Official NFL Notes 2015

[mraynrand]

Because seeking a review would undermine player support of the PA.

And the League already has tools to do this for in game conduct. You would need a far more egregious case for player sentiment to switch to push for harsher penalties.

Not necessarily. How about just a repetitive pattern by the same guy? It's not like there are thirty guys running around taking cheap shots. It's one guy - maybe another guy here and there. So if there is a complaint (and we don't know if there is or isn't, I think), then review it and see if the guy deserves a fine or suspension, even if it goes beyond the 'strict' rules agreed upon - there is some room for discretion. As long as it isn't capricious, and addresses a serious and/or recurring problem, I don't think there will be significant push back or loss of support for PA, because it's a case of protecting other players.

[pbmax]

Not necessarily. How about just a repetitive pattern by the same guy? It's not like there are thirty guys running around taking cheap shots. It's one guy - maybe another guy here and there. So if there is a complaint (and we don't know if there is or isn't, I think), then review it and see if the guy deserves a fine or suspension, even if it goes beyond the 'strict' rules agreed upon - there is some room for discretion. As long as it isn't capricious, and addresses a serious and/or recurring problem, I don't think there will be significant push back or loss of support for PA, because it's a case of protecting other players.

I just don't see the evidence of support for such a move. Other action has gotten loud support (Personal Conduct, PEDs) from player quarters that helped carry the day publicly. This doesn't.

And am I nuts or did the Packer players also downplay what they wanted to have happen to Suh when he stomped on EDS/had his shoes untied by EDS?

But the idea of escalation in the face of repeat offenders is already a feature of the policy. In fact, that is the part of the PFT speculation I agree with. While neither incident is the worst of either player's career (though from some of the things I have read about Jones, he seems to have made a sincere effort to reform that is lacking with Suh), the fact that this is repeat in-game conduct with no suspensions is the surprise.

I just don't think there is an appetite among the players to go after other players. Probably closer to never than occasionally. If the issue blossoms like the others have, then the thinking may change.

[mraynrand]

I just don't see the evidence of support for such a move. Other action has gotten loud support (Personal Conduct, PEDs) from player quarters that helped carry the day publicly. This doesn't.

well, honestly, it's not a big issue. It's maybe one or two guys. So it seems pretty straightforward that if there's a bad actor, it shouldn't be difficult to punish appropriately and more severely than whatever the standard is without 'scaring' people about some change in the power structure.

[sharpe1027]

Because seeking a review would undermine player support of the PA.

And the League already has tools to do this for in game conduct. You would need a far more egregious case for player sentiment to switch to push for harsher penalties.

I think you are looking at this the wrong way. It is not about policy or precedent, it is about their finding that there was no intent in Suh's action. The PA would not be seeking a harsher fine, just a review of the factual finding. The league could do whatever they wanted in terms of following precedent and fines or suspension.

[pbmax]

I think a review for intent is inherently an exercise in futility. And unless grievous enough to demand action to prevent being overrun by public opinion, players aren't going to want the NFLPA to push for more investigations. Perhaps a case could be made to conduct interviews in all cases, to get people on the record.

But I would actually prefer they pursue this:

ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk 33m33 minutes ago
Pacman's helmet antics were preceded by a throat punch from Cooper (but Jones still should have been suspended) http://wp.me/p14QSB-9R5Z

I can see a player argument for getting the details right. Not all sources of conflict can be verified, but if you've got film and it wasn't called on the field, there should be a FedEx envelope at that player's locker on Friday.

[Joemailman]

Jameis Winston's first NFL pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. The last to have that happen? Brett Favre. So, depending on how you look at it, his career either got off to a terrible start or a great one.

[pbmax]

Read this explanation of Manning/Kubiak struggles with their offense. Tell me the section on Manning being skittish in the pocket doesn't remind you of later period Favre.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jason-la-canfora/25308395/broncos-struggling-to-integrate-aging-peyton-manning-into-new-offense

The scouts detailed a template for defending Manning that has become increasingly common and other teams are expected to replicate when possible. Manning is becoming increasingly wary of being hit, they said.

“He hates anticipated pressure and he's playing skittish in the pocket,” as one scout described it.

“He's going to protect himself,” this scout went on to say. “If the pocket is totally clean and he can get his entire body into the throw, he can still throw a fastball when he needs to. If there's pressure, or he perceives there is pressure, then he's going to go down pretty quickly.”

Brett wouldn't go down quick, but he would throw it quick, whether the route and coverage demanded it or not.

[pbmax]

PFT and the agent for Joe Thomas deliver a smackdown on Ian Rapoport. Rap Sheet had reported that the Thomas trade to the Broncos fell apart over guaranteed money demands by Thomas before agreeing to report. His agent (Peter Schaffer) responded on the record that the deal never reached contract language questions as the team's never agreed to compensation. "The word guarantee never came up...."

“I never asked for any re-do of the contract,” Schaffer said. “The Broncos never asked to do anything with the contract. We never asked for guaranteed money. The whole thing is made up.”

Its rare for an agent to put their name on a report like this and it lends credibility. Its hard to read how that Rapoport story is bad for Thomas. He doesn't want to leave Cleveland unless the remaining three years of his deal get guaranteed and he goes to a contender. I tend to believe the agent in this case, even though RapSheet has been spot on about a lot of other reports (esp. Packers).

[pbmax]

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet 5m5 minutes ago
#Browns coach Mike Pettine tipped his hand on making the Johnny Manziel the starter this week, lauding his progress. Now he gets the season

[pbmax]

[red]

Lol

[pbmax]

This article doesn't start off promising: when interviewing, try telling the owner and you boss they don't know what the hell they are doing! If they don't listen, you didn't want to work for them anyway.

But it does get better, especially with Tidwell's list of what he was looking for in a coach. All of this is after the fact, but his list isn't a bad place to start when hiring.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000584101/article/week-11-notebook-mike-zimmer-bruce-arians-head-nfl-trend

Bonus material, how easy it is to hurt little Greg Hardy's feelings. A mean coach and how it took extra time for him to be able to show his face at practice.

[mraynrand]

With 57 years on this planet under his belt at that point, Zimmer most certainly was. And he became the latest example of trend in pro football to go older with head-coaching hires.

What about the trend of hiring coaches who are heavy and then become fat?
Holmgren in Seattle, Andy Reid, Stubby...there are others (my favorite was Denny Green, but that goes way back, so not part of 'trend.'. I guess Ryan is a counter example, where he had surgery lost weight and started to suck.

[Patler]

What about the trend of hiring coaches who are heavy and then become fat?

You mean American males who are younger and then become older?

[Joemailman]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...demote-manziel

Johnny Manziel's reign as Browns starting quarterback is over.

Just a short time after it began, head coach Mike Pettine took exception to a series of photos and videos that surfaced of Manziel allegedly partying during the Browns' bye week last week. The various media, which show Manziel wielding a champagne bottle just months after completing rehab, frustrated his head coach to a point that could seriously alter the Browns' future.

Every game, all season

When asked about the photos on Tuesday, Pettine said he was considering a benching. By late afternoon, he made it official, and dropped Manziel all the way to No. 3.

Thus ends another remarkable chapter in Browns history.