2007-2008 NFL season discussion thread (1 Viewer)

[Walter C]

I was worried that the Eagles were going to lose against the Dolphins, after turning the ball over multiple times in the red zone. But they pulled it out in the end.

That said, they will get steamrolled by the Patriots on national TV next week.

 

[Carlo_M]

I haven't followed the NFL in a while (can't seem to get into pro sports ever since free agency became the norm and 1/2 your team would change annually), but each time I watch the Pats this year I'm amazed. It really looks like they're scrimmaging against the scout team a lot of the time. It reminds me of when I used to religiously play Madden Football in the late 90s/early 2000s and I would school all of my friends. I would even tell them what play I called and it didn't matter, they couldn't stop me. And if they scored double digits against me it was cause for celebration.

That's what the Pats remind me of. Scary.

 

[Patrick Sun]

It's like watching a really good flag football team light it up on a totally outclassed team. Brady might break the TD passes record by game 13.

 

[Brandon_T]

Simply amazing watching them. Brady never gets touched, and he is deadly accurate.

 

[Ray Chuang]

What I saw tonight looked like college football about a decade ago when a Top 10 team ran it up against a "directional school." The Patriots are threatening to make this season totally uncompetitive.... :rolleyes

 

[Chris]

You know, though.. NFL Network on SIRIUS raised a great point.. a lot of people keep saying "oh, they are running it up" but in an interview with other players tonight, other players were downplaying that.. several were openly fawning over the score tallies and then someone said what I was thinking: that higher scoring totals meant players would get more $$ through the escalators in their contracts, and just the thought of ability to reach all the possible incentives in a contract because a coach was willing to make it happen had them, even players on another team, salivate.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The Patriots are scary good right now. Their only weakness is their running game (it's merely average), yet they really do not need to run the ball much. That is the most amazing thing about their offense -- it goes against basic football principals that you have to run the ball well to win.


Hang in there Brandon. After a few more years, you'll be as jaded as I am, making it easier to predict another Lions collapse. Seriously, you simply cannot win consistently without a decent offensive line, and Detroit's is terrible.

 

[Malcolm R]

Maybe they'll trade for Joseph Addai in the off-season. That dude is amazing!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Casey,
If the Raiders secure the second pick in the draft next year which direction do they go in, defensive lineman or offensive line?

 

[Jim_C]

IIRC, Addai was on still on the board when the Patriots drafted Maroney. Too bad they didn't pick him instead. He's a great player. Maroney has flashes of brilliance but for the most part he dances too much before hitting the hole and it costs him every time. Addai dances after he's through the hole while making people miss in the open field.


Right now there are only two things I believe can stop the Patriots, either injury or bad weather shutting down their passing game. They can't run the ball well and haven't been able to since Morris went out with the chest injury. I know that's an arrogant POV to dismiss all other teams but they are just off-the-charts right now on offense. Historic. I think that they could've scored another couple TD's last night but chose not to. I can't see any team short of the Colts stopping them, and Indy is really banged up.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I was actually wondering how much better New England's running game would be with Maroney's former college backfield teammate from Minnesota -- Marion Barber -- instead of Maroney.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

It is kind of funny that you'd ask me this question today, since it was just yesterday that I started to calculate draft order for next year based on current records and strength of schedule.

First, to the best of my calculations, the current top 10 looks like this...
Miami: 0-10 (.544)
San Francisco: 2-8 (.463)
St. Louis: 2-8 (.506)
Oakland: 2-8 (.516)
New York Jets: 2-8 (.541)
Cincinnati: 3- 7 (.478)
Atlanta: 3-7 (.503)
New Orleans: 4-6 (.478)
Baltimore: 4-6 (.481)
Kansas City: 4-6 (.484)

Now let me state that when I am involved with math, there's always a really good chance something could go wrong but like I said that's where I've got things right now. There is a lot of football left to be played though and a lot of record shifting to go.

Plus, note that San Francisco is currently situated second but that pick belongs to New England.

Anyway, to the specific Raiders question. I'm not sure which why they'll go because they quite frankly need a run stuffer and they need more offensive line help (but it is significantly better than last year). They also need receivers who can get down the field to play to the strengths of the future starter JaMarcus Russell. Curry is a good possession receiver but Porter doesn't really fit, Higgins is too raw and Tim Dwight is on the roster. Me personally, I'd see what is available on the O-line in free agency. The fact is they play in a division filled with good RB's and so stopping the run is simply a must so to me that's a bigger problem long-term.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

There's obviously something very wrong with your math, Casey... the Detroit Lions are nowhere on your list. They've been a fixture in the top 10 of the draft since Millen arrived, though, so I still have faith that the team will turn it around in the 2nd half and once again earn that top ten pick for Millen to screw up.

Looking at your list, though, could the Pats conceivably fall into getting McFadden to add to that offense?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Casey,
They could take either Howie Long's kid that is going to be a top ten pick or that defensive tackle from LSU.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Robert, the Dorsey kid is someone I'd like to see them end up with or another Long would be nice. I must confess though that my thinking about the draft doesn't start until after the season. Every year I say to myself that I'm going to keep a closer eye on college football and every year it ends up not happening.

Scott
If the positions hold, New England would pick second. I doubt with Ronnie Brown and an aging defense the Miami Dolphins would take an RB first. Then again, this is the same organization whose head coach justified the pick of Tedd Ginn Jr. by remarking: "You're going to love the way he returns punts

As for Detroit not being in the top 10 right now, I guess you'll just have to wait and watch Millen take his pick from the second tear of Wide Receivers.

 

[Jim_C]

I had forgotten about Barber. He'd be a great addition as well. I really like Addai, though.

 

[Shane Martin]

Neither are going anywhere though. Julius Jones will likely be available though.

 

[Chris]

First time I've ever watched a QB and felt like if they were just on a better team, things would be better.

Vince Young had a whale of a game tonight, not enough to win, though.. but there were several throws where he drilled the receiver.. and drop. Or, have the pass in the perfect location.. whoops, receiver falls down. Tennessee must have the worst receiving crew in the league, while he racked up good yardage, there were more bone-headed receiver plays then I've seen in a while.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I only watched the first half of the game, but the number of Young's passes that were dropped really stood out to me, too.

 

[Shane Martin]

I know. My response was more for Jim. Barber is a surprise. He was merely a 4th round pick.