Arena The Official NFL Discussion Thread (Now Featuring Time's Person of the Year, Taylor Swift!)

Yeah I'm so tenacious and intense that I haven't bothered checking into this thread in 4 days.

Nothing says "tenacious" like a twice-weekly visit to the forum.

Eh, sure seems to me an awful lot of people have skipped over the "if" part and have gone straight to sentencing. People (on both sides of the equation) are picking and choosing which leaked reports to believe. People (on both sides of the equation) will express sanctimonious outrage at the league's incompetent investigation if their side "loses".

People waiting to just hear the official facts of the situation (not the contradictory, unofficial leaks) are the exception, not the rule.

 

It's like two people arguing over Man of Steel or something... just let it go, people!

 

Can we talk about super bowl commercials?
Topic 1: banned spots for this year

 

I reject the assertion that I'm a homer given that I spent Sunday ripping Dalton to shreds and Aaron Rodgers is objectively a divine creature.

 

So the Niners sign their offensive coordinator in Geep Chryst, who was their QB coach. This reeks. The Niners can't sign anyone with cache because their treatment of Harbaugh and the passing over of their defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio.

I feel the Niners will be looking for another head coach within three years, unless Tomsula can turn Kaepernick back into the superstar QB. It's like when the Raiders/Al Davis fired John Gruden all over again.

 

That was amazing.

 

That was fantastic. What a pair.

 

On the Niners, I feel like their problem was that they got away from their identity this year. They are built to be an old school, smash mouth football team, they run the ball, and play good defense. I think this year they tried to get cute with the offense and tried to go more spread with wide receivers and CK passing much more, which as we saw, was not a good thing. They need to get back to punishing people on both sides of the ball. Carlos Hyde should be getting 20-25 carries per game. I still don't understand why LaMichael James was never given a real shot, especially after using a second round pick on him. Letting Dixon go and then Hunter going down to injury didn't help either.

 

he threw the ball four more times per game, which is hardly "much more". his rating was only slightly lower. i don't know how many of their games you actually watched but their problem wasn't so much getting away from their identity as it was a few key injuries on defense, and they still could have easily been 11-5. the loss against the raiders was the only time i really felt like this wasn't the same team, mostly it was just a tough season.

 

I think the main problem is that they have an average at best QB.

 

i would probably agree. he has an above average skill set and is capable of some things that i don't think any other quarterback is, but his execution has been poor, and often more so in the biggest moments of games. i feel like next year is probably his make or break season but i think i said that this year too lol.

 

The defensive injuries really didn't seem to bother the Niners, except maybe in the Chargers game. I mean, the Niners defense always gave them a shot at winning the game. The offense definitely struggled, even against the Raiders. Over the past few years the Niners had difficulties getting signals and plays to Kaepernick and scoring in the red zone. It's been horrible to watch. I also think Kaepernick regressed than improved as a pocket passer as he had trouble staying in rhythm and sustaining drives. He was pretty bad on 3rd down conversions and for some reason didn't have any chemistry with Vernon Davis. It will be up to the new coaching staff to coach up CK7 and improve the Niners' Red Zone offense.

 

i do think you're right to an extent. the defense was still good. but in the previous two years they relied on their defense being not just good but dominant, and it just wasn't quite to that level without some of those key guys.

 

Agreed, the Niners defense definitely took a step backwards in 2014 with the injuries and the suspension of Aldon Smith for nine games.

I'll be interested to see who the Niners draft knowing that Crabtree, Gore, Iupati and Justin Smith are likely to leave the team and Ray McDonald being cut for off the field troubles. I would really like the Niners to beef up the defensive line in the off season.

 

I have a problem.

Will I be able to watch the Super Bowl? Or will the impending snowstorm, for which a Winter Storm Watch was issued earlier this afternoon, knock out my satellite reception?

Yes, I know that I could go to a sports bar to watch it. However, I am not comfortable in places where alcohol is served (largely because I do not drink alcohol myself and don't want to be tempted to do so), and I get extremely nervous in large crowds.

Yes, I know that, as a Verizon customer, I could stream it on NFL Mobile. However, I lack the data allowance to stream it over 4G, and I lack the home internet speed to stream over Wi-Fi without bogging down the whole connection for my non–football-watching dad. Also, my eyes cannot take staring at a video on a tiny 4-inch screen for more than a few minutes.

In other words, the only way for me to watch is on TV, at home. And I don't know if I'll be able to do that.

 

I don't think it helped the 9ers that their head coach had his feet out the door as the season progressed. I don't think it is a coincidence that they dropped 4 of their last 5 when everyone on the planet knew Harbaugh was going going gone. I think he checked out mentally and when that happened, it's pretty easy for the players to follow suit.

 

Yeah the Niners had a tough 4-5 games to close the season. But I think all of those big QBs regressed this season, except for Luck. Wilson wasn't as good IMHO this year as last. Kaep took a big step back. And RG3 continues to struggle mightily.

But I agree Kaep really needs to improve this next season or he's on his way out.

 

STOP LUMPING ME INTO THINGS JUST CAUSE I DEFEND THE RODGERS

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