Big Blue Huddle

Quote from: jgrangers2 on Today at 06:11:35 PMThat first goal by Staal was a complete disaster. Guys going off for changes inexplicable, wide open passing lanes in the neutral zone and then Schneider both gives Staal space AND let's him beat him to the net. Just awful all around.

After I watched that goal and the replay I felt ill. I actually like Schneider and think he's a developing, pretty decent young player. But his complete lack of effort on that play was utterly inexcusable. That's the sort of thing I'd consider benching him for a game over and giving Zac Jones or Chad Ruhwedel a shot in his place.

The problem with that, of course, is that he isn't the only one who should be hanging his head after that game. There are plenty of others, including some who make much, much, much more money than he does.

Connections
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Quote from: Ed Vette on Today at 07:47:57 AMConnections
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Why didn't I get this through process of elimination? I kept changing one box.

Bizarre. I don't have an explanation.

Quote from: Gmo11 on Today at 10:14:26 AMI think they did the right thing.  That team is very good so they're not going to be in position to draft a franchise QB any time soon.  Goff is young enough, and has shown enough, that he is probably the best option they're going to have at that position for quite some time. 

If you think of Goff as a journeyman QB I don't think you've been paying attention to what he's done since joining the Lions.  If Jones put up numbers like Goff has we'd be collectively pooping our pants with excitement and throwing all of the money in the world at him.  Goff is pretty good.  He's not in the Mahomes/Jackson/Burrow/Allen tier but he's probably in the next one down.  And that is plenty good enough to win a Super Bowl with in the right situation.  He's in the right situation.

I'm not really sure what part of my post made you think I think of Goff as a journeyman. I said he's a top 10 QB on paper but I'm not sure if he's a top 10 QB in a vacuum. That's quite a far cry from calling him a journeyman.

Even though I guess it would be better for us in the short term, I wouldn't want this. The Cowboys/Giants rivalry is a great one. I'm sure the other NFC East teams would say the same thing.

Quote from: Messiah717 on May 13, 2024, 10:02:13 PMThey looked like they did in the NJ series last year and the Tampa series the year before. 

Yup. Those were 2-0 and this was 3-0 but you're right, it's the exact same pattern. Start the series off well, and then fold like an accordion.

I feel like if we're going to win this series it needs to be the next game. I don't see us winning game 7 if we go into that game having lost three in a row. Carolina will have a stranglehold on us mentally if that happens, and our vets are not clutch, winning players. It needs to happen in the next game or I don't see it happening.

I'm telling you right now: if the Rangers lose this series after being up 3-0 it will be an embarrassment of beyond epic proportions, the stench of which will carry over into future seasons. They will be the laughingstock of the rest of the league if they do that.

Complete disgrace. I am beyond disappointed with the veteran leaders of this team. Panarin was his usual playoff self: nowhere. Zibanejad nothing. Kreider nothing. Just a dog-sht performance in the absolute biggest of spots.

Let's end this f***ing series tonight. Enough! I really don't need the stress of a potential collapse in a series that we led 3-0 in. God help this franchise if that ever happened.

Just get it done. Tonight. I don't even want to entertain these thoughts.

Quote from: Ed Vette on May 13, 2024, 05:33:09 PMThe Detroit Franchise can't seem to get it all together. Stupid contract for a journeyman QB who will never get them to the trophy. They would have been much better off building a team around Matt Stafford.

Can't argue your point, but this is a team that has been basically a doormat for decades. They finally have a successful year, and they're supposed to let the QB go? They weren't in a position to draft a QB. If you let Goff walk what do you do? Pay Cousins similar money?

I'm with you on the broad point of not ever paying elite QB money to a non-elite QB, but when you look at this organization and their long run history it's hard to kill them too badly for this.

If you want to say they never should have gotten rid of Stafford, fair enough, but now that they were in this situation what should they have done? If you don't pay Goff, who is your QB in 2024?

One for the good guys today.

Not sure if we've ever both been perfect in this game on the same day.

Strands #71
"Best in show"
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Quote from: Ed Vette on May 13, 2024, 05:27:50 PMI find it interesting how on one grid you can find it easily and I can't, while the opposite happens for me. This one just clicked for me.

Agreed. I got the first one no problem and then just struggled after that. I agree that we sometimes differ in which ones we find easy versus hard.

Mixed feelings about this deal.

On the one hand, it's hard to fault the Lions in any way for wanting to keep what they have built going. This is basically the worst or second worst franchise of all time that is still in existence today, and all of a sudden they're one of the best teams in the league. Goff is at least top 10 (if not top 5) in all the key statistics except QBR, where he is 11th. The guy is very clear a top 10 QB on paper.

On the other hand, one can reasonably question whether Goff is legitimately a top 10 QB in a vacuum. The Lions have one of the best if not the best situations for a QB in the league (elite O line and premium weapons all over the place plus a very good playcaller last year). The Rams have also been down this road with Goff, paying him very well, and they then wanted out of that very quickly to bring in Stafford, with whom they immediately won a SB after coming up a bit short with Goff. I think it is fair to say that the Rams are a very smart franchise. Did the Lions pay elite QB money to a good but not elite QB? I think that's very possible.

Tough one. I'm curious what others think. I can't fault them for doing what they have done, but I can't say for sure if it was a great move. I just don't view Goff the way I do Mahomes, Burrow, Allen, etc talent-wise. That said I can't really argue too much with the decision either, all things considered.

Just didn't have it today.

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Quote from: Gmo11 on May 12, 2024, 08:43:46 PMTo be clear I'm not absolving him of anything. I was only saying that despite the other things he's tried if Neal had been as advertised it helps an awful lot. And on that one pick I don't really blame him. Busts are gonna happen to everyone in that position but you can either do your best to minimize the risk or do the opposite like Gettleman. I prefer schoens approach.

I'm also not ready to write off JMS who I really did like as a prospect. I think he's got a leap in him perhaps with a proper OL coach now he'll make it. 

I hear you and don't disagree. If Neal had lived up to his billing and turned into a Tyler Conklin/Tristan Wirfs caliber RT, things would have been very different.

That was very ugly today.

I'm not going to do a deep dive autopsy on this game, because it was just brutal all-around, but the Knicks will need to do some soul-searching before game five and come up with a much better effort than that if they want to preserve a decent chance of winning this series.

Beating anyone decent without OG, Randle, and Mitch plus Brunson playing on one foot may simply be too much to ask. I feel like it all finally caught up with them today. I'm honestly not sure if they'll win another game with this group.