NFC North / NFL Thread 2018-19

[tower912]

Chicago/New England finish looked like a Lions game.

[MU82]

Yeah Panthers!

What a comeback on the road against the defending champions!!!

[GGGG]

Jay Gruden beats Jason Garrett in a battle of two coaches who try to play as conservatively as possible.

Sheesh that was terrible. 

[JWags85]

Chicago/New England finish looked like a Lions game.

Perfect representation of that game and how Mitch played.  Just not quite good enough.  For all the magic he did with his feet (which was incredible), he overthrew so many receivers that I lost count.  Add in giving up 2 TDs on special teams, and yea, thats how you fall just short against a team like the Patriots.

Trey Burton is a BEAST.  Felt like the old Greg Olsen days where he was the only one getting open.

Also, was at the game, the Trubisky TD run happened right in front of me, and it was WILD in person.  Looked like a disaster, then hoped he'd just throw it away, and then it all developed.  What a patient run.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Mitch needs to learn to pass outside of the hashmarks.  The Pats gave him the middle (see Burton and Cohen) including his scrambles but pressured the perimeter. Others will copy what the Pats employed but his volume to the outside was low and his decision making was poor outside the dashes.

[jesmu84]

Don't disagree with the last 2 posts at all. I think Mitch is improving, overall. This team is at least 1 year away from being truly competitive.

Right now my bigger concern is the D. Where is any pass rush? Other than Nichols yesterday, where are the guys making lots of money? Goldman, Hicks, Floyd, etc. Mack is clearly injured/hobbled. But we got nothing on Brady (or Brock last week) and neither of those O-lines are outstanding.

[JWags85]

Don't disagree with the last 2 posts at all. I think Mitch is improving, overall. This team is at least 1 year away from being truly competitive.

Right now my bigger concern is the D. Where is any pass rush? Other than Nichols yesterday, where are the guys making lots of money? Goldman, Hicks, Floyd, etc. Mack is clearly injured/hobbled. But we got nothing on Brady (or Brock last week) and neither of those O-lines are outstanding.

Without Mack at his best, they truly lack the explosive pass rush.  So if you dont have someone in the backfield like THAT, you just scheme for short quick passes and pick on a soft tackling secondary.  Its what the Dolphins did, and the Pats did it even better.

Also, Kyle Fuller still doesn't know how to turn around to look for the ball.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Without Mack at his best, they truly lack the explosive pass rush.  So if you dont have someone in the backfield like THAT, you just scheme for short quick passes and pick on a soft tackling secondary.  Its what the Dolphins did, and the Pats did it even better.

Also, Kyle Fuller still doesn't know how to turn around to look for the ball.

Collingsworth, when he stopped babbling for a minute last night, had a good piece on Andy Reid and Mahomes.  They showed Mack taking 11 steps from the outside to get to a sack even with his speed and how the Chiefs' offense is designed with RPO to give it up in 5-8 steps.  The conclusion was middle rush pressure is critical to stop today's offenses like the Chiefs (and the Bears don't have it).

[MU82]

Trey Burton is a BEAST.  Felt like the old Greg Olsen days where he was the only one getting open.

Is this where I say "Thanks!" again? If so ...

THANKS!

[Pakuni]

Dallas gives Oakland their 2019 1st round pick for Amari Cooper.
Oakland in full on tank mode. (blows-a for Bosa?)
Dallas way overpaid for an inconsistent and injury-prone wideout who's 1.5 seasons from free agency.

[Jay Bee]

Skol Vikings, we are the best!

PS- I need 2 for Sunday night’s game - please give to me so I get it for THE FREE!

[DegenerateDish]

Dallas gives Oakland their 2019 1st round pick for Amari Cooper.
Oakland in full on tank mode. (blows-a for Bosa?)
Dallas way overpaid for an inconsistent and injury-prone wideout who's 1.5 seasons from free agency.

As maligned as the Mack trade was, this is a flat out brilliant move by the Raiders. I have no clue what the Cowboys are doing here, I would have struggled to offer up a 5th rounder for Cooper, that's a heist to get a potential top 10 pick for Cooper.

Raiders could pick 1, 10ish, 16ish in next years draft.

[Pakuni]

As maligned as the Mack trade was, this is a flat out brilliant move by the Raiders. I have no clue what the Cowboys are doing here, I would have struggled to offer up a 5th rounder for Cooper, that's a heist to get a potential top 10 pick for Cooper.

Raiders could pick 1, 10ish, 16ish in next years draft.

Also, about $75 million in cap space with a free agent class that could feature Le'Veon Bell, Clowney, Suh, Sheldon Richardson, Frank Clark, CJ Mosley, Earl Thomas. Landon Collins and more (of course, half these guys will likely never get there).
Not sure anyone should trust Gruden to get it right, but the pieces are in place for a quick rebuild.

[Dr. Blackheart]

As maligned as the Mack trade was, this is a flat out brilliant move by the Raiders. I have no clue what the Cowboys are doing here, I would have struggled to offer up a 5th rounder for Cooper, that's a heist to get a potential top 10 pick for Cooper.

Raiders could pick 1, 10ish, 16ish in next years draft.

Agree. Was Jerry drinking?  Raiders setting themselves up for Vegas...

[jesmu84]

Across the board, offensive linemen being called for holding is a joke.

For example....

https://twitter.com/BearsBarroom/status/1054092831390863360?s=19

[forgetful]

For example....

https://twitter.com/BearsBarroom/status/1054092831390863360?s=19

I liked the first comment "the NFL rule 4.01, the NE Patriots do not get called for holding ever."

I've noticed that in watching their games, holding calls are a joke in the NFL in general, but the Patriots are probably the worst offenders and it is never called.  Got to protect Brady.

I remember a game earlier this year, where the defender was actually tackled from behind by the offensive player right in front of an official.  No call.

[🏀]

If the NFL is giving holding calls, how the effort does Bulaga get it called so much? He's just that bad, right?

He's going to have a really nice 2019 season with the Bears.

[MU82]

Hall of Fame receiver and Fox Sports analyst Cris Carter on Cam Newton leading the Panthers back from a 17-point 4th-quarter deficit to defeat the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles:

“If this was Tom Brady (who) had done that, if he had a 133 passer rating in the fourth quarter, at Philadelphia, we’d be talking about it. If it was Aaron Rodgers, we would have talked about it. If Cam Newton was up 17 points and Carson Wentz had come back, we would have talked about it. Cam Newton beat the world champs with his head. This is what we know (how) Cam Newton is capable of playing. This is the level we know Cam Newton is capable of playing. His MVP season we saw it almost week after week after week. .... It was a tremendous game by one of our best quarterbacks that we have, on the road against the world champs.”

[SaveOD238]

Hall of Fame receiver and Fox Sports analyst Cris Carter on Cam Newton leading the Panthers back from a 17-point 4th-quarter deficit to defeat the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles:

“If this was Tom Brady (who) had done that, if he had a 133 passer rating in the fourth quarter, at Philadelphia, we’d be talking about it. If it was Aaron Rodgers, we would have talked about it. If Cam Newton was up 17 points and Carson Wentz had come back, we would have talked about it. Cam Newton beat the world champs with his head. This is what we know (how) Cam Newton is capable of playing. This is the level we know Cam Newton is capable of playing. His MVP season we saw it almost week after week after week. .... It was a tremendous game by one of our best quarterbacks that we have, on the road against the world champs.”

I think the question that remains is: why is it that quarterbacks like Cam Newton don't seem to get the credit that Brady/Brees/Rodgers/Wentz get? 

[wadesworld]

I think the question that remains is: why is it that quarterbacks like Cam Newton don't seem to get the credit that Brady/Brees/Rodgers/Wentz get?

Because all of those guys have something on their finger that $cam doesn't, and the first 3 are head and shoulders better football players than $cam is.

Also, what credit does Wentz get?  When he was killing it to start last year as a second year player, yes he was getting praise.  This year?  I haven't paid nearly as much attention to the NFL as I normally do, but I don't see anyone really glorifying him other than "He's better than Nick Foles."

[MU82]

Here in Charlotte, I definitely hear thinly veiled racist remarks about Cam all the time. There were (white) people here who actually wanted Derek Anderson to start over Cam because Anderson is "more humble." One yahoo actually told me he thought Cam was "too colorful." Those were his exact words. Lots of racists here in North Cackilacky.

And I do agree with Carter that if Brady or Rodgers had executed that comeback, it would have been the No. 1 story on every NFL recap. It was Cam, though, so it wasn't even mentioned in the first segment of any of them; and then, it was mentioned in the context of the defending champs blowing the game. Cam definitely didn't get his due in the programs I watched.

However, I also agree with wades that Brady, Rodgers and Brees have proven to be much better than Cam over the long haul and have earned their accolades.

Whether Cam's race had something to do with the generally muted response to what truly was an incredible fourth-quarter performance, none of us can know that. I like to think not.

[GGGG]

Because all of those guys have something on their finger that $cam doesn't, and the first 3 are head and shoulders better football players than $cam is.

Why the nickname?

[wadesworld]

Why the nickname?

Becau$e that'$ been hi$ nickname $ince the day he hi$ dad wa$ paid to $tep on the Auburn campu$.

[JWags85]

Why the nickname?

Because he doesn't like him over an admittedly very stupid thing did when Cam was 19 and something his father orchestrated during his recruitment, and in typical Wades fashion, he can't ever let anything go.

On topic, the legacy of Cam Newton, barring notable future playoff success, will be VERY interesting.  When he's been on, he's unstoppable.  He may not have the accuracy of Rodgers or Brady, but neither of them had the potential to be a RB/TE in the open field or short yardage like him.   However, he's been very inconsistent.  Thats part of why I feel he's been underrated as a passer.  People see his ability to move outside of the pocket, and his inconsistency, and he gets labeled another inaccurate "running QB".

However, he's still young, his game is entirely predicated on his legs, so he can age well like other QBs if he stays healthy and not beat up, and he's well positioned to have success when Brady/Brees (and to a lesser extent) Rodgers retire in a few years.  I hope he puts it together cause he is REALLY fun to watch.  Be nice if they could get him another stud WR.  Demaryius Thomas is available...

[GGGG]

Becau$e that'$ been hi$ nickname $ince the day he hi$ dad wa$ paid to $tep on the Auburn campu$.

Very odd thing to hang onto what he did at that age considering what he has done since.  And I'm not sure why you would focus on him since, if we have learned anything, dozens of players have likely received similar payments without you applying a similar nickname.