Rochesterfan

The difficult thing there is after a few steps he is no longer looking to the edge - his eyes have moved inside. I can not tell from Waldman’s angle if Foster is still outside or if he has come off Foster and is looking for McKenzie. McKenzie reaches out and it goes just over his finger tips and it is a bit short and behind Foster. What none of us knows is did they run the right routes because it is weird they are right on top of each other and was he staring at Foster as Waldman suggests or did he come off to his second receiver and overthrow McKenzie who was coming open and the safety was not a factor.

Just saw the judge rejected his stay and he is not allowed to wear the gear this Sunday. The suit will go on, but the initial ruling sided with the Bears that being on the sideline is different than being in the stands. Interesting.

To me - the RB has played well, but even if you draft a QB next year it is probably year 2 or 3 before he is taking the team anyplace - by that point Barkley is in year 4 and looking at a huge contract for a 5th year option or 2nd contract. Therefore to me the wise thing at that spot was to grab a QB, but I get why they did not. It was similar to the Bills the the year before - new GM/coach combo wanting to scout players and choose a good fit at QB. I think for Pat Shurmer and that team - Darnold would be a great fit and having time to sit behind Eli would have made this team better now and going forward, but I get it and as I said in the buyers remorse thread - I do not think they are too upset because Barkley has been good.

I can’t imagine any of the teams that got a QB are having remorse right now. All have shown progress and all potentially give hope to the future. The only buyers remorse I can think is the teams like the Giants that really now appear to need a QB and were in position, but did not take one and they ended up with Barkley who is having himself a good season. Other teams like the Jags might regret missing out, but their draft position precluded a big move up and I am not sure Jackson is what they would have wanted.

Sorry to quote myself, but you can also look at Oakland before and after the trade. Carr’s percentage has dropped over 5% in the games without Cooperand his yards passing per game has also decreased with the big change being the loss 1 single WR within the season.

Overall - I disagree with the original take because reviewing the throws several inaccurate throws were throw aways under pressure. He did have the WTF interception (exactly the same as Darnolds Int by the way - so maybe that is a young QB issue in general). My biggest issue though is your statement above. You don’t climb 12 percentage points from better protection and better WRs. That is patently incorrect. Goff is a perfect example because what changed between year 1 and year 2 - got a new coach, 3 new o-lineman to give him better protection and 4 new weapons at WR and TE. The coaching was big, but even bigger is that he saw better protection to read plays and targets that made plays. Same thing with Chicago bringing in a bunch of FA WRs. To even better disprove the point - just go to Dallas and the Amari Cooper pick-up. One player to catch passes is the only real change prior to their 11/5 week. The 7 weeks prior to the trade - his best completion percentage was just over 65% with an average between 62-63%. He topped out at 270 yards passing with an average of around 200 yards per game. The 6 games since - his completion percentage has skyrocketed to around 72% with one game being above 85%. His yards per game has also gone way up with last week exceeding 450 yards passing. This is in season - Dak did not suddenly become more accurate- one player - one single player at WR - changed the entire offense and boosted his completion percentage by about 10%. Do I expect Allen to become a 65% completion player - no way, but his current percentage is similar to the other rookies and I expect all of them to jump next season. He also has one of the top air yards per attempt- so I expect more inconsistent throws due to where he is throwing and the talent. If after next year we are still having this discussion- then it will be TT all over again, but I think we will see improvement and he will be here for a while.

Just quickly looking at some NE games for example - NE used a time out after getting a first down at the Lions 12 yard line on the second drive of the 3rd quarter with about 10 minutes left - very similar situation. I think this is a common situation.

I apprecite that - I agree that many times teams (most teams including teams considered well coached like NE) waste timeouts inappropriately in the second half rather than take the penalty and move on. I think avoiding the penalty has been an NFL mantra for years, but as games are so close - that thinking needs to be re-evaluated, but in the end for me - I look at it as points must be your first priority everything else falls below points and if that timeout can lead you to points or increase your chances of a TD over a FG - use it. The worst thing is how after the Timeout- the Bills still only got the FG - in that case it ends up more of a waste, but it is impossible in the moment to know the outcome 2 plays later. You could have the exact same situation- take the penalty instead and image the anger if you end up on the next 2 plays picking up 12 yards and did not get the first down because you needed 15 and cost yourself a first and goal from the 2 instead.

I stand where here you look at each situation uniquely. In this case - it is in the red zone of a close game on 2nd down - I prefer to see them use the timeout and get the play correct and not have an additional 5 yards that has even more potential of our young QB making a mistake. I have no issue with the timeout over the penalty, but hate that they needed it there. As it turns out due to pressure on Allen - they had to kick a FG anyway, but I do not mind using it there. The timeouts I hate are 3rd and between 6-11 yards near midfield that seem to crop up for every team. In that case early in the 2nd half - take the penalty. The five yards is worth less than the timeout, but the Red Zone and 2nd down is different. It also matters if you are in a short down and distance versus a longer down and distance. 3rd and 1 from midfield in a close game - the timeout might be critical for that drive because the chances of converting a 3rd and 1 is way better than a 3rd and 6 and you are getting close to a range to get points - that 1st down might directly lead to points - which are more important than timeouts. Conversly if you are in the red zone and it is 3rd and 15 or 3rd and goal from the 15 let’s say - the extra 5 yards is not a big deal because your chance of conversion is low - save the timeout - take the penalty and move on. I think the potential of a four point swing early in the 3rd quarter in this game is worth more than the timeout at the end of the game. That 4 point swing could be the difference in a close game becoming a blowout by forcing the other team to open up and attack or make a mistake.

Come on don’t let the facts get in the way of another garbage Hot Take by the guy. I mean jeez - it is not like he is on a crusade or anything. Maybe in a few minutes we will get another LAMP thread from him about this. LOL

The question still is what proof do you have that he is right? Ratings and Revenue are up once again. They are working to open additional revenue streams like Amazon and are being successful. Same thing with the NBA. Greg Popovich is right the 3’s are killing the game - except TV and Revenue are up in the NBA also - especially since scoring rose and pace of play has increased. Maybe the demographics the leagues are chasing is changing and the older coaches and fans are missing the boat. Maybe the NFL and the NBA have started to adapt - they understand the newer generation of fans - growing up on Madden and other Video Games crave action and scoring. Maybe they see the diehard fans will stick around, but that as we get older - you need to change and bring in younger fans also. Boxing never learned this and they were King until the demographics became older and they never brought in the next generation of fans - baseball is struggling with this also. Penalties suck and have always sucked - the NFL will continue to have a perceived issue until they can simplify things, but that has not caused a decline in viewers or revenue. The issue is the speed combined with the physicality of the game. The human eye catches movement and the refs cover a huge area (even larger now due to speed and QB arm strength) - penalties are based on quick moments that are fleeting, but in reality for all of the complaining- they do a very good job of getting things right. As for the XFL (or other summer leagues - up to 3 potential leagues now) - you state you want them to have an impact on the NFL, but in the paragraph above you complain about the rules making it easier for the offense to score - these two points are contradictory. The XFL and the new league being presented by former players are looking at way to increase offense even more - including potentially going 7 on 7. These changes are only going to reinforce that the NFL was already on the right path. Finally - I am not sure the league will regret the changes - I think they are necessary if it is going to survive - what may kill the NFL (and I do see it eventually dropping down) is the lack of youth participation. If parents keep kids from playing and better athletes play different sports - the level of play will drop and that will eventually have an impact, but so far colleges can still recruit enough players that this has not become a critical factor - this is the area to watch. If several college programs drop football because of lack of players then you will have an issue the NFL can not overcome easily.

Ok - I am sure you have quantifiable evidence of this beyond the ratings being up and more people watching even while total TV ratings are down significantly? It is so dead that not 1, nor 2, but 3 spring leagues are looking at starting up to ride on the coattails of the NFL. Yes the Golden Goose must be dead.

Agreed - if that is really Edmunds guy - there is a bigger issue here because he is totally lost on a basic coverage.

Watching the video - I took a still shot at 0:53 seconds and it is just before Tannehill passes the ball - Edmunds is watching Tannehill - flat footed right in the gap created by the pass rush. I believe it looks to me like he is playing a spy role on Tannehill. At that same moment - the Blitzing Poyer stops his rush - realizes the RB is not going to block him and adjusts his angle upfield. I think the coverage was a bracket between Poyer and Edmunds on the RB and the QB. I believe if the RB leaks out to the defenses left - he is Edmunds responsibility and Poyer has Tannehill. If the RB comes across to the defenses right as he does - he becomes Poyers man and Edmunds spy’s Tannehill. The only guys who know for sure would be the team and coaches as they watch film. I just do not want to lay this on Edmunds as it looks like he is spying Tannehill and assume he blew the coverage- maybe he did, but he sure never reacts like it was his man.

Honest question- was it really Edmunds man or did Poyer over commit. I heard them talking on SiriusXM NFL about the play and they thought man coverage, but when the RB leaked out to his side it became Poyer’s man and he got over anxious to try and get the big sack. I am not sure, but if that was Edmunds man - he never even moves to cover that area even as the RB is sprinting out. He starts to run after the TE shoves him that way past the wash. Poyer on the other hand gets several steps in and seems to have an “Oh No moment” where he sees the RB break - Poyer widens the rush up field to get in between and jumps before giving chase. I am not sure because typically in straight man that should be Edmunds man based upon lineup, but did they expect the RB to block the blitzer and therefore Edmunds drops coverage? It just seems weird because he has his eyes on the back, but never even moves to cover. I would love to hear what the coaching staff had called and if this was something designed just for this type of play and the safety got over excited- like the delayed Bush blitz if the TE stays in.

This is why I love this team - great job guys !

Saw this - feel bad for him and a big loss for the Broncos. It may end up being the final shovel of dirt on Vance Joseph’s grave - I don’t think they make the playoffs again and this will hurt.

No I think they would have kept him because cutting him now would roll another 4.5 million into this year and they do not have the money for that and that would not include the rest of the cap hit for this year. I think based upon the contract next year is the first year they would save money cutting him. I believe he would cost 9 million next year and only 4.5 if they cut him. I don’t think they are happy with him, but the contract dictates many things including keeping him through this year. I do think they will look to trade him before the draft, but if not he may stick through training camp to see if they can get the last year or not. Make sure a replacement is available before opening the hole up.

I am not sure about very well - currently in the high tempo fast paced KC offense - Watkins has 1 less catch than Zay Jones and 1 less TD than Jones and about 50 more yards. All that “production” with a CAP hit this year 5X as high and nearly 12 times next year versus Jones. So he is being outpaced by Jones, but the Bills have thrown the ball 60+ fewer times than KC. Sammy is not bad, but the KC offense has not missed him the last 3 games and he is just getting into the contract.

KB salary was guaranteed from day 1 because it was the 5th year extension. It has nothing to do with how many games he played - his salary was 100% guaranteed for this year. The only way to get rid of it was to trade him. Even if in the preseason the Bills cut him - he counted against the cap the same amount and he would have been paid by either the Bills or another team. This was negotiated to help both the players get some money and give the teams another year of control and I do not have an issue with that.

Yep and 6-7 weeks ago the Bills were trying to trade him - what is your point - that you wanted him gone before the Bills front office - doubt it. As I said before with him - they get no salary relief by cutting him - it was 100% guaranteed- so it did not make a lot of sense to cut him until they were eliminated from the post season because all it did was eat into your remaining cap space in case of injury’s. A trade would have been a different story. The Bills did what they should of done and started to reduce and eliminate playing time and get the young’s guys some experience- now they are eliminated- cut him and go 100% with youth and if you get an injury it does not lead to you missing the playoffs. I think the lazy and no effort is why they wanted to trade him and why his playing time decreased, but cutting him meant his salary still counted and you needed to find a WR. I think they were concerned about getting an injury to another WR - or one of those guys not developing while still in a playoff race and you end up with no experience in the locker room at crunch time with no money to sign a replacement. Out of the playoffs - let’s work more on youth and potential guys that will be here next year.

I don’t think it is a route mismatch because Allen spends a bunch of time looking the safety off - I don’t think he wanted the seam before the safety it was an over the top throw all the way. I think the WR has to look back to see the QB throw and then gauge where the ball is heading and get to that spot - sometimes that means looking away from the throw and sprinting and then picking up the ball again. I think Foster has some issues with this mainly due to the fact that he has probably never played with a QB that can out throw his speed. So he has some technique to work on along with timing. As for the throw - early in the year this was an underthrow by Allen by sometimes as much as 5 yards causing the WR to have to really adjust. I think this is the next step in his progress - getting the ball out in front. Now the final part is getting that sync to drop it in their perfectly. I think the throw could of used a little air to allow it to settle a bit and give Foster more time to adjust. Allen’s arm is amazing and I think sometimes that causes him to hold the ball a quarter of a second to long and throw a laser rather than a more lofted pass - giving his receivers less time to adjust. Finally - it is naturally a low percentage pass - guys like Brees, Brady, Rodgers, Big Ben, etc. miss this same pass even with guys they have worked on it for years with. I think it is hard to lay to much blame without giving a bit to both guys. What I want to see is them - make this connection on this route. Show me some progress. What I have seen is Foster is not bad on these deep crossing routes like his touchdown against the Jets - it was not a deep bomb, but he was tracking the ball with his eyes mostly still looking forward. He has more trouble on the deeper throws where he has to look back over the shoulder to adjust to the throw. He also seems to be better looking over his right shoulder than his left. It may be technique or player driven, but they may have to adjust his route and have it closer to the sideline and allow the throw to bring him back toward the middle of the field.

Yes and I do not think it would be that close.

It used to to always be the back-up QB and before that it was whoever you had that had the best hands - very little training and practice time was spent on kicking. As the kicking game and special teams in general has become more specialized - the change gradually occurred to move away from other players/back-up QBs to the punter because the kicker, punter, and the long snapper can all get together and practice the snaps and holds while the rest of the team is practicing. It allows for the three of them to practice the snap hundreds of times throughout the week without pulling guys away from the team practice. Do not be fooled though because the back-up QB (or other designated player) will also do a small amount of holding in practicing- just in case the punter is injured (see the Tony Romo incident). You also have practice where the punter (or other back-up kicker) will attempt a few kicks and the kicker will attempt some punts - just to make sure everyone is aware in case of injury, but that number of snaps is very limited. The teams will usually have a dedicated segment on various days just to practice this stuff along with coverage and other potential issues - like fakes and the such. I am not aware of any current NFL team that routinely uses anyone other than the punter as the holder for FGs and XPs. I have seen a QB here or there, but it is almost always associated with an injury. I do not know what to make of Crossman - he has never been a great coach as far as what I can see (although he has had a few top units). The last couple of years the penalties and mistakes just seen to keep growing. I can’t tell if it is the amount of change and different personnel or him just being a bad coach or a combination of the two. I unfortunately agree that it is probably time to move on and see if we can get something better out of that role.

Agreed - I believe they will address a bunch of positions in FA, but not all with the guys you want (more mid-level team players) - they are looking to have a few “holes” as possible at the draft. I truly believe they will then draft BPA in the draft to ensure they continue to get talent that fits and is a value to them (even if is a CB in round 1). It would not shock me to see them explore some trades for WRs also - just to supplement the FA class. They (Sean and Brandon) talk about this all the time this and they seem so prepared that I feel like we are in a good place. They have a plan and will follow it through. Finally - they both come from Carolina and that organization recognized the need for talent at O-Line and TE (more so than WR) so I do not anticipate that this front office would not recognize the need to protect JA going forward.