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."

[Hermit Road]

Norflundon 11:04 Fri Jan 15 ........not yet.

[southbankbornnbred]

"I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but it feels a bit like the Jets appointed Steve McClaren in his early days as a manager. You know when everybody you respect keeps telling you what a great coach and assistant manager he was, how he gets on with his players and how he's tactically astute etc? You recall what was going on when Ferguson was trying to place McClaren at various good quality clubs (including ours)? And at the back of your mind, you're thinking: ""Yeah, let's wait and see. He looks a bit lost to me and I'm not sure he's going to transform much."" I feel like that with Saleh. Hope I'm as wrong as it's possible to be."

[southbankbornnbred]

"Two immediate tests for Saleh: A) Does he have a ""day one""ù plan to deal with the QB situation? Because we can't afford for that to drag on. B) He needs to swallow his defensive pride and take two offensive players with our two first round picks this year. If he fails to do that, we ain't going to the play-offs any time soon because we simply won't have the quality to score points. No point losing games 10-3 if you've already been losing them 23-3. This is why it was more important to appoint an offensive mind (not a fake like Gase)."

[southbankbornnbred]

"I'm a little underwhelmed by the Jets' appointment of Saleh. I'm absolutely certain he'll improve our defense, and I know he's a very good DC. I'm not questioning his defensive quality and he'd be a great fit for any franchise struggling on that side of the ball. But he's the wrong appointment at the right time for us. All of the Jets' biggest problems are on the offensive side of the ball and Saleh has absolutely no previous experience there. He'll no doubt make us defensively good/solid - like Rex Ryan did. But Ryan was clueless about offense and wasted draft picks on very poor choices. We can't afford for Saleh to do the same. We've also had other good defensive HCs in recent years - Bowles, Mancini and Edwards - and none of them built a competitive side because they didn't address our offensive issues. The Jets are a franchise that has forgotten how to score points in the NFL, and has been for 20 years. It says everything about the ownership that they've, once again, failed to recognise that. The choice this time had to be Bienirmy, Pederson or Daboll. But Saleh's our man now, so we'll get behind him. That's how it works. I hope he not only brings a good OC with him, but also empowers them with input over offensive draft picks (something Ryan failed to do when he spent a fortune trading up for Mark Sanchez). Hope Saleh does well. Not holding my breath."

[Norflundon]

Hermit I can't tell you what it is but I can tell you he's not the eagles head coach! In fact I can go as far as he's not anybody's head coach!

[Hermit Road]

"Is he the new Eagles Head Coach? If so, does he prefer Hurts to Wentz?"

[Norflundon]

Crystal My bro has got a new job but can't say yet but it's a pretty big deal

[Grumpster]

Was brilliant for our defence and even the 2nd string who were used for most of the season performed very well.

[crystal falace]

Jets defence will get better immediately and he'll probably bring a shanahan understudy to run his offece so could be exciting times.

[crystal falace]

"Robert Saleh has chosen the Jets over a number of other apparent job offers,"

[Takashi Miike]

"great college coach but he's suffered with health problems (cyst on the brain) for quite a while, and the stress of an nfl job may not be great for him"

[crystal falace]

Jaguars are hiring urban meyer as the new head coach. Dont know much about college football but i know he's regarded as one of the best coaches in college history. Guess trevor lawrence and over 100m in cap space is quite appealing

[Grumpster]

"Still can't see past a Chiefs v Packers SB. If it comes down to who doesn't choke, their 2 QB's have been there, seen it and done it. And their probable opponents in the championship games the Bucs and Bills look good, but very beatable for me. Actually think the remaining games all look absolute belters."

[southbankbornnbred]

"Nothing wrong with dreaming, Zeb. My lot have only dreams!"

[southbankbornnbred]

"Leftie QBs are rare - partly because they cause so much disruption to tactics! You try convincing a 340lb right-tackle that he's got to match-up against the oppo's best DLs, or move along the line, if he wants to carry on playing. After that, you've got to tell your 260llb tight end that he's got to memorise an entire new playbook (in negative) for some of his receiving routes. Then you go back to your centre and make sure he can snap slightly to the left hand of your QB, rather than the right, while your FB shifts across and has to learn to stiff-arm block more regularly with his right-hand because he's now on the open-side. Mid-season."

[zebthecat]

I can dream can't I? Watson wants out two of the draft picks are first round this year. We've been pretty good on free agency revcently and there should be some very good receivers available this year.

[southbankbornnbred]

"I should add - I'm not remotely convinced by what I've seen of Tua. He looked like a fish out of water (excuse the pun, Isaac!) at times last season. But he had only half a season to transition into a starting NFL QB. And the transition is not only his, either: he's a leftie, so the offensive line, tight-ends and receivers also have to get used to change. Your right tackle is suddenly playing blind side etc. He might come good. He might not. But Miami would be foolish to not give him at least a little more time."

[southbankbornnbred]

"Not going to happen. I strongly suspect that Tua will be the Fish's starting QB next season. The pressure is on that franchise to give the kid some time in the saddle. He didn't start games until mid-season in 2020, so any half-decent GM would give him some time. In addition, his below-par performances so far mean that few sides will take a big risk by offering up too many high picks in the draft. I just can't see it happening. Put yourself in the Texan's shoes - you're asking them to give away a nailed-on NFL quality QB and to get in return an unproven kid who struggled last season (but who has time to improve) and some picks that nobody can put a value on."

[zebthecat]

Reading some interesting speculation linking DeShaun Watson with the 'Fins in exchange for Tua and draft picks. That might be a pretty good deal.

[southbankbornnbred]

"Here you go - if Donald is not 100% and the Rams have to remove him from key plays at any stage, expect a fair bit of this from Rodgers (probably calling the audible at the line of scrimmage if/when he realises Donald is not there)... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nTl3CRrsHM"

[southbankbornnbred]

"On a (mercifully brief) different note, it looks like the Eagles are trying to muscle-in on the Jets' talks with Rob Saleh. Ordinarily, I'd be pissed-off about another side trying to steal a good defensive coach from under us. But I wouldn't mind this time around. I still think we need an offensive HC, regardless of Saleh's obvious talent."

[southbankbornnbred]

"Four well-matched games, though. There are favourites in each game (particularly the Chiefs), but any combination of results is genuinely possible. I would love to see Cleveland upset things. But it's probably wishful thinking. The Chiefs still look like the strongest side in the competition."

[southbankbornnbred]

"I fancy the Ravens to 'upset' the Bills. Jackson's movement upsets some teams and not others. Unfortunately for the Bills, I think they seem vulnerable to a scrambling QB. They like to press defence/cover in straight lines, and they are good at it, but that is something Jackson upsets. He'll run for first downs when the Bills will assume they've covered their bases. Two good sides, though, so it should be a good match-up. In fact, I like the look of all four games. No easy predictions in any of them. The Brownies are inconsistent - lose to the Jets one week and then deal well with the Steelers. Their game against the Chiefs will all depend on the start they get. If it is close after the first half, then they will start to believe they can cause the big upset. I doubt they will come back from being more than a score down, though. It's hard to tail-chase the Chiefs - you have to cause panic/uncertainty among them, and they don't panic if they're ahead. Packers-Rams will be tight and much will depend on Donald's availability. If he's on the line of scrimmage on the first snap, and almost fully fit, then his presence will play on Rodgers' mind. If he's not, you might see the Packers slant their pocket/bootleg etc to give Rodgers some easier targets in parts of the pitch the pass rush usually gets to. If Donald is missing, expect a big day for a Packer tight end. Saints/Buccs another tough one to call. I want the Saints, just because I have an aversion to Tom Brady following years of torture (no Stockholm Syndrome for Jets fans!). But he is superb and he does have a lot of weapons to aim for. Saints running game will need to keep Tampa on the pitch for long periods."

[Hermit Road]

Rams @ Packers. - Packers. Rams are battered up and have QB problems. Ravens @ Bills - Bills. They are getting stronger with each game and March down the field with ease. Browns @ Chiefs. - Browns are improving but I think the Chiefs will have too much for them. Buccs @ Saints - Bucks. I think the Saints are vulnerable and the Buccs look like they are getting stronger. Bills then best KC and make it to the SB where they defeat the Buccs who have dispatched Green Bay.

[Lee Trundle]

I'd go with that. I'd possibly have the Saints over the Bucs if they have the refs on their side. Have the BROWNS recovered from their covid outbreak?