National Football League

[Alpe d'Huez]

I'm guessing it's the players who still like Cupp, but the Rams brass that were trying to smear him for some reason. Some felt Seattle overpaid him, but he also came up big yesterday, and they're going to the Super Bowl, so I'm sure the Seahawks are happy with him.

I don't think Woolen is going to make the same mistake again. He talked about it after the the game, went to McVey directly too, to apologize. I don't think he's thinking "big contract!" He just made a mistake and knows it, owned it.

As to that money issue and who "cost" their teammates cash, one could say this about Xavier Smith dropping that punt also. But football is about as team sport as you can get. It's like blaming a kicker who misses a last second kick. What about the previous 59 minutes and 59 seconds of the game? Are you going to try to convince me the rest of the team (players and coaches) didn't make a single costly mistake that entire time? And what about that game the team lost a couple weeks ago?

I'm reminded of something Bill Belichick once said about the referees. They make mistakes, but out of everyone on the field the referees make the least mistakes. The players make more mistakes than the refs. And the coaches make the most mistakes. As great of a coach Sean McVay is, he also has to be held accountable for this last loss as much or more than Xavier Smith. Go back over to the AFC. Vrabel, McDaniels, Zak Kuhr (Williams) have basically outcoached everyone, including Sean Payton/Joseph (and Harbaugh, and Ryans, before that). I think everyone would agree with that. So, I'd point fingers there first if someone is thinking about lost opportunity, or lost bonus pay.

 

[SHAD0W93]

The other thing Belichick used to tell his players is a breakdown on each coach and what to look out for in regards to penalties for what you can get away prior get away with. It’s like in tennis when you know you have Carlos Ramos, you know it’s going to be a by the book match.

 

[Nomad]

Chargers officially hire Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator

The Chargers have officially announced the hiring of former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as their offensive coordinator.

www.espn.com

My guess is this is what is going on behind the scenes: He doesn't want the Cardinals HC job. He already removed himself from consideration for the Bills, or Browns (no brainer) HC job. This left the Raiders job. I'm speculating right now the Raiders are writing up paperwork to hire Seattle OC Klint Kubiak as their HC, and McDaniel (or his agent) either got wind of this, or strongly speculated it, so he went ahead and inked the deal he had on the table with the Chargers.

The other big advantage here is if the Chargers do well next year, he will be first in line when a slew of coaches get fired a year from now. If he only does so-so, the Chargers lose in the playoffs, or Herbert chokes again, all the blame won't fall on him. It will still fall on Harbaugh, and Herbert. He can wipe his hands fairly easily and likely still get another HC job, if not the first on everyone's list.

And we're back to the million dollar question: What changes is McDaniel going to make to Herbert & the O that will ensure the team is more successful in the postseason? Because the problem here isn't the regular season for the most part -- Herbert's had 4 winning seasons & 3 playoff appearances in 6 seasons as the starter -- but their embarrassing "one & dones" in the postseason.

Furthermore, McDaniel is dealing with a different type of QB here - going from an immobile, none-running, pure pocket-passer in Tua to a dual-threat in Herbert. So, how is he going to approach that? Transition Herbert to more of a pure pocket passer? Or keep the dual-threat dynamics with Herbert but change other aspects of the offense? Inquiring minds what to know. Lol.

I'm guessing that if they make the playoffs again next year & have another 1st round early exit, Harbaugh will be fired. They did it with McDermott & I don't see why ownership wouldn't do it with Harbaugh.

 

[movingtarget]

I'm guessing it's the players who still like Cupp, but the Rams brass that were trying to smear him for some reason. Some felt Seattle overpaid him, but he also came up big yesterday, and they're going to the Super Bowl, so I'm sure the Seahawks are happy with him.

I don't think Woolen is going to make the same mistake again. He talked about it after the the game, went to McVey directly too, to apologize. I don't think he's thinking "big contract!" He just made a mistake and knows it, owned it.

As to that money issue and who "cost" their teammates cash, one could say this about Xavier Smith dropping that punt also. But football is about as team sport as you can get. It's like blaming a kicker who misses a last second kick. What about the previous 59 minutes and 59 seconds of the game? Are you going to try to convince me the rest of the team (players and coaches) didn't make a single costly mistake that entire time? And what about that game the team lost a couple weeks ago?

I'm reminded of something Bill Belichick once said about the referees. They make mistakes, but out of everyone on the field the referees make the least mistakes. The players make more mistakes than the refs. And the coaches make the most mistakes. As great of a coach Sean McVay is, he also has to be held accountable for this last loss as much or more than Xavier Smith. Go back over to the AFC. Vrabel, McDaniels, Zak Kuhr (Williams) have basically outcoached everyone, including Sean Payton/Joseph (and Harbaugh, and Ryans, before that). I think everyone would agree with that. So, I'd point fingers there first if someone is thinking about lost opportunity, or lost bonus pay.

Didn't Kupp win three win three MVP awards the year they won the SB..............he started getting injured that was all, and when Nacua arrived it was all over for Kupp at the Rams. He seemed to get recurring hamstring issues in his final seasons at the Rams. Both losing coaches made mistakes. Payton didn't take the three in the first half when he had the wind behind him. Dan Campbell of course would have done the same.

 

[movingtarget]

That stumbling returner also badly botched and fumbled another punt earlier in the game and was incredibly lucky it bounced back to him. The Rams changed punt returner after that. With special teams it’s hard to know what part is the speciality coach and what part is talent. For example, should Seattle’s special teams coach (who does seem good) get extra credit because the ownership went and picked up Shaheed?

The fact that Shaheed was available boggles the mind. He's an elite returner obviously. If the special teams coach pushed the coach to get him then he does deserve the credit. He's also the downhill threat that many teams no longer seem to have these days with their WR's. Elite speed can improve any offense.

 

[Nomad]

View: https://youtu.be/7WeI8aodFuY?si=N2hB2eTTkEf341_o

Good find on that video. This morning scrolling through NFL news, I saw a brief article that the play was "unscripted." I guess I was premature in crediting McDaniels with making a gutsy call. Lol. It was a nice naked bootleg with Maye having the speed to turn the corner & outrun the DE.

Drake Maye's game-sealing first down run was unscripted, per OL vet

Drake Maye took matters into his own hands on the quarterback run to seal the game against the Broncos.

patriotswire.usatoday.com

Maye's rushing numbers were outstanding: 65 yds on 10 carries, 6 1st dn runs & one TD (and their only score of the game). But most important he had no turnovers vs 2 for Stidham (fumble & pick). Weather aside, that's the difference in the game.

 

[Nomad]

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/5NfgyM0Reqg?si=MhSw5zr_SFdlVffL

Vrabel gets the game ball from Krafty.

Vrabel also becomes only one of eight coaches to lead their team to the SB in their first year.

 

[movingtarget]

After the game both Woolen and Emmanwori were very supportive of each other, saying it was part of brotherhood to hold each other accountable on the sideline. MacDonald later noted Woolen played excellent after giving up that immediate TD.

Winning does that, of course.

Rams fired their STC at Christmas. McVey implying he had no choice. Well, that obviously didn't work. Not as bad as the Raiders firing Chip Kelly, making him out as the scapegoat, only to have their offense actually get even worse. But still, this didn't look good for McVay. If you watch the replay Dickson's kick was booming, 50+ yards, and way high, which I'm sure made it harder to catch, but still, that was a bad blunder, one people will remember.

Losing does that, of course.

Another Seahawk who had a clutch game was Cooper Kupp. At least in the second half. The fact the Rams wrote him off two years ago I'm sure motivated him. Though he was talking with Stafford and Nacua after the game. Winning...

Stephen Smith is not an idiot, but sure can act like one. Someone should look up the ESPN reporter who said the Seahawks were making a huge mistake signing Darnold, and Geno Smith was way better.

Lots of people wrote offf Darnold and that includes podcasters and TV heads. 49ers were impressed with him in the year he sat behind Purdy but they let him go cause they didn't want to keep paying a back up that much and Darnold wanted another opportunity as a starter which he duly got at the Vikings. He's the only starting QB apart from Brady, I think, to have consecutive 13 win seasons which is odd when you think about his career.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I was right in one way about Denver. They would lose, but Stidham wouldn't embarrass them, and they wouldn't get blown out.

Vrabel obviously has his guys ready to play. Maye is going to need to be that mobile, and more, come Super Bowl. That will be the biggest thing to helping them a chance to win. Seattle's defense is just too good otherwise.

I'm guessing that if they make the playoffs again next year & have another 1st round early exit, Harbaugh will be fired. They did it with McDermott & I don't see why ownership wouldn't do it with Harbaugh.

I agree with you. It may sound outlandish now, but they put so much stock into Harbaugh leading them to the promised land. Then Jim's talk about he knows he has to make Herbert a HOF quarterback. Chargers are all-in, now. Not building, not re-tooling. It's now. If they have another year like this one, ownership there may just look at him being like McDermott, or close to Carroll, where the game is passing him by, change is needed, and the "Harbaugh experiment" will be over.

 

[movingtarget]

NFL Championship Sunday: 13 biggest winners and losers from Patriots-Broncos, Rams-Seahawks