mbarbour21

Pack up the season. It’s time to look to the draft. If we lose it will be because of Darnold or o-line. We won’t be able to upgrade it til next year. The team can learn from it. I’ll still watch. But that’ll be a wrap.

What else should we expect him to say? "Yeah, all those guys I played with sucked." "Organization sucks. It's like they didn't want to win....until now." "But I'd never do that to these teammates or this wonderful organization that has always been focused on winning and putting their QB in the best possibly situation."

Tremble and Luvu

Week 1 vs New York Jets - Win (1-0). If we lose this game, pack up the season. We have too many weapons on offense to drop this game. So, either we lose because of Darnold or the offensive line. Neither will be replaced this season. W 27-13. Week 2 vs New Orleans Saints - Win (2-0). I predict Winston has a huge game Week 1 and throws 4 TDs with no INTs. Which means, it's quite possible he does the opposite against us the next week. I just think he will be riding high and so he starts the game slinging it. Bottling Kamara will be a problem. W 24-20. Week 3 at Houston Texans - Win (3-0). This should not be close if Watson isn't playing. Their team is a mess. If we trotted out our team of TEs against their team of RBs it might would be interesting. They don't have the firepower or the defense to hang. W 35-10 Week 4 at Dallas Cowboys - Loss (3-1). Our defense surprisingly does well against their offense, but our offense has an off day. Our rush defense is greatly improved and forces them to be one dimensional all day. The difference is the vet WRs make one more play against our rookie CBs to pull out the victory. Huddle implodes. L 20-17 Week 5 vs Philadelphia Eagles - Win (4-1). Defense should be all over Hurts, forcing him to beat us with his arm. He falls short. We lost a lot of games last year close, this one falls our way. W 17-14 Minnesota Vikings - Loss (4-2). Unless Chinn scores 3 TDs in a row this year, I don't see us winning this game. Our offensive line just isn't good enough and they should have Cook back this time. Score will be closer than it actually was. Will feel more like a 24-10. L 24-16 Week 7 at New York Giants - Win (5-2). Lack of LB play shows up pretty big this week as Barkley reels off some big runs. Close win as we get shredded on the ground, but hold up well in pass coverage. Panthers fans argue they could just as easily be sitting at 3-4 instead of 5-2, and they aren't wrong. W 24-23 Week 8 at Atlanta Falcons - Loss (5-3). This one really hurts. Kyle Pitts and Hurst develop into one of the best TE tandems with Ridley over the top. We just come up a little bit too short. L 21-20 Week 9 vs New England Patriots - Win (6-3). By this time, Mac has finally started getting things together. However, so have our rookie corners. Hard fought match-up. But we limp away with the victory. W 27-24 Week 10 at Arizona Cardinals - Win (7-3). We win in an exciting defensive game. Big plays in pass coverage for both teams. No running lanes to be found on either side. Low-scoring, but action-packed. Our kicking game is consistent enough to squeak out a win. W 16-13 Week 11 vs Washington Football Team - Loss (7-4). The offensive line is no match for the rushers. Darnold has no time. Eerily similar to the year it looked like Cam might have a snap intercepted. Ron does get conservative in good ol' Ron fashion, but even Quiver Goat Ron can't mess this one up. Score is closer than should be because of late conservative play by WFT. L 21-17 Week 12 at Miami Dolphins - Win (8-4). Carolina takes advantage of an offensive line that Greg Little has a chance to start on. Defense really starts to gel at this point. Best overall game by defense so far this season. Week 13 - Bye week Week 14 vs Atlanta Falcons - Win (9-4). By this time, our defense is looking like a legit top 10. After dropping a game to ATL early, we make adjustments (which we do now) after having extra time and recent game film. This one isn't close. W 24-10 Week 15 at Buffalo Bills - Loss (9-5). There are no moral victories in the NFL, but if there was one, this one would be it. We play the most complete game we have all year. Their defense is just too much for our line. We don't even cross the 50 yard line on the last possession. L 27-24 Week 16 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Win (10-5). We throw everything we can at them defensively and come away with an upset victory. Defense creates turnovers in this one. At least one or two tipped INTs. Huddle thinks we are Super Bowl bound. W 31-27 Week 17 at New Orleans Saints - Loss (10-6). With the Saints out of reach for a playoff run, this is their Super Bowl. They remind us that a playoff team really needs a consistent offensive-line. L 24-20 Week 18 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Loss (10-7). This one isn't close. We take our worst loss of the season as the Bucs seek a first-round bye. L 31-17 We make playoffs and win Super Bowl. Thank you.

Dallas Cowboys @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers W (This shouldn't even be a question. Dak hasn't played in almost a full year and Bucs are the better team, and it isn't close) Philadelphia Eagles @ Atlanta Falcons W (I wish I could say Philly, but I believe ATL has enough fire-power to pull this one out. The Eagles....maybe not so much) Pittsburgh Steelers @ Buffalo Bills W (I just don't see Pittsburgh being good enough on offense week 1 of this year to best Buffalo. Week 3 or 4 they will start to roll) W Minnesota Vikings @ Cincinnati Bengals (Bengals could not protect Burrow last year, it will probably be more of the same this year.......and Dalvin Cook) W San Francisco 49ers @ Detroit Lions (I would be surprised if the Lions won a game this year. It won't be against San Fran though, no matter which QB is out there) Arizona Cardinals @ Tennessee Titans W (This is my hardest choice. AZ is stacked at the playmaker position, but Tennessee is too. Can't wait to see how Julio opens up this run game....just thinking about Henry having more room. lol! Nod to TEN mostly because of coach) W Seattle Seahawks @ Indianapolis Colts (I think this will come down to QB play. I'm not even sure who the QB will be against Seattle and not sure it matters. Wilson gets the nod) W Los Angeles Chargers @ Washington Football Team (Rivera isn't good week 1. That's all they get from me) New York Jets @ Carolina Panthers W (Jets have a rookie QB, if we lose this we might as well start looking to the draft. The Jets offense is better than it was last year. But so are we. We got CMC back and plenty of other additions. This should not be a close game. I say it will be 10-10 at half time and 27-13 by the end of the game) W Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans (Texans are a mess. They have 85 running backs. It should be interesting when we put our all TE team against their all RB team in week 3. This game could be very low scoring and sloppy. We shall see.) Cleveland Browns @ Kansas City Chiefs W (I think this will be very close. But KC should have something that somewhat resembles an offensive line this week, so I give them the edge. Mahomes is just too talented) W Miami Dolphins @ New England (It's Mac's first start. It isn't that I don't believe in him, but he hasn't played in REAL NFL time yet. Bill's system is difficult. I see a few too many mistakes in his future this week) Green Bay Packers @ New Orleans Saints W (It pains me to do this and I hope I am wrong, but like Mac, it would be Love's first NFL action if Rodgers does not play. I do not know if Winston will be good all year, but I think he has a HUGE first game. Like, 4 TDS and no INTs type game. I don't think it stays that way, but I think he airs it out this week) W Denver Broncos @ New York Giants (Teddy has weapons man, and he did well early on for us. Giants are just not a good team overall) Chicago Bears @ Los Angeles Rams W (Rams have so much talent and now they have Stafford. I don't think Bears will be able to outscore Rams) W Baltimore Ravens @ Las Vegas Raiders (This will be closer than it should be because of Dobbins being out. But Baltimore's offense is still electric. I don't think Raiders come close if Bell can channel about 50% of his Steeler days)

Funny you should mention Brady falling off. I'm starting to think this position number change is gonna hurt him this year. He seems pretty pissed about it......I love it now! Haha! It got on my nerves at first, but now I feel it has a greater purpose! Dare I say...

I remember being happy that we had Bersin back there, because at least he would catch it I thought. lol!

If the Falcons and Saints are average, this is a double-digit win season IMO.

I feel like 8 wins should be our floor. Especially starting off against the Jets and Texans. We should get an early jump. We lost 8 games by one possession or less last year. Put into context, we did that with this reality: - New coach, scheme, and all issues tied to COVID - Bridgewater was not making deep throws - No CMC for most of the year - No TE production for the majority of the year - Very poor play in the redzone - Slye on FGs - Defense could not execute on 3rd down to save their life - Defense could not stop the run - Raw rookies starting in the secondary We have made strides in each of these areas. Second year with coach and scheme, had training camp and preseason, got Darnold, CMC back, brought in TEs (which will also help in redzone), new kicker, possible emergence of Carter and Luvu, new defensive lineman and pass rushers, and improved CBs.

Panthers - 27 Jets - 13 *At the half, it is tied 10-10. Sloppy play from both sides. The only Jets touchdown comes early because a bone-headed play by the offense or new punt returner gives the Jets excellent field position. Dan Arnold is big on third downs. Huge punt return is nullified by a penalty. Interception off of a tipped pass seals the deal.

I almost NEVER use the POO emoji.....I have used it twice today......

"What new or 1st time returning player to the offense, has really stood out to him through training camp/preseason."

Nah, we would have started him for 4 years. lol!

And Hartsfield.

Hmmm......does he return punts?

I'm not saying being able to beat teams over the top is not important. I'm just saying that if the majority of the yards ARE yards after catch, it will be fine. We seen last year how ineffective YAC can be if there is little threat for a deep play. Darnold has the arm to get it there. I agree with you though. If the o-line is incapable of allowing the receivers to get deep, then that is an issue. I'm leaning on the optimistic side, that the line will play better than we expect.

4,150 yards 32 TDs 12 INTs 67% completion 11-6 record I think our defense does some scoring, as well as our RBs and WRs on the ground. I really believe we can be good this year. I noticed Tepper saying, "Wait til we start airing it out.". So, I do believe he will get enough attempts to crack 4,000. Will that be majority "ball in the air" or "yards after the catch"? My prediction. It doesn't freakin' matter.

Any rumblings of what we would be willing to give up? Players or picks?

Boy they love some TEs....

Darnold doesn't have to throw for 5,000 yards for us to have a chance. We have CMC back and Chubba has been added. There are run plays too. Haha! I see no reason to believe that we ABSOLUTELY can not be contenders this year. We lost like 8 games by one score or less last year. And I think it is safe to say that we got better. Maybe even significantly. (That depends on Darnold's play) Plenty of weapons on offense, and a young attacking defense. Special teams has also been an area of focus. I'm not saying that we should throw money around aimlessly, but we should definitely upgrade if it is beneficial now and in long run. If we make the playoffs, anything can happen. Other teams get better every year too man, we can't reasonably assume the next few years will be easier than this one.

C'mon man! You know there will not be any room for Watson with all of Rhule's Temple buddies.

Hopefully we will sign "- Ian Thomas"......

I'm going to go with Rhule just on the fact that we have Tepper who doesn't seem to be over active and allows football people to football. Then add in that the football person is Fitterer, and he seems to make very good football decisions for the now and for the future (personnel, but also financial). Looking at the FA brought in this year and this year's draft, and the way we made moves to get said players, we have an amazing foundation to build on that was built super quick. Rhule and Co. are not afraid to make moves, whether that is trading, sitting, starting, waiving, or signing. So many things are better compared to the Marty/Rivera Era. Lots of room for optimism. IMO.