2025 NFL Discussion

[homer]

I don't think the Packers will win the Super Bowl, but I am certain I will believe they should have beaten whoever they lose to in the playoffs.

[adambr2]

I don’t think the Broncos are that good. I dunno. I know they’re 9-2 and that’s all that matters right now, I just don’t really see it. Not that we can’t lose to them but I don’t think it’s tougher than most other games on the schedule.

[yourout]

There's another example of why one of your challenges should be a super challenge that you can challenge anything anywhere but when you use it you're done for the game.

A clear trip by the Denver defender that ends up being a sack.

[yourout]

Wow the Redskins are really getting worked by the refs the last 2 minutes.

[yourout]

That was quite a finish.

[adambr2]

8 hours ago, yourout said:

There's another example of why one of your challenges should be a super challenge that you can challenge anything anywhere but when you use it you're done for the game.

A clear trip by the Denver defender that ends up being a sack.

It is just never going to happen, there is too much subjectivity involved in the game for them to open up everything to review. 

I know some things seem so obvious and easy to fix but there is eventually going to be that one play that somehow straddles the line between “that IS conclusive” and “that LOOKS like it, but isn’t conclusive” and it’s going to be a big controversy. 

I understand the good intentions but I think the league learned the consequences of this kind of thing in that season where they opened up PI for review.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

12 hours ago, adambr2 said:

I don’t think the Broncos are that good. I dunno. I know they’re 9-2 and that’s all that matters right now, I just don’t really see it. Not that we can’t lose to them but I don’t think it’s tougher than most other games on the schedule.

I agree. Something seems off. Also, the Packers-Panthers spread was ridiculous. Carolina isn't even bad.

[Fear The Chorizo]

3 minutes ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

I agree. Something seems off. Also, the Packers-Panthers spread was ridiculous. Carolina isn't even bad.

The Panthers can run the ball...its also why the Bears find themselves at 9-3 despite a quarterback who is playing like anything but a 1st overall pick.

 

The Broncos have a really good defense and have found ways to win some duds of games against a softer schedule.

 

This year's playoffs is going to be absolutely wide open

 

 

[Fear The Chorizo]

There are a ton of teams with some inflated win loss records - that seems to be a product of the 17 game season expansion.  The perennial good teams beat up on each other and then a team from each division that is a dreg finds lightning in a bottle and jumps ahead of everyone in the standings.  Not saying all the current division leaders are phonies, but its way easier for the Bears/Pats/Broncos/Seahawks of the world to stack a bunch of wins against 3rd/4th place schedules and get an extra game against a doormat instead of a really good opponent.

 

Just wish the Packers took care of business at Cleveland or at home against that plucky Panthers team - 10-1-1 is such a realistic record for them rn.

[CheezWizHed]

24 minutes ago, Fear The Chorizo said:

There are a ton of teams with some inflated win loss records - that seems to be a product of the 17 game season expansion.  The perennial good teams beat up on each other and then a team from each division that is a dreg finds lightning in a bottle and jumps ahead of everyone in the standings.  Not saying all the current division leaders are phones, but its way easier for the Bears/Pats/Broncos/Seahawks of the world to stack a bunch of wins against 3rd/4th place schedules and get an extra game against a doormat instead of a really good opponent.

 

Just wish the Packers took care of business at Cleveland or at home against that plucky Panthers team - 10-1-1 is such a realistic record for them rn.

Or beat the Cowboys and get rid of the tie.  

But as the season ages, the Cleveland loss is looking like the main "stinker" of the group.  Carolina and Dallas are closer to average than bottom feeders.  And all three losses were by 3 points each... 

[OldSchoolSnapper]

1 hour ago, Fear The Chorizo said:

There are a ton of teams with some inflated win loss records - that seems to be a product of the 17 game season expansion.  The perennial good teams beat up on each other and then a team from each division that is a dreg finds lightning in a bottle and jumps ahead of everyone in the standings.  Not saying all the current division leaders are phonies, but its way easier for the Bears/Pats/Broncos/Seahawks of the world to stack a bunch of wins against 3rd/4th place schedules and get an extra game against a doormat instead of a really good opponent.

 

Just wish the Packers took care of business at Cleveland or at home against that plucky Panthers team - 10-1-1 is such a realistic record for them rn.

Carolina was the kind of game that happens, and they aren't a bad team. Cleveland was an embarrassment they had in the bag and had to give away. 

They are also very lucky they got to kick a tying FG in Dallas because they should be 8-4.

[homer]

21 hours ago, HarryDoyle said:

I don't know what it is, but the NFL has been pretty unwatchable lately. Not a lot of entertaining games.

Not sure if this is the reason but the NFL has been very run-heavy this year. Theory is that defenses all adjusted to increased passing by going to nickel and 2 high safety. Now offenses are adjusting back to the run. 

[JosephC]

4 hours ago, homer said:

Not sure if this is the reason but the NFL has been very run-heavy this year. Theory is that defenses all adjusted to increased passing by going to nickel and 2 high safety. Now offenses are adjusting back to the run. 

If the run game would go back to using real fullbacks, putting the QB back under center, and then just go downhill and smash the opponent, I would go back to watching games.  Zone-blocking, stretch plays, trap block, counter-trey, make offensive linemen fun to watch again!

Running 30+ draw plays out of the shotgun sounds incredibly boring to me.

[adambr2]

Lol. You’re 2-10, down by 20, already fired your HC and on 4th and half a yard from the 40 you’re going to go up to the line and bark and take the delay and punt.

Grow a pair.

[Fear The Chorizo]

3 hours ago, JosephC said:

If the run game would go back to using real fullbacks, putting the QB back under center, and then just go downhill and smash the opponent, I would go back to watching games.  Zone-blocking, stretch plays, trap block, counter-trey, make offensive linemen fun to watch again!

Running 30+ draw plays out of the shotgun sounds incredibly boring to me.

I think the Norv Turner I-formation offense that leans on pounding the rock and play action would be borderline unstoppable if you took the personnel from those Cowboys teams and just dropped them into today's NFL.  All the exotic defensive fronts and edge rushers would just get ground to a pulp, and I think the NFL has a tremendous lack of good cornerbacks that cannot play on an island right now.

 

But, that was a different era - it would take an organization to have the stones to draft and acquire that type of personnel over the course of a few seasons to build a roster capable of running that type of offense again.  There are teams now that mix in run-heavy sets - just not their staple offense, though.

[CheezWizHed]

9 hours ago, Fear The Chorizo said:

I think the Norv Turner I-formation offense that leans on pounding the rock and play action would be borderline unstoppable if you took the personnel from those Cowboys teams and just dropped them into today's NFL.  All the exotic defensive fronts and edge rushers would just get ground to a pulp, and I think the NFL has a tremendous lack of good cornerbacks that cannot play on an island right now.

 

But, that was a different era - it would take an organization to have the stones to draft and acquire that type of personnel over the course of a few seasons to build a roster capable of running that type of offense again.  There are teams now that mix in run-heavy sets - just not their staple offense, though.

If you look at the size of the Packer center and guards from 5 years ago and compare to today, there is a clear shift to bigger and heavier IOL:

2020: Jenkins (311), Linsley (301), Patrick (313)

2025: Banks(325), Jenkins(311)/Rhyan(321), Morgan(311)/Belton(336)/Rhyan

Pretty close to 10-20lbs heavier across the board. Especially if you consider Morgan a T playing out of position (which I do). 

 

[OldSchoolSnapper]

On 11/30/2025 at 7:07 PM, homer said:

I don't think the Packers will win the Super Bowl, but I am certain I will believe they should have beaten whoever they lose to in the playoffs.

Yeah that's a good way to put it. Unless we lose in Los Angeles, I get the sense I'll be bemoaning this season as a fairly down year for the NFC where we didn't capitalize. 

That said it does feel a bit  like 2010 where the top seed is vulnerable, the Bears are putting together a questionable campaign and nobody really feels unbeatable.

[homer]

3 hours ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

Yeah that's a good way to put it. Unless we lose in Los Angeles, I get the sense I'll be bemoaning this season as a fairly down year for the NFC where we didn't capitalize. 

That said it does feel a bit  like 2010 where the top seed is vulnerable, the Bears are putting together a questionable campaign and nobody really feels unbeatable.

I'd feel pretty good about playing in LA. GB has been like a dome team under MLF and I think we match up pretty good with the Rams.

[CheezWizHed]

1 hour ago, homer said:

 GB has been like abdomen team under MLF ...

[homer]

49 minutes ago, CheezWizHed said:

I said what I said. 

("like a dome team")

[HarryDoyle]

Yeah, but whenever we go to LA to play, we always say how it will be like a home game only to lose to a bad Chargers team a couple years ago.

[adambr2]

The Cowboys just send Brandon Aubrey out there for 63 yard field goals in the middle of the 3rd quarter like it’s nothing. It’s crazy.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I'm convinced the NFC playoffs is going to be magic 8-ball style randomness as to who goes to the Super Bowl.  I do think the Packers have among the highest ceilings - but will have concerns due to their lines running into a bad matchup, and they've already proven they are capable of losing to just about anyone just like they can beat anyone.

 

[OldHeidelberg]

17 minutes ago, Fear The Chorizo said:

I'm convinced the NFC playoffs is going to be magic 8-ball style randomness as to who goes to the Super Bowl.  I do think the Packers have among the highest ceilings - but will have concerns due to their lines running into a bad matchup, and they've already proven they are capable of losing to just about anyone just like they can beat anyone.

 

Brian Branch likely lost for season with torn achilles, losing Craft, Wyatt, and Jenkins sucks but seems like we are about par right now with injuries. I agree on Packers upside, no one in NFC has a defender like Parsons and the Packers offense is solid. Not getting to division round will be a disappointment for Packers this year but once there hard to say who advances from this field. If Love is a Super Bowl caliber QB this is golden opportunity to get there. 

[Underachiever]

On 12/2/2025 at 10:03 AM, homer said:

I'd feel pretty good about playing in LA. GB has been like abdomen team under MLF and I think we match up pretty good with the Rams.

I've felt that the Pack has been an abdomen team ever since Watson's ACL torso badly.