American football

Been following the nfl long enough to remember when the WFT were winning Super Bowls and though I rooted for Doug Williams, the rest of the whole joe Gibbs era I wasn’t a fan of.
They’ve been to the playoffs and won Super Bowls in living memory, I’m looking for underdogs that haven’t reached the mountaintop yet.
So though I’ll keep my eye on the browns and the bills, they’re primed for success and playoff runs (injury/free agency permitting) that could see them win it all.
I’ll mostly be rooting for the Lions, chargers, jets, dolphins, and bengals to make some sort of progress this season..

Joe Gibbs era was good then not so good - he was one of the coaches who had the game evolve past him. Don Shula too.

I remember the Bills losing consecutive Superbowls. I hated those teams, something about Jim Kelly just rubbed me the wrong way. And Frank Reich (spits in Oilers Blue).

Don't like the Browns either. I like Mayfield but my thoughts on Myles Garrett have not changed. And Clowney has not had a good year since he left the Texans.

I'd also like the Lions or Jets to do well, I really feel for those long suffering fan bases. I'm going to see the Dolphins/Jags play at Spurs stadium in Oct. It will be great to see Tagovailoa and Lawrence play in the flesh. I got to see Moon play a fair bit live, he threw the prettiest football I have ever seen.

I think at the time, I liked the bills but over time I think the fact that they never won one of the four Super Bowls they were in has made them more loveable, or deserving of any success that is coming their way currently, they also had Rex ryan, promising the earth and delivering sweet fuck all, so they should be cut some slack just for that..

For clarity I like this Bills team, not the 80s version. Bills fans have been waiting for a long time. I do sincerely hope that they stay if Buffalo too and that the silly games over the stadium end soon. I hate teams that move cities. It explains my utter disdain for the Raiders and for the Titans. Especially the Titans.

The Saints Hill v Winston conundrum will be interesting, I really hope Joe Burrow comes back strong and gets the protection he deserves.

I don’t even know why there’s discussion of a decision with the saints apart from hill being Payton’s favourite. Winston is a better qb, and if he can cut down on the interceptions (every buccaneers coach he played for before they let him go was asking him to do this, so it’s not a certainty he ever will be able to) he’ll be a good one for them..

I don’t know how you can’t like this bills team, good coach and gm with a plan to build a winner which is proving to be a good one, took a chance on a qb whose improved year on year and is now getting a super sized extension and deserves it, have some great skill players who can break open games, the only thing not to like is Beasley and his anti vax stance, and if he stays unvaccinated there’s a good chance he won’t be around the team much anyway..

Yeah. Same with Kirk Cousins in Minnesota. One of the highest paid QBs on guaranteed money and he cannot bring himself to get the vax, not even for the benefit of his team? Awful leadership. Fuck that guy.

I really hope Joe Burrow comes back strong and gets the protection he deserves.

checks Burrow's uniform

still Bengals

No chance

Winston is a better qb, and if he can cut down on the interceptions

See. I think this interception problem is over blown. His 2019 season was awful but the years before were not that bad

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WinsJa00.htm

His 2.5-3.5 interception percentage is close to Roethlisburger's for comparable yardage and team record.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RoetBe00.htm

Winston has only played on one team that was over .500 and most of the time Tampa's defense when he started was in the bottom 1/3 of all NFL teams. (~20th in points allowed or worse)

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/tam/

Give him a decent team with an offensive guru like Peyton and he could really shine.

I haven’t looked into the numbers on his interceptions, but just remember highlights of games where throwing interceptions early put them in a hole they couldn’t get out of, or throwing them late when they had a chance of winning games.
Think some of it might have to do with him trusting his arm to much and throwing into coverage and/or just having brain fart moments..

The buccaneers defense in his time there wasn’t upto much but that’s usually the case if you’re taken high in the first round.

I think the saints could be a good/perfect fit for him.. he looked good in preseason for what that’s worth..

So, like US football, not got a clue of the nuances and my interest and knowledge is based wholly upon watching the NFL Show on BBC. As a rugby fan I've always followed the cross-over players; obviously Jarrod Hayne 'made it' momentarily but the less said about him the better. Christian Scott-Williams (sp) had a few years on practice rose and never quite got there, same as Lawrence Okoye who's retuned to UK athletics. Christian Wade I read had a chance of making 'the 53'thi year but is out for the season however amI right in thinking that Jordan Mailata is expected to be a starter for Philadelphia Eagles only 3 years after first putting own a pair of pads -if so, pretty amazing huh?

Yeah it looks like he made the roster - he’s had a great training camp by all accounts. Really amazing and although the Eagles are in a rebuild phase the offensive line looks the strongest part of the team so he’s done well even in a weaker team overall

It's only noise of course but seemingly a lot of the coaches see him as a future nailed-on pro-bowler. Even in the NFL he's seemingly a unique 'physical specimen' and maybe (weirdly) his relatively young age - clearly an 'athlete' with massive potential - means he's able to learn new ideas that much quicker than if he'd been an established rugby player with established habits for 10 years

Good write up in the Philly Inquirer about him.

https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/eagles-jordan-mailata-australia-20210902.html

Just opened a cold beer. About to watch the Cowboys lose to open the season. All is well in the world.

Just watched the highlights, it was close to the cowboys pulling out the win..

Offensive pass interference all night long. And I hate the cowboys.

Offensive pass interference

NFL is back baybeeeeeee

Well we have traded Roby and now our very good kicker is "injured" for a few weeks.... just as a number of contenders are about to start the season with question marks over kickers. Fairbairn was probably worth 2 wins this season but they will trade him by week 3 or 4.

I would like to revise my prediction for the Texans: 2-15

I may revise that further downward based on Sunday's performance.

Offensive pass interference all night long. And I hate the cowboys.

Agreed. On both counts.

Jeeeeeeez almost wanted Cowboys to win in that.

Great to see Dak back playing looking unaffected. AB was a weapon last night.

Great to see Dak back playing looking unaffected.

Indeed he looked quite calm and played very, very well.

He ran into trouble at least once. He’s back…

In seriousness he was happy sitting in the pocket or moving and not shying away from hits which is huge. CeeDee Lamb looks like he will have a huge year. Still don’t like Zek and don’t get the hype.

Urban Meyer sacked. Lawrence a bust.

Mac Jones to have a ROTY season.

Bills Bucs super bowl Thats the season prediction.

Oh and Big Ben is finished.