starrymessenger

Another good punt. Bad coverage. Two guys on the returner. Nobody behind him.

Dont want to run into the teeth of that Front, especially on first down. It's working pretty well except for back luck (including bad calls).

Im fine with it.

He's also terrible at FGs by the way.

Yup. And having AB in the fold can only help. They are both capable of stretching the field (assuming they both see it) and if Gordon hasn't lost a step he's even a tad faster plus 5 inches taller. So he could wind up looking a bit like Randy Moss did though maybe with fewer targets. He's obviously twice the receiver Hogan ever was and is easily a 1000 yard contributor this year. And at 28 he's still in his prime. He was the best receiver in the game. If he's still at that level he will have to show me though.

It may be the O he is in now but I haven't seen in NE the explosive game breaking ability that was his trademark in Cleveland. I've seen Hogan make bigger plays so I think it's him. Maybe the years of termoil have taken a toll. That often happens. I guess we will see. Actually I wish him the best (except against the Bills). I never saw him as a bad actor.

Josh Gordon and DT are still good receivers, but they are not nearly the impact players they were at their height. Edelman might be getting long in the tooth as well, not to mention Brady. I don't expect a big change to their basic offensive philosophy.

Yeah, and the key to avoiding long yardage on passing downs is not to get into a predictable run on first down mindset because it's not going to work against the Jets front. I am concerned that this might be the gameplan though. I want lots of play action with a few long shots to Brown/Foster sprinkled in. I expect the Ds to be ahead of the Os at this point in the season. A close game to be decided by kickers. Field position on punts followed by FGs. If so I like our chances.

It's (unfortunately) obvious that if AB can stay sane and work in the Pats O they are much better than they were day before yesterday. He's crazy but he's a very smart receiver. Knows how to read a defence. Then there is his over the top physical skill. The key however is Brady. He's the engine than drives that offence. He's old. The way to beat him has always been pressure on passing downs, especially up the middle. The Pats interior offensive line is mediocre at best right now. We will see if Dante can work his magic again. My take: Brady isn't what he was, not nearly, but he's probably still good enough to make it work. If he misses time all bets are off however.

Legit off his rocker next level crazy.

But will Bill send him out for the coin toss?

I blame the Russians. Anyway may he start effing things up in NE as soon as possible. Sidenote: cudos to those who called it.

So reality is more hyperbolic than fiction I guess. They actually held exactly such a die in for chicken in Toronto as part of the protests. That was the reference.

Today it's AB. Mere amusement. Starting tomorrow it will be a very different matter. Serious business.

Absolutely but if you could make it work my goodness an OCs dream come true.

And let's hold a die in to honour murdered chickens while we're at it.

Don't know that NE works for either party. He'd be on a short term deal, probably a year, would be paid less and would have terms similar to Oakland if guaranteed at all. I have a hard time seeing Brown accepting all that. Plus BB is a stickler and a disciplinarian. Doesn't seem like the right chemistry to me. Seattle would be a better fit IMO.

Browns. Don't know if it happens but I'd love to see it: Baker, OBJ, Landry and AB (plus Callaway and Higgins). Wowza.

On O, play action, screens, bubble screens, with a few shots downfield with Brown/Foster: On D shut down Robby Anderson with safety over the top = Bills win. Will be interested to see how Bell makes out after layoff and behind a line that, like ours, hasn't really played together.

No. Both sides together need to agree a waiver in writing.

Because that's what his contract says. Based on the wording his guarantee is automatically voided. Wonder what his agent was thinking. Just hoping for the best? Raiders are probably hoping he doesn't show Monday. That would seal the (non) deal.

Yeah, so as a technical matter I think AB was already in breach with loss of the guarantee as of when he first missed practice. The contract, or what remains of it, would now have to be amended to reinstate the guarantee, otherwise it's gone for good. I think the Raiders FO and Gruden have known where they were going with this. Gruden is probably playing his own sinister game of hardball with AB "Sure you are welcome to play Monday night, and get paid, only without the guarantee. Have a nice day, dufus." If the language surrounding the guarantee is not standard boilerplate, and is special to AB, then it looks to me that the Raiders protected themselves very well. Maybe AB's agent could have done a better job protecting his client (and himself) given who he was representing.

At some point this season Williams will get his shot. If he makes out well he will stick IMO. Agree entirely with Taylor being a major threat to Harrison Philips. Taylor looks to be much more versatile, athletic and impactful. He can defend the run (has lined up in the nose, tho not exactly prototypical) and can 3 tech. It's not H. Philips job to get after the QB but even when he is in the neighbourhood he can't finish. Taylor most definitely can. So he can see the field as a run stuffer and he can also back up Oliver. This guy was as a steal. Money for nothing. Note they wasted no time signing him.

Lots of Italian kids in the hood where I grew up. Always amazed me that they always called each other by the usual derogatory epithets. I sure knew better than to try that myself, even if in jest.

Apparently this expression predates the plantation era and condescendingly denotes a white person too poor to own slaves. Ironically there is no shame or disrepute in being poor. Owning other people on the other hand...