NFL: ***Official Week Eleven Thread***

[jbindm]

Steelers @ Browns tonight. Must-win for the Browns in order to stay in the wild card hunt.

Texans @ Ravens - Maybe the next great QB rivalry; Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson.

Bears @ Rams - Bears need a win to stay in the hunt for a wild card spot.

The big news of the weekend (and I hesitate to even bring it up since the last thread about him went to the cave or flat out got shut down) - is going to be the Saturday open workout and interview for Colin Kaepernick in Atlanta. If this really is just a dog and pony show the league put together to cover their ass then they've done a really poor job of it. Depending on which reports are to be believed somewhere between ten and twenty teams will have scouts in attendance. Multiple questions, though. Why now? And why on a Saturday when half of the teams in the league are traveling? Why such short notice?

 

[CloneinWDSM]

I think the NFL was hoping that all the rules, time, etc regarding the workout would cause Kaepernick to back out. The NFL then could go on to say “we tried” and Kaepernick doesn’t really want to play.

It makes no sense to do it on a Saturday if you want to give a fair shot. All coaches/execs aren’t going to make it when they have a game the next day.

 

[jbindm]

I think the NFL was hoping that all the rules, time, etc regarding the workout would cause Kaepernick to back out. The NFL then could go on to say “we tried” and Kaepernick doesn’t really want to play.

It makes no sense to do it on a Saturday if you want to give a fair shot. All coaches/execs aren’t going to make it when they have a game the next day.

I agree. I think the closer we get to Saturday the flimsier the league's effort is going to look. But if Kap is serious about getting back in then this might be the only league-backed chance he'll get, half-assed as it might be. I envision all the "team representatives" that show up will be like, marketing interns and maybe a handful of low level scouts. Nobody whose opinion would actually matter.

 

[Mr Janny]

I think the biggest news out there right now is how the league and the union are getting closer to a new CBA that's reported to feature expanded playoffs, reduced preseason, and a 17 game regular season. Whether you're for it or against it, that's big news that will have a massive impact on the league. Nothing done yet, but it's getting there.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...bor-agreement-which-likely-includes-17-games/

 

[jbindm]

I think the biggest news out there right now is how the league and the union are getting closer to a new CBA that's reported to feature expanded playoffs, reduced preseason, and a 17 game regular season. Whether you're for it or against it, that's big news that will have a massive impact on the league. Nothing done yet, but it's getting there.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...bor-agreement-which-likely-includes-17-games/

I missed that. Can't wait to see what the league gave up to get that extra game. For the union's sake I hope it has nothing to do with the player discipline process and instead something that might actually help a lot of players rather than just a few screw-ups. I'm hoping elimination of the fifth option year for players taken in the first round or elimination of the franchise tag or at least a limit on how many times it can be applied.

 

[Mr Janny]

I missed that. Can't wait to see what the league gave up to get that extra game. For the union's sake I hope it has nothing to do with the player discipline process and instead something that might actually help a lot of players rather than just a few screw-ups. I'm hoping elimination of the fifth option year for players taken in the first round or elimination of the franchise tag or at least a limit on how many times it can be applied.

Yeah, if the players were smart, they'd ignore the Goodell discipline angle. Changing franchise tag rules and rookie contracts for first round picks would be much more beneficial

 

[jbindm]

Yeah, if the players were smart, they'd ignore the Goodell discipline angle. Changing franchise tag rules and rookie contracts for first round picks would be much more beneficial

I hope the union doesn't go chasing the marijuana issue, either. I know there's been a strong push from some to make it a nonbanned substance, but the fact is that for players who haven't been busted and placed in the league's substance program it's pretty easy to game the system to smoke all you want for pain management during the season. Again, it's chasing something that only helps a handful of knuckleheads and screw-ups and it's not worth making a major concession to the owners.

 

[Dandy]

I missed that. Can't wait to see what the league gave up to get that extra game. For the union's sake I hope it has nothing to do with the player discipline process and instead something that might actually help a lot of players rather than just a few screw-ups. I'm hoping elimination of the fifth option year for players taken in the first round or elimination of the franchise tag or at least a limit on how many times it can be applied.

I bet the salary cap goes way up. Too bad it will just go to the QBs and elite players already getting handsomely paid and the more mid-to-low level guys will continue to take beatings on the field and not get paid very well.

 

[Dandy]

Expanded playoffs? Unnecessary.

 

[jbindm]

I bet the salary cap goes way up. Too bad it will just go to the QBs and elite players already getting handsomely paid and the more mid-to-low level guys will continue to take beatings on the field and not get paid very well.

Maybe. But a rising tide lifts all boats. If the elite players can get to free agency sooner than they can reset the market and take everyone up with them...theoretically.

 

[jbindm]

Expanded playoffs? Unnecessary.

More cash in everyone's pocket. People will complain about a watered down product, but at the end of the day it's still NFL playoff football. Are you really not going to watch?

From a competitive standpoint it'll be interesting. The #1 seed will be more important than ever since they'll be the only ones to get a first round bye in the new seven team format. I guess this is more of a competition committee issue, bu while they're at it I'd also like to see them change the playoff field to allow for re-seeding. The four division winners shouldn't automatically get the top four seeds. Winning a division should guarantee a playoff berth and nothing else.

Look at what's likely to happen in the NFC West...either the Niners or Seahawks are probably going to have to hit the road for wild card weekend against an opponent with a worse record.

 

[Acylum]

Look at what's likely to happen in the NFC West...either the Niners or Seahawks are probably going to have to hit the road for wild card weekend against an opponent with a worse record.

That's not that uncommon IIRC.

 

[Dandy]

More cash in everyone's pocket. People will complain about a watered down product, but at the end of the day it's still NFL playoff football. Are you really not going to watch?

Technically true but contract salaries are set for the regular season. Playoff game checks are significantly lower. The teams and league definitely see more revenue than the players during the playoffs.

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/article125214314.html

 

[jbindm]

That's not that uncommon IIRC.

Right. I'm not saying it's uncommon, I'm saying it's unfair. I think if the league is going to stick with divisions then the division winner should be a guaranteed a playoff spot but that's it. No reason for a mediocre division winner to have a higher seed than a very good team from another stronger division.

 

[jbindm]

Technically true but contract salaries are set for the regular season. Playoff game checks are significantly lower. The teams and league definitely see more revenue than the players during the playoffs.

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/article125214314.html

That would be the biggest part of the new CBA - what does the revenue split look like? Maybe that's the concession the owners gave in exchange for more games; a bigger piece of the pie for the players.

 

[SCyclone]

If they add any more games - even one - then rosters need to be expanded. Attrition is a reality for everyone, and in some cases teams have double-digit names on IR.

I really, REALLY hope they do away with the Thursday night games. Most of the match-ups are garbage, and the only people that like it are the networks.

 

[Mr Janny]

If they add any more games - even one - then rosters need to be expanded. Attrition is a reality for everyone, and in some cases teams have double-digit names on IR.

I really, REALLY hope they do away with the Thursday night games. Most of the match-ups are garbage, and the only people that like it are the networks.

At the very least, they need to expand the number of players they can dress for games. I think it's 46 right now. Not sure why the entire 53 man active roster can't be game ready. Seems silly.

 

[cytor]

Is this thread supposed to be about game predictions for this week? If so, it only took 22 minutes for this thread to get highjacked.

I do like the conversation about the league though.... the NFL runs roughshod over their players and fans at every turn.

 

[Mr Janny]

Is this thread supposed to be about game predictions for this week? If so, it only took 22 minutes for this thread to get highjacked.

I do like the conversation about the league though.... the NFL runs roughshod over their players and fans at every turn.

This is what this thread is always like. News of the NFL of the week. Mostly it's related to the games but not limited to that

 

[jbindm]

If they add any more games - even one - then rosters need to be expanded. Attrition is a reality for everyone, and in some cases teams have double-digit names on IR.

I really, REALLY hope they do away with the Thursday night games. Most of the match-ups are garbage, and the only people that like it are the networks.

It'll be interesting to see all the details that come with additional games - how the added revenue is split, whether there will be an increase to active rosters and gameday rosters and practice squads, etc.

I agree that Thursday night games are generally an inferior product because it's simply not enough recovery time for the players involved to be anywhere close to 100%. But I just don't see the Thursday games going away any time soon. I think the current tv rights deal runs through 2023. And even the bad games consistently crush whatever they're up against.