in four days is akin to torture. :eek:

NYG @ WASH

The look on Cousin's face as he walked to the bench after his fourth interception was really sad. He looked like a kid that would never get to play again. Sad.
 
Jun 15, 2009
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FoxxyBrown1111 said:
To all those having Eli-minated the Gaints: Watch out... they are... well, the Giants. :eek: If Eli brings his (1)* game, all is possible.

* Definition:

... not that people miss-interpret (1) with a A-game... Such things are not in the (play)Book-of-Eli. :D

FoxxyBrown1111 said:
Redskins? Doomed until after Gruden...

I guess those were bad omen. Sorry Amster... :eek:

Alpe d'Huez said:
Right after we were talking about his virtues, Cousins, and really the entire Wash offense lays a stinker.

I couldn´t have said it better. Good summary. :)

Alpe d'Huez said:
Props to the two time NFL Super Bowl MVP for piling it on.

LOLZ. But you know, he need to do this. Otherwise the non-correlation between his salary and stats would look to grotesque, even for the NY media.
 
Alpe d'Huez said:
Props to the two time NFL Super Bowl MVP for piling it on. I can hear the praise, and future predictions, of tomorrow's NY media now.

The question is, will the NY media realize the WASH defensive line is thin from injury and therefore be a little bit restrained? And some routes by NYG WRs were really wide open. It seemed too easy for young Manning. But it is a win from which to build on, and NY media should at least claim that.
 
I thought you'd like that Foxxy. ;)

Seriously, while the Giants looked good at times, the Redskins looked terrible. Also, good analysis on Gruden in your previous post. I think part of the reason the Skins took him though is that his outgoing personality is almost the opposite of the stern Shanahan.

Good analysis on Weeden as well.

Zam_Olyas said:
Alpe, Is Jimmy Garoppolo good? How good or bad is he?

I honestly can't give that deep of an evaluation. I only saw a little of him in the pre-season, and none of his college games, only highlights. He played for Eastern Illinois, where Tony Romo went to school, but hardly had any competition there. When the Patriots took him it was a bit of a surprise, but not a huge one. The combine and scouting numbers on him were that he had a quick release and decent arm, but relatively small hands and it would be a big step up to read NFL defenses and react quickly. I think the Pats are hoping by sitting behind Brady a season or two he'll develop into the next Aaron Rodgers, but that's a big hope. Walter Football compared him to Sam Bradford. They said he has a strong arm like Sam, but I never thought of Sam having that strong of an arm to be honest. They also liked his mechanics. If you spend some time this weekend on YouTube watching Garoppolo play, you'll have seen more of him than me.
 
Since we've been talking about it, looking back at the 2012 draft is starting to look like the QB draft of our generation. We thought it at the time, but it may have exceeded expectations. Just a peek:

1. Andrew Luck
2. RG3
8. Ryan Tannehill
22. Brandon Weeden
57 (2). Brock Osweiler
75 (3). Russell Wilson
88 (3). Nick Foles
102 (4) Kirk Cousins
185 (6) Ryan Lindley
243 (7) BJ Coleman
253 (7) Chandler Harnish

Case Keenum, Austin Davis, and Kellen Moore all went undrafted but made rosters, all have played in NFL games, and still in the league today.

The only player on this list not in the NFL is Ryan Lindley, who was cut by Arizona in the pre-season, and hasn't landed anywhere else (yet).
 
Jun 22, 2009
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Alpe d'Huez said:
Right after we were talking about his virtues, Cousins, and really the entire Wash offense lays a stinker. Whole team tonight.

You're being far too kind. It was awful beyond words. Looking forward to another top draft pick next year. :eek:
 
Here's a Foxxy Brown special. The top ten strongest arms in the NFL.Interesting three of the top 4 in the NFC North. Manning, Brady and Brees don't make the list, I guess that makes them bums. :)

1. Matthew Stafford, Lions: The best illustration of Stafford's rare arm strength is the six-play, 80-yard game-winning drive -- described by NFL Media's Steve Mariucci as a "work of art" -- for a last-second, comeback victory over the Cowboys in October of 2013. How many quarterbacks can pull off the 40-yard sideline laser in the video to the right?

The ball explodes out of Stafford's hand, allowing him to fit throws into windows that other quarterbacks don't even see. It also hurts his production at times, as his rocket shots can be too hot to handle. Lions receivers have finished first or second in dropped passes in each of the past three years.

2. Jay Cutler, Bears: Early in his career, Cutler riled up Broncos fans by claiming that he had a much stronger arm than Hall of Famer John Elway, who ranks at the top of many all-time lists for arm strength. Elway's response: "His arm is pretty special, might even be as good as mine when I was his age. Certainly, it's better than mine was at the end." Cutler has Gregg Rosenthal's vote for the best fastball in the league.

3. Joe Flacco, Ravens: Although Flacco has been inconsistent with his accuracy over the years, ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski has often said the Ravens quarterback boasts the league's best arm. In fact, Jaws believes no other quarterback he has ever seen could make the deep throw over safety Rahim Moore that Flacco pulled off to knock the Broncos out of the AFC playoffs in January of 2013.

"You've always got to make sure you have your hands at the right angles," former Ravens tight end Ed Dickson once said. "If you don't, you're definitely going to break your fingers dealing with Joe. And Joe is going to show no remorse."

4. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: The ball just comes out of Rodgers' hand differently, giving him instant velocity. What's most impressive about Rodgers is his ability to command his fastball from all angles, whether in the pocket or on the run. He has mastered the art of the back-shoulder throw better than any quarterback in history.

5. Colin Kaepernick, 49ers: Selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 43rd round of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft as a right-handed pitcher, Kaepernick flirted with 92 mph on the mound a few years earlier. He was clocked at 87 mph when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch in a 2013 San Francisco Giants game. Anyone who has seen Kaepernick's pre-game warm-up "tosses" can understand why his head coach has compared him to Superman.

6. Cam Newton, Panthers: It's amazing that Newton generates so much heat without consistently getting his lower body into his throws. At 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, Newton can make all of the NFL throws even with bodies around him in the pocket. His next step is graduate from being a one-speed passer.

7. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: More than any player of the past two decades, Big Ben calls to mind Elway in his prime. He can shrug off multiple defenders to uncork 60-yard bombs, thread a needle with players hanging on his legs or even pull off a delicate touch pass down the sideline with the best of today's passers.

8. Andrew Luck, Colts: Prior to the 2012 NFL Draft, NFL Films analyst Greg Cosell concluded that Robert Griffin III was a "superior arm talent and natural passer" to Luck. Luck swayed that opinion after one season, leading Cosell to conclude that the Colts star is "arguably the most physically gifted quarterback in the league."

Luck's series of deep balls under pressure to LaVon Brazill and T.Y. Hilton in the AFC divisional round loss to the New England Patriots bear witness to that bold statement.

9. Robert Griffin III, Redskins: Much like Rodgers, RGIII has what baseball pitchers call "easy gas." As a rookie, he led the league in yards per attempt with an adjusted net yards per attempt that was one of best figures in NFL history for a debut season. The question is whether Redskins fans will ever have the good fortune to see that version of Griffin again.

10. Blake Bortles, Jaguars: The No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft gained 20 yards or more on one-third of his preseason passes versus less than 10 percent for Chad Henne. According to Pro Football Focus' metrics, Bortles had the NFL's highest accuracy percentage on preseason deep throws. Bortles also made a series of impressive stick throws from the pocket and was accurate on the move.
 
Jun 15, 2009
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Merckx index said:
Here's a Foxxy Brown special. The top ten strongest arms in the NFL.Interesting three of the top 4 in the NFC North. Manning, Brady and Brees don't make the list, I guess that makes them bums.

Thanks for posting this. But as usual I have serious problems with such lists.

If/when people try to rate QBs overall, OFC that´s up to debate (as we did here now and then), because those ratings are surrounded with much noise (team performance, luck, line play, system, coaching, etc.)...

OTOH, arm strength could be easily measured. Yet those lists are based on what exactly?... That was rhetorical. They are rated on the same gut feeling as overall QB talent. And thus such lists end up with Luck in the T-10. :eek: Nothing against Luck, and he is far from the butter armed QBs I often talk of... but T-10? Hell no. I am absolutely sure that expert didn´t even consider back ups, no to mention PS quarterbacks...
Come on, Luck threw 71 (or 73 :confused:) yards in the pre draft work out. He had a great chunk of tailwind (!) that day (they even changed sides for this last throw), and only did it when Simms openly questioned his arm strength. Does a T-10 QB need to do such tricks? OFC not.
Just for comparision: in pre Wold Bowl 2002, Davey threw 75 (!!) from one knee. I would still not believe it, if they didn´t show footage of it on TV. And he had accuracy (61 % at the Thunder, 19/6 TD-Int ratio; Warner in WL for example: 51%, 15/6 TD-Int ratio). Yet he was wasted, literally, as pre season and back up fooder in NE, a offense (at least back then) completely based on short throws and timing (something you can´t improve with 3rd string receivers in training on the usual low numbers of reps).
Korrodi went even worse. Got a single "chance" in camp before being dumped to the dust bin by the Cardinals, a team that prefers to sign (and play :eek:) failures like Skelton. There is a reason such franchises fail outside the years they hit the jackpot on pure chance (speak the Warner years)...

... "makes them bums"... you couldn´t resist.
Well, I never said arm strength is a sole indication of talent. But I guess it´s logical to you that a 3/3-QB is better than a 2/3-QB. :p

Edit: For those who are interested in how undrafted players are wasted in the "human meat market" NFL (and their signings for RS contracts depending on 100% luck), I strongly recommend this book;
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1585360325...1411834833&sr=1-1&keywords=One+Dream:+The+NFL
 
GB@CHI - Not completely confident of this pick.
BUF@HOU - Meh
Tenn@IND - Lock
CAR@BAL - Panthers exposed a bit last week.
DET@NYJ - I still somewhat like the Jets, but Detroit's passing game could be trouble for them.
TB@PITT - Lock 2
MIA@OAK (London) - Go Raiders!
JAX@SD - Lock 3
PHI@SF - Oooh, this should be fun!
ATL@MIN - Meh
NO@DAL - Dallas can and will lose this.
NE@KC - I like the way the Chiefs are playing, now at least.

I'm starting to look like Foxxy with all the home team picks. :)
 
Alpe d'Huez said:
Here are the updates. I looked through just about every post, and think I'm right. In case I missed something, please add your picks to the list. Don't send me a PM, just post it here in the open.

On Elimination Football®, you should currently show 4 teams, and before Thursday's game you should eliminate two more for a total of 6.

Alpe - NYG, Cle, Jax, StL - This week I am adding TB and Mia
Foxxy - Den, Oak, Jax, Stl, This week: TB, Minn
Glenn - Jax, Oak, TB
Amsterhammer - Wash, Dal, NYG, SD, Oak, Jax
Hitch - Jax, Cle, Oak, Stl
Merckx, - NYG, Jax, KC, Miami
Leftover Pie - NYJ, Dallas, NYG, Wash
Pricey sky - (no picks)
Torebear - Oak, Jax, Tenn, KC, Hou, TB

For Survival Football™. You should have three picks now, and pick a 4th team before Thursday's game. If you're behind, you can keep picking, but you still get strikes for missing past picks.

Alpe - Indy, KC, Minn. This week's pick: Tenn.
Foxxy - GB, KC, Tenn. This week: Phi
Glenn - Mia*, SD*, Den
Amsterhammer no pick*, SD*, Oak
Hitch - Jax, Cle, Minn
Merckx - Mia*, NYJ, Minn
Leftover Pie - SD, Tenn, Wash
Pricey sky - Buf*, no pick*, no pick*
Torebear - NYG, Chi*, Pitt*, Tenn

* = Strike.

Of note, Glenn made only 1 Elimination pick in week 2, if I interpreted his post right about TB. After week 1 he made no direct Survival picks, but did say during the week he'd take anyone playing Seattle. So I added SD* and Denver.

ToneBear and Amster are ahead of the game on this week's Elimination, and don't need to pick.

Pricey Sky has been kind of off the grid on picks, but added his early pick anyway.

There were other members in the original list, but they never made any picks, so I didn't include them here.

Here is this coming week's schedule to help assist with picks.

:cool:

Sorry I'm a little late. I'll try to be earlier next week, since I might need to Pick the Vikings next week. And they play Thursday.

I corrected the errors in my elimination pics.

As for Survival, I'm continuing on from the postseason. Perhaps I can hope for 4-13 this season.:eek:

On another note, I'm wondering about how Atlanta does. The games they won were AFAIK with teams struggling to rush the passer. I didn't see them against NO, but the Bucks had very little pass rush. The Vikings do have a pass rush, I think.
 
Jun 22, 2009
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Bear in mind people, that Alpe didn't post the entire list!

NYG @ WASH - :eek:
GB @ CHI – Really tough, can go either way. My daddy would have wanted me to pick Da Bears.
BUF @ HOU – “Meh” is a good response to this game, unless you support one of these.
TEN @ IND – Home banker.
CAR @ BAL – Ravens to rule at home, but not quite a banker.
DET @ NYJ - Could be close, I'll go Lions.
TB @ PITT – Another home banker.
MIA @ OAK (London) – Fins must be good enough for these sad Raiders.
JAX @ SD - I hate the Bolts, they always **** me up, but this must be another home banker.
ATL @ MIN – Pfft. Anyone care?
PH I @ SF – No problem picking here since I hate the Iggles.
NO @ DAL – “Dallas can and will lose this.” Nicely put, Alpe.
NE @ KC - Could go either way.
 
Jul 29, 2009
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Back from watching the Dolphins against Raiders. Just like last year the "home" team sucked and the away team was one with a large following over here which meant the atmosphere was a bit weird.

Nevertheless some entertaining moments but hardly a classic of the genre!

Falcons-Lions should be a really good game in a few weeks time but i suspect the Jags vs Cowboys will be one sided to the "away" team. Mind you I'd love it if the Jags caused an upset.
 
SirLes said:
Back from watching the Dolphins against Raiders. Just like last year the "home" team sucked and the away team was one with a large following over here which meant the atmosphere was a bit weird.

Nevertheless some entertaining moments but hardly a classic of the genre!

Falcons-Lions should be a really good game in a few weeks time but i suspect the Jags vs Cowboys will be one sided to the "away" team. Mind you I'd love it if the Jags caused an upset.

Jags are better than their record suggest and Bortles showed some flashes today. I wouldn't rule out an upset.

I'll be in London for the Falcons - Lions game.
 
Wow! Who here saw any of the Pitt-TB game? Who on the planet thought Tampa wold win? In Pittsburgh? With Mike Glennon at QB? In a big 4th quarter comeback at the last second?

Who here thought Dallas would completely blow out New Orleans? As in, game over in the 2nd quarter, cmpletely stifling the Saints offense?

That the Vikings would lose Bridgewater, not have Cassel (or Peterson) and put up 41 points on Atlanta? Plus shut down Matt Ryan in the 4th quarter?
 
Alpe d'Huez said:
Wow! Who here saw any of the Pitt-TB game? Who on the planet thought Tampa wold win? In Pittsburgh? With Mike Glennon at QB? In a big 4th quarter comeback at the last second?

Who here thought Dallas would completely blow out New Orleans? As in, game over in the 2nd quarter, cmpletely stifling the Saints offense?

That the Vikings would lose Bridgewater, not have Cassel (or Peterson) and put up 41 points on Atlanta? Plus shut down Matt Ryan in the 4th quarter?

Well they lost Bridgewater when the game was almost sealed, but yeah, it was quite the week in the NFL.
I feel bad for the Bucs fans though. 10M in two years to McCown is wasted money for a rebuilding team. Glennon is probably the better QB anyway.
 
SafeBet said:
I feel bad for the Bucs fans though. 10M in two years to McCown is wasted money for a rebuilding team. Glennon is probably the better QB anyway.
There's a lot of people who agree with you. I think Russell Wilson may be one of them (a friend of Glennon). There were people saying that last season, and during the off-season. That despite some iffy stats, Glennon was a QB to believe in. But Lovie Smith said he wanted a veteran QB, he knew McCown, and McCown put up great numbers last year filling in for Jay Cutler in Chicago. Plus, there are the naysayers who say Glennon has a noodle arm (one of them right here on this site) and not good enough for the NFL. I guess we'll find out more in the weeks to come.

Here's the Russel Wilson quote:

“I have so much respect for Mike. He is very consistent in his approach. He knows how to study and how to learn. He has a great arm and doesn't make many mistakes. He's very poised."
 
FoxxyBrown1111 said:
Nothing against Luck, and he is far from the butter armed QBs I often talk of... but T-10? Hell no.
Just for comparision: in pre Wold Bowl 2002, Davey threw 75 (!!) from one knee.
And what kind of career did Davey have? Compared to, say, Luck?

I remember Kyle Boller and his amazing arm doing a similar trick as Davey. How was his career? Two of the biggest monster arms in NFL history were Jamarcus Russell, and Jim Druckenmiller, who had a canon and freakish strength and someone once said could throw from goal line to goal line (a lie, obviously), but he had a huge arm.

The problem is, these guys were 1/3, maybe 2/3 at best. There are a LOT of canon armed QB's who are 1/3. Football history is littered with them. There are also a fair amount of 2/3 QB's who have won a lot of games. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning come to mind.

As to articles, two seasons ago Bleacher Report had an analysis of the top NFL arms. Here was their final tally:

1. Rodgers
2. Cutler
3. Vick
4. Brees
5. Flacco

This was contradicted by Bleacher Report last season, in this article.

1. Cutler
2. Big Ben
3. Kaep
4. Flacco
5. Stafford

Of course, accuracy isn't everything either. A couple years ago Bleacher Report picked the five most accurate QB's, and at the top of the list was none other than Chad Pennington.
 
Alpe d'Huez said:
There's a lot of people who agree with you. I think Russell Wilson may be one of them (a friend of Glennon). There were people saying that last season, and during the off-season. That despite some iffy stats, Glennon was a QB to believe in. But Lovie Smith said he wanted a veteran QB, he knew McCown, and McCown put up great numbers last year filling in for Jay Cutler in Chicago.

Let's face the truth, Trestman offense would make anybody look like a capable QB. Ok not anybody meaning me and you, but McCown has never been more than a mediocre QB throughout his career (never topped 75 QBRat before 2013). And he's 35!
I bet he kisses Trestman picture before going to bed every night.

And I'm not saying Glennon is Tampa Bay's saver. But better than McCown on the long run? Pretty sure he is. Last year he wasn't bad at all actually. 19 TDs and 9 INTs, 83 QBRat. I've seen worse rookie seasons, even from great QBs.
 

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