Chiefs: Maybe, Maybe Not

Chiefs: Maybe, Maybe Not – This weekend is the best weekend of football in the whole year… which doesn’t include the Chiefs, of course.

With a significant number of the Cleveland Browns team, and their Head Coach, in the Covid protocol, their game with the Pittsburgh Steelers this coming weekend, could be moved, at least it’s being discussed. If that happens it will be the first time a playoff game has been moved, as far as I know..

The NFL powers that be, are not going to let that happen as I see it. They will also not allow the Super Bowl to be moved or have the teams who make it there, diminished by the pandemic. With the NBA executing a successful playoff bubble, it’s reasonable to assume the conversation has come up about the NFL playoffs but obviously, at this point, that appears highly unlikely.

What does seem like a possibility is… a Super Bowl Bubble, in which both teams who make it that far, are sequestered in Tampa while preparing for the game of the year. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has already decided they will keep all teams who make it to March Madness) totally changing the meaning of March “Madness”) by having all teams stay in Indiana and play all of their games there as well..

Maybe the NFL should consider it. Uhhh, maybe not.. but you heard it here first if they do.

Compare the Chiefs last game this year to the Eagles. Did anything change because the Chiefs lost? No. Did anything change because the Eagles lost? Yes, they moved up three spots in the draft. When talking about the last game of the season, you may have heard it said several times that these games were like Preseason Games where coaches wanted to get a good look at new or rookie players. Whatever the reason, the Eagles were 100% justified in sending in Nate Sudfeld, their 3^rd string QB to finish out their game vs the Washington Football Team. Did they owe it to the New York Giants to do all they could do to win that game? No. Not at all. Here’s what Doug Pederson had to say about it:

“Pretty simple, the plan this week was to get Nate some time and I felt it was the time to get him in the game.”

People who run organizations… which includes the Head Coach… have to make hard decisions about creating a winning organization as much as winning one game. That’s what Pederson was doing here, taking the long view.

Their Head Coach, Doug Pederson, needed to get a look at a player he could not look at earlier in the season, like, say, the preseason… because there wasn’t any preseason. No OTAs, No offseason workouts. Giant fans who are upset with the Eagles for not making every effort to win that game should be ashamed of the way their own team has played in 2020. A 6-and-10 record and they’re complaining about another team? Maybe if they weren’t in the worst division in the NFL, they could have finished in last place in some other division. The idea that the Giants were going to the playoffs with a losing record is too sickening and too pitiful to even consider. Maybe… they should have won a few more games if they really wanted to go to the playoffs. Maybe… the Giants have been disrespecting the game all season long!

In today’s NFL, if you stare at the QB the wrong way, you could get a flag thrown your way. I’m exaggerating of course, but the point is, the game has gone too far in what they call a penalty. More specifically, officials determining that the use of a, helmet as a weapon, has gotten out of control..

Stumble on your way to the QB and if you fall on his legs, you’re likely to get a penalty called. Now, I’m in favor of protecting the QB, but we may have gone too far. Here, Tracy Walker of the Lions is sacking Kirk Cousins:

Cousins said this directly to Walker afterwards: “‘I don’t necessarily agree with that call, but I’ll take it.”

The same kind of overzealous flag throwing exists when it comes to calls on defensive players hitting “so-called” defenseless players. To be sure, I want to see a flag thrown when there truly is a hit on a defenseless player, especially by some players who go out of their way to do so, over and over again. However, when a defensive player has no way to keep from hitting an offensive player with their helmet, just because they were lowering their shoulder, officials should rely more heavily on officials in the box to make those calls. How is a defensive player supposed to lower his shoulders to make a hit, which is legal, without lowering his head, which is not legal?

It’s something the league needs to look at. Maybe, just maybe, they’ve gone too far.

Let’s start with the 2020 Draft order of the first 18 team, those that didn’t make the playoffs and many of which will be needing a new QB come September of the 2021 season.

Now, let’s take them one at a time:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15) – Most pundits have Clemson QB, Trevor Lawrence, penciled in here as the number one pick in the draft. I like Justin Fields more, but I’ll stick with Trevor going #1. Since any new coach always wants his own guy at QB, if he can get one, whoever takes over in Jacksonville, will probably be shot if he doesn’t take Lawrence.
2. New York Jets (2-14) – Is Sam Darnold (3rd overall pick in 2018) in or out? Who cares really, but I say out. The Jets now have the longest postseason drought in the NFL and a new coach will be tasked with finally getting them there. As I already mentioned, most new coaches will want their own guy behind center, so whoever takes over will in all likelihood take a QB. Who? I say Justin Fields. However, sites like “The Jet Press” think they could actually go after someone like Dak Prescott. I still say it will be “Fields-of-Dreams.”
3. Miami Dolphins (10-6, from HOU) – With Tua in the house, the Dolphins will take the best non-quarterback in the draft. Maybe Penei Sewell the OT out of Oregon.
4. Atlanta Falcons (4-12) – With 35 year old Matt Ryan (will be 36 in May) QB still going strong, there’s a far fetched chance they take a QB in the draft (to train behind Ryan), but I don’t think so. If they can trade back and pick up more picks, there’s a good chance of that.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1) – Joe Burrow. Need I say more?
6. Philadelphia Eagles (4-11-1) – What happens with Carson Wentz will be one of the biggest offseason stories going. It does seem likely that Jalen Hurts is their man moving forward. The Eagles will have to decide right away this offseason as Wentz is due a $10M bonus right after the new league year begins. Cutting him would be nuking their cap, so it’s either trade him, or keep him and hope you can get more out of him. That doesn’t seem doable so….
7. Detroit Lions (5-11) – Matt Stafford has had a very good season and while a new HC may want a new kid in town to train under him, the Lions have many more needs. So, trading back seems like a good bet.
8. Carolina Panthers (5-11) – While the Panthers have Teddy Bridgewater, I could see them taking a QB like Zach Wilson out of BYU. Bridgewater is, at some point, going to have to accept that he will be tutoring a rookie to take over for himself. Could be in 2021.
9. Denver Broncos (5-11) – Vic Fangio wants to “forge” a new relationship with his new GM, whoever that might end up becoming, but in the meantime, it seem highly likely they will stick with newbie QB, Drew Lock for now and try to develop him more. However… I don’t think that’s going to work out.
10. Dallas Cowboys (6-10) – Name a team who has had the same GM for the past 25+ years. That’s right, the Dallas Cowboys. Now, how do you go about firing a GM like that? Until Jerry fires himself… which will never happen… the Cowboys are doomed to mediocrity. The only way Jerry Jones fires himself is… by selling the team.
11. New York Giants (6-10) – Gettleman appears to have the team headed in the right direction. Key word: appears. We all know, things aren’t always what they appear to be. At any rate, they are tied to QB Daniel Jones for the foreseeable future.
12. San Francisco 49ers (6-10) – Jimmy G. love it in S.F. but does Kyle Shanahan want him there? There’s a reason the 49ers went from the Super Bowl to 6-and-10. Jimmy G. is part of the reason but more importantly, he’s also the reason why S.F. will never get over the hump with him flinging the pigskin. In his career he’s thrown half as many INTs as TDs (51 TDs/26 INTs) and that rate will never get them where they want to go. Still, they appear tied to him.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (7-9) – The Chargers are annually projected for the Super Bowl. Now that they have a QB in Justin Herbert, who can get them to the promised land, they just need the right head coach to make it happen. They draft smart and take the BPA. Eric Bieniemy would be fortunate to get the best HC job out there in L.A.. He could make them into a title contender. Their roster is already there.
14. Minnesota Vikings (7-9) – I used to love the old Purple People Eaters. Gone are those days as are the days of them having a good QB, and them knowing it. Obviously not a fan of Kirk Cousins.
15. New England Patriots (7-8) – Belichick wants Cam Newton back? Gee, I hope so. They are in hideous shape as an offensive team.
16. Arizona Cardinals (8-8) – Kyler Murray needs to become a consistent performer. Once they can get him straightened out, they’ll be a much better team.
17. Las Vegas Raiders (8-8) – Jon Gruden has taken the route of blaming his team’s poor performance in 2020 on his DC… so he fired him. They may want Gus Bradley for their DC, but he won’t help what ails the Raiders. If you look back at Gruden’s career and take away the one Super Bowl season — a team that was built by Tony Dungy — his number are very pedestrian.
18. Miami Dolphins (10-6) – Dolphins have another top 18 pick and if they continue to draft adeptly like they have been, they’ll be a force in the AFC for years to come.

Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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