NFL off-season running thread

I agree. I think people assume it's going to be the Redskins because they'll pay the most.

 

Paired in foursome at Pebble Beach: Bill Belichick and Nick Saban.

I'd put a marshal on them if the ball ever goes into the rough.

 

Agreed. I think I understand the thinking behind it, but that is never good. You also have to wonder how much of a hand Dan Rooney has in things these days. For all the talk about how smart the Rooneys have been over the years, it was mostly him. He had taken over much of the day-to-day business with the team from his father by the time they turned things around in the '70s and it is tough to say if or when he really gave that up. Even when he was out of the country, you have to think he had a say.

 

Agreed. Miami was actually a pretty good 6-10 team, if there is such a thing.

I've heard some others postulate he might go to Tennessee because of his history in that state, but I can't see it with them just having drafted Locker. Would make for some fun playing the Colts twice a year, though.

 

That would involve the Bidwells . . . paying . . .

That concept's always good for a laugh.

 

Ambassador to Ireland ~ Lifeguard at the baby pool

 

The Bucs are really scratching the bottom of the barrel putting together this coaching staff.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/08/schiano-not-shy-about-interest-in-shoop-for-offensive-coordinator/

 

Exactly. Which is why I'm assuming he never really stopped running the show.

 

Agreed. Their point differential, I think, was 14th in the league, which would normally translate into around eight or nine wins. Not stellar -- certainly not when playing in the same division as the Patriots -- but not bottom of the barrel and devoid of talent either.

In fact, it was better than the Super Bowl champion Giants, Tennessee, Denver, Oakland, Chicago and Arizona, who all had eight or nine wins.

Matt Moore and Chad Henne combined for 20 touchdowns last season. Peyton has thrown for at least 31 in four of the last five seasons. Granted this is a rudimentary calculation that doesn't take a lot of variables into consideration, but if the Dolphins had Manning and scored 66 more points, they'd have been ranked ninth in the league. Every team with a higher point differential made the playoffs.

I don't think it's unreasonable to think Manning could make the Dolphins a 10-win team next season (if healthy) and, as we've seen, once you're in the tournament, anything can happen.

 

There's a reason why the Dolphins have done little more over the last few seasons other than be the leverage coaches use to get more money out of places like St. Louis and San Francisco.

Philbin is going to be way over his head. He was essentially a running game coordinator on a team that almost never ran the ball. It sounds good to hire the OC from the best team in the league, until you think about the fact that the reason that team is so good has to do with the HC (a QB guru) and the QB coach who also has a history of working closely with QBs. It's similar to Minnesota hiring Childress a few years back, not that Philbin is the insufferable douchebag that Childress is.

Miami should be one of the best jobs in the country. But every big name coach wants nothing to do with it. Manning is smart enough to know this and I think will steer clear. They can pay big $$$ for Matt Flynn or draft a QB.

 

Wondering precisely when that became such a toxic job. This is one of the signature NFL teams Parcells talked about.

He's a king douchebag, but Billick is a strong organizer and would have been a good fit in Miami.

 

When you hire Peyton Manning as quarterback, you also hire your offensive coordinator. Philbin would be free for other duties.