The Official NFL Thread

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Originally Posted by spamjedi

yep we have one of the nicest facilities in the whole NFL. Ford is not afraid to spend money. However, Ford is the guy who gave the GM with the worst record in the NFL a nice contract extension. Millen has been a disaster. Are we on track now? Maybe. But even in the remote chance that is true it took how many wasted draft picks, free agents, and coaches to get to this point? And this point isn't anything yet. We were 3-13 last year. The current regime has won three games.

I do feel like some good things are happening, but still... its been so bad here since Ford hired Millen. Before that we were actually a middle of the road type of team. Maybe squeak into the playoffs and lose in the wild card round sort of a team. Now we draft in the top 10 every year.

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Now I have heard that Detroit fans were unhappy with Millen. And given what he has done, that makes sense.

I think that the owner is the biggest variable in how well a team will do. After the owner, I would say the GM. And here Detroit seems to struggle.

The first round failures at WR is well documented... but what other personel decisions has Millen flubbed?

It was interesting to watch if Millen was going to select Calvin this year or not. Based off what I know about the guy, it was the right decision. I don't think getting burned in the past taking one position should be reason to get gun shy about it.

And it looks like he hit paydirt with Roy Williams. So if Calvin turns out... which everyone expects that he will... then Millen will be batting .500 with the recievers.

I remember when Rogers was drafted... the consensus seemed to be that he was a great pick. I know that his work ethic was questionable and maybe that was his biggest failing.

Mike Williams was great in college. I know that he is a little slow... but many good receivers in the NFL have been. Meshawn Johnson was never a burner... and he had a respectable career. And if anything... couldn't Williams be transitioned to TE? I mean, he's a big guy already... maybe he'd be a decent undersized TE? Lot's of great TEs were not huge... Sharpe, Brent Jones, and Novacek come to mind.

And I still don't think that Harrington was as bad as advertised... it even looks like in 2004 that he threw 19 TDs and 12 INTs... not awful for a team that was awful. I think that he got a bum rap and got run out of Detroit.

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Originally Posted by Recon

The fords are horrible, been destroying the lions for a long time..

Anyone remember ole wayne?

they run the team like they run the company...

crappy

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What's funny is that Detroit was actually respectable at one time...

Pretty good offense with Sanders (who is my second favorite alltime RB after Bo Jackson), Perriman, Morton, and #84 (can't think of his name). Of course, they had Scott Mitchell at QB... but he actually had good stats one year that I remember.

The D had spotty talent too... with guys like Porcher.

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Originally Posted by Spank_Me_Hard

Now I have heard that Detroit fans were unhappy with Millen. And given what he has done, that makes sense.

I think that the owner is the biggest variable in how well a team will do. After the owner, I would say the GM. And here Detroit seems to struggle.

The first round failures at WR is well documented... but what other personel decisions has Millen flubbed?

It was interesting to watch if Millen was going to select Calvin this year or not. Based off what I know about the guy, it was the right decision. I don't think getting burned in the past taking one position should be reason to get gun shy about it.

And it looks like he hit paydirt with Roy Williams. So if Calvin turns out... which everyone expects that he will... then Millen will be batting .500 with the recievers.

I remember when Rogers was drafted... the consensus seemed to be that he was a great pick. I know that his work ethic was questionable and maybe that was his biggest failing.

Mike Williams was great in college. I know that he is a little slow... but many good receivers in the NFL have been. Meshawn Johnson was never a burner... and he had a respectable career. And if anything... couldn't Williams be transitioned to TE? I mean, he's a big guy already... maybe he'd be a decent undersized TE? Lot's of great TEs were not huge... Sharpe, Brent Jones, and Novacek come to mind.

And I still don't think that Harrington was as bad as advertised... it even looks like in 2004 that he threw 19 TDs and 12 INTs... not awful for a team that was awful. I think that he got a bum rap and got run out of Detroit.

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Well everyone knows about the WRs, but what about all the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round picks? You would think we could get a couple of quality starters with those picks in years past. Shaun Rogers is a stud and was a 2nd round pick. But after that who do we have? In all those years Detroit never finds a good or even great player in the meat of the draft. Thats how you build a playoff team in my opinion.

You should have a good turn out with your 1st round picks, and I would say Detroit had done ok with that, Roy Williams, Kevin Jones, Ernie Sims, (hopefully Calvin Johnson)... I really think its in the later rounds where you the good teams make their money.

RE: Mike Williams. You can't make him a TE for a couple reasons. First is that he won't accept it. He said over and over and over that he is not a TE, blah, blah, blah. Second is that he is not going to be even a serviceable blocker. That was a risky pick the Lions made to try and improve the worst (I think) red zone offense in the NFL. Kinda of a hopeful cure-all. It bit them in the ace.

RE: Harrington. You are correct he wasn't as bad as advertised. He was destroyed by managemet and coaches. In retrospect he was not worth the #3 pick, but he was not the reason the Lions were so bad either. Best case scenario I would see him as a caretaker. He's not going to win you a lot of games but he won't lose a lot for you either. Put him on a good team and he can hold the fort, just don't expect too much.

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Well everyone knows about the WRs, but what about all the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round picks? You would think we could get a couple of quality starters with those picks in years past. Shaun Rogers is a stud and was a 2nd round pick. But after that who do we have? In all those years Detroit never finds a good or even great player in the meat of the draft. Thats how you build a playoff team in my opinion.

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Good point. And I agree. All good teams seem to find players in al parts of th draft. This is why in my opinion that Jimmy Johnson was one of the best GMs ever. I wish he still held that position in Miami. His drafts were sheer brilliance.

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RE: Mike Williams. You can't make him a TE for a couple reasons. First is that he won't accept it. He said over and over and over that he is not a TE, blah, blah, blah. Second is that he is not going to be even a serviceable blocker.

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Ahhh... so it sounds like the Lions have considered it.

I think that Shannon Sharpe was a WR in college... but you are right... the key issue is that the player has to be willing to make the switch. And maybe he's too pigheaded to consider it.

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RE: Harrington. You are correct he wasn't as bad as advertised. He was destroyed by managemet and coaches. In retrospect he was not worth the #3 pick, but he was not the reason the Lions were so bad either. Best case scenario I would see him as a caretaker. He's not going to win you a lot of games but he won't lose a lot for you either. Put him on a good team and he can hold the fort, just don't expect too much.

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Well, this is just my opinion... but I actually think that he could do very well on a good team. I think that a lot in the NFL has to do with the team around you.

Edgerrin James looked like a putz this year... where he looked great in Indy. I think that has more to do with the quality of his blocking more than anything.

I often wonder just how sick Barry Sanders would have been with good blockers... like Dallas's O-line of the day. He was one of the rare players who seemed to succeed despite the lack of talent around him.

We may never know about Harrington... I do think that there is good players who come out of college who have their confidence destroyed by being on a bad team and system in the NFL. And in Pro sports, I think that confidence is 80% of the game. If you don't have it, you may as well just pack your bags and go home.

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Originally Posted by Spank_Me_Hard

Well, this is just my opinion... but I actually think that he could do very well on a good team. I think that a lot in the NFL has to do with the team around you.

Edgerrin James looked like a putz this year... where he looked great in Indy. I think that has more to do with the quality of his blocking more than anything.

I often wonder just how sick Barry Sanders would have been with good blockers... like Dallas's O-line of the day. He was one of the rare players who seemed to succeed despite the lack of talent around him.

We may never know about Harrington... I do think that there is good players who come out of college who have their confidence destroyed by being on a bad team and system in the NFL. And in Pro sports, I think that confidence is 80% of the game. If you don't have it, you may as well just pack your bags and go home.

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Yep you're right, I doubt we will ever know. After watching him for 4 years I think that he has some nice skills, but the mental toughness and leadership is where he falls short. So you put him on a playoff team and I think you might win a playoff game or two, but he's not the guy whos going to dig down deep and make his team mates play their hearts out despite the fact they're losing and exhausted, like a Steve Young could do. I just don't think he's that guy. But hey, I mean the guy is a professional QB in the NFL, so he's definately a good athlete.

In my opinion I think Cutler our of the trio of Lienart, Young and Cutler will be the best QB in his career. This is strictly because of the team he is on and how the team is literally being built just to suit him. Leinart will look great and have good stats, maybe even better than Cutler, but Cutler in the end will have the best chance to be an extremely successful QB in the NFL. Young will get injured and his hype will run down until he figures out how to be a good QB with his arm instead of his legs (Michael Vick, anyone?)
And yes, Cutler has a cannon arm, just what us Denver fans wanted :D (Another goofy looking kick-a$$ QB)

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Originally Posted by Snakespy

And yes, Cutler has a cannon arm, just what us Denver fans wanted :D (Another goofy looking kick-a$$ QB)

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Yea I thought so, I only saw him a couple of times but I :eek:'d at a couple throws.

Jake 'the cannon' Cutler is gonna have a great year, I say 3,200 yards and 22 TD's

in other news my team's training is so intense and aggressive that the players association has stepped in.

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ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) -- The Oakland Raiders canceled the final week of their offseason training program Friday after complaints from the NFL players' union about the intensity of the practices.

In a brief statement, coach Lane Kiffin said the players' union believes the Raiders' offseason program violated league rules on practice standards.

"The union has complained about the high level of intensity, player aggressiveness and fast pace of our practices and, as a result, has taken away the final week of our offseason program," said Kiffin, the NFL's youngest and least experienced head coach.

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Originally Posted by Snakespy

In my opinion I think Cutler our of the trio of Lienart, Young and Cutler will be the best QB in his career. This is strictly because of the team he is on and how the team is literally being built just to suit him. Leinart will look great and have good stats, maybe even better than Cutler, but Cutler in the end will have the best chance to be an extremely successful QB in the NFL. Young will get injured and his hype will run down until he figures out how to be a good QB with his arm instead of his legs (Michael Vick, anyone?)
And yes, Cutler has a cannon arm, just what us Denver fans wanted :D (Another goofy looking kick-a$$ QB)

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There is no bias here, being a broncos fan and all :cool:

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Originally Posted by vairox

in other news my team's training is so intense and aggressive that the players association has stepped in.

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Didn't the same thing basically happen to the Giants a few years back? Don't get too excited yet.

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Originally Posted by monroeski

Didn't the same thing basically happen to the Giants a few years back? Don't get too excited yet.

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cutler wasn't coddled and breast fed until he was 21.

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Originally Posted by vairox

cutler wasn't coddled and breast fed until he was 21.

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I didn't say anything about Cutler or Manning. More than just one player on the team complained in both cases, and I don't really recall Manning even being one of the players that was outspoken about it. So, nice try, but your attempt at random insults fails. :)

facts are facts, sometimes they are insulting.

Culpepper to Detroit rumors
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6910928#

They are just rumors, and in my opinion this is just a writer trying to come up with a story. Anything is possible, but it would be a terrible move on Detroit's part in my opinion.

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Originally Posted by vairox

facts are facts, sometimes they are insulting.

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My point is I'm talking about whole teams, then you insult somebody who wasn't even really involved in what I was talking about anyway, unless you were talking about Plaxico and Strahan, and I think it's pretty obvious that you weren't.

And as long as you're talking "facts," I'm pretty sure Manning wasn't breast fed until he was 21, either. :D He probably stopped around the age of 1 or so like most everyone else on earth.

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Originally Posted by spamjedi

Culpepper to Detroit rumors
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6910928#

They are just rumors, and in my opinion this is just a writer trying to come up with a story. Anything is possible, but it would be a terrible move on Detroit's part in my opinion.

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I still think the most likely option is Jacksonville.