Blokestradamus

He's a degenerative knee issue that's only going to get worse. My guess is that he's more likely to retire within the next 12 months than regain anything of his former self.

Quite comfortably Jared Goff's best performance within the past week.

If performance enhancement gets you out of the HOF, Jerry Rice is out as well. I'm very much good with that.

That team who won last night and have now won 6 titles in a generation use analytics as much as anyone

Really proud of my guy. He's copped nothing but ***** from this fanbase for 7 years, him and his family have been harrassed no end on social media. I really hope Stephon, Gabrielle and the kids enjoy this one. He's a good egg and he deserves it.

I'm just wondering - if the Bills made it to the Super Bowl and the key play gets made by PED enthusiast Trent Murphy and he gets MVP, does Virgil still cry about fair?

My point about draft stock is more related to the media than it is to the actual process of scouting by NFL teams. Media outlets have guys doing CFB/draft content and they tend to focus on the bigger names and bigger schools because the draft doesn't really sell while the NFL season is underway. In Week 8, who gives a ***** about some corner from Back of Beyond State? We've all seen guys propped up for some reason or another (typically SEC and former 5-star recruit) and then other guys surpass them because the boards start getting more well rounded and they actually watch players instead of basically profiling them. Once you add into the equation that media guys have NFL contacts and they all gather in St. Pete, Mobile & Indy, you start seeing a more accurate picture of how the draft WILL go, not how it SHOULD go. It's the same process every year and it's why I try to ignore everyone until I've cast my eye over someone. Can you tell that this stuff bothers me?

I'm happy for the big guy. He's found the path that works for him and he seems like he's really trying to make an impact on those around him. He's come a long way from the small schooler that was so heavy, they needed farming equipment to get an accurate weight

It's the fallacy of 'draft stock'. All it is is simply correction/overcorrection. Good players are good. Bad players are bad.

But with 1 arm and 3 legs, I'm normal.

I would. She wouldn't.

It's always difficult to tell with OL when they play with someone as dynamic as Murray. The conventional pocket doesn't really exist. There is also the idea that he's only just switched to tackle and he might be more worried about his feet on the edge than his hands. They only get a finite amount of time to work on practical application of technique in college so it's not beyond the realms for them to make one aspect a priority over others.

I can definitely see why DK has a cult following. It's really a shame that he both got injured and plays in a scheme that limits his exposure to the route tree. He's obviously an impressive athlete and should be able to provide a vertical threat. His breaks on the routes that he does run are crisp, able to make dynamic cuts and separate on in-breaking routes. I tend to agree with @FeelingOnYouboty that his route tree can be taught and that he has shown an aptitude toward route running. His releases at the line got better as a sophomore also. I was discussing it in the Shoutbox yesterday that I think he's got to be smarter about where to sit down vs zone defense. His cuts allow him to get free over the middle but he's in danger of wasting it by not giving the QB a solid target to aim at while in space. I'd like to see him catch the easy ones 100% of the time instead of looking at yards after the catch. His medical is going to be crucial. Guys with neck/back injuries make me cringe because there's not much you can do on a football field to protect them once you've had an issue. Of the guys that I've watched so far (not many), Metcalf looks to me to be the leading candidate to being a reliable #1 target in the NFL. It's based so much on potential and development though.

Why do I still remember Marko Beslach so clearly? That little runt should be a footnote in humanity.

Cody Ford is an enigma. He's got a few building blocks that would make up an All-Pro RT. Most obviously, his ungodly strength. For his size, he's got really impressive depth to his kick slide and foot speed. He can mirror rushers very well and he's smart enough to ID blitzes pre-snap and pick up late rushers. Despite looking like literally every chunky Utah power scheme guard for the last decade, the dude can pull across formation better than anticipated. He's got at least a requisite amount of athletic ability on the move. On the negative side, I just want to say a giant ***** you to the Oklahoma Sooners. That stance does Ford absolutely zero favours and makes a 6'4" guy play like he's 6' 7". It was bad enough when they made Charles Tapper play in that god-awful frog stance a few years ago. Stop ruining my football enjoyment, Sooners. Rant over (for now). The stance does play into some of my misgivings about Ford though. As powerful as he is, he's a really inconsistent drive blocker because his pad level is too high far too often. When he gets it right, he's like Michael Oher in The Blind Side; an absolute behemoth. The other major issue that I have with Ford is that, despite his feet and kick slide being at an NFL baseline, his hands are often either shooting outside or far too late to the party. I think speed rushers won't be a huge issue for him but true technicians (such as the in-division Trey Flowers) might cause him trouble early as he can expose his chest. Because of the hands issue, I think the NFL should forget about drafting him as a guard as it'll only exacerbate the problem. At the moment, as he currently is, I don't see a 1st round player (let alone a top 10 pick). Gambling on potential with OL is always a tricky game but it's hard to say no to the idea of drafting him. Having only started 21 games, he might only be scratching the surface of his ability. If you can iron out the flaws, he could be a star.

I have expected either CB or DT to be the pick for a while now, even before the season. I don't see them jumping on a WR early unless they absolutely fall head over heels for someone. Beane & Co. have made a couple of solid investments in terms of capital at WR (trading up for Zay in the 2nd, Benjamin traded for a 3rd) so it's not beyond the realms to think that Day 2 will be when they target WR. That 9th pick could be a key cog in the future of the roster. Pass rushing 3-tech or cover corner seems to fit the identity of the staff more than any other positions.

Because everyone is talking about Fudge.

New Cardiff City striker Emiliano Sala was on board a plane that disappeared over the English Channel. The flight left Nantes last night with Sala expected to train with his new team this morning. Both Sala and the pilot are missing, along with the aircraft. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-46954922 I hope for a positive outcome but I fear the worst has happened.

I'd be scared of taking Brown in the 1st because I don't think he's going to be a true #1 in the NFL but I really liked what I saw from him in terms of route running, hands and run after the catch ability. He's really thick in the lower half and runs with purpose, hard to bring down. He's what I've coined as a '2/3 switch' - a guy that can make a living on the outside vs press but has the ability to thrive as a big slot as well. Not a burner but can win vertically in contested catches, which is huge for him. He might not be the sexiest WR on the board but his versatility could be worth his weight in gold in a 16-game season. One other thought about the Ole Miss WR's - they're all familiar with the orbit motion that Brian Daboll has used. Just a minor thing but coaches gravitate toward guys that already do what they do.

You could always come and see your old pal, Blokes.

Shouldn't be a shock to anyone that knows Whit that he found a kindred spirit in Kyle Williams. Both guys are cut from the same cloth. http://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-free-agency-2018-kyle-williams-bills-andrew-whitworth-rams-ruston-louisiana-lsu-friends/rbry4kj5zbe9139zrffrauu9q

I'll be rooting for Andrew Whitworth. One of my favourite players, a tremendous technician and an upstanding guy off the field. It could potentially be his last game at the age of 37. If so, I want him to go out on top.

There was me thinking the KC player with an appreciation thread would be Anthony Hitchens after trying to decapitate Julian Edelman last night.

If you look at sports across the rest of the world, it's naive to think that there isn't some degree of match fixing in the NFL. To what degree that is, I really don't know. Greed is a universal part of human nature and, as sports have become more about profits than the game, this has infected sports across the spectrum. I would desperately hope that the no-call on NRC wasn't ignored for financial reasons. Alas, the only other alternative is that the referees are so drastically incompetent, they shouldn't be officiating in any game, let alone one of that magnitude.