2015 NFL season

[PhoSita]

I'd love to see the Colts miss the playoffs.


Looks like the Bills and Dolphins are both legit everywhere except for quarterback.  Jets might be competent as well.

Pats will still win the division, but the AFC East is far from a joke this year, looks like.

I think the Dolphins do have a legit QB in Tannehill.   He has been progressively better every season.  If his OL can stay healthy he should have a good year.

Tannehill is a "do no harm" quarterback, not unlike Alex Smith.  He's good enough to not be a drag on your team, but he can't elevate talent.  He's better than unreliable slingers like Jay Cutler, and he's a huge step above guys like Kirk Cousins and Josh McCown.  He's not better than Eli, though he's less combustible.  I'd rather have him dropping back to pass than Kaepernick or Cam. 

Problem is, does he have any really standout abilities that let him find another gear and take over a game?

He's kind of like Joe Flacco without the uncanny deep throw ability.  If the Dolphins ever make the playoffs, we'll discover if Tannehill has the second gear in big games that got Flacco a ring.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

All is know is that the Bills and their fans are gonna be awfully embarrassed come Monday if they don't back up all this talk.

[PhoSita]

Thank god, some actual, real, on the field football starts tonight. 

Predictions?

AFCE: NE
AFCN: BALT
AFCS: INDY
AFCW: DEN
Wild Cards: MIA, CIN

NFCE: DAL
NFCN: GB
NFCS: CAR
NFCW: SEA
Wild Cards: PHI, MIN

Super Bowl 50:  GB v. BALT

My predictions

AFC

East - Pats
North - Bengals
South - Colts
West - Broncos

Wild cards - Ravens, Chiefs

NFC

East - Cowboys
North - Packers
West - Cardinals
South - Falcons

Wild cards - Seahawks, Eagles

Super Bowl - Cardinals vs Chiefs  (I'm honestly just trying to avoid picking the Packers and Pats, who seem like obvious choices at this early stage of the season)

[PhoSita]

Maybe the Cardinals aren't such a crazy pick to win the NFC after all.

[Donoghus]

Maybe the Cardinals aren't such a crazy pick to win the NFC after all.

 

And maybe picking the Ravens to win the AFC was.   

[D.o.s.]

http://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/Booze-ban-on-the-table-after-beating-at-Levi-s-6517773.php?t=8c61367618baa6eec6&cmpid=twitter-premium


While I'm inclined to think that this won't solve the problem (dumb gonna dumb, after all) it's interesting to see it even being considered somewhat seriously.

[KeepRondo]

All is know is that the Bills and their fans are gonna be awfully embarrassed come Monday if they don't back up all this talk.

Too bad the Patriots let them off the hook by trying to go for too much. This game could had had easily been 40-20 or something if they just played out the game the right way.

[PhoSita]

All is know is that the Bills and their fans are gonna be awfully embarrassed come Monday if they don't back up all this talk.

Too bad the Patriots let them off the hook by trying to go for too much. This game could had had easily been 40-20 or something if they just played out the game the right way.

The Pats got a bit sloppy at the end, and it shouldn't have been close, but I think the big thing is that the Bills gave up 466 yards to Tom Brady and gave up 40 points, after puffing themselves up about their great defense and how they were going to knock Tom around.

Bill and Brady made the Bills look just as hapless as ever.  They certainly didn't look anything like the best defense in the league yesterday, and that's a big deal for the Bills after spending so much on their defensive line and hiring Rex.

[Donoghus]

All is know is that the Bills and their fans are gonna be awfully embarrassed come Monday if they don't back up all this talk.

Too bad the Patriots let them off the hook by trying to go for too much. This game could had had easily been 40-20 or something if they just played out the game the right way.

The Pats got a bit sloppy at the end, and it shouldn't have been close, but I think the big thing is that the Bills gave up 466 yards to Tom Brady and gave up 40 points, after puffing themselves up about their great defense and how they were going to knock Tom around.

Bill and Brady made the Bills look just as hapless as ever.  They certainly didn't look anything like the best defense in the league yesterday, and that's a big deal for the Bills after spending so much on their defensive line and hiring Rex.

Pats were definitely trying to go for the kill shot and embarrass Buffalo, IMO. I'm convinced they were trying to get Brady 500 yards passing & put up a 50 spot.   

McDaniels got too cute with the playcalling and, seemingly, abandoned the running game for a bit when they clearly should've started going more run heavy.

Given the way that Buffalo was running their mouth in the week leading up to the game, I can see how the Pats would want to rub it in but it almost cost them in the end. 

Front 7 on D looked dominant at times.  If they stay healthy & effective, it's gonna take a lot of heat off that suspect secondary.

The young O-Line stood on its head for the 2nd week in a row.

[kozlodoev]

McDaniels got too cute with the playcalling and, seemingly, abandoned the running game for a bit when they clearly should've started going more run heavy.

What running game? The Patriots had exactly 4 rushes for 5 yards or more, and one of them was an Edelman misdirection play. You're not going going to make Lewis grind it out in the 4th anyhow, and all the other RBs were collectively irrelevant.

I have no issues with the play calling, I have issues with execution.

[Donoghus]

McDaniels got too cute with the playcalling and, seemingly, abandoned the running game for a bit when they clearly should've started going more run heavy.

What running game? The Patriots had exactly 4 rushes for 5 yards or more, and one of them was an Edelman misdirection play. You're not going going to make Lewis grind it out in the 4th anyhow, and all the other RBs were collectively irrelevant.

I have no issues with the play calling, I have issues with execution.

Play-calling that doesn't do anything to chew up on the clock when its ineffective and exposes your defense to be out there more and prone to overuse (which is what happened there in the 2nd half).  The reason you run more balanced or even heavier with the run there is to chew up time and attempt to keep the D more balanced.  Brady dropping back everytime leads the D to acknowledge the one dimensional nature of the play calling and attack on every play.  That led to that Brady strip fumble. 

You might get away with it against the Tyrod Taylors of the world (which barely happened yesterday) but certainly won't fly when playing against more legitimate quarterbacks in the league.  Ones that actually know what they're doing in the passing game and make up a deficit fast.

It was needlessly stupid. 

[Evantime34]

I have no problem with a lack of running in this game. Belichick watched the Bills on film and decided he wouldn't be able to run the ball against one of the best front 4's in the league. They continued to go with what works, instead of doing what conventionally held wisdom would dictate.

When they play against teams with lighter lines I'm sure you will see a whole lot of heavy run sets in future games.

[kozlodoev]

McDaniels got too cute with the playcalling and, seemingly, abandoned the running game for a bit when they clearly should've started going more run heavy.

What running game? The Patriots had exactly 4 rushes for 5 yards or more, and one of them was an Edelman misdirection play. You're not going going to make Lewis grind it out in the 4th anyhow, and all the other RBs were collectively irrelevant.

I have no issues with the play calling, I have issues with execution.

Play-calling that doesn't do anything to chew up on the clock when its ineffective and exposes your defense to be out there more and prone to overuse (which is what happened there in the 2nd half).  The reason you run more balanced or even heavier with the run there is to chew up time and attempt to keep the D more balanced.  Brady dropping back everytime leads the D to acknowledge the one dimensional nature of the play calling and attack on every play.  That led to that Brady strip fumble. 

You might get away with it against the Tyrod Taylors of the world (which barely happened yesterday) but certainly won't fly when playing against more legitimate quarterbacks in the league.  Ones that actually know what they're doing in the passing game and make up a deficit fast.

It was needlessly stupid.

Passing on most downs, however predictable, worked just fine for the first three quarters when the team was actually making plays. It also worked just fine on the last drive, when they figured they won't just be able to sleepwalk through the game.

I'm not sure that three one-yard Blount runs and a punt does more for your team. I understand why you want to run more when you're ahead, but you actually need to have the ball in order to chew up the clock.

[Donoghus]

I have no problem with a lack of running in this game. Belichick watched the Bills on film and decided he wouldn't be able to run the ball against one of the best front 4's in the league. They continued to go with what works, instead of doing what conventionally held wisdom would dictate.

When they play against teams with lighter lines I'm sure you will see a whole lot of heavy run sets in future games.

I have no problem with their offensive approach much of the game (this 4 TE package is amazing to watch).  My issue is that they got too cute for their own good when they had a chance to put things away and they allowed a team to crawl back into a game that they had no business doing.

[kozlodoev]

I have no problem with a lack of running in this game. Belichick watched the Bills on film and decided he wouldn't be able to run the ball against one of the best front 4's in the league. They continued to go with what works, instead of doing what conventionally held wisdom would dictate.

When they play against teams with lighter lines I'm sure you will see a whole lot of heavy run sets in future games.

I have no problem with their offensive approach much of the game (this 4 TE package is amazing to watch).  My issue is that they got too cute for their own good when they had a chance to put things away and they allowed a team to crawl back into a game that they had no business doing.

Looks like Bill swiped the 4 TE package from Chip Kelly and the Eagles, by the way:)

http://www.phillymag.com/birds247/2013/08/16/no-22-eagles-introduce-4-te-package/