The Now Moment

Seattle's worst record since 2012 is 9-7. They have built a team that has had long term success. They still have a solid defense. I never said that you shouldn't have any offense. Of course you NEED offense. I was simply pointing out that a team with a better defense than offense can still win. You need to have a good balance IMO. Look at the Saints who have always had a good offense but the defense hasn't been there until this year. All of the sudden we are talking about Drew Brees maybe winning MVP but the last three years without a defense they couldn't get past 7-9. Did I miss something? The Patriots had a top 5 defense the last two seasons in terms of points against including 1st in 2016. The Eagles had a top 5 defense last year. Their defense helped them get to the super bowl and they won. Atlanta the year before was one of the worst defenses and in the super bowl, they proved it. You need a balance. A young Qb's best friend is a solid running game and a solid defense. It keeps you in games and allows the young QBs to make mistakes. It takes the pressure off off. If you rely on the offense to win every game with a young QB, it's likely not going to happen. They want Allen, just like Chicago wants Trubisky, the Rams want Goff and the Eagles want Wentz to be the future of their respective team's but these guys aren't going to be Tom Brady coming out into the league. You have to support them. McDermott said himself that he wants to have an offensive juggernaut but Allen needs to develop to get to that point. Obviously we need more around him but working on the defense and run game now is also important so we don't have to rely on him like we have this year to do everything for us. Hopefully with the assets we have, this team will make a big stride forward next year on all three sides of the ball. Gotta have better special teams play too.

Disagree. With Barkley, not only is he a better rusher than the others, he is an impact player in the pass game and a good pass blocker. It's not just about the rushing what they do in the rushing game. Running back's duties have evolved as the game has and Barkley does it better than almost anyone. Barkley will likely end the season with over 700 yards receiving and at least 4 TDs. He is also reliable in pass protection. Having a player that can be that impactful in the pass game makes it much easier on a QB. Lindsay and Carson have been very good but by no means reach the impact that Barkley has. You could see him reach over 1,000 yards receiving in a season a few times in his career.

Who here saw us as a playoff team last year?

I'm sure he wants to be more involved in his young kids lives. Good luck to him.

Can cannabis help NFL athletes at risk of developing deadly brain disease? By TREY RECKLING JAN 17, 2018 | 1:37 PM NFL athletes are not the only players whose sport exposes them to potentially life-altering head trauma, but they have been getting a lion's share of the media attention. The medical community continues to learn about the very real and present danger that concussions pose to the human brain. The effects can be deadly. In the case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the results can also be lethal. CTE is a progressive degenerative brain disease linked to blows to the head. It gained much more notice thanks to the 2015 movie "Concussion" dramatizing the discovery of the condition by Dr. Bennet Omalu. Omalu, a forensic pathologist, was investigating high profile deaths of former NFL players. The condition is characterized by loss of memory, mood instability, difficulty concentrating and progressive dementia. For some, it also means lingering thoughts of suicide. RELATED STORY: Can Marijuana Help Treat Concussions And Save The NFL? In one collaborative study between the Department of Veteran Affairs and Boston University, the findings were more concerning than most expected. The prevalence of CTE in the brains of former football players could not be denied. The brains of 177 American football players were examined after having been donated to science. 99 percent of the brains of NFL players showed signs of CTE as did 87 percent of Canadian pro players, 64 percent of semi-pro, 91 percent of college, and 21 percent of high schoolers. The level of pathology also correlated with the amount of exposure to head trauma, with the younger brains showing less developed CTE and more experienced players much more degradation. Researchers have been careful to point out that all donated organs have been the result of families suspecting their loved ones had issues based on behavioral traits. So, the sample may be influenced in that way. Unfortunately, the gold standard for diagnosing CTE involves autopsy. "We found cognitive, mood and behavioral symptoms were very common, even among players with mild CTE tau pathology. This suggests that tau pathology is only the tip of the iceberg and that other pathologies, such as neuroinflammation and axonal damage, contribute to the clinical symptoms," – Researcher Dr. Jesse Mez, BUSM assistant professor of neurology What Can Be Done? Of course, the best way to protect against brain injury is to reduce our incidence of having them, such as not playing contact sports. That answer is not an acceptable one for many athletes, though those same athletes have an interest in doing what they can to protect themselves. VICIS has reimagined the engineering of the football helmet to absorb more shock. (VICIS) We can use technology in new ways, like the innovative folks at VICIS who have reimagined the engineering of the football helmet to absorb more shock and displace some of the energy involved in a hit. How Could Cannabis Help? Of particular interest, cannabis has been shown to increase blood flow to damaged areas of the brain. Cannabis can help keep tissue healthier by improving circulation. Not only that, but cannabis has also shown itself effective as a neuroprotectant. Both THC and CBD have been shown to mediate toxicity in the brain in rat studies conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health. RELATED STORY: Marijuana Makes Your Brain More Plasticity And That's A Good Thing Environment and social choices can have a positive effect on those already affected. Studies have shown that cannabis users are less likely to engage in violent or verbally abusive behavior than those who use alcohol. Those affected by mood irregularities may be able to protect themselves and those they love by simply choosing cannabis over alcohol. We are a long way from the days of knee-jerk negative reactions to cannabis. As researchers continue to consider cannabis and its possible therapeutic effects on degenerative conditions like CTE, we continue to learn and have the opportunity to improve the lives of people. I'm extremely interested to hear more on this topic. There's many other article out there, just grabbed one that gave a brief summary of the research that's been done so far. Hoping more research comes out soon but this is much bigger than just the NFL.

Situations like these happen entirely too often. All the best to you and yours Augie! The hope I hold on to is that research continues to make strides and we can get the care for the people who really need it. Unfortunately for so many, it can't come soon enough. I have great respect for you to bring this controversial topic up. Too many will continue to shut it down but the way we grow in this world is to continue to ask the tough questions.

I have a friend who has the same problem and lives a reasonably normal life now. Medical Marijuana actually helps people out there who have real issues. Alcohol is much worse for you. Imagine the people who are denied the ability to get better because of human ignorance. Sad. Certainly much more research needs to be done but people need to stop bashing something they don't understand.

Medical Marijuana has helped people with Parkinson's, depression, tremors, anxiety and a number of other issues. I don't know if it would help in this case but please don't misinform people by substituting heroin for medical marijuana. Do some research.

I love giving Allen some young talent but he also needs veterans. He has Shady and that's it in terms of veterans and he might not even be here. The defensive line needs an infusion of youth. We have the draft picks to add impact players on offense and still draft defense in the first. I don't think we need to draft an offensive player in the first over a more talented defensive player. Free agency will tell us a lot however. Can only hope we make a handful of solid offensive moves in FA so we can go into the draft without feeling like we need to hit the panic button.

Completely agree but I believe they have a decent chance to added talent to both sides of the ball this offseason. Personally, I like the idea of drafting a top defensive player. That's where this draft's strengths are. Unless the top guy on the board is on offense, grab a penetrator. Kyle Williams could retire. I believe the offensive line should be addressed mostly through FA. Bring some solid veterans around Dawkins and Teller and hopefully it will elevate their games.

I didn't say we were there yet. I just mentioned to another poster, chicago is 11-4 with a second year QB...we absolutely need more pressure on the QB to help create more turnovers. The process is still in motion. Rams made a leap in year two with their QB, Philly did as well and now we see Chicago getting in on that action. With the right moves this offseason, we could be added to that list.

The defense certainly isn't there yet. Just because they were 1st in one category doesn't mean we are the best. They need more pressure from the line to help force more turnovers and get more sacks. Chicago is 11-4 with a dominant defense and a second year QB...

The Chicago Bears are a really young team as well with an average offense and made the Rams top 3 offense look like a pop warner squad. They also drafted a linebacker in the first round. Dominant defense can still beat a top offense. I don't know why all of the sudden some fans think that they can't. Smith obviously was more NFL ready but the concept is the same. Top defenses will always be able get theirs no matter what modern offenses do. Dallas also shut down the Saints offense with great play from their rookie MLB along with other players.

Missing Milano has made a major difference. He has stopped the run really well all year long. I'm sure Edmunds misses him too.

I said they will likely bring in more competition...my point was don't label a player a backup too early. And you should give someone a chance to compete who has shown continuous improvement.

I didn't say I wouldn't blame him if the guy doesn't pan out. Please read carefully. I said I don't blame him for trading up for a MLB which clearly was a position of strength in the first round in that class.

I was responding to and quoted someone else, not you...

I agree the age is concerning. However, they believe they can mold him and his great physical gifts. Same goes for Allen. Hopefully, both improve.

Edmunds was widely considered a top ten pick in the class. The analysts talked about him and James "falling" in the draft when we drafted him. Also, you have to look at last year's draft class and what was considered the strengths of that class. Linebacker was one of the major strengths of the class in the first round. This year the strength is up front on the line. That wasn't the case last year. It wasn't considered a great wide receiver class nor was it a great cornerback or offensive line class. I don't blame Beane for wanting to trade up and get one of the MLB in a solid MLB class. Hopefully, the kid improves moving forward and earns the selection.

You don't think linebackers, safeties and running backs effect QB play? I'd love to get a QB's opinion on that. You don't think an elite safety or linebacker effects what a QB does with the football? You don't think that an elite running back can take the pressure off of a solid QB and open up opportunities for him? You're crazy if you think they don't impact QB play. Running backs are being implemented more into the pass game now, some are even getting 1,000 yard receiving seasons. The game surely has changed and each position has changed as well. Elite players at any position can take over a game. Elite safeties can have 5-7 interceptions in a season. They are the players that the QB must move with their eyes down the field. Again, just silliness to say that they don't effect the QB. Good safety play can ruin a game for a QB.

Well Edmunds was the top player on the board along with James at the time the pick was selected. Beane said it himself that it's rare to find the best player on your board also be a need at the time you select. That's why they traded up...

The guy "can" be a number 2 or he could be much better next year and become a starting caliber tight end. They will bring in more competition I'm sure but when you see a player continue to develop in the time they are here, you have to give them the chance to compete for the job. Certainly worth seeing what he can do next year.

Preston Brown had tackles, sure but he didn't do much else. He didn't force turnovers and wasn't a factor in pass rush. He was also a liability at times against the pass. Keuchly makes tackles, plays the pass well, forced fumbles and lives in the backfield. Brown's impact on the field didn't even come close to what Keuchly does. Just because he lead the league in tackles doesn't mean he was very impactful. If the player has a chance to be a top three player at their position no matter what they play, (leaving out positions like K, P and fullback) then you take them. I don't think the Ravens regretted taking either Ray Lewis or Ed Reed. There are several players I could list at both positions that were absolutely worth a first round pick. As for running back, Saquon Barkley is close to 2,000 yards from scrimmage with 14 touchdowns. He could be a top three running back over the next ten years, so could Ezekial Elliot. These guys carry their teams. They are elite. You take the best player. Elite players, no matter the position can make a huge difference. Avoiding certain positions in the first round is a poor strategy by a GM. You take the best players that fit what you are trying to do. Drafting is hard enough because there are so many busts even in the first round. Taking draft positions off of the board in the first round only decreases your chance of finding an impact player.

I heard that was a weight loss technique that backfired when he found Andy Reid's absurdly large stash of cookies and milk.

Except in McDermott's scheme, linebacker is the most important position on the field. You make that a priority when it is that important to your scheme. Just because you can find players outside of the first round too doesn't mean you shouldn't take one in the first. You can find players of every other position outside of the first too but that doesn't mean you don't take that position in the first. You take the best player no matter the position. Best Player Available.