GunnerBill

And Milano is "bigger" now than he was as a rook and a 2nd year player. It can take time for those smaller guys. He was still an effective player in that period. Bernard is smaller than ideal, no question. But remains to be seen how much that hurts him.

His release is rarely off my mind. He could do with a haircut though. The Hollywood hobo look doesn't work for him.

Aaaaaannnnnnndddd he's back!

The protection was pretty good against the Jets too.

FWIW pre Next Gen stats: Tre White covered Adams on 15 routes last week. 4 targets. 3 receptions. 28 yards. 1 touchdown. Okay the touchdown is frustrating (although I don't actually think Tre was the point of failure on that play) but otherwise against one of the elite receivers in the league those are pretty good numbers.

I think the panel / head to head debate shows are close to running their course. The future of "sports talk TV" is much more the host / interviewer type of sports talk show. Cowherd, Eisen, McAfee etc. We have a national radio station in the UK called "Talk Sport" that is pretty successful and I bumped into their CEO recently at an event and he was telling me they are making a serious attempt to move away from (as he put it) "talking about" and towards "talking to." Let's not talk about the manager of Manchester United let's talk to him. It is why McAfee has been so successful. His contacts book means he gets high quality guests - guys who are current players, coaches, executives - who have current and topical things to say.

This is true.... but applies to almost every Quarterback to have ever played the game. Including the likes of Peyton Manning who seemed to do okay as I recall and Patrick Mahomes who isn't too shabby. In my time watching football (21 years now) the only guy I can say "yea he is as accurate as Drew Brees" is Tom Brady. Basically since clearing up the mechanical issues he had in college during his first couple of proper offseasons (2018 and 2019) Josh has not had any real problems with accuracy. Does he still miss a throw now and again? Sure. Does he still sometimes place a ball in a spot where it makes YAC difficult? Sure. But so does every Quarterback. The Josh Allen issues when they have flared up since then have been much more mental (decision making) and much less technical (accuracy).

That normally means 1 of 2 things. Neither are good.

Disagree. They voluntarily went from a good, not great, QB to a distinctly average one. Fine if you are tanking. If you are not then find a way to make it work with Carr. Never voluntarily downgrade at QB unless it is an intentional tank. It is a QB league. Yea very poorly run. I think also part of it is McDaniels just thinks someone who runs "his scheme" is instantly an upgrade. That isn't how the NFL works.

Yep, it's both. A back with speed and better interior blocking.

Yep me too. It was my main gripe with Singletary who was a steady starting back. I think this O is built for a fast running back. That speed makes a real difference.

The Raiders decision to voluntarily downgrade at QB makes no sense unless they are tanking and they don't appear to be. Such a bizarre decision.

Of all the terrible takes coming out of week 1 this was the most terrible.

Yea there have been fewer losses for sure, but the draws are often the plays stopped for no to minimal game. The reason they do it is because they are trying to make their runs and passes look the same but they are more effective under centre or in the pistol. Yea that is better than I'd have expected.

It translates as "I want a big thumper who thumps into people and everything else is soft"

Ah so broken tackles only count if they are good tackles? Interesting. Wonder how many NFL running backs are routinely breaking out of good tackles?

Yep, he uses his small stature to his advantage.... seems to get low and just slither forward for a yard or two. The thing Iove most is how few negative runs there are compared to Singletary because he has the speed to make a man miss in the backfield. He has had one of those in each game where a defender penetrates and thinks "I've got him here for a 4 or 5 yard loss" and Cook has the agility and speed to bounce around the edge and turn it into a gain.

I get that the numbers are the same but not much else is between Trubisky and Fields. The guy Fields most reminds me of is Marcus Mariota. A good runner. A good thrower. Has the arm talent to make all of the throws. But he just plays so mechanically. Seems to lack feel and instinct. I said when he was coming out the fit for Fields was a Shanahan style offense. Where it gives the Quarterback "paint by numbers" reads and they don't have to think too much for themselves. I am not saying he could be elite but his best chance of being a serviceable starter is still in that style of scheme IMO. Not saying it is all on the OC as Bears fans seem to think, it's not, but I don't think the offense and the Quarterback are really a match for one another.

Yea no way I'd put Romo in. The other guy I've said before that I'd put in who others might not is Jared Allen. Two time single season sack leader and a seven year run in the middle of his career where he averaged 14.5 sacks. He is 12th on the all time list and the only two non-HoFers above him are Peppers (will go in this year) and Suggs (who I think becomes eligible next year). I think he doesn't get a lot of hype because he played on pretty average Kansas City and Minnesota teams. But in terms of guys who were truly dominant at their peak he fits the bill IMO.

Antonio Gates and Peppers the two first timers eligible that I'd put in. They need to break to logjam at receiver so one of Johnson, Holt and Wayne will make it.

Yea but does he ever break a tackle?

It has been a common problem for him in particular

Allen didn't just have a "bad day" though. I don't totally absolve the defense. They gave up their biggest play of the night from not being aligned right. You can't defend that. But the idea that Allen just had a bad day that should have been overcome.... not in that game. He sunk the Bills.

You can't. But it will take more than a couple of okay games to convince me his technical issues can be overcome to give him long term success.

I don't think he has played a single good game since his return. I think this is just who he is now. I think their oline was arguably even worse than their QB last night though. That is supposed to be the strength of their team on offense and it was brutal.