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 helgrenze wrote:

Also, who else thinks Washington's FO is kicking themselves for trading away their first round pick (#2 overall) for this year? I imagine the Rams are thinking 'Hey 'Skins.. Thanks for the crappy season. BWAhahahahaha....'

As a Rams fan... lemme say this:
BWAhahahahaha....

Now, let's see what the Browns will offer.

I'm a Giants fan, I thankfully missed this thread until now. It was not a good season...

I think I'm rooting for the Packers or Panthers now. I hate the Eagles and Saints, I have mixed feelings for the Seahawks and 49ers.

I don't care much about the AFC. Kinda rooting for Broncos so Peyton can catch up to his lil' bro. Or maybe the Bengals because I like tigers and their helmets are cool.

Should be a bunch of good games coming up though. I think both NFC games will be close.

Whembly what's rams nation saying about how the team feels about Bradford? Do you think they make a play for bridgewater? Or do they just take someone like clowney or someone else with the second pick?

Chancetragedy wrote:
Whembly what's rams nation saying about how the team feels about Bradford?

The team is sticking with Bradford. He's a good quarterback on a really BAD team. He's exactly what you want in a traditional "pocket passer" QB.

Do you think they make a play for bridgewater?

Not a chance in hell... but, they might make a feint in that direction to get someone to overpay for the #2 pick.

Or do they just take someone like clowney or someone else with the second pick?

If we can't trade down for more picks... and let's face it, we're STILL very short on talent. It'll be either Mathews (OT) or Clowney.

unfortunately he's not an impending FA I think

 gorgon wrote:
I'm still in disbelief that KC found a way to blow that game. Steelers would have been the first team in over 20 years to start 0-4 and make the playoffs. Still, the lesson is to not start 0-4.

Regarding Chudzinski's firing, I figure there's more to it than just a 4-12 record. Nothing juicy, just probably some philosophical differences, etc. that the FO felt they couldn't resolve. If I was a Cleveland fan, I'd try to trust Joe Banner. He has his warts, but he did a really good job in Philadelphia. And the Richardson trade looks like a coup now. Or at least a decent recovery after a poor draft pick.

I don't trust Joe Banner, and I probably won't until the Browns go at least 3-3 in the division and at least 8-8 on the season. When Chud was hired, he was, "their guy" they liked how he was in the interview, they liked what he could bring to the table, etc... Chud was not a terrible coach, he was just given a stick of gum, some wire and a battery and expected to either win the super bowl, or build a small explosive with which he could use to escape a Russian military camp.

What I'm saying is he's not Macgyver and had feth all to work with this year. I'm sure his firing had less to do with the wins and losses, and more with the fact that Chud was probably challenging the authority of Banner and Haslam behind the scenes. I almost miss Randy Lerner who was just willing to throw money at gak.

Oh well, on to next season... I guess.

 Cadorius wrote:

 gorgon wrote:
I'm still in disbelief that KC found a way to blow that game. Steelers would have been the first team in over 20 years to start 0-4 and make the playoffs. Still, the lesson is to not start 0-4.

KC was resting most of their starters. You should be in disbelief because of how bad the officiating was at the end of that game. Watch the replay of the kick. San Diego illegally overloaded the line with 7 to the side of the center. That's a 5 yard penalty and rekick that wasn't called even though it was glaringly obvious. Then there was the stripped ball that was taken before forward progress was halted, and then there was the illegal contact call that should've been a PI, because the ball was in the air. Steelers fans should be pissed.

Yeah, but the NFL apologized, so there's that.

I think the Steelers' wild card matchup would have been the Bengals, and that's a very winnable game. However, the Pats would likely beat them (although I think it'd be a much closer game than the earlier meeting), and the Broncos would probably steamroll them. There wouldn't have been a SB run anyway. The Steelers made a good recovery to go 8-4 after the 0-4 start, but the defense was far too inconsistent and it wasn't a good Steelers team. I feel like they're one good offseason from a playoff berth, and two good offseasons from a deep run.


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 Alfndrate wrote:

 gorgon wrote:
I'm still in disbelief that KC found a way to blow that game. Steelers would have been the first team in over 20 years to start 0-4 and make the playoffs. Still, the lesson is to not start 0-4.

Regarding Chudzinski's firing, I figure there's more to it than just a 4-12 record. Nothing juicy, just probably some philosophical differences, etc. that the FO felt they couldn't resolve. If I was a Cleveland fan, I'd try to trust Joe Banner. He has his warts, but he did a really good job in Philadelphia. And the Richardson trade looks like a coup now. Or at least a decent recovery after a poor draft pick.

I don't trust Joe Banner, and I probably won't until the Browns go at least 3-3 in the division and at least 8-8 on the season. When Chud was hired, he was, "their guy" they liked how he was in the interview, they liked what he could bring to the table, etc... Chud was not a terrible coach, he was just given a stick of gum, some wire and a battery and expected to either win the super bowl, or build a small explosive with which he could use to escape a Russian military camp.

What I'm saying is he's not Macgyver and had feth all to work with this year. I'm sure his firing had less to do with the wins and losses, and more with the fact that Chud was probably challenging the authority of Banner and Haslam behind the scenes. I almost miss Randy Lerner who was just willing to throw money at gak.

Oh well, on to next season... I guess.

Oh I get the frustration, really. Look at how "often" my team goes through coaches. But (obviously) it doesn't appear that he really was their guy. Maybe their hearts were really set on Kelly, and Chudzinski was a fallback choice that never inspired them from the getgo.

 gorgon wrote:
Oh I get the frustration, really. Look at how "often" my team goes through coaches. But (obviously) it doesn't appear that he really was their guy. Maybe their hearts were really set on Kelly, and Chudzinski was a fallback choice that never inspired them from the getgo.

You've had three head coaches since 1969, so no offense I don't think you really get the frustration. And I'm sure that Kelly was their guy, but they didn't give Chud the pieces he needed to play in the NFL. Like I said, they gave Chud feth all and expected him to do extremely well. But then again I've been fairly certain (and disliked the idea) that this Front Office was playing for 2014 and forcing another season of gak down our throats.

I will admit that the Front Office made out like a bandit on the Trent Richardson trade, but let's face it, that's pretty much all they did. They signed Devon Bess who has been utter gak, and as such cut Josh Cooper, a backup WR who turned out to be better than Bess, they didn't sign a backup when Weeden, Campbell, and Hoyer were out (middle of the season). and we signed Bobby Rainey and then let him go, after he had been here for basically a week vacation.

I'm fairly certain that this Front Office doesn't know wtf they're doing, and next year will be the year that determines it.

The thing that many people don't understand is that it isn't that the Steelers stick with their coaches. The Steelers make the *right hire*, and that makes it easy to stick with him. Continuity comes from a good hire.

So yeah, in some ways it's bizarre to fire Chudzinski after a year. On the other hand, if the FO a) really wasn't enthused about him or their other candidates last year, and b) became convinced that he isn't the right guy over the course of the season, then why run the guy out there another year? Maybe it's better to move on quickly, especially if they think they have a guy they like better on the hook. Although it sounds like Houston is leading for Bill O'Brien? (For the record, I'm not sure that BOB is a slam dunk either.) I guess I can understand the FO's possible thinking on this, even if it does seem rather shocking.

There was a breakdown of the available coaching positions on Grantland today, ranking them from most to least desirable, based on a variety of things, such as front-office support, current team rosters, draft positions, and so on. The Cleveland job is dead last, and looks like it's only really going to appeal to someone who really really wants to get a break into NFL coaching. Cleveland fans shouldn't get their hopes up for any sort of a name candidate.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As a side note - are we continuing the dakka pick-em through the playoffs?

 Redbeard wrote:
There was a breakdown of the available coaching positions on Grantland today, ranking them from most to least desirable, based on a variety of things, such as front-office support, current team rosters, draft positions, and so on. The Cleveland job is dead last, and looks like it's only really going to appeal to someone who really really wants to get a break into NFL coaching. Cleveland fans shouldn't get their hopes up for any sort of a name candidate.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As a side note - are we continuing the dakka pick-em through the playoffs?

I don't have my hopes up, I agree with the fact that Cleveland is the probably the worst place to be a head coach atm, and honestly I would no be surprised if we have an interim head coach next year. I think the biggest thing that would prevent me from wanting to interview for the HC job is, what kind of stability does would I have in the job? If Chud was "their guy" (whether he was or not, that's what Cleveland was told when they announced his hire) and they fired him after a year, what would my chances be that on December 30th or so I would find myself without a head coaching position?

Having seen BoB at New England I doubt he'll make a better coach than Kubiak probably very similar in fact. But he is a much better offensive mind ATM. So there's that. I'm hoping mcdaniels doesn't leave. He gets crap and has made some mistakes but he's a great offensive mind and gets along very well with Brady while still having the cache to be able to challenge #12

Kings of the South and a first round bye! Woo!

Well. Those Seahawks tickets sold out fast. :/

It's cool go to a bengals or colts game. They still have like 10k tickets left for sale ;p.

Chancetragedy wrote:
It's cool go to a bengals or colts game. They still have like 10k tickets left for sale ;p.

So does Green Bay iirc

And Rams really won on the RG3 trade, unless he can bounce back and win a couple of Lombardis,

I think the Saints @ Eagles should be a really good game and be a good watch for the impartial fans like me

 Hlaine Larkin mk2 wrote:

And Rams really won on the RG3 trade, unless he can bounce back and win a couple of Lombardis,

...and, we might be looking at the same haul.

Alfndrate... are the Browns desparate for a QB and if so, do you think they're prepared to give up a boat load of picks to move up 2 slots?

Yes they are desperate for qb, and I hope they're not dumb enough to give the rams fethloads of picks for one.

You mean they don't think Brian Hoyer is their savior?!? ;p

Haha but seriously I see bridgewater going first to the texans then the rams will desperately try and trade the #2 to whoever will give them anything. I don't think they'll find a partner unless the texans don't draft TBW.

I'm actually curious to see what moving the draft back a month or whatever does for pick trading. I also think since their isn't really a clear cut #1 pick talent in this years draft what happens with the top half of the first round.

Chancetragedy wrote:
You mean they don't think Brian Hoyer is their savior?!? ;p

Haha but seriously I see bridgewater going first to the texans then the rams will desperately try and trade the #2 to whoever will give them anything. I don't think they'll find a partner unless the texans don't draft TBW.

I'm actually curious to see what moving the draft back a month or whatever does for pick trading. I also think since their isn't really a clear cut #1 pick talent in this years draft what happens with the top half of the first round.

That, and outside Teddy, there isn't really a marquis QB on the board this year... Next year will be insane, with Marcus Mariota, and Manziel and many others coming out after next season.

Personally, I think that this is a good, eclectic group of quality draft picks. Yeah, there's no true standouts, but you have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. I mean, Ekpre-Olamu from Oregon will make a fantastic corner for just about any defensive scheme for one.

I assumed manziel was coming out this year? Did he decide to stay in school?

And don't get me wrong their is talent for sure I meant more QB talent like last year with luck/RGIII. I'm hoping the patriots draft Eric Ebron(rd1), the DT Jernigan from FSU, and maybe a center. Then hopefully people will stay healthy/get better in their second season and well be rockin.

I may have remembered it wrong...For some reason I thought during the Ducks bowl game, the commentators were talking about Manziel saying he was coming back.. but I think they were talking about Mariota, and now for some reason, I recall them saying Manziel has been quoted as "mulling it over" still.

Your right I looked it up and manziel is still undecided. I can't imagine hed stay in school after all the NCAA scrutiny he got this year. The deadline this year is Jan. 15. So well see soon enough. It'll be interesting to see what happens, you think he can go as high as second overall if he does declare this year? I kind of saw him as more of a late teens-early 20's trade bait type player.

Well with Clowney declaring, I think the draft just got more interesting. Many teams could use a high caliber DE.

Lovie Smith to Tampa Bay could be a misfire though. Wasn't really impressed with his time with the Bears.

O'Brien's jump to the Texans... I don't see it translating.

 helgrenze wrote:
Well with Clowney declaring, I think the draft just got more interesting. Many teams could use a high caliber DE.

That's what the RAMs are hoping for too!

And guys...Manziel is going to delcare...

Let the bidding war for the #2 slot... begin!

 whembly wrote:

 helgrenze wrote:
Well with Clowney declaring, I think the draft just got more interesting. Many teams could use a high caliber DE.

That's what the RAMs are hoping for too!

And guys...Manziel is going to delcare...

Let the bidding war for the #2 slot... begin!

Difference here is... assuming Manziel does declare.

With the number 1 pick, if Im a good front office type, I'd more than likely go for the high caliber prospect on the Defensive side of the ball... Reason being, he'll quicker adapt to the pace/mentality of the pro level game than an offensive, especially QB type player. He'll more than likely produce at least decent numbers his first year, and improve from there. The problem with putting a QB as your number 1 pick, if you are a team like the Texans, or Cleveland is that they are almost garauntee this kid will be starting. Trial by fire and all that. If he doesn't have a successful year that rookie year, often times, he'll either stagnate or decline. Some of the all time greatest QBs sat a couple seasons behind a vet to learn the system and the NFL. Of course, some got in their rookie year, and never looked back. It really is a crap shoot.

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

Chancetragedy wrote:
You mean they don't think Brian Hoyer is their savior?!? ;p

Haha but seriously I see bridgewater going first to the texans then the rams will desperately try and trade the #2 to whoever will give them anything. I don't think they'll find a partner unless the texans don't draft TBW.

I'm actually curious to see what moving the draft back a month or whatever does for pick trading. I also think since their isn't really a clear cut #1 pick talent in this years draft what happens with the top half of the first round.

That, and outside Teddy, there isn't really a marquis QB on the board this year... Next year will be insane, with Marcus Mariota, and Manziel and many others coming out after next season.

Personally, I think that this is a good, eclectic group of quality draft picks. Yeah, there's no true standouts, but you have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. I mean, Ekpre-Olamu from Oregon will make a fantastic corner for just about any defensive scheme for one.

QBs in the draft this year include: Bridgewater, Derek Carr, AJ McCarron, Manziel, Aaron Murray (Is coming off an ACL injury?), Tajh Boyd and Braxton Miller. It's one of the deeper classes at the position, like last years was deep in OL

 helgrenze wrote:

Lovie Smith to Tampa Bay could be a misfire though. Wasn't really impressed with his time with the Bears.

As a Bears season ticket holder, Lovie Smith allowed us to host two NFC championship games in his nine seasons, winning one of them. I can think of at least 20 other teams that would trade their performance over that time for his.

It's too easy to focus on the negative side of any coach/team. People need to be more appreciative of the good things they get. Obviously not saying Smith was perfect, but he had a lot of strengths, and we never saw the sort of defensive collapse we had this year under him.

Yeah, Lovie is actually a really good coach.

He brought back the "Monsters of the Midway" with Urlacher, Briggs, Tommie Harris, Tank Johnson....just to name a few.

Hopefully the front office drafts some good prospects for him to work with!

Lovie also brought them to a Super Bowl with Rex "feth it I'm going deep" grossman... Sometimes people just run their course with a certain team.

Tampa has talent so he definately has something to work with.