2025-2026 NFL Season Thread - God hates the Chargers

Merrith

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Just saw it today when I was looking for anything else related to what you just posted. Was even a suggestion that the GM knew about the dyslexic thing and kept it to himself although that doesn't make much sense to me. If you know your prospect has a learning disability and it doesn't deter you from drafting him, keeping quiet about it makes no sense at all if you want him to excel.

Honestly I think that article is even more damning to the entire scout profession than it is to the Bears GM, as if the Zach Wilson situation hadn't already been thorough justification to fire every scout in the NFL and not hire any replacements.

I'm trying to think in my head what the motivation would be. Obviously they sold a shit ton of merch, season tickets, etc in the wake of drafting Williams, but in what was genuinely viewed as a possible historic draft in terms of QB talent, the long term cost of getting it wrong with so many obvious red flags known about beforehand just seems way too illogical. Especially if the whole Eli forcing a trade situation was a real possibility at any point in the process, wouldn't you prefer opening up discussion on a potential franchise guy who wouldn't even consider that?

Just seems like he hitched his wagon to one guy and was going to stick with that no matter what. Weird to think Ben Johnson completely fell for it and is just putting on a face now, too (or thinking he can solve the kid's problems himself, I guess).
 

Brahma

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Supposedly he's also dyslexic and hid that from the team.

Could just be a cover for him being a run of the mill retard though, like you probably can't call a black player stupid no matter how stupid he is so he has to have a learning disability rather than just a low IQ.

He's stupid.
 
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Nabi

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Honestly I think that article is even more damning to the entire scout profession than it is to the Bears GM, as if the Zach Wilson situation hadn't already been thorough justification to fire every scout in the NFL and not hire any replacements.
Reminder the bears traded up for and selected Mitch "I love titties" Trubisky over deshawn watson and mahomes. Sid Luckman from the 40s was their all time passing leader until Jay Catler. Browns and Bears gotta be 1a and 1b on shitty QB history.

Regarding shitty scouts, does he still have a job?
 

Gavinmad

Mr. Poopybutthole
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Reminder the bears traded up for and selected Mitch "I love titties" Trubisky
Most of that is just hindsight, and if they had drafted Mahomes he'd have ended up following about the same career trajectory as Stafford. End up chained to a dogshit franchise for a decade and maybe get a shot at a ring late in your career with a lucky trade.
 
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Merrith

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Most of that is just hindsight, and if they had drafted Mahomes he'd have ended up following about the same career trajectory as Stafford. End up chained to a dogshit franchise for a decade and maybe get a shot at a ring late in your career with a lucky trade.

I do think a guy like him might have a little more success than Trubinsy, although ironically Mitch kinda started off fairly hot in Chicago. But it is amazing how bad certain franchises can ruin careers. Buddy and I were talking about "forgotten WR's" the other day and Elijah Mitchell's name came up. Was really hot late his rookie year in fantasy football. But playing for the Jets and Browns just a death sentence for your career. Other spots obviously like Chicago, and Carolina pre this current coaching staff (maybe, jury still out). Situation probably easily over 50% of every guy's success or failure rate, other than absolute freak talents.
 

Fucker

Log Wizard
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Man, this story can't REALLY be that bad. Ready/Set/Go? Really?
Meh. Comes across as a hit piece. Last year was a fucked up year for many people on the team. HC lost his job, they have a new HC that will be a big improvement. Rookie years are tough, much more so when the team has a bunch of fuckups in the coaching staff. That none of this CW stuff was heard of last season or in post also leads me to believe it is BS.

Caleb Williams' rookie numbers: 242-of-385 (62.8%) for 3,541 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and just 6 INTs. Also had 489 rushing yards and just two fumbles lost. Plenty to improve on but shattered every rookie record in the book. He'll finish w/ the 5th most single season yds.

5th best QB season in Bears history.

CategoryDetail
Passing3,541 yds, 20 TD, 6 INT, 62.5% comp, 87.8 RTG
Rushing489 yds
Franchise RecordsAttempts, comps, passing yds, TDs by rookie
Interception Streak354 consecutive passes w/o INT, NFL rookie record
Sacks68 total—painful highlight of protection issues
HighlightsGamed-winning drives, streak-breaking performances
GradeB+—solid foundation amidst organizational turmoil
 

Merrith

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Meh. Comes across as a hit piece. Last year was a fucked up year for many people on the team. HC lost his job, they have a new HC that will be a big improvement. Rookie years are tough, much more so when the team has a bunch of fuckups in the coaching staff. That none of this CW stuff was heard of last season or in post also leads me to believe it is BS.

Caleb Williams' rookie numbers: 242-of-385 (62.8%) for 3,541 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and just 6 INTs. Also had 489 rushing yards and just two fumbles lost. Plenty to improve on but shattered every rookie record in the book. He'll finish w/ the 5th most single season yds.

5th best QB season in Bears history.

CategoryDetail
Passing3,541 yds, 20 TD, 6 INT, 62.5% comp, 87.8 RTG
Rushing489 yds
Franchise RecordsAttempts, comps, passing yds, TDs by rookie
Interception Streak354 consecutive passes w/o INT, NFL rookie record
Sacks68 total—painful highlight of protection issues
HighlightsGamed-winning drives, streak-breaking performances
GradeB+—solid foundation amidst organizational turmoil

He actually had 5 fumbles lost, not just 2. While the box car stats look okay, I know good bit of them came late in games when they were probably trailing by a couple scores.
 

Kobayashi

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Glad you had a chance to say that now before micah gets 5 sacks on sunday. Looks like Goff is the sacrificial lamb. How is the lions O-line, anyway? They didn't have to face micah last year.
Last year, their line was easily top 3 in the league. This year, a lot of questions.

Tackles are unchanged. Decker is probably a B+ at LT. I'd say he was 2nd weakest on the line last year - only because 3/4 of the others were that damn good. He still made a Pro Bowl last year. Sewell at RT you could argue is the best player on the team. He's easily their best lineman and was All Pro the last two years.

The interior is completely changed and has huge question marks. Kevin Zeitler, who had a great year at RG, they let go to free agency. They drafted Ratledge to fill that role and potentially be an understudy at center. Then, Frank Ragnow, the long time center retired somewhat unexpectedly after the draft. This shifted Graham Glasgow, the weakest lineman last year, over to center from LG. He's played some center before, so, it's not a completely unnatural position. At LG, they're starting Christian Mahogany, a late round project they've been bringing up slowly in the organization. He was decent last year when filling in, but I think they were planning to have him as more of a depth guy jockeying with Glasgow than starter.

So, you've got a shaky guy at center who is up there in years, a depth guy at LG, a pretty promising rookie at RG, and two great tackles. Oh, and zero depth. If one of these guys goes down, you've got 3/6 backups available - they just put two guys on the IR and the third is out.

It's easily the biggest question going into this year now, especially because Goff is an absolute statue at QB and folds under the slightest pressure. I think the Lions will mostly keep things on the ground, especially with Kenny Clark being given up in the Parsons trade. If Green Bay gets up early and forces a lot of obvious passing, it might be a long day. If the Lions get up and they can really force the Packers to respect the play action, I think Parsons will practically be invisible.

Side note: grab Isaac TeSlaa if he's available in your fantasy league - he's not going to be a WR1 there, but I think he'll be a good depth piece and will get a lot of balls thrown to him this year, especially in the end zone.
 
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Merrith

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Side note: grab Isaac TeSlaa if he's available in your fantasy league - he's not going to be a WR1 there, but I think he'll be a good depth piece and will get a lot of balls thrown to him this year, especially in the end zone.

Have had him stashed in a few leagues already (easy to just draft a guy who is on IR in leagues with IR spots then scoop undrafted guys like TeSlaa after the draft). Little worried offense is too crowded for him to be fantasy relevant without St Brown or Williams missing time, though.
 

Fadaar

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The only thing more hilarious was Kelce basically murdering his own team mate on a play. And then headbutting another teammate after a blown play.

That guy has big mental issues.

It's going to be a loooong year for KC.



Kinda glad I mispicked in a draft and didn't get him lol
 
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Kajiimagi

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lol it will 100% increase next year

10 years ago I wouldn’t have thought Prime would have commercials either. I don’t think I’ve logged in there once in 2 years since they added it.
I do to watch Thursday Night Football, but that's it. Everything else I just rip-n-run and fuck Prime.
 

Urlithani

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Do I need to add you to Big Regime’s YouTube Sunday ticket Family plan?


Also


Urlithani Urlithani zzeris zzeris and Sterling Sterling health check

I forgot it was opening day. Also my kids hit the TV with a ball and I havent gotten around to mounting the new one.

The good thing is I knew they weren't doing much this season. The bad thing is that I'm still disappointed. I'm taking out my anger doing quotes and following up on emails at least lol.

Two things I laugh at about it is: I saw this video this morning and forgot about football in anticipation of hockey:

And the other thing is I didn't realize Danny Dimes is the one picking Miami apart, which kind of makes me smile. Who doesnt love a good redemption story?
 
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