General NFL thread: 2019 Tom Brady's Legacy

[ChiComCat]

Patriots will pick him up

I don't know that he'll make it that low.  His remaining contract is non-guaranteed so it's a low-risk flier for all these teams.  Of course, I wouldn't put it past him to threaten to not report unless he clears waivers.

Seahawks or Falcons

I was looking at Falcon WRs for fantasy once Ridley went out and I cannot recognize one player.  If he's willing to go there, I agree that they should absolutely take him.

[kstate4life]

Patriots will pick him up

I don't know that he'll make it that low.  His remaining contract is non-guaranteed so it's a low-risk flier for all these teams.  Of course, I wouldn't put it past him to threaten to not report unless he clears waivers.

Yeah, Matt Ryan isn't the ideal QB to have either.

Seahawks or Falcons

I was looking at Falcon WRs for fantasy once Ridley went out and I cannot recognize one player.  If he's willing to go there, I agree that they should absolutely take him.

[WildcatNkilt]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32593729/green-bay-packers-aaron-rodgers-allen-lazard-fined-covid-19-protocol-violations-source-says

[michigancat]

I'm not a big NFL guy but holy hell it must suck being an NFL fan in NY because the Jets and Giants are terrible and take up 2 of the 3 afternoon games.

[MakeItRain]

American sports television directors are the absolute worst. San Francisco gets in the playoffs on a walk off interception and instead of getting scenes we got a dozen replays of the same play, not a second of the players and coaches acting a fool on the field. Even as the referee was confirming the call FOX just kept rolling replays.

[sys]

rough ridin' 49ers, man.

[wetwillie]

So chargers and raiders can conspire to tie and assure they both go to playoffs and Steelers get eliminated?

[MakeItRain]

They can, but it's real tough to play for a tie in football.

Have you ever seen this?

[wetwillie]

I did not know about that, I know quite a few Algerian’s I’ll have to ask them about that. 

[sys]

what an amazing game/finish.

[sys]

anyone not rooting for a tie here is dead inside.

[sys]

can't imagine how excruciating this game has been for raiders fans.

[sys]

maybe not that excruciating.  rough ridin' raiders.

[MakeItRain]

I was not rooting for a tie because I wanted Tomlin in the playoffs. The way it played out made for great memes but people are out of their minds if they think the raiders were talking a knee before that time out.

[ChiComCat]

I was not rooting for a tie because I wanted Tomlin in the playoffs. The way it played out made for great memes but people are out of their minds if they think the raiders were talking a knee before that time out.

The timeout was taken after the play clock went down and the game clock was under 40 seconds.  The Chargers waited to call it so the Raiders could still knee it but the announcers didn't seem to understand it.  I'm guessing it was mostly to give the Raiders another chance to think about just running it out.  I think the Raiders would've let it run out if they didn't pick up enough yards.  Good for them for kicking it.

[WildcatNkilt]

Raiders kicking allowed them to avoid playing the Chiefs for a 3rd time.  My guess is they preferred their chances against a Bengals team who has shown vulnerability against lesser teams. 

[WildcatNkilt]

So since Saturday...

Fangio out at Denver
Nagy out at Chicago
Zimmer and GM Spielman out at Minnesota
Brian Flores out at Miami

[ChiComCat]

Raiders kicking allowed them to avoid playing the Chiefs for a 3rd time.  My guess is they preferred their chances against a Bengals team who has shown vulnerability against lesser teams. 

I can definitely see this too.  Bengals smoked them as well but only once and a little less convincingly

[MakeItRain]

I was not rooting for a tie because I wanted Tomlin in the playoffs. The way it played out made for great memes but people are out of their minds if they think the raiders were talking a knee before that time out.

The timeout was taken after the play clock went down and the game clock was under 40 seconds.  The Chargers waited to call it so the Raiders could still knee it but the announcers didn't seem to understand it.  I'm guessing it was mostly to give the Raiders another chance to think about just running it out.  I think the Raiders would've let it run out if they didn't pick up enough yards.  Good for them for kicking it.

The Chargers coach said he called a timeout to get their best run personnel in and they did change their guys on the field after the timeout. He was convinced, and I agree that they were going to run the clock down and attempt a field goal, no matter the result of that 3rd down play. FWIW the Raiders didn't change their formation or personnel after the timeout, they likely called the same play.

[WildcatNkilt]

I was not rooting for a tie because I wanted Tomlin in the playoffs. The way it played out made for great memes but people are out of their minds if they think the raiders were talking a knee before that time out.

The timeout was taken after the play clock went down and the game clock was under 40 seconds.  The Chargers waited to call it so the Raiders could still knee it but the announcers didn't seem to understand it.  I'm guessing it was mostly to give the Raiders another chance to think about just running it out.  I think the Raiders would've let it run out if they didn't pick up enough yards.  Good for them for kicking it.

The Chargers coach said he called a timeout to get their best run personnel in and they did change their guys on the field after the timeout. He was convinced, and I agree that they were going to run the clock down and attempt a field goal, no matter the result of that 3rd down play. FWIW the Raiders didn't change their formation or personnel after the timeout, they likely called the same play.

I'd have to check myself but someone told met this morning that Chargers only had 10 guys on the field after the timeout. 

[Cardiac Cats]

I was not rooting for a tie because I wanted Tomlin in the playoffs. The way it played out made for great memes but people are out of their minds if they think the raiders were talking a knee before that time out.

The timeout was taken after the play clock went down and the game clock was under 40 seconds.  The Chargers waited to call it so the Raiders could still knee it but the announcers didn't seem to understand it.  I'm guessing it was mostly to give the Raiders another chance to think about just running it out.  I think the Raiders would've let it run out if they didn't pick up enough yards.  Good for them for kicking it.

The Chargers coach said he called a timeout to get their best run personnel in and they did change their guys on the field after the timeout. He was convinced, and I agree that they were going to run the clock down and attempt a field goal, no matter the result of that 3rd down play. FWIW the Raiders didn't change their formation or personnel after the timeout, they likely called the same play.

I'd have to check myself but someone told met this morning that Chargers only had 10 guys on the field after the timeout.

They had 11, but did change personnel after the timeout while the Raiders didn't. 

Acho breaks it down perfectly, even though the text of his tweet was very misleading "There’s one player missing..." He's referring the the LB that should have been in given the Raiders personnel instead of the Safety that was subbed in after the timeout.

https://twitter.com/EmmanuelAcho/status/1480414433838919681?s=20

[ChiComCat]

I'm not sure of the changes, but Staley said he subbed DL Linval Joseph for Murray.  It could be that Acho is pointing to the role of LB being filled by a safety now instead of a direct substitution though

[Cardiac Cats]

I'm not sure of the changes, but Staley said he subbed DL Linval Joseph for Murray.  It could be that Acho is pointing to the role of LB being filled by a safety now instead of a direct substitution though

Yeah, I think you’re right on that.

[MakeItRain]

One thing that is not being discussed is how risky it was for the Raiders to kick that field goal. Literally the only way they were going to miss the playoffs were if the Chargers blocked that field goal and ran it back. This wasn't a likely scenario but it was possible. If the Raiders let the clock run out on fourth down there was no possibility of a blocked kick.

[ChiComCat]

One thing that is not being discussed is how risky it was for the Raiders to kick that field goal. Literally the only way they were going to miss the playoffs were if the Chargers blocked that field goal and ran it back. This wasn't a likely scenario but it was possible. If the Raiders let the clock run out on fourth down there was no possibility of a blocked kick.

I think if Jacobs doesn't pick up those yards, they let the clock expire.  There certainly is some risk in kicking but there's also value in avoiding the Chiefs if you're trying to make a run in the playoffs.  A win also looks better for the interim coach trying to keep the job.  I would like to think there is some intangible value to going into the offseason at whatever point with a win in that game to build on but that isn't really quantifiable.

The analytics side probably likes letting time expire but the FOOTBALL guys probably like going for the win.