American Sports Thread

[AZOffaly]

Def AZ, the hysterical (and frankly racist) response to the Crabtree rant last year was ludicrous and locked Sherman into the "guy everyone wants to hate" character, which I think he plays on quite a bit, even though his response to the accusations that followed was exceptionally composed and dignified. Same with the "u mad, bro" incident the year before.

Will be interesting to see how Seattle respond to this. They should be two time champs and looking to create a dynasty. Instead they're licking wounds.

I remember posting last year after the superbowl that they'd be back, because their contractual situation wasn't bad for the NFL. This year I'm not so sure. Lynch is obviously an issue, but I think a few of their defensive players may be free agents too. They don't have a marquee WR, so it's not like they are going to lose a big name there.

[AZOffaly]

The Seahawks Free Agents.

James Carpenter   G   25   SEA   TBD   $2,431,364   UFA
Kevin Williams   DT   34   SEA   TBD   $2,078,125   UFA
Heath Farwell   ILB   33   SEA   TBD   $1,666,667   UFA
Jeron Johnson   S   26   SEA   TBD   $1,453,125   UFA
Anthony McCoy   TE   27   SEA   TBD   $1,350,000   UFA
Tarvaris Jackson   QB   31   SEA   TBD   $1,250,000   UFA
Clint Gresham   LS   28   SEA   TBD   $887,500   UFA
Demarcus Dobbs   DE   27   SEA   TBD   $673,412   UFA
Byron Maxwell   CB   26   SEA   TBD   $673,363   UFA
Malcolm Smith   OLB   25   SEA   TBD   $656,475   UFA
Michael Morgan   OLB   27   SEA   TBD   $645,000   RFA
Jermaine Kearse   WR   24   SEA   TBD   $570,000   RFA
D'Anthony Smith   DT   26   SEA   TBD   $570,000   UFA
Deshawn Shead   S   26   SEA   TBD   $570,000   ERFA
Ricardo Lockette   WR   28   SEA   TBD   $570,000   ERFA
O'Brien Schofield   OLB   27   SEA   TBD   $570,000   UFA
Steve Schilling   G   26   SEA   TBD   $517,000   UFA
Greg Scruggs   DE   24   SEA   TBD   $368,823   RFA
Will Tukuafu   FB   31   SEA   TBD   $341,470   UFA
David Gilreath   WR   26   SEA   TBD   $318,000   RFA
Tony Moeaki   TE   27   SEA   TBD   $303,529   UFA
Bryan Walters   WR   27   SEA   TBD   $268,235   UFA
Sidney Rice   WR   28   SEA   TBD   -   UFA
Landon Cohen   DT   28   SEA   TBD   -   UFA
Stacy Andrews   G   33   SEA   TBD   -   UFA

[gallsman]

Def AZ, the hysterical (and frankly racist) response to the Crabtree rant last year was ludicrous and locked Sherman into the "guy everyone wants to hate" character, which I think he plays on quite a bit, even though his response to the accusations that followed was exceptionally composed and dignified. Same with the "u mad, bro" incident the year before.

Will be interesting to see how Seattle respond to this. They should be two time champs and looking to create a dynasty. Instead they're licking wounds.

I remember posting last year after the superbowl that they'd be back, because their contractual situation wasn't bad for the NFL. This year I'm not so sure. Lynch is obviously an issue, but I think a few of their defensive players may be free agents too. They don't have a marquee WR, so it's not like they are going to lose a big name there.

I don't think Lynch is the sort to throw a strop over one call so can't see it having an impact as some on the twitterverse are saying. If they'd won, I think Lynch would have signed or walked away altogether and gone home to his foundation in Oakland. Probably lean more towards staying.

Think the LoB is largely locked down but they're all on big contracts now. Dunno about the two lines - Bennett was a monster last night.

[gallsman]

Sidney Rice is still there?!

[Minder]

Def AZ, the hysterical (and frankly racist) response to the Crabtree rant last year was ludicrous and locked Sherman into the "guy everyone wants to hate" character, which I think he plays on quite a bit, even though his response to the accusations that followed was exceptionally composed and dignified. Same with the "u mad, bro" incident the year before.

Will be interesting to see how Seattle respond to this. They should be two time champs and looking to create a dynasty. Instead they're licking wounds.

A true #1 WR would be a good help but they don't need to add much. Lynch is getting to that age where a RBs production/performance can disappear in the blink of an eye but other than that they are well set.

[Minder]

Sidney Rice is still there?!

No retired last year

[AZOffaly]

Sidney Rice is still there?!

No retired last year

Retired in July, yeah, I suppose he would be technically in a contract year. He didn't count against the 2014 cap though.

[AZOffaly]

Anyway, the good news...

The NFL Scouting Combine will be held February 17 – 23, 2015.

[Clov]

I don't think the final seahawks play call was as bad as most are making out. It was 2nd down with 26s left and they had 1 timeout which means they had to throw it at least once if they wanted to avail of all 3 remaining downs. If they ran it on 2nd down and were stuffed they would have had to call timeout and then would have had to throw it on 3rd (not enough to run on 3rd down and then reset for the final play). Throwing on second down basically means the whole playbook is open to you on third down as you can save your final timeout for then if you fail on 3rd down. Of course you can argue with particular play they actual called but there i think you have to say it was a great defensive play rather than an awful call. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

I get the point but surely it's better going with Lynch first and taking the danger of a throw away.

Also throwing a slant into heavy middle field traffic was madness.

Maybe. I guess the advantage of throwing on 2nd down is that should you go incomplete, with with the timeout in your pocket you can go either pass or run on 3rd down. Once you get into a situation were you have to pass on 3rd down then it is much easier for the defense. But may be i'm overthinking it.
As for the play call of a slant - well its probably got a much higher success rate than say a back shoulder fade to the corner and even though the risk of interception is probably greater i can understand their thinking that you have to go for it at that stage.

They were on the 1 yard line, down four points, with 30 second left in the Super Bowl - decision to pass or run nothing to do with downs at that stage. Put the f**king thing in the end zone whatever way you can and trust your vaunted defence, even if Brady was getting on top by that stage.

The decision to pass or run has everything to do with downs at that stage. If you go run only then you don't give yourself the oppurtunity of a fourth down play.

And you certainly don't if you get intercepted. My point is at that stage the paramount objective is to score the thing whatever the feck way you can. Running Lynch or Wilson, whether managing two plays or three, definitely the better option.

I'm not sure that's true, objectively speaking. Minder put up the figures of Lynch's run's from the 1yard line and as he said it is certainly no slam dunk. I suspect the numbers would suggest that the seahawks over the last few years are as successful throwing from the 1yd line as running. But even if the numbers did favour a run i think they were still justified to call a pass there as it is a viable 4 down strategy (albeit AZ has pointed out another one). A lot of the criticism i feel is really hindsight bias.

[AZOffaly]

I don't think the final seahawks play call was as bad as most are making out. It was 2nd down with 26s left and they had 1 timeout which means they had to throw it at least once if they wanted to avail of all 3 remaining downs. If they ran it on 2nd down and were stuffed they would have had to call timeout and then would have had to throw it on 3rd (not enough to run on 3rd down and then reset for the final play). Throwing on second down basically means the whole playbook is open to you on third down as you can save your final timeout for then if you fail on 3rd down. Of course you can argue with particular play they actual called but there i think you have to say it was a great defensive play rather than an awful call. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

I get the point but surely it's better going with Lynch first and taking the danger of a throw away.

Also throwing a slant into heavy middle field traffic was madness.

Maybe. I guess the advantage of throwing on 2nd down is that should you go incomplete, with with the timeout in your pocket you can go either pass or run on 3rd down. Once you get into a situation were you have to pass on 3rd down then it is much easier for the defense. But may be i'm overthinking it.
As for the play call of a slant - well its probably got a much higher success rate than say a back shoulder fade to the corner and even though the risk of interception is probably greater i can understand their thinking that you have to go for it at that stage.

They were on the 1 yard line, down four points, with 30 second left in the Super Bowl - decision to pass or run nothing to do with downs at that stage. Put the f**king thing in the end zone whatever way you can and trust your vaunted defence, even if Brady was getting on top by that stage.

The decision to pass or run has everything to do with downs at that stage. If you go run only then you don't give yourself the oppurtunity of a fourth down play.

And you certainly don't if you get intercepted. My point is at that stage the paramount objective is to score the thing whatever the feck way you can. Running Lynch or Wilson, whether managing two plays or three, definitely the better option.

I'm not sure that's true, objectively speaking. Minder put up the figures of Lynch's run's from the 1yard line and as he said it is certainly no slam dunk. I suspect the numbers would suggest that the seahawks over the last few years are as successful throwing from the 1yd line as running. But even if the numbers did favour a run i think they were still justified to call a pass there as it is a viable 4 down strategy (albeit AZ has pointed out another one). A lot of the criticism i feel is really hindsight bias.

Ah I don't think so (hindsight I mean). I thought it was nailed on Lynch, and if not, Wilson on a rollout read option. How many quick slants did Wilson throw in the entire game I wonder?

[Clov]

Ah I don't think so (hindsight I mean). I thought it was nailed on Lynch, and if not, Wilson on a rollout read option. How many quick slants did Wilson throw in the entire game I wonder?
[/quote]

Well i do agree that the choice of pass was odd for them. I guess what i was arguing against was the notion that it was madness not to give to Lynch on that play. It looks like madness now because of the interception.

[AZOffaly]

I thought it was madness then, because Lynch was steamrolling them. I don't think he had a negative run all day. He had a couple of short ones, but even they usually meant he fell forward for 2 yards.

Lynch went
3 yards
5 yards
0 yards
4 yards
3 yards
5 yards
5 yards
4 yards
5 yards
5 yards
5 yards
3 yards (TD)
3 yards
15 yards
7 yards
0 yards
3 yards
14 yards
1 yard
2 yards
2 yards
1 yard
5 yards
4 yards  (last carry with 1:06 left)

Thats 102 yards on 24 carries, with 22 of those carries being enough to score the last TD. I dunno about wise after the event, I like my chances there.

[Minder]

I thought it was madness then, because Lynch was steamrolling them. I don't think he had a negative run all day. He had a couple of short ones, but even they usually meant he fell forward for 2 yards.

Lynch went
3 yards
5 yards
0 yards
4 yards
3 yards
5 yards
5 yards
4 yards
5 yards
5 yards
5 yards
3 yards (TD)
3 yards
15 yards
7 yards
0 yards
3 yards
14 yards
1 yard
2 yards
2 yards
1 yard
5 yards
4 yards  (last carry with 1:06 left)

Thats 102 yards on 24 carries, with 22 of those carries being enough to score the last TD. I dunno about wise after the event, I like my chances there.

Yeah what I was thinking in Lynchs favour is he always seems to be going forward, but on those 22 runs where he would have got enough for the TD he wasn't facing a goal line defense.

[AZOffaly]

He was on the 3 yard TD run! Actually I take your point. I just looked at the TD run, and it was a 4 wide set for Seattle, with man to man defense to clear out the box. However, if you look at Balwin's 3 yard TD reception, that was more like goalline formation, but they went play action and let Wilson roll out and wait for Baldwin to come across the middle of the field, because the Pats bit completely on the play fake. That play would probably have worked again. The slant was just so incongruous, but Jaysis when you look at the tape, it was wide open. Some closing speed by Butler.


Lynch TD Run lineup.



Baldwin TD (play fake)


The INT (it was open!)

[magpie seanie]

Still can't believe the play call that lost he SB for Seattle. Lynch (probably my favourite NFL player) was one carry away from MVP. I've no doubt they would have punched it in. It's truly inexplicable, Lynch hadn't had a negative run play all day as AZ confirmed (think Turbin had one alright) and I think the Seattle O-line was winning out at the end. Pure madness.

I agree with the comment earlier about how much American football is a team game.

Great game, went by so quick. Really rooting for Seattle and can't stand the Patriots so I am a bit gutted. What these two franchises show is that the right attitude and hard work, good coaching - things anyone can do - mean you can win with players that other teams don't rate. I love that. None of Seattle's WR's were even drafted! Tom Brady of course being pick number 199. Edelman, the college QB who said he'd play DB to get on the squad.

Next year of course da Bears will obliterate everyone......especially gimpy Rodgers!!!