Around the League week 6

[Greg S]

9 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Browns don’t look anything like super bowl contenders at the moment.

 

Feel there are 4-5 teams in the NFC who can represent the conference in the SB whereas I really only see 2-3 in the AFC.

 

Never thought the Chargers were a threat for the one seed…. Ravens are 5-1 but they play in a competitive division and expect then to drop 1-2 games in division. 
 

The AFC East is atrocious. Bills should cruise to another division title and should be the favorites for the #1 seed.
 

 

 

Right now in the AFC its the Bills and Ravens. The Chiefs and Chargers can score but both defenses suck. The Browns D hasn't been great either getting lit up vs the Chargers and Cardinals. Also they are getting hit hard with injuries now. Both Chubb and Hunt are hurt. They are missing a couple of starters on the OL and Mayfield is playing with a bad shoulder. Both the Bills are Ravens are strong on both sides of the ball. I could see this as the AFC Championship game. Still a long way to go so who knows what will happens. Injuries, covid, an upset loss can change things.

[Greg S]

1 minute ago, ScottLaw said:

I’d put the Titans in there but I just don’t trust them…. They lost to the Jets(understood they had some injuries to two of their best players but still)… maybe if they win tonight you put them in there as a legit threat. Right now I don’t really see it though. 

 

They are a good team but I don't know if I would put them on the level as the Bills and Ravens. We still have a lot of regular season football to play but IMHO its the Bills and Ravens as the class of the AFC. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 hour ago, Prospector said:

I played corner and safety in college… passing over the middle can be easy or hard, depending on the coverage and route combos. 
 

I also beat a Rush song on Beat Saber… very hard mode!

 

plus, I DRIVE A DODGE STRATUS!!!

The university's booster organization isn't exactly 'Division I', you say?

[GunnerBill]

51 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Browns don’t look anything like super bowl contenders at the moment.

 

Feel there are 4-5 teams in the NFC who can represent the conference in the SB whereas I really only see 2-3 in the AFC.

 

Never thought the Chargers were a threat for the one seed…. Ravens are 5-1 but they play in a competitive division and expect then to drop 1-2 games in division. 
 

The AFC East is atrocious. Bills should cruise to another division title and should be the favorites for the #1 seed.
 

 

 

Browns are without their two starting tackles (Wills and Conklin) and their main swing tackle Chris Hubbard is on IR. They are down to their 4th and 5th choice OTs. If that was the Bills we would be starting Bobby Hart and Tommy Doyle. Imagine how bad that would look. 

 

They are also now down Chubb (who may be back next week) and Hunt and Landry who are their three most important skill position players. I think any team would be feeling those losses, especially when added to Baker's bum shoulder. 

 

Where there are fewer grounds for excuses is their defense which they spent a lot of money and draft picks on in the spring. Newsome and JOK have looked pretty good as rookies. Johnson and Hill less so as FAs. 

[dave mcbride]

1 hour ago, wjag said:

I actually want Steelers, Browns and Bengals to all be competitive teams so they will cannibalize their wins in that division.  We need a hedge against Baltimore.  What they are doing with all their injuries is miraculous. 

The Ravens’ running game performance this season is strong evidence that RBs are a dime a dozen and that you should never draft one in the first round. Their RBs (not including Lamar) have 511 rushing yards and 7 TDs on 120 carries, which is 4.3 ypc and a higher-than-average rushing TD rate (a rushing td for every 17 carries). The key thing is that all of their RBs were dragged off of the street at the last minute.

1 hour ago, GunnerBill said:

 

2002 after visiting family friends who are in California but originally from Buffalo and watching a Bills - Lions pre-season game while there. I have been what I'd consider a "proper" fan from about 2007 when it was first possible to buy a subscription to watch all the games over here. Even then for the first 4 or so years I'd watch without really understanding what I was watching - I understood the basics but I couldn't tell you anything about scheme or line play or any of the nuances. It was about 2011 that I really committed myself to try and learn the game and what makes it work. 

A Bills-Lions preseason game in 2002 is peak bad, meaningless football. You must have been with some passionate fans!

[GunnerBill]

6 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Good point… forgot their tackles were out…. Hunt played(albeit hurt) yesterday…. Injuries haven’t helped for sure, and OBJ seems to come up small game after game, dropping a 4th and 2 slant yesterday which all but ended the game. 

 

Hunt played yesterday and left on a cart. He is going to be down for some time.

[The Jokeman]

2 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

The Ravens’ running game performance this season is strong evidence that RBs are a dime a dozen and that you should never draft one in the first round. Their RBs (not including Lamar) have 511 rushing yards and 7 TDs on 120 carries, which is 4.3 ypc and a higher-than-average rushing TD rate (a rushing td for every 17 carries). The key thing is that all of their RBs were dragged off of the street at the last minute.

It's also a credit to Greg Roman who is one helluva OC when it comes to creating running games yet at times not as good passing it. That said to me to win in football these days you need to be able to pass or sustain drives with some form of passing because scoring fast vital to stay in and/or win games and usually a running game won't do that for you. 

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, The Jokeman said:

It's also a credit to Greg Roman who is one helluva OC when it comes to creating running games yet at times not as good passing it. That said to me to win in football these days you need to be able to pass or sustain drives with some form of passing because scoring fast vital to stay in and/or win games and usually a running game won't do that for you. 

 

And that is where they needed and have maybe got a little growth from Lamar. Last week the Colts took the run away and built a big lead. That is exactly the scenario that the past two year = Ravens loss. I think and have long thought Greg Roman is a top 5 offensive mind in the NFL. He is one of the most creative coordinators going. People just don't given him the credit he deserves because most of his creativity is in the run game. I was furious when the charlatan masquerading as the Bills HC pre-McDermott fired Roman to save his own ass after Fitz had just torched his much vaunted defense. 

[gonzo1105]

1 hour ago, wjag said:

I actually want Steelers, Browns and Bengals to all be competitive teams so they will cannibalize their wins in that division.  We need a hedge against Baltimore.  What they are doing with all their injuries is miraculous. 

Their schedule is just as soft as ours is too. Outside of the Bengals twice, Packers and Rams it’s pretty weak. The Steelers aren’t good, hate that we lost to them and the huge amount of injuries to the Browns make their road way easier

[dave mcbride]

27 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Hunt played yesterday and left on a cart. He is going to be down for some time.

Calf injury. That’s the typical precursor injury to an achilles tear if you try and play through it, so I expect he’ll be on the shelf for some time. Think Mike Trout this season.

[Scott7975]

10 hours ago, chris heff said:

You said it was the OC is it or isn’t it?

 

That means they won 3, but you said teams only play “2 or 3” playoff teams in the regular season where you wrong about that? Could you also be wrong about passing over the middle being easy?

 

They give the Lombardi Trophy for winning not for pocket passing.

Having played safety I can unequivocal state that passing over the middle is the hardest thing for a QB  a lot of traffic in there. What was your position?

 

 

 

I said originally because they have the perfect OC AND they really built the team around his ability.   That was the initial comment.

 

Which is less than half of the playoffs defenses they faced.  I would not say its typical that a team faces 7 playoff defenses during the regular season.  Part of the reason they did is because Pittsburg is in their division and the Browns are as well.  Both made the playoffs last season.

 

I didn't say passing over the middle was easy.  This is two things you want to argue that I didn't say.  You either don't read or don't comprehend.  I don't mean that as a insult but this isn't the first post you are trying to argue something I didn't say.  In fact your whole argument is based around something that does not matter to what I said.  In any case what I said was ... Throwing 10 yard passes or less directly in front of you to a wr that has 2-4 yards separation is not difficult.  Most QBs in the league can do that.  Please tell me which ones can't do that.  

 

I don't care what they give him a Lombardi Trophy for and what they don't.  You jumped in a discussion I was having with someone else specifically about how Lamar is as a pocket passer and started arguing with me about Lamars record.  Which as I have said multiple times now has no bearing on whether he is a good pocket passer or not.

 

I'm now done arguing with you about stuff I haven't said.  

[Scott7975]

12 hours ago, PatsFanNH said:

They were hosed that was an obvious Facemask and the Pats had a TD taken away that would have mad it 21-7 if not for a rather bad call for holding. (And I swear they could have called Dallas on almost every pass play for hands to the face on the guy blocking Judon. Lol).  Also I saw that third down play, I thought he was in but there was not one replay showed it breaking the plain. (He then fumbled on fourth down to blow it) This why it wasn’t challenged. 
 

 

Maybe about Borne but everyone seems think of the two signings he was the one with the best potential be a solid 2. (That’s the talking heads saying it) I like Meyers he reminds me a lot of Edelman, as in he catches anything thrown to him.

 

As for Jones, I’ve heard “he has a weak arm” well he delivered like 4 huge long plays today. One a 45 yard bomb on target and in stride to Bourne.  As for upside, I think that’s year 2 you see that.  I think he was the best fit for the Pats outside of Lawrence. (I can see the other 3 being duds)

 

I would take pity but your team has "hosed" many a team in the league many times and your fans never have a problem with that.

2 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Browns don’t look anything like super bowl contenders at the moment.

 

Feel there are 4-5 teams in the NFC who can represent the conference in the SB whereas I really only see 2-3 in the AFC.

 

Never thought the Chargers were a threat for the one seed…. Ravens are 5-1 but they play in a competitive division and expect then to drop 1-2 games in division. 
 

The AFC East is atrocious. Bills should cruise to another division title and should be the favorites for the #1 seed.
 

 

 

Who hacked your account 🤣

[Scott7975]

1 hour ago, ScottLaw said:

Good point… forgot their tackles were out…. Hunt played(albeit hurt) yesterday…. Injuries haven’t helped for sure, and OBJ seems to come up small game after game, dropping a 4th and 2 slant yesterday which all but ended the game. 

 

I read an article that showed the stats and it showed Mayfield actually plays a lot better when OBJ doesn't play.

1 hour ago, gonzo1105 said:

Their schedule is just as soft as ours is too. Outside of the Bengals twice, Packers and Rams it’s pretty weak. The Steelers aren’t good, hate that we lost to them and the huge amount of injuries to the Browns make their road way easier

 

Anything can happen in division games though.  Unless its against the Jets. 

[MiltonWaddams]

9 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

 

I read an article that showed the stats and it showed Mayfield actually plays a lot better when OBJ doesn't play. 

I think it’s a matter of pressure to feed the “superstar” wide receiver. Baker should take some tips from  guys like Rodgers and Josh. When Adams or Diggs is open, they get fed. When someone else is open, someone else gets fed. When you just keep an eye on one person as the quarterback, you’re bound to have reduced volumes of success

[Rico]

3 hours ago, Greg S said:

 

They are a good team but I don't know if I would put them on the level as the Bills and Ravens. We still have a lot of regular season football to play but IMHO its the Bills and Ravens as the class of the AFC. 

Wouldn’t be surprised if the Bengals win in Baltimore on Sunday.

[Greg S]

Just now, Rico said:

Wouldn’t be surprised if the Bengals win in Baltimore on Sunday.

 

They are playing well. Burrow is another young QB who looks like he has the "it" factor.

[FilthyBeast]

A few random thoughts on yesterdays games:

 

1) I don't know how the Ravens are doing this with so many key players already injured/on IR but Jackson is having a special season and they will be a very dangerous matchup in the playoffs since you can no long focus on just stopping the run against them. Of course Jackson has to prove he can throw the ball like this in the playoffs but nothing I see right now indicates he won't be able to do that.

 

2) As suspected with the Chargers, eventually luck runs out and will be interested to see how both Herbert and Staley respond to their first big loss together. One in which all the things that worked well for them this season didn't (i.e. 3rd/4th down conversion success). Still think they have a great chance at playoffs but still not sure who is winning that division now and their defense is a major liability going forward just like the Chiefs.

 

3) Yes it's still early but the Cardinals do look scary good and for real especially how they play on the road against other playoff hopefuls thus far easily winning games against the Browns, Titans and Rams. There is not much that separates them from the Bills right now other than defense which quite frankly is probably just a notch below Buffalo but offensively I would say they are also a notch better than the Bllls right now. Could very well be the team the Bills face in the SB if they get there.

 

4) Pats/Cowboys - Pats have to be the best 2-4 team in league history considering all their close games/moral victories against good opponents. Also why I still have reservations facing them twice later this year even though we will likely have the division all but clinched by then but they could damage seeding with an upset of the Bills. Also the Cowboys are another SB caliber team in my mind but they are lucky to have escaped with a win yesterday.

 

5) One team nobody seems to be talking about is the Bengals but they probably should be since they could easily be 6-0 right now, they remind me a lot of the 2019 Bills and will definitely be a tough out based on the way they are playing and don't be surprised if they find a way to win that division if the Ravens do hit a wall or flounder down the stretch.

[YoloinOhio]

2 hours ago, Scott7975 said:

 

I read an article that showed the stats and it showed Mayfield actually plays a lot better when OBJ doesn't play.

 

Anything can happen in division games though.  Unless its against the Jets. 

OBJ isn’t OBJ anymore. Hes stil a good player but he’s not dominant. They should just move on while they might still be able to get something from him but they need him with all the other injuries. The issue is that oBj wants the ball thrown up to him all the time no matter what and he thinks he will make the play. This is how it was with Eli. Baker doesn’t do that. He throws to the open guy. So really it is not the best fit from either  side. 

Edited October 18, 2021 by YoloinOhio

[dave mcbride]

2 hours ago, Rico said:

Wouldn’t be surprised if the Bengals win in Baltimore on Sunday.

I'm a bad predictor, but i won't be surprised if next week's Ravens game bears a passing resemblance to the one yesterday.

[billsfan89]

1 hour ago, FilthyBeast said:

A few random thoughts on yesterdays games:

 

1) I don't know how the Ravens are doing this with so many key players already injured/on IR but Jackson is having a special season and they will be a very dangerous matchup in the playoffs since you can no long focus on just stopping the run against them. Of course Jackson has to prove he can throw the ball like this in the playoffs but nothing I see right now indicates he won't be able to do that.

 

2) As suspected with the Chargers, eventually luck runs out and will be interested to see how both Herbert and Staley respond to their first big loss together. One in which all the things that worked well for them this season didn't (i.e. 3rd/4th down conversion success). Still think they have a great chance at playoffs but still not sure who is winning that division now and their defense is a major liability going forward just like the Chiefs.

 

3) Yes it's still early but the Cardinals do look scary good and for real especially how they play on the road against other playoff hopefuls thus far easily winning games against the Browns, Titans and Rams. There is not much that separates them from the Bills right now other than defense which quite frankly is probably just a notch below Buffalo but offensively I would say they are also a notch better than the Bllls right now. Could very well be the team the Bills face in the SB if they get there.

 

4) Pats/Cowboys - Pats have to be the best 2-4 team in league history considering all their close games/moral victories against good opponents. Also why I still have reservations facing them twice later this year even though we will likely have the division all but clinched by then but they could damage seeding with an upset of the Bills. Also the Cowboys are another SB caliber team in my mind but they are lucky to have escaped with a win yesterday.

 

5) One team nobody seems to be talking about is the Bengals but they probably should be since they could easily be 6-0 right now, they remind me a lot of the 2019 Bills and will definitely be a tough out based on the way they are playing and don't be surprised if they find a way to win that division if the Ravens do hit a wall or flounder down the stretch.

I think home field will be very important for the Bills if they match up with Baltimore in the playoffs. Lamar can throw but he can’t throw in the heavy winds like Josh can. That would make the Ravens one dimensional and would really make it difficult on them. Whereas in Baltimore the weather might somewhat cold the winds aren’t as big a factor.

 

Agree with you on the Pats, they are a tough team that is missing out on luck a bit. Definitely think they will push for a wildcard spot in the AFC at least on the fringes.