MichiganCardinal

I'm not sure I would take that if I was Moore though. He's a qualified head coaching candidate as it stands today. I think Michigan needs him more than he needs Michigan. It's unrealistic for him to go 15-0 again. He's inheriting a program that cannot improve (at least on the field). Looking at the 2024 schedule, I wouldn't agree to anything less than four or five years if I were him. Let him be able to tell recruits on the trail that he will be here for their entire time at Michigan. And give him some grace this season (no torches and pitchforks to drive him out of town if he goes 9-3 with losses to Texas, Oregon, and Ohio State).

Maybe to the lay community. Vegas isn't stupid, obviously they're getting money on both sides at -7, so that's why it's the line. But the 49ers were 12-5 and won one close game in the playoffs, the Lions were 12-5 and won two close games in the playoffs (though never trailed in either game). The 49ers have been there before, but I don't know how much that really matters in a one game win-and-you're-in scenario. I think these teams are extremely similar.

I've heard that there is a lottery among season ticket holders for the opportunity to purchase Super Bowl tickets at "face value".... Not sure what they define that as. Either way, if the Lions win Sunday, I think I'll go to Vegas. I'm sure I'll find a spot at a bar with plenty of Lions fans around.

Might as well wait and grab the Super Bowl Champion gear at this point!

The Niners really rely on their run game and their pass rush. The Lions are exactly the team that can stop their run game and limit their pass rush, forcing them into uncomfortable positions. It’s why I think the spread is insane. It should be around Niners -3.

The Jim Harbaugh to Sherrone Moore transition reminds me some of the Jim Harbaugh to David Shaw transition at Stanford. In both cases, Harbaugh took a program that had been in turmoil and brought them to heights they hadn’t seen in decades. He then left for the NFL, and left the keys to the program with an assistant who had been in the wings. We can hope Moore will have Shaw’s success (preferably without the later years).

I'd add Mick Cronin (UCLA), Eric Musselman (Arkansas), and Sean Miller (Xavier) as poachable candidates with a large enough check.

Justin Fields problem isn't Justin Fields. He was drafted into a city where QBs go to die. Tannehill had his 15 minutes of being decent, he wouldn't still be in the league if he didn't. He is probably washed but I'd be interested to see what a new environment could bring. He'd probably have to battle with Howell. Mac Jones I just don't know. Probably bad but get him away from Belichick and surround him with an actual offense? Maybe there is something there. Russ Wilson is a good one too, as MTB said.

I'm pretty sure they will acquire one, though Howell was actually halfway decent until very late in the season. Won me a hundred bucks in a fantasy league. I am just not positive it will be at #2. They could go get Captain Kirk if he's willing to return to Washington for Round II. They could wait until the 2nd round and grab Penix or Nix. They could trade for Justin Fields, Ryan Tannehill, or Mac Jones. I just think forcing the issue at QB is how you end up with Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Daniel Jones.

Could be. I could also see them drafting the best player available in Marvin Harrison though, or trading down with a QB-needy team and selecting the best OT in the draft. The fact that it’s Purdy v Goff for the NFC Championship (or even that it was Baker v Goff and Love v Purdy in the divisional) should say something about there being more than one way to build a contender. Of course you can ignore that and just look at the AFC and say that QB is all that matters, but that’s bad for my point. 🙂 I just don’t think it will be a foregone conclusion that they’ll pick the best QB available, like it probably would have been during a regime change five years ago.

If Washington gets Ben Johnson, it would be interesting to see what a GM coming from Brock Purdy and a HC coming from Jared Goff do with the #2 pick.

Us: Ben Johnson is brilliant! No one expected a hand off to Reynolds! Ben Johnson standing next to David Montgomery on the sideline: “shouldn’t you be on the field?”

I'm glad. One more team that won't hire Ben Johnson.

It was time.

I think that the thought that the league would fix games, or have a script is silly for two reasons: one practical and one personal. Practically, it would either be too big to succeed, or too small to matter. If there was some grand "fix" among all the NFL officials, all it would take is one (of hundreds) part-time officials to blow the whistle, or publish a book, or whatever, and it would all come crumbling down. Same if one MGM Grand employee came across the wrong name in their books and records. Ultimately, it would happen in the matter of weeks or months, not years... On the flip side, if it was one or two stray Tim Donaghy's, although that's more plausible to be lasting, they would be ineffective in the grand scheme of things. Donaghy was an NBA official for 13 years and only worked 20 playoff games. Mostly because he was really bad (which was probably related to his betting). Is it plausible there are bad actors in the NFL operations? Yes, but I don't think their bad actions are generally going to be relevant in the grand scheme of the season. Personally, I don't think it's healthy to consider this as even plausible. I devote way too much mental energy and time to this sport and to this team. If it's all fixed like the WWE, what's the point? I'm the stupid one in that equation, and I'd prefer to think of myself as smart (and devoted to a fault).

How does SF usually line up Bosa? I feel like if they just get stubborn and try to make him beat Decker or Sewell, he'll be in for a frustrating day. If they bully Awosika though and line Bosa up on the inside how the Lions will occasionally do with Hutchinson, Goff might be in for a frustrating day.

I think if Deebo is out, we may see CMC used as a Deebo replacement, in addition to his normal responsibilities.

Depends, which team is doing it?

I agree on offense. I'm not as sure on defense.

No one is saying Dan Campbell should go give Kyle Shanahan a ****ty handshake-shove postgame and start a fight in the tunnel, or score 70 points against a hapless Broncos defense, or run a fake kneel up 20+ points. I don't see how using a timeout that you have in your pocket with 38 seconds left in a one-score game is poor form. Maybe in a nine-point game. But in a one-possession game, I want to get the ball and somehow tie the game. Those are my only objectives. There are no politics or niceties to it. Taking that timeout will help me get the ball and tie the game. The offense taking a knee is them offering a hand to shake, it doesn't mean the defense has to shake it when it's not mathematically over, and I don't think not calling the timeout on 1st or 2nd down is shaking the hand.

I agree, it's possible. But I'm treating Jim leaving as an inevitability now. If I was told that if he stayed at Michigan this cycle, he would be here for life, I would want him to stay. But it's not if he goes to the NFL anymore, it's when. And it might as well be now, when the program is at its highest.

They're National Champions and haven't lost a game since 2022. I'm ready for Jim to fly the nest too, if for nothing else than to avoid this yearly episode of will-he/won't-he drama.... but let's not make the basketball thread title true again.