NFL 2020-2021

Non-Smoking Man

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Despite the vast Wam membership, there are only a few who are interested in 3 major sports - golf, horse racing, and american football.

This thread will follow the forthcoming NFL (National Football League) to its conclusion in the Superbowl. (The competition is divided into the 'regular' league season , and a knock-out 'cup' competition for the qualifiers with most wins.)

Tonight, the season kicks off with the 'Draft' or transfer market where the best college football players are picked by the NFL teams - the worst teams have the right to cherry pick the best players. (This contrasts with our system whereby the best and most powerful teams get to acquire the best players.)

Clearly if you need or want to predict how each NFL team will perform in the coming season (either as a supporter or as a punter) you have to take notice of the best college players on offer and how they are likely to 'fit' the organisation choosing them. The college student has no say in where they go.

Sky Sports are running tv programmes covering the draft and featuring footage of the most touted new players and discussions of who might pick them and what fit that will be (taking into account coaching styles and fellow team members).

Jack NSM

 

mr.me

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Thanks for the "heads up" on this. Hopefully Covid-19 won't effect the start of the season. I don't subscribe to Sky so have to get my limited viewing on BBC. Go Bills  :D

 
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Non-Smoking Man

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Thanks for the "heads up" on this. Hopefully Covid-19 won't effect the start of the season. I don't subscribe to Sky so have to get my limited viewing on BBC. Go Bills  :D
Hi John. The broadcast time is 5 pm 'Eastern'. (Whatever that equates to in GMT (is that still how we say it??)). Its being called a 'virtual' draft because there is, unsurprisingly, no gathering, nor razz ma tazz, only a computerised event with remote individuals.

For UK Sky Sports viewers the broadcast will be from midnight on Fri and Saturday, and from 5 pm Sunday.

(I am receiving some sky sports gratuitously at the mo - hopefully this will extend to the Draft show. I did get the 'Pro Football' show and 'The Draft' preview. Fingers crossed!)

Jack

 
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lower bullens

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The Dolphins picked up some good players as free agents and have 14 picks tonight with 3 in the first round. We obviously need a QB but there’s talk of an Offensive Tackle as one of the first three picks . We have a basic Sky package , no sports etc. but we get SkySp mix who are showing NBC now.

Interesting remark that Gronk had had enough of the Patriot way, I think it’s going to be an interesting season.

 

wizmax

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Hi John. The broadcast time is 5 pm 'Eastern'. (Whatever that equates to in GMT (is that still how we say it??)).!)

Jack
Clocks went forward on 29 March Jack so we are now in British Summer Time, take a look out of the window for confirmation. 

With no rain forecast here for the rest of the month it will probably be the dryest April on record and not a bloody single round of golf played .... ANYWHERE. 

 

Non-Smoking Man

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Note to mr.me : I read that the Vikings have traded WR Stefon Diggs to the Bills (in Febuary?).

Jack

To Wizmax - I agree = Ive been looking out of the window admiring the cloudless and windless conditions with dismay. Rubbing our noses in our situation. There is no God.

Jack

 
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Non-Smoking Man

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Just watching Simms on Pro Football Talk Show re Miami Dolphins. Asked by his co presenter which of Tua Tag' or Justin Herbert at QB for the Dolphins Simms came down squarely on the latter as the best bet, best fit, for  Miami. Interestingly, he strongly hinted that, according to his sources, Miami will not use up their best pick (no 5) on a QB at all - but will try to snap up a QB with a lower pick. (Herbert throws bombs judging from some footage that was shown. And against Tua is his fitness doubt (hip op.)).

Jack

 
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Speedskater

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With the poor US Covid-19 protocols and that the US football playoffs are next January, I wonders if there will be spectators or even a season.

* * * * * * * * *

In the US the only live sport right now is horse racing with no spectators.

 
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Non-Smoking Man

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The two clear favourites for the Superbowl are last season's winners, Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens, with the explosive Lammar Jackson (MVP) driving the offence, but they are in the same side of the draw.

Which teams, having improved their roster with likely acquisitions in tonight's draft, are likely improvers in the other half of the draw? (The NFC.)

Jack NSM

 
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Speedskater

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With limited pre-season training (don't know how limited) I would think that teams that have experienced players and/or tested  game plans might have an advantage.

 

mr.me

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Note to mr.me : I read that the Vikings have traded WR Stefon Diggs to the Bills (in Febuary?).

Jack

To Wizmax - I agree = Ive been looking out of the window admiring the cloudless and windless conditions with dismay. Rubbing our noses in our situation. There is no God.

Jack
That's good news fior the Bills if only they can stop QB Josh Allen thinking he can run the ball all day long 

 

Non-Smoking Man

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Stayed up to watch the Draft Show on Sky Sports Mix.

I had a special interest in the 8th pick as I had already selected and backed the Arizona Cardinals to win the NFC for proper money (@28/1)and a small bet to win the Superbowl @ 65. The Cards got Simmons, a versatile linebacker, to go with their trade for Deandre Hopkins, the Texan's WR. The footage on Simmons is incredible. He is a 'hybrid' defender who has athleticism, speed (faster than Barclay) and size. He was a steal at 8. He is going to be some weapon if the Cards defence is restructured round him.

Of interest was the Packers choosing a QB, (Love) - obviously intended as a future replacement for their 35 y.o. incumbent QB, Aaron Rodgers.  Rodgers wont be too pleased with that. Matt Le Fleur looked delighted!

(Everyone was connected up in their own homes - players and coaches and owners and their families.)

The 49ers with a low pick did well (WR), and so did the Ravens from  a similar position.

The controversial 'seed' was Tua Tag' the QB who went early to Miami, contrary to expectations he might drop down the order thro injury doubts. (Due to CV-19 the normal exhaustive health checks couldnt be done. Though Miami had sent a specialist to inspect the player.)

Defensive tackles were in greater demand than QBs and running backs in general.

Anyhow there's not much point in detailing the results as they will be all over the internet.

But one thing to note is that the greater pace of the NFL over the college game means that not all these budding stars will make the grade when upped in class.

Arizona Cardinals:

My reasons for betting Arizona stem from watching footage of them playing either on the internet or in my store of games in my top box. Particularly impressive imo was Kyler Murray at QB - he throws bombs, he is accurate and he is brilliant out of the pocket. These are all requirements of a modern day QB in the mould of Lamar Jackson - Jackson  has shown that a mobile QB means having an extra member of the offense. Murray is short and squat, like a running back, and he is quick. He was offensive rookie of the year last season and can only improve if remaining injury-free. A worry is he has a poor record re sacks, so I am looking to see if they get an offensive tackle in the third round of the draft (they havent a pick in round 2).

Like Jackson and Mahomes (the last 2 NFL MVPs), Kyler Murray  is a Heisman Trophy winner. Simmons and Hopkins joining the underrated Cards could see them a force to be reckoned with in the NFC West. They have to play their own division rivals twice, including the conference favourites San Francisco, but I will take Murray over Garroppolo (sp?) any day, as the latter's weakness under pressure surfaced in last season's Superbowl and before. Also the 49ers have lost Emmanuel Sanders - though their draft pick, intended as a replacement, was a wide receiver who looked distinctly useful from the VT.

Really interesting show. All the pundits must have great sources in the clubs because they knew exactly who was going where in the top 12 or so picks - less so when the lesser players were on offer.

Someone is going to make dollars out of this info as about $500 million is wagered on the draft alone. Phew!

Jack NSM

 
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Non-Smoking Man

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With limited pre-season training (don't know how limited) I would think that teams that have experienced players and/or tested  game plans might have an advantage.
E.G., the Chiefs who have kept all their key players. Also the Ravens will be quick off the blocks as they will be anxious to erase memories of their defeat in the play offs having looked booked for the Final.

Good point Speedskater..

 

Non-Smoking Man

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For my part, the Cardinals did well with their next pick which was number 72 (3rd round). Josh Jones was in their top thirty so to have him still available at pick 72 was extraordinary. I'm delighted as the Cards needed to bolster their QB protection (Jones will play left tackle).

There's so much about the Cards on the internet (youtube) - lots of interviews etc. I guess this must be true of most of the other teams. Ive seen both our picks (Isaiah Simmons was the other one at pick 8) interviewed by management and fans.

The viewing figures for the Draft Show are up 33% on last year's show. Fans are starved of sport.

Though I am playing down my punting for the forthcoming season, I must mention that I got a tenner on the Cardinals to win their division @ 12/1. Outstanding value imo.

Stay safe everyone!

Jack

 

Non-Smoking Man

Wammer
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Winners and losers in the Draft?

There are numerous podcasts available, but some of the more lucid are the PFF NFL casts hosted by Steve Palazzolo and Sam Monson. They go into great depth as to who has done well and they discuss the controversial choices, such as Green bay's first pick being a QB, when they employ Aaron Rodgers in that position.

(Glossary :For clarity, a 'reach' is where a team selects a player inferior to his draft grade, a 'fit' is where a player satisfies a strategic need the team has, to plug the weakness; a 'steal' is where a team picks a player cheaply later in the draft when he should have gone earlier; 'upside' means potential for improvement.)

Its all opinion except for the the figures achieved in the 'combine' which is an event where all the prospective team members gather to undergo 3 or 4 tests, including the 'cones' for lateral agility and the dash, for speed (50m?).

It transpires that the 'skill' positions, such as QB and WR (wide receiver) tend to be a higher grade than other positions such as RB (running back), linebacker, safety, kicker. Those you hope to pick up in later rounds.

Organisations tend to avoid injury prone players or those with temperament issues. ('Red flags')

You guys probably know all this but the glossary etc is for newcomers to the game.

I thought Dallas, S, Francisco, the Ravens and the Cards did well.

Interestingly the veteran QB , Tom Brady has gone to Tampa bay and collected his retired ally and Tight End, Gronkowski, to take with him. There were some good picks with this organisation too. It will be interesting to see how they get on. Apparently Brady tried to interest the 49ers in himself, but they stuck with Garoppolo.

Jack NSM

 
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mr.me

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Thanks Jack for the input and info. As far as Brady goes he is only a shadow of his past self. I saw him last September at the New Era stadium playing my home team the Buffalo Bills and he looked very mediocre. Don't think I would be paying the $$$$$$$$$$ for him.

 

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