NFL Regular Season Thread (Or Duck, Duck, Grey Duck and other Children's Games)

[stevew]

I'm not arguing that Jeff Fisher deserves an NFL coaching job. I'm just arguing that he's the most likely next coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. LOL

[QuikSand]

Right, apples and oranges. That would be awesome, though.

[Vince, Pt. II]

I've been trying really hard to stay cool about Jimmy Garoppolo as a 49ers fan, but it keeps getting harder and harder.

Jimmy Garoppolo mic'ed up for the two-minute drill.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

I've been trying really hard to stay cool about Jimmy Garoppolo as a 49ers fan, but it keeps getting harder and harder.

Jimmy Garoppolo mic'ed up for the two-minute drill.

If you showed me that and only that, I would pay that man like a top 5 QB for as long as he could handle.

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

I've been trying really hard to stay cool about Jimmy Garoppolo as a 49ers fan, but it keeps getting harder and harder.

Jimmy Garoppolo mic'ed up for the two-minute drill.

He’s the real deal, you can just tell.

[BishopMVP]

He's learned well, too bad the timing didn't work out, and hopefully our next young backup QB has the same intangibles & we don't get seduced by a big arm like Ryan Mallett again. PS I wonder if Sashi Brown thinks he's worth trading for yet.

[cuervo72]

So...why'd the Patriots trade him then?

(Listening to DC radio today someone mentioned that Cousins might not just go to a team which has cap and can pay him, that he might look for a better competitive situation. Would be something if he somehow landed in New England. I do wonder how long they really expect Brady to play.)

[Carman Bulldog]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

So...why'd the Patriots trade him then?

Jimmy Garoppolo Trade: Why Now, and Why the Niners?

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

So...why'd the Patriots trade him then?

(Listening to DC radio today someone mentioned that Cousins might not just go to a team which has cap and can pay him, that he might look for a better competitive situation. Would be something if he somehow landed in New England. I do wonder how long they really expect Brady to play.)

This has been known and discussed for months. Cousins will be somewhere like Denver, Arizona, or Jacksonville.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

So...why'd the Patriots trade him then?

(Listening to DC radio today someone mentioned that Cousins might not just go to a team which has cap and can pay him, that he might look for a better competitive situation. Would be something if he somehow landed in New England. I do wonder how long they really expect Brady to play.)

Because he wanted to be paid like the real starting QB he is looking like, and we were unwilling to indefinitely tie up that much of our cap in a backup QB. He's also 26 and I think he wanted to actually be a starting QB before he turns 30. If Brady had shown any of the slippage a 38+ QB should be showing it would have been a very tough decision, if Brady had shown the dropoff Peyton Manning showed it would've been an easy transition, but as it is the timing and the NFL's salary structure just made it impossible to keep both.

I still wish we had gotten a little more (maybe an additional 3rd, or a 1st at last year's draft), but bad organizations like Cleveland are bad for a reason.

[jbergey22]

Brady has rubbed off on Jimmy G it would appear. And Id agree with many of the above comments. He does appear to be legit.

Plus, you gotta love the confidence of a player that would turn down starter money as a backup to get his chance to be the starting QB. The Aaron Rodgers kind of confidence.

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Because he wanted to be paid like the real starting QB he is looking like, and we were unwilling to indefinitely tie up that much of our cap in a backup QB. He's also 26 and I think he wanted to actually be a starting QB before he turns 30. If Brady had shown any of the slippage a 38+ QB should be showing it would have been a very tough decision, if Brady had shown the dropoff Peyton Manning showed it would've been an easy transition, but as it is the timing and the NFL's salary structure just made it impossible to keep both.

I still wish we had gotten a little more (maybe an additional 3rd, or a 1st at last year's draft), but bad organizations like Cleveland are bad for a reason.

I agree with this logic, but still think there is another shoe to drop because of the timing. Everyone knew the foregoing last off-season but all reports suggest Garoppolo was off-limits then, and then they traded Brisett in September. I don’t think you trade Jacoby if you also knew you were going to move Jimmy at the deadline.

While I understand the theory that the Patriots wanted to make sure Brady had shown no slippage, that makes little sense because, if there were slippage, you would see it at the end of the season when muscles are tired and the weather is colder (a la Peyton Manning).

Ultimately, I sense BB wanted to move on from Brady but something stopped him and he decided to get something for Jimmy. It could have been Kraft, it could have been bad memories of releasing Kosar from Cleveland, who knows?

I do have a crazy, off-the-wall theory, especially if issues are developing with Kraft. What if the Giants GM opening interests B.B.? I think he has a fondness for that franchise, and that is probably one of the few places I could see him leaving the Patriots for. Stranger things have happened, but that would explain him not having as much of a long-term concern for the Pats after this season.

[albionmoonlight]

One theory I heard is that BB liked Garoppolo personally and was willing to take slightly less from the 49ers to send him out of conference to a team with a chance for him to thrive.

Basically, it was worth not maximizing his value to send him to play for Kyle Shanahan for a 2nd instead of to die in Cleveland for a 2nd and a 4th.

[molson]

It's disappointing there wasn't more of a bidding more for him considering the QB situation on many teams, but, good for the 49ers for getting it done. I wonder how many teams would give up a 1st-round pick for him now, just a few months later.

I also read the reports that the Patriots weren't going to trade him to the Browns, as a favor to him, but there's still a bunch of other teams that should have been interested.

[Suicane75]

LOL, that's great. We like you too much to send you to that shit show. I can't imagine being a Browns fan. It must be like being A Sixers fan for the past few years, but only 4 times as long.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by molson

It's disappointing there wasn't more of a bidding more for him considering the QB situation on many teams, but, good for the 49ers for getting it done. I wonder how many teams would give up a 1st-round pick for him now, just a few months later.

My guess is they'd get a 1 and a 3 at minimum.

Big difference between 6 quarters of fill-in play and even only 3 games of full starter action.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Logan

My guess is they'd get a 1 and a 3 at minimum.

Big difference between 6 quarters of fill-in play and even only 3 games of full starter action.

If the 49ers now flipped him they'd get at least two 1st round picks. They wouldnt of course, which shows his increased value.

[CrescentMoonie]

Read someone suggesting the 49ers do just that, flip him for 2 firsts and then sign Cousins.

[JPhillips]

It won't happen, but JG for both the Browns picks would give the Niners three top ten picks.

[Galaril]

I heard a few talking heads say they heard that BB did want to trade Brady (not sure when before 2016 season?) and Kraft told BB Brady is off the table from even being considered for trades . So BB is slowly trading these guys Jimmy G and Brisett for way less than they should be getting with his I d now set to leave the Patriots very soon. That is an interest rumor. I am not where he would go Giants is an option it sounds like.

[stevew]

Jeff Fisher says he left Los Angeles Rams 'in pretty good shape'

Jeff Fisher has the best PR. It would be like GWB saying he made Iraq a better place, something to that effect.

[ISiddiqui]

Got to an interesting argument with a friend of mine (which got waaaaay out of hand, due to my friend's overreaction) regarding the Falcons and Saints game on Sunday. He referred to it as the most bitter and hated rivalry in professional sports, which I pushed back on big time (not even the most bitter and hated in the NFL!). He started name calling and being bitterly sarcastic towards me (I am weighing him being an ex-friend).

So the result being I am totally ok with the Saints winning on Sunday .

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Warhammer]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Got to an interesting argument with a friend of mine (which got waaaaay out of hand, due to my friend's overreaction) regarding the Falcons and Saints game on Sunday. He referred to it as the most bitter and hated rivalry in professional sports, which I pushed back on big time (not even the most bitter and hated in the NFL!). He started name calling and being bitterly sarcastic towards me (I am weighing him being an ex-friend).

So the result being I am totally ok with the Saints winning on Sunday .

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I will say it is an underrated rivalry.

[stevew]

It's like not even a top 10 NFL rivalry

[ISiddiqui]

Underrated, definitely. But it isn't nearly as angry and bitter and mean than, say, Bears and Packers. I mean he compared it in hatred to Alabama and Auburn, to which I really thought was ridiculous. This is what happens when you stay in your Twitter bubble (he's aggressive to the Saints, so attracts Saints fans who are aggressive to the Falcons and he thinks that's the whole fanbase)

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by stevew

It's like not even a top 10 NFL rivalry

The Raiders would have to have at least 4 of the top 10 right?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

The Raiders would have to have at least 4 of the top 10 right?

Probably several at least. Falcons Saints doesn't even move the needle in a generic sports bar and gets bumped off the screen for about 4-5 other games in any given week

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by stevew

It's like not even a top 10 NFL rivalry

Depends upon age & perspective.

The hatred between the fanbases is pretty intense, and it IS (logically due to the geography) more like a college rivalry in that sense.

They're also the only team I've ever seen Falcons fans genuinely hate as opposed to merely dislike. (San Fran had the milder version back in the days of the old alignment, Dallas got that too ... though they got it from everybody)

[JonInMiddleGA]

What I don't remember clearly, however, is whether the rivalry was as intense prior to the most memorable positive play in Falcons history: Big Ben Right

Falcons’ greatest moment, No. 3: ‘Big Ben Right’ | Atlanta Falcons blog: Atlanta football news

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Got to an interesting argument with a friend of mine (which got waaaaay out of hand, due to my friend's overreaction) regarding the Falcons and Saints game on Sunday. He referred to it as the most bitter and hated rivalry in professional sports, which I pushed back on big time (not even the most bitter and hated in the NFL!). He started name calling and being bitterly sarcastic towards me (I am weighing him being an ex-friend).

So the result being I am totally ok with the Saints winning on Sunday .

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

On 980 in DC they were discussing the Cowboys/Redskins rivalry recently, and called it the same, at least for the 70s through 90s - the biggest rivalry in all of sports, and pointed to how it is still played in prime-time at least once a year.

Some Redskins rooters can be a little self-important.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Got to an interesting argument with a friend of mine (which got waaaaay out of hand, due to my friend's overreaction) regarding the Falcons and Saints game on Sunday. He referred to it as the most bitter and hated rivalry in professional sports, which I pushed back on big time (not even the most bitter and hated in the NFL!). He started name calling and being bitterly sarcastic towards me (I am weighing him being an ex-friend).

So the result being I am totally ok with the Saints winning on Sunday .

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I don’t know about the teams, but ever since Katrina, my friends who are Falcon fans absolutely detest Saints fans in a way that trumps any dislike i have ever had for Jets (early) and Patriots (more recent) fans.

[Atocep]

Frank Gore is 5th all time in rushing yards, 8th in yards from scrimmage, and 26th all time in TDs while remaining fairly productive into his 30s. Has to be one of the most underrated RBs in NFL history.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Love that guy.

[molson]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

). He started name calling and being bitterly sarcastic towards me

That sounds pleasant....

I'm sure there's people regionally who are really into it, but I wasn't even aware it was a rivalry. I don't think it would crack the top 30 if we're counting all professional sports.

[stevew]

The NFC south has, what, 2 super bowls combined?

[stevew]

Dola realistically it's the most irrelevant division of any of the three major sports

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by stevew

The NFC south has, what, 2 super bowls combined?

NFC East has the most Super Bowl appearances by division; AFC East needs one more to tie. : nfl

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by stevew

Dola realistically it's the most irrelevant division of any of the three major sports

AFC South. Three of the four teams didn't even exist as currently named 25 years ago.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by molson

That sounds pleasant....

Yep. When someone who you thought was a really good friend starts calling you asshole and dumbass about not thinking a rivalry is more intense than it is... it was just completely out of left field.

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I don’t know about the teams, but ever since Katrina, my friends who are Falcon fans absolutely detest Saints fans in a way that trumps any dislike i have ever had for Jets (early) and Patriots (more recent) fans.

Remember what has happened after Katrina. The Saints won the Super Bowl. The Falcons have yet to (last season didn't help this dynamic at all). I think a lot of this (and I say it as a Falcons fan) is Falcons fan jealousy & Saints fan boasting about that disparity.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I think a lot of this (and I say it as a Falcons fan) is Falcons fan jealousy & Saints fan boasting about that disparity.

The roots were the inferiority complex carried by New Orleans about being several tiers behind Atlanta as a city. It always meant more to them because it was one of the few ways they could compete from time to time.

[ISiddiqui]

Perhaps, but the Saints fans I know are generally far more chill about this rivalry than the Falcons fans I know (including the guy who flew off the handle at me which started this whole discussion).

Maybe the SB win chilled those folks out, I dunno.

[CrescentMoonie]

[BishopMVP]

Considering how much the Packers fans were whining about the Martellus Bennett situation this is amusing Teams complain to NFL that Green Bay Packers violated IR rule, think Aaron Rodgers should be released

Saints/Falcons as the top rivalry in all of sports is a laughably absurd statement. I do agree it's underrated, and should crack the top 10 in the NFL. (Even as a Patriots fan, since Sexy Rexy left the Jets our biggest rivalries would be some order of Ravens, Steelers & Broncos, but it's hard to sustain momentum year in and year out if you don't play in the same division. The Colts were a huge one when Manning was there, but nobody would even look twice at that game if scanning the schedule.) I think Steelers/Ravens takes the crown right now for pure animosity, with Bengals/Steelers in that mix too. The NFC East teams and rivalries have always felt more hyped to me than they deserved, but there's no denying those fanbases loathe each other as well. The Oakland/Denver/KC trio also seem to have some real hate there. Packers/Bears obviously has the geography and history in its favor, but the Bears have been so bad for so long I don't think of it that way - Packers/Vikings actually struck me as a bigger rivalry until I thought about it. But I also don't know if I'd put any NFL rivalry in the top 10 for pro sports - it's just hard when you play at most 3x in a year & team strength fluctuates so frequently for most teams.

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

I agree with this logic, but still think there is another shoe to drop because of the timing. Everyone knew the foregoing last off-season but all reports suggest Garoppolo was off-limits then, and then they traded Brisett in September. I don’t think you trade Jacoby if you also knew you were going to move Jimmy at the deadline.

While I understand the theory that the Patriots wanted to make sure Brady had shown no slippage, that makes little sense because, if there were slippage, you would see it at the end of the season when muscles are tired and the weather is colder (a la Peyton Manning).

It also protected against a season-ending injury (or I guess suspension) to Brady in those first 6 weeks.

Ultimately, I sense BB wanted to move on from Brady but something stopped him and he decided to get something for Jimmy. It could have been Kraft, it could have been bad memories of releasing Kosar from Cleveland, who knows?

I do have a crazy, off-the-wall theory, especially if issues are developing with Kraft. What if the Giants GM opening interests B.B.? I think he has a fondness for that franchise, and that is probably one of the few places I could see him leaving the Patriots for. Stranger things have happened, but that would explain him not having as much of a long-term concern for the Pats after this season.

I don't buy it, but even if BB did want to trade Brady and Kraft stopped him it wasn't something that suddenly changed between the offseason and the trading deadline. GM Belichick is just subordinate to Coach Belichick, and Coach Belichick wanted to hang on to a good backup QB as long as he could.

The conspiracy theories that Belichick is planning to leave, or there's a huge rift between him & Kraft or Brady are laughable. First of all like any good football lifer he'd never think that far ahead in the middle of a season, but if he was planning this huge coup wouldn't he have held onto Garoppollo so he'd be available as a free agent?

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

One theory I heard is that BB liked Garoppolo personally and was willing to take slightly less from the 49ers to send him out of conference to a team with a chance for him to thrive.

Basically, it was worth not maximizing his value to send him to play for Kyle Shanahan for a 2nd instead of to die in Cleveland for a 2nd and a 4th.

Originally Posted by molson

It's disappointing there wasn't more of a bidding more for him considering the QB situation on many teams, but, good for the 49ers for getting it done. I wonder how many teams would give up a 1st-round pick for him now, just a few months later.

I also read the reports that the Patriots weren't going to trade him to the Browns, as a favor to him, but there's still a bunch of other teams that should have been interested.

Its also rumored that Belichick still holds a grudge vs Cleveland for firing him, though trading Jamie Collins to them last year amongst other deals undermines that theory. I do buy that once the Patriots decide to trade a player they basically take the first good deal and don't shop the player around, and the rumors that Sashi Brown and his staff were at home with their phones off when the Patriots were negotiating with the 49ers seem pretty well confirmed, and likely played a large part in the timing of his firing.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

The Colts were a huge one when Manning was there, but nobody would even look twice at that game if scanning the schedule.

As a Colts fan, I could never figure out the intensity of the rivalry with the Patriots early in Manning's career. I mean, you can't really call it a rivalry when they come into your house and beat your ass 90% of the time. I need a good rivalry to be less lopsided.

(Yes, this changed as Manning matured, especially toward the end of his career, but the early parts of the rivalry were more like battered spouse syndrome than a true rivalry.)

ETA: Which isn't to say that we didn't hate the shit out of the Patriots, but I don't consider team hatred to be the same thing as a rivalry.

[Vince, Pt. II]

I wish the 49ers hadn't fallen off a cliff in terms of talent for several reasons, but that Seahawks/49ers rivalry in the early part of the decade was pretty awesome and now it's pretty much invisible.

[JPhillips]

The only pro rivalry that might be in the top twenty is Yankees/Red Sox. Every other pro rivalry only matters when both teams are having good seasons. There are a ton of great collegiate rivalries that matter even if both teams stink.

[NobodyHere]

I'm beginning to think that the Cleveland Browns are not a good team.

[SirFozzie]

That was one hell of a catch by Gronk

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

The only pro rivalry that might be in the top twenty is Yankees/Red Sox. Every other pro rivalry only matters when both teams are having good seasons. There are a ton of great collegiate rivalries that matter even if both teams stink.

They might matter to the participants, but do they register outside of that? Like the traditional SEC rivalries. I couldn't even tell you what most of them are outside of Bama/Auburn or Bama/LSU -- and certainly the last one because of the stretch where they were both in the top 5/10.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Drake

I mean, you can't really call it a rivalry when they come into your house and beat your ass 90% of the time.

People said about Yankees/Red Sox too but I think that kind of thing can actually make a rivalry more compelling. Because the fans on the losing side can want to get over that hump SO badly compared to it was just a back and forth thing.