NFL - NEWS & NOTES

I have a coworker who is a Dolphins fan he still hasn't gotten over the fact they went Culpepper over Brees (I don't blame him). Hard to say what would have happened as there would still be the Patriots to deal with but I think its safe to say the Dolphins would have been giving them much stiffer competition on a regular basis what they have faced during the Brady era.

 

I think the Saints was the perfect landing spot for him, and the only place he would've had this success. When Katrina destroyed the city, they embraced him and he stood up as the undisputed leader of that team. It truly was one of those magical sports moments. He put his heart and soul into the team and the city saw and rallied around him. I don't see him having even close to that success with the Dolphins.

 

Im pretty sure Brees would have still been good with the Dolphins and still been one of the top QBs in the game.

 

Week 6

 

but with Nick Saban as coach ? i don't doubt Brees greatness, but if Saban stayed...?

 

I thought Saban was supposed to be good or something?

 

not with the Dolphins he wasn't. like Pete Carroll in NE, he realized he was over matched and took his ass back to college.

 

NFL passing numbers are way, way up...

At one point in the life cycle of this media outlet, we’d periodically keep track of which quarterbacks were on the wrong side of the Kordoza Line — the career 70.7 passer rating of mostly-mediocre-with-flashes-of-really-good quarterback Kordell Stewart. Times have definitely changed.

This year, only one full-time starter is on the wrong side of the Kordoza Line: Bills rookie quarterback Josh Allen, who has a passer rating of 60.4. That’s because plenty of quarterbacks are throwing the ball better than ever before.

According to the NFL, the average passer rating currently is 93.4. (From 2002 through 2017, the average passer rating was 84.2.) Average completion percentage has moved to 65.0, and yards per attempt have spiked to 7.5.

Total yardage is up as well. From 1966 through 2017, the league saw 300-yard passing performances once every 3.8 games. This year, the average has fallen to once ever 1.4 games, with 57 300-yard performances in 78 games.

Eleven quarterbacks already have more than 1,500 passing yards. Six have thrown at least 12 touchdown passes through five weeks.

Ten starting quarterbacks has passer ratings higher than 100, with Saints quarterback Drew Brees racking up an eye-popping 122.3. Perhaps the best news for the NFL is that eight of those 10 are 30 or younger, with three of them 24 or younger.

That bodes very well for a future consisting of quality quarterbacks and, in turn, quality games. That’s why the NFL is trying to keep all quarterbacks healthy. If the guy who is responsible for distributing the football can continue to do it at a high level, fans will be far more interested in pro football. (NBC's PFT)
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The ebbs and flow's of the game over time are very interesting. As defenses adjust, I wonder if the pendulum swings back to the run game.

 

To address the discussions above:

Saban was a dumpster fire at the NFL level. He's a dynastic college coach because of his ability to take advantage of the unique qualities in the college system.

Drew Brees would not have had the same success in Miami, not because he'd be any different a player, but because coaches matter. Tom Brady wouldn't be the success that he is without Bill Belichick. Drew Brees and Payton are successful largely because of each other. Playing in a dome is a nice benefit, too.

The passing game is here to stay. The rules have made sure of that. If it were something akin to the proliferation of defensive base looks over the years, which have swung back and forth between 3-4 and 4-3 (as a generalization), it would be a different matter - that's not rules-based. However, the success of the passing game is largely due to the encouragement of the current rules, which only grow more in its favor as years go on. There are other factors, but this one ensures that it's here to stay.

 

Cat, don't be so myopic. If I recall . . . Saban left the Dolphins mainly due to infighting with the Dolphin's GM (specifically over the QB position). His GM brought in Daunte Culpepper and then tried to trade for Joey Harington after the Brees signing didn't happen.

Nick Saban has never been over matched as a coach in his entire career. He is the prototype football coach - its in his DNA. Give him anything close to a competitive roster and he will kick your ass.

 

POWER RANKINGS
https://live4sportnetwork.com/2018-nfl-power-rankings-week-5/

 

For the record . . . I don't agree with how he left the Dolphins ("I'm not going anywhere", then - poof - he's the HC at Bama).

 

thank you Bears! Sorry Lyman but even the great Nick Saban didn't impress me in the NFL; much like Pete Carroll the first time didn't. Or lets not forget the "Old Ball Coach" Steve Spurrier !!!! Saban and Spurrier belong in college.

 

well here is his NFL coaching record. regardless of being over-matched or not, he wasn't the guru he is now at Alabama. :


2005 Miami Dolphins NFL 9-7
2006 Miami Dolphins NFL 6-10

2 yrs 15-17 .469

 

Number 1: Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier don't even belong in the same discussion.

Dline was right about the differences between Pro and college rules. For starters, in college Head Coaches don't have to worry about roster limits to the extent that the Pros do. In the pros, you get a 53 man roster (46 active on game day) period. In college (other than scholarship limits) there are no such limitations. That's what initiated his pissing contest with the Dolphins' GM.

 

now they don't but in the 90's Spurrier was the King and Saban wasn't even in the court ! and besides 1 great year at LSU, Saban didn't do much there or at MSU either.

 

i thought college had a 75 or 85 man roster limit? im way off, it's 105.

 

I'm assuming you believe that Bill Belichick is a successful professional Head Coach, no?

In his 1st two years as an NFL Head Coach he went 6-10 & 7-9 (0.406)

{edit} . . . and that ^^^^^ was AFTER spending virtually his entire coaching career in the pro ranks.

 

NCAA roster limit is 105. Damn near twice that of the NFL.

 

well Bill kept on coaching. Saban went back to college, so based on his 2 year only NFL performance, he was marginal at best.