National Football League

[Nomad]

I'm a fan of Shough too. I think Pete just thought Geno still had it in him, and they could wind the clock back to 2022. But Geno looks just washed. Pete and Chip Kelly also reshuffled the Raiders OL from when they were average last year, moving them around to where guys are out of position. His own son is the OL coach, if that tells you anything.

I think at this point the Raiders must draft a QB with their first pick next year.

Yeah, that 2022 season statistically was something else - "Tier 1" type performance. Even last year, he wasn't all that bad - over 4300 yds, 21 TDs, above-average passer rating, a 10-7 record, no injuries - many owners would be satisfied with that. So, the million dollar question is - why has he taken such a dramatic decline with the Raiders?

And good luck finding a good QB in the next year's draft - it's looking as bad as this past draft. There are only 3 somewhat projected 1st rounders (Mendoza, Moore & Simpson) & none of them are a "Wow" #1 OA type QB. Arch Manning has taken a complete nose dive & is projected as only a mid-2nd stiff if he even comes out (I'm sure his uncles are just thrilled. Lol). And Drew Allar, (Josh Allen 2.0) was the #1 OA "Wow" QB projected but sustained that gruesome season-ending broken ankle resulting in his draft status plummeting. So, this upcoming class is really a bunch of stiffs - a lot of them will be taken in the lower rounds as potential backups.

 

[Nomad]

Michael Penix Needs Yet Another ACL Surgery and the Falcons' QB Plan Has Completely Blown Up

If you can believe it, the Atlanta Falcons' plan to give a 36-year-old Kirk Cousins $180 million only to then turn around and draft a 24-year-old and injury-prone Michael Penix Jr. does not seem to be...

www.barstoolsports.com

It's confirmed - season ending ACL reconstruction surgery. This is his 5th season-ending injury in 8 seasons between college & the NFL! Unbelievable - 8th OA pick - what were the Falcons thinking drafting him that high?

Well, it's the Kirk Cousins show from here on out......

 

[movingtarget]

• QB Baker Mayfield (illness) was a limited participant
• RB Bucky Irving (shoulder/foot) limited
• WR Emeka Egbuka (illness) limited
• WR Chris Godwin (fibula) limited
• OT Luke Goedeke (illness) limited
• OT Tristan Wirfs (shoulder) limited
• C Graham Barton (illness) limited
• G Dan Feeney (illness) limited
• DE Logan Hall (illness) limited
• CB Jamel Dean (hip) DNP
• K Chase McLaughlin (personal) DNP

Looks like the Buccs have a bug circulating............

 

[Nomad]

A minority owner by the name of Tom Brady is likely going to assume more and more control as Mark gets old, and after 8+ more years, I think Tom will be controlling owner of the team. Mark my words.

The same Tom Brady that endorsed the 6th rd pick of Cam Miller as their future franchise QB? LOL. Scary thought to think he'd be the controlling owner of the team making player decisions. The guy should stick to the cameras as an analyst for FOX.

 

[SHAD0W93]

The same Tom Brady that endorsed the 6th rd pick of Cam Miller as their future franchise QB? LOL. Scary thought to think he'd be the controlling owner of the team making player decisions. The guy should stick to the cameras as an analyst for FOX.

Definitely a miss, but he did get some good players to go to TB his 3 years there. I think raiders need a lot more than a QB change though.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

That is terrible for Penix. But also confirms what I was saying before he was drafted. He spent like 6 years in college because he was hurt so many times. And not small injuries. I feel back for him though, for sure.

Cam Miller has yet to take a regular season NFL snap, so it's impossible to say he'll develop into anything for the Raiders. He looked surprisingly good in one preseason game, and like a total rookie making mistakes in the other. I don't seem to recall Brady ever saying he thought he was a future franchise QB. He just endorsed him, saying he likes his throwing motion, and leadership. Cam is also somewhat of a dual threat, and he does interview well. Will he amount to anything? Who knows?!

Why Geno Smith has turned into an interception machine who can't see open receivers is beyond me. The Raider OL is terrible, but that's only half the problem. He's just playing downright bad. On pace to throw 22 picks by year's end.

And good luck finding a good QB in the next year's draft - it's looking as bad as this past draft. There are only 3 somewhat projected 1st rounders (Mendoza, Moore & Simpson).

I'll be surprised at this point if Moore declares. Same with Sellers. I wouldn't be surprised if both Mendoza and Simpson go in the top 10, or even top 5, simply because teams are desperate for a QB. I see the Jets drafting yet another QB (poor schmuck, whoever he is), and probably the Browns (another poor schmuck), though that would give them Gabriel, Sanders, Watson, and this rookie. Unless they cut Watson, or trade those guys. Who knows, it's the Browns. There's also a decent chance the Saints may draft another QB. Will Mendoza be better than Shough? That I'm not so sure of. Shough is 26, and had a couple injuries in college. Teams get desperate, so I can see the Saints taking a QB.

2027 looks like it could be a banner year for QBs. But that depends on if any of those guys end up looking like they are NFL ready, or are just "stiffs". That's a long, long time from now.

 

[Nomad]

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/DD3IDRX6_fU?si=F_DVhmlKPSBkobyP

Shades of Elway: Nix has the most 4Q comeback wins in NFL history in a players first two years in the league.

 

[Nomad]

Cam Miller has yet to take a regular season NFL snap, so it's impossible to say he'll develop into anything for the Raiders. He looked surprisingly good in one preseason game, and like a total rookie making mistakes in the other. I don't seem to recall Brady ever saying he thought he was a future franchise QB. He just endorsed him, saying he likes his throwing motion, and leadership. Cam is also somewhat of a dual threat, and he does interview well. Will he amount to anything? Who knows!?

And as long as he's on the PS, he'll won't be taking any regular season snaps. That's the problem of being cut & signed to the PS, you eliminate the possibility of any playing time.

There's some YT videos where Brady is endorsing Miller as an NFL caliber QB (he doesn't exactly specify a franchise QB per se, but insinuates such, IMO. However, none of the scouting reports have him as a potential starter - only a backup at best.

In fact, out of the 7 QBs drafted in the 6th & 7th rounds (definitely the lower rounds where potential backups are drafted), Miller & Kyle McCord were the only two that were cut & signed to the PS;

McCord (6th) Eagles - cut/PS
Miller (6th) Raiders - cut/PS
Howard (6th) Steelers - QB3
Mertz (6th) Texans - QB3/Backup
Leonard (6th) Colts - QB3/Backup
Ewers (7th) Dolphins - QB3
Rouke (7th) 49ers - Non-Football injury list.

As you can see, Miller getting cut was not good compared to other 5 that made the rosters including Leonard & Mertz now moving up to backup roles due to injuries to the starters (in Leonard's case, Richardson was the backup but he's on IR).

Miller is definitely going to have to make that roster next year, or be traded to a team where he makes the roster, in order to have any chance as an NFL backup.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Here's the thing, I'm 90% certain both Kenny Pickett and Aiden O'Connell will be playing for other teams next season. There's an outside chance the Raiders will move on from Geno Smith even, as his contract was heavily front loaded. So Miller could end up making the team. Or he could be the next Chase Garbers, who quite looked good in preseason, then spent time on the practice squad, then ended up in the UFL, and now is out of football.

I think Miller was actually suiting up for Raider games as emergency QB3. But now that Aiden O'Connell is off IR, the Raiders have almost no need for Miller as they sit on 4 QBs. And an argument can be made that all four of them would be backups on almost any other team in the NFL that isn't the Jets or Browns.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Didn’t watch the full game but another bad loss for the Bills with the Texans playing great. Good news for the Chiefs is the Bills lost, bad news is the Texans defense looked really good. For the Bills it’s good Allen could still play but they as a team need to figure something out or they’re in one and done territory.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Bills didn't look as bad as the Texans looked good. In fact, their defense really looked great. 8 sacks for -70 yards!

Three weeks from now they go into KC.

 

[Nomad]

Ryans had that defense primed & pumped - can't remember the last time Allen was under that kind of pressure. A brutal hard-hitting affair where injuries were mounting up. Even the referee had to be carted off with a lower leg injury.

Excellent job by Mills. Even though he didn't pass for much yardage, he threw for 2 scores, no picks & a 90 Rtg. He's now 3-0 as a starter in relief for Stroud.

Texans go to 6-5 with a huge showdown against the Colts on SNF in 10 days.

 

[movingtarget]

Texans have the number one defense as the Bills found out. Mills played well without putting up big numbers. Allen was under siege. So much for the Bills and Chiefs fighting out the AFC as many forecast. Not looking very likely at the moment. Ravens and Texans are on the up after bad starts to the season. Texans have won six of their past eight games.

 

[Nomad]

What's interesting about that game is despite the 8 sacks & lackluster offense, the Bills had every chance to win the game with a comeback attempt in the waning seconds of the 4Q. On 4th & 27 deep in Bills territory, Joe Brady dials in a "hook & latter" play that goes for 44 yds giving the Bills 1st & 10 inside the red zone with 30 or seconds left. But Allen couldn't execute & punch it in for the winning score - culminating with a 4th down passing attempt being picked. That's uncharacteristic of Allen - he usually scores with ease in those situations.

Fans Were Calling For Bills OC Joe Brady's Job Moments After Brilliant 4th-and-27 Play

The Bills offense had a rough night in Houston.

www.si.com

 

[Nomad]

Not only sacked 8 times but injured as well:

Josh Allen injury: Shoulder goes numb for Buffalo Bills QB during Texans game

Josh Allen was injured during the game against the Texans but was able to return without missing a snap.

www.buffalorumblings.com

 

[movingtarget]

• OT Lane Johnson suffered a Lisfranc sprain during Sunday's win over the Lions and is expected to miss four to six weeks, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported. Johnson is a candidate to be placed on injured reserve, but the foot issue is not believed to be season-ending, Rapoport and Garafolo added. Johnson, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, has started all 10 games for the Eagles this season and will seek a second opinion and further testing on the injury.

 

[movingtarget]

What's interesting about that game is despite the 8 sacks & lackluster offense, the Bills had every chance to win the game with a comeback attempt in the waning seconds of the 4Q. On 4th & 27 deep in Bills territory, Joe Brady dials in a "hook & latter" play that goes for 44 yds giving the Bills 1st & 10 inside the red zone with 30 or seconds left. But Allen couldn't execute & punch it in for the winning score - culminating with a 4th down passing attempt being picked. That's uncharacteristic of Allen - he usually scores with ease in those situations.

Fans Were Calling For Bills OC Joe Brady's Job Moments After Brilliant 4th-and-27 Play

The Bills offense had a rough night in Houston.

www.si.com

Bills went away from Cook, and it cost them. On his first carry of the second quarter, James Cook cut back against the grain and sprinted 13 yards, giving him 75 on his first seven rushes of the game -- the most rushing yards by an opponent against the Texans this season. One of those runs was a 45-yard TD that got the Bills on the board first. But those seven carries would be the only ones he received until the second half, and they really didn’t feed him again until the fourth quarter. Cook was stuffed on back-to-back plays, on third-and-2 and fourth-and-1, leading to a turnover on downs in the fourth. But Cook getting just 19 touches (on 66 offensive plays) in a game where Buffalo struggled to finish drives just isn’t good enough. The Bills were hurt by bad field position most of the game, but that was only more reason to be patient and give one of their best playmakers the ball. He finished with 117 of Buffalo’s 326 yards. In the Bills’ big win over the Chiefs, Cook ran the ball 27 times. With the mini-bye ahead, it might have been more prudent to get him the ball more often, rather than try to deal with Houston’s pass rushers.

Hard to disagree with that summary.............

 

[SHAD0W93]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1991918077244592370

View: https://x.com/espn/status/1991918077244592370


Big loss for the Lions.

 

[Oldman]

The team owners prove time and time again that even if they don't pass bond issues, hold cities hostage.. build us a stadium or we will leave.. NFL ownership is a license to print money. Las Vegas puts a terrible product on the field but still people show up to watch..

It is a cool stadium concept and great venue from what can be seen from TV. The team will come around....eventually and maybe with a new owner.

 

[Oldman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1991918077244592370

View: https://x.com/espn/status/1991918077244592370


Big loss for the Lions.

This season has taken it's toll on projected contenders. SF, LAC, Lions had great potential to be divisional champs. It's a race to attrition for the playoffs and being in first position may provide relief for the survivors or pit them against unwanted teams. It'll be interesting to see if Divisional leaders with a buffer begin sitting folks early.

 

[Unchained]

It is a cool stadium concept and great venue from what can be seen from TV. The team will come around....eventually and maybe with a new owner.

Las Vegas has excellent roads by US standards for cars and bicycles! And the locations of the stadiums for concerts and sports are some of the best in the US that I have seen. I have zero faith that the Raiders will ever be good again in my lifetime ( LOL) .
Everything that they have done to accommodate hockey, football, basketball, F1, baseball, soccer are really really good. And the airport is also in a great location .
Other US cities suck by comparison in sports layout.

 

[Nomad]

Here's the thing, I'm 90% certain both Kenny Pickett and Aiden O'Connell will be playing for other teams next season. There's an outside chance the Raiders will move on from Geno Smith even, as his contract was heavily front loaded. So Miller could end up making the team. Or he could be the next Chase Garbers, who quite looked good in preseason, then spent time on the practice squad, then ended up in the UFL, and now is out of football.

I think Miller was actually suiting up for Raider games as emergency QB3. But now that Aiden O'Connell is off IR, the Raiders have almost no need for Miller as they sit on 4 QBs. And an argument can be made that all four of them would be backups on almost any other team in the NFL that isn't the Jets or Browns.

They threw Miller a curve ball when O'Connell got hurt in the last preseason game subsequently going on IR. They signed Pickett as the backup & everyone thought Miller would be the emergency QB3. Not so, that same week they signed Jeff Driskel to the PS as the emergency QB3. When O'Connell came off the IR a few weeks ago, they cut Driskel. So, according to their depth chart now, it looks like Pickett remains the backup & O'Connell is on the roster as QB3.

Raiders just made stance on Cam Miller clear after puzzling new quarterback signing

The Las Vegas Raiders signed quarterback Jeff Driskel to the practice squad, which shows a lack of confidence in rookie Cam Miller ahead of the 2025 NFL season.

justblogbaby.com

I never heard of Chase Garbers, so I had to look up the kid. Sad...he can't even make a UFL roster. I'll tell you the player that Miller reminds me of is Max Duggan. They're both identical in size, similar level of arm strength, dual-threat styles, etc.

If you recall, Duggan was drafted in the 7th by the Rams & put on the PS. The following season he was cut at the end of preseason & not signed to the PS. He played for St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL last season but was cut after the season & now has signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.

He was never NFL QB material but continues to pursue his dream of playing professionally.

 

[Nomad]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1991918077244592370

View: https://x.com/espn/status/1991918077244592370


Big loss for the Lions.

Huge loss - that's like losing a Kelce, Kittle, McBride, etc. I wonder what the back surgery was for? Unfortunately, the backup/rotator (Wright) has caught only 11 passes this season & is more of their blocking TE. And their TE3/special teamer went down with a season-ending injury last month. Not looking good in the Lion's TE room.

 

[Nomad]

Las Vegas has excellent roads by US standards for cars and bicycles! And the locations of the stadiums for concerts and sports are some of the best in the US that I have seen. I have zero faith that the Raiders will ever be good again in my lifetime ( LOL) .
Everything that they have done to accommodate hockey, football, basketball, F1, baseball, soccer are really really good. And the airport is also in a great location .
Other US cities suck by comparison in sports layout.

Yeah, and they're building that state of the art baseball stadium located in the strip for the Athletics. So, all they need is a NBA franchise to complete the "Big-4," while poor Oakland loses it's only two professional franchises that were the face of that city for so many decades.

 

[Oldman]

Yeah, and they're building that state of the art baseball stadium located in the strip for the Athletics. So, all they need is a NBA franchise to complete the "Big-4," while poor Oakland loses it's only two professional franchises that were the face of that city for so many decades.

Our neighbors grew up in Oakland and are 80+ now. They could see both teams leaving as the revenue stream wasn't really supporting that side of the Bay as much as SF back in the time Raiders moved. It's a bit tougher place to build as it's alot of tideland. They could move the team East or North but traffic is as bad as you can imagine.