2011 NFL Offseason

[Andy]

Skip Bayless gave a passionate defense of Tebow this morning and even started yelling.

There are lots of nice guys in the NFL, but only Tebow has been able to parlay being nice into getting people to completely ignore that he's not good at being an NFL quarterback, and isn't likely to get good either.

 

look i don't think he'll be much good either, but he only played parts of 9 games and had 82 passes thrown, and he wasn't terrible. it's a bit early to just say he sucks.

Until he stops taking 5 seconds to go from the start to end of his throwing motion, gets more accurate and/or gets much faster, I don't think it is.

[Andy]

Aren't Buck and Aikman contractually obligated to call an all-NFC East game to start the season?

Evidently they are. Just announced they'll be calling Giants/Skins and Albert and Co. will get Bears/Falcons.

 

Sam Rosen continues his Panthers beat reporting out in Arizona.

[SouthSideRyan]

isn't the nfl trade deadline at like week 4?

 

Week 6. Yes, this is horrible, this idea

[Banedon]

ESPN hires Bill Parcells.

 

Parcells will appear on next week’s installment of Monday Night Countdown before the Jets-Texans preseason game and make regular appearances during the season. ESPN noted in its announcement that he’ll also work on the Monday Night Countdown opener, when two of his former teams, the Patriots and Dolphins, meet.

 

Warrick Dunn and Derrick Brooks will not be back with ESPN. (Honestly didn't realize they were there to begin with.)

[Guest]

ESPN hires Bill Parcells.

 

Parcells will appear on next week’s installment of Monday Night Countdown before the Jets-Texans preseason game and make regular appearances during the season. ESPN noted in its announcement that he’ll also work on the Monday Night Countdown opener, when two of his former teams, the Patriots and Dolphins, meet.

 

Warrick Dunn and Derrick Brooks will not be back with ESPN. (Honestly didn't realize they were there to begin with.)

 

I remember Brooks being there. Didn't the Bears contact him and he elected to take the ESPN gig instead?

[Banedon]

Aren't Buck and Aikman contractually obligated to call an all-NFC East game to start the season?

Evidently they are. Just announced they'll be calling Giants/Skins and Albert and Co. will get Bears/Falcons.

 

Sam Rosen continues his Panthers beat reporting out in Arizona.

 

They're doing NYG/Washington because it's the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.

[Banedon]

Tweeted from Redskins.com:

 

Rex Grossman also said 2011 Redskins are "every bit as good" as 2006 Chicago Bears team he led to Super Bowl berth.

[dew1679666265]

Until he stops taking 5 seconds to go from the start to end of his throwing motion, gets more accurate and/or gets much faster, I don't think it is.

 

You can do some things scheme-wise to cover for some of his faults as he's improving. Rolling him out and having him throw on the run might keep some of the pressure off of him and keep him from reverting back to that long windup motion. The good thing about Tebow is he does (apparently) have a great work ethic, so the chances of mechanical changes and tweaks are more likely to stick since he'll probably work at them a lot. He's definitely going to be limited in what offenses he can be effective in, since the more he sits in the pocket looking downfield will probably increase how often he gets pressured and, thus, how often he reverts back to his more natural motion.

 

I think he can eventually be an average to above average QB if he's in the right system, but he certainly picked too high. That said, with his athleticism I think he'd be much more valuable moving around the field and playing some different positions. A hybrid TE/H-Back/FB role with some wildcat elements thrown in would make him more valuable than trying to force him into being simply a QB, I think.

[TruffleShuffle]

eagles signed former giants' wr steve smith.

[Formerly Snayke]

America's top sports columnist is unleashing his venom on Tim Tebow:

 

Tebow is a backup quarterback and in my opinion always will be. He can make plays with his feet and he is a good leader, but his arm is terrible. When your job is to deliver crisp, on time and accurate passes with your arm that is a problem.

 

http://www.willistonherald.com/articles/2011/08/10/opinion/columnists/doc4e42a4ec7b8ed151530958.txt

[Formerly Snayke]

Aren't Buck and Aikman contractually obligated to call an all-NFC East game to start the season?

Evidently they are. Just announced they'll be calling Giants/Skins and Albert and Co. will get Bears/Falcons.

 

Sam Rosen continues his Panthers beat reporting out in Arizona.

 

Not really a big deal, but if Buck-Aikman is the top announcing team, why are they calling a [expletive] Redskins game?

[Guest]

Because it's Week 1 and NY/DC is probably the biggest pairing of markets. Oh, and it's on 9/11.

[Formerly Snayke]

Because it's Week 1 and NY/DC is probably the biggest pairing of markets. Oh, and it's on 9/11.

 

Good point.

[UMFan83]

America's top sports columnist is unleashing his venom on Tim Tebow:

 

http://www.willistonherald.com/articles/2011/08/10/opinion/columnists/doc4e42a4ec7b8ed151530958.txt

 

 

No, stats are not everything, and when it comes to quarterbacks they are even less valuable but stats can be useful.

 

Huh? Stats are not valuable when evaluating QBs, but here are some stats about these QBs.

[Banedon]

Because it's Week 1 and NY/DC is probably the biggest pairing of markets. Oh, and it's on 9/11.

 

Good point.

 

Which I'd noted a few posts earlier... ;)

[erik316wttn]

Clay Matthews was playing with a leg fracture for a lot of the 2010 season. And he still had 17 sacks.

 

I'm going to say it again.

 

Clay Matthews is a mother-[expletive] BEAST.

[Banedon]

After watching bits of the preseason games last night, I already hate the new kickoff rules. There's going to be a ridiculous number of touchbacks.

[jersey cubs fan]

After watching bits of the preseason games last night, I already hate the new kickoff rules. There's going to be a ridiculous number of touchbacks.

 

Has there been much talk about how much this can reduce scoring? With no kickoff return TDs, and very little chance for decent field position after a kickoff, teams are going to be forced to move 80 yards for touchdowns.

[shnsajax]

After watching bits of the preseason games last night, I already hate the new kickoff rules. There's going to be a ridiculous number of touchbacks.

 

Agreed it's a horrible change.

[SouthSideRyan]

Teams are going to adapt, they'll pop up kicks inside the 20 and the returner will be more exposed than he was under the old rules.

[Flames24Rulz]

Definitely biased, but the new kickoff rule is fine with me.

[Banedon]

After watching bits of the preseason games last night, I already hate the new kickoff rules. There's going to be a ridiculous number of touchbacks.

 

Has there been much talk about how much this can reduce scoring? With no kickoff return TDs, and very little chance for decent field position after a kickoff, teams are going to be forced to move 80 yards for touchdowns.

 

PFT had a blurb mentioning that this morning.

[CubColtPacer]

After watching bits of the preseason games last night, I already hate the new kickoff rules. There's going to be a ridiculous number of touchbacks.

 

Has there been much talk about how much this can reduce scoring? With no kickoff return TDs, and very little chance for decent field position after a kickoff, teams are going to be forced to move 80 yards for touchdowns.

 

Not much since the rule was actually implemented. That was the reason why they considered moving it to the 25 with a touchback (which is something I bet that will be brought up again). It really shouldn't reduce scoring that much though. It will hurt field position after a kickoff, but that means it will improve the opponents field position after a 3 and out. So it might reduce the number of 38-31 games with lots of kickoffs, but in most normal games with a mixture of kickoffs and punts the field position will balance out.

[jersey cubs fan]

After watching bits of the preseason games last night, I already hate the new kickoff rules. There's going to be a ridiculous number of touchbacks.

 

Has there been much talk about how much this can reduce scoring? With no kickoff return TDs, and very little chance for decent field position after a kickoff, teams are going to be forced to move 80 yards for touchdowns.

 

Not much since the rule was actually implemented. That was the reason why they considered moving it to the 25 with a touchback (which is something I bet that will be brought up again). It really shouldn't reduce scoring that much though. It will hurt field position after a kickoff, but that means it will improve the opponents field position after a 3 and out. So it might reduce the number of 38-31 games with lots of kickoffs, but in most normal games with a mixture of kickoffs and punts the field position will balance out.

 

But the 20 provides a nice cushion against the types of punts that set up real good field position.

 

I don't remember the change, is everybody on the kickoff moved up 5 yards? Just the kicker?

[CubColtPacer]

After watching bits of the preseason games last night, I already hate the new kickoff rules. There's going to be a ridiculous number of touchbacks.

 

Has there been much talk about how much this can reduce scoring? With no kickoff return TDs, and very little chance for decent field position after a kickoff, teams are going to be forced to move 80 yards for touchdowns.

 

Not much since the rule was actually implemented. That was the reason why they considered moving it to the 25 with a touchback (which is something I bet that will be brought up again). It really shouldn't reduce scoring that much though. It will hurt field position after a kickoff, but that means it will improve the opponents field position after a 3 and out. So it might reduce the number of 38-31 games with lots of kickoffs, but in most normal games with a mixture of kickoffs and punts the field position will balance out.

 

But the 20 provides a nice cushion against the types of punts that set up real good field position.

 

I don't remember the change, is everybody on the kickoff moved up 5 yards? Just the kicker?

 

Everybody can be at the 35 yard line. But the other guys have to start with at least one foot on the 30...no more 15 yard running starts before the ball is kicked.

 

I would agree that the 20 is good for punts, and I don't necessarily think that would need to change even if the kickoff touchback was changed. There are all sorts of different rules for kickoffs and punts anyway.