NFL 2025

[jaylach]

Are they gonna take a QB? Or trade for Tua?

I don't know. They have two rookie quarterbacks with a LOT of potential although I wish they would give Sanders some playing time as I think he has more potential than Gabriel.

If there is an assured #1 wide receiver available such as Hunter in 2025 I think that is the direction I'd go. When used, they have a strong running attack but receivers are dropping WAY too many balls. The offensive line is well able to protect a mobile QB but not someone like Flacco in the early part of this season. If an assured #1 receiver isn't available I might look at an offensive tackle. Actually an offensive tackle is hard to judge. In most cases you want the best left tackle to protect the quarterback's 'blind side' but Gabriel is left handed so you would need to look for the best right tackle. Of course a good tackle can usually play both left and right but, normally, they will be better on one or the other.

As said, dropped balls have been a big issue but I can't say it is all the fault of the receivers. Again, part of it, could be Gabriel being left handed. This reverses the spin on the ball and, especially if it is a hard thrown ball, makes it harder to catch by a receiver that grew up with right handed throwers.

Defense is more than solid when they don't spend 2/3 of the game on the field.

Bottom line, I guess, is that right now I don't know what I'd do with a 2026 first pick.

 

[fishorama]

I'm an Eagles fan & last night's game against Green Bay was both scary & boring. A low scoring close game. Lots of mistakes, some injuries & good D by both teams. Why the heck didn't we try a field goal at the end? Yeah, it was windy, GB had missed from far away but even a miss would eat more clock. But it put a lot of pressure on our D to stop them.

We need to have a better offense show up, a good couple receptions & runs isn't going to cut it. We still have a tough schedule. Luckily our NFC east isn't very good but we did lose to NY Giants. We face Lions next week & of course are worried. At least we can watch at home maybe with cheese steaks & wine.

 

[jaylach]

FINALLY the Browns started Sanders at QB and won 24-10 at the Raiders.

And Miles Garrett is a total force of nature. If he is not defensive player of the year it is a crime. Today he set the club record for season sacks with 6 games to go. He now has 18 sacks. He is also well on pace to break TJ Watt's tackles for loss with 26. He needs 4 more to break the record.

 

[fishorama]

Gah, my Eagles played well only the 1st 1/3 of the game against Dallas. We never scored again. We had 15 called penalties but the O-line, etc. jumped almost every down. Da Bears next Fri, I'm not optimistic after today.

jaylach, I'm happy for your Browns but beating the Raiders...not a true test. Garrett is amazing!

 

[jaylach]

jaylach, I'm happy for your Browns but beating the Raiders...not a true test. Garrett is amazing!

Oh, I totally agree but you still have to give credit to Sanders for winning his first ever start as a rookie on the road. LOL! As may have been noticed in my previous posts I've wanted Sanders to start all season.

Agreed on Garrett. He WILL be in the Hall Of Fame. He has already surpassed Reggie White's position for most sacks in a career if I'm not mistaken..

While not an Eagles fan I'm sorry that they lost to Dallas. Of course I'm sorry that any team loses to Dallas...

 

[fishorama]

OK, you're treading close on some Reggie White fan toes, lol. We named our Quaker parakeet after him, even after he went to GB I'm not sure Reggie is the current sack record holder but maybe by position? Not a stat I follow.

 

[fishorama]

I knew you'd get the bird thing Our Reggie was green & silvery gray, how could we not name him that?

 

[jaylach]

OK, you're treading close on some Reggie White fan toes, lol. We named our Quaker parakeet after him, even after he went to GB I'm not sure Reggie is the current sack record holder but maybe by position? Not a stat I follow.

Actually I have to correct myself. I looked it up and it was not career sacks that Garrett passed White. Garrett still has a way to go to do that. I just remember a week or two back that the Cleveland announcers said that Garrett had passed White in something. Mayhaps it was tackles for loss. However, it is most likely that Garrett will pass White in single season sacks. Right now Garrett has 18 and White's best season was 21. Granted in that the seasons are longer these days. It is like comparing Jim Brown and Walter Payton. When Payton broke Brown's career record it took him 13 years of longer seasons while Brown only played 9. Different era, different game.

It is like I don't consider Pats, Steelers or KC the best pro football dynasty ever. I truly consider the best dynasty to be the 1950 and 1960's Browns with Otto Graham, Lou, The Toe, Groza, Marion Motley, Jim Brown and the best named receiver in history in Mac Speedy. How could a receiver have a better name than Speedy? Anyway, they were together for 10 years. Brown and Motley did not play all 10 years but the team was basically together for 10 years. Under Otto, who played 10 years, They went to a championship game all 10 winning 7. I think it a shame that, when the Championship became the Super Bowl all previous records pretty much went out the Window. That even includes Miami being considered the only undefeated team. Browns went undefeated half of one season, the entire next season and half the following season undefeated.

Of course all the last paragraph isn't entirely when the Browns were in the NFL as part was when they were in the AFL. Actually, after the 1970 merger the Browns became the first pro team of any sport to win a championship in their first year after entering a league by beating the Rams (I think).

To really cover the history would take pages as there are still some arguments as to when the Browns actually joined the NFL. Some say 1950 when they were in the AAFL and then the AFL while others say it was actually later.

 

[jaylach]

To add on... According to NFL Operations records the Browns officially joined the NFL in 1950 along with the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts from the All-America Football Conference after that league folded. This means that the Otto Graham 10 year team was actually in the NFL through their 10 year run.

Cleveland Browns | NFL Football Operations

operations.nfl.com

So my question is why their dynasty and history now means nothing just due to the NFL championship being name changed to the Super Bowl.

This is speculation but I think well founded. In 1950, when the Browns, Colts and 49ers joined the NFL it was as a sort of sub class of teams. It seems that after the AAFL folded the three teams along with other teams, both existing and new, became the AFL This difference still exists today as the NFC and AFC. As in the early days it is still the same. While they are both considered the NFL there is still the distinction between the NFL and AFL. It is just now just considered the NFC and AFC under the umbrella of the NFL If there is not considered a difference of leagues why is the Super Bowl between the winners of the AFC and NFC and not just the two best teams regardless of AFC/NFC? In the earlier days it was the NFL verses the AFL winners for the championship while they were both under the NFL umbrella. Where is there a real difference in today's NFC and AFC. It is exactly the same but with different promotions to promote more money.

 

[jaylach]

Sorry about the above rants. I was just in heavy nostalgia mode...

 

[fishorama]

Well, I was born in1957 & didn't get onto pro football much before I was 13, but lightly. I liked Miami because of the Dolphin cool image. It was partly to bond with my dad beyond Mich State. Our family went to a pep rally & yelled "kill Bubba kill" along with everyone else. That was, of course, the great Bubba Smith. My parents were MSU faculty season ticket holders. I was only allowed to go to games for lesser games or crappy weather. Still fun!

 

[jaylach]

Sigh, my Browns actually found a way to lose to a 1-11 Tennessee today by 2 points. I know that analytics say that the Browns did the right thing but I don't agree. You are down 14 late and your rookie QB, Sanders, leads 2 scoring drives. In both cases they go for a 2 point conversion and fail on both. In my opinion you kick the extra points to tie the game and go overtime.

On the bright side was Miles Garrett and Sanders. Sanders played quite well and Miles was Miles. Miles now need 2.5 sacks to tie JJ Watt's single season record or three to set the record with 4 games to go.

As to Sanders he played a really good game except for a rookie mistake for an interception. From the beginning of the season I've said that Sanders should be the starter. It would now seem that he has got the confidence of the offense and I'll be shocked if he is not next years opening day starter. If Sanders was the QB from the start I really believe that, just due to his play, they would have 3 more wins.

The special teams have also cost Cleveland wins, at least 3. They just keep giving the other team short fields.

Flacco starting the season with 8-9 turnovers in the first 4 games was a total farce. Gabriel has no touch on the ball and can't throw long with any accuracy at all. Sanders is fast when he needs to run and has a great touch on the ball especially when stretching the field.

Cleveland has WY too much talent to be so bad. I have to put blame on the coaching...

 

[fishorama]

Gee whiz, Eagles played awful the first half against Commanders today, nothing like starting the game off with a turnover on the kickoff. Luckily we woke up the 2nd half.

 

[anewbie]

Gee whiz, Eagles played awful the first half against Commanders today, nothing like starting the game off with a turnover on the kickoff. Luckily we woke up the 2nd half.

Yea but those bears. Ben gotta put a shirt on.

 

[jaylach]

Not at all surprised that the Bills beat my Browns but the Browns gave them more than the Bills wanted. Browns could have easily won that game.

Miles Garrett is now one sack away from the season record.

If you watched the Bills/Browns game you can see why I've been pushing for Sanders to be the Browns starter all season. Did he make some mistakes? Sure, but it was only his fifth NFL start.