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Post by @admin on Aug 2, 2021 1:49:33 GMT
32. Houston Texans
I'm not breaking any news here by telling you that Houston are in a complete mess. As the uncertainty around Deshaun Watson rolls on, the Texans are set to start the season with Tyrod Taylor at quarterback - but given his recent history I wouldn't be shocked to see Davis Mills hit the field earlier than some of the rookies drafted earlier than him. The skill positions aren't completely terrible and are probably the highlight of the roster, Brandin Cooks is a solid #1 and they'll be hoping Keke Coutee can continue to fill the Will Fuller void as he did at the end of last season. They've got three legit names at running back and it will be interesting to see how the playing time is split between David Johnson, Mark Ingram and Phillip Lindsay. The offensive line isn't great, Laremy Tunsil being the bright spot. Marcus Cannon is coming off knee surgery and a COVID holdout, and when he's ready to play they'll have to choose between him and Tytus Howard at RT, and shifting the other inside where they are weak.
Nick Caserio's strategy for the defence has been to just sign as many low cost veterans as possible. There will probably be at least six or seven new starters as Lovie Smith takes over as coordinator and shifts to a 4-3 base. A lot of the new acquisitions are up front (as they look to improve on their league worst run defence) and it's difficult to pick exactly who will play the most. I'd guess Whitney Mercilus and Shaq Lawson on the outside, and Maliek Collins and Ross Blacklock in the middle. Blacklock is someone they'll definitely be hoping contributes more in his second season. The secondary is more settled but doesn't look any more reliable or impressive - familiar names like Bradley Roby, Vernon Hargreaves and Justin Reid will all be starting again, but they made almost a historic level of fewest turnovers last season.
This is obviously a punt away season for the Texans. Rookie head coach David Culley has an unenviable job trying to achieve anything with a mess of a quarterback situation and a roster lacking in any premier talent. Bottom out and earn a high draft pick, and resolve the Watson situation, and you'll have two big wins - probably about as many as they'll record on the field this season. Short term pain for long term gain.
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Post by Blindy on Aug 2, 2021 1:58:29 GMT
I will never get the Davis Mills pick unless he is either able to showcase himself as a legit talent because if this team gets no.1 pick, they may be forced to go with the top QB of the draft class unless Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Oregon pass rusher is Myles Garrett levels of good that he can't be passed up on.
If Mills redshirts or doesn't perform well off the get go, he has serious knee injuries that limited him at Stanford that would they pass up the top QB available if someone has a Burrow/Z Wilson type of rise?
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Post by UT on Aug 2, 2021 18:33:36 GMT
Good writeup to start and the easy pick to be the worst team in the NFL - on paper right now I don't see how they win a game to be honest as I don't know a single thing they do well. They will of course because this is the NFL but this is top to bottom one of the most uninspiring rosters I've seen in years - and that's before Brandin Cooks gets hurt.
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Post by @admin on Aug 2, 2021 23:40:32 GMT
31. Detroit Lions
The Lions are the NFC equivalent of the Texans. Rookie head coach in Dan Campbell, entrenched face of the franchise QB moved on, severe lack of elite talent, terrible pass rush. With Matthew Stafford finally out of Detroit after over a decade as starter, Jared Goff will take over with the chance to reboot his career after his once productive relationship with Sean McVay clearly went south. The main obstacle to rebuilding that reputation comes in the lack of weapons with which to work with. Their top two receivers last season Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones both departed in free agency, and have been replaced by inconsistent deep threats Breshad Perriman and Tyrell Williams. Quintez Cephus is a guy who could emerge in his second season out of Wisconsin. TJ Hockenson will be a really important contributor to the passing game, he quietly led all NFC tight ends in yards last season. The backfield looks solid if D'Andre Swift can stay healthy, he's joined by Jamaal Williams formerly of division rival Green Bay who is a reliable #2 and handy in both the pass game and between the tackles. They have the advantage of running behind the strong Detroit offensive line, headlined by Frank Ragnow and Taylor Decker, and now further enhanced by the sizable presence of rookie Penei Sewell.
The defensive side of the ball looks considerably less impressive, and multiple years of regression was one of the major undoings of the Patricia era. The big name signings that he made are still there, Trey Flowers on the edge, Jamie Collins at off-ball linebacker and they're now fortified by other recognisable faces, Michael Brockers from the Rams and Alex Anzalone who follows Campbell and DC Aaron Glenn over from New Orleans. Along with last season's sack leader Romeo Okwara - they'll need to produce a more threatening pass rush that last season's group who ranked last in the NFL in quarterback pressures. In the secondary they are banking on draft potential finally being realised on the field, most notably with Jeff Okudah who they desperately need to emerge in his second season after being hampered with injury. Third rounder Ifeatu Melifonwu was a CB prospect who received a lot of attention before the draft, and Quinton Dunbar looks like a value signing if he can bounce back from his 2020 that was marred by legal issues.
Dan Campbell has taken plenty of heat for his kneecap biting and pet lion antics. But the football cognoscenti were saying the same stuff about Joe Judge this time last season and then a few months later were proclaiming him coach of the year material. At the very least he has clearly won the support of his players, and that's a solid foundation to start a rebuild from. I don't think they'll be good this year, but they will have some good games.
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Post by @admin on Aug 3, 2021 6:38:51 GMT
30. Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts was exciting to watch in his four starts to finish 2020, a dynamic runner and aggressive passer, but with such a small sample size it's nearly impossible to project what he can be. Shane Steichen as OC is reason to be optimistic, having helped Justin Herbert become last season's OROY. But to achieve success Hurts absolutely has to receive some improved support from the group of pass catchers. Heisman trophy winner DeVonta Smith seemed like a sure fire upgrade but he will worryingly be sidelined for the next couple of weeks with a knee injury. They desperately need Jalen Reagor to be better before he is relegated to JJ Arcega-Whiteside status - a depressing reminder of receivers Philadelphia could have had instead. It's also time for Dallas Goedert to completely take over Zach Ertz's mantle as clear #1 tight end. Staying healthy is the main barrier for him, as it is for Miles Sanders to become a reliable 1000 yard rusher. Avoiding injury is also going to be pivotal for the offensive line, but can't be expected considering history having lost Brooks & Dillard all of last season, and only had Lane Johnson available for 400 snaps. Rookie Landon Dickerson fits right in with the injury boom or bust group.
The faces on defence are familiar - Fletcher Cox is still one of the best DTs in the league, Brandon Graham is still an excellently well rounded EDGE who doesn't get the credit he deserves because he doesn't post huge sack numbers. They'll be hoping Josh Sweat continues to come along opposite him. They've signed a couple of former Vikings coming off career years to fortify the back seven. Eric Wilson did a very commendable job replacing Anthony Barr in Minnesota and he'll join an incumbent with a similar profile in Alex Singleton. The two combined to make 242 tackles last season. Anthony Harris had 104 of his own, and should make a solid safety pairing with stalwart Rodney McLeod. Cornerback is really the make or break position, Darius Slay was disappointing in his first season in Philly, but he should be helped by new DC Jonathan Gannon playing more zone coverage than predecessor Jim Schwartz. Steven Nelson is a very reliable CB2 and it's a little bemusing that he was available as a free agent for as long as he was.
On special teams Philly will deploy their third member of the Aussie punting master race, as Arryn Siposs replaces Cameron Johnston who's moved on to Houston.
You can make a case that there's a reasonable ceiling here for the Eagles, but it relies on all their stars staying healthy which is nearly impossible to be confident about. Depth behind some of the starters is rough - the WRs could be a disaster again, Boston Scott isn't a back who can carry the load excluding his yearly explosion against the Giants, and the defensive line doesn't have much of a rotation. The second area for concern is whether Nick Sirianni can be an improvement on Doug Pederson and maximise a roster that's in an odd halfway house between rebuilding and trying to contend.
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Post by UT on Aug 3, 2021 14:08:51 GMT
There is at least redeemable things about the Lions that I could see them being good at as the season goes along. I like their offensive line and I like their backs and I could see them becoming really good in that department as the season goes along which would open up some things for Goff (who is competent) and Hock. Also their defense at least has potential to grow.
I don't think they will be world beaters and certainly last in the North but I'm not sold on them being the 31st team in the NFL. Dan Campbell is a mystery but it would take a miracle for them to be worse than Patricia.
The Eagles as you said are an enigma and mystery. I don't know what to make of them. I could see them being anywhere from 9-7 or 3-13 and not be shocked either way. This might be right for their ranking but I don't know - I don't have a lot of Eagles opinions other than Devonta Smith I hope gets healthy and gets competent enough QB play to breakout as I still think he's the best receiver in the draft.
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Post by KING KID on Aug 3, 2021 14:55:08 GMT
FUCKING FINALLY!
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Post by UT on Aug 3, 2021 16:14:49 GMT
@admin might want to consider dropping the Colts a few spots. Quentin Nelson has the same issue as Wentz and is undergoing surgery today. Never good losing your best player no matter where they play. Kids Titans bet looking marginally better.
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Post by RT on Aug 3, 2021 17:58:36 GMT
Super excited for Tyrod Taylor to walk into Buffalo on Oct 3rd and get Houston's only win of the season.
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Post by @admin on Aug 4, 2021 5:18:21 GMT
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
Apart from one brief high season, the Jaguars have been perennial loses for the last decade - but they are now headed up by a coach and quarterback who have done little else but win in the college ranks. Trevor Lawrence has been called the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck, and that's exciting for a franchise who hasn't had a legitimate franchise starter for nearly 20 years. It will be interesting to see how they handle the split at running back. James Robinson had a fantastically productive rookie season for a UDFA, but I think anyone who is buying the idea that Travis Etienne will be limited to third down duties is being naive. Carlos Hyde who has history with Meyer from OSU is also in the mix, especially for redzone/goalline touches. Unlike Hurts and Goff from my previous posts, Lawrence has the advantage of a decent to strong group of receivers to work with. Marvin Jones is a productive deep threat and follows Darrell Bevell over from Detroit, and joins DJ Chark who will be looking to bounce back after a underwhelming 2020. Laviska Shenault is the wild card who flashed in the slot but could become a more impactful playmaker if the coaching staff can create opportunities. Tight end looks like a real weakness that went unaddressed in the offseason (no, don't say it), and the same can be said for the offensive line particularly at tackle but Andrew Norwell and Brandon Linder are strong in the middle.
Defence is where the instant improvement should come. Roy Robertson-Harris and Malcom Brown are experienced veterans who will do a job upfront as they switch to a 3-4 scheme. That means Josh Allen and K'Lavon Chaisson move to outside linebacker in an attempt to unlock their full potential as pass rushers - only the Bengals had fewer sacks last season than the Jaguars. Myles Jack and Joe Schobert are a strong pairing in the middle. The secondary should be better too, Shaquill Griffin is coming off his best season as a pro and last year's first rounder CJ Henderson has plenty of room for improvement. Griffin and ball hawk rookie safety Andre Cisco should make a difference to a unit that struggled to make plays on the ball.
I'm relatively bullish on the Jaguars but until we actually see Lawrence and Meyer do it in the pros it would be unfair to put them any higher than this. They could make a significant jump, but it could very easily be another Steve Spurrier situation.
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Post by KING KID on Aug 5, 2021 15:00:26 GMT
@admin when you going to get the fantasy league back up? I'm ready to get my keepers~!
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Post by Blindy on Aug 5, 2021 15:28:52 GMT
Little surprised Bengals haven't appeared yet, by all accounts Joe Burrow looks terrible and playing scared of his knee, he doesn't look fully back. Their defense, especially the secondary will bring it but I worry about Burrow behind the OLine, Chase, Boyd & Higgins will get open for sure but the QB diagnosis on Burrow thus far is not good.
I expect Jets very shortly here understandably, we had just 2 wins last year!
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Post by UT on Aug 5, 2021 20:15:36 GMT
I'm not worried about Burrow the dude is a gamer. The Bengals will be fine.
Not totally sure what distinguishes the Jets from this pack. They have some hope compared to years past but its all a relative unknown at this point and if Wilson plays like the rookie that he is - I don't see them finished with much more than five wins. It's about building the culture more than anything at this point but I also think they play in one of the tougher divisions in football.
With the top flight rookies coming in though I'm pretty stoked for this season. I really want to see what Lawrence can do as a rookie more than any of them - especially because he is probably coming into the toughest situation.
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Post by Blindy on Aug 5, 2021 22:24:25 GMT
I'm not worried about Burrow the dude is a gamer. The Bengals will be fine. Not totally sure what distinguishes the Jets from this pack. They have some hope compared to years past but its all a relative unknown at this point and if Wilson plays like the rookie that he is - I don't see them finished with much more than five wins. It's about building the culture more than anything at this point but I also think they play in one of the tougher divisions in football. With the top flight rookies coming in though I'm pretty stoked for this season. I really want to see what Lawrence can do as a rookie more than any of them - especially because he is probably coming into the toughest situation. I agree with you but they got so much more talented with their acquisitions this year too, the Jets were unwatchable for so much under Gase, the new coaching staff seriously can't be any worse. I can at least watch the offense go to work.
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Post by @admin on Aug 6, 2021 1:32:05 GMT
28. New York Jets
You can cite Zach Wilson's lack of college competition as a negative all you like, but the most important thing for the Jets heading into this season is that the front office has done as good a job as reasonably possible to surround him with talent. There are obviously still some improvements that can be made, but he is already set up to succeed in a way that they were never able to do for Sam Darnold. Wilson's receivers have a lot of upside. Elijah Moore is receiving rave training camp reviews and is the type of dynamic playmaker the Jets have needed for a long time, and Denzel Mims feels like a guy that could breakout in his second season. Corey Davis has never quite lived up to his draft position but he's coming off a very decent final season in Tennessee, and while Jamison Crowder will probably receive less targets this season he's still a very reliable slot receiver. We're probably already past the point of Chris Herndon ever turning into the dominant TE that he briefly flashed he could be, but this is really his last chance to prove himself. Up front the offensive line is a tale of two halves, the Jets are now set up with what could be a truly dominant duo on the left hand side with Mekhi Beckton and Alijah Vera-Tucker, but improving the other three spots will likely be an offseason focus for 2022.
New York will be hoping that new head coach Robert Saleh can work some of his magic that he showed in San Francisco on their defence. He's a disciple of the Seattle cover-three defence which has been so effective across the league, but the main concern is whether he simply has the players to be able to implement it. The Jets have neither impressive performers, nor experience at cornerback, and opponents will look to take advantage. Marcus Maye is really the only proven player in the secondary. Assets to fortify the front instead, Carl Lawson signed in free agency to pair up front with Quinnen Williams. Adding another proven pass rusher to stop teams from focusing in on Williams should pay big dividends. Another big improvement could be seen in the middle of the defence where CJ Mosley returns after opting out last season. NYJ will be hoping that this is finally the year they get a return on the big contract they gave to Mosley having only played two games in his first two seasons with the team.
With the Browns breaking through last season, the Jets now have by far the longest playoff drought in the league. Given the size of the reboot they've undertaken it might be at least one more season before they're really ready to end that - but even a six win season with Wilson settling into the NFL would be a big success from where they've been recently.
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Post by Blindy on Aug 6, 2021 2:32:21 GMT
I respect the ranking. Mims is trailing a little bit behind the other guys, Keelan Cole who we got from Jacksonville has overtaken him and has been solid in camp. Mims has work to do. Tyler Kroft likewise is overtaking Herndon for TE1 thus far.
The interior DLine of Quinnen Williams, John Franklin Meyers, Foley Fatukasi and (if healthy) Sheldon Rankins is what it is all about for this team, by far the most dangerous part of the team. All depends on if Q Williams can return with no setbacks after the foot surgery he had.
Michael Carter is going to make fantasy owners happy, he's been the best back of camp thus far followed by Ty Johnson, Tevin Coleman and Austin Walter. Le'Michael Perine is going to be in a fight for a roster spot. And yeah Elijah Moore has been the consensus Jets MVP of training camp thus far, he has all the WRs taken ahead of him in a mirror, that is including Toney of the Giants who he will be seeing next week. Going to be fun. Zach Wilson is hooking up with Moore already often, they are going to do good things. I know rookie mistakes will be happening with Wilson but I just want to see the big plays and flashes that warrant going 2nd overall in year 1.
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Post by KING KID on Aug 6, 2021 3:51:34 GMT
I’m sold on Elijah Moore.
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Post by @admin on Aug 6, 2021 6:59:51 GMT
27. Cincinnati Bengals
It's almost the exact same story for Cincinnati as it was this time last year, except that we feel more confident that Joe Burrow is a franchise starting quarterback. The skill position group is still excellent, AJ Green effectively replaced by a new version of himself in Ja'marr Chase, rounding out an incredibly talented trio of young wide receivers with Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. Joe Mixon is a running back just on the outside of the elite group of the league's best, and he's now right in his prime. The offensive line is obviously the issue here - and that's a big issue considering Burrow's health and long term career prospects are at stake. Jonah Williams has to play well given the choice to pass on Penei Sewell, but they have reinforced alongside him with second rounder Jackson Carman, while Riley Reiff will provide some veteran reliability at right tackle.
The Bengals defence has undergone quite a transformation. Familiar faces Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap and Carl Lawson are all gone, replaced by Trey Hendrickson, Larry Ogunjobi and rookie Joseph Ossai. Hendrickson was one of the most controversial high priced free agent signings across the league, coming off an outlier season of 13.5 sacks that somewhat belied his total pressure rate. Cincinatti will be hoping they weren't swindled. There's plenty of freshening up in the secondary too, Mike Hilton in from division rival Pittsburgh along with Chidobe Awuzie to replace long term starter William Jackson, and Mackensie Alexander. Trae Waynes is effectively a third new face having missed all of 2020 with injury. They'll flank one of the league's most underrated players, safety Jessie Bates who was PFF's top rated safety last season. Will all these changes make any difference to a unit that ranked 27th in DVOA, or is it just difference faces with the same result?
Probably the biggest question mark of all though around this team is whether the coaching staff is any good. Zac Taylor has just six wins in his first two seasons and the majority of the football world still wouldn't be able to pick him out of a lineup. If Burrow doesn't show any residual issues from his injury, then this offence really should be explosive and exciting - but it's still hard to trust. The AFC North being such a strong division doesn't help matters.
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Post by UT on Aug 7, 2021 17:01:41 GMT
Denzel Mims is apparently on the bubble and the Jets may even be shopping him. Weird - I thought he flashed some last year. Blindy ain’t going to like that.
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Post by Blindy on Aug 8, 2021 0:37:16 GMT
Denzel Mims is apparently on the bubble and the Jets may even be shopping him. Weird - I thought he flashed some last year. Blindy ain’t going to like that. He's behind Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Jamison Crowder, Keelan Cole. Fighting with both Vyncent Smith, Jeff Smith & Braxton Berrios. Think it's a bit overstated to be honest, he had a bad infection IIRC early in OTAs that set him back. I think he at least will be used in red zone due to his height. Think brakes gotta be pumped though though on anything more year 2. He is a Joe Douglas pick so I don't think they will give up on him.
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Post by UT on Aug 8, 2021 0:47:23 GMT
Just reporting what I read from some Jet's writers. Said he's been 6th or below most of camp and COULD be traded.
It would be stupid to give up on a high upside guy on such little salary and that young , which is why I thought it was surprising.
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Post by Blindy on Aug 8, 2021 0:50:15 GMT
Just reporting what I read from some Jet's writers. Said he's been 6th or below most of camp and COULD be traded. It would be stupid to give up on a high upside guy on such little salary and that young , which is why I thought it was surprising. I think people expected him to take the next step of being a legit WR2, I don't know. He had no preseason last year and was rather raw at Baylor. Not going to go crazy over this. I don't think Jets knew Elijah Moore would be this good out the gates. Rhule will beg his GM if he's made available though. He'd love to reunite. If Mims was McCagnan's pick, I would worry. Joe Douglas isn't giving up his 2nd rounder so soon, this dude values draft picks way too much. I would be weary of Rich Cimini for Jets Beat Writers, he's always been pessimistic about everything. He's not as bad as Manish Mehta was but still.
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Post by UT on Aug 8, 2021 0:52:17 GMT
Which is why if someone offered a conditional 3rd or 4th maybe he would do it IF he’s not going to earn playing time anyway.
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Post by Blindy on Aug 8, 2021 0:53:53 GMT
Which is why if someone offered a conditional 3rd or 4th maybe he would do it IF he’s not going to earn playing time anyway. He's too good of a blocker outside and has unteachable height to give up, I just don't see it until he completely bombs in the preseason. What hurts him is lack of special team ability. Compare to Berrios who can punt return, makes a difference.
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Post by @admin on Aug 9, 2021 0:13:54 GMT
It seems more and more common for teams to give up on highly drafted players very early. Jacksonville are talking about shopping CJ Henderson as well (knew I should have waited another week or so to start writing these!) There seems to be a strange assumption that Sam Darnold will be an upgrade on Teddy Bridgewater . As mentioned previously, Darnold was never set up in a great situation to succeed, but neither did he do much of his own accord to elevate those around him. He has a slightly better cast around him - proven chemistry with Robby Anderson from their time together with the Jets, and a second 1000 yard receiver in DJ Moore. Their best player is obviously Christian McCaffrey, but after missing 13 games last season it will be vital that he is able to stay on the field. Rookie Chuba Hubbard will be his backup after Mike Davis who started most of last season moved on to Atlanta. Darnold will be protected by arguably a worse group than he had blocking for him in New York - Taylor Moton was locked up to a long term contract recently, but he's the bright spot on an otherwise pretty poor group. The Panthers have rebuilt their defence around young talent, using every pick in the 2020 draft on defenders, and backing that up by spending their 2021 #8 selection on Jaycee Horn. Carolina played a lot of soft zone in their first season under DC Phil Snow, but Horn's premier tight man coverage might be a signal that won't be the same again this season. They'll be hoping he can help them improve their performance on third down where they were second worst in the league at getting off the field. Having a premier player on the backend will really compliment the trio of young studs Carolina have elsewhere on their defence. Jeremy Chinn was runner up in DROY, Derrick Brown is an impressive run defender, and Brian Burns looks like a guy that could possibly be a elite sack guy (fifth best pass rush grade from PFF last season). He'll be bookended by Haason Reddick who is an interesting free agent signing, can he replicate his career season now that he has seemingly found his best position? Matt Rhule seems like the right guy for this rebuild, OC Joe Brady definitely maximised the players at his disposal in his first season calling plays in the NFL, and will likely be in the mix for head coaching jobs next offseason - but things really fall at the feet of two players this campaign. They need CMC to stay healthy and once again be one of the most productive running backs in the league, and they need their decision to try and rehab Sam Darnold rather than go with a rookie like Justin Fields, to pay off. Carolina might be in a great position to pounce as the NFC South potentially falls over over the next couple of seasons, but there's still too much work to be done here for now.
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Post by KING KID on Aug 9, 2021 18:06:57 GMT
I have Carolina finishing 2nd in the division. Maybe Atlanta if they learn how to close out games. If Darnold has a Tannehill type of career revival then the Panthers could be much better then anticipated. CMC will be CMC which is the best RB in the league. If DJ Moore steps up this year then Carolina will thrive. I like Rhule a lot so I’m not so low on this team as @admin is. I expect Carolina to finish 9th in the NFC but be right in the wildcard race in the final month. I don’t see New Orleans finishing 2nd. I know UT and I both agree on them being a mess this year but it keeps getting messier. Brees retires. Starting QB trouble. Michael Thomas ghosting and injury. Add on Will Lutz now who just got surgery and is going to miss the beginning of the season. A huge mess in New Orleans. I’m avoiding the whole squad.
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Post by UT on Aug 9, 2021 18:33:10 GMT
I like Carolina and will be rooting for Darnold to reinvigorate his career and CMC not to fall down a slippery injury slope that derails his career. Also think they can be a fun team to watch with all those weapons and a young defense that flies around a ton. If Darnold can even become a Top 12 - 14 quarterback in the league than I think they have a shot to in the division but those are some long odds.
Dude to keep an eye on is Chinn at safety. Should have really been at least in the conversation for ROY last year but got zero pub. Great young and instinctual player though and jumps out whenever you watch the Panthers. Could be a future all pro and difference maker for them.
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Post by @admin on Aug 10, 2021 1:11:39 GMT
25. New York Giants
On either side of the bye last season we finally got to see signs of the Giants rebuild finally starting to show some results under rookie head coach Joe Judge. Unfortunately it was shortlived with Daniel Jones injury ending any chance of a playoff push - but it gave a brief glimpse into what could be this season. Jones now enters his second full season as a starter, he gets Saquon back from injury, he now has a genuine #1 WR in Kenny Golladay, a new offensive gadget weapon in Kadarious Toney topping off an already impressive group of receivers including Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram, and Darius Slayton. The pieces are certainly there to create a far more productive offence than the one that ranked 31st in points per game last season. The two drawbacks remain the offensive playcaller, and the shaky offensive line which ranked dead last in PFFs preseason rankings. They desperately need Andrew Thomas to improve in his second season, while the other four spots are likely to be decided during training camp.
Unlike the offence, the defence benefits from having a truly difference making coordinator. Patrick Graham has done a sensational job maximising the talent available to him, no more evident than in Leonard Williams's career year. Williams backing it up after his big pay day is going to be important for the Giants, as the one proven pass rusher on the team. Dexter Lawrence has been a really solid player but he could offer more in that respect from the other DE position. From outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari will look to become a difference maker in ways that other recent high draft picks Oshane Ximines and Lorenzo Carter have struggled to become. In the middle of the field Blake Martinez was a fantastic FA signing last offseason ranking as a top -5 off-ball linebacker. The transformation of the secondary in such a short time has been quite incredible and now rolls very deep. James Bradberry is a genuine lockdown corner, and is now joined by Adoree Jackson who at his best level will be one of the league's best CB2s. They've also got three very viable safeties in Jabrill Peppers, Xavier McKinney and Logan Ryan. They allowed the fifth fewest passing touchdowns last season and with the new additions might be even more resilient this campaign.
This really feels like a put up or shut up season for the Giants. They've been bad for a long time now, double digit losses in six of the past seven seasons. With a decent looking roster now assembled in Dave Gettleman's fourth season, save for the glaring weakness in the offensive line, it's time for Daniel Jones to take the step from promising playmaker to bonafide reliable starter by avoiding the games where his turnovers cause the offence to completely crater. If Big Blue are unable to take advantage of playing in a wide open and weak division this time around - it will be time to look for new options at QB and GM.
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Post by Blindy on Aug 10, 2021 2:00:43 GMT
@admin all in on Drew Lock Szn. Vic Fangio loving this.
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Post by @admin on Aug 10, 2021 2:26:13 GMT
@admin all in on Drew Lock Szn. Vic Fangio loving this. You can't deny how good that roster is! They are stacked literally everywhere except for quarterback.
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