Pre-seasoned thoughts

[jterrell]

---When Jerry spoke up about reducing pre-season to 2 games and adding two regular season games it didn't surprise me but I did giggle as most you who thought I lived in Jerry's butt before, def do now. Alas, imho Jerry is right about this... more money for players (plus stats) and owners and more valuable TV games. As a fan, more quality football.

This doesn't mean the player should just accept this with no other factors. Increase rosters to 60, drop PS back down to 5 and remove weed as a banned drug.

---I expect Dallas to start fast this year. The schedule seems favorable early and frankly an offensive overhaul is usually really good for fast starts. Defenses play tendencies and with anew offense come new tendencies. That edge doesn't usually last long but def 5-6 weeks.

So I have Dallas out to a strong 5-1 type start.

W - CAR at home seems a win given their OL troubles. DAL D is strong and they might win that without much beyond Zeke. Vegas predicts them to win 9 but likely not with this OL as DAL is favored week 1.
W - Giants are still rather a mess at OL and the QB inspires zero confidence. Vegas has them at 7 wins which is in the bottom 10.
W- At SEA means a little different than it used to. Very tough to win there but I could see this actually being Carroll's last season in charge. Vegas has them at 7.5 wins.
W- Lions at home. Rolling DAL at home playing a team Vegas suggests 7.5? I am going to say we win,
L -At Texans, coming in high and mighty for their Super Bowl and I think they eek it out when their QB runs for a lot of yardage and a TD or two.
W-Expect us to bounce back versus a good Jags team that is simply not very good on offense. This game could turn on ST but DAL is definitely a better offensive team and the two defenses are likely both top 5.

After this DAL may well hit some bumps and high powered offenses will likely give us problems as our style is best displayed versus teams that can't get hot and score in a hurry late.

Still I see 11-5 and a playoff berth. Philly could win the division and has better talent provided their older roster doesn't get even more dinged up than it is today.

---Crazy cut down day Saturday. Do not get overly excitted if your guys makes the first round of cuts because we may well cut 5-6 more guys in the coming few days as we add people and try to sneak guys into that practice squad. The frenzy will be unreal that close to game 1.

---Pre-season game 4... I honestly don't know that anyone can prove anything. I believe the roster is pretty much set unless players get injured. I mean I am watching lol, but really this is going to be bad football.

---Non Football Injury. Was cleared up about this on twitter by KD Drummond. NFI is also only for players that haven't played in pre-season. What a bummer. Will cost DAL a temporary roster spot because TFred has to be on 53 for a few days AND it costs him 2 games as he can not play until week 8 on IR-designated returnee status. The NFL should fix this. NFL is just that, 'non-football' so should not require injured reserve at all. Travis SHOULD be a textbook case and he SHOULD be eligible after 6 weeks.

---We are soooo close to the best time of year. There is no better season than Fall. My only complaint is this is also the best time to be out of the house enjoying decent weather. Wish football was in the heat of summer or dead of winter.

 

[Sydla]

The problem is Jerry said let’s go to 18 games because it will be “safer” for the players.

That’s idiotic.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Great post JT!!!

Still I see 11-5 and a playoff berth.

 

[jterrell]

The problem is Jerry said let’s go to 18 games because it will be “safer” for the players.

That’s idiotic.

He also said it would mean 1B more dollars for players but that's not sexy so wasn't widely reported.

In a sense Jerry is correct in that it is safer. Tossing players out in pre-season games where thay aren't fully in shape playing in games that dont matter are very, very high risk.

But certainly 2 more games adds snaps which adds risk. That means you have to compensate players for that and expand rosters plus perhaps overhaul how IR works.

 

[sbark]

The problem is Jerry said let’s go to 18 games because it will be “safer” for the players.

That’s idiotic.

Realize he meant 2 less preseason games also....same # games including pre and reg season, but flip some to reg season

 

[DFWJC]

---When Jerry spoke up about reducing pre-season to 2 games and adding two regular season games it didn't surprise me but I did giggle as most you who thought I lived in Jerry's butt before, def do now. Alas, imho Jerry is right about this... more money for players (plus stats) and owners and more valuable TV games. As a fan, more quality football.

This doesn't mean the player should just accept this with no other factors. Increase rosters to 60, drop PS back down to 5 and remove weed as a banned drug.

---I expect Dallas to start fast this year. The schedule seems favorable early and frankly an offensive overhaul is usually really good for fast starts. Defenses play tendencies and with anew offense come new tendencies. That edge doesn't usually last long but def 5-6 weeks.

So I have Dallas out to a strong 5-1 type start.

W - CAR at home seems a win given their OL troubles. DAL D is strong and they might win that without much beyond Zeke. Vegas predicts them to win 9 but likely not with this OL as DAL is favored week 1.
W - Giants are still rather a mess at OL and the QB inspires zero confidence. Vegas has them at 7 wins which is in the bottom 10.
W- At SEA means a little different than it used to. Very tough to win there but I could see this actually being Carroll's last season in charge. Vegas has them at 7.5 wins.
W- Lions at home. Rolling DAL at home playing a team Vegas suggests 7.5? I am going to say we win,
L -At Texans, coming in high and mighty for their Super Bowl and I think they eek it out when their QB runs for a lot of yardage and a TD or two.
W-Expect us to bounce back versus a good Jags team that is simply not very good on offense. This game could turn on ST but DAL is definitely a better offensive team and the two defenses are likely both top 5.

After this DAL may well hit some bumps and high powered offenses will likely give us problems as our style is best displayed versus teams that can't get hot and score in a hurry late.

Still I see 11-5 and a playoff berth. Philly could win the division and has better talent provided their older roster doesn't get even more dinged up than it is today.

---Crazy cut down day Saturday. Do not get overly excitted if your guys makes the first round of cuts because we may well cut 5-6 more guys in the coming few days as we add people and try to sneak guys into that practice squad. The frenzy will be unreal that close to game 1.

---Pre-season game 4... I honestly don't know that anyone can prove anything. I believe the roster is pretty much set unless players get injured. I mean I am watching lol, but really this is going to be bad football.

---Non Football Injury. Was cleared up about this on twitter by KD Drummond. NFI is also only for players that haven't played in pre-season. What a bummer. Will cost DAL a temporary roster spot because TFred has to be on 53 for a few days AND it costs him 2 games as he can not play until week 8 on IR-designated returnee status. The NFL should fix this. NFL is just that, 'non-football' so should not require injured reserve at all. Travis SHOULD be a textbook case and he SHOULD be eligible after 6 weeks.

---We are soooo close to the best time of year. There is no better season than Fall. My only complaint is this is also the best time to be out of the house enjoying decent weather. Wish football was in the heat of summer or dead of winter.

That would be pretty amazing if we start 5-1
Certainly possible. Seems like any of the wins, alone, are possible. Winning ALL of: at Carolina, NYG, at Seattle, Detroit, and Jacksonville?
Rah-rah!

I’ll take it

 

[jterrell]

That would be pretty amazing if we start 5-1

Rah-rah!

Yup but I do expect us to come out of the gate much like in 2016 with defenses uncertain of us and a better than expected defense.
Think middle of the season will be much tougher than you try to jockey to playoffs while playing division rivals.
So I only have us 6-4 the final 10.

 

[AbeBeta]

60 man roster. Yes we need spots for onside kick specialists and multiple 7 footers to block kicks

 

[Aven8]

That would be pretty amazing if we start 5-1
Certainly possible. Seems like any of the wins, alone, are possible. Winning ALL of: at Carolina, NYG, at Seattle, Detroit, and Jacksonville?
Rah-rah!

I’ll take it

We have to stay ahead of the game here. If we start out 2-4 and the Gents or Philly are hot it will be thought to catch just like last year. Philly had it wrapped up so early we didn't have a chance.

 

[DiResta]

it would be safer and ultimately more rewarding if they just increase initial roster size to 120 or something, let teams play 2 games with no starters
then have a cut down before the other 2 preseason games
give rookies and FA more opportunity to play and land somewhere
it's going to be ugly with limited starters anyway

 

[Sydla]

Realize he meant 2 less preseason games also....same # games including pre and reg season, but flip some to reg season

Of course but the logic it’s safer for players shifting 2 preseason games to regular season games is silly.

 

[mrmojo]

Do players receive more money for regular season games than preseason games? I'm still trying to figure out where the extra income is coming from, it's still 20 games overall.

 

[DFWJC]

It helps that get Atlanta in Philly, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Eagles start out 0-1

 

[DFWJC]

Do players receive more money for regular season games than preseason games? I'm still trying to figure out where the extra income is coming from, it's still 20 games overall.

Overall revenue would go up a lot based on TV deals, so the cap and overall pay would also go up.
I suspect that wouldn't be worth it to the players though.
Two extra real games would make for some tired players toward the end of the season with a big injury risk attached.

 

[jterrell]

60 man roster. Yes we need spots for onside kick specialists and multiple 7 footers to block kicks

60 would basically be 1 more for each position group. Given injuries that means simply not having to sign street free agents to play games for you.
Right now the league stashes 10 guys per team on the PS which is kinda crap because it denies guys a credited season(3 full pay games). No credited season means no pension or accrued season for salary minimum purposes.

 

[jterrell]

Overall revenue would go up a lot based on TV deals, so the cap and overall pay would also go up.
I suspect that wouldn't be worth it to the players though.
Two extra real games would make for some tired players toward the end of the season with a big injury risk attached.

Yup, that's why you'd have to include not testing for weed and expanding rosters to push it across the goal line.

 

[jterrell]

Do players receive more money for regular season games than preseason games? I'm still trying to figure out where the extra income is coming from, it's still 20 games overall.

No, They get a per diem and room and board but no game checks.
Game checks are divided 1/17.
Theoretically they could get game checks for 20 weeks with 18 games and 2 BYEs but the total wouldn't change because of that.
It change because TV and basically all over revenue would increase mightily. Thus the checks would simply be large as players are guaranteed a percentage of total revenue.

 

[jterrell]

It helps that get Atlanta in Philly, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Eagles start out 0-1

I'll be picking ATL for sure. Revenge for a close 15-10 loss and injuries on that PHL side.
Jernigan and Jeffrey, two starters are expected to miss the game for sure.
We don't know what to expect of Wentz.

 

[jazzcat22]

I can’t see why 11-5 is not doable.
Remover in 2016, no Romo, starting a 4th round rookie QB, a rookie RB and a still not so good defense, very suspect.

And they go out and go 13-3.

So now, the OL is even better, less T Fred for now. The defenses looks to be a top 10 for sure, and possibly improve from their #8 spot last year. Zeke and Dak more experience. Supposedly better route runners at WR for Dak. With the TE the unknown here, but will be better than the naysayers be.eive on here.

They went 9-7 last year and he’s the win against the Eagles counts, with all the issues and distractions. So yeah, 11-5 is very doable.

 

[DFWJC]

I can’t see why 11-5 is not doable.
Remover in 2016, no Romo, starting a 4th round rookie QB, a rookie RB and a still not so good defense, very suspect.

And they go out and go 13-3.

So now, the OL is even better, less T Fred for now. The defenses looks to be a top 10 for sure, and possibly improve from their #8 spot last year. Zeke and Dak more experience. Supposedly better route runners at WR for Dak. With the TE the unknown here, but will be better than the naysayers be.eive on here.

They went 9-7 last year and he’s the win against the Eagles counts, with all the issues and distractions. So yeah, 11-5 is very doable.

Its doable.

However, I will say this about 2016.

• That 2016 oline WAS better than this year’s, imo. Especially with no TFred
• They had a last place schedule
• They caught the league blind and off guard with a different look with Dak and Zeke
• They had Witten and Dez 2016 version..fwiw

I do like this years’ defense better though!