(07-12-2018, 04:11 PM)Deacon Wrote: At the risk of coming across curmudgeonly, or at the very least jaded, I think that this is a thing common to ESPN in that it has more to do with sizzle than it does steak. That's not to say that Jacksonville does not have a quality roster with top tier talent. It's just that with the big personalities on this team, I feel like the perception is skewed due to how well they talk the talk.

Of the teams listed, I would rank Atlanta highest simply due to their recent history and then San Diego LA. I don't think Minnesota is going to do quite so well this year due to them most likely playing for second in the NFC North and having a tougher time through the Playoffs.

I don't see your response as particularly curmudgeonly at all.  I think the national sports media generally and ESPN in particular have a proven track record of valuing style over substance.  As great as that 1985 Bears team was, as loaded with truly great players like Payton, Hampton and Singletary, the two guys on that team that got all of the media attention we're Jim McMahon and William Perry.  Those last two I named could not hold the Jocks of the first guys I named in terms of pure football ability.  But because of their personalities, they got more of the attention and buzz over more deserving players.

Having said this, I find myself in the most unusual position of defending ESPN in this matter, particularly DeMarco Murray.

Being a former tack RB who just played against this defense last year-on a team that beat us twice-he could have easily underrated this team or otherwise trashed us.

He didn't.

Murray was effusive in his praise for this team overall and the defense in particular.  He lauded Calais Campbell and Telvin Smith, raving about his athleticism.  When one of the talking heads referenced how Ramsey talks trash, Murray almost brushed it off.  He acknowledged Ramsey talks trash, but strongly emphasized he backs it up perhaps better than any player in the league.  He talked about his cover skills and his ability to make plays on the ball.  Oddly, the one critique he had of Ramsey was tackling-something I would never see as a problem with him.  But considering he has actually gone up against Ramsey the past couple of years as a runner, he would certainly be far more of an authority on the subject.  But the discussion about the Jaguars and the list of 12 overall placed a heavy emphasis on substance, and was rather lengthy.  It was one of the best segments I have seen from ESPN in years.

I share your views on Atlanta and the Bolts.  In fact, at this point, the Bolts are the one team I fear in the AFC.

I'm not sure if I am quite ready to write off Minnesota just yet, even though I am similarly unsure if I would rank them above us.  I think the difference between their defense and the Packers' defense is enough to mitigate the difference between a healthy Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins (who is an upgrade over Keenum) to the point where Minnesota ending up in second place-or lower-is not a foregone conclusion in my mind.

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