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."

[southbankbornnbred]

"In fact, just read a good piece about the Jets and the 2017 draft. It seems that EVERY major analyst and scout at the Jets wanted Mahomes as the #6 pick that year. Some also liked the look of Watson. Yet the GM wanted to build the rest of the side first, and then take a QB in the 2018 draft (which the Jets did - that's when they took Sam Darnold). Hackenberg, who we took in the 2nd round of the 2016 draft, was one of the worst experiments in NFL history. Which is saying something. He had the worst throwing mechanics of any QB since Tim Tebow."

[southbankbornnbred]

"Trunds, Good call, that, mate. This is just the regular reminder that the Jets passed on Pat Mahomes in the 2017 draft (as did nine other teams), because our clueless former GM wanted to persevere with his utterly dismal Christian Hackenberg (no - me neither!) experiment! Mahomes genuinely thought the Jets would draft him at one point and says he would happily have gone to Gotham - he attended the training ground for several private workouts ahead of the draft. What a talentless dick the GM, MacCagnan, was! In the same draft, we also passed on Deshaun Watson before his career got ruined by all kinds of allegations. We took Jamal Adams, a very fine safety, at #6 instead...and he quickly realised how badly run the Jets are and later demanded a trade! But it's OK, because the Bears got Mitch Trubisky at #2 that year and look how that worked out!"

[Nutsin]

Jim Harbaugh is the new head coach of the Chargers on a 5 year deal. Exactly what they need.

[Lee Trundle]

"I'm sure you're with the majority wishing we lose, sbb. Mahomes is unreal. I watched his first game live in 2017 and thought he was ridiculous back then. This is what I wrote on this very thread about him. I'll take this as a massive WIN. haha ""Lee Trundle 2:20 Mon Jan 1 I wonder if Alex Smith will end up leaving the Chiefs at the end of the season? He's probably the best QB in the league based on this year's STATS but Mahomes looked an outstanding prospect in yesterday's game. It's ridiculous that amount of power he generates in his throws with such little effort."""

[southbankbornnbred]

"The Bills still can't quite do it when it really matters. They're beginning to resemble that very good side of the early 90s! Allen is an excellent QB. But Mahomes has the making of most in the current league. Ravens-Chiefs will be a fine match-up. Hope the Lions can pull off a massive shock in the other game (sorry, Trunds), but can't see it. Would love to see Detroit in the Super Bowl. The place will go fucking nuts."

[El Scorchio]

"Really sorry for the Bills. Was hoping they'd get it done, but credit to the Chiefs they usually just somehow find a way. Jason Kelce's celebrations were superb. Can't look past the ravens next week though. Or indeed for the Lombardi itself. Would love the Lions to go all the way but i just can't see them getting past the 49ers. Could be a blowout actually if the weather isn't terrible. Two great facts over the weekend. Firstly that was Mahomes' 16th playoff game and (excluding super bowls obviously) only the first road playoff game he's ever played. Secondly, the Lions now have more playoff wins in the last 8 days than in the previous 60 years. Mad."

[Nutsin]

"Niners dodged a bullet against the Pack. Packers played lights out, Purdy can't handle the ball when wet. Our defense kept falling over on critical plays yet somehow we managed to pull out a win. Jennings and Greenlaw both came up big. Horrible game to watch, so glad it's over. Better sharpen up against Detroit on Sunday. Chiefs v Ravens will be a battle."

[lab]

üòÜ

[southbankbornnbred]

The Jets have the toughest schedule in the NFL - every year. Because we have to play actual professional NFL teams. Which immediately puts us at a disadvantage.

[El Scorchio]

"stewie griffin 5:55 Depends how you slice it up. Yes they did based on 2022 records before the season started, but I believe not, based on actual 2023 performances."

[bobbymoore]

He went over to the Atlanta Falcons

[bobbymoore]

"Alex Gray was a rugby 7s player who tried to make it as a TE through the international programme. He didn't make it, it's too steep a learning curve for most UK professionals to transition across. He disappeared a few years ago and I've just googled him, he's now Apollo in the new Gladiators lol"

[stewie griffin]

"""I agree with your main point that both teams didn't have the toughest schedule, and both their records flatter to deceive"" eh? eagles had the toughest schedule in football. Doesn't negate how shit we were all year, but that's an outrageous statement"

[El Scorchio]

"Sure it's being rather observant to what you said, but in the context of one 17 game season it's not ridiculous levels of pedantry. I agree with your main point that both teams didn't have the toughest schedule, and both their records flatter to deceive."

[Oh dear]

"El Scorchio OK, I've reread my original post. 100 out of 100 for pedantry though, which anyone would salute. I suppose that's what message boards are for though"

[southbankbornnbred]

"Yeah, most NFL players have generally played at least two years of high-quality (in coaching terms) high school (American) football and three years of college football by the time they are Rees-Zammit's age. So he's at least five years (probably more) behind most Yanks even at the age of 22. He hasn't had a single day of NFL-style coaching in his life. Whereas these kids emerge from college as absolute units built and coached to play that sport - and, even then, most of them don't make it in the professional ranks. His chances are slim. But good luck to him. Different requirements for different sports, innit? Rugby is so much more about the combination of cardio and size/strength. NFL is not that at all. Most American footballers would be gasping for air if asked to run like a rugby player for more than a couple of minutes. It's all about seconds-long explosiveness, elite level reactions, memorising playbooks and the physicality (which both sports share). Similar sporting origins, but the NFL is the muscle-bound sprinter (give or take a fat lineman) to rugby's ""decathletes""."

[zebthecat]

"The only one I can think of playing now is Jordan Mailata who came from rugby league. Being 6'8"" and huge has helped. Jamie Gillan sort of but he played club and school rugby not professionally."

[Far Cough]

"yeah, tight end would have been a good fit for him"

[Takashi Miike]

"cough, he had the perfect build for a tight end. whether he could have learnt the plays is the question, but he would have been a mismatch for most defensive backs"

[El Scorchio]

"Oh dear 4:31 Yup, Philly and the cowboys have benefited from two weak division rivals in the last few years and I wouldn't dispute that at all. But that's not what you said. You said they both got four wins against both others this season, which they didn't."

[Far Cough]

"sbb, didn't an NFL team (I think the Cowboys?) tried to get Jonah Lomu to sign for them? Fuck knows what position they had in line for him, he was fast enough to be a wide receiver and strong enough to be a linebacker?"

[El Scorchio]

"southbankbornnbred 4:12 Exactly! There's fairly little like for like from rugby to NFL in terms of body shape/skill when you look at the individual positions in NFL. Best one I can think of is a fly half becoming a place kicker or punter. Even if he's got the body for a receiver, can he run routes well and digest the playbook? Can he run block effectively? As you say too tall and slender for a running back- the big ones like Brandon Jacobs or Derrick Henry are absolute units who both weigh(ed) 22 kilos more. He will get smashed as a tight end unless he seriously bulks up. No idea if he'd have the skillset to become a safety or a cornerback. Mildly inteesting too see what happens and good on him for giving it a go but these things so rarely amount to anything becase it's such a different sport and skillset"

[Oh dear]

El Scorchio Dallas have beaten NY 6 times on the bounce and Washington 5 of the last 6 Philly have beaten both NY and Washington 5 of the last 6. That's benefiting from soft schedules The Redskins have taken some proper thmpings too

[southbankbornnbred]

"Rees-Zammit's girlfriend is a social media ""influencer"" - snigger! - so there's probably some idea that his ""journey"" from rugby to the NFL IPP will all be filmed, uploaded and product placed. Most likely there will be a Netflix documentary in it. I hate all that shit. But he'll probably do well out of it financially."

[southbankbornnbred]

"I don't really see the point in that rugby-to-NFL (IPP) move. Christian Wade did it and, with all due respect to the fella, didn't really get too far with the Bills etc. There have been a couple of notable exceptions, of course, but generally it's late to start learning specialist NFL skills once you've had a long-ish stint in rugby and no college (American) football career. And vice-versa, I'm sure. Good luck to Rees-Zammit if that's what he wants to do. He's only 22, so he has some time on his side. But his chances of succeeding at a high level are slim. Just read that he's 6ft 3. He's a winger, isn't he? So I guess they're thinking he'll be either a wide receiver or tight end. But is he big enough to be a tight end (they're generally around 250lbs+). He's probably too big to be a running back, despite his straight line speed."