NFL News

[Futureshock]

NFL’s embrace of technology is long overdue

Posted by Mike Florio on September 29, 2021, 10:11 AM EDT

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Maybe they’re stubborn. Maybe they’re cheap. Maybe they’re a little, or a lot, of both.

Regardless, the NFL continues to refuse to embrace many of the technological advances that have emerged since the first time they rolled chalk lines onto a field and used two sticks held together with 30 feet of metal links to determine whether the offense did or didn’t earn a fresh set of downs.

On Monday night, the absence of more and better cameras became clear and obvious, given the absence of clear and obvious evidence that Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had managed to at least kill the front of the goal line with at least the tip of the ball while caught in a scrum of bodies. Cameras keep showing up in new and unexpected places, and they’re cheaper than ever.

More than six years ago, Patriots coach Bill Belichick openly called for a blanket of fixed cameras. Giants co-owner John Mara said it would be too expensive.

Baloney, we said then and say now. It’s not too expensive, especially with $270 million in money-for-nothing from gambling this year, and $1 billion per year in gambling-related revenue by the end of the decade.

Apart from cameras, it’s also time to digitize the ball, allowing the officials (who often have no idea whether it crossed the plane but who have to act like they do) to know whether the ball made it to the goal line.

The NFL continues to be reactive, not proactive. It’s cheaper. It’s safer. It’s also risky. The explosion of legalized gambling raises the stakes for the NFL, creating an expectation that the stewards of the game will do more to ensure that the outcome of each game, each drive, each play is determined only by the skills, abilities, and strategies of the players and coaches.

The longer the NFL resists coming up with more ways to improve the reliability of the rulings, the greater the chance that those solutions will be imposed upon them by, for example, a new federal agency that will develop and implement those new ways — whether the NFL likes it or not.

[Futureshock]

Multiple things going on from what I read.

Jaguars perspective:
1. Jaguars prefer rookie 2nd RD CB Tyson Campbell. Urban regime drafted Campbell. Not too surprising with a regime change.
2. Henderson has underperformed and been injured since entering the NFL. There are questions about his fit with their new culture. We saw the downside of this under Marinelli and Quinntricia as talented players were shipped out because they weren’t culture fits.
3. Jaguars fans aren’t too happy because it’s another wasted top 10 pick.
4. Urban Meyer loves TEs?

Panthers perspective:
1. Jaycee Horn is out for a while. This trade takes a shot on a high upside player that can potentially replace Horn.

I will give the Panthers the benefit of the doubt because they appear to be the smarter organization right now. Note Sam Darnold’s revival.

At least they are taking a chance on players that were/are highly regarded and really young. Panthers make decently smart moves.

[Futureshock]

Mr "Stay on the West coast" is headed to the East coast...



Richard Sherman signing with the Buccaneers

Posted by Myles Simmons on September 29, 2021, 9:01 AM EDT

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Richard Sherman is signing with the Buccaneers.

The veteran cornerback made the announcement himself on the first episode of his podcast, which he released Wednesday morning.

“I went with the best offer I had, the best opportunity to go out there and put some tape on, to lead another group,” Sherman said. “I feel comfortable and confident in my abilities to go out there and execute and help that team win.”

Sherman said quarterback Tom Brady personally reached out to recruit him, which was a significant factor in the choice.

“This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Sherman said. “I weighed all the options with my wife and my family and this is what we came up with. So I’m ready to strap them back up and go out there and show these old legs still got some juice.”

Speaking in the third person as if he were an NFL analyst, Sherman said there had been “great interest” from the 49ers, even though that team has moved on with other cornerbacks, including signing Josh Norman a few weeks ago.

Sherman also named the Panthers as a team that had interest before trading for CJ Henderson earlier this week and said the Seahawks had “early interest.”

The Buccaneers have had injury concerns in the secondary, with Sean Murphy-Bunting going down with an elbow injury in Week One. Jamel Dean suffered a knee injury that should at least keep him out this week. And Carlton Davis has been on the injury report.

Sherman played only five games for the 49ers last year, missing much of the season with a calf strain.

In 139 career games, he’s recorded 36 interceptions and 115 passes defensed.

[Futureshock]

I've heard way too much from this fu(ker. He's just a kicker who made a kick. Good for you. You made a kick. No one is making a Lifetime movie on it or you bub.


Justin Tucker gets AFC special teams player of the week to go with record-breaking field goal

Posted by Josh Alper on September 29, 2021, 9:01 AM EDT

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Ravens kicker Justin Tucker added another feather to his cap on the final play of last Sunday’s game against the Lions.

Tucker’s 66-yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar and bounced over to lift the Ravens to a victory and set a new NFL record for the longest field goal in a game. Officials appeared to miss a delay of game on Baltimore before the snap, but the kick counted and Tucker’s remarkable career gained another highlight.

He already was the most accurate kicker in league history and adding the longest kick in history to the ledger makes a strong case for Tucker as the best kicker of all time.

That question can be debated down the road, but Tucker can settle for being the AFC special teams player of the week for now.

[froot loops]

We hopefully the staff is now clued in that he can hit beyond 60, because it seems like they didn't know on Sunday.

[Futureshock]

We hopefully the staff is now clued in that he can hit beyond 60, because it seems like they didn't know on Sunday.

It didn't seem so. They didn't seem to know back in 2013 (It seems like yesterday) either. When they tried to run the clock out I knew we lost.

This is a big red flag and they need to change. Quick. We sat through 12 years of having a QB on the level of MS and every frickin time they start winning, here comes the conservatism. Then the other team is rolling and we are now out of sync... Dead.

Now, I know other teams do this too, but, I see other teams blow my team out and keep their feet on our necks.

[edindetroit]

NFL’s embrace of technology is long overdue

Posted by Mike Florio on September 29, 2021, 10:11 AM EDT

Apart from cameras, it’s also time to digitize the ball, allowing the officials (who often have no idea whether it crossed the plane but who have to act like they do) to know whether the ball made it to the goal line.

And put a halo around the ball on TV so we can follow it better! SMH

[Futureshock]

And put a halo around the ball on TV so we can follow it better! SMH

No. But they could chip the dam thing so when someone makes a first down, they get a first down. When a guy extends the ball across the goal line he gets a TD and the coach doesn't have to use a challenge to make them call it when they should have made the call from the beginning. Sometimes the naked eye can't tell where the ball is and refs are just guessing. They're using 20 year old technology.

Glow puck was dumb. So was the MLB thing. Not surprised though.

[Futureshock]

Speaking of... Swift scored initially when he jumped in the air and extended it, it crossed the line.

[Futureshock]

Alvin Kamara: Saints weren’t ready to play in Week Two

Posted by Mike Florio on September 28, 2021, 7:49 PM EDT

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The Saints have had a Jekyll-and-Hyde vibe this season, with impressive wins in Week One and Three and an ugly loss in Week Two.

After Sunday’s victory at New England, running back Alvin Kamara spoke to PFT about the team’s season to date.

He definitely didn’t want to talk about the Week Two loss to the Panthers, eventually saying, “We’re not talking about that anymore.” Later in the conversation, Kamara brought it up on his own.

“If you want to talk about last week one last time, last week we weren’t ready to play,” Kamara said. “I think this week we got a better week of practice. We kind of honed in on some of the smaller details and knew what the assignment was this week and came out and executed.”

Execution improves when the Saints rely more heavily on Kamara. In the days preceding the win over the Patriots, quarterback Jameis Winston made it clear that the offense starts with Kamara.

“I just try to do everything I can when I touch the ball,” Kamara said. “I mean it’s taking advantage of the touches I do get. I wouldn’t say the team is reliant on my successes, as far as the team goes. I mean, when I get the ball I try to make as much happen as I can.”

He made it happen on Sunday, but he’s far from done.

“I mean, we can’t be satisfied,” Kamara said. “I love winning, don’t get me wrong. I’m not satisfied with today. We could be a lot better, I feel like. That’s what we got to do. We got to play our best game every week. We didn’t play our best this week. I mean, we came out with a win. I don’t take that for granted at all, but we got to be better.

They’ll quite possibly be better on Sunday, when they finally play in New Orleans.

“It’s huge,” Kamara said regarding the return to the Superdome. “We’re ready to get back and get in front of our home crowd.”

The home crowd will be ready, too. And the opponent, the Giants, could get overrun by the talent of the Saints and the noise of their fans.

[Futureshock]

Miles Sanders: I believe you have to run the ball to have a successful offense

Posted by Josh Alper on September 30, 2021, 7:34 AM EDT

USA TODAY Sports

Eagles running back Miles Sanders didn’t get his first carry on Monday night until the second quarter, but it seemed like he’d be getting more work once he broke that run for a 24-yard gain.

Sanders would only carry the ball once more all night, however, and the Eagles only handed the ball off one other time during their 41-21 loss to the Cowboys. It was a curious approach to a game and not one that Sanders would be jumping to employ in the future.

Sanders, who also caught three passes, said Wednesday that “I do believe to have a successful offense, you have to run the ball” while noting that he was a bigger part of the plan during the week and understood how the way things played out changed that plan.

“I didn’t dwell on it too much,” Sanders said, via Josh Tolentino of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It is what it is. I can only control what I can control. The game was pretty much out of hand early. So I can see how the game plan didn’t go as planned. There was kind of a panic from the whole team based on how the game went.”

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said he was OK with the way things played out because many of the decisions not to hand the ball off were made off reads during plays, but added that “we’ve got to get our playmakers the ball” in reference to Sanders’ limited role in a lopsided loss. Sunday’s game against the Chiefs offers a chance to get Sanders more involved in the action.

[Futureshock]

FF GMs take note on possible add

A.J. BROWNWR, TENNESSEE TITANS


A.J. Brown (hamstring) is not practicing Wednesday.


As expected. Brown is considered week-to-week with his pulled hammy. With Julio Jones also banged up with a leg issue, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine led the Titans' WRs in snaps at 78% last week and could be called upon for a big role against the Jets in Week 4. Josh Reynolds is coming off an Achilles' issue, and Chester Rogers is also on the depth chart.

... See More
Sep 29, 2021, 3:59 PM

[Futureshock]

ELIJAH MITCHELLRB, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Elijah Mitchell (shoulder) returned to a limited practice Wednesday.


It puts Mitchell on track to return to the lineup for Week 4 against the Seahawks. After Trey Sermon didn't look all that great in Mitchell's absence last Sunday night, Mitchell should be back atop the depth chart as a fantasy RB2.

Sep 29, 2021, 3:52 PM

[edindetroit]

Eli Manning gives middle finger to national audience during ‘Monday Night Football’

image.jpeg

https://nypost.com/2021/09/28/eli-manning-gives-middle-finger-to-national-audience-during-monday-night-football/amp/

[Fraquar]

No. But they could chip the dam thing so when someone makes a first down, they get a first down. When a guy extends the ball across the goal line he gets a TD and the coach doesn't have to use a challenge to make them call it when they should have made the call from the beginning. Sometimes the naked eye can't tell where the ball is and refs are just guessing. They're using 20 year old technology.

Glow puck was dumb. So was the MLB thing. Not surprised though.

The issue with the NFL vs other sports is it's not just the ball that determines the spot.
Hockey is simple, whole puck crosses the line, it's a goal. Get back to playing game.
Soccer is simple, whole ball crosses the line, it's a goal. Get back to playing game.
--------
Football is not so simple:
You have to determine is the player down before the ball stops moving.
You have to determine if the whistle was blown prior to the ball crossing the line.
You have to determine if the player actually has possession of the ball at the time it crosses the line.
Etc, etc.

It might help, but for people that look to replay to make a perfect game - it will never be that no matter how much technology they use in the NFL. Too many moving parts other than just the ball.