Month: December 2016

 

 

Paul Gutierrez for ESPN:

“McGloin lost his last five starts as a rookie and has played sparingly since. But Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. is impressed with McGloin’s tape.

“Right now I see him as a gunslinger,” Harris said of McGloin. “From the past and watching him play, he doesn’t have any fear. He can fit the ball into coverage. That’s something I’ve seen from him in the past.”

The sideline throw that Matt McGloin made to Amari Cooper in the fourth quarter on Saturday did more than seal the Oakland Raiders’ 33-25 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

It also sparked an instant chemistry between the new Raiders starting quarterback and the Pro Bowl receiver.

“It’s really huge,” Cooper said Wednesday, “the fact that he trusts me to put the ball up there, allowed me to make a play like that. It just shows his confidence in me.”

Rookie offensive lineman Vadal Alexander said:

“He’s going to be a great leader,” Alexander said. “He leads men. You can feel it when he gets in the huddle, the presence he has. He’s a natural guy who’s meant to play quarterback.”

Phil Simms gives his sense byway of raiderswire:

“It’s tough to compare. First off, Jeff Hostelter is a better quarterback than Matt McGloin . . . McGloin, I like a lot of things about him. I know a lot about him, I’ve watched almost all of his throws in preseason. But the gap between Derek Carr and Matt McGloin [is bigger] than it was with me and Jeff Hostetler, that’s for sure.”

“It’s going to be rough. I expect it to be rough, I really do. The Raider defense is going to have to be outstanding.”

Raider fans still have hope that Matt McGloin can carry on what Derek Carr started. They can read all the articles and opinions that remind us of how much Matt McGloin has overcome. The problem is, he has started and he went 1-5. The good news, I guess, is that his one win was against Kubiak.

It is unsettling when Rookie Vadal Alexander, an offensive lineman, telling us how good McGloin is, only to two-time Super Bowl winning QB Phil Simms, who tells us that he is going to have a bad day. But, what does he know, he isn’t even a hall of famer.

There are opinions all over the map on what is right and wrong, with strong arguments on all sides. SB Nation has an article explaining the sides:

“Put yourself in their shoes, an injury could change the course of the rest of their lives,” the veteran NFL personnel man said. “We’re not talking about a left guard here. We’re talking about a skill (position) player who is a huge target. That’s the reality of it.

“Look at what these coaches are making now. Those guys are making $5 or $6 million a year and they may pressure these kids to play? Look at what these coaches and ADs are doing. It’s OK for them to leave, but it’s not OK for players to think about their futures? For coaches to (be critical), that’s incredibly selfish. Hold on a second here, guy. You pressure these kids to play, and then one of them (suffers a career-altering injury) and it’s, ‘I love you, and you’re a great teammate. Sorry about that.’ And it’s all for some bowl game who no one cares about? That’s a joke. I’m looking at it practically. If it was your son, what are you gonna say?”

Bruce Arians, the Arizona Cardinals Coach, doesn’t seem enamored.

“That would concern me. Depending on what their situation is as a team, because this is a team sport. But you’ve had a couple of guys get injured in the last couple years. Agents have a lot to say about it. Parents have a lot to say about it. But, it would concern me.”

Top 15 Teams Strength of Schedule

Week 17
Rank	Team	Difficulty
1	Broncos	49
2	Buccaneers	47
3	Steelers	46
4	Raiders	45.5
5	Redskins	44.5
6	Chiefs	44.5
7	Packers	43.5
8	Ravens	43.5
9	Cowboys	41.5
10	Falcons	41
11	Lions	40
12	Seahawks	38.5
13	Giants	38.5
14	Dolphins	34.5
15	Patriots	34.5

Who has had the easiest path to the playoffs?  Who has had the hardest?  This strength of schedule table is based off current power rankings and gives you those answers.  Key word, current. This is not a projection of strenth of schedule from before the season, but based off the current power ranking positions of the teams they have played.

The Patriots have a 13-2 record, but have had a patsy schedule, not to mention they played the Steelers without Roethlisberger.  They do have a 12-3 record against the spread, but haven’t been tested besides a Seahawks game, that they lost.

Also, if the Dolphins and the Broncos had switched schedules, maybe the Broncos would be in the playoffs.  The Buccaneers strength of schedule knocked them out of the playoffs.  The Raiders record with the 4th toughest schedule is impressive.  Vegas still hasn’t shown them respect, they have gone 12-3 against the spread.  The Steelers may have 5 losses, but they came against a schedule tougher than most.  They have been tested this season.

Before you buy too much into the records of the teams, check out their strength of schedule to determine whether there value is inflated.

From Andrew Sumsion:

 1.      Cowboys
2.      Patriots
3.      Falcons
4.      Chiefs
5.      Packers
6.      Steelers
7.      Seahawks
8.      Giants
9.      Raiders
10.    Dolphins
11.    Lions
12.    Texans
13.    Redskins
14.    Ravens
15.    Broncos
16.    Saints
17.    Bucs
18.    Cardinals
19.    Colts
20.    Bills
21.    Eagles
22.    Titans
23.    Vikings
24.    Panthers
25.    Bengals
26.    Chargers
27.    Bears
28.    Jets
29.    Jaguars
30.    Rams
31.    49ers
32.    Browns

Brady and Belichick have dominated this league since 2001. I don’t think that two rookies, who have been playing really well, will come in and upend things. If the Cowboys and Patriots played, I don’t care where it is, I am taking the Patriots every day. The Patriots have played a weak schedule compared to other teams, but they have been handling business.  They are 12-3 against the spread. I take tried and true over new and shiny.

Timothy Rapp reporting on Richard Sherman:

After Sherman said he would have accepted criticism from offensive players if a defensive call cost the Seahawks a game—much like Russell Wilson‘s interception to end Super Bowl XLIX against the New England Patriots, which Sherman referenced—Moore, a radio host for 710 ESPN Seattle and a columnist at SeattlePI.com, asked Sherman if he had thought he had a better handle on play-calling than Bevell.

“No, I just had a prior experience, so we talked about it,” Sherman responded. “But let me guess, you have a better play call. Let me guess, you have better experience.”

“No, I don’t have a better play call,” Moore replied.

“Then you should probably stop,” Sherman added.

But Sherman wasn’t done. As he walked away from the podium, he confronted Moore.

“You don’t want to go there,” Sherman said. “You do not. I’ll ruin your career.”

“You’ll ruin my career?” Moore asked. “How are you going to do that?”

“I’ll make sure you don’t get your media pass anymore,” Sherman countered.