Our 2025 opponents are nearly set... 

 

We play home-and-home against the division, NFC rotation gives us the North.  AFC rotation gives us the East, which means we get two additional games against the 3rd place teams frmo the AFC South and West.  And 17th opponent rotation gives us the 3rd place NFC West team, which we play at home because this is an AFC-9 NFC-8 year.

 

HOME: BAL CFT PIT NEP NYJ CHI DET JAX(AS-3), ARI/SFF (NW-3)

AWAY: BAL CFT PIT BUF MIA GBP MIN DEN(AW-3)

 

JAX (4-12) is locked in as AFC South 3.  They're a game up on TEN (3-13) and swept them h2h.  Neither can catch IND (7-9).  DEN (9-7) is locked in as AFC West 3. They're a game behind LAC (10-6)  but were swept, and neither have to worry about 4th place LVR (4-12)

 

ARI (7-9) or SFF (6-9) will be NFC West 3.  Neither can catch SEA (7-9). SFF plays tonight against DET, and they play each other next week.  If SFF wins tonight (doubtful), they'll be square at 7-9 and we'll get whomever wins their week 18 game.  If SFF loses tonight, ARI will clinch 3rd based on Strength of Victory.  Best SFF can do with a 1-1 finish is tie ARI at 7-10, in which case they will have split their h2h games and both be 2-4 in the division.  But ARI went 1-2 against their unique opponents (W-LAC L-CAR L-WAS) while SFF went 2-1 against their unique opponents (L-KCC W-TBB W-DAL). With the same overall record and a worse record against unique opponents, ARI is guaranteed to have a better record against common opponents.  So if SFF goes 2-0 we play them next year.  If SFF loses either game, we play ARI.

 

By the way, if you're looking for a roadtrip, I recommend Green Bay.  I went to both NFC North cities 8 years ago when we rotated up there... had a hell of a time in both towns.  But with Minneapolis having turned into a shit-show, if you can make only one trip and you've never been to Lambeau - go there.  In Green Bay, two out of three girls are cute and friendly.... there's beer...  and (if you're into it) they've got a museum dedicated to fish.... specicifally trout.

 

  

 

  

 

I may go back to Lambeau next year, although seeing the Bills at the old Rich Stadium before it gets torn down for 2026 might be fun.

 

 

 

17 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

 

I think Jackson and Jenkins are the starters next year. I would not mind having BJ Hill back for a short term deal, but I think the team moves on. I also think Rankins is likely done, as he's been a waste here. I'm looking at FAs at DT and not much there, unless they keep BJ I think the look to the draft for the 3rd guy. 

Kenneth Grant...draft him..

16 hours ago, T-Dub said:

 

That's a scary thought.  They've both looked OK, as in they might be decent players.  They've not at all looked like they should be locks as starters next year IMO.

 

Hopefully the draft is focused on interior OL and defense.

 

 

Who else to add in the rotation?

Get Kenneth Grant if he's even on the board  by then.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, AmishBengalFan said:

Our 2025 opponents are nearly set... 

 

We play home-and-home against the division, NFC rotation gives us the North.  AFC rotation gives us the East, which means we get two additional games against the 3rd place teams frmo the AFC South and West.  And 17th opponent rotation gives us the 3rd place NFC West team, which we play at home because this is an AFC-9 NFC-8 year.

 

HOME: BAL CFT PIT NEP NYJ CHI DET JAX(AS-3), ARI/SFF (NW-3)

AWAY: BAL CFT PIT BUF MIA GBP MIN DEN(AW-3)

 

JAX (4-12) is locked in as AFC South 3.  They're a game up on TEN (3-13) and swept them h2h.  Neither can catch IND (7-9).  DEN (9-7) is locked in as AFC West 3. They're a game behind LAC (10-6)  but were swept, and neither have to worry about 4th place LVR (4-12)

 

ARI (7-9) or SFF (6-9) will be NFC West 3.  Neither can catch SEA (7-9). SFF plays tonight against DET, and they play each other next week.  If SFF wins tonight (doubtful), they'll be square at 7-9 and we'll get whomever wins their week 18 game.  If SFF loses tonight, ARI will clinch 3rd based on Strength of Victory.  Best SFF can do with a 1-1 finish is tie ARI at 7-10, in which case they will have split their h2h games and both be 2-4 in the division.  But ARI went 1-2 against their unique opponents (W-LAC L-CAR L-WAS) while SFF went 2-1 against their unique opponents (L-KCC W-TBB W-DAL). With the same overall record and a worse record against unique opponents, ARI is guaranteed to have a better record against common opponents.  So if SFF goes 2-0 we play them next year.  If SFF loses either game, we play ARI.

 

By the way, if you're looking for a roadtrip, I recommend Green Bay.  I went to both NFC North cities 8 years ago when we rotated up there... had a hell of a time in both towns.  But with Minneapolis having turned into a shit-show, if you can make only one trip and you've never been to Lambeau - go there.  In Green Bay, two out of three girls are cute and friendly.... there's beer...  and (if you're into it) they've got a museum dedicated to fish.... specicifally trout.

 

  

 

  

 

I may go back to Lambeau next year, although seeing the Bills at the old Rich Stadium before it gets torn down for 2026 might be fun.

 

 

 

 

Very cool. Seeing a game at Lambeau would be amazing. And I'm not even a big fisherman, but I'd go to the Trout Museum.

 

Small point - I believe the Lions have absolutely nothing to play for tonight, so SF may actually stand a chance. Win or lose tonight, if Detroit beats Minnesota next week, they'll be the #1 seed. Lose to the Vikings, and they're the #5.

6 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

 

I dont see a name on this list worth taking

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2025/position/dt/sort/contract_value

 

I think we would better be suited to adding a vet CB where there are high level talent guys

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2025/position/cb/sort/contract_value

 

Give me DJ Reed for 3 years

 

The D doesn't need bodies, it needs playmakers.

 

 

It's going to take more than one CB or one DT to get them back on track.  Probably more than both, even if they were willing to go make that happen.  They do need an immediate injection of proven talent but it will never be enough by itself.

 

They need bodies to create competition for playing time and raise the overall level of defense. 2-3 playmakers aren't going to make many plays if they're surrounded by 8-9 bums. They've simply got to draft better, they can't afford to keep bidding on FA expecting them to come in and fix it on their own. 

2 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

 

It's going to take more than one CB or one DT to get them back on track.  Probably more than both, even if they were willing to go make that happen.  They do need an immediate injection of proven talent but it will never be enough by itself.

 

They need bodies to create competition for playing time and raise the overall level of defense. 2-3 playmakers aren't going to make many plays if they're surrounded by 8-9 bums. They've simply got to draft better, they can't afford to keep bidding on FA expecting them to come in and fix it on their own. 

 

We agree until we draft better and especially on defense were going to have problems.

12 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

 

We agree until we draft better and especially on defense were going to have problems.

 

but I'm not so sure they see it that way..  Are they going to let Murphy lounge around for another 2 years?   Will they approach this upcoming draft like a modern NFL franchise?

 

We're counting on the QB to put pressure on the coaches & front office.  That'll only extend so far.

4 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

 

but I'm not so sure they see it that way..  Are they going to let Murphy lounge around for another 2 years?   Will they approach this upcoming draft like a modern NFL franchise?

 

We're counting on the QB to put pressure on the coaches & front office.  That'll only extend so far.

 

I wish I had faith in them doing the right thing.

 

 

26 minutes ago, Griever said:

 

 

 

 

There's an out in his contract that would allow them to get rid of him.  I think they'd have to give him another $2M (as opposed to $12.5) but I'm not too sure how that works.

 

Hopefully they use it.

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/18960/sheldon-rankins

28 minutes ago, Griever said:

 

 

 

 

Bigger waste of money Rankins or Trae Waynes?

3 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

 

 

Bigger waste of money Rankins or Trae Waynes?

 

 

Definitely Waynes, he got them for around twice as much - $42M/3 years and $15M guaranteed & was only playing Special Teams while healthy during the SB run.

 

Of course, we could also say Rankins cost them more in the "wins" column but I'm not sure they account for that.  Just bad luck, y'know.

2 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

 

 

Definitely Waynes, he got them for around twice as much - $42M/3 years and $15M guaranteed & was only playing Special Teams while healthy during the SB run.

 

Of course, we could also say Rankins cost them more in the "wins" column but I'm not sure they account for that.  Just bad luck, y'know.

 

 

I'm sure it will eventually come out, but I am genuinely curious what this illness is.

7 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

 

 

I'm sure it will eventually come out, but I am genuinely curious what this illness is.

 

 

Ohio just legalized.  Maybe he got a bad case of the -itis after his 3rd plate of sweet potatoes & stuffing.

 

Dude's missed a lot of time in his career, no excuse for them to be so unprepared for it to happen again at his age.

Of course rankins killed us when the Texans beat us last year

1 hour ago, Jamie_B said:

 

 

I'm sure it will eventually come out, but I am genuinely curious what this illness is.

It may not be anything germ or infection related. The term “illness” may be any non-traumatic malady that affects health. Cardiac problems…kidney/liver…lots of areas

1 hour ago, Jamie_B said:

 

 

Bigger waste of money Rankins or Trae Waynes?

 

Worst Free Agent signing ever was Antonio Bryant:

 

Antonio Bryant (2010)

Forget Cincinnati history — this might be the worst free agent signing in NFL annals.

 

The Bengals either missed or ignored Antonio Bryant’s knee injury when they signed him to a four-year, $27 million contract, which was almost a carbon copy of the contract they had given Coles the year before.

 

Their return on investment in Bryant? One practice.

 

The 29-year-old wide receiver said after his first practice in training camp that the muscles around his knee weren’t healed enough for him to go full speed.

 

Bryant continued to sit out until the day after the third preseason game when the Bengals cut him, meaning they ended up paying him $8.5 million for one half-speed practice.

 

Bryant never played another snap in the league.

 

7 minutes ago, Le Tigre said:

It may not be anything germ or infection related. The term “illness” may be any non-traumatic malady that affects health. Cardiac problems…kidney/liver…lots of areas

 

 

If it's staff infection trade him to the browns

 

 

9 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

 

I dont see a name on this list worth taking

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2025/position/dt/sort/contract_value

 

I think we would better be suited to adding a vet CB where there are high level talent guys

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2025/position/cb/sort/contract_value

 

Give me DJ Reed for 3 years

 

The D doesn't need bodies, it needs playmakers.

 

 

There's no Christian Wilkins available but I'd sign a couple from among Maurice Hurst, Jonathan Hankins or Milton Williams. Then look for a guy with upside in the draft. We could probably get Myleik Williams in round 2. Combined with Jackson/Jenkins we would be ok at DT.

 

1 hour ago, T-Dub said:

 

 

There's an out in his contract that would allow them to get rid of him.  I think they'd have to give him another $2M (as opposed to $12.5) but I'm not too sure how that works.

 

Hopefully they use it.

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/18960/sheldon-rankins

 

They don't have to give him another penny. If they cut him after this season, he'll be on the cap for 2025 for $2 mil in dead money as the prorated share of his signing bonus. But more importantly to Mike Brown, no actual money would flow to him.

 

 

4 hours ago, KA14_HOF said:

 

Very cool. Seeing a game at Lambeau would be amazing. And I'm not even a big fisherman, but I'd go to the Trout Museum.

 

Small point - I believe the Lions have absolutely nothing to play for tonight, so SF may actually stand a chance. Win or lose tonight, if Detroit beats Minnesota next week, they'll be the #1 seed. Lose to the Vikings, and they're the #5.

 

Oh don't get my hopes up.

 

I've already won my home league championship and am in the finals of the only other fantasy league I play in.  I'm up by a fraction of a point and am done ... opponent has Lions' PK Jake Bates.  If he boots even a single ball thru the giant H in SFO tonight I lose.

 

Maybe DET saves the special teamers for next week's showdown and decide to make it easy on me - go for it on every 4th down, and try for 2 after every TD.  Lol.

 

 

 

I'm surprised Aikman doesn't have a vote. Tom Brady and other network analysts do. 

9 hours ago, AmishBengalFan said:

Our 2025 opponents are nearly set... 

 

We play home-and-home against the division, NFC rotation gives us the North.  AFC rotation gives us the East, which means we get two additional games against the 3rd place teams frmo the AFC South and West.  And 17th opponent rotation gives us the 3rd place NFC West team, which we play at home because this is an AFC-9 NFC-8 year.

 

HOME: BAL CFT PIT NEP NYJ CHI DET JAX(AS-3), ARI/SFF (NW-3)

AWAY: BAL CFT PIT BUF MIA GBP MIN DEN(AW-3)

 

JAX (4-12) is locked in as AFC South 3.  They're a game up on TEN (3-13) and swept them h2h.  Neither can catch IND (7-9).  DEN (9-7) is locked in as AFC West 3. They're a game behind LAC (10-6)  but were swept, and neither have to worry about 4th place LVR (4-12)

 

ARI (7-9) or SFF (6-9) will be NFC West 3.  Neither can catch SEA (7-9). SFF plays tonight against DET, and they play each other next week.  If SFF wins tonight (doubtful), they'll be square at 7-9 and we'll get whomever wins their week 18 game.  If SFF loses tonight, ARI will clinch 3rd based on Strength of Victory.  Best SFF can do with a 1-1 finish is tie ARI at 7-10, in which case they will have split their h2h games and both be 2-4 in the division.  But ARI went 1-2 against their unique opponents (W-LAC L-CAR L-WAS) while SFF went 2-1 against their unique opponents (L-KCC W-TBB W-DAL). With the same overall record and a worse record against unique opponents, ARI is guaranteed to have a better record against common opponents.  So if SFF goes 2-0 we play them next year.  If SFF loses either game, we play ARI.

 

By the way, if you're looking for a roadtrip, I recommend Green Bay.  I went to both NFC North cities 8 years ago when we rotated up there... had a hell of a time in both towns.  But with Minneapolis having turned into a shit-show, if you can make only one trip and you've never been to Lambeau - go there.  In Green Bay, two out of three girls are cute and friendly.... there's beer...  and (if you're into it) they've got a museum dedicated to fish.... specicifally trout.

 

  

 

  

 

I may go back to Lambeau next year, although seeing the Bills at the old Rich Stadium before it gets torn down for 2026 might be fun.

 

 

 

 

Don't look now, but 6 of the 8 road games next year are going to be against teams that make the playoffs this year. Also, getting the NFC North seems unfortunate. Things do change with some teams from one year to the next, though, so maybe they won't all be as good next year as they are this year. But as of now, I could see them being underdogs in every road game except maybe CLE and perhaps MIA. 

 

The home schedule, on the other hand, looks pretty favorable from here. Six of the nine are "should be" wins, with PIT, BAL, and DET posing the biggest challenges, but again, things do change. I had NE and WAS penciled in as wins this year, and...

 

Oh, and that's an outstanding set of chompers on #87 in your pic. 

3 hours ago, AmishBengalFan said:

 

Oh don't get my hopes up.

 

I've already won my home league championship and am in the finals of the only other fantasy league I play in.  I'm up by a fraction of a point and am done ... opponent has Lions' PK Jake Bates.  If he boots even a single ball thru the giant H in SFO tonight I lose.

 

Maybe DET saves the special teamers for next week's showdown and decide to make it easy on me - go for it on every 4th down, and try for 2 after every TD.  Lol.

 

 

Unfortunately, Bates got some work in. Condolences on the Final.

 

Love the team name, though. I remember them from the old WHA, with Robbie Ftorek. (and briefly, Mark Messier)