NFL News, Rumors and In/Out - Wild Card Weekend

[Phicinfan]

Playoffs are here - games Saturday, Sunday and Monday night

Coaching changes: ATL just fired Arthur Smith, expectations is NE will drop Belichick. Some are thinking Jacksonville and or Philly may drop their HC's due to decline in 2nd half. I don't.

PHI - Jalen Hurts has a finger issue(hit hand on helmet while throwing) some concern he may not be ready for WC game vs. Bucs. AJ Brown left early with knee issue.
TEN - rumors flying this was the last game for Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry in Titans land
DET - Sam LaPorta has hyperextended his knee and a bone bruise after an MRI. May be out a week or more.
DAL/GB - okay who else would LOVE to see ahem LOVE and GB beat Dallas this week?
PIT - T.J. Watt has a grade 2 MCL sprain in his knee - will miss wild card weekend - but no structural damage

 

[Phicinfan]

PHI - Sidney Brown S out with torn ACL

 

[Phicinfan]

Washington has fired Ron Rivera

 

[efactor]

Washington has fired Ron Rivera

Good

 

[Phicinfan]

NYG - expected to keep DC Wink Martindale, and OC Mike Kafka - but firing OL coach Bobby Johnson and ST Coordinator

 

[Phicinfan]

Panthers fire GM Scott Fitterer

 

[efactor]

Panthers fire GM Scott Fitterer

Good again

He should have been fired for the Bryce Young fiasco alone.

I'm sorry, but even casual fans could take a look at Youngs body type and know it would keep him from being elite, which is what you are looking for when you make that kind of trade to move up to #1 overall. Plus CJ Stroud was such an obviously better pick. But wait, Young scored way higher on the Wonderlic test than Stroud

 

[Phicinfan]

Good again

He should have been fired for the Bryce Young fiasco alone.

I'm sorry, but even casual fans could take a look at Youngs body type and know it would keep him from being elite, which is what you are looking for when you make that kind of trade to move up to #1 overall. Plus CJ Stroud was such an obviously better pick. But wait, Young scored way higher on the Wonderlic test than Stroud

Bryce Young was Owner, not GM or HC, per multiple reports. Owner is the next Jerry Jones....

 

[efactor]

Bryce Young was Owner, not GM or HC, per multiple reports. Owner is the next Jerry Jones....

Didn't know that. Guess Tepper won't fire himself.

Remember stating on draft night that Carolina will take Young but should be taking Stroud. Along with 75 percent of football fans probably.

 

[Phicinfan]

Didn't know that. Guess Tepper won't fire himself.

Remember stating on draft night that Carolina will take Young but should be taking Stroud. Along with 75 percent of football fans probably.

To be honest, I was of two minds. I loved what Stroud looked like but as a Ohio State grad, I know what Ohio State QBs look like in NFL.

 

[efactor]

To be honest, I was of two minds. I loved what Stroud looked like but as a Ohio State grad, I know what Ohio State QBs look like in NFL.

Have to say that downgrading a player at draft time because others from that program have failed is one of my pet peeves

The fact that Justin Fields hasn't thrived in the NFL shouldn't reflect on Stroud (example). Just like Wisconsin RBs haven't been great pro's shouldn't reflect on Jonathan Taylor. Granted, teams like Ohio State with the amazing receivers they have gives a QB a pathway to great college success, BUT an NFL front office should be able to see beyond that. Don't watch much college football. Pretty much only the championship game, but one look at Bryce Young threw up a giant red flag that he was too "slight" for the NFL game. I would think that people who are paid to know this stuff inside and out could see that.

Just saying

 

[Phicinfan]

Have to say that downgrading a player at draft time because others from that program have failed is one of my pet peeves

The fact that Justin Fields hasn't thrived in the NFL shouldn't reflect on Stroud (example). Just like Wisconsin RBs haven't been great pro's shouldn't reflect on Jonathan Taylor. Granted, teams like Ohio State with the amazing receivers they have gives a QB a pathway to great college success, BUT an NFL front office should be able to see beyond that. Don't watch much college football. Pretty much only the championship game, but one look at Bryce Young threw up a giant red flag that he was too "slight" for the NFL game. I would think that people who are paid to know this stuff inside and out could see that.

Just saying

its not just Fields. I will add Fields isn't a Fields issue IMO, its his terrible coaching and offensive line.

 

[Phicinfan]

Ohio State QBs suck usually

 

[efactor]

Ohio State QBs suck usually

So do Alabama QBs for the most part, since the 1960s anyway.

-Hurts was good in 2022, but that could be an outlier year. Their 10-1 start covered up the fact that he was playing well below 2022 levels and the last 6 weeks have been really bad. Can't blame lack of weapons or a weak OL either.

-Tua is really good against bad teams, but not so much against good teams. Plus, take away Tyreek and he is quite average at best.

-Mac Jones looks like a bust

Alabama has had amazing WRs as well that make their QBs look better than they really are.

 

[efactor]

After watching the Bills/Dolphins last night, I found this interesting:

Gabe Davis: 45 catches on 81 targets. 16.7 yards per reception

Khalil Shakir: 39 catches on just 45 targets. 15.7 yards per reception

Shakir still makes plays downfield but catches a much higher percentage of his targets. For you analytic types, I found this interesting:


Next Gen Stats
Khalil Shakir caught all 6 of his targets for 105 yards in Week 18, recording a career-high +1.5 receptions over expected.

Shakir has caught a league-high +14.3% of his targets over expected this season (min. 40 targets).

Started paying attention to watching his routes and he is really smooth out of his breaks, getting good separation. Davis is probably gone next year as someone will give him a decent contract and the Bills won't pay up. Shakir is someone to start stashing on your dynasty teams if available or aquire on the cheap if not.

 

[Remote Controller]

DAL/GB - okay who else would LOVE to see ahem LOVE and GB beat Dallas this week?

....and they often do in this situation.

 

[Remote Controller]

The lions need to sign Ertz and let Laporta heal another week.

 

[MongerKhan]

The Jaguars have fired defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and his staff.

 

[MongerKhan]

Giants and DC Don “Wink” Martindale are parting ways.

He resigned.

 

[MongerKhan]

Garrett Wilson is switching from #17 to #5.

Opening up number 17 for…. Davante Adams?