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Author Topic: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread  (Read 583285 times)

jesmu84

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #275 on: August 18, 2014, 12:16:13 PM »
Bears fans are the only ones talking about the talent at the skill positions.  There are articles out there from analysts saying the bears feature the best WR duo in the league. So let's not paint it as coming just from a bunch if biased meatballs.

brandx

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #276 on: August 18, 2014, 12:39:21 PM »
Better skill players, with an upper middle of the pack QB will do well with a solid o-line.

Is the Bears o-line solid? 

Not according to rankings, but we'll see. Generally ranked in bottom third in the league.

Spotcheck Billy

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #277 on: August 18, 2014, 01:37:54 PM »
From ESPN:

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The #NFLRank project launched on Monday in which ESPN ranks the top 100 players on offense and defense, and Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler checked in at No. 93.

In the grouping of players ranked from Nos. 91 through 100, Cutler was the lone quarterback, ranked one spot above Minnesota offensive tackle Matt Kalil, and one slot below Cincinnati offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, and two places below Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray. Interestingly, Cutler's ranking likely means multiple Chicago Bears offensive players register higher rankings than the quarterback.

None of Chicago’s defenders were ranked 91 through 100.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Cutler comes off a season in which he put together his best total QBR (66.4) over five seasons with the Bears. Cutler’s 92.5 total QBR in the fourth quarter ranked as No. 1 in the NFL.

Bears fans probably won’t be pleased with Cutler’s ranking, but from this vantage point, the quarterback’s place is just about right. The truth is it’s probably better for Cutler to fly under the radar than to go into the season overhyped anyway.

Based on what we’ve seen from Cutler so far this preseason (123.3 passer rating and a completion percentage of 72.7), he figures to take a major step forward operating in Year 2 of Marc Trestman’s system.

That should mean more victories in 2014, and naturally a better ranking going into the 2015 season.

brandx

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #278 on: August 18, 2014, 02:12:37 PM »
From ESPN:


In the grouping of players ranked from Nos. 91 through 100, Cutler was the lone quarterback, ranked one spot above Minnesota offensive tackle Matt Kalil, and one slot below Cincinnati offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, and two places below Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray. Interestingly, Cutler's ranking likely means multiple Chicago Bears offensive players register higher rankings than the quarterback.


A simple guess would be the two WRs, Forte and maybe Bushrod.

jesmu84

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #279 on: August 18, 2014, 02:33:13 PM »
Not according to rankings, but we'll see. Generally ranked in bottom third in the league.

They had a solid, not-great, year last year. Battling a few injuries already this season. Let's hope.

wadesworld

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #280 on: August 22, 2014, 10:37:53 PM »
I understand that it's just the preseason but man all those weapons are really making this Bears offense look scary good in week 3 of the preseason tonight...
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DegenerateDish

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #281 on: August 22, 2014, 10:48:43 PM »
I don't know about scary good, but I agree with Wades that the offense has looked good at times tonight.

jesmu84

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #282 on: August 22, 2014, 11:55:42 PM »
I don't know about scary good, but I agree with Wades that the offense has looked good at times tonight.

I am 99.9% sure he was being sarcastic.

DegenerateDish

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #283 on: August 23, 2014, 12:10:32 AM »
I am 99.9% sure he was being sarcastic.

Oh I know.

The post made no sense from the get go. If wades doesn't feel that Marshall, Jeffrey, Forte are any good as a skill position group, I don't know how to educate against it.

wadesworld

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #284 on: August 23, 2014, 12:22:09 AM »
Oh I know.

The post made no sense from the get go. If wades doesn't feel that Marshall, Jeffrey, Forte are any good as a skill position group, I don't know how to educate against it.

Didn't say they weren't good. 0 points in a half isn't very good no matter how you want to spin it though.
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DegenerateDish

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #285 on: August 23, 2014, 01:18:21 AM »
Didn't say they weren't good. 0 points in a half isn't very good no matter how you want to spin it though.

If they didn't move the ball down the field, then I'd be worried.

45% pass completion at home, against the worst team in football this upcoming season...ain't very good. Yet, I'm not worried about Rodgers.

How cute.

GGGG

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #286 on: August 23, 2014, 07:23:38 AM »
If they didn't move the ball down the field, then I'd be worried.

45% pass completion at home, against the worst team in football this upcoming season...ain't very good. Yet, I'm not worried about Rodgers.

How cute.


Not just that, but the Raiders handed the Packers a touchdown with Raider-esque penalties.  Obviously the Packers offense was IMO hiding some things.  The WRs ran pretty simple routes on base plays.  But pre season is a terrible predictor for the regular season.

tower912

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #287 on: August 23, 2014, 07:26:26 AM »

  But pre season is a terrible predictor for the regular season.

The year Detroit went 0-16, they went 4-0 in the preseason.   So....yeah. 
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It is better to be fearless and cheerful than cheerless and fearful.

wadesworld

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #288 on: August 23, 2014, 09:47:13 AM »
If they didn't move the ball down the field, then I'd be worried.

45% pass completion at home, against the worst team in football this upcoming season...ain't very good. Yet, I'm not worried about Rodgers.

How cute.

This coming from the guy who said after the Texans first preseason game that while you can't take much away from a preseason game, there might be something wrong with the Texans after losing 32-0. 31-0 at half time with the starters playing for both sides would seem to be a worse and more worrisome showing than a preseason week 1 32-0 loss.

I would put a lot of money on the Raiders not being the worst team in football.
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DegenerateDish

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #289 on: August 23, 2014, 11:58:59 AM »
Wades, you're constantly wrong with your football arguments, but gotta give you some credit that you stick to your guns, no matter how silly you sound.

Context is a valuable tool my friend.

Preseason absolutely matters. The Bears defense and special teams being awful last season, and still awful now in the preseason...that matters big time. Your entire ridiculous post about the Bears scary offensive weapons not looking good, how exactly did they not look good last night? Jeffrey dropped a pass, I agree that wasn't good. Marshall and Jeffrey combined otherwise had 8 catches for 82 yards in a half of football. Forte ran 3 times for 17 yds (5.7 avg). That's your entire point right there.

The Texans, with a new head coach, offensive minded, with the benefit of added OTA's (because of the new coaching staff), looking like an incompetent offense...that matters.

Please humor me and tell me who the worst team in football will be this year. Lay some money down, and post your wager ticket on here too. I put $20 already that Dennis Allen will be the first coach fired. I'm sure you're right though, with the additions of Matt Schaub, MJD, losing their two best players, playing the NFC West, AFC West, Patriots, losing a home game to play the Fins in London...I'm sure the Raiders will be just fine.

GGGG

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #290 on: August 23, 2014, 12:11:12 PM »
Looks like BJ Raji has a torn bicep.  Ugh.

He really f*cked up not taking that contract extension the Packers offered him last fall.

jesmu84

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #291 on: August 23, 2014, 12:27:19 PM »
This coming from the guy who said after the Texans first preseason game that while you can't take much away from a preseason game, there might be something wrong with the Texans after losing 32-0. 31-0 at half time with the starters playing for both sides would seem to be a worse and more worrisome showing than a preseason week 1 32-0 loss.

I would put a lot of money on the Raiders not being the worst team in football.

The troll game is strong with this one.

wadesworld

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #292 on: August 23, 2014, 12:47:05 PM »
Wades, you're constantly wrong with your football arguments, but gotta give you some credit that you stick to your guns, no matter how silly you sound.

Context is a valuable tool my friend.

Preseason absolutely matters. The Bears defense and special teams being awful last season, and still awful now in the preseason...that matters big time. Your entire ridiculous post about the Bears scary offensive weapons not looking good, how exactly did they not look good last night? Jeffrey dropped a pass, I agree that wasn't good. Marshall and Jeffrey combined otherwise had 8 catches for 82 yards in a half of football. Forte ran 3 times for 17 yds (5.7 avg). That's your entire point right there.

The Texans, with a new head coach, offensive minded, with the benefit of added OTA's (because of the new coaching staff), looking like an incompetent offense...that matters.

Please humor me and tell me who the worst team in football will be this year. Lay some money down, and post your wager ticket on here too. I put $20 already that Dennis Allen will be the first coach fired. I'm sure you're right though, with the additions of Matt Schaub, MJD, losing their two best players, playing the NFC West, AFC West, Patriots, losing a home game to play the Fins in London...I'm sure the Raiders will be just fine.

I prefer points on the board.  It's preseason though, so Jay Cutler throwing an interception in the red zone is no big deal.  Just drive the ball down the field in the preseason and that's good enough, Jay will fix the turnovers in the regular season, he's never had problems with red zone turnovers or anything...

The point is that you need a good quarterback in this league.  Someone who values the football.  When you have an average quarterback who turns the ball over a lot, especially in the red zone, you can put all the weapons in the world around him and the best you'll do is maybe win 1 playoff game in 7 years as a starter (like Jay Cutler).  If Jay valued the football, maybe I'd be slightly worry about what the Bears could do offensively.  As it is, well, I'll let Chuck Woodson put it into words:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU9Ke3uFP8w

"It's the same old Jay.  Jay will throw us the ball.  He'll throw the ball to the defense."  Until he proves otherwise (not holding my breath), I'll continue to look forward to playing the Bears with Jay under center, regardless of whether the skill position players are as good as they come or as bad as they were when Rex Grossman was leading them to a Super Bowl appearance.

The Texans lose 32-0 week 1 of the preseason and win 32-7 week 2.  I don't think the first week was a sign of how screwed the Texans are, and I don't think the 2nd week was a sign of how great the Texans are.  Sure, you can see some things in the preseason.  But I'm not ready to say, "Well, every drive we've had Eddy Lacy in the backfield for we've gone 3 minutes and a touchdown" and conclude we're the best offense in the history of football.  So I'll poke a little fun at a 31-0 drought for the Bears starters last night.

If I'm putting money on 1 team as the worst in the league I'd say Jacksonville.  Other teams that I think may be worse than the Raiders would be Cleveland, Buffalo, and Tampa.  Houston would be in there but I think they get a couple wins in the awful (outside of Indianapolis, but in my opinion I'd take my chances with them over any other top divisional team) division.
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DegenerateDish

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #293 on: August 23, 2014, 03:08:20 PM »
Looks like BJ Raji has a torn bicep.  Ugh.

He really f*cked up not taking that contract extension the Packers offered him last fall.

That legit sucks. Hate hearing these guys going out for the year before real action starts.

DegenerateDish

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #294 on: August 23, 2014, 08:11:14 PM »
Time will tell, but the Rams had all these high picks and never added a QB. I get it to a degree, Bradford's contract was before the new CBA, but if his season is over, that's poor management. Especially with Robinson not starting tonight.

I wonder if Robinson over Bortles will someday go down as a gigantic mistake.

DegenerateDish

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #295 on: August 25, 2014, 01:45:32 PM »
Here's one man's take on the 2014 NFL season.

2 years ago on here, I called the Seahawks as my sleeper. Last year, it was the Chiefs (correct), Bucs (not correct), and Dolphins (almost correct). This years is much more difficult to call. If history repeats itself, the sleeper team this year should come from either the AFC South or NFC East. The two candidates that stand out are the Texans and Redskins. Problem is, backing Ryan Fitzpatrick with a rookie head coach, and backing a brutal Redskins defense with a rookie head coach. They won't make the playoffs, but my super sleeper team this year...the Jacksonville Jaguars. This comes with an * though. Their first four games are brutal, but I think that actually helps them. If they decided to go to Bortles after a month, and he is what he has shown, their final 12 games set up nicely.

Quick thoughts...

-NFC East and AFC South are terrible. If the Cardinals were in the AFC South, they'd win that division.

-In the AFC, I think the Broncos and Pats are head and shoulder's better than anyone else in the conference. I also think Denver takes a step back offensively.

-I had to sell my Browns stock. I hate the Johnny Football pick, with Gordon probably suspended as well, this team continues to find ways to lose. Although Terrance West is my pick for rookie of the year.

-I think if one elite team from a year ago is going to fall off slightly and possibly miss the playoffs, it’s the Niners.

Playoff Picks:

AFC: Pats, Broncos, Colts (I hate this pick, if that division was better, someone would dethrone them), Bengals. Wild cards: Jets, Ravens

NFC: Seahawks, Packers, Saints, Redskins. Wild cards: Eagles, Bucs

In the NFC North, all teams have warts, mainly on defense. That said, it’s impossible for me to pick against Green Bay. Best player/QB in the league, best offense in the division. I think Lang can be first team All Pro at guard this year. They still have issues on defense, but have added some decent pieces to the mix. If Peppers is motivated and productive, that unit can be very good with Matthews and Peppers rushing from opposite sides.

I think the Bears are masked as an 8-8 team. Their offense will be fine, year 2 under Trestman and his system, they should continue to put up great numbers. I think their run defense is better (it can’t be worse), but the unit overall is really bad. Their LB’s can’t play, period. Briggs is done (in my opinion), he’s old and slow. Their safeties are still a revolving door. I think at the end of the year, Fuller and Young will be their two best defenders, but the rest of the unit is pretty poor. Their special teams will cost them at least one game (probably two).

If Caldwell wasn’t the Lions head coach, I’d like them a lot more. The additions of Tate and Ebron I think really help Stafford. The defense though still worries me. Lions best case scenario is a wild card run (they have a chance).

If I loved Bridgewater more, I’d probably pick the Vikings as my sleeper team. I love Zimmer, I thought that was a great hire. I think Patterson is going to have a huge year. The Vikings are going to cause a lot of problems for people this year. Losing the Dome hurts them though. I like the direction they are headed.

NavinRJohnson

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #296 on: August 26, 2014, 12:21:50 PM »
I think you're pretty much on the money. I like the eagles Andy Dallas a tick more than the redskins, though I wouldn't want to argue hard for any of the three.

I like New Orleans to challenge Seattle for the NFC and likely face Denver of New England in the Super Bowl.

As far as the NFC North goes, I think you are pretty spot on. GB looks to be the best team and probably third in the NFC. I was very high on the Bears heading into the off season, but have cooled appreciably in the last couple months leading up to and including training camp. I just don't see enough there. 8-8, maybe even worse is now about what I expect. I think the Lions will challenge GB for the division, and I think the Vikings could have a decent year, but their QB situation will likely cost them too many games to seriously threaten anyone.

DegenerateDish

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #297 on: August 26, 2014, 12:56:43 PM »
I think you're pretty much on the money. I like the eagles Andy Dallas a tick more than the redskins, though I wouldn't want to argue hard for any of the three.

I like New Orleans to challenge Seattle for the NFC and likely face Denver of New England in the Super Bowl.

As far as the NFC North goes, I think you are pretty spot on. GB looks to be the best team and probably third in the NFC. I was very high on the Bears heading into the off season, but have cooled appreciably in the last couple months leading up to and including training camp. I just don't see enough there. 8-8, maybe even worse is now about what I expect. I think the Lions will challenge GB for the division, and I think the Vikings could have a decent year, but their QB situation will likely cost them too many games to seriously threaten anyone.

The more I think about the Bears, the more I agree with you. 2 months ago I thought they could be a 10-6 team, I have a real hard time seeing that. They could be bottom 5 in the league in both defense and special teams, and there's no way a team like that (no matter the offense) can compete for a playoff spot.

I keep trying to talk myself into the Lions, but I can't get past Caldwell and their defense, especially that secondary.

tower912

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #298 on: August 26, 2014, 01:04:27 PM »
The Lions have lots of issues, as per usual.    Is Stafford ready to become more than just another Jeff George?   Can the line keep him upright?  Can Reggie Bush hold onto the football?   Defensively, especially with their highest defensive draft pick looking to go on the IR, Nick Fairley dogging it to the point of being demoted, and the usual Spinal-Tap drummer quality to the secondary.... well, it is just another year.   
    I am withholding judgment on Caldwell because he isn't Schwarz.  If he does turn out to be a QB whisperer, the Lions could get to 10-6.    My instinct tells me that it will be the same old Lions.   6-10.
Luke 6:45   ...A good man produces goodness from the good in his heart; an evil man produces evil out of his store of evil.   Each man speaks from his heart's abundance...

It is better to be fearless and cheerful than cheerless and fearful.

DegenerateDish

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Re: 2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread
« Reply #299 on: August 26, 2014, 06:43:03 PM »
For any gambling types out there, Jordy is 28-1 to lead the NFL in receiving yards. Fantastic value there.