NFL 2017-18 season

[ForthThistle]

Cowboys are the 1st team in NFL history to have a rookie quarterback with 20 TD passes AND a rookie running back with 15 rushing TD

I think they could win the lot.

[Tal]

For Christmas, you've been given a direct line to an NFL franchise. Which team would you speak to and what would you tell them? It needn't be your own team.

Example:

Dear Cleveland Browns,

Lose against Pittsburgh, get the number one pick, but don't draft a quarterback (it's too big a reach). Trade the pick to a team that really needs an elite pass rusher in Miles Garrett, maybe to someone like New Orleans if they trade Sean Payton away, and let Hue Jackson build a franchise. Look at Tennessee: get an offensive line, a corps of run stuffers, some line backer support for Collins and, heck, some people you can coach. Play with Cody Kessler for a year and bide your time, because you're not turning this creaky oil tanker of an organisation around in a season.

[TightEnd]

i'll play

please stop me doing 31 teams


Dear Buffalo Bills

its been 21 years since you won a play-off game and 17 years since you made the play offs. part of that is the Patriots dynasty, part of that is your own ineptitude.

Blow it up in terms of the organisation. This has to start with your GM Doug Whaley, he has fallen out with every head coach he has worked with and is a major part of the dysfunctional environment that exists top to bottom in the club. Recruit a talented (and user friendly) player personnel guru to fill the position. Will McClay of the Cowboys would do.

Your new coach needs to inspire his players and be respected. An end to the empty boasts that are never delivered on. It will be tempting to go for an old school disciplinarian like Tom Coughlin but go a generation younger with a defensive minded coach that is in touch with the players. Maybe Teryl Austin the Lions DC.  Keep Anthony Lynn as OC.

On offense you have most of a good OL, one of the best running backs in the league (with good back ups), an outside playmaker in Watkins and the basis of an above average league offense. You seem to want to part ways with Tyrod Taylor, but this doesn't make too much sense to me. He's a dual threat, you've invested a few years in him and whilst he may or may not be a franchise quarterback your chances of drafting one picking in the middle of the first round are remote. Veteran alternatives are a risk as well.

A couple of 2nd to 4th round draft picks on the right complementary players (wide receiver 2, young tight end, OL depth) here and you are good to go

On defense you need more major surgery. The draft is stuffed full of defensive front seven playmakers, and to win the AFC East you have to stop Brady/Gronk/Blount and Jay Ajayi. Take that first round draft pick and choose the biggest impact maker on defense you can get when its your pick. Stop the run, invest front to back in young talent and most important of all get them playing as a team and for their coach. Get the defense to do what it should have been doing if the game was played on paper.

give it time. currently a perpetual 6-8 win team in a division where the wild card is the most feasible option until New England has to rebuild, give it a couple of drafts with young players in the same system, with patience and let it develop.

[LeKnave]

Dear New England Patriots

Great work lads, keep doing that.

[Tal]

i'll play

please stop me doing 31 teams


Dear Buffalo Bills

its been 21 years since you won a play-off game and 17 years since you made the play offs. part of that is the Patriots dynasty, part of that is your own ineptitude.

Blow it up in terms of the organisation. This has to start with your GM Doug Whaley, he has fallen out with every head coach he has worked with and is a major part of the dysfunctional environment that exists top to bottom in the club. Recruit a talented (and user friendly) player personnel guru to fill the position. Will McClay of the Cowboys would do.

Your new coach needs to inspire his players and be respected. An end to the empty boasts that are never delivered on. It will be tempting to go for an old school disciplinarian like Tom Coughlin but go a generation younger with a defensive minded coach that is in touch with the players. Maybe Teryl Austin the Lions DC.  Keep Anthony Lynn as OC.

On offense you have most of a good OL, one of the best running backs in the league (with good back ups), an outside playmaker in Watkins and the basis of an above average league offense. You seem to want to part ways with Tyrod Taylor, but this doesn't make too much sense to me. He's a dual threat, you've invested a few years in him and whilst he may or may not be a franchise quarterback your chances of drafting one picking in the middle of the first round are remote. Veteran alternatives are a risk as well.

A couple of 2nd to 4th round draft picks on the right complementary players (wide receiver 2, young tight end, OL depth) here and you are good to go

On defense you need more major surgery. The draft is stuffed full of defensive front seven playmakers, and to win the AFC East you have to stop Brady/Gronk/Blount and Jay Ajayi. Take that first round draft pick and choose the biggest impact maker on defense you can get when its your pick. Stop the run, invest front to back in young talent and most important of all get them playing as a team and for their coach. Get the defense to do what it should have been doing if the game was played on paper.

give it time. currently a perpetual 6-8 win team in a division where the wild card is the most feasible option until New England has to rebuild, give it a couple of drafts with young players in the same system, with patience and let it develop.

That all sounds sensible.

Or there could be news stories like this about:

http://thecomeback.com/nfl/marv-levy-91-years-old-would-coach-buffalo-bills-again-if-team-asked-him.html

[arbboy]

Is the late NFL game tonight GB v DET more likely to end in a tie AFTER overtime than normal?  Some punter wants a pony at 150/1 on it on betfair which is usually shorter than the normal price it is.  Will both teams be uninterested in OT potentially if it goes to OT because neither team might have nothing to play for given they go last and know all the other teams results?

[Evilpengwinz]

Is the late NFL game tonight GB v DET more likely to end in a tie AFTER overtime than normal?  Some punter wants a pony at 150/1 on it on betfair which is usually shorter than the normal price it is.  Will both teams be uninterested in OT potentially if it goes to OT because neither team might have nothing to play for given they go last and know all the other teams results?

A bit late, but there was a situation where if the Redskins won and the Packers/Lions game went to OT, the only way that both teams made the playoffs was with a tie, and Washington would be knocked out.

All irrelevant as the Skins lost.

[TightEnd]

who do you like to make it all the way now?

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[TightEnd]

tv schedule for next weekend. +5 hours for us

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[TightEnd]

Here's a list of NFL assistants who could get interest as head coaching candidates.

lots of vacancies this year...

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[arbboy]

Can someone explain why the last second Giants run back TD stood when the ball hit the deck when the guy who threw it after time expired?  It cost me a small fortune on the deriv markets on betfair across various markets.  To say i was fuming was an understatement as it went from the best possible result to the worst result.  I have no idea about the advanced rules in the NFL so i assume the ball was live because it was passed backwards rather than forwards right?

[Tal]

Can someone explain why the last second Giants run back TD stood when the ball hit the deck when the guy who threw it after time expired?  It cost me a small fortune on the deriv markets on betfair across various markets.  To say i was fuming was an understatement as it went from the best possible result to the worst result.  I have no idea about the advanced rules in the NFL so i assume the ball was live because it was passed backwards rather than forwards right?

Right.

Forwards = incomplete pass (dead ball)
Backwards = fumble (live ball)

[arbboy]

Can someone explain why the last second Giants run back TD stood when the ball hit the deck when the guy who threw it after time expired?  It cost me a small fortune on the deriv markets on betfair across various markets.  To say i was fuming was an understatement as it went from the best possible result to the worst result.  I have no idea about the advanced rules in the NFL so i assume the ball was live because it was passed backwards rather than forwards right?

Right.

Forwards = incomplete pass (dead ball)
Backwards = fumble (live ball)

So given the clock had expired when he made the backwards throw and the ball hit the deck when does the game actually finish then?  What has to happen for the game to finish other than a TD?  The defending team tackle a guy with the ball and ground him?  Could it potentially go on for another minute before the game is over if they keep throwing the ball around backwards even though time has expired?

I had laid a punter over 17.5 giants points and gians 7-12 on the winning margin market amongst other smaller bets.  Just catch the ball and kneel you fecker!  No need for the ego TD to kill me!  Happy new year!

[Tal]

Can someone explain why the last second Giants run back TD stood when the ball hit the deck when the guy who threw it after time expired?  It cost me a small fortune on the deriv markets on betfair across various markets.  To say i was fuming was an understatement as it went from the best possible result to the worst result.  I have no idea about the advanced rules in the NFL so i assume the ball was live because it was passed backwards rather than forwards right?

Right.

Forwards = incomplete pass (dead ball)
Backwards = fumble (live ball)

So given the clock had expired when he made the backwards throw and the ball hit the deck when does the game actually finish then?  What has to happen for the game to finish other than a TD?  The defending team tackle a guy with the ball and ground him?  Could it potentially go on for another minute before the game is over if they keep throwing the ball around backwards even though time has expired?

I had laid a punter over 17.5 giants points and gians 7-12 on the winning margin market amongst other smaller bets.  Just catch the ball and kneel you fecker!  No need for the ego TD to kill me!  Happy new year!

Basically yes to all that.  

The ball is still live until a player gets tackled to the ground, takes a knee, the ball goes out of play or is thrown forward and hits the ground. Like in rugby union.

Grim luck, arb. I can empathise, albeit on likely a much smaller scale.

[TightEnd]

what a performance that was

hail mary sixty yards dropped into a bucket

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Packers QB Aaron Rodgers during the 7-game win streak: 167-240 (69.6%), 2029 yards, 19 TDs, 0 INTs, 121.7 rating.

Randall Cobb is the 1st player w/ 100 receiving yds & 3 TD in a postseason game since Rob Gronkowski (2011 Divisional Playoffs vs Broncos)

Click to see full-size image.