Blinkscout Game 10 Chickens
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So ... there are a few things I want to get at before the specifics.
The first is about the NFL in general. I'm not sure if it's injuries or other factors (Im not ruling out anything) ... but every game I'm seeing is pretty disjointed. Yes, there are a lot of backup QBs playing. But some of them are doing just fine. Yesterday, I saw Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams, and Keenan Allen all drop passes.
The note I made to Sun Tzu during the game was that watching college on Saturday and NFL Sunday, Saturday games have looked far more stable and "in rhythm" on the offense and defense.
So, I don't know what that's about.
Second, our offense is better without Cooper Kupp on the field. This has got to be a failure by the coaching staff along with predetermining on Stafford's part.
Third ... Seattle's defense is better than at the beginning of the year, but they should be totally ashamed of how they crumbled when Geno went down. They had the lead. Geno even came back in to win it for them after we gave them the opportunity, which I will address. But seriously ... their let down was atrocious and it was our job to drop them for that.
Fourth ... I'm not going to speculate on the "purpose" of the playcalling at the end, but I'm not ruling anything out where plausible deniability is concerned.
Fifth ... it's a weird place to be. 7th in draft order in a year when being top 10 matters, and being literally the 8th or 9th seed to the playoffs, which jumps us to at least 19 in the draft order.
If I ever were to want to lose, which I don't, this year would be the one. Being 8-9 and making the playoffs is pick 19 ... likely, maybe lower should we win. Being 7-10 and just missing might mean we draft 9th or 10th. That's a huge jump.
The Great
1) Puka.
The Good
2) Kobie Turner.
3) Royce Freeman just eating up yards.
4) Kendricks will show up in multiple places, his pick and PBUs go here.
5) Lake being employed fully ...
6) Overall run defense.
7) Winning ugly when you have to.
8) Not letting Drew Lock get a single thing.
9) Finally an end around to Puka.
The Bad
9) Kupp not redirecting for that TD. Your focus is off.
10) Tutu not making that catch.
11) Kendricks has how many PI penalties?
12) The Higbee issue is being ignored.
The Ugly
13) Kendricks taunting the sideline? Bruh.
14) Was that 250 yards of penalties in the game overall?
15) What was the end around flea flicker to Trammel about? Like, what part of that is supposed to work? You're throwing a competitive ball to someone who is not the strongest, fastest, or tallest. He has no advantage and you got Matt clobbered.
The Questionable
15) The playcalling and time management at the end of the game. Gonna go ahead and say what I think happened, taking no prisoners. Of course that makes it sound like I'm gonna be harsh, when in reality for me it's Occum's razor. McVay knows we are not winning the super bowl. He knows our draft position in this draft will afford us a premium player should we competitively lose a higher number of games, with the worst case scenario being a playoff berth and quick loss (having us draft between 19-21) and our best outcome to put a good product on the field while losing and draft as high as we are now (7).
Regardless of whether it was conscious or unconscious ... his recklessness going for a TD pass with that much time left can be justified by plausible deniability ... "going for the win" ... when in actuality the play call was weak ... and it left the door open for them to kick a potential game winner.
He would never admit it, and no one could accuse him of it, but he'd much rather have lost the game and drifted into losing the possible playoff berth while basically guaranteeing us a top 10 pick.
College and Draft
16) 1st pick this coming year is going to be interesting. High enough to jump to the top ...? With enough talent to stay put? With enough talent to have a trade partner for a 25' 1st to move up next year?
I think Raheem Morris gets the Bears job. I think we have an extra third the next two years. One could argue, but stabilizing the team is what's needed. Could be Raiders as well.
The issue is complex because there is no OLT in Free Agency that will likely drastically outplay Jackson. But there are 3 first year players in the draft and likely another 3 that will need a year in the weight room. Knowing that adjusts my strategy.
The top 3 QBs right now are Caleb, Drake, and JJ. Penix I believe would be here if not for a host of red flags around injury and age. He throws the best ball, to be honest.
I like Drake for McVay. I think Williams will not mesh well with him and JJ will need a running game that McVay will abandon all too often, leaving him in a not so great position.
If we can trade up for Drake, that's my choice. I'd rather not give up the farm, and if we're sitting around 7 that might be possible.
If we can't get Drake, my strategy changes.
I take the top OT or trade down and take an OT. Fuaga or Patrick Paul likely. Then I take a look to see how far Penix falls. Is Quinn Ewers coming out? If so I'm watching him as well. Could trade back up into the first for either.
The wild cards are Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix. Both can play the position. I don't think McVay wants to worry about QB health every week or I'd take Daniels, as he's grown so much. Bo Nix makes infuriating mistakes and that won't work with McVay ... but they are likely to push players down the board. Specifically Penix and Ewers.
So if I haven't been clear ... unless we can get Drake Maye, I'm taking an OT and not worrying about that for a long time. Then Im looking to draft a high end backup with starter possibility. Hoping we'll have Matt through 2025 ... but preparing for the worst.
17) I think we buy an edge and a CB.
18) That said, the edge class is improving. Latu I think is at the top with Verse a mid first ... but then once you get to the 40-100 area things get really interesting. I would be looking at a 3rd edge behind Young and our FA (Josh Allen?) ... Brennan Jackson of WSU ... Kamara on COST ... I like the kid across from Chop Robinson too, Adisa Isaac. These guys could be had later.
19) Center, and OG later. I have 4 OCs in the SEC alone. Van Pran, Foster, Eguakan, Limmer/Latham (I mix them up).
20) The WR class is better than initially advertised as well, but to be honest, I would like to purchase Tee Higgins. If we can't I will be looking late round for some speed.
21) Safety is a high quality class, 4th or 5th round if you want good, 3rd if you want a Calen Bullock or Cole Bishop type. For me I'd rather go OC in that round.
22) RB. Sneaky good class. Why? I am starting to rate RBs differently. First, there are guys that will raise the play of any offense, and next, there are guys that play within an offense. This year I have 3 between 30-75 range in Henderson, Sanders, and Allen ... with an honorable mention to Corum. But after that, there are MANY guys who will get lost in the shuffle. Tre Benson, Tajh Brooks, Rasheem Ali, Ray Davis, Marshawn Floyd, Audric Estime, Will Shipley, Dennis Johnson, even Frank Gore Jr. (There are more) I'm aiming at the 5th or 6th. Next year's class is going to change the NFL. I have ten players who could be top 50 team changers.
23) TE ... another sneaky good clas with a drastic gap between the two types of TE ... flyers and Grinders. Have Trey Knox and Jaheim Bell, Jhatavion Sanders, Malik Carr, Eric All ... and then your Isaac Rex, Theo Johnson, AJ Barner, Cade Stover, Luke Stogner types.
24) Not a big fan of the CB class.
25) Seems like there are players that can be had late that will fit our system better than they may in their own. Not sure who we'll like, but I'd like to get Gaines back and then grab some more youth.
26) Paying Josh Dobbs is also on the table.
Alright I'll leave it here ... Questions and comments welcome.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2023 03:33PM by alyoshamucci.
The first is about the NFL in general. I'm not sure if it's injuries or other factors (Im not ruling out anything) ... but every game I'm seeing is pretty disjointed. Yes, there are a lot of backup QBs playing. But some of them are doing just fine. Yesterday, I saw Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams, and Keenan Allen all drop passes.
The note I made to Sun Tzu during the game was that watching college on Saturday and NFL Sunday, Saturday games have looked far more stable and "in rhythm" on the offense and defense.
So, I don't know what that's about.
Second, our offense is better without Cooper Kupp on the field. This has got to be a failure by the coaching staff along with predetermining on Stafford's part.
Third ... Seattle's defense is better than at the beginning of the year, but they should be totally ashamed of how they crumbled when Geno went down. They had the lead. Geno even came back in to win it for them after we gave them the opportunity, which I will address. But seriously ... their let down was atrocious and it was our job to drop them for that.
Fourth ... I'm not going to speculate on the "purpose" of the playcalling at the end, but I'm not ruling anything out where plausible deniability is concerned.
Fifth ... it's a weird place to be. 7th in draft order in a year when being top 10 matters, and being literally the 8th or 9th seed to the playoffs, which jumps us to at least 19 in the draft order.
If I ever were to want to lose, which I don't, this year would be the one. Being 8-9 and making the playoffs is pick 19 ... likely, maybe lower should we win. Being 7-10 and just missing might mean we draft 9th or 10th. That's a huge jump.
The Great
1) Puka.
The Good
2) Kobie Turner.
3) Royce Freeman just eating up yards.
4) Kendricks will show up in multiple places, his pick and PBUs go here.
5) Lake being employed fully ...
6) Overall run defense.
7) Winning ugly when you have to.
8) Not letting Drew Lock get a single thing.
9) Finally an end around to Puka.
The Bad
9) Kupp not redirecting for that TD. Your focus is off.
10) Tutu not making that catch.
11) Kendricks has how many PI penalties?
12) The Higbee issue is being ignored.
The Ugly
13) Kendricks taunting the sideline? Bruh.
14) Was that 250 yards of penalties in the game overall?
15) What was the end around flea flicker to Trammel about? Like, what part of that is supposed to work? You're throwing a competitive ball to someone who is not the strongest, fastest, or tallest. He has no advantage and you got Matt clobbered.
The Questionable
15) The playcalling and time management at the end of the game. Gonna go ahead and say what I think happened, taking no prisoners. Of course that makes it sound like I'm gonna be harsh, when in reality for me it's Occum's razor. McVay knows we are not winning the super bowl. He knows our draft position in this draft will afford us a premium player should we competitively lose a higher number of games, with the worst case scenario being a playoff berth and quick loss (having us draft between 19-21) and our best outcome to put a good product on the field while losing and draft as high as we are now (7).
Regardless of whether it was conscious or unconscious ... his recklessness going for a TD pass with that much time left can be justified by plausible deniability ... "going for the win" ... when in actuality the play call was weak ... and it left the door open for them to kick a potential game winner.
He would never admit it, and no one could accuse him of it, but he'd much rather have lost the game and drifted into losing the possible playoff berth while basically guaranteeing us a top 10 pick.
College and Draft
16) 1st pick this coming year is going to be interesting. High enough to jump to the top ...? With enough talent to stay put? With enough talent to have a trade partner for a 25' 1st to move up next year?
I think Raheem Morris gets the Bears job. I think we have an extra third the next two years. One could argue, but stabilizing the team is what's needed. Could be Raiders as well.
The issue is complex because there is no OLT in Free Agency that will likely drastically outplay Jackson. But there are 3 first year players in the draft and likely another 3 that will need a year in the weight room. Knowing that adjusts my strategy.
The top 3 QBs right now are Caleb, Drake, and JJ. Penix I believe would be here if not for a host of red flags around injury and age. He throws the best ball, to be honest.
I like Drake for McVay. I think Williams will not mesh well with him and JJ will need a running game that McVay will abandon all too often, leaving him in a not so great position.
If we can trade up for Drake, that's my choice. I'd rather not give up the farm, and if we're sitting around 7 that might be possible.
If we can't get Drake, my strategy changes.
I take the top OT or trade down and take an OT. Fuaga or Patrick Paul likely. Then I take a look to see how far Penix falls. Is Quinn Ewers coming out? If so I'm watching him as well. Could trade back up into the first for either.
The wild cards are Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix. Both can play the position. I don't think McVay wants to worry about QB health every week or I'd take Daniels, as he's grown so much. Bo Nix makes infuriating mistakes and that won't work with McVay ... but they are likely to push players down the board. Specifically Penix and Ewers.
So if I haven't been clear ... unless we can get Drake Maye, I'm taking an OT and not worrying about that for a long time. Then Im looking to draft a high end backup with starter possibility. Hoping we'll have Matt through 2025 ... but preparing for the worst.
17) I think we buy an edge and a CB.
18) That said, the edge class is improving. Latu I think is at the top with Verse a mid first ... but then once you get to the 40-100 area things get really interesting. I would be looking at a 3rd edge behind Young and our FA (Josh Allen?) ... Brennan Jackson of WSU ... Kamara on COST ... I like the kid across from Chop Robinson too, Adisa Isaac. These guys could be had later.
19) Center, and OG later. I have 4 OCs in the SEC alone. Van Pran, Foster, Eguakan, Limmer/Latham (I mix them up).
20) The WR class is better than initially advertised as well, but to be honest, I would like to purchase Tee Higgins. If we can't I will be looking late round for some speed.
21) Safety is a high quality class, 4th or 5th round if you want good, 3rd if you want a Calen Bullock or Cole Bishop type. For me I'd rather go OC in that round.
22) RB. Sneaky good class. Why? I am starting to rate RBs differently. First, there are guys that will raise the play of any offense, and next, there are guys that play within an offense. This year I have 3 between 30-75 range in Henderson, Sanders, and Allen ... with an honorable mention to Corum. But after that, there are MANY guys who will get lost in the shuffle. Tre Benson, Tajh Brooks, Rasheem Ali, Ray Davis, Marshawn Floyd, Audric Estime, Will Shipley, Dennis Johnson, even Frank Gore Jr. (There are more) I'm aiming at the 5th or 6th. Next year's class is going to change the NFL. I have ten players who could be top 50 team changers.
23) TE ... another sneaky good clas with a drastic gap between the two types of TE ... flyers and Grinders. Have Trey Knox and Jaheim Bell, Jhatavion Sanders, Malik Carr, Eric All ... and then your Isaac Rex, Theo Johnson, AJ Barner, Cade Stover, Luke Stogner types.
24) Not a big fan of the CB class.
25) Seems like there are players that can be had late that will fit our system better than they may in their own. Not sure who we'll like, but I'd like to get Gaines back and then grab some more youth.
26) Paying Josh Dobbs is also on the table.
Alright I'll leave it here ... Questions and comments welcome.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2023 03:33PM by alyoshamucci.
