Bernie Kosar also had some success, playing in  two consecutive AFC Championship games. Cleveland was the Super Bowl favorite both seasons.

 

But nothing matters now except the Browns need hellp at too many positions to only want a quarterback. I think they would have a better record if Brian Hoyer had not torn his ACL. We will find out in a few days how bad they are and what positions they should look at next year.

 

There's no question the injury to Brian Hoyer proved costly to their playoff hopes this season.   I never thought I would be saying this back in August but Hoyer clearly was more effective and efficient than their other QB's this season.   To make matters worse for the Browns,  Jason Campbell suffered a head injury in their home loss to the Steelers.   It's fair to say that the Jaguars have a realistic chance at getting their 2nd straight win and 3rd in the last 4 games.  

---

We can go on forever about this in a different thread, Lions fan. It is one of two days we have to root for different teams. You must love noit being a Vikings fan right now.

 

Believe me, I love not being a Vikings fan everyday,  whether they win or lose.

 

But in terms of their current situation,  it's brutal for their collective fan base.   They desperately need long term stability at QB in order to compete consistently in a division with much better QB's than the Vikings currently have.  

 

The Vikings game plan against the Bears should be to run Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart as much as possible against a Bears Defense that can't stop the run with any regularity because of injuries.

---

Believe me, I love not being a Vikings fan everyday,  whether they win or lose.

 

But in terms of their current situation,  it's brutal for their collective fan base. They desperately need long term stability at QB in order to compete consistently in a division with much better QB's than the Vikings currently have.  

 

The Vikings game plan against the Bears should be to run Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart as much as possible against a Bears Defense that can't stop the run with any regularity because of injuries.

 

It will be a huge upset if the Vikings win Sunday. Just tying with the Packers was an upset to me - I expected a total loss in regulation.

 

If I was a betting person, I could bet money on the Vikings picking Teddy Bridgewater if they somehow get the top pick.

---

It will be a huge upset if the Vikings win Sunday. Just tying with the Packers was an upset to me - I expected a total loss in regulation.

 

If I was a betting person, I could bet money on the Vikings picking Teddy Bridgewater if they somehow get the top pick.

 

It really wasnt a huge upset at all. Without Aaron Rodgers, the Pack is just average. 

---

It will be a huge upset if the Vikings win Sunday. Just tying with the Packers was an upset to me - I expected a total loss in regulation.

 

If I was a betting person, I could bet money on the Vikings picking Teddy Bridgewater if they somehow get the top pick.

 

The Bears-Vikings game also looks like a toss up to me.   The Bears passing game should have plenty of success against the Vikings Secondary.    The Vikings running game should have plenty of success against the Bears run Defense.   Both teams have explosive playmakers on Special Teams.    The difference in the game could easily be one turnover more than the other team.

 

Teddy Bridgewater currently shapes up as the most likely Vikings selection if they end up with the top pick.    This probably will be the case even if a different regime is put in place in Minnesota in 2014.   

---

The Bears-Vikings game also looks like a toss up to me. The Bears passing game should have plenty of success against the Vikings Secondary. The Vikings running game should have plenty of success against the Bears run defense. Both teams have explosive playmakers on special teams. The difference in the game could easily be one turnover more than the other team.

 

Teddy Bridgewater currently shapes up as the most likely Vikings selection if they end up with the top pick. This probably will be the case even if a different regime is put in place in Minnesota in 2014.   

 

If you had to choose between Josh McCown and Christian Ponder who would you pick? When I saw McCown play a few weeks ago I thought, "We got the wrong McCown. Josh is a lot better than Luke." But the Bears have more talent overall on offense, so maybe teammates are making him look better than he is.

 

If the Vikings miss out on #1 because of the stupid tie yesterday (they did not even attempt a Hail Mary at the end), a trade up would make sense. However the team that "earns" the #1 pick will also need Teddy and not want to trade down. That tie is going to hurt them big time if we don't stay a half game better.

---

That said, a win would put the Packers a half game ahead of the Lions after they eat turkey.

Yes, a win would.  A loss however would all but knock them out.

---

I was wrong about Trent Baalke. 

Yes, a win would.  A loss however would all but knock them out.

 

Just in case, I will root for the Redskins tonight. But we all want the Redskins to win tonight anyway because they have only three wins.

---

If you had to choose between Josh McCown and Christian Ponder who would you pick? When I saw McCown play a few weeks ago I thought, "We got the wrong McCown. Josh is a lot better than Luke." But the Bears have more talent overall on offense, so maybe teammates are making him look better than he is.

 

If the Vikings miss out on #1 because of the stupid tie yesterday (they did not even attempt a Hail Mary at the end), a trade up would make sense. However the team that "earns" the #1 pick will also need Teddy and not want to trade down. That tie is going to hurt them big time if we don't stay a half game better.

 

 

  Josh McCown.   

 

  After the horrific QB play the Bears got from their backup QB's in 2011 that derailed their season,  Josh McCown has saved their season at least for the time being.  Even though the Bears have more talent on Offense in 2013 than in 2011,   the difference between McCown and the QB's that replaced Jay Cutler for most of their 2011 losing streak,  is striking.    While McCown isn't a long term solution,  he's proving capable of more than holding down the fort in the present.   The Bears Offense and Special Teams have to try to compensate for a  Defense hit hard by injuries.  McCown gives them a chance.

---

Of course, you also have to credit the new coaches in Chicago. But I agree the Bears finally found a good backup for Jay Cutler.

 

Anyway, back to the Vikings, do you see them staying a half game better than us the rest of the year?

---

Of course, you also have to credit the new coaches in Chicago. But I agree the Bears finally found a good backup for Jay Cutler.

 

Anyway, back to the Vikings, do you see them staying a half game better than us the rest of the year?

 

Marc Trestman and his staff have indeed done a good job with the Bears Offense.   Compared to the last few seasons,  the Bears have cut their sacks down considerably. 

 

From a Jaguars perspective,   I think you should root hard for the Vikings against the Bears.   While every NFL game is winnable,   this game is probably the best opportunity for the Vikings to win another game.    If the Vikings lose this game,   an already ugly situation in Minneapolis is going to get even worse.    If the Vikings lose this game,   I'll be surprised barring the injury factor that they win another game this season.   Their schedule is more difficult on paper than the Jaguars schedule.

 

I expressed the following in some other threads last week but it's worth repeating.   The Jaguars have a favorable schedule.   Even before the game in Houston,   I thought there was a realistic chance the Jaguars would win 2 more games.   They already are half way there.    It's now very realistic to think they can even exceed a 3-13 season,   as a result of team improvement and the schedule.  

 

When the dust settles,  I think there's a better than even chance that the Jaguars will have a better record than the Vikings.  

---

I can see a three-game winning streak: Texans, Browns, Texans. Why not?

 

I also have said many times our record is so bad because of our first half opponents and where we played against the Raiders.

---

For everyone who is still worried about the three-win Buccaneers . . . GO REDSKINS! Yes, I know they don't need a quarterback, but they don't have a first-round pick, so we don't want them to clinch #33.

---

 

 

I also have said many times our record is so bad because of our first half opponents and where we played against the Raiders.

 

yeah, after I said it. 

 

I was saying that back when they were in the midst of the murderers row first half schedule. Few if any were agreeing with me then. It was all about hyperbole about this team being the "worst teem evar"!!!! I never bought into that worst team ever crap. 

 

Bad team? Certainly. Worst team ever? eh, no. 

---

For everyone who is still worried about the three-win Buccaneers . . . GO REDSKINS! Yes, I know they don't need a quarterback, but they don't have a first-round pick, so we don't want them to clinch #33.

If the Redskins somehow bottom out ans get the #1 pick, it would go to the Rams for reference.


Which would be hilarious because the Rams would have traded the 2012 #2 overall to get the 2014 #1 overall+ a lot more, making it one of the greatest fleecings in the history of NFL trades.

---

If the Redskins somehow bottom out ans get the #1 pick, it would go to the Rams for reference.


Which would be hilarious because the Rams would have traded the 2012 #2 overall to get the 2014 #1 overall+ a lot more, making it one of the greatest fleecings in the history of NFL trades.

 

So then the question becomes, "What would the Rams do with the #1 pick?" All I know is they don't need a quarterback.

---

Here are the chances each team currently winds up with the #1 pick:


Jacksonville: 49%

Houston: 21%

Atlanta: 16%

Minnesota: 9%

Washington: 4%

Tampa Bay  1%


All other teams: Negligible %  (Giants, Raiders, Browns)

 

Those percentages are of course due to change very fast with a win.  


(Tampa added)

---

I was wrong about Trent Baalke. 

The Buccaneers are not on your list. Did you forget them?

 

I read an article in Sporting News that says if the draft was tomorrow, Houston would get the top pick. That does not make any sense. Their SOS is obviously higher than ours because of the rankings: they were first and we were fourth last season.

---

The Buccaneers are not on your list. Did you forget them?


I read an article in Sporting News that says if the draft was tomorrow, Houston would get the top pick. That does not make any sense. Their SOS is obviously higher than ours because of the rankings: they were first and we were fourth last season.

It was a goof because people accidently use playoff seeding tiebreakers in draft discussion, in which head to head is first tiebreaker.


Still, the Texans schedule isnt as strong as you think. Their first place last year got them the Patriots and Ravens this year. The Patriots are still strong, but the Ravens are simply not good, about on par with the Browns honestly. I imagine Cleveland and Baltimore will have similar records to close out the year, but the Jags edge the Texans in SoS weakness because Patriots.

---

It was a goof because people accidently use playoff seeding tiebreakers in draft discussion, in which head to head is first tiebreaker.


Still, the Texans schedule isnt as strong as you think. Their first place last year got them the Patriots and Ravens this year. The Patriots are still strong, but the Ravens are simply not good, about on par with the Browns honestly. I imagine Cleveland and Baltimore will have similar records to close out the year, but the Jags edge the Texans in SoS weakness because Patriots.

The key differences between our schedules (which might not matter if Houston beats us in two weeks) are:


Cleveland (just lost their 2nd quarterback) vs Baltimore (Decent team, but falling)

Buffalo (Still have a long ways to go) vs New England (have all but wrapped up the division)

---

I was wrong about Trent Baalke.