2025 NFL Discussion

[OldSchoolSnapper]

2 hours ago, endaround said:

They also played an historically easy schedule.  

 

Brother they were 14-3 and had some games where they absolutely pounded the piss out of teams. At least one that beat the Packers. They're good. They didn't create the schedule.

[CheezWizHed]

19 hours ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

For one, Wolf wasn't the GM in Cleveland, but acting like Maye is the only thing they've done right is crazy. I implore anyone that thinks that to just do some quick googling of their current roster. How many teams pick in the top 10 every year and still suck? What QB is Minnesota on? How long did it take Chicago? Just admit there are some sour grapes we probably picked the wrong guy and move on.

For one it is way too early to predict it either way.  Gute is a pretty good overall GM.  Elliot has a nice turn-around in NE, but way too early to compare.

Gute has had his incredible years and his so-so years.  This is Elliot's second year as GM.  In Gute's second year the Packers were 13-3 (thought you might've forgotten how quickly things turned around under his watch). 

I do know that if Elliot was the GM of the Packers, you'd be griping about him though.  You having sour grapes is one constant in the universe. 🙄

 

[OldSchoolSnapper]

1 hour ago, CheezWizHed said:

For one it is way too early to predict it either way.  Gute is a pretty good overall GM.  Elliot has a nice turn-around in NE, but way too early to compare.

Gute has had his incredible years and his so-so years.  This is Elliot's second year as GM.  In Gute's second year the Packers were 13-3 (thought you might've forgotten how quickly things turned around under his watch). 

I do know that if Elliot was the GM of the Packers, you'd be griping about him though.  You having sour grapes is one constant in the universe. 🙄

 

Rodgers was still the QB and won MVPs. That is a massive wrinkle to gloss over. The comp should be the transition from Brady, which they have nailed, and achieved more than we have since Rodgers left. IMO it is extremely dismissive to just say "Oh they had a top 5 pick, that's easy," because there are a litany of teams that have had that and did jack with it. We took AJ Hawk. The Pats turnaround is a lot more than just Maye, too. 

You are right, it is too early. But they are looking awfully well positioned. Not that GB necessarily isn't, but we have to actually have a season where we put it together first.

[homer]

15 hours ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

Brother they were 14-3 and had some games where they absolutely pounded the piss out of teams. At least one that beat the Packers. They're good. They didn't create the schedule.

DVOA takes that into account.

[JosephC]

Miami Dolphins, number of playoff games coached-

Don Shula = 31

All the rest = 12

Considering how the playoffs have expanded, it's pretty impressive that Shula is that far ahead of the rest of the field.  Of the Miami Dolphins playoff victories, he was the head coach in 85% of those wins.

[JosephC]

On 1/6/2026 at 7:42 PM, LouisEly said:

He's had eight years of 2x MVP Lamar Jackson and never made the Super Bowl, the conference championship only once.  Missed the playoffs twice, twice lost the WC round, 3x lost the Division round. 

People complain about MLF not making the Super Bowl with four years of Rodgers... what has Harbaugh accomplished with 8 years of Jackson?

He gets no credit for winning a Super Bowl with mediocre-at-best Joe Flacco as his starting QB?

 

 

[LouisEly]

17 minutes ago, JosephC said:

He gets no credit for winning a Super Bowl with mediocre-at-best Joe Flacco as his starting QB?

 

13 years ago, and has missed the playoffs almost half of the years since.

And I wouldn't call a guy who is 14th all time in passing yards, 21st all time in passing TDs, and 131st all time in PFR's Approximate Value as a "mediocre-at-best" QB.

[homer]

Jon Eric Sullivan hired as Miami GM.

[Strike4]

1 hour ago, homer said:

Jon Eric Sullivan hired as Miami GM.

I wonder if that puts Jeff Hafley in play.  If the Packers have to lose a DC this would be the year with so many former head coaches with strong DC backgrounds available..... 

[HarryDoyle]

On 1/8/2026 at 10:48 AM, LouisEly said:

13 years ago, and has missed the playoffs almost half of the years since.

And I wouldn't call a guy who is 14th all time in passing yards, 21st all time in passing TDs, and 131st all time in PFR's Approximate Value as a "mediocre-at-best" QB.

All longevity stats. Do you think Flacco is a Hall of Fame quarterback? 

[LouisEly]

5 hours ago, HarryDoyle said:

All longevity stats. Do you think Flacco is a Hall of Fame quarterback? 

Is Hall of Fame the same thing as a "mediocre-at-best" QB?

You don't last 19 years in the NFL being a "mediocre at best" QB.

[SeaBass]

Harbaugh to Giants imminent.

[GAME05]

Oregon QB Moore going back to school. Jets lose what would have been their next guy. Moore probably thinking "Of all the teams I wouldn't want to go to...."

[madbad2000]

47 minutes ago, GAME05 said:

Oregon QB Moore going back to school. Jets lose what would have been their next guy. Moore probably thinking "Of all the teams I wouldn't want to go to...."

And the same team has three first round picks next year AND likely picking near the top.  May have just kicked that can a year.  

[homer]

6 minutes ago, madbad2000 said:

And the same team has three first round picks next year AND likely picking near the top.  May have just kicked that can a year. 

They can try to sign Willis.

[madbad2000]

21 minutes ago, homer said:

They can try to sign Willis.

They could tey.  And would Willis go there?  Far too many other teams that are in the QB market with better organizations/chance to win.  Just off the top of my head he could be an option in Pittsburgh, LA Rams, Arizona, Miami, Indianapolis.  Jets, Cleveland  and maybe even Minnesota may be in the running too, but I'm not going to Jets if I can go to the top 5.  Jets are 😍 baby better off stacking up support pieces and then going all in on QB next year to put into a better stacked team.  

[Joseph Zarr]

On 1/9/2026 at 9:22 AM, Strike4 said:

I wonder if that puts Jeff Hafley in play.  If the Packers have to lose a DC this would be the year with so many former head coaches with strong DC backgrounds available..... 

Hafley interviewed with Sullivan yesterday or the day before, so yes indeed it does. He also set up interviews with Brady, Campanile, and now Minter and Saleh I believe.

[OldHeidelberg]

5 hours ago, homer said:

They can try to sign Willis.

I am interested to see how Willis does on the market. Most articles I saw after his showing against Ravens didn't seem to think it moved the needle much and think he is still in the $8-10 million range. I think he gets a Justin Fields type 2/40 deal, I just don't know why QB needy teams would blink at that price when top guys are getting 50-60 a year these days. That he got hurt may be a red flag for some though.

[Joseph Zarr]

Second interview for Hafley - first in person with new GM John Eric Sullivan. I love this fit for both and really hope it happens:

And, it would appear he is the logical frontrunner:

 

[HarryDoyle]

Kevin Stefanski the new head coach in Atlanta.

[homer]

 

 

[adambr2]

Bills fired Sean McDermott, making Matt Lafleur the longest tenured coach in the NFL to never make a Super Bowl.

[adambr2]

Too bad McDermott didn’t work for Ed Policy, he’d have gotten a big raise and contract extension instead. 

[OldSchoolSnapper]

29 minutes ago, adambr2 said:

Bills fired Sean McDermott, making Matt Lafleur the longest tenured coach in the NFL to never make a Super Bowl.

To be fair, 7 years isn't that long to be the longest tenured coach holding that honor.  I'm wondering how often that title holder has had that short of a tenure if ever. And there are a few guys who did make the Super Bowl and are resting on doing it like 15 years ago, which shouldn't be a thing either. 

In any case, I am just not too excited about next year. Parsons not likely to start the year and who knows what kind of player he is. They just have a lot of holes and not much to play with.  And I have zero, zilch faith in Matt LaFleur to execute even if things break their way and they win 13 games. 

It's unconscionable we will be in the same spot next year or worse and grasping with the reality that we gave this guy a raise. A raise. 

[Jopal78]

1 hour ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

I just cannot wait for them to do nothing next year. I don't know how anyone never sees this coming. It is the same every single time. They even say the same stuff. "This just feels different."  "This was only the first step." They are completely oblivious to the insane number of ways the ball bounced their way this season. The best thing going right now is the absolute glaze-fest thrown upon Williams.

The only thing tempering my excitement is that we still have Matt LaFleur so I anticipate this time next year I'll be hoping some other benign team makes it out again. 

I hope if the Packers do beat the Bears next year, MLF just doesn't shake hands at all and tells Johnson to go F himself. That would make me respect him again.

It will be interesting. All of their skill players and key offensive lineman are under contract for next season. Quite a few of those players may even be better next year: Odunze, Burden, Loveland, Monangai, etc.

BUT their defense wasn’t intimidating to anyone. Every safety on their roster is coming out of contract. They’re already 22nd in cap room for next year.  Like the Packers before Parsons, their pass rushers don’t get home without a blitz and their draft position isn’t one where teams typically find elite pass rushers. 
 

Bears might be in a lot of shootout games next year.