(09-04-2019, 04:38 PM)Nikowho Wrote: Call me a pessimist, but until this team's offense demonstrates that they can not only effectively move the ball consistently, but ALSO consistently score, I am concerned that this team may wind up with an 8-8 record. Maybe 9-7 if they split the series with the Titans. I'd love to be wrong, but there's not much from the preseason that confirms anything solid.

That's more of me worrying that the Oline won't be able to protect Foles. or the receiving corps doesn't do their jobs consistently, etc. I don't think you can say the Colts are now the favorites to win, but they're not gonna be a lousy team either, I feel. Maybe mediocre but certainly not divisional winners in my mind. At this point I want to believe that Jacksonville should win it, but again, it's all gonna come down on the offense doing their jobs and keeping the defense from being on the field a lot longer than they should be.

(09-04-2019, 04:15 PM)homebiscuit Wrote:

(09-04-2019, 12:32 PM)Bullseye Wrote: While I am off of work waiting out this storm I have a few thoughts

1.  While my homeristic instincts likely overrode my better judgment in picking the Jaguars to win this week against the Chiefs, as I think about Sunday's opponent, I am impressed as hell with their offense. This is a daunting challenge for the defense.  Based on the way the Chiefs played last year and the talent they added, they are looking like one of the three best offenses in the last 20 years, along with the Greatest show on Turf Rams and the 2007 18-1 Patriots.

I'm thinking if I had to rank the three offenses, it would be Rams 1 Chiefs 2 and Pats 3.  Of course, you can make the argument the Chiefs don't deserve to be ranked with those other two teams yet because those other two offenses at least reached the Super Bowl.  But this Chiefs offense is every bit as explosive as those other two offenses.  In terms of being a pure physical talent, Mahomes is better than either Warner or Brady, though Brady and Warner rate as better QBs overall because they have both been to multiple Super Bowls.  But time is on Mahomes's side, as his career is just beginning, and has an outstanding coach to guide him.  I think that Chiefs offense is better at RB than that 2007 Patriots' team, and better at TE than that Rams team.  At WR, they have the best 1-5 explosiveness of the three, while they may not have the singular WR talent that Randy Moss represented.  I haven't totally decided where the Chiefs' offensive line fits of the three, but I'm thinking they are 3rd of the three.  But if they are healthy, I can't see why the Chiefs won't be in the Super Bowl within the next few years.

2.  As the season approaches, I can't help shake the idea that the application of the new rules of replay to not only make Pass Interference reviewable, but to use replay to create a penalty where one is not originally called has all kinds of potential for chaos.  While in theory, it has the potential to work against offenses, I think the net effect if the rule is to further entrench a pro offensive bias, punishing those teams with good defenses.  More cynically and conspiracy minded, this rule is the script to get the league office the results they want.  Not so much the right call, but the right teams reaping the benefits.  I hope I am wrong.

3.  It will be interesting to see how the Jaguars employ Josh Allen.  If they rush him primarily from the defensive left side, it will put him opposite Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz.  That would be quite the challenge for Allen in his first regular season action.  I wonder if they would utilize him as an OLB from that side, on Calais Campbell's outside shoulder in the hopes of having a TE or RB trying to block him, or if they think his power would make him a better matchup against Fisher.

4.  The media talking heads can amuse and mystify at the same time.  The latest instance of this is the trend of them continuing to pick the Colts to win the division even though Andrew Luck has retired.  I don't get it.  For years, we've heard about how having a superior QB outweighs having a more balanced overall team.  In order for them to pick the Colts now the national media talking heads have to conclude one or more of the following: 

• Jacoby Brissett is a superior QB in his own right, every bit the equal of Luck as a passer, ostensibly making the the superior of every other QB in the division.
  
• Brissett is NOT a superior QB to every other QB in the division, which means suddenly having a more balanced team means something.
  
• that the Colts are a better overall team from 2 to 53 than all of the other teams in the division.
  

Keep in mind, even WITH Luck , the Colts had to rally from a 1-5 start to make the playoffs (not win the division).  Keep in mind, even WITH Luck, the Colts were shut out for 6 straight quarters by the Jaguars last year.  I agree the Colts are a better overall team than they were in 2017, the last time they had to play without Luck, and are better than they were when Manning was injured and sat out the 2011 season.  But I think the media who continue to ride this Colts train underestimate the rest of the AFC South.

Gosh. You sure do think a lot, Mr. Bullseye.

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