K-9

Every NT, regardless of height is going to have to play sound technique or he is gonna get his ass handed to him, regardless of his height. Height is simply not the concern you make it sound like it is. In fact, all things being equal between a 6'5" or a 6'3" NT, most coaches would prefer the taller player. I don't agree that technique has undergone some grand evolution, either. Line play, since time began, is about leverage. Athletes and schemes have changed, but that's not the same thing. I think your comparison to Branch is spot on. Vea can play any of the interior positions on the DL and his ability in that regard is what sets him apart.

What aspect is changing? Are you suggesting there is a movement towards shorter centers and guards in the league? Interior OLmen average 6’4”. I won’t belabor the point so I’ll just say that height is not a concern for a nose tackle if his technique is sound. And if it isn’t, it won’t matter if he’s shorter, anyway.

Our two best NTs of all time (with apologies to Freddy), were Ted Washington and Pat Williams, 6’4” and 6’3” inches, respectively. Height is not a concern if a nose tackle can consistently play with the proper pad level. There have been many great NTs who were tall.

Lenny from Sloan is still one of my all time favorites. Still miss Hogboy. His comedic character development was great.

What a ridiculous proposition for ESPN to put forth. It’s bad enough to compare players in the same sport from different eras but to compare two players from different sports raises the level of absurdity to new levels. ESPN continues to do all it can to dumb down America.

Another “Gilmore got the Pats*** to the Super Bowl” thread? No. Again.

Gilmore got the Patriots*** to the Super Bowl? No.

Only one injury? I don't think that's true. Several Sabres suffered bruised labia. Agree with everything here, especially about Lehner's uncanny ability to take himself out of position because he can't stop his mass once it's in motion. He also can't track a puck to save his life. I'm sure someone will be by shortly to tell us all about how his save % is upper echelon, etc. He is a poor goalie. Period. No need to apologize for a good vent, either. That team deserves every negative comment they get. They are too comfortable with losing and have been since the tank years. Somewhere, Nolan and Bylsma smile.

I think some answer this question through the prism of watching his limited NFL action in preseasaon and his one start late this season. While the scouting reports for this year’s prospects haven’t been compiled, I suspect that all things being equal in that respect, Mahomes would be the fourth rated QB overall this year. Remains to be seen where this year’s prospects end up in the predraft rankings.

Agree 100%. This idea that a new staff should tolerate a career malcontent in the midst of establishing their own culture of 100% buy-in is absurd. Their is no “maximizing” value in that scenario. None.

This just in: Lehner blows. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Scot McCloughlan is right.

Rudolph is scheduled to attend the Senior Bowl. Did something happen to prevent this? EDIT: just saw the article about his food injury. I agree it’s a lost opportunity for him.

Agitating story, no matter how you try to spin it.

When you say, “draft qb analysis”, does that mean there is a final qb analysis forthcoming? And if the draft is excellent, how much better can the final version really be?

The idea being that the refs wouldn’t possibly call illegal contact on every play so let the DBs have at it, kinda like holding calls against offensive linemen. Understandable strategy especially if the infraction doesn’t have any impact on the play it won’t get called. But Ty Law’s muggings in that playoff game against the Colts brought the most scrutiny since the chuck rule change to that point, anyway.

While true that the chuck rule barred bump and run coverage downfield in 1978, the league paid lip service to its enforcement until Ty Law was seen mugging Marvin Harrison up and down the field, play after play in the playoffs on national TV that they got serious about it.

Great read. Thanks for posting this. It’s amazing that Steve Belichick was doing, alone and in real time back then, what a cadre of scouts and coaches do after the fact via video today.

Not in the least. Can't follow the logic suggesting it.

Perfectly understandable. I mean who isn’t forgettable if not Dave Wannstedt?

Mario had his fridge before Marrone got here.

When you have your playoff hopes dashed in a flash at the last second after coming from behind to take the lead; when you are so sure a victorious outcome is in the bag and it’s ripped away in such a cruel and sudden fashion, none of the particulars matter because the heartbreak is the same, regardless. I would take no solace in one set of circumstances over the other given that my heart can’t tell the difference. The Minnesota and Music City miracles both leave a mark on the vanquished.

Not in general, no, of course not. I'm just surprised at this particular comparison and argument.

Seriously, what's the larger point you're trying to make here? Sounds like you're saying Bills fans have more of a right to be pissed off about the respective outcomes of the game; that Bills fans' level of heartbreak is somehow more legitimate given the plays that led to those outcomes. Ultimately, it doesn't matter at all how a fan's heart gets broken because the heartbreak is there, regardless. But if it helps you cope by assigning degrees of legitimacy to heartbreak, I understand.