National Football League

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re:

Agree on Mayfield. While it's hard to tell in preseason with all the 2nd and 3rd stringers, he made excellent decisions and some solid throws. It's only a matter of time before he's the starter. I'd say if they start 0-2, by week three against the Jets he should see time or even start. Same with Rosen, who is supposedly going to start on the bench. Not sure about Allen yet, who despite his incredible arm, needs work. I won't be surprised if Darnold starts week 1 in NY, which the Jets say he might.

Other QB's not thought of, Jackson in Baltimore looked solid. He was very mobile, but mostly kept his eyes down the field and looks like he could have a chance in the future to start. And Mr. Irrelevant, Chad Kelly, outplayed Paxton Lynch in Denver and has a reputation in camp by teammates of being an extremely hard worker, bumping up to #2 on their depth chart, giving the Broncos some surprising hope.

Saquon Barkley had one great run for the Giants, and made a couple rookie mistakes, but you could see his potential.

Welcome back. Good points too. I think Bleacher Report called the Jets QB position as their most competitive position.

As for Lamar Jackson, solid yes, but raw at the same time. I actually thought RGIII looked more solid than Lamar. To stay healthy, Lamar needs to take less risks when he takes off running.

Paxton Lynch looked awful for Denver, so not surprised Chad Kelly has moved ahead of Paxton to #2 on the QB depth chart. Chad showed a lot of promise at Ole Miss before he was injured. And I'm sure uncle Jim has provided some helpful advice.

Saquon showed good patience on his first touch in an NFL game resulting in that big run.

Not many positives appear to be coming out of the Raiders camp. In fact, I'm hearing mostly negatives. It does not help that LT Penn has as Lisfranc fracture, so line coach Cable is trying rookie 1st rounder Kolton Miller ar LT. Fortunately they are calling Penn's Lisfranc a fracture and not torn ligaments, which could potentially require a much longer healing time than a fracture, and possibly surgery. But overall, I'm not sure if the negatives are from a bunch of Gruden naysayers or if there's actually some meat to it.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Yeah, pretty much the only thread I post in, or read much anymore.

I think Gruden drafted Miller thinking this may happen with Penn, but this also means the Raiders OL may be a work in progress, and we saw how well Cable did with a line in perpetual progress in Seattle. The Raiders bigger issue, as I see it, is they don't want to negotiate a longer contract with Mack, who is entering his prime. This is especially problematic as it finally looks like the Raiders may have a good front 7 in the years to come, with both Hurst and Hall showing real promise on the DL.

There's been talk that Arnold signing an extension with the Rams will open the door for the Raiders and Mack as it will give them a guide, so we'll see, but there's also been talk that the Raiders could actually trade Mack away for a few high draft picks and cash, which I think would be a huge mistake. Rarely does someone of his talent and drive come along.

 

[jmdirt]

Re:

Agree on Mayfield. While it's hard to tell in preseason with all the 2nd and 3rd stringers, he made excellent decisions and some solid throws. It's only a matter of time before he's the starter. I'd say if they start 0-2, by week three against the Jets he should see time or even start. Same with Rosen, who is supposedly going to start on the bench. Not sure about Allen yet, who despite his incredible arm, needs work. I won't be surprised if Darnold starts week 1 in NY, which the Jets say he might.

Other QB's not thought of, Jackson in Baltimore looked solid. He was very mobile, but mostly kept his eyes down the field and looks like he could have a chance in the future to start. And Mr. Irrelevant, Chad Kelly, outplayed Paxton Lynch in Denver and has a reputation in camp by teammates of being an extremely hard worker, bumping up to #2 on their depth chart, giving the Broncos some surprising hope.

Saquon Barkley had one great run for the Giants, and made a couple rookie mistakes, but you could see his potential.

The boss isn't giving Kelly much love, telling the media that they are looking for someone (around the league). He made a comment about not completely trusting Kelly to come in and win games.

 

[leftover pie]

Just chiming in to say excitement for the season over here in Australia is high.

It's a great time of year, every fan's hopes and dreams for their team are still more or less alive - even the Browns.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Take a glance at the Browns schedule and guess how many games you think they may win. Well, you did use the word "hope".

 

[leftover pie]

Re:

Take a glance at the Browns schedule and guess how many games you think they may win. Well, you did use the word "hope".

The Bengals could completely implode this year, there's 2 wins, same goes for the Ravens.... there's another 2, the Jets while full of potential are flaky at the best of times, now we're up to 5 wins... Chargers with a hot/cold Phillip Rivers - there's potential there - 6 wins..who knows which Buccaneers will show up this year, 7 wins, Texans late in the season by which time JJ Watt will be injured and they could be on to their 3rd QB, there's 8 wins, the Panthers might have checked out by then too - 9 wins.

They could be going to the playoffs !!!

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re: Re:

Take a glance at the Browns schedule and guess how many games you think they may win. Well, you did use the word "hope".

The Bengals could completely implode this year, there's 2 wins, same goes for the Ravens.... there's another 2, the Jets while full of potential are flaky at the best of times, now we're up to 5 wins... Chargers with a hot/cold Phillip Rivers - there's potential there - 6 wins..who knows which Buccaneers will show up this year, 7 wins, Texans late in the season by which time JJ Watt will be injured and they could be on to their 3rd QB, there's 8 wins, the Panthers might have checked out by then too - 9 wins.

They could be going to the playoffs !!!

Well, I don't think that's impossible. Especially this year where seems to be more parity; the previously really good teams may not be quite as good, and the worst teams are not as bad and could be dangerous.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re:

Just chiming in to say excitement for the season over here in Australia is high.

It's a great time of year, every fan's hopes and dreams for their team are still more or less alive - even the Browns.

What do you think punter Michael Dickson's chances are of beating out reliable vet Jon Ryan in Seattle? I think it's pretty good. After 1 preseason game: 3 punts net yardage of 47.3, long of 61 yards.

 

[leftover pie]

Re: Re:

Just chiming in to say excitement for the season over here in Australia is high.

It's a great time of year, every fan's hopes and dreams for their team are still more or less alive - even the Browns.

What do you think punter Michael Dickson's chances are of beating out reliable vet Jon Ryan in Seattle? I think it's pretty good. After 1 preseason game: 3 punts net yardage of 47.3, long of 61 yards.

That's pretty good! I'd like to see him make it in because we always get the Seahawks games here.

I had a quick google and i see he uses the “bent-leg” technique - which gave me a chuckle that someone would give it a name.

 

[leftover pie]

Not sure about his chances though, I know the Seahawks had trouble with their kicker last year, but Ryan has been pretty solid for them.

Perhaps Dickson should pack up and head to the Browns - he could be the difference maker!!

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Care to place a friendly wager on the Browns making the playoffs?

According to Eliot Harrison of NFL.com, the Browns are 31 in power rankings, with only the Colts below them, due to a series of injuries, Luck's unknown, new coaches, and other issues there. I don't think they'll go 0-16, but I'll be surprised if they win more than 5 games.

JMDirt was right about Elway and their QB situation, who is now saying he may be looking to add a veteran QB to the roster. This can only mean Lynch is done there if it happens. I'm sure they'd love to trade him away, but he's basically an old maid, maybe even call him a bust at this point. But Elway talks like the Broncos are a playoff team now that they have Keenum in at QB. Really? Maybe because the division itself doesn't have a powerhouse team?

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Care to place a friendly wager on the Browns making the playoffs?

According to Eliot Harrison of NFL.com, the Browns are 31 in power rankings, with only the Colts below them, due to a series of injuries, Luck's unknown, new coaches, and other issues there. I don't think they'll go 0-16, but I'll be surprised if they win more than 5 games.

JMDirt was right about Elway and their QB situation, who is now saying he may be looking to add a veteran QB to the roster. This can only mean Lynch is done there if it happens. I'm sure they'd love to trade him away, but he's basically an old maid, maybe even call him a bust at this point. But Elway talks like the Broncos are a playoff team now that they have Keenum in at QB. Really? Maybe because the division itself doesn't have a powerhouse team?

Lynch along with Goff and Wentz was expected to do well coming out of college. Goff really picked up when McVey arrived and Fisher departed but I'm surprised with the performances of Lynch. Wentz of course has done very well so all in all it wasn't a bad year for QBs that year. Like the look of the Browns QB so far.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Good article on Gruden and Chucky, in Oakland training camp.

Gruden's players reported to training camp last month and hit the practice field with passion and purpose.

"Everybody was full of piss and vinegar," Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson recalled Wednesday. "But then, on the third day, guys started feeling a little tired, and there was a bit of a lag. And that's when Chucky came out."

Ah, Chucky: Gruden's alter ego, named after a demonic doll from the "Child's Play" horror movie franchise and popularized during his first stint with the Raiders... Suffice it to say that most of the men on the practice fields behind the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel and Spa on Day 3 of training camp lacked first-hand experience with Chucky.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000948127/article/energized-jon-gruden-stresses-urgency-in-oakland

 

[leftover pie]

Re:

Care to place a friendly wager on the Browns making the playoffs?

if they make the playoffs you have to grow a moustache and keep it for a year.

if they don't i'll shave mine off.

 

[Catwhoorg]

I don't see the Browns in the playoff THIS YEAR.

Next year if they continue to improve is another matter, they do have a lot of good pieces to build upon

 

[Nomad]

Re:

JMDirt was right about Elway and their QB situation, who is now saying he may be looking to add a veteran QB to the roster. This can only mean Lynch is done there if it happens. I'm sure they'd love to trade him away, but he's basically an old maid, maybe even call him a bust at this point. But Elway talks like the Broncos are a playoff team now that they have Keenum in at QB. Really? Maybe because the division itself doesn't have a powerhouse team?

I don't know what's wrong with Elway, TBH. He has an opportunity to sign Kaepernick but won't saying Kap "had his chance" to sign a contract 2 yrs ago and didn't. Talk about sour grapes & holding grudges. The best free agent QB out there right now and Elway won't sign him as a backup. So, if Keenum were to go down, we're left with Chad Kelly (and he's no Jim Kelly) and what appears to be Mr. 1st rd bust Lynch.

Rumors here on the Denver airwaves is there's a good likelihood that Lynch will be dumped (no trade value at this point) and Elway will be forced to sign another free agent other than Kap. It was hard seeing Siemian in a Viking uniform last Sat...he should be the Bronco's backup.

https://www.sbnation.com/2018/8/16/17704518/colin-kaepernick-john-elway-denver-broncos

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re: Re:

JMDirt was right about Elway and their QB situation, who is now saying he may be looking to add a veteran QB to the roster. This can only mean Lynch is done there if it happens. I'm sure they'd love to trade him away, but he's basically an old maid, maybe even call him a bust at this point. But Elway talks like the Broncos are a playoff team now that they have Keenum in at QB. Really? Maybe because the division itself doesn't have a powerhouse team?

I don't know what's wrong with Elway, TBH. He has an opportunity to sign Kaepernick but won't saying Kap "had his chance" to sign a contract 2 yrs ago and didn't. Talk about sour grapes & holding grudges. The best free agent QB out there right now and Elway won't sign him as a backup. So, if Keenum were to go down, we're left with Chad Kelly (and he's no Jim Kelly) and what appears to be Mr. 1st rd bust Lynch.

Rumors here on the Denver airwaves is there's a good likelihood that Lynch will be dumped (no trade value at this point) and Elway will be forced to sign another free agent other than Kap. It was hard seeing Siemian in a Viking uniform last Sat...he should be the Bronco's backup.

https://www.sbnation.com/2018/8/16/17704518/colin-kaepernick-john-elway-denver-broncos

The keyword is "backup", and what Denver actually discussed with Kaep. In discussions with Kaep, did Denver ever say to him that he'd come in as their starter, or was that discussion only about being a backup? Who knows? Most of the articles out their do not make any distinction about whether their talks centered around being starter or backup. With Denver, the QB situation was a little muddier. This we do know: Kaep was brought in by Seattle for a look (after Kaep became a free agent), but with Russ Wilson firmly established as the starter (and better QB), the only thing Seattle would have discussed with Kaep was the backup position, and Kaep is on record saying he wanted to be a starter. So if Denver had only offered Kaep a backup position, then maybe Kaep really did turn down Denver for that reason. I'm not saying that is why. Just that this is a tricky situation, and often reporters do not get the details correct, if at all.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

JMDirt was right about Elway and their QB situation, who is now saying he may be looking to add a veteran QB to the roster. This can only mean Lynch is done there if it happens. I'm sure they'd love to trade him away, but he's basically an old maid, maybe even call him a bust at this point. But Elway talks like the Broncos are a playoff team now that they have Keenum in at QB. Really? Maybe because the division itself doesn't have a powerhouse team?

I don't know what's wrong with Elway, TBH. He has an opportunity to sign Kaepernick but won't saying Kap "had his chance" to sign a contract 2 yrs ago and didn't. Talk about sour grapes & holding grudges. The best free agent QB out there right now and Elway won't sign him as a backup. So, if Keenum were to go down, we're left with Chad Kelly (and he's no Jim Kelly) and what appears to be Mr. 1st rd bust Lynch.

Rumors here on the Denver airwaves is there's a good likelihood that Lynch will be dumped (no trade value at this point) and Elway will be forced to sign another free agent other than Kap. It was hard seeing Siemian in a Viking uniform last Sat...he should be the Bronco's backup.

https://www.sbnation.com/2018/8/16/17704518/colin-kaepernick-john-elway-denver-broncos

The keyword is "backup", and what Denver actually discussed with Kaep. In discussions with Kaep, did Denver ever say to him that he'd come in as their starter, or was that discussion only about being a backup? Who knows? Most of the articles out their do not make any distinction about whether their talks centered around being starter or backup. With Denver, the QB situation was a little muddier. This we do know: Kaep was brought in by Seattle for a look (after Kaep became a free agent), but with Russ Wilson firmly established as the starter (and better QB), the only thing Seattle would have discussed with Kaep was the backup position, and Kaep is on record saying he wanted to be a starter. So if Denver had only offered Kaep a backup position, then maybe Kaep really did turn down Denver for that reason. I'm not saying that is why. Just that this is a tricky situation, and often reporters do not get the details correct, if at all.

I think Kaep was also offered substantially less money at Denver than the 49ers were paying him. When he opted out even he wouldn't have known then where his career was heading but the fact that he did opt out indicates he thought there was going to be a healthy amount of interest. The interest from Miami and the Ravens was killed off quickly because of the politics. As it turned out Denver was his best shot..... little did he know at the time. I think he would have done okay at Denver with a better defense than the 49ers. All history now. From what I heard about the Seattle meeting it was more of a meet and greet not a full practice or try out. Maybe the answers he gave killed any chance of a try out anyway regarding salary, whether his protests would continue and also being a starter or not.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re: Re:

From what I heard about the Seattle meeting it was more of a meet and greet not a full practice or try out. Maybe the answers he gave killed any chance of a try out anyway regarding salary, whether his protests would continue and also being a starter or not.

The meet&greet was true, that and the fact there was no workout of any kind. The content of the meet&greet was very hush hush; never made public. It is logical then that Kaepernick's answers killed his chances for a workout with Seattle. Also, it's equally as possible that Seattle's stance on how he'd fit in may have killed any interest he may have had in Seattle.

Seattle, being player-friendly including anthem protests, at least showed some interest in him. Additionally, I don't recall Seattle ever being blasted by Kaep. Putting those 2 things together, it looks like anthem stances by either side was not a reason to not work him out in Seattle . It looks more like the parting of ways between Seattle & Kaepernick was more about Seattle only wanting a backup while Kaep was wanting to start.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

As that article clearly points out, the Broncos passed on Kaep before his protests started. Elway makes it sound like they considered Kaep when he was persona non grata, like Seattle or Baltimore kind of did, at or near the height of his controversy, which is total BS.

Keeping on the rookie QB watch, after a lot of vocal fans were ripping Josh Allen, he played considerably better against the Browns (not a bad defensive team, btw) than in pre-week 1. No big bombs, but good decision making. Since AJ McCarron is going to be out for several weeks with a broken collarbone, this means either Allen, or Pearlman (ineffective rookie last season) start week 1. If Allen continues to play okay, I have to think he gets the nod. Then, if he struggles, after 2-4 weeks, the team can bring McCarron in and Josh can hold a clipboard a few weeks and learn from his mistakes, and the mistakes of others.

Baker Mayfield came a little back to reality, but still played okay with a patchwork backup OL. I'll still stick to what I said before about Taylor starting game 1, but unless they start out with a couple wins through week 4, Mayfield soon takes over. Watching chunks of the Bills-Browns game, it seems to me the Browns strength is really on defense. Myles Garrett is now 100% healthy, and with a season under his belt, and solid players around him, their defense could be quite good. It's the OL that needs work, and not just the backups.

Speaking of bombs, Pat Mahomes may not have had a great game, but sure threw an incredible 65+ yard bomb to Tyreek Hill. The Chiefs defense may not be very good, but Mahomes may give them some spark on offense, an offense with plenty of playmakers.

His former mentor (of sorts) Alex Smith played quite well for Washington in limited time. Jay Gruden said he sees nothing Smith can't do. Okay, how about win a playoff game? (That was a low blow, sorry, and I like Alex ).

Davis Webb, who was awful for the Giants pre-week 1, played considerably better this week. Maybe there is hope if Eli can't play better than he did the last couple years.

Sam Darnold not so great on Thursday, so the next couple weeks will be interesting to see who gets the week 1 nod in NYJ land. I still think if Sam plays okay the last preseason games, he'll have the job.

 

[jmdirt]

I haven't been able to watch much pre season because I'm really busy and pre season just can't be one of my priorities (regular season is a different story).

From what I read: Web (NYG) showed up big, Cam (CAR) showing improved accuracy, McCaf (CAR) is a stud, Rosen (AZ) progressing, Tom (NE) looks like...Tom, the Jets have a QB battle, ...OK, I just crashed my memory chip, I'm sure I missed quite a bit. Oh ya, Foles' shoulder?

RE: the DEN discussion we had above: IMO, Kelly has the tools so Elway should develop/mold him into a game winning backup instead of just saying that he isn't sure that Kelly can come in and win games.

EDIT: Alpe posted while I was typing, so his post can fill in the grand canyon gaps in my post!

 

[movingtarget]

Texans v 49ers was a horrible game, a real flag feast............

 

[jmdirt]

I'm still concerned about SEA O line!
An undrafted rook Raider is running hard...I like it when a few undrafted guys show up big.

 

[Unchained]

Re:

I'm still concerned about SEA O line!
An undrafted rook Raider is running hard...I like it when a few undrafted guys show up big.

Like when Kurt Warner was working at a grocery store.. now the guy has a ring.. I am not much of a dreamer but I won't mind if a certain Canadian league QB finds his way back.. even if that is on the bench..
As far as falling from the sky after great things are forecast in your future... I lived through Ryan Leaf...omg ...

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re:

Not sure about his chances though, I know the Seahawks had trouble with their kicker last year, but Ryan has been pretty solid for them.

Perhaps Dickson should pack up and head to the Browns - he could be the difference maker!!

Well, it's final. Seattle released punter Jon Ryan today apparently after he requested his release so he'd have more time to find another team. This means Aussie Michael Dickson has won the punting job.

Seattle also released kicker Jason Meyers, making SeaBass (Janikowski) the new kicker.