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."

[Grumpster]

Poor Rams are just wank even with a fit team :o) Nice having such an open tournament.

[ironsofcanada]

Looking forward (with the slightest bit of pessimism) to Bucs/Saints. Bucs shown themselves to be a better team so far. Very good defense. Though Brees' quick release and mid range throws mitigate some of their biggest strengths. Those receivers against the often tire fire of the Saints secondary could be ugly. The pass rush will be key again and Saints were missing Davenport the first time. Changes the game if you can't always double Jordan. Shame it is 1:30 in the morning or something like that.

[Mr. Burns]

Grumpster 12:17 Fri Nov 6 Re: NFL (since 2016) Nothing pleases me more.

[El Scorchio]

"Grumpster 10:49 They also have a very good defence, which helps A LOT too."

[Lee Trundle]

"I'd like to see that, Grumps. I want to like Garoppolo, but I just don't think he has it in him to be good enough to win the Super Bowl."

[Grumpster]

Believe we made history last night. First time a team has played a game with their entire offensive set of 8 playmakers all injured! No Jimmy G or Kittle for the rest of the season probably and I wouldn't be surprised if we start contemplating changing the QB next season.

[zebthecat]

Dead right Grumps. The two receiving tight ends they already had and Miller are also very handy (that's before you get to a decent O-line and a top Defence) and Jameis Winston put up ridiculous yardage and good TD numbers last season. I know as I had him in my fantasy team when Drew Brees got injured.

[Grumpster]

"Where Brady has fallen on his feet is that the Bucs have a brilliant set of receivers. Goodwin and Evans are dynamite and surrounded by both experience in Gronk and potential. Can't see them winning anything, but their fans must be loving it after years of average shite."

[ironsofcanada]

"But Brady-adjacent, I am looking forward to CJ Garder-Johnson getting in Antonio Brown's ear this weekend. Maybe a suplex in return? One up from the flying kick he gave that punter."

[ironsofcanada]

"Brady and the Pats are like Michael Jordan to me, undeniably the best, at the very, very least in their era but you don't have to like them or not acknowledge they got little bits of help/luck along the way."

[southbankbornnbred]

"I still hate the Patsies, though. With a passion."

[southbankbornnbred]

"Hermit, Spot on. It was the extraordinary combination of them both being in the same place at the same time - all a result of BB drafting a barely-scouted TB in the 2000 draft. Brady was at college alongside another very good (at college level) QB, in Brian Griese. So Brady was a back-up for most of his college career - even though he was very good every time he took to the field. At the time, everybody thought that the Wolverines player most likely to have a stellar NFL career was Griese. Griese left to join the NFL and then Brady had to compete with Drew Henson for the starter job. Again, he wasn't always seen as a nailed-on starter - even though he did start most games in 98/99. As a result of Michigan's QB depth, Brady somehow went under the radar in the 2000 draft (which was weird because his numbers were strong). But Belichick had his eye on him the whole time. In any other year, or set of circumstances, Brady would have gone in the first three rounds of any NFL draft and the Patsies (who already had Bledsoe) would not have drafted him. But the weird circumstances dictated that he landed on the Patsies lap as a 6th rounder. When you consider that Belichick shouldn't even have been at the Patsies, it was an extraordinary scenario. Earlier in 2000, Belichick was announced as the new head coach of the Jets. But he was concerned about the impending takeover by our shite owners (the useless Johnson family still in charge) and resigned after one day! How the hell the Jets let their new head coach walk away after 24 hours is beyond me. They barely put up a fight! The rest is history. Beautiful history if you are a Patsie. Horrible history if you are a Jets fan. Belichick and, most likely, Brady, could have been at the Jets for decades. But easily the best head coach/QB tandem in NFL history. Both exceptional talents."

[Hermit Road]

"Brady is a top quality leader. You can see his drive for excellence and the ability he has to bring others along. And he still has the arm. That being said, I think the Brady vs Bellicheck debate is a bit false. BB built incredible teams, created a winning culture and built defences that put rings on Brady's fingers as much as Brady's cool-headed, game-winning drives put rings on Bill's fingers. Patriot fans got lucky and ended up with a potent combination of the two greatest competitors ever to do their jobs, in the two most important roles at the same time. And yeah, that call for the Bucs was a joke."

[ironsofcanada]

"Crystal Your late night posts are always fun. I will say Brady's teams are still getting calls like he is an elite quarterback. Watch the mic'd up for this week and they had the Tampa game at the end. Defender not looking at the ball, full on runs into the receiver before the ball gets there. Official correctly throws a flag for PI. Conference and he is told to pick the flag up. He does. Game."

[crystal falace]

"Belichick's entire philosophy has always been ""rather get rid of a player a year too early rather than a year too late"" and that has worked out 95% of the time for him fetting decent draft picks for players that have done fuck all elsewhere. But i believe in Tom Brady! He's adament he's going to play til 45 and who the fuck can doubt him, drew brees is 3/4 years younger and gis arm is fucked! Brady still has a cannon. And i hope he doesnt eat a strawberry and breaks every record thwre is"

[zebthecat]

The Patriots demise and the Bucs resurgence almost puts paid to the Belllichick/Brady debate. Arians is going for the Superbowl this year no doubt.

[Grumpster]

"Our season was officially over after the first game when Bosa got his season ending injury and was quickly followed by sherman and every other cսnt, so just about enjoying the rest of the nfl really and laughing at the odd game where we embarrass teams by beating them with the reserves. Now new england are utter shit, its a lot easier to enjoy having a team with no chance of a positive win ratio :o)"

[crystal falace]

49ers close down their facility one day before they're supposed to play Green Bay after one of their players tests positive for covid

[ironsofcanada]

You really see how a truncated pre-season actually does affects things.

[ironsofcanada]

It is really tough on the 49ers. Never hated them but good the Saints in the end.

[southbankbornnbred]

"Trundle, Yep, 49ers are bashed-up at the moment. Down to some inexperienced practice squad folk in some positions. It's going to be a tough few weeks for them."

[Lee Trundle]

"Garoppolo out for 4-6 weeks, Kittle's season could quite well be over. I've never known a team to be decimated so badly during a season."

[normannomates]

Steelers

[southbankbornnbred]

"You could offer the Jets' players a BountyGate-style incentive to injure opponents right now, and we wouldn't even cross their shadows! Mind you, it has given me an idea: maybe Gregg Williams could offer a back-hander to injure Gase?"

[southbankbornnbred]

"Well, in fairness, the man most responsible for BountyGate was Saints then-DC, Gregg Williams, who is now failing to rip up many trees at...the New York Jets. Mind you, any coach would fail under The Idiot Gase and that ownership, so Williams can probably be excused the shite taking place in Gotham right now."