Jason_R

He’ll have a hat trick in his return. And four giveaways. You’ll be able to see steam rising from Lalonde’s head in the post-game presser.

I don’t like that the officiating in the NFL has gotten so obtrusive that we have to have officials in the booth. Officials are not part of the entertainment. We should have no idea who they are.

I’m aware of this. But they are on the field together in the Super Bowl with a minute left. They knew the call was marginal and that it would decide the game. They could have announced “There is no penalty on the play.” They chose not to. My beef is not so much with the call as with the fact that NFL officials are too involved in the game. From the time Dean Blandino went into Jerry Jones’s party bus without getting banned from the NFL for life, it has been downhill.

The point is not whether Cheffers threw it. I know he didn’t. (But they didn’t pick up the flag, which they could have done.) The point is that refs like him are taking up far too much of the spotlight. But in a league where a retired ref can get a multimillion dollar TV gig, maybe the limelight is a good place to be.

His crews are usually at the top of the league for penalty calls.

“Mom! I got to talk to a bunch of reporters!”

It’s gotten so bad that the networks all have to bring retired refs into the booth to call the games. They present this like an advance in broadcasting but it is a reminder of how over-litigated games are. And anyway, refs are not part of the entertainment. It’s like sending the waiter to sit at your table to enhance your dining experience. No dude, you are not here to be seen.

Well, the Most Valuable Penalty goes to Carl Cheffers. He’s been working his whole life to be in the limelight and that was his big moment. His family must be very proud.

Looks like the toradol has kicked in. Mahomes is dealing this half.

If KC somehow wins this the MVP might be this Pacheco kid.

It was a $10 million prove-it deal. What did 30 catches for 500 yards prove? If it proved to the medical staff that he's fully healed from the ankle injury that's great, but I still don't want the franchise tag. WR is an expensive position, and ASB will be getting paid in 2024. Anything they do with Chark needs to be off the books by then.

No way. He’s not worth Kenny Golladay money. 😂

Fields on Chicago drafting another QB: "Who am I playing for next?" https://www.si.com/nfl/2023/02/10/chicago-bears-justin-fields-who-am-i-playing-for-next

Final score? 29-26. Winner? Anyone’s guess. I’ll pick Philly but root for KC.

True but the difference is consistent with the eye test. Williams had a great season. Still makes me nervous to pay him what I think his agent will ask.

When Swift was healthy he showed what a high end talent can do at RB in this offense. He put up 5.5 yards per carry playing on a bad ankle most of the season. Jamaal Williams had a career year, a great season, more power to him. Averaged 4.1 YPC. That's what Pittsburgh averaged per carry and it was good for 25th in the NFL.

This is not what OCs think. If you can’t put a player on the field on any down and any situation, you don’t draft him in the first. There are few RBs who can be put on the field in any down and any situation, including to pass block.

Maybe, but Detroit won’t be the only potential trade partner. Every team ahead of Detroit except Houston might trade back.

By the Jimmy Johnson draft value chart, the difference between 6 and 9 is 250 points. Carolina's #61 pick is worth a bit under 300. Sure Jimmy Johnson is old news, but I doubt Detroit would get much more than 9 and 61 for pick 6.

I think RG is already a weakness. Brown will probably go elsewhere for a chance to start at Center. And even if they keep Vaitai, who knows if he will make it through the season. They probably won’t keep both, so they’ll need someone who can start at RG and probably backup Ragnow.

Yeah it is hard to see his situation with the Ravens getting fixed. I get that he wouldn’t suit up without a new deal, but the locker room knows that he chose himself over the team. That’s a hard thing for other players to forget.

Would love to see Carolina jump from 9 to 6. Would probably net us their second pick in the second round, #61 I think. Not sure I’m thrilled with anyone who would be available at 6 but would feel OK with Witherspoon or Gonzalez at 9.

Also, when the Eagles drafted Hurts they seem to have suspected what the league has now found out about Carson Wentz. By contrast, Brad Holmes knew when he traded for Jared Goff what the league has just remembered about him. He's a pretty good NFL QB. If Holmes goes off script (the script being to pick the two best defensive players available at 6 and 18) I would be OK if it was Bijan Robinson at 18. With a full season of Jaymo, another explosive player in the backfield to step in when Swift is (inevitably) injured, and Ben Johnson back, this offense would be insane.

Fields is going to want to tack a one on the front of Hill’s $21 million guaranteed amount.

Maybe that would work on the drawing board, but does anyone think that Fields and his agent would accept the Taysom Hill role with a new contract coming up? This plan would blow up before the end of draft weekend.