MasterAwesome

To some degree that was probably more-or-less part of the gameplan, although I'd frame it as "let's run the ball against a weak run defense" which I'm surprised is such a shocking bombshell strategy to some people. Hey we have a not-so-great QB and a really good run game and we're playing against a team with a much stronger pass defense and a bottom 5 run defense. Hmmm what to do...what to do...truly quite a difficult decision. If we had Darnold airing the ball out downfield in a game where we were up 17-0 early in the 2nd quarter and in control for the entire game, with a strong run game, against a weak run defense, I'd really be questioning Wilks' competence. All that aside, I say to some degree that was probably more-or-less the gameplan because Darnold was clearly going through progressions downfield throughout the majority of the game, so simply looking at his passing chart and his attempts and saying that must have been the "gameplan" is a pretty surface-level assessment which makes sense for someone who admits to not having watched the game. Whether receivers weren't getting open or Darnold was just too conservative to pull the trigger down the field, I can't say without watching the All-22 film. To the OP: I can't imagine seeing enough out of Darnold this season to convince me to forego drafting a QB if there's one available that we think is worth taking. Signing him as a back-up to a cheap contract? Sure, I'm already fine with that...he seems like a good teammate and is serviceable enough as a back-up. But even if we go undefeated the rest of the season and even manage to win a game or two in the playoffs, I'd need to see Darnold actually take over a few of those games where we win on the back of our passing game to think of him as anything more than that. Simply winning because he hands the ball off and doesn't turn the ball over isn't nearly good enough for me.

Our resident Enlightened Realists rushing into every thread to explain the completely novel big-brained concept of tanking for draft position. Guaranteed one-and-done...worst division....need franchise QB.....we got it, don't worry guys. Get some rest and we'll see you in April.

Hmm can’t say I have too strong of memories of Anthony Mason sadly (it’s been 25 years lol), but definitely fond memories of Baron Davis/David Wesley/Bobby Phills (RIP). I still have a little Polaroid picture with David Wesley and Hugo at like a Walmart or Bed Bath and Beyond or something as a kid lol.

The Glen Rice era was pretty hype (albeit short-lived) for 8-year-old me.

Funny you mention the Ravens because they're not built all that differently from us. Yes the obvious difference is that they have Lamar Jackson, but he's essentially an extension of the run game. At the end of the day they're built around a low-volume efficient pass game (limiting turnovers), playing tough defense, and cramming the ball down your throat in the run game while controlling the clock. Do you think the Ravens are capable of winning a Super Bowl with Lamar? Or do you think they should get rid of Lamar and overhaul their entire offensive philosophy considering they're routinely towards the top of the league in rushing and bottom of the league in passing? I'm genuinely curious because I hear a lot of people talk about how you need a dangerous passing attack to win in this league but those same people seem to generally consider the Ravens and Lamar Jackson as formidable contenders...which seems conflicting to me.

I think most of us have seen Mays and Erving out there on multiple snaps (= 6th and 7th o-linemen), but there was a mysterious 8th o-lineman referenced in the tweet in the OP that we were trying to figure out.

According to the snap counts, Michael Jordan played 1 snap against the Seahawks so that has to be the one play being referenced.

I guess he's talking about LeSean McCoy on the Chiefs during their Super Bowl season, but he was pretty much a non-factor. Especially in the playoffs - he had exactly one snap throughout the entire postseason.

Well 49ers and Browns were under Rhule where dysfunction was rampant. The Bengals game just stands out as a disappointment because it was post-Rhule while things seemed to be trending up offensively and defensively until that abomination of a game. Statistically, you're right in that those games would be included in the graphic in the OP. But I'm more interested in how good our D is right now, so those earlier games when Rhule was still coaching hold a lot less weight for me.

I don't get why we don't blitz him off the edge more...the man is a heat-seeking missile. His coverage on the other hand scares me. Was hoping his *mis*usage (imo) was more of a Rhule/Snow thing but nothing seems to have changed with Chinn's role in the Wilks era.

I'd have a much easier time buying into this if it wasn't for that damn Bengals game. Maybe that entire game is excluded as "garbage time" because that pretty much summed up my experience watching it.

To be fair, you were also pretty pissed about us losing out on Zach Wilson lol. The easy part is arguing that tanking is in the best long-term interests of a franchise. The hard part is nailing that franchise-changing QB pick after the tank job. It's also easier said than done that we could out-suck the 1-15 Jaguars in 2020. Even with Will Grier at QB, our defense was pretty average that year and would've won us more than 1 game. Likely against the Lions who we shut out with PJ Walker at QB, and the awful Haskins-led Washington team that we beat towards the end of the season.

You gotta make sure those stats you're throwing out are accurate though. You keep saying Seattle turned the ball over three times yesterday; it was two (1 Horn interception, 1 Henderson interception).

I mean Baker had a stat line of like 18-30 155 yards and 3 points at the time you commented about how jealous you are of how LA’s coaches are using him. That kinda QB play has basically been our norm for the past 3 years lol. But damn okay Baker earned his accolades on that last drive. I guess y’all really manifested some kind of self-fulfilling prophecy…props.

We really over here drooling over an offense that put up 10 points? 3 points until 3 min left in the 4th quarter. What kind of bizarro Huddle did I log into?

Huddle: “chill out, Brock Purdy and Mike White have only played 1-2 games. It’s way too early to evaluate them”. Also Huddle: “Damn! Look at Baker, he already looks way better than he ever did in Carolina” (after 2 throws lol)

Garrett Wilson could definitely be in the mix with a productive last 5 games. He seems to have built some good rapport with Mike White.

I'll give it to Ridder, he does look the part. And by that, I mean he physically looks like a 35-year-old who has been in the league for 15 years.

Saying "let's skip drafting a QB in the 1st and just take late-round QBs instead" would be a stupid argument...but I don't think anyone is making that argument? What's debatable and the question that the OP seems to be asking is: is it worth deliberately tanking in hopes that you're gonna draft the savior of your franchise at the top of the 1st when it's such a volatile crapshoot? I keep hearing people bring up Kyle Allen but the irony is that Kyle Allen (UFA) won more games for us than any of our highly drafted 1st round picks in recent years: Teddy, Darnold, or Baker. You guys are only unironically bolstering the OP's argument lol. My position is that you wholeheartedly compete for the entire season (no "tanking"), let the chips fall where they may, then if there's a QB you think can be your franchise QB wherever you're picking in the 1st, you pull the trigger on him or even move up for him. Don't lose your minds over our team winning too many games to take one of the Top 2 guys or w/e...people did exactly that last season with Zach Wilson.

Where in Smith's tweet in your OP does he suggest that Goff is playing the best football of his career? And that he's way better than before? Because that's the part of your argument that people are challenging, and nothing about Smith's tweet corroborates that opinion. His tweet simply says Goff is playing better than Stafford right now and essentially that the trade worked out for both parties.

To be fair, OP got a D in Mathematics so I don't think he knows how to interpret these numbers.

He's really not. He's performing very similarly to his first year under McVay, or slightly worse. I don't think that's a coincidence - I imagine Goff benefits quite a bit from a new innovative offensive system and doesn't quite have the elite ability for sustained success. So he'll most likely get figured out at some point next year and his production will drop off like it did with the Rams. 2017: 28 TDs, 7 INTs, 62.1 Completion %, 253.6 YPG, 8.0 Y/A, 100.5 rating 2022: 19 TDs, 7 INTs, 64.9 Completion %, 251.8 YPG, 7.5 Y/A, 95.7 rating

That's a fine argument if you want to make it, but it's applied very selectively. How often do you hear on here "I feel so bad for poor DJ Moore who has had to catch passes from terrible QBs his entire career" while he's getting paid handsomely? Or imagine all the "we failed Cam Newton and surrounded him with trash his entire career" arguments being met with "but bank account tho..../thread". Those aren't my beliefs about DJ and Cam btw, I do have quite a bit of sympathy for them because I don't think it's all about the money. But if your position is that making bank precludes you from sympathy, then that would apply to every rich NFL player making millions upon millions of dollars. And I can already hear the outrage of "Did you just compare Sam Darnold to DJ Moore and Cam Newton?!", in which case thank you for agreeing with me that there are other factors besides money lol.

Nobody can convince me that's not Scott Fitterer with a beard. NFL thumb-headed GMs have just been put on high alert.

This guy spends 20 minutes researching statistics and selectively crunching up numbers manually (incorrectly, might I reiterate) in response to my one sentence throwaway post and has the audacity to ask me why I care so much.....me. Ok dude lol. I didn't even call any individuals out but I'm glad you're stepping forward and outing yourself as one of those big Baker Boyz who would rather us have given up a 4th round pick instead of a 5th, just to fawn over watching him go 3-and-out for 11 out of 12 drives.