NFL 2017: Less Than Burfict

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

1 minute ago, Week said:

What should he be doing? He's been doing interviews, running "Know your rights" camps, etc. Presumably, he is also staying in shape for the possibility of a team choosing to sign a new quarterback that has had success in the NFL (as opposed to the many signings of awful QBs over the last couple months). You do him a disservice by saying he's been doing nothing. I want to say he's in a catch-22 where he can do something and get criticized or do nothing and get criticized -- but I think it's more being outspoken and black in America than it is a catch-22 (not speaking directly to your criticism here ME -- but the broader pushback that I'm hearing/reading).

Maybe I haven't been paying enough attention I guess, but he's been damn near invisible during most of this. Seems to me that various news agencies (particularly CNN and MSNBC) would be beating down his door for interviews, but I haven't seen anything high-profile. 

You're right in that "nothing" is probably harsh. Not nearly as much as he could be doing given the level of coverage given this whole shitstorm, perhaps? Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of this protest. I think he hit on something really simple and brilliant when he started doing it. It just seems like he's kind of abandoned his platform when the spotlight has been brightest, you know?

[Maithanet]

Every NFL season is depressing in its own way, but this season the injuries in Washington have been beyond anything I've ever experienced as a fan.  This goes double because most of these injuries happened in three games in the past month.  At the moment, we aren't able to field a real NFL team.  The games go on, but there's no real point in watching them.  Which is really particularly disappointing because in the first month of the season, this team looked really solid and poised to overachieve. However, our losses include:

O line:  All 5 starters have missed time, and four are out (Williams, Long, Scherff, Lavauo) along with both backup tackles.

D line:  3 starters are out (Allen, Ionnaidis, Taylor)

Secondary:  Every member of the secondary has missed time, but most are in and out.  Nobody has any idea who is available from week to week.  Twice this season we have had every defensive back still capable of playing on the field, and been one injury away from moving a linebacker or WR to safety. 

Tight End:  Reed and Paul are out.

Offensive skill positions and linebacker have both lost guys for the season, but it is relatively minor compared to the rest.  Our kicker is also out.

 

I know that nobody wants to hear about bitching about injuries, but it's really hard to get motivated to watch second stringers lose football games.  It feels like the excitement that I felt in the first few weeks of the season was being sold a false bill of goods.  That team could have been really good, if they put it together for a full season.  But they never will, because that team no longer exists. 

[Kalbear]

Yeah, well, the bears have John Fox and Trubisky, so your argument is invalid

[Bronn Stone]

2 minutes ago, Kalbear said:

Yeah, well, the bears have John Fox and Trubisky, so your argument is invalid

On the much better news front, it appears Zach Miller will keep his leg.  That's a genuine good bit of news.

[Jace, Extat]

17 minutes ago, Bronn Stone said:

On the much better news front, it appears Zach Miller will keep his leg.  That's a genuine good bit of news.

Yeah, some sick shit.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

1 hour ago, Kalbear said:

Yeah, well, the bears have John Fox and Trubisky, so your argument is invalid

Are you suggesting that there's something wrong with averaging 9 completions on 20 attempts for 128 yards in your first four starts?

Especially when there was someone taken a few spots after you who put up twice as many TDs in a single game than he's had for the entire season? 

[Kalbear]

2 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Are you suggesting that there's something wrong with averaging 9 completions on 20 attempts for 128 yards in your first four starts?

Especially when there was someone taken a few spots after you who put up twice as many TDs in a single game than he's had for the entire season? 

If it's good enough for the 1970s it's good enough for me

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

1 hour ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

Maybe I haven't been paying enough attention I guess, but he's been damn near invisible during most of this. Seems to me that various news agencies (particularly CNN and MSNBC) would be beating down his door for interviews, but I haven't seen anything high-profile. 

You're right in that "nothing" is probably harsh. Not nearly as much as he could be doing given the level of coverage given this whole shitstorm, perhaps? Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of this protest. I think he hit on something really simple and brilliant when he started doing it. It just seems like he's kind of abandoned his platform when the spotlight has been brightest, you know?

As Week said he's actually been doing a lot of positive things. I think he's left the spot light for two reasons, (i) to better improve his chances of getting another job (I think that ship has sailed though) and (ii) to not distract away from the message any more than it already has been. 

20 years from now, Kaep will be seen as a martyr of sorts.  

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

6 minutes ago, Kalbear said:

If it's good enough for the 1970s it's good enough for me

Admit it Kal, there's a tiny part of your heart that can't kick football! 

[Kalbear]

Just now, Tywin et al. said:

Admit it Kal, there's a tiny part of your heart that can't kick football! 

Oh, it's more than a small part. At the same time, it's interesting to me how much info and highlights I get from simply not watching the games at all. Not watching the games is basically like having red zone all the time, and relying on everyone else to tell me what is good, and it basically works. 

And of all of that, the only highlights I've ever seen of the Bears were the two return TDs that they got a week back vs. the Panthers. Doesn't seem like I'm missing that much. 

[sperry]

Trubisky started one year of college. He was always going to be a project, it's not really fair to criticize him now for not being ready to light the NFL up from day one (especially when you consider that he has no NFL receivers on his roster).  Given how good Watson is, it's obviously very unlikely that ole Mitch ends up the better of the two, but writing him off from being a potential quality quarterback now would be foolish.

[Kalbear]

2 minutes ago, sperry said:

Trubisky started one year of college. He was always going to be a project, it's not really fair to criticize him now for not being ready to light the NFL up from day one (especially when you consider that he has no NFL receivers on his roster).  Given how good Watson is, it's obviously very unlikely that ole Mitch ends up the better of the two, but writing him off from being a potential quality quarterback now would be foolish.

Wait, did Trubisky go to Oklahoma?

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Fair enough Kal.

5 minutes ago, sperry said:

Trubisky started one year of college. He was always going to be a project, it's not really fair to criticize him now for not being ready to light the NFL up from day one (especially when you consider that he has no NFL receivers on his roster).  Given how good Watson is, it's obviously very unlikely that ole Mitch ends up the better of the two, but writing him off from being a potential quality quarterback now would be foolish.

I'm not writing him off. He looks good physically, but he can't read a defense to save his life. Anyways, the point is you don't trade a big package to move up and grab a guy who is a project that might flame out when you could've stayed put and gotten a better prospect. 

[sperry]

2 minutes ago, Kalbear said:

Wait, did Trubisky go to Oklahoma?

 

Just wait til Baker Mayfield is in the NFL next year  

[DanteGabriel]

6 hours ago, sperry said:

 I am starting to think the protests are becoming counterproductive. All they seem to do at this point is rally Trump's base of bitter, mediocre conservative white people. I think one last, big gesture where everyone kneels and then they say screw y'all we're done with this on our own terms would be the best.

I'm torn. It's hard not to be frustrated at the way the fragile numpty crowd has twisted this to be somehow anti-military. It's the most pernicious sort of chickenhawkery. The fact that Kaepernick's consultation with Nate Boyer on the protest gets left out. So I do see some counter-productivity there. It's so hard to fight the lazy narrative. The reactionary forces of American culture, for all that the complain about being mistreated by the media, sure are good at framing a narrative.

On the other hand, the players leading this movement seem to be operating pretty intelligently, so I'm not going to argue if they think it still serves its purpose. I just hope they can start to get their concerns properly heard over the wailing and moaning from America's most fragile morons.

More to the point, I think the people really upset over this were never going to be reached. They were never going to acknowledge the injustice of the criminal justice system. And the events of the past year have led me to abandon the notion of trying to find some common ground with these stupid motherfuckers. I'm tired of warping our democracy around their ignorance and overweening privilege and shitty entitlement.

 

[Jace, Extat]

Seattle acquires LT Duane Brown from the Texans.

Brown recently returned from a lengthy holdout just in time to lock horns with the Texans owner after a nonsensical and confused idiom raised questions about whether the billionaire is a piece of shit and probably a rapist.

Anyway, should be great for the Seattles.

[Rhom]

Niners acquire Handsome Jim for a second round pick

 

Gonna need time to process this one.

[Rhom]

My initial thoughts are this:

On the one hand there is the near certainty that Belicick will trade the second rounder for three fourth rounders who will all be hall of famers.

There is also the atrocious history of Tom Brady back-ups (which the Niners already have one of).

On the other hand, there is C.J. Beatherd and the mediocre play of the supposed golden class of college QBs.

I think this is likely the best play Shanny/Lynch can make.

[Week]

25 minutes ago, Rhom said:

Niners acquire Handsome Jim for a second round pick

 

Gonna need time to process this one.

Beat me to it. Damn.

I wonder how long it will be until he starts over Beathard.

As a Pats fan -- this makes me concerned after the number of hits Brady has taken this year as well as the succession plan. I was really hoping for another Owl appearance, win, and then retire into the sunset and then let Jimmy take over (I realize that is an obnoxious and ridiculous hope). It may be they think they have a QB-heavy class coming in and need the Brady-bridge QB to be ready to go in 3-4 years instead of next year.

I think Jimmy is going to be good with Shananhan.

 

eta- Per some comments I've read, I would LOVE for the Patriots to sign Kaep and the figure out how to listen to WEEI. Their heads would explode.

[Week]

Awful interception by Hill. That is just asking to let the Broncos get back into a game where they have been terrible.

eta- Other theory -- Hoyer signs with the Patriots. He's clearly limited -- can the Pats make him moderately useful with a quick passing scheme? Seems unlikely he'd be any good -- I see that signing happening though.