2021-2022 NFL Season

[The Sultan]

Packers were fine. Not much in doubt when they went up 17.

[MU82]

Packers were fine. Not much in doubt when they went up 17.

Thanks for the info.

As I said, I didn't see it and didn't even follow the score. I know nothing about the game except the final score.

I thought the Packers would cover and said so here, and it sounds from your post like they did it easily.

I'm still trying to figure out how the Steelers routed the Bills, but it's kind of like the Saints routing the Packers. Sometimes the snowball gets rolling downhill and it's impossible to stop it; even very good teams sometimes have very bad games.

[The Sultan]

Thanks for the info.

As I said, I didn't see it and didn't even follow the score. I know nothing about the game except the final score.

I thought the Packers would cover and said so here, and it sounds from your post like they did it easily.

I'm still trying to figure out how the Steelers routed the Bills, but it's kind of like the Saints routing the Packers. Sometimes the snowball gets rolling downhill and it's impossible to stop it; even very good teams sometimes have very bad games.

I think the Packers hardly playing in the preseason is what week one was about.

[wadesworld]

I think the Packers hardly playing in the preseason is what week one was about.

Yup. Always was. They punted on week 1. They're (by far) the best team in the NFC North, but teams like the Cardinals, Rams, Bucs, etc. are all probably better. Will come down to who's healthy at the end of the year.

[HutchwasClutch]

I was having a conversation with a buddy earlier, is Roethlisberger a HOFer?  I don't care about the off the field stuff that happened 15 years ago, but based on his career.

If you asked me 10 years ago, I would have thought he was gonna be a no doubter, but his latter career has been a bit spotty.  But he's gonna finish top 5 all time in passing yards.  Won 2 SBs, ROY, I wanna say 7 or 8 Pro Bowls.  He's a top tier member of the Hall of Very Good, but he's close.

He'll be in comfortably on his first ballot.

[MU82]

He'll be in comfortably on his first ballot.

Agreed. Easy choice based on career numbers and 2 titles.

[MU82]

56-year FG attempt in a driving rain instead of going for it on 4th-and-3? And even if you make the kick, you leave Brady almost a minute left and 2 time-outs to win it on a FG?

WTF, Belichick?

[wadesworld]

56-year FG attempt in a driving rain instead of going for it on 4th-and-3? And even if you make the kick, you leave Brady almost a minute left and 2 time-outs to win it on a FG?

WTF, Belichick?

He has a kicker who hadn't missed since week 2 of last season and a rookie QB. Lost by 3 inches maybe?

[Herman Cain]

Mission Accomplished for The Bucs.

Lot of emotion out there . Pats defense played well and their young quarterback Mr Jones has some ability .

[Pakuni]

He has a kicker who hadn't missed since week 2 of last season and a rookie QB. Lost by 3 inches maybe?

Sure, but that kicker hadn't connected from beyond 51 yards since 2016. Hitting from 56 in the rain is a big ask.
And that rookie QB had been picking apart the Bucs D most of the second half. I take my chances on him picking up 3 yards more than a guy hitting a career long in the pouring rain.
Lastly, as noted, even if Folk makes the kick, you're leaving Brady with plenty of time to get in FG position.

[MU82]

He has a kicker who hadn't missed since week 2 of last season and a rookie QB. Lost by 3 inches maybe?

What Pakuni said.

And the kick barely grazed the outside of the upright. Miss was by more like a foot or two, not that it matters.

It was a surprisingly poor decision by one of the great coaches in NFL history, albeit a coach who has a 62-75 record without Tom Brady as his starting QB.

[forgetful]

What Pakuni said.

And the kick barely grazed the outside of the upright. Miss was by more like a foot or two, not that it matters.

It was a surprisingly poor decision by one of the great coaches in NFL history, albeit a coach who has a 62-75 record without Tom Brady as his starting QB.

To be fair. He neutered Brady, who is playing behind a top 5 offensive line, and probably the best receiving corps in the league. Neutered him to a point that his rookie QB playing with a vastly inferior line and receiving corps outplayed Brady considerably.

Tampa Bay should have won in a blowout with their talent.

[MU82]

To be fair. He neutered Brady, who is playing behind a top 5 offensive line, and probably the best receiving corps in the league. Neutered him to a point that his rookie QB playing with a vastly inferior line and receiving corps outplayed Brady considerably.

Tampa Bay should have won in a blowout with their talent.

Belichick is a top-5 coach in NFL history. He coached a fine game last night. I never said otherwise.

But even great coaches who are having fine games can make poor decisions ... and he made a very poor decision at the end, one with a lower chance of success than his other option.

Changing the subject to "Belichick neutered Brady" doesn't change any of the above.

As for the stat I quoted, it's simply a fact. As is this: Brady has won a championship without Belichick; Belichick has won zip without Brady. There is all kinds of nuance, and many points that could be debated ... but that's an irrefutable fact, as is Belichick's career .453 winning percentage in games in which he didn't have the greatest QB of all time under center.

[Pakuni]

To be fair. He neutered Brady, who is playing behind a top 5 offensive line, and probably the best receiving corps in the league. Neutered him to a point that his rookie QB playing with a vastly inferior line and receiving corps outplayed Brady considerably.

Tampa Bay should have won in a blowout with their talent.

I don't think anyone is questioning anything except the decision to try for the FG in that circumstance.
Given Folk's lack of leg strength, the conditions and the success of the short-passing game to that point, I'd rather put my trust in Josh McDaniel dialing up a play that can get three yards over a kicker hitting a career-long FG in a monsoon.

[MU82]

Statistical anomaly:

Sam Darnold leads the NFL in rushing TDs, with 5. And he -- not Tarkenton or Staubach or Douglass or Cunningham or Vick or Newton -- is the first QB in NFL history with 5 rushing TDs in a season's first 4 games.

I hadn't seen Darnold play 10 minutes during his 3 seasons with the Jets, so I didn't know what to expect. He has put together a very nice first quarter of the season. A few bad plays -- including 2 third-quarter INTs yesterday that helped seal the Panthers' fate -- but every QB makes a few bad plays. Otherwise, he's been quite good. And I'm glad to see him use his feet because in watching him move during the season opener, I thought: "Wow. This guy is quicker, and a better athlete, than we were led to believe."

Maybe Darnold's big blow-up is still to come, but if the Panthers protect him at all, he can go on to have a very productive first season in Charlotte and maybe be the follow-up to Newton in the "franchise QB" department.

I thought at the time that the trade for Darnold was a low-risk, potentially-high-reward deal, but hat tip to Wags for saying he thought the Panthers might have gotten a steal.

[Herman Cain]

To be fair. He neutered Brady, who is playing behind a top 5 offensive line, and probably the best receiving corps in the league. Neutered him to a point that his rookie QB playing with a vastly inferior line and receiving corps outplayed Brady considerably.

Tampa Bay should have won in a blowout with their talent.

The announcers pointed out that the Pats Defensive strategy was to consistently change their Defensive scheme so that Brady could not get in a consistent rhythm.  The Pats had some success with that strategy. So I agree with You that the Pats did a very good job taking away the Bucs clear offensive advantage.

The Bucs have been weak defensively this year.  They were playing with Richard Sherman last night who is not in game condition, and it showed. Mac Jones did play to the best of his ability last night for sure. Looks like he has a decent future in this league.

[The Sultan]

As for the stat I quoted, it's simply a fact. As is this: Brady has won a championship without Belichick; Belichick has won zip without Brady.

Well unless you count his work as defensive coordinator of the Giants when he won two Super Bowl by completely throttling high flying offenses lead by John Elway and Jim Kelly.

If there is one coach that I would draw up a defensive gameplan to win one game, it would be him.

[StillAWarrior]

Uh oh...it looks like Urban might be having some more health issues before long. Or maybe he just wants to spend more time his family.

[Billy Hoyle]

He has a kicker who hadn't missed since week 2 of last season and a rookie QB. Lost by 3 inches maybe?

in driving rain, on turf, with an injured plant leg. Plus, The Bucs had two time outs and Brady. Poor decision even if it almost worked.

[MU82]

Well unless you count his work as defensive coordinator of the Giants when he won two Super Bowl by completely throttling high flying offenses lead by John Elway and Jim Kelly.

If there is one coach that I would draw up a defensive gameplan to win one game, it would be him.

Fair.

I obviously was talking about him as a head coach, but you're right. And I agree with your last sentence, too.

[The Sultan]

I think that a lot of New England's problems the last couple of years are mostly due to BB being a "meh" general manager. 

[Pakuni]

I think that a lot of New England's problems the last couple of years are mostly due to BB being a "meh" general manager.

He's always drafted pretty "meh," but his hits have been all-time hits. As a GM, he's been really good at identifying when a player on another team can be useful for him (Moss, Welker, Gilmore, Revis, etc.) and when to cut bait on star players on his roster.

[JWags85]

He's always drafted pretty "meh," but his hits have been all-time hits. As a GM, he's been really good at identifying when a player on another team can be useful for him (Moss, Welker, Gilmore, Revis, etc.) and when to cut bait on star players on his roster.

Agreed, but I think he's had more misses than hits recently.  And there got to be this expectation that EVERY signing from the island of misfit toys would automatically become a stud again by playing under BB and at Gillette.  That certainly isn't the case and I think that played into it a bit.  So you have mediocre drafting and then suddenly you don't have multiple stud reclamation projects every year or two and this happens.

BB's an incredible coach and system creator but he definitely can be a victim of his own hubris at times.

[GooooMarquette]

Uh oh...it looks like Urban might be having some more health issues before long. Or maybe he just wants to spend more time his family.

Maybe he's just checking to see if he left his wallet...ummm...between her legs?

[drewm88]

More than the FG attempt last night, I don't get why the Patriots didn't run on the last drive. Six passes zero runs. Plenty of time to get into FG range, plus less time for the Bucs to drive back down if you make it.