@comeonman said:

How often do changes these days in the NFL actually turn out for the better? The schedule is one of the last things I would fuck with. 

I hate to admit it but if anyone is really concerned about concussions and other debilitating injuries going from a 16 to a 14 or even 12 game season would make more sense.

But I don't think that will happen any time soon.

@dutch-oven said:

I don't understand how the owners can say they are doing everything they can in the name of player safety and then try to push a 18 game schedule - FIVE OR SIX GAMES more than college football teams play. 

I'm sorry, more doesn't mean better. I'm with mjp 100% on this. 

How often do changes these days in the NFL actually turn out for the better? The schedule is one of the last things I would fuck with. 

@tour2ma said:

Agree... as I wrote in 'cube's "And so it begins..." thread last nite showed that Week 1 is now the preseason... at least for teams whose stars saw precious little PT in the real pre-...

Does make a case for reducing the preseason to two games and expanding the regular to 18 games.

Only problem with reducing preseason to two games is time to evaluate players.  I'm not sure there will be ample time to get a true player evaluation.  Perhaps with three games, but not with two.  The last game with mostly rookies is very important, even though we don't want to see it.  So which game do we through out?  the third game, where most of the starters play the first half?  Still important for the rookies to play the second half though.  Perhaps we could get rid of the 1st or second.  And the arguement could be made that if Chicago and Green Bay had played their starters in weak 3 of preseason, we wouldn't be having this discussion.  

@canton-mike said:

I would have to play Brees...too many weapons to ignore.

Mike

@tour2ma said:

Agree... plus very quietly the Colts have assembled quite a D at all three levels while the Texans are now Clowney-less up front and are suspect in the 2ndary.

My only reservation is that Rivers got his redzone target back from missing all last season, TE Hunter Henry. I have him on my team so maybe the ideal is to play him as TE and Brees as the QB. Since Ingram is no longer there Brees may have to throw more to give Kamara some rest.

@jiggins7919 said:

I wonder what's causing my hesitation about this game tomorrow. I already predicted a Browns win of something like 27-17, but I keep having these niggling doubts creeping in my mind, and I wonder if it's because of our history, or if it's because Tennessee really is that good. I mean, they had a winning record 3 straight years. They're very good against the pass. They like to run the ball, and we were not great at stopping it last year. 

I keep thinking, can ANYONE live up to the impossible hype surrounding our team? Maybe it's because I can JUST see the headlines if we lose. "Browns hype train derails as they historically lose another opener after game-winning kick goes awry." The pressure for this team to come out and win is enormous, and I don't know if if you've seen who we play the first 8 games, but it's serious. 

But you know what? Win or lose, I still think we have the goods for a fun season. We need some luck on the injury bug front, but we can't control that. Browns fans have a unique relationship with opening day, and by unique I mean, "Holy shit I hate football." People who say things like, "This year is different. These players don't have anything to do with those other teams" are crazy and misinformed. If you don't believe our team has to overcome history, then you're bananas. We very much DO, and it's a real and tangible adversary. 

Take last year's tie for example. How MANY times did we have to win that game? Schobert could've taken that pic to the house and ended it. Genard Avery (I THINK) didn't turn around and make one block as he prematurely celebrated the touchdown that never happened. THEN, our best player Myles Garrett inexplicably drills a Steeler in the back directly in front of an official, so we lose more yards. THEN, our FG attempt gets blocked and we freaking TIE a game where we forced 37 turnovers. 

What's this have to do with tomorrow? Nothing? Everything? Well, the Ghost of Dwayne Rudd will be there, and our team better be ready for the impending collection "WTF Plays" that seem to occur on game 1 of the Browns' schedule. I've got the Sunday Ticket ordered, the wings marinating for grilling, and the beer chilled to the bone. Can't wait, no matter what happens!. *WOOF WOOF*

Solution? Party so much at the Tailgate, you won't much care.... Actually I will. It's different this year. We don't just HOPE to win, we EXPECT to win. If we don't, it's not going to be pretty down by the Lake.  

BTW, If Goodell has a bone left in his spine, he'll block AB going to the Patriots. The whole thing reeks of a fix. How could you have this move arranged almost instantly after being cut?  

@canton-mike said:

I would have to play Brees...too many weapons to ignore.

Agree... plus very quietly the Colts have assembled quite a D at all three levels while the Texans are now Clowney-less up front and are suspect in the 2ndary.

@texasag1969 said:

It's very hard to predict the first game of the season. In my FFL I have Rivers at home against the "Luck"less  Colts or Brees at home against Houston's D. Which one would you play this week?

I would have to play Brees...too many weapons to ignore.

Mike

@dutch-oven said:

I don't understand how the owners can say they are doing everything they can in the name of player safety and then try to push a 18 game schedule - FIVE OR SIX GAMES more than college football teams play. 

I'm sorry, more doesn't mean better. I'm with mjp 100% on this. 

$$&$

@texasag1969 said:

Longview? You know their senior QB committed to A&M mid-July?

Maybe.... and "yes"...

The kid's a stick, but he's tall and the HC's son and can read a D. He's in ESPN's Top 100... he's #80-something.

Too bad TAMU doesn't have him today.

BTW... the Lobos made last week's ESPN HS game-of-the-week broadcast and narrowly beat Lufkin 24-21. They're now 2-0 after trouncing Marshall 53-0 this past Friday.

http://www.lobosfootball.com/lobos_varsity_schedule.html

@tour2ma said:

Not for the playoff teams...

Hell... our HS State Champs played 16 last year... 16-0 baybeeeeeeeeeeeeee....

Longview? You know their senior QB committed to A&M mid-July?

I keep thinking, can ANYONE live up to the impossible hype surrounding our team? Maybe it's because I can JUST see the headlines if we lose. "Browns hype train derails as they historically lose another opener after game-winning kick goes awry." The pressure for this team to come out and win is enormous, and I don't know if if you've seen who we play the first 8 games, but it's serious. 

But you know what? Win or lose, I still think we have the goods for a fun season. We need some luck on the injury bug front, but we can't control that. Browns fans have a unique relationship with opening day, and by unique I mean, "Holy shit I hate football." People who say things like, "This year is different. These players don't have anything to do with those other teams" are crazy and misinformed. If you don't believe our team has to overcome history, then you're bananas. We very much DO, and it's a real and tangible adversary. 

Take last year's tie for example. How MANY times did we have to win that game? Schobert could've taken that pic to the house and ended it. Genard Avery (I THINK) didn't turn around and make one block as he prematurely celebrated the touchdown that never happened. THEN, our best player Myles Garrett inexplicably drills a Steeler in the back directly in front of an official, so we lose more yards. THEN, our FG attempt gets blocked and we freaking TIE a game where we forced 37 turnovers. 

What's this have to do with tomorrow? Nothing? Everything? Well, the Ghost of Dwayne Rudd will be there, and our team better be ready for the impending collection "WTF Plays" that seem to occur on game 1 of the Browns' schedule. I've got the Sunday Ticket ordered, the wings marinating for grilling, and the beer chilled to the bone. Can't wait, no matter what happens!. *WOOF WOOF*

@tour2ma said:

Pretty sure I knew that, but what I don't know is if those that play the added games suffer a proportional... or greater... increase in injuries.

Hard to say 100% for sure but I knew YSU guys that were really hurt and still played some particularly quarterbacks took a beating.

Tressel went to 6 NC games in the 1990s won 4 with YSU, Pelini in year 2 went to the NC game and as underdogs lost.

@hoorta said:

We're not even going to  name  him. Let's just say it's a  lot more  peaceful  around here now that we don't have to  put up with his BS. Hint- has been  kicked off  of every  football  Board  he's ever posted on. 

Tracking....

@mjp28 said:

Playoff teams that go deep only represent a small number of all of the teams like my YSU Penguins that play a lot of games and it can be tough on the players.

But they are glad to be there.

Pretty sure I knew that, but what I don't know is if those that play the added games suffer a proportional... or greater... increase in injuries.

@tour2ma said:

Not for the playoff teams...

Hell... our HS State Champs played 16 last year... 16-0 baybeeeeeeeeeeeeee....

Playoff teams that go deep only represent a small number of all of the teams like my YSU Penguins that play a lot of games and it can be tough on the players.

But they are glad to be there.

@dutch-oven said:

I don't understand how the owners can say they are doing everything they can in the name of player safety and then try to push a 18 game schedule - FIVE OR SIX GAMES more than college football teams play.

Not for the playoff teams...

Hell... our HS State Champs played 16 last year... 16-0 baybeeeeeeeeeeeeee....

From the article....

......That’s crucial, according to NFLPA estimates, because the average NFL career is 3.4 years but would drop to 2.8 years with two more games each season. The minimum required service time for players to receive a pension and long-term health benefits is three years.

“Fans and media discuss what would happen to ratings and revenue or whether [18 games] is a good idea or bad idea. For us, it comes down to who players are as men, and is it good for us,”........  READ IT......

@texasag1969 said:

Get rid of pre-season and it makes more sense.;

It's hard now to decide who makes the roster and practice squad you need at least three better yet four preseason games and leave it with 16 games and a week 4-12 bye. If your star players sit out most of it so be it.

Owners want mo' money at the expense of the players health and watering down the NFL product itself.

July 13

@marcus said:

I’ve been away for a while. Who got banned?

We're not even going to  name  him. Let's just say it's a  lot more  peaceful  around here now that we don't have to  put up with his BS. Hint- has been  kicked off  of every  football  Board  he's ever posted on. 

@hoorta said:

In defense of Gipper, I was pretty high on Mitch- but not at #1. Looks like another Hoorta big QB screw up.

Let's not forget Mr.Knowitall (the banned guy) knew Mitch was going to go high. That was revisionist history. If Hue truly didn't want Trubisky, it was one of the very few things he ever got right. 

I’ve been away for a while. Who got banned?

@tour2ma said:

Why are you rubbing Gip's nose in that?

And could you do it some more?

Yup... took three snaps total in all four games... and handed it off three times.

Not exactly sharpening the saw there...

FYI four starting QBs took zero snaps: Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Phillip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers.

You could the effects in Rodgers game as well... especially early.

In defense of Gipper, I was pretty high on Mitch- but not at #1. Looks like another Hoorta big QB screw up.

Let's not forget Mr.Knowitall (the banned guy) knew Mitch was going to go high. That was revisionist history. If Hue truly didn't want Trubisky, it was one of the very few things he ever got right.