NFL Thread 2019-2020

[Pakuni]

Now look at the talent and coaching that surrounded cutler during his bears years.

I believe he was definitely a top half talent in the league

Matt Forte
Brandon Marshall
Alshon Jeffrey
Greg Olson
Martellus Bennett

He was not without weapons.

[JWags85]

Agree about A.P.

As for McCown ... "next level hustle"? That implies he pulled something over on the Eagles. I'm pretty sure it wasn't any flim-flammery on his part. All the Eagles had to do was say, "Nope, we're not interested."

I'm not faulting him for anything, props to him for working out such an arrangement. But convincing a team to pay you and you don't even have to be there or practice with the team? That's hustle 

Maybe it was just that I had been spoiled watching Favre for so long, playing through injuries and figuring out a way to step up in big games. Cutler seemed to be the exact opposite, with the smallest injury putting him on the bench and the biggest game putting him in the background.

He was OK, but nothing more, IMO.

People need to stop with this. There are plenty of valid criticisms of Cutler but toughness isn't one. He regularly would lead the league in knockdowns.  Yet, he only missed extended time 3 times in his Bears career. A torn labrum, a groin tear, and a broken thumb (which required season ending surgery but he finished the game including a game winning drive after he broke it).  That entire reputation or narrative is based off the 2011 NFC Championship game where he sat out the second half and people said he was embellishing an injury that he should have played through, when it turns out he had a sprained MCL. Nothing about his career suggests he was physically soft

[#UnleashSean]

I do not get the reasoning behind signing AP.   Unless the injuries to their running backs are worse than made public.  Lions.

Big upside, little to no down

[GooooMarquette]

People need to stop with this. There are plenty of valid criticisms of Cutler but toughness isn't one. He regularly would lead the league in knockdowns.  Yet, he only missed extended time 3 times in his Bears career. A torn labrum, a groin tear, and a broken thumb (which required season ending surgery but he finished the game including a game winning drive after he broke it).  That entire reputation or narrative is based off the 2011 NFC Championship game where he sat out the second half and people said he was embellishing an injury that he should have played through, when it turns out he had a sprained MCL. Nothing about his career suggests he was physically soft

Guess we're gonna have to disagree. Missing 5 or more games three times in eight seasons is quite a bit in my opinion. That's an extended absence almost every other season.

[JWags85]

Guess we're gonna have to disagree. Missing 5 or more games three times in eight seasons is quite a bit in my opinion. That's an extended absence almost every other season.

You said "the smallest injury putting him on the bench" and I showed that wasn't true, he didn't miss random games here or there cause he didn't tough it out. He had 3 significant injuries that guys don't play through. Frankly amazing he didn't have more with the number of hits his terrible OLines exposed him to.  But that's fine, you made up your mind like so many others, so you can freely frame the actual facts to suit the narrative.

[Jockey]

Big arm. Small brain.

[GooooMarquette]

You said "the smallest injury putting him on the bench" and I showed that wasn't true, he didn't miss random games here or there cause he didn't tough it out. He had 3 significant injuries that guys don't play through. Frankly amazing he didn't have more with the number of hits his terrible OLines exposed him to.  But that's fine, you made up your mind like so many others, so you can freely frame the actual facts to suit the narrative.

Toughest QB ever to take a snap. How's that?

[BM1090]

I may have been a bit generous. Using those numbers he averages out to about the 16th best QB in the NFL from 2009-2015.

Not great but he was fine. Solid starting QB. Better than the Bears were dealing with for the 20 years prior to his arrival and since his departure.

[MU82]

I may have been a bit generous. Using those numbers he averages out to about the 16th best QB in the NFL from 2009-2015.

Not great but he was fine. Solid starting QB. Better than the Bears were dealing with for the 20 years prior to his arrival and since his departure.

The data isn't very good for Cutler, and sometimes it's more than numbers, too.

For example, it seemed like he had a knack for throwing interceptions when the Bears could least afford them. I already mentioned the 2014 loss to the Panthers. The Bears had that game, but they made a couple of mistakes and then Cutler threw a pick that absolutely killed them. It seemed there were a lot of those.

But maybe it's just me, and he was merely mediocre and not horrible.

[Warrior Code]

My take on Cutler is that he had a great arm but believed in it way too much. He thought he could fit the ball into any window at any time. He'd make an incredible throw that you'd look at and think "only a handful of guys in the league could have pulled that off," only to throw his next two passes into triple coverage. He'd make a spectacular play and then throw it directly into the middle linebacker's chest on the next possession. He absolutely had the ability but just couldn't or wouldn't make the smart play. Just maddening to watch.

[Jockey]

My take on Cutler is that he had a great arm but believed in it way too much. He thought he could fit the ball into any window at any time. He'd make an incredible throw that you'd look at and think "only a handful of guys in the league could have pulled that off," only to throw his next two passes into triple coverage. He'd make a spectacular play and then throw it directly into the middle linebacker's chest on the next possession. He absolutely had the ability but just couldn't or wouldn't make the smart play. Just maddening to watch.

Are you referring to Cutler or Trubisky?

[wadesworld]

I loved Jay.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I loved Jay.

In my lifetime, he was the third best quarterback the Packers ever had.

[GooooMarquette]

In my lifetime, he was the third best quarterback the Packers ever had.

Hard to argue with that. 2-11 record with 15 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

Even Matthew Stafford is dramatically better (7-10), and he plays for an awful Lions team.

[GooooMarquette]

Colin Kaepernick is still not signed, but he is in Madden '21...and he has a higher rating than 17 of the league's starting quarterbacks.

Are you allowed to take a knee for the national anthem in the video game?

[Warrior Code]

Are you referring to Cutler or Trubisky?

Unfortunately it could be either/or, but I think Cutler had a much better arm than Mitchy Biscuits. Trubisky is probably a better athlete though.

[Uncle Rico]

Reports coming out Von Miller suffered a season ending ankle injury late today.  Bad news for Denver

[jesmu84]

Booing during the "moment of unity"?

Never change NFL, never change.

[The Sultan]

Booing during the "moment of unity"?

Never change NFL, never change.

That entire thing was the most NFL thing ever. Way too dramatic anthem...watered down unity moment...booed anyway. 

I don't even know why they try.

[The Sultan]

Pretty well played game at least. Shows how irrelevant the pre season really is.

[Dish]

Texans down three scores, running the playclock down each play, and then running the ball is the exact formula to comeback against the Chiefs.

[JWags85]

Texans down three scores, running the playclock down each play, and then running the ball is the exact formula to comeback against the Chiefs.

And then they actually let Watson work and they score on their final 2 drives. He's just so brain dead sometimes.

Also, I saw the total anywhere from 54.5 to 56 the last few days. 31-20, Chiefs first and goal from the 2 with 2:15 left. Reid calls 3 terrible, generic inside runs and then for some reason kicks a meaningless FG with 30 seconds left. Game ends 34-20. Classic start to the season. Especially cause the over looked beyond dead with the Chiefs sleepwalking through the second half on offense and the Texans inexplicably killing clock. Gets the shot of life with that onside return and then whoosh

[GooooMarquette]

Booing during the "moment of unity"?

Never change NFL, never change.

Some people don't want unity. They want the divisive status quo, but couch it under the phrase "law and order."

[wadesworld]

And then they actually let Watson work and they score on their final 2 drives. He's just so brain dead sometimes.

Also, I saw the total anywhere from 54.5 to 56 the last few days. 31-20, Chiefs first and goal from the 2 with 2:15 left. Reid calls 3 terrible, generic inside runs and then for some reason kicks a meaningless FG with 30 seconds left. Game ends 34-20. Classic start to the season. Especially cause the over looked beyond dead with the Chiefs sleepwalking through the second half on offense and the Texans inexplicably killing clock. Gets the shot of life with that onside return and then whoosh

Should he have taken a knee there? What happens if the Texans somehow break one on the first play after the turnover on downs you wanted? All of a sudden it's a 3 point game if they get a 2 point conversion with an onside kick coming.

Pushing a lead to 14 seems meaningful when you can do it.

[JWags85]

Should he have taken a knee there? What happens if the Texans somehow break one on the first play after the turnover on downs you wanted? All of a sudden it's a 3 point game if they get a 2 point conversion with an onside kick coming.

Pushing a lead to 14 seems meaningful when you can do it.

I'd wager Reid and the Chiefs offense puts it in the end zone on 1st and Goal from the 2 about 80-90% of the time under normal circumstances.  With the reigning Super Bowl MVP...run that offense. Not the cloud of dust, up the gut 3 times against a stout front line. If his intent wasn't to "not score", it was weird play calling

Past that, to the kick, honestly, there is a better chance of a fluke score from a blocked kick than a team backed up on their 1 yd line  down 11 with no TOs.

I pointed it out cause of the amusing O/U implications, but it was a very un-Chiefs-like Uber conservative set of plays from a coach who, despite being very accomplished, has a reputation for making some odd late game decisions