2014 NFL Offseason

[JackieMoon]

Looks like this time next week, Cincy will be without both of their coordinators. Gruden is interviewing for HC in Washington and Zimmer for HC in Tennessee. Sad times for the Bengals. Here come the 90's... again.

If anything Marvin should be let go and Zimmer should be promoted to HC.

[JackieMoon]

... and on what someone said earlier...

I do agree. In every sport, it's time to scrap divisions within conferences. Every year in the NFL Playoffs there are a couple teams that either get screwed out of the playoffs, or out of a first-round game at home. Proof and point this season, Kansas City was ranked 5th, as was San Francisco. Meanwhile, you got Green Bay getting into the playoffs and having home-field over San Fran and New Orleans... and as much as I hate saying this.. Arizona got it in the rear.

As much as I love seeing NFC teams come to Paul Brown Stadium each year, it's time to make every season just interconference. Each team could play 15 regular season games over 16 weeks against all other teams in their conference. Then, to add excitement, the last game of the season could be based on rank to shake up things.

1. #2 at #1, 2. #4 at #3, 3. #6 at #5, 4. #8 at #7, 5. #10 at #9, 6. #12 at #11, 7. #14 at #13, 8. #16 at #15.

At the end of Week 17, the top 6 teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs, plain and simple.

The schedule would flip-flop every other year, that way in two years, teams would play all teams once at home and once away.

[NJTank]

If I was the Bengals I would fire Lewis. I think the best thing for everyone is Lewis to get canned go to Washington and Zimmmerman to be the next coach in Cincy

[Sport]

It's Zimmer. While I would be in complete favor for the Lewis to front office, Zimmer to HC scenario that has been thrown around for the last four years, it's not going to happen so I'm not even going to think about it.

Marvin Lewis didn't get fired after multiple 10+ loss seasons. He's not going to get fired by Mike Brown after three straight playoff appearances. This franchise doesn't operate like normal NFL franchises.

[NJTank]

It's Zimmer. While I would be in complete favor for the Lewis to front office, Zimmer to HC scenario that has been thrown around for the last four years, it's not going to happen so I'm not even going to think about it.

Marvin Lewis didn't get fired after multiple 10+ loss seasons. He's not going to get fired by Mike Brown after three straight playoff appearances. This franchise doesn't operate like normal NFL franchises.

Thats why its been 24 years since the last playoff win

[chuckymack]

People talk sh¡t about Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones being TERRIBLE owners, when all they want to do is WIN.

All Mike Brown ever wanted was profit. The Bengals won't ever be true contenders until he croaks or sells the team (which, let's face it: isn't going to happen.)

[rams80]

... and on what someone said earlier...

I do agree. In every sport, it's time to scrap divisions within conferences. Every year in the NFL Playoffs there are a couple teams that either get screwed out of the playoffs, or out of a first-round game at home. Proof and point this season, Kansas City was ranked 5th, as was San Francisco. Meanwhile, you got Green Bay getting into the playoffs and having home-field over San Fran and New Orleans... and as much as I hate saying this.. Arizona got it in the rear.

As much as I love seeing NFC teams come to Paul Brown Stadium each year, it's time to make every season just interconference. Each team could play 15 regular season games over 16 weeks against all other teams in their conference. Then, to add excitement, the last game of the season could be based on rank to shake up things.

1. #2 at #1, 2. #4 at #3, 3. #6 at #5, 4. #8 at #7, 5. #10 at #9, 6. #12 at #11, 7. #14 at #13, 8. #16 at #15.

At the end of Week 17, the top 6 teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs, plain and simple.

The schedule would flip-flop every other year, that way in two years, teams would play all teams once at home and once away.

I'm not sure whether your idea is more stupid or insane, so I'm just going to go with "both."

EDIT

More specifically, I hate all the bleating about potential wild card teams getting screwed because division winners with worse records got in. Those wild card teams controlled their destiny from day 1 for either a playoff spot or even the division title. Arizona got swept by San Francisco. They lost to the Rams (!) They botched a home game against Seattle. Blew a head-to-head with the Saints. Maybe they should have tried to flip one or two of those games.

[JRB14]

Still hoping Tony Dungy goes to Detroit.

[drdougfresh]

Gary Kubiak apparently interviewed with the Lions today.

I hope they're just trying to hit a minimum number of candidates -- they can't be seriously considering him.

I'm still holding out hope that we can snag Whiz or Zimmer. Those are probably the best candidates for us right now, IMO.

[TheRicSlick]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2014/story/_/id/10259316/johnny-manziel-texas-aggies-selected-agent

Johnny Football selects agent.

[CS85]

Lovie introduced today as Bucs coach today. Fans down there seem to be warming to him slightly, and after Schiano you can't blame them. Let me warn you:

Lovie is a great coach when the team is winning. He's loose, his players love him (almost too much), and when things are clicking it feels good. When the team starts losing, however....

Get ready for some intensely painful press conferences where Lovie shovels a giant pile of fake laughter and dismissive answers onto the podium. Prepare yourself for him being insulted at the media daring to ask hard questions or question his decisions. Get ready for "Us (the team) vs. Them (the press, fans, and critics)" and all the wonderful things that occur when your franchise doesn't have an offense. I also see the team gave Lovie complete power over the roster, so when your offense doesn't develop due to draft negligence, savor the flavor.

But hey, at least you'll get Devin Hester for a season or two.

[dfwabel]

Jeff Ireland and the Dolphins part ways and no comment from Tank? Wow.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2014/01/dolphins-ireland-go-separate-ways.html

Now, while that Incognito/Martin investigation has yet to have a conclusion, who else is out there to blame?

Primarily, Dawn Aponte, the team's Executive VP of Football Operations who reportedly clashed with Ireland and is now seen as a replacement for Ray Anderson in the Park Avenue office as league Executive VP. What did she know since she was responsible for that Incognito PSA on fans behavior.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2013/10/lets-see-how-has-this-season-only-seven-games-in-already-been-something-of-a-nightmare-we-start-with-mike-pounceypicture.html

[DarkJourney]

Dan Patrick is semi-reporting that the NFL will add yet another wildcard team to each conference.

This is simply the NFL's way of insuring the 8-8 Cowboy$ qualify for the playoffs year-in and year-out.

Funny thing is the Cowboys still would have missed the playoffs this year if there was a 3rd wildcard in each conference. Arizona would have grabbed the 7th seed in the NFC.

[TBGKon]

Tedford and Leslie Frazier or the OC and DC respectively in Tampa. The Bucs also brought back former linebacker Hardy Nickerson as their linebackers coach. Nickerson was a HS head coach in California since 2010 and led the team to back to back League Titles and was also responsible for producing nearly twenty scholarship athletes

[BBTV]

He must have amazing sperm if he produced 20 great athletes. I think coaches get way too much credit for that. Kids are fast or their not.

[drdougfresh]

Reports this morning coming out that the Lions will interview Munchak.

They HAVE to be cycling through leftovers until playoff guys are available. I wonder if Chudzinski and Schiano will have some time for an interview too?

[Lights Out]

Dan Patrick is semi-reporting that the NFL will add yet another wildcard team to each conference.

This is simply the NFL's way of insuring the 8-8 Cowboy$ qualify for the playoffs year-in and year-out.

Yeah, but now Romo will choke his way to 7-9 instead of 8-8 and they'll still miss the playoffs.

[bosrs1]

Dan Patrick is semi-reporting that the NFL will add yet another wildcard team to each conference.

That means the only team with a bye week is the #1 seed, which sounds cool, but it also means half the goddamn league makes the playoffs.

The NFL is beginning the slow grind down to hell.

Too many teams... we've already had teams with undeserving records eek their way into the playoffs with the current system. This'll just make it worse.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

Dan Patrick is semi-reporting that the NFL will add yet another wildcard team to each conference.

This is simply the NFL's way of insuring the 8-8 Cowboy$ qualify for the playoffs year-in and year-out.

Yeah, but now Romo will choke his way to 7-9 instead of 8-8 and they'll still miss the playoffs.

eh, if Dallas didn't open door defense, they should have handedly made the playoffs. What Romo would have done from there? who knows.

[The_Admiral]

Lovie introduced today as Bucs coach today.  Fans down there seem to be warming to him slightly, and after Schiano you can't blame them.  Let me warn you:

Lovie is a great coach when the team is winning.  He's loose, his players love him (almost too much), and when things are clicking it feels good.  When the team starts losing, however....

 

Get ready for some intensely painful press conferences where Lovie shovels a giant pile of fake laughter and dismissive answers onto the podium.  Prepare yourself for him being insulted at the media daring to ask hard questions or question his decisions.  Get ready for "Us (the team) vs. Them (the press, fans, and critics)" and all the wonderful things that occur when your franchise doesn't have an offense.  I also see the team gave Lovie complete power over the roster, so when your offense doesn't develop due to draft negligence, savor the flavor.

 

But hey, at least you'll get Devin Hester for a season or two.

This is all on the money. There are a lot of things Lovie does well, but for the things he doesn't, he needs someone to fill in those gaps for him. Making him de facto GM is like the exact opposite of how to be successful with him: he shouldn't be a coach with expanded control, he should have reduced control, namely over the offense. Like I said, the smartest thing the Bears could have done was to make Trestman their offensive coordinator and let Lovie continue to do his thing on the defensive/special teams side, where it's well understood that he excels. Now, the Bears are in the ignominious position of having fired a coach who went 10-6 only to finish 8-8 after blowing back-to-back playoff-clinching games, yet we're meant to believe that we upgraded at head coach.