The NFL 2011 Thread

[Sarkus]

As an aside, I'm listening to a bay area reporter who is pointing out all the backtracking and misleading things Jackson did during the season. Its really very strange what he did, like telling the press things that players say he didn't tell them and all of that. It really seems like Jackson was just totally out of his element with the amount of control he had after Al's death.

[Lorini]

As an aside, I'm listening to a bay area reporter who is pointing out all the backtracking and misleading things Jackson did during the season. Its really very strange what he did, like telling the press things that players say he didn't tell them and all of that. It really seems like Jackson was just totally out of his element with the amount of control he had after Al's death.

Amy is not a football woman, she's a business woman. Mark Davis is not a football guy the way Al was a football guy, so they had to rely on a rookie coach. But sure, there's plenty of reasons to fire him. As you all know I deeply disagreed with the trade for Palmer and I also am very concerned about the penalties. Jackson said he was going to reduce them, instead the Raiders had more penalties than any other team in history. He was very arrogant in his last podium, he assumed he was going to not only be the coach but have personnel control as well.

After the losses he would claim 'total responsibility for the loss'. Well I guess he got that.

[Mark Asher]

If they do in fact cut bait with Palmer, then we'll know that's why Jackson got fired. What he did did not work out, and they could have not made the playoffs and still had their draft picks.

The new GM wants his own guy as the coach, and I can understand that. Jackson was acting like a GM last year and may not have been happy with the new GM coming in and taking some power away from him. If that was going to be the case, better to make a change.

[Mark Asher]

Yeah I'm mystified as to why you would want to cut Palmer. Palmer had some respectable games this season, especially given the situation he was in. They broke the bank on Palmer, might as well try to make some hay out of it. Give Soup backup money or let him walk.

Yeah, there's no point in cutting Palmer. He's a good QB. I certainly don't think Campbell is an improvement over him.

The Raiders may look to draft a QB somewhere in the later rounds and see if they can develop him.

[Thongsy]

Do the Raiders even have any draft picks this year? Palmer costed them the first round pick. Pryor cost them a third round pick. Curry costed them a sixth round pick I think. I believe they also traded the others away too but I'm not sure about that.

[Zuwadza]

More coaching news: Schottenheimer resigns from the Jets and Mike Mularkey, OC for the Falcons, is the new HC for the Jaguars.

[Lloyd Heilbrunn]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ordinator-job/

[sluggo]

I'm puzzled by the Schottenheimer resignation. The Jets went on record last week saying they no plans to fire him, that unless he got a job somewhere else, they had every intention of bringing him back. So if you're Schottenheimer, why would you just quit without a job lined up? Maybe he's got something he just can't announce yet?

Meanwhile, the Jets clearly were ready for this, as -- in an interesting twist -- they've apparently already got a deal in place to bring in Tony Sparano as their new OC.

Also, completely unrelated, NFL Network is re-airing the SF/Dal "The Catch" game, and I'd totally forgotten that it was Vin Scully, of all people, doing TV play-by-play for CBS for that game.

[Mark Asher]

More coaching news: Schottenheimer resigns from the Jets and Mike Mularkey, OC for the Falcons, is the new HC for the Jaguars.

This is the OC that was responsible for the Falcons offense that scored zero points against the Giants? Well, maybe he will be a better HC than OC.

[Sarkus]

I'm puzzled by the Schottenheimer resignation. The Jets went on record last week saying they no plans to fire him, that unless he got a job somewhere else, they had every intention of bringing him back. So if you're Schottenheimer, why would you just quit without a job lined up?

From what I've read he was going to leave either way but the Jets were covering for him so that if he got the Jags head coaching job it would look like he was leaving because fo a promotion. Once the Jaguars announced they were going with Mularkey instead, he "resigned" so he wouldn't be fired.

The Jets are changing other coaches as well, which is what happens when a team doesn't meet expectations but the head coach still survives.

[sluggo]

Let me try this another way, because I think there's a basic disconnect here.

Brian Schottenheimer had a contract with the Jets. If they relieve him of his duties, they still have to pay him what he's owed by the contract. But if he quits, they have to pay him nothing.

So why would he voluntarily quit and let them off the hook for the money?

[Sarkus]

Let me try this another way, because I think there's a basic disconnect here.

Brian Schottenheimer had a contract with the Jets. If they relieve him of his duties, they still have to pay him what he's owed by the contract. But if he quits, they have to pay him nothing.

So why would he voluntarily quit and let them off the hook for the money?

I guess its not about the money to him. I'm just going off of what PFT says, where the writer says he's better off resigning then being fired because he sucked at developing Sanchez or whatever. After all, if Rex fires him then he will be asked to explain why. Not that I think being fired would matter in a profession where everyone gets fired, but who knows.

Plus if his dad gets the Bucs job we can easily guess who the OC will be. This way he's clear to take that up if it happens without having to figure out a way out of his contract with the Jets.

[mdowdle]

Let me try this another way, because I think there's a basic disconnect here.

Brian Schottenheimer had a contract with the Jets. If they relieve him of his duties, they still have to pay him what he's owed by the contract. But if he quits, they have to pay him nothing.

So why would he voluntarily quit and let them off the hook for the money?

Might be because he's likely to have a much harder time finding another job in the NFL if he forces the Jets to fire him. And whatever severance pay scheme he has negotiated in his contract won't compensate for being an NFL persona non grata.

[Sarkus]

Interesting Michael Silver piece on Hue Jackson's firing over on Yahoo. It sounds like Jackson was told before the season ended that he wasn't going to have any say in who the next GM was going to be, which makes his later public comments about that even more surprising. By going public with his views he probably sealed his fate, at least to the degree that it probably made Mark Davis more willing to let McKenzie get rid of him if that was McKenzie's conclusion.

Even with Al gone, the soap opera that is the Raiders continues to entertain. But I suspect those days will be gone soon enough, because that isn't the Packer way.

[sluggo]

I guess its not about the money to him. I'm just going off of what PFT says, where the writer says he's better off resigning then being fired because he sucked at developing Sanchez or whatever.

Might be because he's likely to have a much harder time finding another job in the NFL if he forces the Jets to fire him. And whatever severance pay scheme he has negotiated in his contract won't compensate for being an NFL persona non grata.

As I said a few posts ago, the Jets had already come out publicly and said WE ARE NOT FIRING BRIAN SCHOTTENHEIMER. They said unless he got a coaching job somewhere else, they were bringing him back next year. So why are you guys talking about how the Jets would be forced to fire him?

[mdowdle]

As I said a few posts ago, the Jets had already come out publicly and said WE ARE NOT FIRING BRIAN SCHOTTENHEIMER. They said unless he got a coaching job somewhere else, they were bringing him back next year. So why are you guys talking about how the Jets would be forced to fire him?

Maybe they made an informal agreement with Schottenheimer along the lines suggested by Sarkus? Simply saying "we're not going to fire him" does not at all prevent the Jets from actually firing him should they so wish, like should he renig on his part of an informal agreement. And quite honestly, it seems quite common for sports teams to fire this week people that they claimed just last week were safe. And like I said, if he did have an informal agreement along the lines suggested by Sarkus, and if he did renig, he might find it very difficult to find another job in the NFL.

[Walter Yarbrough]

Do the Raiders even have any draft picks this year? Palmer costed them the first round pick. Pryor cost them a third round pick. Curry costed them a sixth round pick I think. I believe they also traded the others away too but I'm not sure about that.

2nd round pick to the Patriots
4th round pick to the Redskins
7th round pick was for Curry.

Raiders still have their 5th and 6th rounders in 2012


http://www.prosportstransactions.com...Years/2012.htm

[Sarkus]

PFT says a similar "you'll be leaving one way or the other" dynamic may have been playing out in Atlanta with Mularkey. So they stayed quiet to see if he got the Jags job (which he did). Also, San Diego's OC is "voluntarily" moving on.

As for Brian Schottenheimer, PFT is sticking with that story saying they have a source that told them Schottenheimer was told get another job or get out. So to be clear, the idea is that the Jets publicly endorsed Schottenheimer because they had a handshake agreement with him that he would leave for another job or resign. The reasons for that arrangement seem obvious to me given that Schottenheimer was up for the Jags job. The Jets firing him or not giving him an endorsement while he was still under consideration for that job would have been pretty damning for his chances, so the two sides agreed he would resign if he didn't get that or some other position by set date.

[Lorini]

Interesting Michael Silver piece on Hue Jackson's firing over on Yahoo. It sounds like Jackson was told before the season ended that he wasn't going to have any say in who the next GM was going to be, which makes his later public comments about that even more surprising. By going public with his views he probably sealed his fate, at least to the degree that it probably made Mark Davis more willing to let McKenzie get rid of him if that was McKenzie's conclusion.

Even with Al gone, the soap opera that is the Raiders continues to entertain. But I suspect those days will be gone soon enough, because that isn't the Packer way.

Mark Davis said late yesterday that if given the chance he'd do the Palmer trade again, which shows why he's not running the football side of things....

[Sarkus]

Another thing kind of lost in the Jackson firing and McKenzie official presser yesterday was that it was the first time Mark Davis has really said much. And one of the things he said was that the stadium situation in Oakland is an issue and that he's already been approached by LA interests, though he also made it sound like he'd prefer to get something done in the Bay area. So relocation to LA may be where that is headed, which is something that has always seemed somewhat logical to me.

Also, good news/bad news for Jags fans. Mularkey will not call the plays in Jacksonville, leaving that to an offensive coordinator. But he is committed to Gabbert, who of the rookie QBs who played much this year looked the worst. And I'd forgotten that Mularkey is a second time head coach - he ran the Bills in 2004 (9-7, their last winning season) and 2005 (5-11) before resigning when the team changed general managers and brought in Marv Levy to run the organization.

[seventimessix]

This is the OC that was responsible for the Falcons offense that scored zero points against the Giants? Well, maybe he will be a better HC than OC.

He was head coach of the Bills before going to Atlanta. He was awful.

Meanwhile, the Jets clearly were ready for this, as -- in an interesting twist -- they've apparently already got a deal in place to bring in Tony Sparano as their new OC.

There's also been talk that Todd Haley will join the Jets as assistant head coach. That's a whole lot of crazy in one coaching staff.

Plus if his dad gets the Bucs job we can easily guess who the OC will be. This way he's clear to take that up if it happens without having to figure out a way out of his contract with the Jets.

Brian has already stated he will not join his father in any coaching capacity, per Adam Schefter.

[Sarkus]

I generally like Michael Silver's NFL writing, but this piece comes across as unnecessarily speculative and mean spirited. And I gather that Silver has never been on all that good of terms with the Raiders, so maybe that is a motivation. But still. He basically argues that Mark Davis is making decisions mostly based on getting rid of the people in the Raiders organization who know that Al didn't trust him with much before his death.

He also criticized Davis for admitting that he hired McKenzie based on one six hour interview and talked to no other candidates. I would think Silver would be aware that while there are very engaged owners in the NFL (some more engaged then they should be), there are also owners who don't care that much. I would be surprised, for example, if Paul Allen spent much if any time with the various top personnel side people with the Seahawks before hiring them, including Holmgren years ago. Those type of owners know they don't know and rely on others, as Davis apparently did in getting advice from John Madden and Ron Wolf since his fathers death.

[Lorini]

I don't see how Davis can go that wrong hiring someone from a team that won the SB and went 15-1 this year. It'd be different if he were hiring Matt Milen or someone like that.

[BennyProfane]

I don't see how Davis can go that wrong hiring someone from a team that won the SB and went 15-1 this year. It'd be different if he were hiring Matt Milen or someone like that.

Please, PLEASE hire Matt Millen. Anyone. Please. Just to get him off my TV set on weekends.

[Mark Asher]

So what's up with the Favre family? I just clicked on his name in Google News and I see that his brother was pardoned by Gov. Barbour, and another article was about how his sister got busted for making meth last year. They need to do a season of Justified about his family. The Bennetts are gone now. Raylan needs some new redneck bad guys to fight.

[Hammet]

Isn't Favre from Missouri somewhere though? I'm not that great on US geography but I don't think Favre would leave Harlan alive. So to speak.

In other news, I'm hella excited about Niners vs Saints. One of those Immovable Object vs Unstoppable Force match-ups that feels like it could go either way. Reading all the write-ups I can find but if someone knows where there's more, don't hesitate to post linkies.

[Sarkus]

The QB pool for the next draft seems to be shrinking or at least getting more murky day by day. Ryan Tannehill will be in the draft, but he broke a bone in his foot and may need surgery. Either way that means no Senior Bowl or combine evaluations for teams to try and get a better handle on his pro potential.

And Jeff Fisher still hasn't decided where to go. One theory is that he's just that torn over the Dolphins or the Rams (for some reason). But another theory is that he's waiting to see what happens in Indianapolis, where the Colts just hired a new GM and Caldwell's future will presumably be made clear shortly.

[Mark Asher]

Isn't Favre from Missouri somewhere though? I'm not that great on US geography but I don't think Favre would leave Harlan alive. So to speak.

In other news, I'm hella excited about Niners vs Saints. One of those Immovable Object vs Unstoppable Force match-ups that feels like it could go either way. Reading all the write-ups I can find but if someone knows where there's more, don't hesitate to post linkies.

Favre was born in Mississippi. Both his parents were teachers so it's not like he's some hillbilly. I don't know what's going on with his siblings.

We really have two games that are defense against offense. Really, both GB and NO are teams with great offense and little defense and SF is great defense and so-so offense and the NYG are what I'd consider to be good defense and adequate offense. It would not surprise me to see the Giants give Green Bay a tough game. Anytime you can get pressure on the QB without having to blitz like the Giants can with their very good front four, you're capable of limiting a great offensive team.

[Thongsy]

Wait a minute, other games? I thought this week was Super Bowl week with all ESPN droning on and on about Tebow and the Patriots. I didn't realize there were still games to be played.

Seriously, both NFC games look good. The Giants gave GB a run for their money in the regular season, can they do it again? And with everybody picking against the Niners, rightfully so, but still annoys me. I will mockingly laugh in the faces of everybody who didn't believe, or at least think the Niners stand no chance and will get smashed to a pulp. And if it does happen I'll just pretend I never made this comment.

[Charlatan]

Wait a minute, other games? I thought this week was Super Bowl week with all ESPN droning on and on about Tebow and the Patriots. I didn't realize there were still games to be played.

Seriously, both NFC games look good. The Giants gave GB a run for their money in the regular season, can they do it again? And with everybody picking against the Niners, rightfully so, but still annoys me. I will mockingly laugh in the faces of everybody who didn't believe, or at least think the Niners stand no chance and will get smashed to a pulp. And if it does happen I'll just pretend I never made this comment.

You can edit this all out and pretend you never said it. As long as nobody quotes you.

Oh crap... sorry!