NFL Playoffs/Early Offseason

[Vanimal46]

1 minute ago, Parfigliano said:

Worse then another Patriot ring?  I choose Darnold in that scenario.

Lucky you gets the double whammy of pain with his NYJ and MN history 

[Aggies7]

Um doesn’t he have to “complete the process” of the catch?

[Parfigliano]

2 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Lucky you gets the double whammy of pain with his NYJ and MN history 

I've convinced myself it was a different Darnold rockin the NYJ uni.

[Vanimal46]

Just now, Aggies7 said:

Um doesn’t he have to “complete the process” of the catch?

No replay assist? Ref ball at its finest 

[Aggies7]

Ballgame 

[Aggies7]

Thanks Sam Darnold for being terrible in the two games we needed you to not be. Enjoy the Super Bowl 

[Parfigliano]

1 minute ago, Aggies7 said:

Um doesn’t he have to “complete the process” of the catch?

 Another rule that can be interpreted thousands of differing ways.

[Parfigliano]

Odds of PI penalty helping LA....high

[Parfigliano]

Sammy D SB bound.  

[Aggies7]

KAM and staff, wonder what they’re thinking right now 

[gunnarthor]

Really happy for Darnold

[Parfigliano]

3 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

KAM and staff, wonder what they’re thinking right now 

That they are the smartest in any room.

[nicksaviking]

I may have been wrong about Sam Darnold. 
 

Please accept my resignation as GM of the Minnesota Vikings.

[Vanimal46]

8 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

KAM and staff, wonder what they’re thinking right now 

You never know the butterfly effect keeping Darnold but this is an extremely bad look. Kwesi needs to go sooner than later. 

[Vanimal46]

8 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

Really happy for Darnold

Biggest game of his career and he balled out. 

[Parfigliano]

2 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

You never know the butterfly effect keeping Darnold but this is an extremely bad look. Kwesi needs to go sooner than later. 

Impossible.  Sooner was before the 2024 draft.

[Danchat]

3 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Letting Darnold walk for nothing in return is the worst decision this organization has made in my almost 30 years of fandom. 

Don't worry Vanimal, we're getting a 3rd round comp pick for losing Darnold! Then we can spend it on a project player just like how we spent the Kirk Cousins 3rd round comp on WR Tai Felton.

Oh wait...

[Original_JB]

Not just Darnold; Garrett Bradbury is the starting Center for the Patriots. I wonder what their coaches did to unlock his game, because he was getting run over here. 

[Vanimal46]

Shedeur Sanders named to the Pro Bowl roster. Just pull the plug on the entire event 

[gunnarthor]

22 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Shedeur Sanders named to the Pro Bowl roster. Just pull the plug on the entire event 

The NFL likes ratings. 

[Danchat]

3 hours ago, Original_JB said:

Not just Darnold; Garrett Bradbury is the starting Center for the Patriots. I wonder what their coaches did to unlock his game, because he was getting run over here. 

It's been a strange year for him as he's been great in pass pro but actually has had a terrible year run blocking, which used to be his biggest strength for us. PFF has him ranked 28th out of 42 centers which is overly harsh given his good pass pro. That did match the eye test for yesterday's game, I didn't see him give up a single pressure but he wasn't moving anybody in the run game.

[The Great Hambino]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Shedeur Sanders named to the Pro Bowl roster. Just pull the plug on the entire event 

I guess Tyler Huntley wasn't available

[gunnarthor]

47 minutes ago, Danchat said:

It's been a strange year for him as he's been great in pass pro but actually has had a terrible year run blocking, which used to be his biggest strength for us. PFF has him ranked 28th out of 42 centers which is overly harsh given his good pass pro. That did match the eye test for yesterday's game, I didn't see him give up a single pressure but he wasn't moving anybody in the run game.

PFF isn't great though. I watched Ingram get mauled by KC a few weeks ago but PFF had him like 10th or whatever. Next Gen (I think) seems to have very different ways to judge linemen. 

I think the fairer way is to look at them as a unit but even that's not perfect. 

This article puts a bit more of the blame away from the o-line (not all). 

https://atozsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings-news/offensive-line-issues-plagued-minnesota-vikings-solution-is-simple-injuries-christian-darrisaw-jj-mccarthy/

[TheLeviathan]

55 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

PFF isn't great though. I watched Ingram get mauled by KC a few weeks ago but PFF had him like 10th or whatever. Next Gen (I think) seems to have very different ways to judge linemen. 

I think the fairer way is to look at them as a unit but even that's not perfect. 

This article puts a bit more of the blame away from the o-line (not all). 

https://atozsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings-news/offensive-line-issues-plagued-minnesota-vikings-solution-is-simple-injuries-christian-darrisaw-jj-mccarthy/

I thought our offensive line played well overall this season, so this article fits my bias.

The issue early on was not running the damn ball. 

The larger issue is that we continue to be a team whose "personality" is long developing plays.  Well....if that's your game, then you better expect to see more sacks and pressures.  That's just how it works.  It also makes it that much more important that your QB can navigate a pocket and deliver the ball on time.

[gunnarthor]

1 hour ago, TheLeviathan said:

I thought our offensive line played well overall this season, so this article fits my bias.

The issue early on was not running the damn ball. 

The larger issue is that we continue to be a team whose "personality" is long developing plays.  Well....if that's your game, then you better expect to see more sacks and pressures.  That's just how it works.  It also makes it that much more important that your QB can navigate a pocket and deliver the ball on time.

I think I agree with you? Like, KOC certainly calls more long developing plays than most. This was true when the QB was Cousins and Darnold, too. I do think that McCarthy got better at avoiding sacks as the season wore on - which isn't a surprise - and seems better than Wentz, who had "happy feet". But I did think the line looked better as the year went on as well. Some of that was Jackson getting reps and part of it was Kelly getting healthy. 

But I do think the offense has had  problem with power running for years now. Even when Cook was our RB, the o-line was missing something and still is. Once we get inside the 10, it gets harder for us to score (I say with no stats to support that). But I would bet our TD percentage success rate between the 10-20 was better than inside the 10, because the other team isn't worried about us running the ball. Not sure I said that right.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

(from some guy with the handle @somecody.bsky.social)

[TheLeviathan]

34 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

I think I agree with you? Like, KOC certainly calls more long developing plays than most. This was true when the QB was Cousins and Darnold, too. I do think that McCarthy got better at avoiding sacks as the season wore on - which isn't a surprise - and seems better than Wentz, who had "happy feet". But I did think the line looked better as the year went on as well. Some of that was Jackson getting reps and part of it was Kelly getting healthy. 

But I do think the offense has had  problem with power running for years now. Even when Cook was our RB, the o-line was missing something and still is. Once we get inside the 10, it gets harder for us to score (I say with no stats to support that). But I would bet our TD percentage success rate between the 10-20 was better than inside the 10, because the other team isn't worried about us running the ball. Not sure I said that right.

What has set the Seahawks apart (with an offensive line I think is significantly worse on a pure talent basis than the Vikings) is their willingness to run the ball.  Kenneth Walker was a huge difference maker yesterday.   They get the ball out quick, still take deep shots, and churn the ball on the ground.  They're not afraid to hammer Walker and Charbonnet at the endzone.

McCarthy has a ton of problems to fix, but even if he fixes all of them....the Vikings have got to fix their unwillingness to commit to running.

[nicksaviking]

So as expected, the Browns made the most uninspiring head coaching hire this off season, brining Todd Monken on board. A lot of guys pulled their names from consideration, it's the Browns, so that seems logical, but I also wonder if the Browns told the candidates that either they have to use Deshaun Watson, or they have to use Shadeur Sanders. Basically, some variation of 'We already have our starting QB on the roster and you have to coach him'.

[gunnarthor]

11 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

So as expected, the Browns made the most uninspiring head coaching hire this off season, brining Todd Monken on board. A lot of guys pulled their names from consideration, it's the Browns, so that seems logical, but I also wonder if the Browns told the candidates that either they have to use Deshaun Watson, or they have to use Shadeur Sanders. Basically, some variation of 'We already have our starting QB on the roster and you have to coach him'.

If that's the case, Monken isn't a horrible choice. I assume it'll be Sanders and he does have similarities to Jackson's game, mostly holding the ball and looking deep. But Monken is a bit ... boring? Like a 60-year old white guy getting his first head coaching chance in the NFL. Doesn't scream stability. But if the job was "make Sanders a QB", they could've done worse. (Although, that also suggests a lot of issues between the FO and Stephanski). 

[nicksaviking]

7 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

If that's the case, Monken isn't a horrible choice. I assume it'll be Sanders and he does have similarities to Jackson's game, mostly holding the ball and looking deep. But Monken is a bit ... boring? Like a 60-year old white guy getting his first head coaching chance in the NFL. Doesn't scream stability. But if the job was "make Sanders a QB", they could've done worse. (Although, that also suggests a lot of issues between the FO and Stephanski). 

I would also guess it's Sanders, but it's the dysfunctional Browns, they might still try to milk Watson because they don't understand sunk cost.

In either case, it could make the QB job easier, but I don't know that it will help a ton with development.  Seems the reads will likely just be, look for your #1 WR, then check down to the TEs.

If he can handle it, Quinshon Judkins probably gets 300+ carries next year.

Honestly, the Browns would have been laughed at if they had stayed in house, but Jim Schwartz should have gotten the job. For as pitiful as the Browns usually are, that defense was top notch. Maybe Schwartz will stay, but if I was him I'd look to go somewhere where I'd actually matter.