Football Thoughts
I haven't really updated much about football after I stopped doing picks, although I did picks at work for the weekly pool still. I was just really too lazy to update this, haha. Either way, I wanted to note some thoughts now that the season is more or less over and most of the playoff picture is settled.
I'd discuss the Lions, but I think they'll continue to wallow in their mire of suck and misery for as long as Millen and Ford run the team, so I'm going to do my best next year to not get excited and then get horribly let down when the suck sets in. I hope they lose and lose and lose until things finally snap into place and they realize that the problems are in the front office and the ownership as much as they are on the field.
So, I'll address some other things that I imagine will happen and what I think should happen with them.
First up, Donovan McNabb. I think he's out of Philly and if that's the case, I think Minnesota needs to pick him up. Tavaris Jackson is a good QB, I think, and definitely the Vikings QB of the future, but I think he could really benefit from a solid mentorship, the kind that McNabb could provide. McNabb has to swallow his pride and take on a backup role, though. He's injury prone and inconsistent, but he is a proven winner. I think he has more value as a back-up/mentor than he does as a 16-game starter. I also think the Vikings could use his style of mobile play. A mobile QB + that awesome running game could leave a lot of open space downfield for receivers. For the Vikings to really be more complete though, they also need to pick up a quality veteran WR in free agency this year. They've got some good WRs, and I really like Sidney Rice, but he's a rookie and they need someone with some stature to play opposite him and to also play the mentor role a bit.
Secondly, Randy Moss. He won't be a Patriot next year - unless he's willing to give up lots of money that other teams would give him, I think the Pats will continue their habit of letting big-money players go their own way. Besides, they don't -need- him. They have Stallworth, who is a fine downfield threat, and they'll still have Welker, who is more crucial to their game than Moss is, if you ask me. Moss in New England was a one-year experiment that, at worst, would hurt no one and be a minimal loss for NE (Moss is only making like 2-3 mil this year) and at best would yield a Super Bowl title. The Pats get another championship and Moss gets his dignity and position as a top-tier NFL WR back. Now they'll part ways because both got what they wanted from this fleeting romance. It has been beneficial to both, but it's not something that is meant to last for long. The only question is where will Moss go... wouldn't it be spiffy if he went back to Minnesota? I doubt it, but that'd be pretty crazy and it would make that team really scary, especially if they pick up McNabb like I suggest above.
Other teams with serious QB needs include Chicago and Atlanta. But both teams need to start from scratch and draft them. There are some good QB prospects out this year, unlike last year's dismal (in my opinion) selection of 1st QBs. Brian Brohm and Colt Brennan could both be first rounders. Chicago needs to give up on Grossman, I think, and trade him off. Keep Griese in a backup role, let Orton play (see if he's worth anything, he only took them 11-5 in his rookie year) and spend a year or two training a rookie QB for the future. Atlanta should stick with Harrington, he's played well. Dispose of Leftwich and keep Redman as a backup and train your rookie as well.
What else? Oh, Cleveland. People are saying they should trade Derek Anderson after this magnificent season he's had. I say keep him. There's risk either way, of course. Anderson could be a one-season flash in the pan and bust for them next year and have no trade value afterwards. Or he could be a total stud, the real deal, and get traded away and win elsewhere, while Cleveland struggles with the growing pains of Brady Quinn. I say play it safe, keep Anderson for a couple years, see what he's made of, and keep Quinn in reserve. Of course, my decision is influenced by my believe that Quinn will be an NFL bust (he never won a big game in college).
All in all, it's been a fun NFL season. But the season always just hypes me up for the offseason, which to me is equally interesting, if not more so... watching all the moves teams make to try and improve. Then see them play out in the season, bust or not, then get hyped up for another offseason of changes. It's always amazing to watch a team like the Patriots make stunningly awesome offseason moves and then watch them pan out great, then watch a team like the Lions make moves that seem good, but don't pan out. So fascinating.
Oh, and if Adrian Peterson and Patrick Willis don't get offensive/defensive rookie of the year, respectively, I'll be shocked shitless. I also predict the Pats go undefeated and the Packers to win the Super Bowl. We'll see, we'll see... there's lots of football left to play.
I'd discuss the Lions, but I think they'll continue to wallow in their mire of suck and misery for as long as Millen and Ford run the team, so I'm going to do my best next year to not get excited and then get horribly let down when the suck sets in. I hope they lose and lose and lose until things finally snap into place and they realize that the problems are in the front office and the ownership as much as they are on the field.
So, I'll address some other things that I imagine will happen and what I think should happen with them.
First up, Donovan McNabb. I think he's out of Philly and if that's the case, I think Minnesota needs to pick him up. Tavaris Jackson is a good QB, I think, and definitely the Vikings QB of the future, but I think he could really benefit from a solid mentorship, the kind that McNabb could provide. McNabb has to swallow his pride and take on a backup role, though. He's injury prone and inconsistent, but he is a proven winner. I think he has more value as a back-up/mentor than he does as a 16-game starter. I also think the Vikings could use his style of mobile play. A mobile QB + that awesome running game could leave a lot of open space downfield for receivers. For the Vikings to really be more complete though, they also need to pick up a quality veteran WR in free agency this year. They've got some good WRs, and I really like Sidney Rice, but he's a rookie and they need someone with some stature to play opposite him and to also play the mentor role a bit.
Secondly, Randy Moss. He won't be a Patriot next year - unless he's willing to give up lots of money that other teams would give him, I think the Pats will continue their habit of letting big-money players go their own way. Besides, they don't -need- him. They have Stallworth, who is a fine downfield threat, and they'll still have Welker, who is more crucial to their game than Moss is, if you ask me. Moss in New England was a one-year experiment that, at worst, would hurt no one and be a minimal loss for NE (Moss is only making like 2-3 mil this year) and at best would yield a Super Bowl title. The Pats get another championship and Moss gets his dignity and position as a top-tier NFL WR back. Now they'll part ways because both got what they wanted from this fleeting romance. It has been beneficial to both, but it's not something that is meant to last for long. The only question is where will Moss go... wouldn't it be spiffy if he went back to Minnesota? I doubt it, but that'd be pretty crazy and it would make that team really scary, especially if they pick up McNabb like I suggest above.
Other teams with serious QB needs include Chicago and Atlanta. But both teams need to start from scratch and draft them. There are some good QB prospects out this year, unlike last year's dismal (in my opinion) selection of 1st QBs. Brian Brohm and Colt Brennan could both be first rounders. Chicago needs to give up on Grossman, I think, and trade him off. Keep Griese in a backup role, let Orton play (see if he's worth anything, he only took them 11-5 in his rookie year) and spend a year or two training a rookie QB for the future. Atlanta should stick with Harrington, he's played well. Dispose of Leftwich and keep Redman as a backup and train your rookie as well.
What else? Oh, Cleveland. People are saying they should trade Derek Anderson after this magnificent season he's had. I say keep him. There's risk either way, of course. Anderson could be a one-season flash in the pan and bust for them next year and have no trade value afterwards. Or he could be a total stud, the real deal, and get traded away and win elsewhere, while Cleveland struggles with the growing pains of Brady Quinn. I say play it safe, keep Anderson for a couple years, see what he's made of, and keep Quinn in reserve. Of course, my decision is influenced by my believe that Quinn will be an NFL bust (he never won a big game in college).
All in all, it's been a fun NFL season. But the season always just hypes me up for the offseason, which to me is equally interesting, if not more so... watching all the moves teams make to try and improve. Then see them play out in the season, bust or not, then get hyped up for another offseason of changes. It's always amazing to watch a team like the Patriots make stunningly awesome offseason moves and then watch them pan out great, then watch a team like the Lions make moves that seem good, but don't pan out. So fascinating.
Oh, and if Adrian Peterson and Patrick Willis don't get offensive/defensive rookie of the year, respectively, I'll be shocked shitless. I also predict the Pats go undefeated and the Packers to win the Super Bowl. We'll see, we'll see... there's lots of football left to play.