2020-21 NFL Season

[wadesworld]

Refs getting caught up in the Soldier Field mystique!

[jesmu84]

This bears offense is so, so bad.

[forgetful]

This bears offense is so, so bad.

Yet, infinitely better than anyone in the NFC East.

Man, the Dallas/Philly game is terrible.

[4everwarriors]

Blue Hens beat da Cowboys, aina?

[Lennys Tap]

Blue Hens beat da Cowboys, aina?

Now that's funny, Doc.

[The Sultan]

Opposite effect of the mystique causing refs to give Packers calls they don't deserve when there are no fans in the stadium?

Glad the Packers and 9ers game is a Thursday. Things can get weird with Thursday night games. 9ers would beat the Pack by 17+ if it's a Sunday game.

The lack of speed on the Packers is incredible.

I am actually increasingly of the belief that Gutekunst isn't getting it done.

Jaire Alexander looks like a stud CB, Savage will pan out well as a S, and Jenkins looks to be really nice on the OL, but there hasn't been a lot of "above replacement level" talent drafted in the three drafts he has overseen.  And it's clear that Jackson and Burks are just busts from 2018, as well as Gary from 2019.

The best players have either been FA signings, or were acquired by the organization prior to him getting the GM role. 

[MUfan12]

They've lacked speed and physicality on defense for the better part of a decade. I thought Gutey might fix it, but it's not looking great.

[wadesworld]

I am actually increasingly of the belief that Gutekunst isn't getting it done.

Jaire Alexander looks like a stud CB, Savage will pan out well as a S, and Jenkins looks to be really nice on the OL, but there hasn't been a lot of "above replacement level" talent drafted in the three drafts he has overseen.  And it's clear that Jackson and Burks are just busts from 2018, as well as Gary from 2019.

The best players have either been FA signings, or were acquired by the organization prior to him getting the GM role.

I have been a doubter of Gutekunst since day one.  I just don't see it.  You have a team go to an NFC Title game, have some huge holes exposed, and your response to it is to...draft a QB3, RB3, (your 2 strongest positions), TE4, and don't have a 4th round draft pick.  But hey, at least you addressed the ILB by signing an ILB that has always been hurt.  And guess what?  He got hurt in GB, too.

He came in and spent a lot of money on the defense right away.  But is the defense that much better than it was when Ted was the GM?  It's better against the pass, but if you're smart with your game plan all you have to do is not make your average or bad quarterback throw the ball down field and you win.  Look at what the Bucs, 9ers, and Vikings have done, and the defense really doesn't stop anyone.  They can't stop the run, they can't get to the quarterback, and they can't create turnovers.  Not a recipe for a great defense.

On the offensive side of the ball, he seems to love good size with no speed, athleticism, or hands at the skill positions.

Packers will rack up wins in the division like they always do, get a 2 or 3 seed, and get the doors blown off by a team with speed defensively and discipline offensively in the Playoffs.

And having Mark Murphy as your president doesn't help anything.

[The Sultan]

I don't necessarily mind the idea of picking Rodgers' successor in the draft in concept.  I'm just highly doubtful that Love will end up being worth the pick.

But yeah, the rest is pretty spot on.

[BM1090]

I am actually increasingly of the belief that Gutekunst isn't getting it done.

Jaire Alexander looks like a stud CB, Savage will pan out well as a S, and Jenkins looks to be really nice on the OL, but there hasn't been a lot of "above replacement level" talent drafted in the three drafts he has overseen.  And it's clear that Jackson and Burks are just busts from 2018, as well as Gary from 2019.

The best players have either been FA signings, or were acquired by the organization prior to him getting the GM role.

I think Gary is going to end up being a solid player who has a long career. My concern is that he's going to start playing well year 4 right when he's due for more money. He was always going to be a project and I wouldn't be surprised to see him turn into a player after leaving GB.

Agreed with the rest.

[The Sultan]

Well apparently AJ Dillon has tested positive.  So who knows what's going to happen this week.

[The Sultan]

What the NFL should have done scheduling-wise:

**14 game, conference only schedule played over 17 weeks (Six division games, four games against everyone from another division, four games against two teams from remaining two divisions.)
**Dedicated NFC and AFC bye weeks in November and December to play make up games.
**Last week held for any remaining games with playoff implications.

Bubble in two locations for playoffs.

**NFC plays Friday, Saturday, Sunday in Wild Card round
**AFC plays Saturday, Sunday, Monday
**First seed joins to play normal Saturday, Sunday double headers in Divisional Rounds
**Championship games stay at those locations
**Super Bowl played with one week off.

[#UnleashSean]

What the NFL should have done scheduling-wise:

**14 game, conference only schedule played over 17 weeks (Six division games, four games against everyone from another division, four games against two teams from remaining two divisions.)
**Dedicated NFC and AFC bye weeks in November and December to play make up games.
**Last week held for any remaining games with playoff implications.

Bubble in two locations for playoffs.

**NFC plays Friday, Saturday, Sunday in Wild Card round
**AFC plays Saturday, Sunday, Monday
**First seed joins to play normal Saturday, Sunday double headers in Divisional Rounds
**Championship games stay at those locations
**Super Bowl played with one week off.

Playing that many games on the same field though... Come Monday that field is going to be trashed.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

What the NFL should have done scheduling-wise:

**14 game, conference only schedule played over 17 weeks (Six division games, four games against everyone from another division, four games against two teams from remaining two divisions.)
**Dedicated NFC and AFC bye weeks in November and December to play make up games.
**Last week held for any remaining games with playoff implications.

Bubble in two locations for playoffs.

**NFC plays Friday, Saturday, Sunday in Wild Card round
**AFC plays Saturday, Sunday, Monday
**First seed joins to play normal Saturday, Sunday double headers in Divisional Rounds
**Championship games stay at those locations
**Super Bowl played with one week off.

But what about the pro bowl???

[wadesworld]

Very strategic move by the Pack.  Covid outbreak.  Can't play the 9ers in SF and get smoked by a team throwing the ball 6 times against them for the 3rd time in roughly a 12 month period.

[The Sultan]

Playing that many games on the same field though... Come Monday that field is going to be trashed.

I was thinking domes with artificial turf like Indy or Dallas.

[JWags85]

Still a full half left, but another game that makes no sense. Giants completely handling the Bucs. Brady looking terrible. Bucs mismanaging the game while Daniel Jones has been calm and clinical.

Their schedule is fortunate in this regard, but not that surprising to see a 43 year old QB struggling in cooler temps. But man Brady has been terrible. Missing on their second drive over the middle to put them nearly in the red zone. Incompletion to a WIDE OPEN Evans who torched his man cause Brady wobbled it in there. Throwing short of the sticks in bounds on 3rd down to end the half. Yikes. Maybe weeknight football doesn't work with the TB12 method

[#UnleashSean]

I was thinking domes with artificial turf like Indy or Dallas.

Can even artifical take that kind of abuse?

[The Sultan]

Can even artifical take that kind of abuse?

Yes.

[MU82]

With a few minutes left last night, Bruce Arians opted to kick a FG for an 8-point lead rather than go for it on 4th-and-a-foot; had the Bucs made it, the game would have been over for all intents and purposes.

The Bucs made the field goal for the 8-point lead but the Giants drove down the field, converting several long 4th-down passes, and scored a TD. However, the Giants failed on the 2-point conversion when Brown passed too late to hit an open receiver.

Mike Zimmer faced almost the exact same decision last month in the Vikings game against Seattle (something several of us discussed on Scoop when it happened).

Zimmer decided to go for the half yard rather than the chip-shot FG for the 8-point lead, the RB was stopped, and Russell Wilson marched the Seahawks down the field for the win.

I believe "the sheet" says that Zimmer played the odds better than Arians did. I hope that's a comfort to him.

FWIW, I would just about always kick there and take my chances on the opponent being able to drive 75 yards, score a TD, get the 2-point conversion and then beat me in OT.

It's a fun discussion, kind of like the defend-the-3-or-foul debate in basketball.

[CreightonWarrior]

And once again the Packers do absolutely nothing to help Aaron Rodgers.

[cheebs09]

And once again the Packers do absolutely nothing to help Aaron Rodgers.

If the price was truly a second rounder for Fuller, I can see why they didn't bite.

[Uncle Rico]

And once again the Packers do absolutely nothing to help Aaron Rodgers.

I won't know how to react until Aaron Nagler and Jason Wilde defend the front office

[Dish]

The real issue Packer fans should be mad about is picks 26 & 62 were used on assets adding minimal value to the 2020 roster, when this should be win now mode. If one is upset they didn't get Fuller for a 2nd rounder, it's hindsight to look back and see Jefferson, Aiyuk, Higgins, Claypool, Mims, Shenault go from picks 22-59.

It's not like it was just one guy either, all those guys are good and have good ceilings.

Trust me, as a Bears fan seeing them pick Kmet (jury far from coming back), it's silly they took him with all the wideout talent on the board.

[Hards Alumni]

The real issue Packer fans should be mad about is picks 26 & 62 were used on assets adding minimal value to the 2020 roster, when this should be win now mode. If one is upset they didn't get Fuller for a 2nd rounder, it's hindsight to look back and see Jefferson, Aiyuk, Higgins, Claypool, Mims, Shenault go from picks 22-59.

It's not like it was just one guy either, all those guys are good and have good ceilings.

Trust me, as a Bears fan seeing them pick Kmet (jury far from coming back), it's silly they took him with all the wideout talent on the board.

Hey man, faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahck you