2017-18 NFL Thread (2 Viewers)

[Malcolm R]

I wonder if this creates any kind of QB controversy in Philly? Obviously, Wentz is their longterm QB, but there will probably be some whispers here and there about how do they push Foles back to the bench when he just took them to a SB victory and was named MVP?

 

[Malcolm R]

So much about success in the NFL depends on injuries. Philly was lucky to find the exact right backup to continue to excel without Wentz, but that's the exception, not the rule. There are many great teams in the league, but if you lose a key player, they're difficult to replace and maintain the same quality.

I'm still mystified about the Malcolm Butler benching last night. Obviously Eric Rowe was not getting it done, so there must be more to this drama than has been revealed if Belichick is willing to possibly sabotage his own team to make a point. The entire Pats loss last night was mostly down to an absent defense. If Butler makes just one or two more plays than Rowe, the whole game might have changed. Brady threw for over 500 yards, 3 TDs, no picks, plus a decent running game, and they still lost because the defense could not stop a molasses flow in the frigid Minnesota night.

Good luck Detroit, with Matt Patricia as your head coach (good riddance, IMO).

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I wouldn't count the Pats out just yet. They played the entire season without Julian Edelman, lost their only deep threat Brandon Cooks during the game, and still carved up a very good Philadelphia defense. New England plays in the weak AFC East, so their path to the playoffs is easier than most team. The competition in the playoffs should be even tougher next season -- Houston gets back Watson and JJ Watt, maybe Cousins ends up in Denver or Jacksonville, the Steelers hopefully improve their defense, etc. -- but the Pats are not going away, either, as long as Belichick and Brady are there. You are right that Brady's play will fall off a cliff at some point, but there is no evidence that it's about to happen now.

I'm not counting them out but I did not think they were very good this year and they still got to the Super Bowl. Mainly I think because the rest of the league was not good and their path to get there was perhaps their easiest ever. They actually got to play two AFC South teams in the playoffs, the Titans and Jags...and they struggled to beat the Jags. I mean many teams just played below the expectation level. The Raiders, a talented team that should have been in the midst of things, collapsed under Del Rio's horrid coaching. The Texans again were smashed by injuries otherwise if they had made the playoffs I think they would have been a real danger to the Patriots. The Steelers probably had their best shot to beat the Patriots in the playoffs this year, despite the bonehead coaching staff they have, and nearly beat them in the regular season...except once again the coaches did idiotic things.

So, this season to me looked like the last hurrah for the Pats. I don't think counting on the return of Edelman or that Cooks will be back at it in 2018 will be enough. Edelman is an aging player and a small WR...does not bode well for him coming back as good as ever. Cooks is talented and yes, losing him and playing with nothing but guys that would essentially be back-up WRs on other teams did not really help. Gronk is great but due to his style of play takes a brutal beating every season so I always wonder how long he will play. You can depend on him to miss games though.

I think if the Raiders play better under Gruden, the Texans have Watson for a full season, the Bills or Jets land better QBs and if Jacksonville shows this season was real...well, the Patriots will have a much harder road getting through the playoffs.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I wonder if this creates any kind of QB controversy in Philly? Obviously, Wentz is their longterm QB, but there will probably be some whispers here and there about how do they push Foles back to the bench when he just took them to a SB victory and was named MVP?

I'd say no. Best case for Foles is one of the other QB starved teams in the league gives him a shot. Wentz is the man in Philly and for good reason...that kid has a great arm and seems to really grasp the game already.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I'm still mystified about the Malcolm Butler benching last night.

I thought it was because they ruled him medically unable to play but maybe there was more to it. I was hearing before the game that due to the flu he would likely be out. Of course with the Patriots you never really know why a player is out.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I thought it was because they ruled him medically unable to play but maybe there was more to it. I was hearing before the game that due to the flu he would likely be out. Of course with the Patriots you never really know why a player is out.

Butler was benched. Not sure why, but it wasn't for health reasons.

As for a QB controversy in Philly, that's not happening. Foles played great against both the Pats and the Vikings, but Carson Wentz is a stud and the Eagles are fully committed to him, as they should be. The only way Foles starts next season for Philly is if Wentz is not completely ready to return from his injury.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Butler was benched. Not sure why, but it wasn't for health reasons.

That's pretty interesting. Belichick has had an issue with Butler for some time. I mean he wanted to trade him and had him traded I believe but the deal fell through. Then there were reports of Belichick not at all being happy with Butler beginning in training camp. He supposedly brought in Gilmore with the intent of getting rid of Butler. I'd say Butler is certainly done in New England and only Bill and his staff know why. I bet he is starting for another team next season. New Orleans really wanted him prior to the start of the season.

 

[Malcolm R]

So, this season to me looked like the last hurrah for the Pats.

Patriots open as favorites to win next year’s Super Bowl
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...en-as-favorites-to-win-next-years-super-bowl/

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Good luck Detroit, with Matt Patricia as your head coach (good riddance, IMO).

I was watching the game with some Detroit fans, since I live in the heart of Lions country. When they first showed Patricia on the screen, I chuckled and said "welcome to Detroit, you poor SOB, where head coaching careers go to die". It should be a great combination -- Belichick's former coordinators haven't exactly set the world on fire, and the Lions are as dysfunctional of an organization as has ever been seen.

 

[Bob_S.]

Being an Eagles fan since 1979, this was a long time coming. I can now die a happy man! Watching the NFC Championship game and then the Super Bowl with my son brought about such a special bonding between us, not that we aren't close already. What an incredible experience. Hopefully we can win another under Pedersen but I don't think I'll ever have the anxiety like I did last night. We finally made it into "the club". I told my son that he's lucky that he got to experience a Championship while young. I had to wait my whole life for one. Everyone in that organization (players, coaches, Management) is a hero to me and forever will be. I still can't believe it. I only wish that someday soon Viking, Bills, and Browns fans will be able to experience that feeling of being Super Bowl Champions as well. I really feel for you guys.

Regarding the Quarterback controversy, there is none. Wentz is the guy period. I think they will keep Foles for another year until Wentz is 100%. I don't think the Eagles are in any hurry. But it would be impossible to keep both after that. I hope Foles gets to start for the team of his choice. He deserves it.

I don't know too much about the new rule but I felt both of those td's were legit. That one caught in the end zone looked like he had control as soon as his first foot landed , the ball shifted slightly but he certainly had control. I was listening to Boomer Esiason's "sports minute" on the radio and he agreed with both calls and said too bad they didn't make those calls during the regular season.

 

[TonyD]

Another long term Eagles fan.
I became aware of sports in the early 70's with the Flyers and then the rest of the sports teams followed.

Dick Vermiel brought the team out of the doldrums.
But he couldn't do it, Buddy Ryan didn't do it. Andy Reid couldn't quite get it done.

It's amazing that somehow Doug Pederson was able to finish the job.
Doug Pederson???

He coaced the entire season except for one game, to win. He never coached not to lose.
The only game he did that was proabably the Seattle game.

He did everything that we expected from Chip Kelly.
It's almost a miracle this team was able to recover from what Kelly did when he practically decimated the team of all the good players.

Doug Pederson??

Seriously for anyone who grew up in Philly and was a ling term Eagles fan this is truly surreal.


Doug friggin Pederson


This game was like nothing I've ever seen.
Brady probably had his best game ever.
Doug called 2 plays that were as gutsy as anyone will see.
That end around tight end pass to Foles on 4th down. Oh My god.
It was almost a bleep you to the Pats after they blew a similar play.


Then that 4th and 1 from their own 45 with 5 minutes left and down by a point.
The Eagles did what the Pats usually do by scoring a td right before the half and 10 points with under 2:20 in the game.

There was some discussion on local Philly radio wondering what would we prefer.
Having the lead and Brady gets the ball at the end of the game, 2 minutes left or so
or being behind and getting the ball needing to go down th field for the win.

I'm on the side of always having the lead and making the other team try and score but this game
was scary.
The Eagles couldn't stop Brady the first 3 times the had the ball in the second half, 3 straight TDs.
While I was glad the Eagles had the lead an forced Brad to try and come back it was still crazy watching that last 2+ minutes go down.

With about 2:30 left Agholor caught a ball and ran out of bounds.
We were screaming, if he stays in bounds it counts down to the 2 minutes warning.

Anyway I'm just glad Johnny switched allegiance To The Pats.



Doug


Pederson.

 

[Bob_S.]

You know what's really crazy, I was almost hoping when the Pat's started that second to last drive, that the Eagles would let them score on that first play and then they'd have 2 minutes to go down the field and at least tie with a field goal, because I really didn't think our defense would stop them. They didn't all game. I know, nutty idea.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Anyway I'm just glad Johnny switched allegiance To The Pats.

Poor Johnny getting the blame. I'd give him a break because you know he can always switch to rooting for your team!

 

[Johnny Angell]

Anyway I'm just glad Johnny switched allegiance To The Pats.

Your welcome.

Poor Johnny getting the blame. I'd give him a break because you know he can always switch to rooting for your team!

I should offer my services for a fee. "Got a team you hate? I'll curse them for a reasonable fee. Game and season rates available."

 

[Patrick_S]

Johnny, AKA "The Cooler", I'm sure there are plenty of Boston fans that would gladly pay you to support the Yankees for the rest of your life.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Johnny, AKA "The Cooler", I'm sure there are plenty of Boston fans that would gladly pay you to support the Yankees for the rest of your life.

Or vice versa, Yankee fans paying him to root for the Red Sox.

 

[Bob_S.]

Rewatching the highlights of the game, looks like Elliott's field goal might have been good. It appears to be over the the goal post after it passes it but inside going through it. At least to me it does.

 

[TonyD]

Elliot didn't miss a fg but he did miss an extra point that was clearly no good.

 

[Walter C]

Me likewise! This game broadcast from NBC (notwithstanding Cris Collinsworth seemed to be cheering on the Patriots at every turn) is going on a permanent disc for posterity (not only that, but the headline of the Eagles' big win [no matter what paper I get it from] is being kept to posterity as well).

I wished that I remembered to put the radio broadcast on and turned the volume down of the NBC broadcast, to hear Merrill Reese call the biggest game in Eagles history.

Also, finally the Eagles are no longer the only team in the current NFC East that has not won a Super Bowl. It was not exactly easy to be an Eagles fan in the 80's and 90's, made a lot more difficult when having to see division rivals win multiple Super Bowls at that time, and again in the late 2000's. The worst being that stretch of 1990-1994.

 

[Bob_S.]

Elliot didn't miss a fg but he did miss an extra point that was clearly no good.

I wished that I remembered to put the radio broadcast on and turned the volume down of the NBC broadcast, to hear Merrill Reese call the biggest game in Eagles history.

Sure, the extra point was obvious. So was Gostkowski's

Walter, I did. There was no way I was listening to Collinsworth. In fact my daughter had a couple friends over and I had to turn the volume up on the tv so they could hear the commercials, then the volume went back down. It would be great if i could find a copy of the game that had the radio broadcast synced up.