I'm watching a stream with the Nickelodeon commentary and it is absolutely fantastic. When Thomas scored a touchdown he was "slimed" in the "slimezone". Amazing.
Well done the Browns. A play off win & a play off win over a division rival is the cherry on top. The kind of team that could be dangerous with momentum...
It's the College Football Playoff National Championship Game tonight - Alabama Crimson Tide vs the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Not sure who's gonna be staying up to watch it, but I'm going to try and catch at least the first quarter before I eventually succumb to tiredness. This list probably isn't comprehensive but a few draft prospects to watch out for tonight:
- Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: the #2 or #3 quarterback in this draft behind Trevor Lawrence and perhaps BYU's Zach Wilson, Fields balled out against Lawrence's Clemson side last week, with six passing TDs (and an INT). That said, Clemson's secondary was practically non-existent, but commentators were very impressed with how Fields trusted his arm and his receivers to be in the right place. I still think there are questions to be answered over his pocket awareness and instincts vs the blitz/pass rush, as well as the fact he's throwing to guys like Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, but there is loads for (probably) the Jets to work with. Top 5/10 pick
- Mac Jones, QB, Alabama: I have Jones as the sixth-best quarterback in this draft, behind TLaw, Fields, Wilson, Trey Lance (NDSU), and Kyle Trask (Florida). He's a very capable and intelligent quarterback but he might lack the arm strength to truly stand out at the next level. He has great anticipation in the pocket, but isn't stellar outside, and you do have to bear in mind he's been throwing to some absolute superstars too. I reckon he'll go in the second, perhaps third round, to a team looking for a developmental prospect. Round 2-3, probably
- Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama: There is no need for me to hype him up. The 2020 Heisman Trophy winner and first wide receiver to win in nearly 30 years, Smith is - in my mind - the most complete receiving prospect this year, and that says a LOT in a class absolutely stuffed with talent. He has great hands, enough speed, a good sense of contested catches, and knows how to consistently create separation. But the jewel in the crown is his route running: never have I seen a guy get so wide open so often. He's a tad small and his blocking isn't perfect, but... he's just so good. 1st round, top half
- Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State: A really decent looking receiver. It's unfortunate that this class is so loaded: Smith, Ja'Marr Chase; Jaylen Waddle; Rashod Bateman; Rondale Moore; Terrace Marshall; Kadarius Toney; and so on... despite the litany of names here, Olave is still probably at minimum a top 10 receiver in this class. He is also a very strong route runner and has made Justin Fields' job facile at times. He'll be fine in traffic but his separation is what, well, sets him apart. He lacks the true top gear of elite receivers and might struggle with yards after the catch, so that sees him behind a few of the guys I've listed above. Late 1st-early 3rd (it's hard to evaluate WRs!)
- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama: Waddle has missed a lot of time with injury this year and might only be limited in his usage today. That said, any use Bama can get out of him will be massively welcomed, as Waddle is a top-five receiver in this class. He's very versatile (including some snaps in the backfield), small but VERY quick, and excellent as both a returner and after the catch because of his ability to make defenders miss. It'll be exciting to see him on the field if he makes it. 1st round
- Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama: For me, PS2 is the best cornerback in the 2021 draft class and will go to the Cowboys, at the latest, at 10. He's big (6'2 200lb), disciplined, has great IQ, and has a cool head. A question might be his being burned on the deep ball, potentially, but you can always scheme for him in press-man or something to mitigate that. He's got so many desirable traits though that will translate really well to the professional game. 1st round, top half
- Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama: A versatile lineman, Leatherwood might move to guard in the NFL, but has been a tackle for Bama and that should be noted when he's drafted. He's good at generating gaps for the run, and if he's able to square up to a defender he'll dominate them, but his pass protection needs some work as smarter rushers will be able to outmanoeuvre him and change angles better. This leads to him panicking and stiffening his legs sometimes. That said, lots of good traits to work with, and given O-line is always a league-wide need, we can expect to see Leatherwood go fairly early on. 1st-2nd round
- Josh Myers, OL, Ohio State: Playing at centre for the Buckeyes, Myers will do the same or shift to guard in the NFL. He'll definitely be able to start from day one but probably in a run-heavy team that operates out of the shotgun in the passing game (I can see the Jags being a fit, but we already have Brandon Linder). He's a big guy and shifts well laterally but isn't the quickest you'd want. If he's able to get a touch quicker then that changes things. 2nd round, at the moment
- Wyatt Davis, G, Ohio State: Another key piece of the Buckeyes' line. Davis is probably 2nd after Creed Humphrey for me when it comes to interior linemen this draft (though Alijah Vera-Tucker is in the mix too). He looks like a better starting fit at RG than Myers will do at C for the NFL, and will maul defenders when he gets the chance. He's a big boy with all the physical tools you'd want. 1st round
- Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State: Wade has not had a great season and someone who I had as CB2 behind Surtain has now slipped into second-round contention for me. Let's see what he does against Smith tonight. He's struggled moving from nickel to the outside and might move to safety in the pros. He has size and speed, and lots of versatility in terms of how he defends, but some question marks have cropped up this year. 2nd round though might bounce back
- Najee Harris, RB, Alabama: I think he's the second best running back after Travis Etienne in this class. Najee runs well upright; is an adequate pass-catching threat and that's been improving throughout college; has the physical tools to do things like the hurdle last week; and brings lots of determination. He loves a touchdown, which makes up for a bit of flat-footedness: he doesn't go through the gears that well. All this said, he's gonna be a very productive player for someone, I'm sure. 2nd round most likely
- Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama: Probably the best DL this year, just edging out Iowa's Daviyon Nixon (but a good combine will see Nixon shoot up the boards and I'd love him to land with the Jags if still there). This isn't a great year for DL talent but Barmore is very athletic and has been productive in his limited time as a starter. He'll go in the first to a team who need talent at the position. 1st round, maaaaaybe early 2nd
- Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama: He's quick, loves a tackle, and is good in coverage. All of those are good LB building blocks, though Moses lacks some smarts in diagnosing plays and shedding blockers, which hits his stock a little. He'll start somewhere and be drafted on Day 2, probably. 2nd-3rd round
There are more guys too - lots - but these are probably your main guys looking to go in the earlier rounds.
Rams @ Packers (Fox) followed by Ravens @ Bills (NBC)
Sunday night starting 8pm UK time
Browns @ Chiefs (CBS) followed by Buccaneers @ Saints (Fox)
Packers by 8. Ravens v Bills, dunno, probably Bills but don't know. Browns could beat the Chiefs who haven't been doing much lately and I think the betting line is 8, so could be some value there. Saints to beat the Seniors.
Rams @ Packers (Fox) followed by Ravens @ Bills (NBC)
Sunday night starting 8pm UK time
Browns @ Chiefs (CBS) followed by Buccaneers @ Saints (Fox)
Looking forward to these games. I'll go Packers, Bills, Buccaneers. As a Chief I won't make a prediction but the Browns look good.
The Chiefs definitely struggled down the stretch. Our offensive line is a big weakness to exploit. The offence itself was a little bit out of sync with Mahomes looking tired.
Still our upside is huge. Am hoping Reid was just holding back on a few calls - saving the best schemes for the playoffs. We will see.
As mentioned before I do a fair bit of work for the National World War One Museum who are based in Kansas City, as a result I have many, many friends in the City who are Chiefs fans.
The Chiefs themselves have great community outreach and got quite involved with the Great War centenary. Commemorative shirt patches, a tour of the battlefields ahead of their Wembley game for the management a few years back and an exhibition at Arrowhead. After meeting a number of their back office staff, they kindly sent a few bits across for my son who had adopted them as his NFL side, this included a signed Tyreek Hill photo, a jersey and last year, an envelope of the confetti thrown on their bus during the open top parade 'as a gift for their greatest London fan who couldn't be there to see them lift the Superbowl', it really was a lovely touch.
Anyway, as Sunday approaches, I am beginning to feel like @bobmunro when we play Stoke, on a conference call yesterday, its fair to say that my lifelong love of the Browns (well since 1984 when we first started watching NFL on Ch4), was a hot topic of transatlantic conversation and after the wildcard game, I detected a degree of fear in their tone so, if Baker is feeling dangerous and we can get some coaches on the sideline, my predictions are:
The Harris household on Sunday will be split, wife and son backing the Chiefs, me and the dog the Browns. Whoever wins the game, I hope they go on to lift the Lombardi in a few weeks time and that its not too long before I get to visit beautiful KC again, either to gloat or mutter 'same old Browns' under my breath.
What a massive game changer that interception return at the end of the third quarter was. I reckon the Ravens would have won if that throw had been caught by a Raven.
Comments
If anyone has a chance try and find that unsportsmanlike conduct call on Twitter. It genuinely feels rigged.
I agree
Saturday night starting 9:30pm UK time
Rams @ Packers (Fox) followed by
Ravens @ Bills (NBC)
Sunday night starting 8pm UK time
Browns @ Chiefs (CBS) followed by
Buccaneers @ Saints (Fox)
Not sure who's gonna be staying up to watch it, but I'm going to try and catch at least the first quarter before I eventually succumb to tiredness. This list probably isn't comprehensive but a few draft prospects to watch out for tonight:
- Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: the #2 or #3 quarterback in this draft behind Trevor Lawrence and perhaps BYU's Zach Wilson, Fields balled out against Lawrence's Clemson side last week, with six passing TDs (and an INT). That said, Clemson's secondary was practically non-existent, but commentators were very impressed with how Fields trusted his arm and his receivers to be in the right place. I still think there are questions to be answered over his pocket awareness and instincts vs the blitz/pass rush, as well as the fact he's throwing to guys like Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, but there is loads for (probably) the Jets to work with. Top 5/10 pick
- Mac Jones, QB, Alabama: I have Jones as the sixth-best quarterback in this draft, behind TLaw, Fields, Wilson, Trey Lance (NDSU), and Kyle Trask (Florida). He's a very capable and intelligent quarterback but he might lack the arm strength to truly stand out at the next level. He has great anticipation in the pocket, but isn't stellar outside, and you do have to bear in mind he's been throwing to some absolute superstars too. I reckon he'll go in the second, perhaps third round, to a team looking for a developmental prospect. Round 2-3, probably
- Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama: There is no need for me to hype him up. The 2020 Heisman Trophy winner and first wide receiver to win in nearly 30 years, Smith is - in my mind - the most complete receiving prospect this year, and that says a LOT in a class absolutely stuffed with talent. He has great hands, enough speed, a good sense of contested catches, and knows how to consistently create separation. But the jewel in the crown is his route running: never have I seen a guy get so wide open so often. He's a tad small and his blocking isn't perfect, but... he's just so good. 1st round, top half
- Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State: A really decent looking receiver. It's unfortunate that this class is so loaded: Smith, Ja'Marr Chase; Jaylen Waddle; Rashod Bateman; Rondale Moore; Terrace Marshall; Kadarius Toney; and so on... despite the litany of names here, Olave is still probably at minimum a top 10 receiver in this class. He is also a very strong route runner and has made Justin Fields' job facile at times. He'll be fine in traffic but his separation is what, well, sets him apart. He lacks the true top gear of elite receivers and might struggle with yards after the catch, so that sees him behind a few of the guys I've listed above. Late 1st-early 3rd (it's hard to evaluate WRs!)
- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama: Waddle has missed a lot of time with injury this year and might only be limited in his usage today. That said, any use Bama can get out of him will be massively welcomed, as Waddle is a top-five receiver in this class. He's very versatile (including some snaps in the backfield), small but VERY quick, and excellent as both a returner and after the catch because of his ability to make defenders miss. It'll be exciting to see him on the field if he makes it. 1st round
- Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama: For me, PS2 is the best cornerback in the 2021 draft class and will go to the Cowboys, at the latest, at 10. He's big (6'2 200lb), disciplined, has great IQ, and has a cool head. A question might be his being burned on the deep ball, potentially, but you can always scheme for him in press-man or something to mitigate that. He's got so many desirable traits though that will translate really well to the professional game. 1st round, top half
- Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama: A versatile lineman, Leatherwood might move to guard in the NFL, but has been a tackle for Bama and that should be noted when he's drafted. He's good at generating gaps for the run, and if he's able to square up to a defender he'll dominate them, but his pass protection needs some work as smarter rushers will be able to outmanoeuvre him and change angles better. This leads to him panicking and stiffening his legs sometimes. That said, lots of good traits to work with, and given O-line is always a league-wide need, we can expect to see Leatherwood go fairly early on. 1st-2nd round
- Josh Myers, OL, Ohio State: Playing at centre for the Buckeyes, Myers will do the same or shift to guard in the NFL. He'll definitely be able to start from day one but probably in a run-heavy team that operates out of the shotgun in the passing game (I can see the Jags being a fit, but we already have Brandon Linder). He's a big guy and shifts well laterally but isn't the quickest you'd want. If he's able to get a touch quicker then that changes things. 2nd round, at the moment
- Wyatt Davis, G, Ohio State: Another key piece of the Buckeyes' line. Davis is probably 2nd after Creed Humphrey for me when it comes to interior linemen this draft (though Alijah Vera-Tucker is in the mix too). He looks like a better starting fit at RG than Myers will do at C for the NFL, and will maul defenders when he gets the chance. He's a big boy with all the physical tools you'd want. 1st round
- Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State: Wade has not had a great season and someone who I had as CB2 behind Surtain has now slipped into second-round contention for me. Let's see what he does against Smith tonight. He's struggled moving from nickel to the outside and might move to safety in the pros. He has size and speed, and lots of versatility in terms of how he defends, but some question marks have cropped up this year. 2nd round though might bounce back
- Najee Harris, RB, Alabama: I think he's the second best running back after Travis Etienne in this class. Najee runs well upright; is an adequate pass-catching threat and that's been improving throughout college; has the physical tools to do things like the hurdle last week; and brings lots of determination. He loves a touchdown, which makes up for a bit of flat-footedness: he doesn't go through the gears that well. All this said, he's gonna be a very productive player for someone, I'm sure. 2nd round most likely
- Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama: Probably the best DL this year, just edging out Iowa's Daviyon Nixon (but a good combine will see Nixon shoot up the boards and I'd love him to land with the Jags if still there). This isn't a great year for DL talent but Barmore is very athletic and has been productive in his limited time as a starter. He'll go in the first to a team who need talent at the position. 1st round, maaaaaybe early 2nd
- Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama: He's quick, loves a tackle, and is good in coverage. All of those are good LB building blocks, though Moses lacks some smarts in diagnosing plays and shedding blockers, which hits his stock a little. He'll start somewhere and be drafted on Day 2, probably. 2nd-3rd round
There are more guys too - lots - but these are probably your main guys looking to go in the earlier rounds.
As a Chief I won't make a prediction but the Browns look good.
The Chiefs definitely struggled down the stretch. Our offensive line is a big weakness to exploit. The offence itself was a little bit out of sync with Mahomes looking tired.
Still our upside is huge. Am hoping Reid was just holding back on a few calls - saving the best schemes for the playoffs. We will see.
he’s going to be some player. 1st round pick in a future draft for sure.
Ravens
Chiefs
Bucs
Ravens
Chiefs
Saints.
Ravens
Chiefs
Saints ( I hope)
The Chiefs themselves have great community outreach and got quite involved with the Great War centenary. Commemorative shirt patches, a tour of the battlefields ahead of their Wembley game for the management a few years back and an exhibition at Arrowhead. After meeting a number of their back office staff, they kindly sent a few bits across for my son who had adopted them as his NFL side, this included a signed Tyreek Hill photo, a jersey and last year, an envelope of the confetti thrown on their bus during the open top parade 'as a gift for their greatest London fan who couldn't be there to see them lift the Superbowl', it really was a lovely touch.
Anyway, as Sunday approaches, I am beginning to feel like @bobmunro when we play Stoke, on a conference call yesterday, its fair to say that my lifelong love of the Browns (well since 1984 when we first started watching NFL on Ch4), was a hot topic of transatlantic conversation and after the wildcard game, I detected a degree of fear in their tone so, if Baker is feeling dangerous and we can get some coaches on the sideline, my predictions are:
1 - Packers
2 - Ravens
3 - Cleveland Browns
4 - Saints
The Harris household on Sunday will be split, wife and son backing the Chiefs, me and the dog the Browns. Whoever wins the game, I hope they go on to lift the Lombardi in a few weeks time and that its not too long before I get to visit beautiful KC again, either to gloat or mutter 'same old Browns' under my breath.
How do you lose that much draft capital trading for Trubisky (sacrificing the mid term success of the franchise) and still have a job
Nagy is lucky they settle for mediocrity too.
Okay. Welcome. Not my first choice, but I do like the aggression. Hopefully my doubts are proven laughably wrong.