NFL 2022-23 Season Thread

[Thomkal]

Started a new thread since we are getting close to the season starting. (And because I want to stop talking/seeing Murray's contract clause )

[Kodos]

Murray's contract stipulates that we must post about his lack of studying time for a minimum of one hour per day.

[flere-imsaho]

I'm reposting this from the end of the other thread because I really liked it:

[flere-imsaho]

Article about the City of Chicago's "too little, too late" attempt to convince the Bears to stay at Soldier Field as opposed to moving to the site of the old Arlington Race Track: In the modern NFL, $2.2bn won’t stop the Chicago Bears’ flight to the suburbs | Chicago Bears | The Guardian


I'm not sure I agree with this:

For Chicago residents, it presents logistical challenges as well. The Bears’ proposed new home is 30 miles from Soldier Field in Arlington Heights, near O’Hare airport. It may only be 26 miles from downtown, but as anyone who has braved the perennially clogged I-90 can attest, the ride is often over an hour. But, perhaps crucially, the new location presents a goldmine of financial opportunity for Bears ownership, who do not own the area around Soldier Field.

I have a suspicion that a majority of Bears fans who actually attend the games live in the suburbs. And anyway, the site already has a Metra stop.


Of course, there's bad news for Bears fans:

The McCaskey Halas family, the owners of the Bears, aren’t exactly known for their deep pockets, so a full privately funded stadium a la Stan Kroenke’s SoFi kingdom in Los Angeles seems unlikely. However, if the residents of Arlington Heights help the Bears join the ranks of NFL teams that have incorporated some semblance of public funding (only SoFi, Gillette Stadium, and MetLife Stadium are privately funded), the McCaskeys will be teeming with options for the land they own around the stadium. From naming rights to concerts to major international sporting events to luxurious stadium amenities with equally luxurious price tags to hotels and anything else they care to add to their megaplex, the possibilities are endless.

There goes any hope of the McCaskeys selling the team because they need the money and possibly it going to owners who know what they're doing. Sorry, Bears fans.

[stevew]

I’m not ready to write off the Bucs but an injury to a Center(Jansen) typically seems to be a big problem.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Murray's contract stipulates that we must post about his lack of studying time for a minimum of one hour per day.

<---tears up contract

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Murray's contract stipulates that we must post about his lack of studying time for a minimum of one hour per day.

Crap, I am not going to collect my performance incentive for the day

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Started a new thread since we are getting close to the season starting. (And because I want to stop talking/seeing Murray's contract clause )

It's not going to be that easy

I do wonder if booth announcers are going to be given orders from the NFL to avoid commenting? I hope not. In the end it will "die on it's own" if he performs but..
if he doesn't, I think it's still fair game.

[Drake]

Gardner Minshew living in a van this offseason is already my favorite story of the 2022-2023 season.

Philadelphia Eagles' Gardner Minshew spent offseason in old prison bus, focused on 'Super Bowl or bust' - Philadelphia Eagles Blog- ESPN

[NobodyHere]

Was it down by the river?

[miked]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

Article about the City of Chicago's "too little, too late" attempt to convince the Bears to stay at Soldier Field as opposed to moving to the site of the old Arlington Race Track: In the modern NFL, $2.2bn won’t stop the Chicago Bears’ flight to the suburbs | Chicago Bears | The Guardian


I'm not sure I agree with this:



I have a suspicion that a majority of Bears fans who actually attend the games live in the suburbs. And anyway, the site already has a Metra stop.


Of course, there's bad news for Bears fans:



There goes any hope of the McCaskeys selling the team because they need the money and possibly it going to owners who know what they're doing. Sorry, Bears fans.

Same thing happened with the Braves, everyone thought it would be terrible (and the traffic usually is), but their attendance is way up (may be due to performance too).

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Drake

Gardner Minshew living in a van this offseason is already my favorite story of the 2022-2023 season.

Philadelphia Eagles' Gardner Minshew spent offseason in old prison bus, focused on 'Super Bowl or bust' - Philadelphia Eagles Blog- ESPN

He just took the torch from Fitzpatrick and ran with it.

[NobodyHere]

Yeah these helmets look goofy:



But let's hope they do the job of reducing the risk of getting a concussion.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

He just took the torch from Fitzpatrick and ran with it.

If I had any kids with even a modicum of musical talent, I'd be begging them start a punk band called Gardner Mishew's Mustache.

[NobodyHere]

The Deshaun Watson decision should be announced in about 20 minutes and the NFLPA has said they will not appeal it whereas the NFL hasn't said anything.

I would have to think that the decision will be favorable to Watson.

I'm guessing half a season and maybe some fines.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

The Deshaun Watson decision should be announced in about 20 minutes and NFLPA has said they will not appeal it whereas the NFL hasn't said anything.

I would have to think that the decision will be favorable to Watson.

6 games. NFLPA definitely had a good read on the situation (some judges will pretty much let you know which way they are leaning by their comments during the hearing) and (rightly) decided it was worth the risk of preemptively saying that they weren't going to appeal.

Now the NFL will see how much PR blowback this gets (if any) before deciding whether to appeal or not. My guess is that the NFL just wants this out of the news, so they will lean toward not appealing (and keeping the case alive) unless there is a huge public backlash to the decision.

[JPhillips]

And hoping that the Browns don't end up in the Super Bowl.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

And hoping that the Browns don't end up in the Super Bowl.

The NFL has ways to prevent that

[bhlloy]

So about .275 of a game for each sexual assault lawsuit, I'm glad we've settled on the going rate for that so players know what to expect in the future.

I'm disgusted but I don't know what else I was expecting. Winning trumps basic human decency in pro sports again.

[NobodyHere]

Can I bring up that someone is innocent proven guilty? Also can I bring up that the state of Texas couldn't even INDICT a black man in this case?

[bhlloy]

He’s not innocent of violating the NFL personal conduct policy though. They just decided on a desultory suspension. If he’s innocent in their eyes he would have got nothing.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

He’s not innocent of violating the NFL personal conduct policy though. They just decided on a desultory suspension. If he’s innocent in their eyes he would have got nothing.

This. Based on the procedure, Watson did something that violated the personal conduct policy. Tom Brady got suspended for violating the NFL policy on the integrity of the game. We just have to wait and see what part of the conduct policy he violated. Well that is if we ever get to see the report.

[miami_fan]

The report has been released.

https://www.espn.com/pdf/2022/0801/watson.pdf

I agree with the conclusion while I dislike the decision.

From the report.

The NFL may be a “forward-facing” organization, but it is not necessarily a forward-looking one. Just as the NFL responded to violent conduct after a public outcry, so it seems the NFL is responding to yet another public outcry about Mr. Watson’s conduct. At least in the former situation, the Policy was changed and applied proactively. Here, the NFL is attempting to impose a more dramatic shift in its culture without the benefit of fair notice to - and consistency of consequence for - those in the NFL subject to the Policy.51

That 51 at the end is for a footnote which is relevant.

I note in this regard that the Policy is equally applicable to players and team owners and management. The NFLPA questions whether it is “fair and consistent” to severely punish Mr. Watson for his non-violent sexual
conduct and not even charge various team owners who have been accused of similar or worse conduct. NFLPA brief at 12-14.

I can't really argue that point at all.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I can't really argue that point at all.

I sure can.. Consent is an integral part of "non-violent sexual conduct"

[miami_fan]

The NFLPA is saying that the NFL did not charge team management or team owners whose alleged actions also occurred without consent.

[SirFozzie]

Hooboy, the Browns statement is going to make it WORSE.

"We respect Judge Robinson's decision, and at the same time, empathize and understand that there have been many individuals triggered throughout this process."

[BYU 14]

Phrasing guys, phrasing. Apparently they don't want to tarnish the Brown image be releasing a sensible, compassionate statement though.

[JPhillips]

What owner has been charged with this sort of non-consensual sexual misconduct? That's the difference and that's what should lead to a stiffer penalty. He came on some women's arm without her consent. He's lucky he isn't in jail.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

What owner has been charged with this sort of non-consensual sexual misconduct? That's the difference and that's what should lead to a stiffer penalty. He came on some women's arm without her consent. He's lucky he isn't in jail.

That's the point. The NFL has not charged the owners with anything like this despite the allegations that are out there. We know the owners and members of management who allegedly have done some creepy stuff that may or may not rise to the level or above what Watson did. Hell wasn't there a guy that worked for the Cowboys who was taking pictures up the dress of Jerry's daughter in the draft room?

The arbiter made it clear that "Mr. Watson’s pattern of conduct is more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL." I agree with her. The problem is the NFL showed no interest in taking this violation of its policy seriously in the past or not at all in the case of ownership and management.

I am not defending Watson at all. As much as I hate that this is the punishment and would have no problem with a punishment similar to what Calvin Ridley got, Watson's punishment is more than line with where the NFL stands on "non-violent sexual assault" violations.

[Solecismic]

The hammer is coming down on Stephen Ross and the Dolphins over the tampering accusations, which are separate from the tanking accusations. Early reports are next year's first-round pick, a third-rounder in 2024, and a suspension for Ross.

[miami_fan]

NFL strips Miami Dolphins of 2023 first-round pick, fines Stephen Ross $1.5M for tampering with Tom Brady, Sean Payton

So Ross was absolutely serious when he was tampering with Tom Brady. He was absolutely serious when tampering with Sean Payton. He was absolutely serious when he said that the 2020 draft should take priority over the team's win loss record. But when he offered $100,000 to Flores to lose games, he was joking?

Okay.

[stevew]

Yikes on the punishment.

[NobodyHere]

Shocked that Tom Brady would be involved in shady activity.


Shocked I tellz ya.

[Solecismic]

Originally Posted by Drake

Gardner Minshew living in a van this offseason is already my favorite story of the 2022-2023 season.

Philadelphia Eagles' Gardner Minshew spent offseason in old prison bus, focused on 'Super Bowl or bust' - Philadelphia Eagles Blog- ESPN

Someone took the Peter Gent novels a little too seriously when he was in high school. I wonder if this is genuine or he's trying to create a character. The hammer/hand story doesn't make a lot of sense and it's not like there are witnesses.

Though Minshew fits the exact model of someone who, so far, looks like he should be able to enjoy a long career as a backup quarterback. Put him in a difficult situation and he'll win close to half of his games.

[Ksyrup]

I'm sure this must be a deflating development for the Dolphins.

[Kodos]

Brady hands the Dolphins yet another defeat.

The Dolphins need a new owner. Ross sucks.

[Ksyrup]

Broncos receiving corp has been unlucky with injury. Now, Tim Patrick with what looks to be a serious knee injury.

[miami_fan]

Is this the point where I am supposed to say that every owner in the NFL and maybe in all sports does this same thing that Stephen Ross did all the time, and fans are delusional if they think otherwise, and the NFL has a vendetta out for Stephen Ross and the Dolphins because is "woke"/a Trump supporter?

I don't believe any of that but I have already seen those things posted on some of the fan sites. Maybe I am just naive.

[Kodos]

Sounds like what Patriots fans usually say.

[Ksyrup]

Tim Patrick done with an ACL. Also a backup RB with an ACL. Productive day for the Broncos.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Is this the point where I am supposed to say that every owner in the NFL and maybe in all sports does this same thing that Stephen Ross did all the time, and fans are delusional if they think otherwise, and the NFL has a vendetta out for Stephen Ross and the Dolphins because is "woke"/a Trump supporter?

I don't believe any of that but I have already seen those things posted on some of the fan sites. Maybe I am just naive.

Mike Brown isn't doing this.

[bhlloy]

Now the conspiracy theory that the NFL dumped this to make the Watson news cycle much shorter I can absolutely get behind. Goodell knows what he’s doing.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Tim Patrick done with an ACL. Also a backup RB with an ACL. Productive day for the Broncos.

oof that sucks, sorry Broncos fans

[Jon]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Now the conspiracy theory that the NFL dumped this to make the Watson news cycle much shorter I can absolutely get behind. Goodell knows what he’s doing.

I think it's more the other way around. Slip the Dolphin punishment (which was really about the tanking not the tampering, let's be honest hear) during the Watson news makes the Dolphin thing last less in the news. The Watson story isn't going away, especially since the NFL has time to appeal to Goodell.

[Thomkal]

And the Kyler Murray era starts with...COVID. SEA's head coach Carroll has it too.

[SirFozzie]

So, Goodell is appealing the judgement.. he hasn't decided that whom shall handle it, but he could hand it to the most impartial person he knows.. himself

[NobodyHere]

It makes you wonder what the whole point of the judge giving her decision was.

[SirFozzie]

The important part is that she found against Watson. (the equivalent of "He's Guilty"). If she hadn't, Goodell couldn't appeal it. But the LEVEL of the punishment is able to be appealed to the NFL-appointed decider.

[Swaggs]

Oddly fair-seeming deal for Steelers' WR Diontae Johnson:Sources - Pittsburgh Steelers, hold-in WR Diontae Johnson agree to two-year contract extension

I'm glad they didn't back up the truck and give him this much long-term, but two extra years while their (hopeful) QB of the future is on his first deal seems doable. He wins by still being young for the next one and Steelers win for not being hitched to a guy who is not quite a 1, but reasonable starting WR.

[albionmoonlight]

Various New Orleans reporters starting to leak that Sean Payton was 100% planning to go to Miami and had already started recruiting assistant coaches to come with him.

He seems like he really is the contemporary Parcells. At any given time, a top 5 coach in the league, but also sees his binding employment contract as more of a suggestion.

(Still won't stop Jerry Jones from making him the highest paid coach in history next year)