Sammy Watkins' Rib

Actually, if anything I thought the Rams were a better team the week before we played them then I did prior to the season starting. They had managed an upset of the Seahawks and had a winning record going into the game. But even then, their offense was so bad, dead last by a good margin, that I was expecting a win still going into the game. Better examples are the Cardinals and Patriots.

Yep. Just say no to a QB who's body type is one that nearly had his career completely derailed due to a non-contact injury. Not to mention he was extremely average at best up to that point anyway.

I agree nobody wants more ties. But at the same time, a few more ties every season isn't going to be a deal breaker from a fans perspective. This change must be in the name of player safety, it undoubtedly lessens short and long term injury risk, just at a really small level and only in special circumstances. Yeah but that was before all the concussion stuff came to the forefront though. Is Goodell not allowed to change directions along with public and player opinion? I don't understand the criticism on this point. Next thing that needs to change is either discontinue the Thursday night games or, probably better yet for all parties, add a second bye week and have every team play the Thursday game after one of their bye weeks. This would also extend the season by one more week giving the league one more week of prime-time games to sell to the networks.

He wasn't too bad in '15 either. Just the entire defense stunk. But in '15 he was a major contributor in the final two minutes of two games we won. The Titans and final Jets game. He got to both Mariota and Fitz hitting there arm in mid-throw and causing interceptions in both instances. They don't go down as sacks but those plays were more valuable then an actual sack.

NFL needs to cut the BS and just make it 16 games for the next suspension. He already had a 1 game, then a 4 game. A player shouldn't need anymore of a wake up call than that.

We absolutely were supposed to beat the Rams on paper. That was no upset.

I'm looking forward to Taylor getting a third season under his belt as our starter. It should hopefully serve as the "tie breaker" in deciding if we hang onto Taylor or not as our starter. If he plays close to or worse than his 2016 performance then it's an easy move on. But if he plays close to or even better than his 2015 season then it is likely an easy decision to keep him. Hopefully his 2017 season isn't split down the middle between the two.

He was in 2012 or which ever season that was when he broke his leg. He was having an all-pro season up to that point.

I'm a big Taylor fan. But knocking guys like Brady and Ryan because they have proven the ability to make quick reads and throws giving their receivers wide open running lanes to pick up big yardage is foolish. Can Taylor and this offense do that? It's yet to be seen. Taylor does things well in his own way. But I would be lying if I were to say I didn't also wish he could pick up some of that quick passing ability that Brady and Ryan show.

100% agree. Sure we don't really run that quick passing system. But is that because we choose not to from the coaching level or because our QB is incapable of running that kind of system.

I think we are all optimistic about the coaching change. That said, we have a heck of a tough schedule next year. This years competition compared to last years: Oakland (with Carr) = Pittsburgh K.C. > Baltimore Denver > Cincinnati San Diego > Cleveland Atlanta = Seattle Tampa Bay = Arizona Carolina > L.A. Rams New Orleans > San Francisco Notice the lack of "<" It also doesn't help that we have given Miami new confidence after they swept us last season. I also worry a bit about any downgrade in our offense just due to the system change. I know we have some pretty good pieces (when healthy) and an above average o-line. Just have to make sure that the system is still one they can run with success. Don't want a situation like when Rex came in and changed everything for the worse on defense. Yeah but it tends to equal out too. Even if we beat one or two of those good teams on paper (like the Cardinals and Pats last year), there is also a good chance we lose a couple that we thought we should have won (Ravens and Jets). Of course the schedule can be factored in even if only on paper. Example, what if we had a theoretical schedule that switch the Patsx2 out with the Browns x2? That would make a huge difference. Same thing can happen year to year depending on the division you are slated to play.

Our very own Bills won only 13 games in a five years stretch that spanned the AFL and NFL from 1968 to 1972, or also the five year stretch from 67-71. Those were 14 game schedules though.

He's not a HOFer but an honorable mention goes to Steven Jackson. He never made the playoffs with the Rams. And from 2005 to 2012 (throwing out his rookie season where he only started 3 games) the Rams won 36 of 128 games for a winning percentage of only 28%. Rams also probably have one of the worst ever five year runs ever between 2007 and 2011 (most of Jackson's prime) winning only 15 of 80 games for a .187 winning percentage. The Detroit Lions won 17 games in the five year stretch from 2005 to 2009, that includes their winless 2008 season. That is the next most futile five year stretch I have found so far next to the Rams 15 wins. Edit: Bucs won only 16 games between 1983 and 1987.

That is bad but Thomas' winning percentage through 10 seasons with the Browns is actually a tick worse at 30%. 48/160 And his rookie season in 2007 the Browns won 10 games missing the final wild card though. Throw out that first season and over the last 9 season Thomas and the Browns have a 26% winning percentage.

Deep into the 20's is their ceiling. They did reach that ceiling last season. But more probable is proably 20-24.

Sorry, I just now noticed your avatar. Going to be kind of hard convincing you otherwise. LOL

And that is putting it nicely. He's done next to nothing in this league IMO outside of play with a fantastic defense. He made Bradford look amazing when you saw the difference between the QB play between them. I guess we don't know if Bridgewater would have developed more and played better last year if he stayed healthy but I'm not betting that he would have.

You can throw all those theories out there but you know if any of these guys were legit prospects they would have been taken in the top five. Look at some of the recent drafts with QBs going #1 and #2 overall. Yet in this draft only one QB goes in the top 9 picks?

That's not a rigning endorsement yet that those moves were smart. Their were plenty of teams in the top six that desperatley needed QBs and they all decided to pass on Mahomes and Watson. That's not a great sign. Honestly, we have a brutal schedule this year. Realistically, there is a chance we are 4-5 win team or even worse. And I'm not usually a doom and gloom fan. But this is one of the first seasons in a while where I feel we might have a pretty big step back. Miami could sweep us again. Pats sweep us. Lose 3 out of 4 to the AFC West. Lose 3 out of 4 to the NFC South. None of that is out of the realm of possibility. And that's 10 losses right there. If we lose week one to the Jets we will all be screaming to tank the season.

He had one of his best years of his career last year posting a career high in YPC at 5.4 and totaling the second most TDs of his career. With this position though, once he hits that RB wall he will be cut quickly.

This was it for me. First three weeks were really good. Beat the Colts, lost to the Pats but then bounced back and absolutely crushed the Dolphins on the road. I thought we maybe finally turned a corner. We blew so many opportunities that year. The London debacle with EJ. The blown second half against Kansas City. Not at least splitting against Philly and Washington. We seemed to self implode in those games. Winning just two of those four games would have put us at 10-6.

One dimensional player? Hardly. Maybe it seems that way to you because he plays with a QB that is limited in his field vision and wiliness to throw into tight windows. But even with that limitation I can tell that Sammy has many dimensions to his game.

That's my point. Did we ever get a chance to see Mallet start a game for them? I don't think he we did. Had he, he probably wouldn't have been as bad as he was in Houston.

Raiders are getting better if you haven't noticed. Carr injury cost them the divisional title. So yes, I think it is very likely Chiefs don't advance as far in the playoffs. And if Denver improves on offense, which I think they will, that could make it harder for the Chiefs to even make the playoffs. Also, saying they will not draft higher than 24th is not that big of a leap. They could still make the playoffs and easily draft between 20-24. Basically that is predicting that they are one of the four wild card losers. Seems fair. They could over achieve and advance to a divisional playoff game again or they could get unlucky and miss the playoffs with Denver or Baltimore bouncing back.

I disagree mostly because he was never on anyone's radar. It would be different if Mahomes was considered a top prospect and half the fans wanted him. Think Cleveland passing on both Goff and Wentz last year. If either of those guys become a franchise player than that is something that would be hard to get over. Mahomes, if he becomes a franchise guy, would simply be like us passing on Carr, Wilson or Dak. And, by the time Mahomes develops into a franchise guy, we might have our own franchise QB too. And if that is the case, will anyone here care?