2015 NFL Season

[Sober_times]

Well, its the start of Free Agency and the new league year so might as well start a new thread...

Patriots lose Revis to huge deal by Jets. He's really good but Pats wouldn't go that high. Can't blame either one. Revis should go after the money and Patriots always build for long term success which means no huge mega deals like this. Shame it couldn't get done but it'll work out. Patriots will most likely continue to win divisions without Revis and he will get the money he desires. Win win.

Eagles making some weird moves. I am kind of on board with not over paying the 27 year old running back on a long term deal like the Bills did and letting Maclin go but the trade doesn't make much sense to me. I get Bradford ran a similar system in college and is a spread guy at his core but I don't see him doing anything. Just a weird deal. I'm in a wait and see approach mainly. Want to see what they do to replace McCoy and Maclin among other things.

I don't get the hype on Gore to Indy. I like him but he's 32 in May. I don't see him doing much. Guaranteed him 8 mil over 3 years and at his age he could give you nothing. Colts also paid 16 mil for 2 years for Cole from philly. Another aging player. And they sign Johnson too, no? I wouldn't be super excited if I was a Colts fan.

Giants overpaid for that cowboy, but they got a really good player in Vareen. Will miss him in New England,

Chiefs look like they will go with a second bad wide receiver contract. First they over pay big time for Bowe who they are going to cut and now they over pay Maclin.

Those are things that come to mind for now... Exciting time as the off season begins.

[faldor]

Losing Revis hurts the Pats, big time. There's no denying that. They've taken a big step back to the rest of the pack in the AFC. But I still think they win the division easily, and they'll still be in the hunt. They have cap space now so obviously there are moves to be made. They're going to have to do things differently next year, as there's no replacing a player of Revis' caliber. The CB market isn't great, so it might be smart for them to bolster their pass rush. They've been lacking in that area for some time, and it was overshadowed last year by their great secondary. Well, that's not the case anymore. So changes need to be made. I'm not freaking out too much just yet. They've proven over the last 14 years that they have a pretty good idea of what they're doing. So I suggest Patriots fans and Boston sports media to step away from the ledge, because if you listen to many of them the world is coming to an end.

[Sober_times]

So I suggest Patriots fans and Boston sports media to step away from the ledge, because if you listen to many of them the world is coming to an end.

Right? Its the annual March thing. Patriots lose division in March only to win it in December. 

[AxlsMainMan]

My Steelers only really need to address CB and OLB through free agency or the draft. A solid backup for Bell is also needed as he's likely to be suspended the first 2 games

[JAEBALL]

So I suggest Patriots fans and Boston sports media to step away from the ledge, because if you listen to many of them the world is coming to an end.

Right? Its the annual March thing. Patriots lose division in March only to win it in December. 

Any of you pat fans even ever heard of John hannah or Tony Eason?   

I love the Vereen pickup for big blue. He brings something to the table we haven't had since Tiki.. not that hes anything near as good as Tiki, but he can make plays in the passing game.

As for Revis... IF I were a Jet fan... it would irritate me to no end that he won a superbowl with New England... I'm sure all Jet fans are happy he's back... but still... It would haunt me forever.

[tim_m]

Looks like the Jets have gotten Fitzpatrick from Houston for a draft pick.

[Sober_times]

So I suggest Patriots fans and Boston sports media to step away from the ledge, because if you listen to many of them the world is coming to an end.

Right? Its the annual March thing. Patriots lose division in March only to win it in December. 

Any of you pat fans even ever heard of John hannah or Tony Eason?   

Though the comment is kind of a sarcastic assholish one, I'll answer it. 

Heard of? Yes. But considering I was born in 1981, I didn't get a chance to enjoy Hannah or watch Eason. Hannah retired 30 years ago, when I was 4 and Eason as a Jet 25 years ago when I was 9. I would say there are a lot of Pats fans who heard of them but never watched them. I was a teen with the Bledsoe years so those teams I remember very well and of course the last 14 with Brady and company.

[faldor]

So I suggest Patriots fans and Boston sports media to step away from the ledge, because if you listen to many of them the world is coming to an end.

Right? Its the annual March thing. Patriots lose division in March only to win it in December. 

Any of you pat fans even ever heard of John hannah or Tony Eason?   

I love the Vereen pickup for big blue. He brings something to the table we haven't had since Tiki.. not that hes anything near as good as Tiki, but he can make plays in the passing game.

As for Revis... IF I were a Jet fan... it would irritate me to no end that he won a superbowl with New England... I'm sure all Jet fans are happy he's back... but still... It would haunt me forever.

Hannah was a little before my time. The first season I remember as a fan was his last season with the team. I got excited for that Super Bowl against the Bears. Bought into the Patriots answer to "The Super Bowl Shuffle". "The Patriots and me. We'll beat the Bears 1000-3". Well, not exactly. I was young. I didn't know any better. I remember Tony Eason more clearly. And Steve Grogan, Marc Wilson, Tommy Hodson, Hugh Millen, Scott Zolak, etc. Man it was ugly. Not to mention the list of coaches and owners they ripped through. Kraft, Bledsoe, and Parcels pulled them back into respectabile territory. And obviously Belichick and Brady have brought them to another level. No doubt, we've been blessed as Pats fans this century. But I remember all too well the horrendous teams in the late 80's and early 90's. Not to mention the heartbreak the Red Sox put me (us) through in 1986 and dominance from the Yankees that has since been erased. This city wide run will eventually end, but things are still going strong for now.

As for Vereen. He's a good player. I think he's overvalued by some. Good receiver, I hesitate to say great because he couldn't quite master the wheel route. He was wide open on that play a number of times and almost routinely dropped it. Other than that though, very good receiver out of the backfield. Not as explosive as you'd hope or expect though. He showed flashes, but never really took it to that next level. The Pats have had guys fill the same role in the past and I trust they'll be able to replace him on the cheap. All that said, he's a solid player. I just don't think he was worth the money in terms of the Patriots retaining him. They have other areas of need where the money could be much better spent.

Pats signed Jabaal Sheard yesterday to bolster their front 7. A young DE (25), with 23 sacks in 4 years. Although his sack totals have decreased each year, down to just 2 last season. I heard though he played with a broken foot towards the end of the year. The Browns are also a mess of an organization that change coaches and schemes every year, so it's not a wonder why a players production may not be consistent. Get him in a more stable environment and I'm sure his game will even out and they'll get the most out of him. At least I hope.

[JAEBALL]

As long as Brady is standing up straight the Pats will win the AFC east...no matter how many other studs the other three teams line up on defense.

Really disappointed about the Giants offseason so far... I like vereen, but how they have not addressed their O Line and the safety position is beyond me really...

It's almost asinine.

[faldor]

As long as Brady is standing up straight the Pats will win the AFC east...no matter how many other studs the other three teams line up on defense.

Really disappointed about the Giants offseason so far... I like vereen, but how they have not addressed their O Line and the safety position is beyond me really...

It's almost asinine.

There's plenty of time before September. I know we all want our teams to fill their respective holes right away, but it rarely turns out well for teams that make a big splash early in free agency. The few times the Patriots were aggressive in free agency/trades (Adalius Thomas, Albert Haynesworth, Chad Ochocinco) it didn't work out too well. It's not easy sitting back and watching the so called big names fly off the board, but no team can win a Super Bowl in March.

[AxlsMainMan]

Big Ben has signed a big new 5 year deal and the Steelers have also brought in DeAngelo Williams to serve as backup to Le'Veon Bell.

[Sober_times]

As long as Brady is standing up straight the Pats will win the AFC east...no matter how many other studs the other three teams line up on defense.

Really disappointed about the Giants offseason so far... I like vereen, but how they have not addressed their O Line and the safety position is beyond me really...

It's almost asinine.

There's plenty of time before September. I know we all want our teams to fill their respective holes right away, but it rarely turns out well for teams that make a big splash early in free agency. The few times the Patriots were aggressive in free agency/trades (Adalius Thomas, Albert Haynesworth, Chad Ochocinco) it didn't work out too well. It's not easy sitting back and watching the so called big names fly off the board, but no team can win a Super Bowl in March.

Thomas was the big mistake. Haynesworth and Ocho were big names but neither was a huge risk considering what they gave up and the salary they ate for it. One got kicked out of Washington and the other an aging receiver.

I liked the Sheard signing. Pro football focus had him as the most successful olb at defending the run last year plus he brings some pass rush help. Lombardi being GM in Cleveland in 2013 and now with Pats probably had some sway with Bill on this signing.

[AxlsMainMan]

James Harrison is staying in Black n' Gold for another 2 seasons

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12537085/james-harrison-re-signs-pittsburgh-steelers-2-year-deal

[pilferk]

Because this was a HUGE topic of discussion, previously....I thought folks might find this article/news interesting:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/05/06/nfl-patriots-deflated-footballs/

NFL Finds That Patriots Employees Probably Deflated Balls

An NFL investigation has found that New England Patriots employees likely deflated footballs and that quarterback Tom Brady was ?at least generally aware? of the rules violations.

The NFL began the investigation after the Patriots won the AFC Championship game in January, when the Indianapolis Colts complained that several footballs were under inflated.

The 243-page report released Wednesday said league investigators found no evidence that coach Bill Belichick and team management knew of the practice.

Here's a link to the actual report:
https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/investigative-and-expert-reports-re-footballs-used-during-afc-championsh.pdf

[Sober_times]

I read a lot of the report and its all circumstantial to me. I am a homer though. Here is my two cents on it:

To someone who believed Brady in January, nothing in this report contradicts that with hard evidence. To someone who didn't believe Brady in January, nothing in this report contradicts that with hard evidence.

And I thought Scott Van Pelt said something on the radio right after this report was released  that has summed up the last couple days of media coverage revolving around this whole mess. Can't remember the quote verbatim but believe it was very close to this: "It's like handing a bazooka to a bunch of idiots."

[pilferk]

I read a lot of the report and its all circumstantial to me. I am a homer though. Here is my two cents on it:

To someone who believed Brady in January, nothing in this report contradicts that with hard evidence. To someone who didn't believe Brady in January, nothing in this report contradicts that with hard evidence.

And I thought Scott Van Pelt said something on the radio right after this report was released  that has summed up the last couple days of media coverage revolving around this whole mess. Can't remember the quote verbatim but believe it was very close to this: "It's like handing a bazooka to a bunch of idiots."

Those text messages, and the scientific analysis.....I don't know how you read those and not come to the conclusions SOMETHING went on. They essentially provide EVERY bit of info, in the report, that we discussed way back when.  It might be circumstantial...but so was pretty much everything they dug up on Bountygate for the Saints.  They were never going to get a smoking gun (though that video of him entering the bathrooms with the balls, and the head officials testimony that the handling of the game balls was WELL OUTSIDE normal SOP).  This is "enough", IMHO, to show there was tampering.  Then the only question is one of Brady's involvement.

There's enough circumstantial evidence in there, and enough sound logic, to come to the conclusion that the report creators did (lots of probables).  That, combined with the other organizational issues in the past, give the NFL enough to hand out some punishments.  Nothing nuts for the big players.  Fines for Brady, MAYBE a game suspension, for both his *wink wink* probabl knowledge AND the fact he refused to turn over the documentation they asked for.  Fines for the organization, for not honoring the requests to reinterview the the guy who probably actually DID the deflating....who will PROBABLY lose his job.  He should, at least.  If I were the NFL, that would be the one thing I insist  on...at least the guy who probably "wielded the needle" gets the boot. And maybe the guy who was "giving him the needles.

[AxlsMainMan]

Fines for the organization, for not honoring the requests to reinterview the the guy who probably actually DID the deflating....who will PROBABLY lose his job.  He should, at least.  If I were the NFL, that would be the one thing I insist  on...at least the guy who probably "wielded the needle" gets the boot. And maybe the guy who was "giving him the needles.

I'm sure Brady and/or the Kraft family have financially compensated both individuals rather handsomely in case such a situation arises.

[pilferk]

Fines for the organization, for not honoring the requests to reinterview the the guy who probably actually DID the deflating....who will PROBABLY lose his job.  He should, at least.  If I were the NFL, that would be the one thing I insist  on...at least the guy who probably "wielded the needle" gets the boot. And maybe the guy who was "giving him the needles.

I'm sure Brady and/or the Kraft family have financially compensated both individuals rather handsomely in case such a situation arises.

I'm sure.

And honestly, I have no problem with that, honestly.  The guy will, pretty much, be a pariah in the NFL...so the Pats should "take care" of him.

Besides...if they don't..."Don't worry, I'm not going to espn....yet" looms kinda large.

[JAEBALL]

I'm not a Brady/Pat hater... Belichick will always be a part of Giant history

But they are the Boston team.. and I certainly hate all the other Boston teams.

It's just Kraft and Goodell that really makes me chuckle... Spygate was 100 times worse, and they did nothing to them...

if Sean Payton lost 7 million and a season fro negligence... shouldn't Bill?

Brady will probably get 2 games... as always the lie is worse than the crime.

[Sober_times]

I read a lot of the report and its all circumstantial to me. I am a homer though. Here is my two cents on it:

To someone who believed Brady in January, nothing in this report contradicts that with hard evidence. To someone who didn't believe Brady in January, nothing in this report contradicts that with hard evidence.

And I thought Scott Van Pelt said something on the radio right after this report was released  that has summed up the last couple days of media coverage revolving around this whole mess. Can't remember the quote verbatim but believe it was very close to this: "It's like handing a bazooka to a bunch of idiots."

Those text messages, and the scientific analysis.....I don't know how you read those and not come to the conclusions SOMETHING went on. They essentially provide EVERY bit of info, in the report, that we discussed way back when.  It might be circumstantial...but so was pretty much everything they dug up on Bountygate for the Saints.  They were never going to get a smoking gun (though that video of him entering the bathrooms with the balls, and the head officials testimony that the handling of the game balls was WELL OUTSIDE normal SOP).  This is "enough", IMHO, to show there was tampering.  Then the only question is one of Brady's involvement.

There's enough circumstantial evidence in there, and enough sound logic, to come to the conclusion that the report creators did (lots of probables).  That, combined with the other organizational issues in the past, give the NFL enough to hand out some punishments.  Nothing nuts for the big players.  Fines for Brady, MAYBE a game suspension, for both his *wink wink* probabl knowledge AND the fact he refused to turn over the documentation they asked for.  Fines for the organization, for not honoring the requests to reinterview the the guy who probably actually DID the deflating....who will PROBABLY lose his job.  He should, at least.  If I were the NFL, that would be the one thing I insist  on...at least the guy who probably "wielded the needle" gets the boot. And maybe the guy who was "giving him the needles.

There is some potentially damning things in the report, but we cannot be assured of their context. Patriots legal team and testimony say most of it is in a joking matter. The NFL says otherwise. I believed Brady in January, none of this changes that.

The "deflator" text, from May of 2014, is potentially damning, but it still doesn't contradict what Brady stated in January, that he likes the footballs on the soft side and at 12.5 PSI. While its a bit of a stretch this could refer to being the one that is responsible for that. There is also talk of the ref's over-inflating the footballs during the Jets game and how upset Brady was on the sidelines during the game because of this and how hard the footballs were and how they make fun of Brady and are mad at Brady because of how he acted. They even state he had a right to be upset because the footballs were at 16 PSI and they need to make sure that doesn't happen again. One can infer that Brady wanted them to ensure the footballs were at 12.5 before or during the inspection by officials. Nothing in the report directly points to them having a conspiracy to deflate footballs after they have been inspected. No text or conversation states that they are directly violating NFL rules or are in the process of trying to deflate footballs after the referees inspect them. Nothing. Its important to point out these guys continually said they ribbed each other and joked around all the time. Obviously Wells feels differently.  Brady stated he likes the footballs at 12.5, I chose to believe him then and nothing in this report contradicts that.

As for scientific evidence, the report has to go off of Walt Anderson's memory of what PSI the Patriots and Colts footballs were prior to the game. Nothing was recorded. Also, they tested 11 Patriots footballs at halftime and only 4 Colts footballs. As Patriots reporter Mike Reiss stated:

Why 11 to four? Because officials measured only four Colts footballs, as they were running out of time before the second half began. This simply isn't fair to take a larger sample size and compare it to a smaller sample size. For example, I could just as easily pick the initial four Patriots PSI measurements (a drop from 12.5 to 11.80, 11.20, 11.50 and 11.00 from alternate official Dyrol Prioleau), match them up with the four Colts measurements (a drop from an estimated 13.0/13.1 to 12.35, 12.30, 12.95 and 12.15 from Prioleau), and come to a different conclusion that the drop rates of PSI between the two teams were close. Also, it's clear when matching the PSI readings between the two alternate officials that there is margin for error in the readings. Thus, I rejected the Wells report's explanation for dismissing the role of science based on their usage of this uneven data between teams.



The fact Wells used Exponent, Inc, to run scientific analysis also raises questions to me. While one cannot immediately come to the conclusion that their science is 100% bias, it is a company that has a long history of being called out for bias scientific reports towards the people who paid them. The NFL in the past has had similar accusations with regards concussions and many other issues.


I came to the conclusion after reading this report that it is completely acceptable to me that a reasonable person(I like to think I'm a reasonable person) can read this report and if they believed Tom Brady in his January news conference, they come away comfortable that nothing has changed. That there is no hard evidence or enough circumstantial evidence to make me believe Tom Brady lied and was part of a conspiracy to ensure footballs were deflated after they had been inspected by league officials.

I also believe that if someone did not believe Tom Brady in January, then there is stuff here that could support that conclusion.