Richard Noggin

I think GreggTX raises a number of valid concerns. I don't really agree, but I cannot tell him he's wrong about his takes.

That dude is schizophrenic. I used to live not far from where he's from. It's not a great area at all. But it's not the carnage he has apparently witnessed often. Of course I cannot deny his experience, but I can question it. Sounds more like he's untethered. Was plain to see when I waited on him as part of 8-12 person tables at my now former high-end restaurant gig. Always with the solo bottle of pink bubbles, even when first drafted and underage (I'm no stickler). Always aloof. Not connected to his group. From there he'd head down to Encore to do what people used to do there: get obliterated. Waste of immense talent. Unfortunate.

I'll say it: upon first glance, the Dolphins have assembled a decent starting roster. Not really laughable at all. Possibly kind of dangerous. I was expecting something funnier when I scanned their projected starters. They played the Bills tough as heck last year, and look to be much improved (although that many new pieces could take time to synch up). Hate myself for typing any of this.

I hate every point you make mostly because they could be true. New England COULD grind out a 9-11 win season on the merits of their stifling defense and ball--control offense, no matter who the QB is. One mitigating, up-yours factor at play here is the annually unpredictable nature of NFL defensive success. But even there we find numbers that don't feel good: since and including 1996, NE's scoring defense has ranked outside the top-10 only six times (IN 24 SEASONS)! They had a fairly bad run of yards-allowed rankings from 2010-14 and 2017-18, but that didn't matter much with prime, top-5 Brady-led offenses. Belichick really is the best defensive coordinator I've ever seen. He's done it so many times, with so many different rosters. I'd say THAT's the number one argument in favor of the 2020 Pats being good. Then again, if the offense takes a major step back, that makes it MUCH more difficult for the D to play to its strengths. So that is the potential fly in the Hoodie's three-quarter sleeve ointment.

Um... ...have you watched the news lately?

Oh...boy.

They cheated. It's been documented, punished, and covered-up. That's the established science here. Like global warming. It's just a fact.

I see what you did there. However, in McDermott's new 2020 mantra, "Find a way," the "within established ethical/legal boundaries" is silent.

See, that's the thing. Most leaders lack the strength to admit the obvious: that we will not return to business as usual by the fall. And I understand why competition pressures them into advertising optimistic plans for the near future. The NFL won't walk away from revenue until it's absolutely forced to. My college's president (I'm full-time faculty) hasn't really weighed in one way or the other. It's a bind, I get it. But it's a failure of imagination and leadership to keep pushing for a somewhat unlikely and definitely irresponsible outcome. We currently lack the testing/tracking infrastructure to fully reopen schools and any large public gatherings, like sporting events (and concerts, etc.) any time soon. So the brave and ethical thing to do is to openly plan for this extended disruption in innovative ways. But the market might punish companies who publicly announce such continued restrictions earlier than their competitors. Colleges who lay out plans for exclusively hybrid and/or online curricula and reduced resident density fear losing enrollment to other schools who don't, for example. I think an unchanged 17-week NFL schedule is unrealistic, and maybe irresponsible. There must be creative ways to adapt and uncover temporary opportunities.

Maybe it's been floated here already, but I haven't heard much talk about condensing the schedule via: eliminating inter-conference games. Seems like the no-brainer way to build-in flexibility to the 2020 schedule, reduce travel, and maintain competitive integrity. Plus, who wants to play the NFCW anyways?

The catch might be that Foles--who doesn't seem to relish the daily competition and locker room camaraderie, like one Ryan Fitzpatrick is known to do--had already considered walking away from football before going to Philly, and I'm guessing his professional fulfillment under HC Marrone was...lacking. I could see him being done with the game sooner rather than later.

Criticizing Brady and Belichick for repeated, documented cheating is NOT some fringe perspective. It is our evidence-based reality. Doesn't make us obsessed or deranged to point that out. I see no reason for a sports fan (or anyone, really) of any allegiance to whitewash history.

Interesting analysis of his actual throwing motion; we get so little of this. Remember Fitz winding up and finishing all sideways like he was hurling a javelin? I'll bet the more "quiet," arm-based, pure sporting-L motion helps with consistency/accuracy. Fewer moving parts. But, alas, with less leg drive and core torque, maybe it also robs velocity.

I really think Corey Thompson (LB) makes the team. He has started games, exhibits the traits McDermott covets (mobility), and is still cheap. People overlook this guy all the time (understandably, but he might surprise people).

Wildcard move

That was actually the LEAST prickish response I could have imagined to my post, and I mean that sincerely. Thanks. Just responding to the potential nudge towards an anti-science/anti-public health stance there. But that's not terribly football-related, so I'll just return to "our" original point here: FINALLY the Bills are poised for success, and a damned public health crisis shuts it down. Or whatever you want to call it. Of course. Because we're cursed.

Fixed it for you.

It's the Billsy-est thing of all time.

Pass rushing prowess definitely matters, but...one could argue that defensive linemen don't earn the opportunity to rush the passer UNLESS they first stop the run. (And/or unless their offense scores points in bunches.) A defense that can get after the QB but struggles to stop the run will only work when your offense scores a lot of points.

First, thank you for the date-driven source. Maybe this hasn't been pointed out yet, but: a huge issue with these Bills positional cap percentages as posted in the graphic, is that Addison is being counted as an LB. So the Bills are ACTUALLY spending $59M on the DL (NOT $49M), and only $17M on LBs (NOT $28M--it was this bizarre LB allotment that caught my eye initially). That puts the Bills DL spending up to 27 or 28% of their cap (rather than 23% as posted). Really hope I'm not repeating someone else's scoop, as this correction further emphasizes the current lopsided cap allotment (that all our rookie contracts allow for as of 2020) that will have to be adjusted considerably once they pay Tre and Dawkins, and maybe Milano (although Milano getting paid would make this chart MORE accurate, with respect to the LB cap hits) and then eventually Allen. These numbers mean we should see some serious production and disruption from our down-linemen, eh?

This thread?

It's also just a terrible take in the first place. Schobel was undersized and lacked power. Epenesa is big and powerful. And without reading the 20 or so pages I've missed, I'm hoping this has been pointed out repeatedly. I truly don't understand the comparison.

Kind of upset I missed all the religious and political stuff the Mods apparently scrubbed from this thread. Love being at odds with my neighbors in WNY. Oh, well. I guess let's talk about punters, then. My money is on the dual threat guy, Vedvik (sp?). Also intrigued by the hybrid FB/HB guy. Love me a good west coast-style movement H-Back, if that's in fact what he is. Little help on this one?

Love the first few comments following the linked article: WeaBootyWarrior8 months ago Led B1G in sacks as a non starter? What the *****? Why didn’t they start him? kingricky8 months ago @WeaBootyWarrior my thoughts exactly WeaBootyWarrior8 months ago @kingricky Like...That’s bad coaching, isn’t it? I don’t care who’s in front of him, if the dude is a baller, he’s starting ?

It IS more complicated than that, you're right. But you're also right that allowing Brown and Beasley to work against CBs one step down on the depth chart will help them have more potential success. And, of course, you'd think defensive gameplans will additionally account for Diggs at times, with safeties rolled over the top of him and linebackers buzzing underneath him. Not sure the opposition had to do much of that player-specific scheming last season, which one hopes even further opens up the other options in the passing game, and even maybe more impactfully, spills over into how they defend our run game. We hope to see a cascading series of positive impacts, not the least of which should be Diggs's own game-changing production.