NFL - Random Opinions

Watching Nix this evening is quite impressive, he's really settling in and with that defense in Denver, who knows, he might lead them to a post season spot. I believe they are seeded 7th at this moment, but in the bigger picture, they need to build around him and great things might happen.

Tonight he's got his first 300+ yard game and 4 TD's.

 

I just came on to say Bo Nix is now the front-runner for OROY.

 

I think it is hilarious and ironic how these two teams have evolved...

I think it proves how much teams are willing to do (and give up) to win in the short term, with little regard to the future. Is Goff better than Stafford, Stafford better than Goff? That's the question I asked 4 yeas ago.. Back then I said the Lions really won big on that trade.

If they had stayed the course, Rams with Goff and Lions with Stafford, I don't think the Rams would have missed their "window" of opportunity, but I do think it wouldn't already be closed. Trading away Goff along with the picks did net them one Super Bowl... but honestly, I'm not convinced Goff couldn't have won it.

Now, the Lions on the other hand, Went from Stafford to Goff and upgrades of Gibbs, LaPorta and Williams... (3) key pieces to the current version of their offense.

Now, the Lions window is wide open for the next 3 seasons, including 2024. The only player not signed through 2026 is Jameson Williams. With St. Brown signed though, Williams is expendable.

Now the Rams are struggling to find their way.

At the end of the day the Rams got their ring, so I would have to say everyone should be happy.

 

It is a fascinating trade to look back on. A rare one where both teams won. But this part vvvvv

Where you really asking that question 4years ago or has time skewed your recollection a bit. Cos you would've been hard pressed to find many people claiming Goff was better than Stafford at that time. Goff was good but not at all great his last 2 seasons with the Rams. After making the SB things stagnated big time for that team and Goff was a big part of that. Don't forget, Goff was not of great interest to the Lions, he may or may not have been a throw-in, but if he wasnt, he kinda nearly was. As well as all the draft picks the Rams had to eat salary too(!) and if they hadn't that deal wouldn't have gone through. Goff was an acceptable place holder while the roster got built up and was made ready for a draft swing at QB. But he was never the plan initially.

Jared Goff is, imo, in the single greatest situation in the NFL at his position. Even better than Tua, Purdy or Hurts. And for all the great skill position moves and the outstanding hire of Ben Johnson, id have to say the best thing Holmes did was building Goff a wall. Cos make no mistake, Goff always was, and still is, a guy who you can really throw off his game when you get consistent pressure on him. Some guys can deal with it well and still make plays week after week, Goff has never been that guy. We just dont see it very often anymore cos the Lions have a stellar O-Line and an OC putting him in all the right places. Full credit to him, he's making the most of it, but there's a LOT of spots around the league where he could've gone to and his career goes VERY differently.


Your other point about the short-termist thinking of some teams towards roster building, yes sure, but would fans have a problem with their team doing it if there was a legit shot at a championship? Would you? I know i wouldn't in all honesty. Hell the Bears kinda tried it in 2018 with the Mack trade and even tho i wasnt sold on the QB i still didnt rip them for it. I guess desperation for some actual success will do that. The Packers are good. They've been good for forever and a day it feels. Some years they've even been very good. And its always felt like that was enough for the decision makers. But one of my best buds is a Packers fan and he would go nuts year after year at the lack of commitment to make moves and really try to get over the hump re another SB win. He cant believe you can go 30years with HOF QB play and only win 2 championships.


Back to the point at hand, im not sure the Rams are struggling as much as some make out, at least not unless you really buy what Tim said about moving on from Stafford( i dont know either way i havent read much on Stafford/how long he wants to play). But they are 1 game back in a good division, they had a brutal little spell with injuries that for sure cost them 2 games and they had to swallow the retirement of one of the great defensive players of the last 20-30years. For team that didnt have a 1st round pick for 6-8years i think they've drafted pretty damn well. Teams who went so obviously all in short term at the expense of the future could've suffered a way longer wilderness period than the Rams did(1 bad season). Besides, even if Tim's right and they did move on from Stafford this offseason, some young QB would be going into a fabulous situation there. The Rams dont look like a needle down team to me tbh.

 

When I say 'cooked', I'm posing the question for the rest of this season. The Rams are a 5-5 team that could easily go 3 and 4 down the stretch with the type of football that they have played so far this year. Stafford has not bounced back to the quality of play he had in the 2021 season, and the odds are stacked against him after the injury in 2022. Like I wrote at the time of the trade, Matt felt like the oldest 33 year old passer I could ever remember. That Super Bowl season was something that I don't think the Rams are going to be able to replicate again with Stafford, so the window (contractually) opens up to move on from him this offseason.

Theoretically, Los Angeles could deal Stafford this offseason and complete one of the better all-time moves for buying a Super Bowl by getting a return for the future on the same player that they sold their future to win a championship with.

At the time of the Stafford/Goff trade, pretty much everyone was hammering Detroit for the move.

I believe @IrishDawg42 was one of the people that were asking if the comparison between Goff and Stafford straight up was getting a fair shake, so I don't think he is revising his view on that.

Here was my take on it:
NFL VIEW 32 – Detroit Lions – Live 4 Sport Network

 

You can notice that in the last few years, even in fantasy and even with great WRs, Stafford isn't startable unless of a bye and you gotta hope one of the top 2 WRs pop off because no one else does anything.