The REAL football thread.

[Liv92]

This is American football for you's that don't know.


Soooooo, the Skins picked up Alber haynesworth on a 100m deal for 7 years.

/discuss

[Gvonf]

Oh! I've heard about this. It's the kind of FOOTball in which you hold to the ellipse ball with your HANDS and run into each other?

Just kidding, carry on. I've taken a slight liking to the sport after catching a glimpse of the latest superbowl, but there's not too much of that going on around these parts.

[hazmat]

This is American football for you's that don't know.


Soooooo, the Skins picked up Alber haynesworth on a 100m deal for 7 years.

/discuss

Way, way, way overpaid, but that's Dan Snyder's MO. They could have spread that $100mil around a bit and acquired more bang for their buck, so to speak. But he'll never learn. Haynesworth is good, no doubt, but he's not that good and they have other holes to fill on the O-line and in the secondary.

[LiftingNerd]

Man, and I was going to try and not talk football again until at least draft day. KC got instantly better this last week. People (and by people I mean ESPN) keep saying philly needs to pick up some impact players or Mcnabb might bounce. I say whatever they do they need to get it done by the end of March so they can focus on what they have and not what they don't. Of that 100 mil how much is banked and how much is just fluff that he'll never see? That number means very little if he or the team can opt out in 3 years after only 25 mil.

[hazmat]

Man, and I was going to try and not talk football again until at least draft day. KC got instantly better this last week. People (and by people I mean ESPN) keep saying philly needs to pick up some impact players or Mcnabb might bounce. I say whatever they do they need to get it done by the end of March so they can focus on what they have and not what they don't. Of that 100 mil how much is banked and how much is just fluff that he'll never see? That number means very little if he or the team can opt out in 3 years after only 25 mil.

I'm not sure how his deal's structured over the term of the contract, and you're right, it's most likely back-loaded, but that's not the point. Snyder instantly drove the market for DEs and 3-4 OLBs way above what they're actually worth and guys at those positions are going to be asking for retarded money when they're not worth it. Haynesworth's was the biggest contract ever for that position and he's not worth it. Fact: so far, his two most productive years have been contract years. What's that tell you about ole' Albert?

McNabb can only bounce if he's traded. I believe he still has 2 years on his contract.

KC...meh...may or may not have gotten instantly better. Cassel did extremely well, all things considered, in NE last season, but having Welker and Moss to toss the rock to can make a difference. Not to mention, Belli-cheat's got an incredible system in place up there. I have a feeling you could put a dog turd in cleats and shoulder pads and it'd do pretty well at the QB position in NE. That's not to knock Cassel down, it's just that he's not the key. Neither is Vrabel, as good as he is. Getting a little long in the tooth. KC has other issues that need addressed and they're heading in the right direction. Pioli knows his shit, without a doubt. They'll probably be better than last season in '09, but it's going to be in 2010 that I expect to really see them start showing up. They have an OL that needs largely rebuilt and a defense that was barely marginal last season.

[Liv92]

The eagles lost Correll Buckhalter (great 2nd string RB imo.) Lito Sheppard ( not a bad CB) and most importantly Brian Dawkins. =[[[[[ He was the heart and soul of the Eagles imo.


We also didn't pick up on T.J. Houshmandzadeh which I think we really needed.

/sigh

[LiftingNerd]

KC...meh...may or may not have gotten instantly better.

Alright so I wasn't implying they are going to be anything to write home about, and yes the system does have a lot to do with the success, but if I'm in KC's locker room I'm glad to have a guy who has had success and hasn't been beaten down by years and years of failure. So if McNabb went up to the mic and said "I want out" you think they would deal him? I think they would. But what do I know, I'm just a Packers fan.

[tenkev]

No way Albert is worth that kind of money. Too injury prone.

[hazmat]

KC...meh...may or may not have gotten instantly better.

Alright so I wasn't implying they are going to be anything to write home about, and yes the system does have a lot to do with the success, but if I'm in KC's locker room I'm glad to have a guy who has had success and hasn't been beaten down by years and years of failure. So if McNabb went up to the mic and said "I want out" you think they would deal him? I think they would. But what do I know, I'm just a Packers fan.

Nor was I implying that you were way off-base with your post. Sorry if it came off like that. It's just that they're in a rebuilding process and Cassel isn't really a proven commodity yet. We'll know after this season what type of a QB he really is. They got instantly better when they landed Pioli as player personnel manager or whatever title they gave him. That dude knows his football. Everything after that is purely gravy.

On the McNabb thing....hard call to make. Who do they have to replace him going into 09? Kevin Kolb? The fact of the matter with McNabb is that he's a consumate professional from everything I've seen from him throughout his career. If they're not willing to deal him, I don't see him making too many waves about it. I think he'll just bring his lunch pail to work every day and put his time in until he becomes a free agent. Problem with that from his end, however, is that he's not getting any younger. Where might that leave him after the 2010 season and a couple of more injuries, should he sustain any? All things considered, I wouldn't want to be in the shoes of Eagles management right now because I'm sure it's a very, very touchy subject.

Nothing wrong with being a Pack fan, my friend!! They're my NFC team...I root for them like crazy, unless they're playing Pittsburgh. Then you cheeseheads can all go suck it In the most friendly manner of speaking, of course!

[hazmat]

The eagles lost Correll Buckhalter (great 2nd string RB imo.) Lito Sheppard ( not a bad CB) and most importantly Brian Dawkins. =[[[[[ He was the heart and soul of the Eagles imo.


We also didn't pick up on T.J. Houshmandzadeh which I think we really needed.

/sigh

Yeah, I was watching grown men in Harrisburg cry over the Dawkins-to-Broncos signing. I'm not going to lie. I took a wee bit of enjoyment out of it

I can't figure out what your boys are doing with the whole WR situation down there. McNabb called the current crop "pedestrian" and after watching the NFCC game and seeing how many times those cats put balls on the carpet, you'd think they'd be looking for something. Desean Jackson is going to be good for a while, but there were a few true-blue players available through free-agency that didn't seem to catch even a sniff from Philly. Confusing. I doubt they're going to hit gold two years in a row with rookie wide receivers, so maybe they're holding out for the next crop of cuts on June 1. Of course, TO is available...maybe they'll sign him back up just for the drama of it all

[Liv92]

I think Jackson and Celek are going to be good players in a couple of years no doubt. We still need a "go to receiver though."

As of TO F*** him! I hate him... Hope no one signs him.


Broncos can turn out to be good this year if Marshall stays out of trouble, and Cutler steps it up. Not to mention all those nice players they just got.

[hazmat]

Marshall's already in trouble. Cutler's pissed off because he was being hung out as trade-bait. Josh McDaniels was trying to get Cassel. Not a good way to start of as a rookie head coach, alienating your starting QB like that. But Cutler's a little bit immature yet, no matter how good he is. That guy needs to get over his arm strength and start using his brain before he slings it. I like the guy and hope he does well, but until he gets over himself a little bit he's going to struggle some when the rubber hits the road in meaningful games against strong competition.

You guys totally need a go-to guy. Thought Baskett was going to come through on that end, but he still has a small case of the dropsies when it matters. Kevin Curtis is good, but he's like a #3 option and is getting older himself. You guys are going to be drafting later on in the first round and I have no idea what kind of high-end, go-to types will still be hanging about there. Besides, you're set to lose a few O-linemen to free agency and will have to address that some way or another or McNabb will be running for his life all season. Of course, I shouldn't be speaking about O-lines being a Pittsburgh fan. I have no clue how Roethlisberger made it through 08 without getting killed behind our guys...eee...

[tenkev]

Roethlisberger holds onto the ball FOREVER. I wouldn't put all the blame on the line.

[Liv92]

Lol, when we (eagles) played the steelers early last season I think we sacked big ben like 6 times or something.


Anyways I think were gonna be a mess this year. I think we should be looking into a new RB also. We lost Correll so WHEN Westbrook does gets hurt, were gonna be screwd even harder.

[hazmat]

Roethlisberger holds onto the ball FOREVER. I wouldn't put all the blame on the line.

Yeah...that's bandied about by the pundits and fans as well. I spent most of last season trying to figure it out. Part of it is definitely the 0-line, though they got better about pass protection as the season progressed. I'm not sure what the rest of it is, not being able to see 11-tapes. I often wonder if receivers aren't getting out of their breaks and shaking coverage OR if Roethlisberger is just a bit slow in the grey matter and can't make quick enough reads to get the ball out when guys flash open. It's odd because in 05 in the playoffs, he was doing a great Peyton Manning impersonation in terms of making reads and getting the ball gone. Then I often wonder if he's got a little bit of Bradshaw in him; looking to make the big play no matter what rather than taking whatever the defense is giving you. He doesn't check down to backs/tes as often as I'd like to see him do, a la Tom Brady, Manning, etc. I guess it matters little considering his current record, but still. I'd like to see the guy in black and gold well into his 30s and not broken down and gimpy by 29.

You're right, the line can't be 100% blamed, but they are a less-than-stellar group. I'm hoping that personell changes from 07 and youth had a good bit to do with their poor performance in the first half of the season, but in all truth, they got stoned in short yardage situations way more often than a Pittsburgh team is supposed to. That's where I really start to wonder what the deal is.

Sorry for the ramble..I love football and could talk about this stuff all freakin day