MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

If the bears lose and the Rams lose the bears go home if the rams win and the bears lose they get to the playoffs

 

WHAT ?!?!?!

 

CHICAGO BEARS (8-7) (vs. Green Bay (12-3), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)

Chicago clinches playoff berth with:

1. CHI win OR
2. ARI loss OR
3. CHI tie + ARI tie

_____________________________________

LOS ANGELES RAMS (9-6) (vs. Arizona (8-7), Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)

Los Angeles clinches playoff berth with:

1. LAR win or tie OR
2. CHI loss or tie

 

WHAT ?!?!?!


Gidi has been Smoking BC Bud again......lol

 

Report: Patriots, Cam Newton are expected to part ways



It’s looking like the Cam Newton experiment in New England will be one and done.

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported on Sunday NFL Countdown that the Patriots and the 2015 NFL MVP are expected to part ways this offseason.

Newton will become a free agent, and he’ll be available to go wherever he wants to go. He was in the same boat a year ago, but he got to market late when the Panthers delayed releasing him until after exploring all trade options. The health issue also caused teams to be leery, combined with the inability of teams to fully and completely evaluate his foot, his ankle, and his shoulder.

This year, he gets a straight shot at the open market — but there are real questions about his current skills and abilities. He has five touchdown passes this season. During his MVP campaign, he threw for five touchdown passes in three different games.

For the Patriots, it means finding another starting quarterback. Whether that’s Jarrett Stidham or a veteran or a rookie remains to be seen.

Newton will exit with $3.7 million for one season of work. It’s far from market value, but it was the best deal he could find last year. This time around, he’ll have a better chance to get a much better deal.

NBC

 

I will just say I don't trust the ESPN Wentz wanting 100% out report. Feels like a hot take with the history of reporting stuff like this with the Eagles.

 

Its been such a cesspool of speculation all across the board. I think and it's just my opinion, that the Eagles will do a lot of evaluating of Wentz and other options, while at the same time, Wentz probably just wants to be a starter.

The fact is, nobody, including Wentz and the Eagles know at this point which way they are going to go... its going to take some time and thought/considerations. Since there is a huge black-out if information on this and the media cant read minds, they create stories and speculate.

Headlines ought to read; "WE DONT KNOW"... but, instead there is a plethora of click-bate headlines all based on speculation.

There... IM done 'speculating'.

 

Now that the 2020 season has ended for the New England Patriots, questions can be asked regarding the future of the team. After Sunday’s win over the Jets, coach Bill Belichick was asked a question about a Sunday morning report from ESPN regarding the future of quarterback Cam Newton.

Here’s the exchange.

Q: There was a report on ESPN today there’s an understanding between you and Cam Newton that you’ll be going in different directions this offseason. Is there an understanding this was Cam’s final game?

A: Is that another one of your anonymous reports?

Q: That was from Adam Schefter this morning.

A: I don’t think that’s what Adam said. You should talk to Adam about that then. Great question, thank you.

Here’s what Adam said: “Both sides expect that it will take them to a different place and a different direction in 2021 with Cam Newton likely moving on and the Patriots in search of a new quarterback for next season.”

Later in the press availability, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com said this: “The question about Adam, he had reached out as a colleague, and he wanted to make sure what he had said was represented accurately, that it wasn’t a report, it was part of an overall discussion.”

Newton separately was asked, without reference to the report/discussion/whatever, whether he anticipates returning.

“Listen, I have my desires,” Newton told reporters. “I know where my heart’s at. I know the things, who I am. But as far as that, I can’t really speak on it right now. But just my whole time here in New England has been a blessing. I’ve learned so much about myself, about great teammates, unbelievable coaching. Yeah, so I just see how it goes . . . from there.”

Unless Schefter’s report/discussion/whatever was inaccurate — and he said what he said — it’s going nowhere.

NBC

 

Chris Grier: Tua Tagovailoa’s our starting quarterback



Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier said at a Tuesday press conference that he won’t be discussing the team’s draft strategy, but he did share one piece of information that should inform their plans with their two first-round picks.

The Dolphins took quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth overall pick in last year’s draft and was inserted into the starting lineup in Week 6. There were ups and downs over the rest of the season and the Dolphins pulled him in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick in multiple games, but they aren’t looking for someone to put ahead of Tagovailoa on he depth chart.


Grier said that he saw enough from the rookie in nine starts to know that the team is comfortable moving forward with him as their starter

“Tua, I’m very happy with. He’s our starting quarterback. . . . I thought Tua did a great job of working himself through the whole process,” Grier said, via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.

There may be a team that wants to move into the Dolphins’ third overall pick in order to add a quarterback and the right offer could lead to even more assets to use to build a team around Tagovailoa for a 2021 bid at the postseason.

NBC

 

Just not normal...

 

Offensive rookie of the year: Justin Herbert



Philip Rivers was the Chargers’ starting quarterback for 14 years and never missed a start. But when his contract expired following the 2019 season, it was clear that Rivers departing the organization was in everybody’s best interest.

So the Chargers drafted his replacement at No. 6 overall. The initial idea was to let the young quarterback sit and learn behind veteran Tyrod Taylor as he acclimated to the league.

But things changed quickly. Taylor’s lung was punctured during a pregame painkilling injection for his injured ribs in Week 2.

Justin Herbert took over and never looked back.

In 15 games, Herbert set a new standard for performances by a rookie quarterback. He completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 4,336 yards with 31 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. He added 234 yards rushing with five rushing touchdowns.

He set rookie records for total touchdowns (36), passing touchdowns (31), completions (396), multi-passing touchdown games (10), games with 300 yards passing (eight), and three-passing touchdown games (six). He was just 39 yards short of Andrew Luck’s rookie record of 4,374 yards passing.

Herbert’s performance has led PFT to name him our offensive rookie of the year for 2020.

There were other strong contenders for the honor. Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson set a new rookie record for receiving yards, reaching 1,400 on the season. His performance made both Minnesota and Buffalo winners in the offseason trade that sent Stefon Diggs to the Bills.

And Buccaneers right tackle Tristan Wirfs was instrumental in Tampa Bay reaching the playoffs. The 13th overall pick out of Iowa, he played every offensive snap in his first year as quarterback Tom Brady was sacked just 21 times.

But Herbert’s record-setting season takes the prize. Whoever the Chargers hire as their next head coach will take the job knowing there’s a franchise quarterback in place.

NBC
___________
____________________________

The Chargers nailed it with Herbert. Perfect QB to build around. With the right pieces and the right staff around him, the Chargers will be a force and soon, in my opinion.

 

Happy for the Chargers. Sad for the Dolphins. They drafted the wrong guy.

 

I'm shaking my head at the people saying no one would have passed on Tua for Justin. There were surely a few teams that felt different but weren't in the position the Dolphins were to tank for him until Burrow emerged. I know a decent amount of people that would have taken Herbert, myself included.

 

I placed him ahead of Tua in TD’s draft contest because I believed he would be the quarterback a team would move ahead of Miami and Los Angeles for.

Especially when you figure in Tua’s injury, Herbert had to be viewed as the safer bet to a lot of teams.

 

Tua doesnt get hurt and there was a good chance he still goes #1 or at least would have been considered more.

 

I don't think Burrow is ever not #1.

 

Bears GM Ryan Pace: 'Everything is on the table' at QB position

Ryan Pace inherited Jay Cutler when he became the Chicago Bears general manager in 2015. From there, he signed Mike Glennon to a big contract. Then he traded up to draft Mitchell Trubisky No. 2 overall. Then he cut Glennon and added perennial backup Chase Daniel as completion. Finally, in 2020, he traded for and reworked Nick Foles' contract, who was benched in favor of a lame-duck Trubisky this season.

The merry-go-round will continue in 2021.

With Bears chairman George McCaskey bringing back Pace and Matt Nagy for another season, the GM and coach get yet another chance to figure out a solution at the position.

The mandate from management is to answer the QB question finally. Pace is well aware of the pressure on him to find a long-term solution, or it'll be another person making the next choice.

"We definitely need more out of the [QB] position," Pace said Wednesday. "We know that. What does that entail? That's what this whole offseason is about."

Both Pace and Nagy repeatedly pointed to collaboration and conviction as the main reasons why they are confident they can get the decision right this time around.

"Everything is on the table right now," Pace said.


Trubisky, who had his fifth-year contract declined last year, heads into free agency. The QB was benched in Week 3, returned in Week 12, played well against bad defenses down the stretch, then struggled the last two weeks. Given how Nagy handled his QB against playoff teams, Green Bay and New Orleans, it seems difficult to imagine Trubisky would be the answer under center moving forward.

Pace didn't want to get into whether the team would consider bringing Trubisky back in 2021.

"Everything's on the table," the GM blandly reiterated.

Both Nagy and Pace repeatedly discussed going through the process to evaluate the QB position and determine the next move. As Adam Jahns of The Athletic pointed out, the GM-coach duo's process and collaboration last year resulted in signing Foles. That move didn't work wonders, leaving Bears fans wondering what could have changed in the process to fix the issue this time around.

Both the general manager and coach danced around Wednesday's questions, providing little insight into what might be different in 2021 than in previous seasons.

Pace has been the Bears GM for six seasons. He has a 42-54 record with two playoff appearances, including backing into the postseason this year. Chicago has won no playoff games in Pace's tenure. Despite those facts, the GM believes he's continuing to improve in his job.

"You do learn and improve through experiences," he said. "I can confidently say I'm a lot better at this with each year of experience."

Pace's experience with the Bears includes paying heavily and repeatedly missing at the QB position. By the grace of those above him on the totem pole in Chicago, he and Nagy will have one more shot at finally getting it right.

NFL.com

 

John Wolford out, Jared Goff will start for Rams



Jared Goff is back in the Rams starting lineup.

Goff did not start either of the team’s last two games after injuring his right thumb in Week 16, but he replaced John Wolford last Saturday after Wolford injured his neck on a hit by Seahawks safety Jamal Adams. Wolford did not practice this week and head coach Sean McVay said on Thursday that he will not play against the Packers this Saturday.

Goff has been a full participant in practice this week. He was 9-of-19 for 155 yards and a touchdown after taking over for Wolford in the Wild Card round.

Blake Bortles will back up Goff for Saturday’s game and McVay said Bryce Perkins could also come up from the practice squad.

NBC

 

Deshaun Watson “just wants out” of the Texans



Last month, SI.com took a close look at the uncanny rise of Jack Easterby in Houston. Now, SI.com has a new article that sifts through the aftermath of a failed season and the intense dysfunction the team’s various moves have created.

The new article from Jenny Vrentas and Greg Bishop amounts to a treasure trove of news and nuggets, and we’ll spend much of the day — and possibly much of the weekend — presenting different angles from the story in quickly digestible chunks.

First up: It’s clear that quarterback Deshaun Watson has migrated past the point of no return when it comes to his relationship with the team.

“He just wants out,” a source close to Watson told SI.com.

Per the report, Watson found owner Cal McNair’s public remarks regarding the relationship with the quarterback to be “patronizing.”

The Texans had promised to give Watson input in the hiring of a new G.M. and a new coach. Then, the Texans hired Nick Caserio to be the G.M. without consulting Watson. Next, the Texans failed to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, despite Watson’s suggestion that Bieniemy be targeted.

The Texans have, in the aftermath of the uproar over Watson’s frustration with the team, sought permission to interview Bieniemy. However, because they didn’t interview him during the bye week, the Texans now must wait until the Kansas City playoff run ends before doing so. Which, if the Chiefs are serious about talking to Bieniemy, may force them to wait until after the Super Bowl before interviewing him and then filling the job.

For all anyone knows at this point, Bieniemy isn’t interested in the job. At this point, who would be? Without knowing that Watson can be convinced to change his mind and/or that McNair can be convinced to sideline or terminate Easterby (more on that to come), no coach in his right mind should want to accept employment with a team that continues to head in the wrong direction.

Ultimately, the choice for McNair could come down to Watson or Easterby. If put to a vote of Texans fans and/or anyone of sound mind who isn’t related by blood or marriage to Easterby, the outcome would be the landslide of all landslides.

In this specific election, however, only one vote counts. And it belongs to Cal McNair. And since owners can’t be fired, Texans fans have no choice but to deal with McNair’s decision to keep his thumb pointing up, not down, when it comes to the fate of Jack Easterby.

NBC

 

Patrick Mahomes in concussion protocol; Andy Reid says Chiefs QB 'doing great right now'

The AFC Championship game will take place in Kansas City next week. All of K.C. will hold its breath in hopes Patrick Mahomes will be available to face the Buffalo Bills.

Mahomes was downgraded to out after being evaluated for a concussion in Sunday's 22-17 Divisional Round victory over the Cleveland Browns.

Despite the scary scene that unfolded after Mahomes was hit, coach Andy Reid sounded optimistic about his quarterback's condition after the game.

"He got hit in the back of the head and kinda knocked the wind out of him and everything else with it," Reid said. "He's doing great right now which is a real positive as we looked at this. Passed all the deals that he needed to pass so we'll see where it goes from here."

Mahomes went to the locker room midway through the third quarter after being yanked to the ground on a third-down speed option keeper. After getting hogtied to the turf, Mahomes got up wobbly. He was helped off the field. Once on the sideline, the signal-caller jogged to the locker room.

NFL.com