NFL 2018 Season Predictions

[Vyn]

I'll just put this here for posterity:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2796041-a-star-is-born-in-kc-patrick-mahomes-shows-hes-the-future-of-this-league

[Zzzptm]

I read the URL and I am in agreement already. Thing is, for Mahomes to be great, that also means he's got a solid line in front of him and plenty of weapons to work with.

If he was playing with the Giants, different story. Giants are looking to replace Cleveland as the NFL's bottom feeder team.

[Typhon]

Wow!  2 weeks of pro football had 2 ties.  That's rare.

[Vyn]

Wow!  2 weeks of pro football had 2 ties.  That's rare.

Sure is. Shaping up to be an interesting season.

@Z: For sure, if the o-line is weak, or his receivers all have greasy hands, the QB can't do much. KC has spent decades fielding conservative or past-their-prime QBs, this is an awesome time to be a Chiefs fan. So I'll enjoy it until a bigger franchise offers Mahomes a billion dollars and he cuts out

[Typhon]

@ Vyn:  Chiefs fan?

[Vyn]

@ Vyn:  Chiefs fan?

I am!  Not crazy fanatic about it, but that’s who I watch.

[Typhon]

@ Vyn:  Chiefs fan?

I am!  Not crazy fanatic about it, but that’s who I watch.

Clear back to Hank Stram days? 

[Zzzptm]

Well it sure is a good time to be a Chiefs fan, no question about it. Once the Browns get a kicker, it might also start to be sunny on Sundays in Cleveland.

Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills are likely joining in with the Giants for some panic attack therapy. Those clubs are in some serious trouble, looks like. Steelers need to find their bearings and fast or they're looking at a very long, hard season in front of them.

In the NFC, only the Rams and Bucs have two wins and of the two, the Bucs look pretty damn good. And the Bucs pulling up in front is something that messes up just about every sports writer's Super Bowl LIII predictions. I saw more than one KC pick to get into or even win the big game, so I'm not too surprised to see them performing so strongly. But Tampa was supposed to be a building year team with a journeyman QB keeping a warm body in play until Winston returned - and then uninspiring play, after that. They took down the Saints and the Eagles, both legitimate, playoff-grade opponents. I think that they can do it against the Steelers in Week 3 and then, going forward, they look to have a good shot at being a contender.

[Typhon]

For those of you who have been around and watching football long enough, here is NBC's opening football theme I always liked when I was a teenager in the 1970's.

[Zzzptm]

Yeah, I loved those openings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBDoaMoB5R4

Remember Jimmy "The Greek"? My dad always heckled him, said he couldn't pick winners for beans.

[Vyn]

@ Vyn:  Chiefs fan?

I am!  Not crazy fanatic about it, but that’s who I watch.

Clear back to Hank Stram days? 

Superbowl I and the season leading up to it.

As I recall, there was a lot of confusion about what that championship game was going to be called, until they actually had it. But I could be confused.

[Typhon]

@ Vyn:  Chiefs fan?

I am!  Not crazy fanatic about it, but that’s who I watch.

Clear back to Hank Stram days? 

Superbowl I and the season leading up to it.

As I recall, there was a lot of confusion about what that championship game was going to be called, until they actually had it. But I could be confused.

I don't recall any confusion about the name, and I did see the game.  In fact, I have watched every Superbowl.  These days it is the only football game I watch start to finish.

[Vyn]

I don't recall any confusion about the name, and I did see the game.  In fact, I have watched every Superbowl.  These days it is the only football game I watch start to finish.

Yeah, there probably wasn't. Not sure why I think that, other than I always thought the name was silly.

One thing is for sure, the game has changed considerably since then.

[Typhon]

One thing is for sure, the game has changed considerably since then.

Agreed, in some ways for the better, but, in other ways a lot worse.   My favorite aspect concerning football back in the 60s and 70s, was watching the dominating defenses.  There was the Pittsburgh Steel Curtain, the Rams had the Fearsome Foursome, the Dallas Doomsday Defense, Minnesota's Purple Gang and so on.

But then over the next upteen years the league kept changing rules which helped the offenses.  Making it easier and easier to score.  I heard that they feared losing fans because of lack of scoring.  Well, by the mid 90s they lost me because of too much scoring.

This is why I have little respect for the so called "best" quarterbacks of today.  With so many rules changed in their favor, it is no surprise that passing records are broken.  Let them try playing under the rules from back in the day, and I bet most of them, including Brady, wouldn't even survive very long.  Quarterbacks I saw while growing up were a lot tougher, for sure.

[Zzzptm]

Sheesh, with that body weight rule, they really ought to just put some flags on the QBs. When the flag is pulled, the QB is DOWN and the ball is DEAD.