The NFL Thread

[boiled leather]

[quote name='awesome possum' post='1750708' date='Apr 9 2009, 11.02']Holt is definitely the guy they need to bring in. Not only does he have at least a year left in his tank, but he would be very beneficial to guys like Hester, Bennett, and whoever they pick up in the draft this year.[/quote]

don't forget Ashlie LeLee and Javon Walker are also avialable.

[Stego]

I'm wondering where the Cutler love is coming from. Fantasy football, maybe?

[awesome possum]

[quote name='boiled leather' post='1750714' date='Apr 9 2009, 10.15']don't forget Ashlie LeLee and Javon Walker are also avialable.[/quote]

Yeah, there are a few decent veterans left out there. Surprised the Bears haven't been knocking on all their doors.

[quote name='Stego' post='1750717' date='Apr 9 2009, 10.17']I'm wondering where the Cutler love is coming from. Fantasy football, maybe?[/quote]

Well, considering the fact that had Cutler been drafted to the Bears and had the same three years there he had with the Broncos he'd already by ranked 7th all time in passing yards and 6th in passing touchdowns, Bears fans have something to be excited about.

He's a good player, but I can just imagine a two or three game stretch where he stinks royally, starts getting booed by Chicago fans and Lovie is forced to talk about benching him... Cutler's reaction will not be pretty.

[Bronn Stone]

[quote name='Simon of Steele' post='1745786' date='Apr 5 2009, 13.13']Not only was Cutler a first rounder (11th overall), but if you redrafted 2006 in retrospect he'd be a top 3 pick.

So Denver traded him away for pick 18 this year, probably a high 20s next year, and a third rounder? The value doesn't add up at all. This is heavily tilted in Chicago's favor.[/quote]

But you also have to factor in the value of the cheap years before players become eligible for free agency. Part of the appeal of those draft picks is that they can be relative bargains.

[Stego]

[quote name='awesome possum' post='1750725' date='Apr 9 2009, 14.21']Well, considering the fact that had Cutler been drafted to the Bears and had the same three years there he had with the Broncos he'd already by ranked 7th all time in passing yards and 6th in passing touchdowns, Bears fans have something to be excited about.[/quote]




Uhh, a QB is not the entire offense. And the entire offense of Denver is far superior to anything Chicago has had in recent memory. And the coaching was far superior. Lovie Smith is not and never could be a Shanahan.

Cutler will be a failure in Chicago.

[Arakasi]

Pretty sure Cutler will do better than Cassel. :P

[Kalbear]

[quote]Uhh, a QB is not the entire offense.[/quote]So losing Brady for a season is fine then? Just checking.

Might not be the whole offense, but it's a big chunk of it.

[quote]And the entire offense of Denver is far superior to anything Chicago has had in recent memory.[/quote]That's true, but how much of that was because we had Sexy Rexy to throw to? I mean, Denver had Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal as the two big receivers. Were these guys anything before Cutler?

You of all folks should understand the value of a QB to a receiver given the Patriots.

[quote]Cutler will be a failure in Chicago.[/quote]It's okay for you to think that. I think that Brady's going to be a failure when he returns to New England. It'll be interesting to see which one of us is right, especially since if I'm wrong I won't be able to post in these threads come playoff time - and if I'm right Rockroi won't.

[Bronn Stone]

[quote name='Stego' post='1750886' date='Apr 9 2009, 13.57']Uhh, a QB is not the entire offense. And the entire offense of Denver is far superior to anything Chicago has had in recent memory. And the coaching was far superior. Lovie Smith is not and never could be a Shanahan.

Cutler will be a failure in Chicago.[/quote]

Shanahan is certainly a great offensive mind. But Lovie Smith has very little responsibility for the offense in Chicago - so it doesn't really matter that much. Smith pretty much defers to Ron Turner. Now Turner isn't even the best offensive coordinator his mother gave birth to, but he's at least average and probably better than that. The Bears don't really need Cutler to carry the team as he did in Denver, but he will at least make Devin Hester a legitimate deep threat and Greg Olsen should thrive. Actually Kansas City and Chicago have similar resources on offense - it will be interesting to see how Cutler compares to Cassel.

[awesome possum]

[quote name='Stego' post='1750886' date='Apr 9 2009, 12.57']Uhh, a QB is not the entire offense. And the entire offense of Denver is far superior to anything Chicago has had in recent memory. And the coaching was far superior. Lovie Smith is not and never could be a Shanahan.

Cutler will be a failure in Chicago.[/quote]

You're wrong. A QB can be the entire offense. He's not always the entire offense, but when the rest of the offense sucks and the QB is good to great, then his play brings the rest of the team up a notch. As Kalbear noted, Tom Brady is the perfect example. Before Moss, Welker and Stallworth showed up two years ago, who exactly were the receivers he was throwing to? He had a great offensive line, but the rest of his offense plain stunk. Edit- I always did like Kevin Faulk, though. He could be dangerous.

And I wasn't comparing Chicago's offense to Denver's, but you can believe what you want. I believe Cutler will improve Chicago's offense. It's not saying much, since there wasn't really an offense outside of Matt Forte's bright spot to begin with. I'll say the chances of Chicago making the playoffs are now greater than many other teams in the NFL.

[Annelise]

I gotta say, I'm just happy they went for it at QB. God knows they can't draft one so I am effin thrilled they went this route. Crossin' my fingers for a ten year QB, gawd what a luxury that would be. I quiver at the thought. I hope Cutler realizes the potential for luv in QB deprived Chicago, haha.

But if not, I still like the strategy and won't fault them for it even if it doesn't work out.

[Space Bandito]

And Brady won a Super Bowl without Moss, Welker, Stallworth. It takes more than one guy.

The Patriots won 11 games without Brady and lost because of their defense. Each year is different and we'll see how that knee is.

A QB the entire offense? Didn't Vick try to do that? You sound like a New Orleans fan after Reggie Bush was drafted. Sorry. It takes a team. Coaches, scouts, Practice Squad players and teammates from your blocking backs to your offensive line. If Cutler works with the coaches and can adjust he will help, along with an easy schedule, but the pressure is on.

As for Cassel doing better than Cutler are we talking Fantasy football stats or winning actual games? I will be cheering for Cassel, but I think it is still too early to tell.

[Kalbear]

[quote]As for Cassel doing better than Cutler are we talking Fantasy football stats or winning actual games? I will be cheering for Cassel, but I think it is still too early to tell.[/quote]Hell, both. The Chiefs don't have a defense that can compete with the Bear's offense, they play in about the same difficulty of a division, and the Bears should have an easier schedule. I'd take Cutler over Cassel to put up better numbers and to win more games overall.

QBs aren't the entire offense, but they're certainly a large chunk. They are the single most impacting position on a football team. Saying that it doesn't matter whether it's Cutler or Orton throwing to the Bears receivers is kind of insane.

[Space Bandito]

Schedules. What do you think of your teams schedule? It all depends on that knee. At Indy again. :( and At Denver again. And Dever is sure to be a circus. I don't think the players are looking forward to London.

Patriots:

[quote]# Sept. 14 (Monday) -- vs. Buffalo (7 p.m., ESPN)
# Sept. 20 – at N.Y. Jets (1 p.m., CBS)
# Sept. 27 – vs. Atlanta (1 p.m., Fox)
# Oct. 4 – vs. Baltimore (1 p.m., CBS)
# Oct. 11 – at Denver (4:15 p.m., CBS)
# Oct. 18 – vs. Tennessee (4:15 p.m., CBS)
# Oct. 25 -- at Buccaneers (in London, 1 p.m.)
# Nov. 1 -- OPEN
# Nov. 8 – vs. Miami (1 p.m., CBS)
# Nov. 15 – at Indianapolis (8:20 p.m., NBC)
# Nov. 22 – vs. N.Y. Jets (4:15 p.m., CBS)*
# Nov. 30 (Monday) – at New Orleans (8:30 p.m., ESPN)
# Dec. 6 – at Miami (8:20 p.m., NBC)*
# Dec. 13 – vs. Carolina (1 p.m., Fox)*
# Dec. 20 – at Buffalo (1 p.m., CBS)*
# Dec. 27 – vs. Jacksonville (1 p.m., CBS)*
# Jan. 3 – at Houston (1 p.m., CBS)*

* subject to flexible scheduling[/quote]

[Kalbear]

Chicago's isn't too bad. Pitt at home is certainly more winnable than Pitt on the road, though Baltimore away is painful. We get Arizona at home too, though Seattle away is painful (though perhaps good for me, since I might actually get to go to a game). Philly at home too, Atlanta away (again?)

It was already going to be a tougher schedule with the AFC North, but having the NFC West and playing a couple key games at home should help a lot. Playing GB at GB as the first week game is awesome, and we get GB at home later on. Same with Minnesota. And then we play Detroit as the last game at Detroit. No more than a two-week road trip at a time, and that's only once (and against Cinci and Arizona). So pretty good. The toughest is the Arizona at home then Thurs at SF. Ouch. At least it's SF :)

[Space Bandito]

Patriots also play Baltimore away. Week 4. Games against the Ravens have had a certain intensity as of late. Be interesting if that continues.

[Slyfinger]

To Jamie L and the Redskin contingent, I proudly present to you, The Cooley Zone!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsWq3lNGqZs&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsWq3lNGqZs...player_embedded[/url]


...and if you've seen this before fuck it, this requires further viewing.

[Maithanet]

[quote name='Slyfinger' post='1756128' date='Apr 15 2009, 14.52']To Jamie L and the Redskin contingent, I proudly present to you, The Cooley Zone!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsWq3lNGqZs&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsWq3lNGqZs...player_embedded[/url]


...and if you've seen this before fuck it, this requires further viewing.[/quote]

Cooley has a strange sense of humor. I saw a video of him talking about how good he is at ultimate frisbee. Being something of an ultimate freak myself, I found this to be AWESOME. Then I saw a clip of the redskins scrimmaging at ultimate and I couldn't stop laughing. They were just so big, and so awkward. I'm sure they could dominate if they put their minds to it (particularly the WR/CBs), but instead it was just hilarious.

Found it.

[url="http://chriscooley47.blogspot.com/2009/04/redskins-nation.html"]http://chriscooley47.blogspot.com/2009/04/...ins-nation.html[/url]

[Trebla]

Is Cooley still posting his penis?

[Maithanet]

[quote name='Trebla' post='1756332' date='Apr 15 2009, 17.31']Is Cooley still posting his penis?[/quote]

Not officially, but I'm pretty sure its still happening. His wife is as naked as you can get on youtube in the video Sly posted.

He's into nudity, and who can blame him?

[Bronn Stone]

Sports Illustrated is reporting that Madden has retired. Mixed feelings on this one. At one time, he was the most insightful broadcaster I saw. Then he got big and dumbed it down for a larger audience. Miss the old Madden who would REALLY break down OL play.

Hope he enjoys his leisure time.