NFL (since 2016)

[crystal falace]

"Free agency started last night and was pretty crazy some huge money being spent. Osweiler getting £18m a year for the Texans, leaving the Broncos without a QB, Giants have spent a fortune on good but not great players, Oliver Vernon has more guaranteed money than JJ Watt. lots more deals but cant be bothered to list them all."

[cockney hammer]

can not see the rams beating the kansas city chiefs

[Takashi Miike]

i think you'll win. you have a half decent secondary and the bucs make plenty of mistakes

[El Scorchio]

I'll be at the Giants Buccs game tomorrow. WHICH TEAM WANTS IT LESS?

[Takashi Miike]

"southbank, make a good offer and he'll sign. the next draft seems to be packed with loads of quality defensive linemen"

[southbankbornnbred]

"Some media in the States, citing 'sources' in Pittsburgh, are reporting that it's a 'foregone conclusion' that Bell signs for the Jets. I'm not against that idea (although I think the Jets have more pressing priorities). But I strongly suspect that those sources are getting a bit carried away. Bell is nobody's mug, as his stand-off with Pittsburgh has shown (personally, I think he should have signed again). So I doubt he will commit to the Jets - or any side for that matter - until he knows more about the coaching situation for 2019. Bowles' neck is not just on the line, it's virtually in the guillotine. Unless there is a massive turnaround in form for the remainder of the Jets' season then Bowles is more than likely to be sacked. They are 3-7 right now, and have two games against Belichick's Patsies coming up. So another losing record is almost certain, which would see the end of Bowles. Bell is unlikely to make any commitment until he knows who is likely to replace Bowles and who his OC is likely to be. Which is understable - he'd be mad not to. Why would anybody join the Jets unless they could see a path toward improvement?"

[southbankbornnbred]

"TM - the Jets could do with ANYBODY who can move the sticks a few times a game: that's how bad we've got under Bowles! The serious point is that Bell would walk into the Jets side backwards because, offensively, it is so poor. But we probably need a complete rebuild on that side of the ball once Bowles has gone (either mid or post-season: it looks inevitable unless there is a major turnaround). That will probably start with an O-line that can protect Darnold before somebody kills him, and a top-class receiving target for him. So a big money RB would be a luxury. But I'd take him: I've always rated Bell and, as you say, I don't actually think he was demanding that much from the Steelers. They just kept asking him to defer a big money deal (most likely until Ben has retired) and he said no."

[Mr. Burns]

Rams - Chiefs going back to LA as the pitch in the Azteca stadium is fucked. Shambles.

[Takashi Miike]

"zeb, i think they've been behind in so many games this season so they've had to ditch the running game as they've mostly been playing catch up. barkley's a great signing but i think they finally need to plan for manning's replacement"

[Takashi Miike]

"they're talking about the jets (sorry southbank), the bucs and raiders, though for some reason the eagles are also being quoted, fuck knows how they fit him and ajayi in the same team to be honest, i don't think he was asking for a lot. apparently he just wants a couple of years guaranteed money on the next contract, nothing ridiculous, so i can see plenty of teams matching his demands"

[zebthecat]

Who is that TM? Just had a quick look at which teams have the worst rushing stats this season to see who could really do with a class rusher and it isn't pretty. What really stood out was that the Giants are second worst. is their O-line that bad?

[Takashi Miike]

he may as well retire if the bookies have it right as to who's favourite to sign him :.)

[southbankbornnbred]

"Personally, I think Bell should have signed a lot sooner even than today's (missed) deadline. But regardless of what we think about his actions over the deal he did not get, he is a superb running back and the market for him next year will be big: if he decides not to retire. He's 26. He's had a year off to rest his body, without injury - a rarity. He's a three-time Pro-bowler. He's one of the top five running backs in the league. Pittsburgh could franchise tag him again in 2019, out of spite, but they'd be shooting themselves in the foot because it would hit them for over $20m. So I think we can assume he's not a Steeler any longer! There will be a big market for him, providing that teams will give him the long-term deal he seeks. Somebody will over-spend on him, and he is certainly talented enough to offer value regardless of the price. Providing, that is, all of this year's nonsense hasn't scrambled his mind/focus."

[Takashi Miike]

"Bell hasn't signed the franchise tag, so won't be playing this year. not sure if he's now on the market for next season but im sure some team will want the cսnt"

[southbankbornnbred]

"FC - I know what you mean: the Vikes seem a bit cursed. They've regularly produced strong teams, yet can't seem to get their hands on the big trophy. I remember the Vikes in 1998 being a team that should have won the Super Bowl, but you lost to Atlanta after 'that' decision to take overtime and not go for the win in the Championship game. That was a feckin' good Vikings side in 1998 - I loved Randall Cunningham and, I think it was Randy Moss's debut season. I just remember them scoring what felt like a billion points every week. Cousins makes you competitive this year, though. It's win or bust - but you've got a job on your hands with those revitalised Bears."

[Far Cough]

"southbankbornbred, at least you have won a Superbowl, my team the Vikings have been to the big dance 4 fucking times and lost them all"

[southbankbornnbred]

"Yeah, they managed to keep Unitas relatively quiet - although he didn't start for the Colts. He was getting on a bit by then, and shared the QB duties for the Colts. The other guy (forgotten his name: Morrall?) threw three interceptions and by the time Unitas entered the fray, the Jets were running the game - to the surprise of pretty much everybody."

[Far Cough]

It must have been a good game for the Jets to keep Johnny Unitas quiet

[southbankbornnbred]

"Yep, Shula's Colts were overwhelming favourites for the title. But Joe had other ideas. Although, in reality, the game became a defensive affair and we won it narrowly with some brave defensive calls/pressure. A good offense has been a rarity in the history of the Jets. They say that offense wins you games and defense wins you championships. I can tell you that is NOT true in our case: we've had some of the best defenses ever assembled and yet the team won scoot because the offense was so shit! ;-)"

[Far Cough]

That must have been Don Shula's Baltimore Colts?

[southbankbornnbred]

Far Cough - yep! That's when Joe quite literally 'promised' to win the game against the highly-fancied Colts - and did so. Joe is a fecking legend!

[southbankbornnbred]

"TM, I'm not sure Rex knew what he was doing at all with the offense/QB situation. What emerged was not by design, it was more likely default. He was such a defensive specialist, and knew almost nothing about running an offense. His one big play was to agree to draft up in 2008 to take Sanchez. He didn't even rate Sanchez that highly, but he thought that he was ""OK enough"" to win with provided that his usually excellent defense held up (which it always did). So they overspent trading up to take an ""OK enough"" QB in 2009. In fairness, it threatened to work - Sanchez's first two seasons were the back-to-back AFC Championship games. Then his form and confidence fell off a cliff and that was that. Rex didn't know what to do after that, at least offensively, and mucked around with Tebow etc."

[Far Cough]

southbankbornnbred 5:40 Mon Nov 12 Was that Super Bowl win with Broadway Joe?

[southbankbornnbred]

"Remember, this is the franchise which passed over Dan Marino in the 1983 draft - in favour of Ken O'Brien (who was actually quite good, but not in Marino's class). They later (1995) infamously passed over Warren Sapp in favour of a tight end by the name of Kyle Brady. Even the non-Jets crowd inside the hall that night were telling the Jets to draft Sapp! The world could see it was the right choice - and they opted for a guy who flunked. That's the Jets in a nutshell. But I love 'em."

[Takashi Miike]

"id give Rex a bkt of credit for trying to implement a college type QB situation with different styles of player, something Payton in New Orleans has mastered with Brees and Hill, it's just a shame Ryan had mediocre players in that position"

[southbankbornnbred]

"OMM, you must recall the Jets' cursed high-profile draft failures? There was a period when the franchise had a succession of high draft picks and wasted almost all of them (Revis was a refreshing and legendary exception). I give you Vernon Gholston!"