Official 2018 NFL Discussion Thread

[richig07]

We're roughly 7 weeks away from training camps opening. As a White Sox fan, it cannot come soon enough.

I thought of a good experiment for this season. Why not keep a consolidated open dialogue on the forum, pertaining to what's going on in the league outside of the Bears organization as well? If it goes smoothly - we'll do another one next season and so forth. This forum has shown signs of life recently, this could be a decent way to keep a steady buzz going in the community when Bears talk goes dry.

Outside of OTA's, player off-season run-ins with the law and Dez Bryant finding a landing spot. I don't suspect many NFL waves to be made between now and the Bears taking the field in Bourbonais.

What are some of your guys thoughts now that rosters have taken shape around the league? Philly and NE are the rightful favorites to repeat as conference champions. However, history tells us that is extremely unlikely to happen.

As a dark horse in the AFC, I really like LAC. If they can stay healthy (already lost Henry) they have some superb weaponry on the offensive side, a really good QB who has to be getting hungry for a ring before he hangs em up and a young defense who show some ferocity in the 2nd half of the season.

In the NFC, it actually wouldn't shock me to see Philly suffer from the proverbial SB hangover. Some of those stars already aligning with the uncertainty of Wentz's knee injury. Green Bay's (and McCarthy's) back is really against the wall, with some unrest growing among their fans from a failure to net a 2nd ring during the Rodgers era. I expect them to come out strong this year.

The NFC is really tough (our division is probably the toughest) - I'm not sure that a dark horse is clear. As the top 5-6 teams are so strong.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

Raiders and Gruden fail spectacularly.
Gase gets fired in Mia by seasons end.
K White gets hurt by third game.
Browns win 4 games.
GB misses POs.
Bears get WC.
Dallas realizes they need a QB.
Jags regress.
Mahomes is Cutleresq, Chiefs go 8-8
D Watson comes back to earth.
SF is really good on offense.
NYG looks foolish for passing on drafting Elie's replacement.
Skins win more games with Smith.
Saints reach SB. I hate this one.

I like your thought on this post of tracking other teams and wanted to get my predictions out of the way. Now I'll stay on subject.

 

[richig07]

Raiders and Gruden fail spectacularly.
Gase gets fired in Mia by seasons end.
K White gets hurt by third game.
Browns win 4 games.
GB misses POs.
Bears get WC.
Dallas realizes they need a QB.
Jags regress.
Mahomes is Cutleresq, Chiefs go 8-8
D Watson comes back to earth.
SF is really good on offense.
NYG looks foolish for passing on drafting Elie's replacement.
Skins win more games with Smith.
Saints reach SB. I hate this one.

I like your thought on this post of tracking other teams and wanted to get my predictions out of the way. Now I'll stay on subject.

This thread is for predictions too!

That could actually be a great way to start.

I could NOT agree with you more on Gruden. What a publicity stunt before the Vegas move that is. Del Rio should be furious. They're so screwed if this fails... 10 years/100 mil. I think it will... Kind of hope it does too.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I like what you guys are doing. I'll be contributing my usual junk in the coming days and weeks. Some of noon's predictions are pretty bold, I like that. I also like your review rich about San Diego, as I share the exact same feelings. Their secondary is shaping up to be one of the best in the league, altho I still have Jax rated at the top. Anyway, looking forward to providing numerous responses to this thread.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I feel like Jacksonville is set up to fail. When you have a pass D as good as they were last year, there is nowhere to go but down. The Mark Sanchez Jets and 2015 Broncos have found out that the hard way just in the past decade or so. Could easily see them missing the playoffs with Bortles strangling that team.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I feel like Jacksonville is set up to fail. When you have a pass D as good as they were last year, there is nowhere to go but down. The Mark Sanchez Jets and 2015 Broncos have found out that the hard way just in the past decade or so. Could easily see them missing the playoffs with Bortles strangling that team.

I don't necessarily disagree with your assessment with respect to the Jags in for a possible letdown this year. However, if there is such, it will be due to Bortles play returning to the mean and the O in general taking a crap. I think the D will continue to be regarded as one of the top 3 in the NFL. They are loaded with playmakers.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I don't necessarily disagree with your assessment with respect to the Jags in for a possible letdown this year. However, if there is such, it will be due to Bortles play returning to the mean and the O in general taking a crap. I think the D will continue to be regarded as one of the top 3 in the NFL. They are loaded with playmakers.

That's just it. They could be the best D in the NFL and still regress a ton. They were that dominant on pass D.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Kirk cousins has a rocky start to his Vikings career. He will take off at some point though.

Aaron Rodgers gets hurt again.

The Lions do what the Lions do.

The 9ers and Rams will lead the nfc in wins.

The Vikings win the north.

The Saints win the south. Falcons get the wild card.

The Eagles win the east.

Rosen has the best rookie year of all rookie QBs. Barkley at RB, Ridley at WR (Miller has a shot here, but I think Ridley has a bigger role in the Falcon offense opposite of Julio Jones.)

The 49ers represent the nfc in the super bowl.

I’ll do afc later.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

@BGFP ... 9ers def will be their fatal flaw.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

This thread is for predictions too!

That could actually be a great way to start.

I could NOT agree with you more on Gruden. What a publicity stunt before the Vegas move that is. Del Rio should be furious. They're so screwed if this fails... 10 years/100 mil. I think it will... Kind of hope it does too.

Maybe Gruden wants to fail. 100 mil and sitting on a beach sounds nice. But for real he really thinks he is smarter then the crowd. It will be interesting to watch how it all goes. I expect a train wreck but them are interesting too.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

@BGFP ... 9ers def will be their fatal flaw.

I don't know how that isn't a bottom 5 defense this year. Jimmy G not only has to live up to the hype but carry the offense which isn't great either. Hype setting up the 49ers for failure.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

This thread is for predictions too!

That could actually be a great way to start.

I could NOT agree with you more on Gruden. What a publicity stunt before the Vegas move that is. Del Rio should be furious. They're so screwed if this fails... 10 years/100 mil. I think it will... Kind of hope it does too.

It's gonna fail and it will be epic. I think Oakland finishes dead last in the division with the Broncos having a solid draft.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

@BGFP ... 9ers def will be their fatal flaw.

Maybe. I tried to pick a surprise to represent the nfc. After the super bowl everybody seems to think the champs are now going to run the show, but that is very rarely the case. Half way through the year, most my predictions will be torn to shreads anyway.

 

[richig07]

Maybe. I tried to pick a surprise to represent the nfc. After the super bowl everybody seems to think the champs are now going to run the show, but that is very rarely the case. Half way through the year, most my predictions will be torn to shreads anyway.

Yeah, I agree with Moose. Those high expectations for San Fran are just not realistic when you take a look past the promise Jimmy G showed last year.

I suspect he'll meet his first adversity in the league this year, he just has to sooner or later. Every QB does eventually. Even Peyton and Brady had their struggles.

Especially seeing as outside of the Jacksonville game... the competition Jimmy and SF beat was far less than impressive. Some of that was a mirage.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Yeah, I agree with Moose. Those high expectations for San Fran are just not realistic when you take a look past the promise Jimmy G showed last year.

I suspect he'll meet his first adversity in the league this year, he just has to sooner or later. Every QB does eventually. Even Peyton and Brady had their struggles.

Especially seeing as outside of the Jacksonville game... the competition Jimmy and SF beat was far less than impressive. Some of that was a mirage.

If you look at Jimmy G's performance on the QB scoring efficiency thread or whatever it'schamacalled on the general NFL board, Jimmy G's 49ers lead the league is scoring percentage in terms of drives when he started at 60.

Scoring on 60% of drives is a total joke. There's no way in hell that's repeatable; Brady was in the low 50's with a strong O surrounding him. That's right up there with Watson's TD % being in the 9's as far as unlikely things to be repeated next season.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Thanks for the critique. I’m sticking to my bold prediction here though. I’ll probably be wrong, but chances are everyone else picking the Eagles or Vikings are too.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Thanks for the critique. I’m sticking to my bold prediction here though. I’ll probably be wrong, but chances are everyone else picking the Eagles or Vikings are too.

It's still early, but at this moment I'm tempted to go with the Rams and Saints to meet in the NFC title game.

 

[richig07]

It's still early, but at this moment I'm tempted to go with the Rams and Saints to meet in the NFC title game.

I could see the Rams imploding. Super teams don't have a great history in the NFL. Whole lot of large egos and potential "character problems" there.

As impressed as I am by McVay - I also have to see that offense repeat what it did last season. The playoff performance doesn't diminish the good things they did, but it was a tad unsettling.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I could see the Rams imploding. Super teams don't have a great history in the NFL. Whole lot of large egos and potential "character problems" there.

As impressed as I am by McVay - I also have to see that offense repeat what it did last season. The playoff performance doesn't diminish the good things they did, but it was a tad unsettling.

The one thing about the Rams I am not sold on is Goff. May not matter until the postseason, but I am not so sure Goff isn't a product of what is around him. Even the audibles he's calling at the line are essentially McVay; now that's a situation I am semi-surprised the rules committee didn't come after.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

I could see the Rams imploding. Super teams don't have a great history in the NFL. Whole lot of large egos and potential "character problems" there.

As impressed as I am by McVay - I also have to see that offense repeat what it did last season. The playoff performance doesn't diminish the good things they did, but it was a tad unsettling.

They don’t have to get along for their DLine to flat out murder QBs. The Rams are going to be VERY tough next year. They plugged their holes nicely in the offseason.