Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 07-28-2016, 05:15 PM

All times are US/Eastern

WEEK 2

THURSDAY, AUG. 18
GAME TIME/SCORE TV LOCATION/TICKETS
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh 7:00 pm Heinz Field
Cincinnati at Detroit 7:30 pm Ford Field
Atlanta at Cleveland 8:00 pm FirstEnergy Stadium
Oakland at Green Bay 8:00 pm Lambeau Field
Chicago at New England8:00 pm Gillette Stadium
Minnesota at Seattle 10:00 pm CenturyLink Field

FRIDAY, AUG. 19
GAME TIME/SCORE TV LOCATION/TICKETS
N.Y. Jets at Washington 7:30 pm FedEx Field
Miami at Dallas 8:00 pm AT&T Stadium
Arizona at San Diego 9:00 pm Qualcomm Stadium

SATURDAY, AUG. 20
GAME TIME/SCORE TV LOCATION/TICKETS
Carolina at Tennessee 3:00 pm Nissan Stadium
N.Y. Giants at Buffalo 4:00 pm Ralph Wilson Stadium
Baltimore at Indianapolis 7:00 pm Lucas Oil Stadium
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville 7:30 pm EverBank Field
New Orleans at Houston 8:00 pm NRG Stadium
Kansas City at L.A. Rams 9:00 pm Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
San Francisco at Denver 9:00 pm Sports Authority Field

All times are US/Eastern

WEEK 3

THURSDAY, AUG. 25
GAME TIME/SCORE TV LOCATION/TICKETS
Atlanta at Miami 8:00 pm New Miami Stadium
Dallas at Seattle 10:00 pm CenturyLink Field

FRIDAY, AUG. 26
GAME TIME/SCORE TV LOCATION/TICKETS
New England at Carolina 7:30 pm Bank of America Stadium
Buffalo at Washington 7:30 pm FedEx Field
Pittsburgh at New Orleans 8:00 pm Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Cleveland at Tampa Bay 8:00 pm Raymond James Stadium
Green Bay at San Francisco 10:00 pm Levi's Stadium

SATURDAY, AUG. 27
GAME TIME/SCORE TV LOCATION/TICKETS
Kansas City at Chicago 1:00 pm Soldier Field
Detroit at Baltimore 7:00 pm M&T Bank Stadium
Philadelphia at Indianapolis 7:00 pm Lucas Oil Stadium
N.Y. Giants at N.Y. Jets 7:30 pm MetLife Stadium
Tennessee at Oakland 8:00 pm Oakland Coliseum
L.A. Rams at Denver 9:00 pm Sports Authority Field

SUNDAY, AUG. 28
GAME TIME/SCORE TV LOCATION/TICKETS
San Diego at Minnesota 1:00 pm U.S. Bank Stadium
Arizona at Houston 4:00 pm NRG Stadium
Cincinnati at Jacksonville 8:00 pm EverBank Field

**StarDust Bum** · 07-28-2016, 05:18 PM

WEEK 4

THURSDAY, SEP. 01
GAME TIME/SCORE TV LOCATION/TICKETS

Tennessee at Miami 7:00 pm New Miami Stadium

N.Y. Jets at Philadelphia 7:00 pm Lincoln Financial Field

New England at N.Y. Giants 7:00 pm MetLife Stadium

Jacksonville at Atlanta 7:00 pm Georgia Dome

Buffalo at Detroit 7:30 pm Ford Field

Pittsburgh at Carolina 7:30 pm Bank of America Stadium

Indianapolis at Cincinnati 7:30 pm Paul Brown Stadium

Washington at Tampa Bay 7:30 pm Raymond James Stadium

Houston at Dallas 8:00 pm AT&T Stadium

L.A. Rams at Minnesota 8:00 pm U.S. Bank Stadium

Chicago at Cleveland 8:00 pm FirstEnergy Stadium

Baltimore at New Orleans 8:00 pm Mercedes-Benz Superdome

Green Bay at Kansas City 8:00 pm Arrowhead Stadium

Denver at Arizona 9:30 pm University of Phoenix Stadium

Seattle at Oakland 10:00 pm Oakland Coliseum

San Francisco at San Diego 10:00 pm Qualcomm Stadium

**StarDust Bum** · 07-28-2016, 05:27 PM

Burning NFL training camp questions: 32 teams, way too many QB unknowns

It's NFL training camp time, which means every player, coach and fan thinks their team is going to the Super Bowl.

We know better.

And so do most of them if they are being realistic.

There is no way any Cleveland Browns player could be thinking that, right? Right?
As we ready for camp, it's time to take a look at a burning question for each team as it opens its push to get to the Super Bowl. All 32 teams have issues, some more than others. But I picked out the biggest issue facing each team as it prepares to open camp. For many, it's the quarterback position, which is always the focus at this time of the year -- and always for that matter.

Here's a look:

Arizona Cardinals
Will Chandler Jones and Robert Nkemdiche amp up the pass rush?

The Cardinals had 36 sacks last season, tying Jacksonville for 20th in the league, and the leader was Dwight Freeney with eight. He is no longer with the team. That's why they traded to get Jones, who had 12 sacks for the Patriots last season.
Nkemdiche was a top-10 talent in the draft, but off-field concerns dropped him down. If the Cardinals can keep him in line, these two should amp up a pass rush that was a problem area in 2015. With second-year edge rusher Markus Golden also improved, those three should help get the Cardinals closer to 45 sacks.

Atlanta Falcons
Can Matt Ryan fit into Kyle Shanahan's system and bounce back?
Judging by the media chatter, Ryan was dreadful last season. He wasn't. He just didn't seem to be a good fit in Shanahan's offense, which features much more of Ryan on the move than he should be. Ryan needs to play more from the pocket, and he struggled at times to make Shanahan's offense work. He still threw for the fifth-most yards in the league with 4,591, but he threw 16 picks to go with 21 touchdowns. That's not good enough. Maybe Shanahan will wise up and use Ryan more conventionally. For the first time last year, Ryan had to tape his ankle in practice because he moved so much. That's just stupidity for a player of his talents.

Baltimore Ravens
How will quarterback Joe Flacco play coming off a torn ACL?
That's hard to gauge. Flacco tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee in a game against St. Louis, but he was back running in April and has said continually that he expects to be ready for the start of the regular season. That is possible and we've seen quarterbacks like Carson Palmer come back from ACL surgery and play well, but it's still an unknown until we see it. Flacco works hard and I would expect he's back playing at the same level early in the season.

Buffalo Bills
Can Rex Ryan turn around a defense that took a major step back last season?
Ryan is a self-anointed defensive guru. And he has been the leader of some good defenses. But he has had four defenses ranked lower than 25th in points as a coordinator or head coach, the same as he has had in the top 10.
The Bills went from fourth in scoring defense in 2014 to 13th last season in Ryan's first as coach of the team. They had some players gripe about the scheme and Mario Williams loafed because of it. Ryan has to get the defense back closer to the top five if the Bills are going to be a playoff team.

It's put up or shut up time for Rex Ryan in Year 2.

Carolina Panthers
Will there be a Super Bowl hangover?
That's one of the toughest questions to answer for any team, but the reality is that most Super Bowl losers are good teams the next year. Of the 49 losers, 35 went back to the playoffs. But the last Super Bowl loser to get back to the big game was the Buffalo Bills in the early 1990s. The Panthers say they went back to fundamentals some to avoid a possible hangover, and they have a talented, young roster that will help make sure it doesn't happen. They are still the favorites in the NFC South, but getting back will be tough.

Chicago Bears
Can John Fox and Vic Fangio continue to improve the defense?
The Bears were terrible in 2014, giving up 442 points. But in the first year for Fox and Fangio, they improved a bit with 397 points against. They played a lot of young players, so growth is expected. The key will be getting more pressure since they had just 35 sacks in front of a relatively young secondary. That's not good enough in Fangio's system. The addition for first-round pick Leonard Floyd should help the edge rush ability for the Bears.

Cincinnati Bengals
Can this talented team ever win a playoff game?
The good news is coach Marvin Lewis has taken his team to the playoffs each of the past five seasons, but the bad news is he's 0-5. The Bengals had perhaps their best team of any of those five last season, but when quarterback Andy Dalton went down with a thumb injury in December they had problems. Even so, they blew their playoff game with the Steelers without Dalton because of bonehead, undisciplined plays. That has to stop if they are to ever reach their potential. They have a ton of talent, so now is the time.

Cleveland Browns
Will Hue Jackson be able to re-invent Robert Griffin III?.
That's going to take a lot of work. RG3 excelled early when the Redskins used him in the read-option offense. But he never developed as a passer from the pocket. Jackson is a bright quarterback mind, but getting RG3 to excel from the pocket is a real challenge. Observers of the offseason work said he was wild with his throws, which isn't a good start in Cleveland. This is a big task for Jackson.
RG3 gets a fresh start in Cleveland.

Dallas Cowboys
How much does Tony Romo have left?
Ripping Romo has become a sport of sorts over the course of his career, but I've always contended he was underrated. The critics found that out last year when he went 3-1 in the games he played and the Cowboys were 1-11 in the games he missed. That's value. Romo is back from the injury, but he's also 36 years old. There is no doubt he is coming to the end, but I still think he can roll up big numbers if he's on the field. It's all about health.

Denver Broncos
Is Mark Sanchez the answer at quarterback?
There was no real committment to Sanchez by the staff this offseason, but word is starting to get out that he will be the guy. There was some talk that Trevor Siemian would be in the mix, but it looks like Sanchez will go into the season as the starter for the Super Bowl champs. But his position sure isn't firm. Paxton Lynch is the long-term answer, but there is talk that Siemian might be the guy at some point this season. It's a job for Sanchez to lose.
sanchezlynch1400.jpg
Can Mark Sanchez hold off Paxton Lynch?

Detroit Lions
With Megatron retired, who picks up the slack?
The Lions wanted to be able to run it more last season, but they finished last in the league and averaged 3.8 yards per rush. They changed coordinators during the season and will go back to throwing it around more -- which has been their identity with Matt Stafford at quarterback. But with Calvin Johnson retired, do they still play that way? Golden Tate has been a top-10 receiver in catches the past two seasons, so he now becomes the No. 1 receiver. They signed Marvin Jones away from Cincinnati, and he will fill the No. 2 role he played with the Bengals. Neither is in Johnson's class, but they both can be effective starters. The Lions also added Jeremy Kerley from the Jets and reportedly just picked up veteran Anquan Boldin. They will be fine -- if they don't become too run heavy.

Green Bay Packers
What can the Packers expect from Jordy Nelson?
This summer, create memories in Georgia -- not bills
Make this summer count and be the hero. Best Western make's your summer travel easy, with Lowest Rates...
It's unheard of to think the Packers with Aaron Rodgers weren't dynamic on offense, but that was the case last season. The Packers were 15th in the league in scoring and clearly struggled without Nelson, who tore up a knee in the preseason. Nelson will be back, but will the knee impact his game? If so, can some of the other receivers who didn't step up last year -- guys like Davante Adams -- get it going in 2016? Rodgers was off some last season as well, but he remains the game's best quarterback. The Packers need to get more creative on offense too. The simple isolation routes don't work like they used to for the Packers.

Houston Texans
Will Brock Osweiler finally be the long-term answer at QB?
That's the $72 million question, which is what his contract is worth now that he left Denver as a free agent. It's really a two-year deal that the Texans could get out of after the second season. But they think Osweiler can be their guy for the long haul. Osweiler did some good things for the Broncos when he played last season, but he's far from a sure thing. He threw 10 touchdown passes and six picks, but the sample size is small. He has thrown only 305 passes in four seasons and this will be the first where teams game plan for him as the full-time starter. That matters. There's a book on him now.
brock-osweiler.jpg
Texans fans are undoubtedly eager to see newly acquired Brock Osweiler in action.

Indianapolis Colts
Can they get more pressure and sacks?
Andrew Luck will help make the offense good again, but it's the defense that has been a worry for most of his tenure with the team. The Colts had 35 sacks last season, which tied them with the Bears for 22nd in the league. Their sack leaders were defensive end Kendall Langford and edge rusher Robert Mathis, each with seven. That has to be better. Mathis is another year removed from his torn Achilles tendon, but he's also 35. They need to get more from guys like Trent Cole and Erik Walden. It's not a good situation, no matter what.

Jacksonville Jaguars
Can Dante Fowler become the elite pass rusher they so need?
After missing his entire rookie season when he tore his ACL in rookie camp last May, Fowler had an impressive offseason this year. Coaches and team personnel, as well as players, were raving about him and his speed off the edge. But now comes the tough part, which is showing he can do it when the pads go on. He won't officially be a rookie, but counting on him to get double-digit sacks, which the Jags are, is asking a lot. Even so, team officials haven't backed away from the belief that the third overall pick in 2015 can do that. He might be special, based on that speed and power and he just might get 10 sacks in 2016.
dante-fowler.jpg
Dante Fowler is ready for his do-over in Jacksonville.

Kansas City Chiefs
How do they compensate for the loss of Justin Houston?
Can they? Houston is one of the better edge rushers in the NFL when healthy, but he had surgery for a torn ACL in February. He actually tried to play through that late last season, but he was a shell of himself in the playoffs against the Patriots when he was on the field. The Chiefs will look to former first-round pick Dee Ford to start. He had three sacks in a game last year, but he has to be more consistent. They also have Tamba Hali back, but he's on the decline. Houston is expected back at some point during the season, but when? He will be missed.
Los Angeles Rams
How long before Jared Goff becomes the starter?
Why wait? I've always been a big believer in playing the kid. Why delay his starting? It's not like Kurt Warner is on the roster. Deciding between playing Case Keenum or Nick Foles and throwing Goff in as the starter should be an easy one. The Rams aren't a playoff team with any of their QBs, so why not get on with it for the future? Don't delay the inevitable. I would expect Goff to take over maybe in early October.

Miami Dolphins
Will Adam Gase turn Ryan Tannehill into a franchise passer?
Tannehill has done some really good things in his four seasons with the Dolphins, but there are still questions. I think a change in offensive systems -- his third in four seasons -- will help him grow as a passer. Gase did really good things with Jay Cutler last year, and I think he will help Tannehill as a pocket passer in a more conventional offense. The deep ball, a bit of problem area for Tannehill, has to improve. I think it will.

Adam Gase has his work cut out for him in Miami.

Minnesota Vikings
Can Teddy Bridgewater take the next step?
There were big things expected of Bridgewater last year, especially after his impressive rookie season. He also had Adrian Peterson back on the field, which was expected to help the passing game. But it didn't. Bridgewater didn't play poorly, but his 14 touchdown passes was the same number he threw as a rookie in three fewer games. His passing yards per game fell from 224.5 to 201.9. That number has to come back up. He didn't have great receivers, and the addition of Laquon Treadwell from this year's draft will help.

New England Patriots
Can Jimmy Garoppolo go .500 in his four starts?
I think he can, but even if he goes 1-3 the Patriots will win the AFC East. They are too good and the rest of the division isn't in their class. Tom Brady will miss the first four games because of his Deflategate suspension, which puts Garoppolo in the spotlight. He hasn't been great in the preseason, but it can be tough to get into a groove in those short-work situations. The Patriots open at Arizona, then play home against Miami, Houston and Buffalo. Even with Garoppolo, they should win the three home games. And then it's off to another division title.
usatsi9328467.jpg
Tom Brady's Deflategate suspension means it's Jimmy Garoppolo time for the Pats.

New Orleans Saints
Will the defense ever improve?
The Saints gave up a league-worst 476 points last season, leading to the firing of Rob Ryan in November. Dennis Allen is now the man in charge, so expect a more sound style of defense. Ryan loved to attack, but he didn't have the players to do so. The talent is still thin, but there is hope. The Saints used a first-round pick on defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, who should help push the pocket. He is an Aaron Donald-style of player. The secondary and the rush off the edge remain major questions, so Allen faces a major challenge. But the Saints have nowhere to go but up.

New York Giants
Can Steve Spagnuolo turn all the big-ticket signings into a dominant unit?
The Giants spent on defense in free agency like they were printing money. They added pass rusher Olivier Vernon, corner Janoris Jenkins and tackle Damon Harrison as big-ticket additions. They also re-signed Jason Pierre-Paul and used their first-round pick this year on corner Eli Apple. That's a lot of help for a defense that needed it. They were 31st in the league in points given up last season, and it cost coach Tom Coughlin his job. Now Spagnuolo, a holdover as coordinator, has more pieces to try and fix the troubles. They will be better, but how much better is the big question.

New York Jets
Who plays quarterback?
Will the Ryan Fitzpatrick contract situation work its way out before camp begins? The two sides are way apart and Fitzpatrick, who had a good season in 2015, hasn't been a part of any offseason work. I eventually think he signs, but if he doesn't it will be Geno Smith going to camp as the starter with rookie second-round pick Christian Hackenberg also in the mix. Fitzpatrick is a smart man. He will realize the Jets' offer is a lot better than sitting around getting nothing. I bet he's their Week 1 starter.

Geno? Fitz? New York is still looking for its starting QB.

Oakland Raiders
How does this young team handle the expectations?
The Raiders are a chic, trendy pick to be a playoff team and possibly win the AFC West. They went 7-9 in coach Jack Del Rio's first season, and they have a nice, young base of talent in quarterback Derek Carr, pass rusher Khalil Mack and receiver Amari Cooper. They also spent big in free agency to get linebacker Bruce Irvin, corner Sean Smith and guard Kelechi Osemele. They are building to something, but are they ready for it in 2016? Or are they still a year away? Being young and sneaking up on teams is one thing, but that's not the case with the Raiders this time around.
Philadelphia Eagles
How long can Sam Bradford hold off Carson Wentz?
It sounds like the Eagles are ready to keep Wentz as their third passer for the season. So they say. I am not sure I believe it. Bradford will go into camp as the starter, but will first-year coach Doug Pederson stick with him? What happens if Bradford struggles? If he does, do they go to Chase Daniel? Like with Jared Goff, the longer they wait to play the rookie the longer they are delaying the inevitable, unless, of course, the Eagles consider themselves a playoff team. Do you? I don't think so.

How long can Sam Bradford keep the starting job in Philly?

Pittsburgh Steelers
Who are the corners?
Isn't this always a major question for the Steelers? In years past, their pass rush could cover up for not having great corners. But that hasn't been the case lately and their corners have been exposed in recent years. The Steelers allowed the third-most passing yards in the league and quarterbacks completed 64.3 percent of their passes against them. Veteran William Gay will be in the mix, but expect first-round pick Artie Burns and last year's second-round pick (Senquez Golden) and fourth-round pick (Doran Grant) to also be in the mix. Ross Cockrell is another player who will get a shot. The Steelers should hope the youngsters can play right away -- or they could have issues.

San Diego Chargers
Can they fix the offensive line?
Injuries crippled the line in 2015, with the projected starting group barely on the field together the entire season. Guard Orlando Franklin, who the Chargers paid big money to as a free agent, disappointed last season. He has to be better. Left tackle King Dunlap played in seven games and they had a rotating mess at center. They expect to have five holdovers start this season, with the only possible new starter being third-round rookie center Max Tuerk, but he's coming off an ACL injury last year at Southern California. Philip Rivers better hope like heck this unit can stay healthy.

San Francisco 49ers
Can Colin Kaepernick turn his career around under Chip Kelly?
All indications are that it's Blaine Gabbert's job coming out of offseason work. That's in large part because Kaepernick had to deal with injuries and was limited. He is coming off surgeries on his right thumb, his left knee and on his left shoulder to repair a torn labrum. Gabbert took over last year and played better than at any point in his time with the Jaguars, his first team. But Kelly takes over and that could mean a chance for Kaepernick to get back to playing like he did when he took the 49ers to the Super Bowl. I would expect Gabbert to start the season, but I expect we will see Kaepernick start games as well.

Who starts in San Francisco?

Seattle Seahawks
Who runs the football with Marshawn Lynch now retired?
It will probably be back by committee. Thomas Rawls, who took over when Lynch got hurt last year, is coming off an impressive season, but one that was cut short by a major ankle injury. He hopes to be ready at some point in camp, but that's to be determined. If healthy, he will be the top guy. After that, it's youth. They have three rookies -- C.J. Prosise, Alex Collins and Zac Brooks -- who have a chance to play right away. Prosise has the look of a third-down back who can play right away. They also brought back veteran Christine Michael last year and he's in the mix as well. I would expect this to be a season-long competition.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Can Mike Smith fix the defense with the players on the roster?
The Bucs gave up the seventh-most points in the league last season, which isn't good. They weren't bad from a yardage standpoint, but they gave up 417 points, which is way too many. They need to get that about 100 points lower. Former Falcons head coach Mike Smith faces a big challenge. The Bucs were built in the Tampa 2 scheme, which means Smith inherits a smallish unit that was predicated on speed. The Bucs have to get bigger. One major issue: Where's the pass rush? They have to hope rookie Noah Spence can be the big-time edge rusher they need. The secondary is shaky at best.

Tennessee Titans
How will the move to a run-first attack impact Marcus Mariota?
Titans head coach Mike Mularkey is a run-first coach, and the team's moves this offseason suggest that will be the focus of the offense. They traded to get DeMarco Murray from the Eagles and then drafted Derrick Henry in the second round. They also signed center Ben Jones as a free agent and drafted tackle Jack Conklin. That's all well and good if they want to help Mariota, but this has to be his team. It's a team that has to be built around him, not the running game. That could stunt his growth. He appeared to be far more than a game manager last year as a rookie. Why not let him continue to grow?

Will Marcus Mariota regress in Year 2?

Washington Redskins
Can Kirk Cousins make the Redskins regret not giving him a long-term deal?
Cousins is playing on a franchise tag of $20 million, but even that would have seemed ludicrous at this time last season. But when Robert Griffin III struggled, Cousins took over and had an impressive season, throwing 29 touchdown passes with a passer rating of 101.6. Now comes the tough part, which is doing it again. He has a nice group of pass catchers, so there are no excuses. If he plays well again, the Redskins could be ready to give him the long-term deal they passed on this year. This is a show-me year for Cousins.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-28-2016, 05:30 PM

Browns coach 'definitely' naming starting QB soon, says RG3 'has done a good job'

Robert Griffin III is hoping to revitalize his career in Cleveland

The Browns have a new analytics-driven front office, a new quarterback-friendly head coach and a young former franchise quarterback looking for a second chance in Cleveland. And according to Hue Jackson, he "definitely" plans to have the starter in place before the first preseason game, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.

Robert Griffin III is expected to win the job, "but it will be earned out on the field," Jackson said Thursday, adding, "Contrary to what some people think, [RG3] was getting there and has done a good job."

This isn't much different than what Jackson said last month, when he was asked about how Griffin looked during offseason workouts.

"[Griffin's] made tremendous strides," Jackson said at the time. "He's getting better and growing each and every day. I'm very proud of the work he's put in. It hasn't been perfect all the time, but it's been really good, and I see glimpses of it being extremely good and that's what we're chasing and that's at every position."

And while Griffin was benched on several occasions for Kirk Cousins during his four years in Washington -- including all of last season -- he's expected to beat out 36-year-old Josh McCown, former undrafted free agent Austin Davis, and rookie third-rounder Cody Kessler.
The Browns open training camp on July 29, and have their first preseason game 14 days later. Jackson maintains that the starting quarterback "would show itself very quickly," but added, "I don't want to rush into anything."

Earlier this offseason, new Browns executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said that Griffin could possibly be the long-term answer in Cleveland, a team that has had 24 starting quarterbacks since 1999.

"Our plan would be for Robert, if it carries out, to come in, solidify himself and then, if we felt like he's our answer longer term, to begin working on a longer-term deal," Brown said in May. "Way premature to be talking about that at this point. He's got to be able to come in, earn the starting job and then be able to show that he can lead our offense in a manner that's going to allow us to be successful to compete for this division and ultimately for the Super Bowl.

"That comment [about Griffin being able to play in Cleveland for a long time] was certainly in line with that, but also the fact that he's just 26 years old and he wants to play for a long time. He provides that upside, if he's able to come in and do what's first, which is establish himself as a starter and a capable starter for us."

Jackson arrives in Cleveland with a history of getting the most out of his young quarterbacks. The hope is that he can do that with Griffin, the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year who floundered in his final three seasons with the Redskins.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-28-2016, 05:40 PM

Ranking all 32 teams as landing spots for Nick Foles after his release

A team that desperately needed a backup last year tops our rankings

Nick Foles is free -- free from Jeff Fisher's mediocrity, free from an offense lacking adequate receivers, and free to partially pick his next NFL team. Foles' movement might not have been as catchy as #FreeBrady, but it apparently worked.

On Wednesday, the Rams released their former starting quarterback, an inevitability after they moved up to draft Jared Goff and then failed to find a trade partner for Foles. Now, Foles enters free agency as possibly the best quarterback available.

Exciting, right? Now, before you laugh at the idea of someone finding Foles' free agency exciting, keep in mind, this is a quarterback who once did this:

That's nuts! And, as Chase Stuart pointed out on Twitter, Foles actually entered last season with a higher stock than that of Ryan Fitzpatrick, who finally re-upped with the Jets on Wednesday. But, in large part because of their supporting casts, Foles has been cast aside as the lesser quarterback.

Anyway, let the speculation start and spread like wildfire at King's Landing. To light the match, we're breaking down the Foles market by ranking teams from least likely to most likely to sign Foles, starting with the team that definitely won't bite.

Note: These rankings would change dramatically if any backups or starters suffer preseason injuries.

32. Rams

Unless the Rams plan on bringing back Foles mid-camp to provide some much-needed excitement for Hard Knocks, this isn't happening for obvious reasons.

31. Patriots
Jimmy Garoppolo is the next Dan Marino, didn't you hear?
In all seriousness, Bill Belichick seems committed to Garoppolo as the team's starter during Tom Brady's suspension. He'll return to being the team's backup after Brady's suspension runs out.

30. Bears
The starting job belongs to Jay Cutler, they already spent money on a backup in Brian Hoyer this offseason, and they still have the forever-developmental prospect David Fales on the roster.
Nick Foles?

For what it's worth, Bears fans have previously advocated for Caleb Hanie and Josh McCown to start over Cutler. So if this were left up to the fan base, the Bears would be moved up a few spots.

29. Cardinals
The Cardinals told Drew Stanton that they might hand him the starting gig when Carson Palmer calls it quits. So, clearly, they feel just fine about their backup. And with good reason.

28. Panthers
Cam Newton, the league's reigning MVP, has missed just two starts in his five-year career, while backup Derek Anderson brings legit experience to the table. In those two Newton-less games, both of which occurred in 2014, Anderson led the Panthers to two wins and posted a 105.2 passer rating in the process.
Once upon a time, he even won 10 games with the Browns. Seriously.
27. Saints
Drew Brees' backup, Luke McCown, has his own commercial. Enough said.

26. Eagles
The only reason the Eagles aren't on this end of the list is because they seem to love their mediocre quarterbacks. Not only did they sign Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel this offseason, they then proceeded to trade up to snag Carson Wentz in the draft.
But no, this doesn't make sense, even if Foles once experienced a career year in Philly.

25. Jets
Before the Jets finally worked out a deal with Ryan Fitzpatrick, I had them at No. 2. Now, they have little need for Foles with Geno Smith or Bryce Petty locked in as the top backup and Christian Hackenberg to develop.

24. Buccaneers
Some believe Mike Glennon could start for a quarterback-needy team. He's clearly good enough (83.7 career passer rating) to have locked down the position of Jameis Winston's backup.

23. Chargers
They have the best quarterback in the division ( Philip Rivers) and two experienced backups in Kellen Clemens and Zach Mettenberger.

22. Bengals
Andy Dalton might actually be #elite and AJ McCarron is the self-proclaimed next Tom Brady.
21. Falcons
Stable starter: Matt Ryan. Experienced backup: Matt Schaub.

20. Dolphins
I'm pretty sure Matt Moore is actually the prototypical backup quarterback. Like, in the sense he's going to be cloned in the near future by the NFL so all 32 teams have a Matt Moore waiting on their bench. Now, there's a future we can all believe in.

19. Bills
Tyrod Taylor is good, even if he doesn't get the recognition. If he goes down, the team might want to see if former first-rounder EJ Manuel has any remaining value or how Cardale Jones fares at the next level.

18. Vikings
Shaun Hill has actually posted a career 85.2 passer rating, which is nearly identical to Foles' 87.3. There's no need to make a change behind Teddy Bridgewater.

17. Raiders
Backup Matt McGloin has been with the Raiders since 2013, has started six games, and has posted a 76.2 rating. He's bad, but all backups are bad with a few notable mediocre exceptions.
The Raiders also have rookie Connor Cook, who many presumed would be drafted near the end of the first round, which makes the room a tad crowded for Foles to join. If he did, they'd most likely have to part ways with McGloin, who at least knows the system.

16. Titans
Matt Cassel isn't good, but he's experienced as a starter. The Titans aren't in win-now mode, so rolling with Cassel as Marcus Mariota's sub should work for them.

15. Jaguars
Ditching Chad Henne for Nick Foles might be an upgrade, sure, but it'd be minimal. Henne has at least started 53 games in his career.

14. Texans
I'm not even certain Brock Osweiler will be a decent quarterback. They did, however, invest a ton of money at quarterback already.

13. Redskins
For the first time, Kirk Cousins has the starting job tucked away. If he can repeat his success from last season, though, is in doubt. Behind him is Colt McCoy. He is not good. That is not in doubt.
The Redskins probably consider themselves a playoff team, but they don't currently own a good insurance policy if Cousins goes down.

12. Lions
Behind Matt Stafford is Dan Orlovsky, whose stats page features more gaps than any other active quarterback. Yeah, the Lions could use a better backup. They aren't a playoff contender, though, so they might not see a need to upgrade at the position this year.

11. Giants
Is Ryan Nassib even decent at quarterback? We at least know Foles is.
foles1400.jpg
Foles could land on a playoff team seeking a competent backup.

10. Steelers
When Ben Roethlisberger went down last season with an injury, Landry Jones helmed one of the most dynamic offenses on the planet and proceeded to throw more picks than touchdowns. That's not optimal.
Neither is Bruce Gradkowski, who's pieced together a career passer-rating of 65.8.

9. Colts
The Colts lost Matt Hasselbeck, but signed Scott Tolzien (67.1 passer rating) because he learned from Aaron Rodgers. Statistically, Foles would be an upgrade.
Remember Luck's injury luck last year?

8. Packers
A quarterback room with Aaron Rodgers and Brett Hundley -- the team's second-year quarterback -- is probably already full. Still, Hundley's never thrown a pass in the NFL. There's really no way to know how the Packers feel about Hundley, but if they're doubting his readiness to back up Rodgers, then bringing in someone with real experience, who can keep the team afloat if Rodgers misses a small chunk of time, makes sense.
This is a team almost guaranteed to make the playoffs. Having a decent, proven backup matters.

7. Browns
They're not in win-now mode so it doesn't really make sense to grab a "meh" quarterback. But you can't say Nick Foles couldn't beat out RG3 and Cody Kessler.

6. Ravens
They did not fare well when Joe Flacco tore his ACL last season, trying out quarterbacks like Jimmy Clausen and Ryan Mallett, who is currently second on the depth chart. Mallett can't even wake up on time for practice.

5. Seahawks
Russell Wilson's spot is secure, but can you even name their backup? It's not Tarvaris Jackson anymore.
Like the Packers and Steelers, the Seahawks will be a playoff team, so they need an insurance policy in case Wilson is forced to miss a game or two.

4. Broncos
Mark Sanchez? Trevor Siemian? Paxton Lynch?
Put Foles in that competition, and I'm betting he wins the job.

3. 49ers
Reminder: Chip Kelly is the one who coached Foles to that 27-touchdown, two-interception season. Reminder: Chip Kelly is currently working with Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick.
The only issue: The 49ers won't even be decent, so I see no real incentive to provide a slight upgrade at quarterback.

2. Chiefs
They lost Chase Daniel, they figure they're a playoff team, and head coach Andy Reid helped draft Foles in Philly.

1. Cowboys
The Cowboys went 1-11 in games that weren't started by Tony Romo last year. Romo's collarbone is fragile, to put it nicely. And I doubt Jerry Jones wants to throw Dak Prescott, a developmental rookie, into the fire.
And no, Kellen Moore is not the answer.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-28-2016, 05:49 PM

NFL's 4 non-playoff teams for 2016: Broncos fall back to the pack

The Super Bowl hangover is real and Denver's great defense won't be able to ward it off

Not really so much when it comes to teams who will miss the playoffs this year. There are 12 teams to pick from (as opposed to 20), and it's not hard to avoid the Patriots, Packers, Panthers, Cardinals, Seahawks and Steelers. That leaves six teams to pick from. You could certainly argue some of the other teams are candidates to miss, but it's a very bold call.

Of those six we're basically looking at divisions that are a little more fluid than other situations. I narrowed it down to four, including a full-blown flip in the AFC West -- zero chance that backfires! -- and additional upheaval in the AFC South and the NFC East.
The beauty of the NFL is there will be wildly unpredictable turnover from year to year. Here's one guess at four teams to miss. Hopefully it looks better than last year's predictions from our crew (Panthers, Cardinals and Bengals!).

Washington Redskins
2015 Record: 9-7
2016 Over/Under: 7.5
Overview: The Redskins were the consensus last-place team in the NFC East before 2015 began and for a lot of people, potentially the worst team in football, which proves that we, like Jon Snow, know nothing. It was understandable given they were planning to sit Robert Griffin III for the entire year (and avoid guaranteeing his fifth-year option money) and just see what Kirk Cousins could do as a starter. Then a really weird thing happened and Cousins led the NFL in completion percentage, while putting up obscene numbers down the stretch, leading Washington to an NFC East title and a home playoff game.

Why they won't make the playoffs: A big part of "not making it back to the playoffs" is about regression to the mean. And there isn't a bigger candidate than Cousins. Washington fans should feel both great and terrible about the way contract negotiations with Cousins went this offseason: no new deal means he's hyper-motivated to prove the front office wrong, but if Washington doesn't value him at more than a reported $15 or $16 million a year, what does it say about their belief in him repeating last season?

Cousins averaged a whopping 9.41 yards per attempt in the final eight games of the year, completing 73.6 percent of his passes, throwing 19 touchdowns and two interceptions. None of that is remotely sustainable over the course of a season (only three people post merger have ever averaged 9.4 yards per attempt for a season.) The Redskins didn't vastly outperform their Expected win total (8.2, they won 9) but they also didn't beat a single team with a winning record.

Their nine victories came against teams that went 56-86 total. That's not their fault, per se, but it doesn't necessarily bode well if the schedule gets harder. (Their seven losses came against teams that went 61-51 combined for what it's worth.) Josh Norman is a very good cornerback and a big-time offseason addition, but he will face a murderer's row of wideouts, including Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham and Dez Bryant out of the gate.

Why they could be back in the playoffs: For starters, the schedule. We don't know what is going to happen with the NFC East, but if it's as bad as it was last year, then Washington could easily win 9 or 10 games. The Cowboys being bad on defense and suffering offensive injuries, the Eagles being dysfunctional and struggling at the quarterback position, the Giants not really addressing all their issues with their offseason spending -- all of those are real possibilities.

Cousins doesn't have to completely regress: even if he puts up numbers equivalent to his first half of the season he would be an effective quarterback. Cousins completed 66.9 percent of his passes, 244 yards per game and threw for 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. His bet on himself could pay off handsomely for everyone involved. The Redskins will need some players to really take a leap forward too. With Junior Gallette going down for the year again, there are major concerns about the pass rush in Washington. The running back position should be a concern too, with Matt Jones showing explosion in his rookie year but also a tendency to fumble the ball.

Denver Broncos
2015 Record: 12-4
2016 Over/Under: 9.0
Overview: Pretty, pretty, PRET-TAH good year for the Broncos. They flew under the radar for most of the year because everyone was screaming about whether or not Peyton Manning was washed up. The reality was the defense carried the team and it was historically great, particularly when the playoffs rolled around and Von Miller turned into a destructive force.
Denver was actually in danger of missing the playoffs down the home stretch and then magically picked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Broncos weren't great on offense, but the NFL's No. 1 defense covered that up. Denver got a little lucky early in the season and then white-hot down the stretch and through the Super Bowl. There isn't a concrete magic formula for winning in football's postseason -- sometimes you have to get lucky and make sure to capitalize on that luck.
Why they won't make the playoffs: The Expected Win total for the Broncos stands out in a big way: they should have won 9.7 games last year but ended up with 12 wins. There were a number of games early in the year when they managed to outright steal a victory (against in the Chiefs in Week 2 on Thursday Night Football and in overtime against the Browns in Week 6 both stand out). So even if the Broncos back at full strength, a little regression wouldn't be out of the question.

Denver is far from full strength, however, losing a number of key players on the defense to free agency. Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan, both key players in the Broncos run, left for Jacksonville and Chicago, respectively. Brock Osweiler, the presumptive starter for the upcoming season, signed a huge deal with the Texans. These offseason moves aren't impossible to overcome or indicative of Denver doing a bad job: when you win a title, people leave. But there's no telling how the quarterback situation with Mark Sanchez/Trevor Siemian/Paxton Lynch will play out. It could be a disaster. The division will be better, with the Raiders and Chargers improving.

Why they could be back in the playoffs: The biggest reason people point to about a possible Broncos regression is the quarterback play. But the funny thing is the trio of Sanchez/Siemian/Lynch might not even be that much worse than Peyton Manning/Brock Osweiler. 2015 was by far and away the worst season of Manning's career, as he managed to miss five weeks of the season and still hold the NFL interception lead.
Maybe that vaunted trio is BETTER. Maybe Demaryius Thomas doesn't drop a ton of balls. Maybe bringing back C.J. Anderson looks like a great decision (even though it's impossible since he could have been MUCH cheaper). The division could be worse than we expect and Denver's defense could meet the standard it set last year. This team did bring back Brandon Marshall and Von Miller to pair with the best secondary in football after all.

Houston Texans
2015 Record: 9-7
2016 Over/Under: 8.5
Overview: Bill O'Brien pulled off one of the all-time underrated coaching jobs in 2015. The Texans struggled out of the gate to a 2-5 record after a loss to the Dolphins in late October. It was an all-time bottoming out, with the Texans' most important offensive player, Arian Foster, going down for the season and Ryan Mallett missing the game because he overslept. The Texans looked dead in the water, but would somehow rip off four straight wins while also winning seven of their last nine games to take the AFC South.

The playoff game against the Chiefs didn't go, um, so well, which led to Houston completely revamping the offense. They signed Brock Osweiler for $72 million, inked running back Lamar Miller to take over in the backfield and added the combo of Will Fuller/Braxton Miller in the draft to pair alongside breakout wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Why they won't make the playoffs: This isn't a pick against the Texans, who did a lot of smart things this offseason. It's more a pick of circumstances and the difficulty of integrating a ton of new pieces into the offense.

Osweiler is an upgrade, but it's not like they added Aaron Rodgers here. We have limited knowledge about what he can do on the field, they only talked to him for 10 seconds before signing him and John Elway, the guy who drafted him, wasn't willing to pay up for his services. Additionally, the division will be better. The Jaguars are a hot pick to improve quickly. The Titans retained Mike Mularkey but they're still going to improve with Marcus Mariota in a second year. And the Colts should return to form.

It’s tempting to want to wait out bouts of market volatility, but that seemingly “safe” strategy isn’t...
J.J. Watt isn't healthy coming into the year, which is a major red flag for their defense. He's a top-five non-quarterback in terms of difference makers. Six of their 10 non-division games are against playoff teams from last year.

Why they could make the playoffs: If all the offseason acquisitions click, the Texans offense will be fun to watch. Hopkins is a top-five wide receiver in the NFL right now and he'll be catching passes from his best quarterback yet. Fuller/Miller are fun toys to throw in the mix and we should finally find out what happens when Miller gets a full workload. Watt could come back by the start of the season because he's a freak and Jadeveon Clowney could be prepped for a breakout season.
There are lots of fun pieces on both sides of the ball. They get to play the Patriots without Tom Brady. Bill O'Brien's work in Houston really is underrated: he's won 9 games in back-to-back seasons despite having Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates, Brandon Weeden, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum and Tom Savage attempt passes for him. That's the 1927 Yankees of bad quarterbacking. Any upgrade is a pretty massive upgrade.

Kansas City Chiefs
2015 Record: 11-5
2016 Over/Under: 9.5
Overview: Much like the Texans, the Chiefs were a stunning playoff team last year. Not because they weren't good, but because they were 1-5 at one point early in the season, had just lost Jamaal Charles for the year and looked dead in the water. Andy Reid pulled off an incredible coaching job -- maybe the best one of his career -- as the Chiefs ripped off 10-straight wins to close out the season, before thumping the Texans in the playoffs and falling just short of an AFC Championship Game berth against the Patriots.
Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware filled in admirably for Charles, Alex Smith was his usual efficient self and Jeremy Maclin justified the hefty contract Kansas City gave him. The defense was a revelation, with Marcus Peters emerging as a stud rookie, Eric Berry uniting the secondary as Comeback Player of the Year and a mish-mash of pass rushers producing nicely without going up top.

Why they won't make the playoffs: There are some red flags abounding here. Justin Houston dealt with an injury during the second half of the year and had surgery in February that should keep him out through the start of the season. Berry is holding out because the two sides couldn't work out a deal (that has created plenty of issues when it comes to defensive anchors in the past) and Charles is recovering from a second ACL surgery. He bounced back nicely before but a second ACL tear is a second ACL tear. It's a concern.

Sean Smith departed in free agency and Husain Abdullah retired. The secondary isn't the strength it was heading into the year and the team's top pass rusher isn't necessarily going to be ready. Bob Sutton is a stud defensive coordinator but how much duct tape can one man purchase? The Chiefs get to play the AFC South and NFC South this year, but those two divisions might be the most improved in football before 2016. Of the Chiefs' 10 wins down the stretch last year, two were against playoff teams.

Why they could make the playoffs: If Charles is healthy, this offense will still hum. Mitchell Schwartz was an underrated addition in the offseason and Alex Smith never gets the credit he is due because he's not exciting. Three of four games down the stretch are at home, with two of those being division games (the Chiefs close at San Diego).

Vegas loves them too -- a 9.5 over/under win total is pretty stout (although no one who made the playoffs last year has anything less than a 7 win total). The Chiefs aren't very exciting but they're really well coached. Reid gets the most out of his squad and you can say the same for Sutton. Additionally, there's a lot of hype around the Raiders (and some people are hyping the Chargers too) but it could just be hype: the Chiefs might be the best team in a division that is impossible to predict at this point.

Honorable Mention

Bengals: Couldn't pull the trigger because this team is too consistent. Consistency wins in the NFL. The losses of Hue Jackson and all their non-A.J. Green wideouts are concerning.

Vikings: Too much talent on the defensive side of the ball with the possibility of the defense taking a leap this year. Teddy Bridgewater is underrated and he should have better weapons this season. Adrian Peterson continues to run angry.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-28-2016, 05:58 PM

NFL's 4 new playoff teams for 2016: Cowboys top list of likely candidates

The Cowboys, Raiders, Colts and Bolts -- yes, the Chargers -- look primed to rise

The 2015 NFL season once again featured heavy playoff fluctuation, with four new teams making the playoffs and four teams falling short of a return trip. It's funny to think about these teams now: how on earth were the Colts not winning the AFC South last year? Turns out a lack of defense and a several major injuries to a star quarterback are a recipe for bad football.

The NFL almost always features several teams who will make a leap up in the standings, either as a result of smart offseason additions or simply because they were dealt a better hand. Then there are the teams who drop off, either because they made mistakes or the ball bounced the other way, both in a literal and metaphorical sense.
Let's identify some candidates to rise up in 2016. We'll hit four that fall back later.

Dallas Cowboys
2015 Record: 4-12
2016 Over/Under: 9.5
Overview: The Cowboys of 2014 set the bar high, winning 12 games and establishing a devastating rushing attack built on DeMarco Murray running behind the best line in football. Dallas let Murray walk in free agency and watched both Tony Romo and Dez Bryant spend the 2015 season being injured, while Greg Hardy drew the public eye on a bad Cowboys football team. The Cowboys were still borderline close to winning the division anyway: an ugly win on "Monday Night Football" in early December had them in the playoff hunt. They wouldn't win another game.

Why they'll make the playoffs: You don't get much less lucky than the Cowboys in 2015. Their best players all got hurt and they went 2-6 in one-score games, including a pair of overtime losses to the Saints and Eagles. Their luck should regress to the norm, although it's worth noting their Expected Win-Loss (explained here, essentially utilizing points for and points allowed to generate an expected record for a team) was 5.2.

Like most teams, their season hinges on the health of their quarterback. An injured Romo will cause major issues. The running game should return to form though. Darren McFadden averaged 4.6 yards per carry behind a Dallas line with multiple Pro Bowl players (Tyron Smith, Zach Martin, Travis Frederick). The addition of Ezekiel Elliott in the draft gives Dallas a legitimate bell-cow back who is also an underrated receiver and a tremendous pass blocker (a trait that should help Romo's health). Dez Bryant is a top-five wideout in the game -- his injury, a Jones fracture in his foot, is concerning, but Julio Jones suffered the same injury in 2013 and returned the following year to post a 1,593-yard season.

If everyone stays healthy and Elliott meets expectations this is top-five NFL offense that can run roughshod through a questionable division. Dallas' offense being better this year than in 2014 isn't out of the question.

Why they won't make the playoffs: On the other hand, the defense probably won't be better. DeMarcus Lawrence is facing a four-game suspension. So is second-year pass rusher Randy Gregory, who has a history with off-field issues. Rolando McClain will miss 10 games as a result of a suspension. Hardy is gone. Jaylon Smith was a second-round pick and might be a great player but isn't expected to have an impact this season.

Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr remain prominent members of the secondary after failing to live up to their respective hype. Rod Marinelli is a great coach but he's really got his work cut out for him. Romo is pretty old -- the long-time Cowboy turned 36 in April and despite what he thinks, he has a history of suffering injuries. It's absolutely possible Romo gets hurt again, the defense is terrible and Elliott struggles to adjust, while neither Kellen Moore or Dak Prescott is capable of leading this team to an above-.500 record.

Indianapolis Colts
2015 Record: 8-8
2016 Over/Under: 9.5
Overview: The hype for the Colts offense, thanks to additions of Frank Gore, Andre Johnson and Philip Dorsett, was off the charts before 2015. In hindsight, that was pretty dumb! Two big-name veterans and a rookie wide receiver aren't going to overcome issues on the offensive line.

Despite finishing in the bottom half on offense (24th in points, 28th in yards), only getting seven games out of Andrew Luck and being forced to play Matt Hasselbeck (8 games), Charlie Whitehurst (4), Josh Freeman (1) and Ryan Lindley (1) at various points of the season, the Colts still won eight games. Ryan Grigson accidentally put things on the "All-Madden" setting and forgot to turn it off. You just tip your cap to the computer and move on.

There was also a debilitating internal controversy between Jim Irsay, Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano. Everyone was pretty sure not making the Super Bowl would result in Pagano getting the boot, but he found his way back in the offseason.

Why they'll make the playoffs: The smartest move of the offseason was drafting Alabama center Ryan Kelly in the first round. He immediately becomes the Jeff Saturday to Luck's Peyton Manning, a cerebral player in the middle of the offensive line who will have a trickle-down effect on players around him when it comes to keeping his quarterback protected. Luck signed a massive contract this offseason and the Colts are dead set on protecting their investment.

Lots of people are kind of down on Luck suddenly, which is odd considering just how good a player he has been during his time in the NFL. He got hurt and had a rough season, but he's basically been a surgeon forced to operate with a butter knife and a slightly dull stick during his NFL tenure. Expect some weapons to take steps forward this year. The running game should improve with Kelly on the line. Donte Moncrief is on everyone's "breakout receiver" list and for good reason -- he finished with 733 yards despite that list of quarterbacks. He also had 351 yards with Luck under center despite two of those games coming against the vaunted defenses of Denver and Carolina. Dorsett should take a step forward in Year 2 as well and provides another terrifying deep threat alongside T.Y. Hilton.

The Colts outperformed their Expected Win total once again in 2015, as they should have won just 6.1 games. That's cause for concern but you can chalk some of it up to the issues at quarterback. The AFC South remains a very winnable division.

Why they won't make the playoffs: But the AFC South is also better than it was in 2015. The Jaguars are a franchise on the rise, but it also feels like a LOT of people expect big things in Jacksonville and it could be a year too early for them. The Texans upgraded at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and could get a full healthy year of the Jadeveon Clowney and J.J. Watt combo. The Titans brought back Mike Mularkey! It's also not difficult to see a similar year for Indy: is everyone really on the same page in the front office? Can the offensive line actually protect Luck? Will the young weapons take a step forward? Is the defense actually any better? You can't guarantee "yes" as an answer for any of those questions.

San Diego Chargers
2015 Record: 4-12
2016 Over/Under: 7.0

Overview: Not the AFC West team you were probably expecting here, but no one is talking about the Chargers. Seriously, find someone (else ...?) who is going to predict an AFC West title for San Diego before this season. The Chargers were a mess in 2015 -- any team with a true franchise quarterback that only wins four games either made some really dumb moves or suffered some horrible luck.

It was mostly the latter for San Diego, which went 3-8 in one-score games and had an Expected Win total of 6 games. In a Week 8 game against the Ravens, an astonishing 12 players left the game with injury (not including six who were out prior to the game). Philip Rivers is not one to make excuses but even he said "I've never seen anything like it" after the three-point loss. Keenan Allen was knocked out with a lacerated kidney, robbing Rivers of his top playmaker. Melvin Gordon was not, ahem, the player anyone expected him to be out of the backfield.

Why they'll make they playoffs: Better luck is the biggest reason for expecting an improvement in 2016. If the Chargers deal with the same rash of injuries they suffered in 2015 (and they've dealt with these issues before) then we can start potentially pointing fingers somewhere other than "football is just hard, man." The one-score game record isn't a guarantee to improve, but history tells us it should.

The running game is still a real concern after offseason micro-fracture surgery for Gordon, but with Ken Whisenhunt back in the fold as offensive coordinator, Allen returning, the addition of Hunter Henry and Travis Benjamin (one of the most
underrated signings this offseason for his fit there), Rivers should be in line for another big year. Expectations are surprisingly suppressed for No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa, who has already made an impression on his veteran teammates. People worry about his fit as a 3-4 end, but he's excellent against the run and Rivers is already raving about the first-round pick. There's a ton of talent on this defense, it just hasn't all clicked yet.

Why they won't make the playoffs: Maybe the defense won't click. Maybe the Chargers run game isn't established because Gordon's surgery robs him of explosiveness and Brandon Olivier/Danny Woodhead aren't enough to make up for it. San Diego, like New England, isn't afraid to eschew the run for the short passing attack but you need something. Maybe the division is tougher than people expect and the Raiders/Broncos/Chiefs are all making runs at the playoffs.

That's the most likely issue. While the Super Bowl champion Broncos lost Peyton Manning, Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson, Danny Trevathan and are probably starting Mark Sanchez/Trevor Siemien/Paxton Lynch at quarterback, they've still got an outstanding defense. The Raiders are WHITE HOT in terms of people being on the bandwagon and there's some legitimacy there. And the Chiefs remain steady under Andy Reid, who might have pulled off the best coaching job of his career last season.

Oakland Raiders
2015 Record: 7-9
2016 Over/Under: 8.5

Overview: Seriously -- the Raiders are the team du jour for the offseason, with plenty of people preparing to pick them as the AFC West winners based on a strong core of young talent and a slew of smart offseason moves. The trio of Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack is reasonable reason for excitement, even if it might be wise to throw a little caution to the wind on the quarterback situation. A surprising 7-9 season in 2015 hit their Expected win total on the nose and featured a ton of growth from the team on both sides of the ball. Carr completed 61 percent of his passes and threw for 32 touchdowns, while Mack emerged as a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate in just his second season.
Why they'll make the playoffs: It's not unreasonable to expect another step forward for their "Big Three" and if that happens the Raiders will be a playoff contender. They might be the biggest contenders to challenge the Cowboys for the best offensive line in football and added to it in free agency, picking up Kelechi Osemele, in one of the best pickups of the offseason.

Oakland also improved its defense, adding Bruce Irvin to line up across from Mack. Aldon Smith will also return from suspension at some point. And Reggie McKenzie did an outstanding job addressing secondary concerns by signing Sean Smith and Reggie Nelson before drafting Karl Joseph in the first round. He would later lock down David Amerson, a scrap-heap gem who was released by the Redskins and blossomed for Oakland last year. If they all gel in the defensive backfield, look out. For a roster that was burnt to the ground just a few years ago, they don't have a ton of weaknesses.

Why they won't make the playoffs: Everyone is on this bandwagon. Like, everyone. Because the Broncos took some personnel losses, because the Chargers were terrible and because the Chiefs are boring, it's easy to get hyped up about a team with tons of young talent putting it all together for a playoff run. But a lot of times when everyone in the NFL thinks something is going to happen it doesn't. Is that a particularly logical way of expecting something bad to happen for Oakland? Not at all. But the NFL is a fickle beast.

Additionally, the division could be tougher than expected. The three other teams in the division might not just fall apart. The Raiders' schedule looks easy but they also open with three of four games on the road before closing the season with three of four away from home (which is an entirely different issue all together, not to mention kind of a distraction). It just feels a little weird to pencil the Raiders in as a dominant AFC team -- going 8-8 or 9-7 and missing the playoffs wouldn't be a bad season but it's not like that's the floor either.

Honorable Mention

Ravens: If Joe Flacco is healthy and some weapons in the passing game can emerge, the Ravens will be dangerous. Assuming a bounce back isn't a given though.

Bills: Rex Ryan might be coaching for his job after a bad defensive performance last year. He'll certainly be coaching with his dad (along with brother Rob). Tyrod Taylor staying healthy is paramount.

Jaguars: Another heavily-hyped team in a questionable division, Jacksonville has red flags on three first-round-worthy defensive additions (Dante Fowler, Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack). Anything other than a monster year from Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns would be a big disappointment.

Buccaneers: Jameis Winston could take a big leap and the weapons are there, but the NFC is a tough spot to be. They might be the second-best team in their division though.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-28-2016, 06:08 PM

2016 NFL training camp dates, locations: Here's where all 32 teams will be

Here's where each NFL franchise will be camping out to get ready for the season

NFL training camps kick off around the country starting July 27. Here is the most current list of camp locations and dates for all 32 teams.
Note: Official camp opening dates are listed as the day when the first full-squad practice is held, not reporting days.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
St. John Fisher College, Pittsford, N.Y.
July 30: Camp opens
Aug. 13: Preseason opener vs. Indianapolis Colts, 7 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

Miami Dolphins
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Doctors Hospital Training Facility, Davie, Fla.
July 29: Camp opens
Aug. 12: Preseason opener at New York Giants, 7 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

New England Patriots
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass.
July 28: Camp opens
Aug. 9-10: Joint practice with New Orleans Saints Aug. 11: Preseason opener vs. New Orleans Saints, 7:30 p.m. ET
Aug. 15-16: Joint practices with the Chicago Bears
Full camp schedule

New York Jets
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Atlantic Health Training Center, Florham, N.Y.
July 30: Camp opens
Aug. 11: Preseason opener vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 7 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Under Armour Performance Center, Owings Mills, Md.
July 28: Camp opens
Aug. 11: Preseason opener vs. Carolina Panthers, 7:30 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

Cincinnati Bengals
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
July 29: Camp opens
Aug. 10-11: Joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings
Aug. 12: Preseason opener vs. Minnesota Vikings, 7:30 p.m.
Full camp schedule

Cleveland Browns
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Cleveland Browns Training Facility, Berea, Ohio
July 29: Camp opens
Aug. 12: Preseason opener at Green Bay Packers, 8 p.m. ET
Aug. 23-24: Joint practices at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Full camp schedule

Pittsburgh Steelers
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa.
July 29: Camp opens
Aug. 9-10: Joint practices with the Detroit Lions
Aug. 12: Preseason opener vs. Detroit Lions, 7 p.m. ET

AFC South

Houston Texans
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Methodist Training Center, Houston, Texas
July 30: Camp opens
Aug 11-12: Joint practices at San Francisco 49ers
Aug. 14: Preseason opener at San Francisco 49ers, 7 p.m. ET

Indianapolis Colts
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Anderson University, Anderson, Ind.
July 27: Camp opens
Aug. 7: Hall of Fame Game vs. Green Bay Packers in Canton, Ohio, 8 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

Jacksonville Jaguars
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Florida Blue Health & Wellness Practice Fields, Jacksonville, Fla.
July 29: Camp opens
Aug. 11: Preseason opener at New York Jets, 7:30 p.m. ET
Aug. 17-18: Joint practices with Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Full camp schedule

Tennessee Titans
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Baptist Sports Park, Nashville, Tenn.
July 30: Camp opens
Aug. 13: Preseason opener vs. San Diego Chargers, 8 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

AFC West

Denver Broncos
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Bowlen Memorial Broncos Centre, Englewood, Colo.
July 28: Camp opens
Aug. 11: Preseason opener at Chicago Bears, 8 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

Kansas City Chiefs
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Missouri Western State University St., Joseph, Mo.
July 30: Camp opens
Aug. 13: Preseason opener vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:30 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

Oakland Raiders
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Napa Valley Marriott, Napa, Calif.
July 29: Camp opens
Aug. 12: Preseason opener at Arizona Cardinals, 10 p.m. ET

San Diego Chargers
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Chargers Park, San Diego, Calif.
July 30: Camp opens
Aug. 13: Preseason opener at Tennessee Titans, 8 p.m. ET
Aug. 16: Joint practice with Arizona Cardinals at Qualcomm Stadium
Full camp schedule

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
City of Oxnard Fields, Oxnard, Calif.
July 30: Camp opens
Aug. 13: Preseason opener at Los Angeles Rams, 8 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

New York Giants
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Quest Diagnostics Training Center, East Rutherford, N.J.
July 29: Camp opens
Aug. 12: Preseason opener vs. Miami Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET

Philadelphia Eagles
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
NovaCare Complex, Philadelphia, Pa.
July 28: Camp opens
Aug. 11: Preseason opener vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7 p.m. ET

Washington Redskins
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Bon Secours Training Center, Richmond, Va.
July 28: Camp opens
Aug. 11: Preseason opener at Atlanta Falcons, 7 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

NFC North

Chicago Bears
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Ill.
July 28: Camp opens
Aug. 11: Preseason opener vs. Denver Broncos, 8 p.m. ET
Aug. 15-16: Joint practices with the New England Patriots
Full camp schedule

Detroit Lions
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Detroit Lions Training Facility, Allen Park, Mich.
July 28: Camp opens
Aug. 9-10: Joint practices with Pittsburgh Steelers
Aug. 12: Preseason opener at Pittsburgh Steelers, 7 p.m. ET

Green Bay Packers
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wis.
July 26: Camp opens
Aug. 7: Hall of Fame Game vs. Indianapolis Colts in Canton, Ohio, 8 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

Minnesota Vikings
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Mankato, Minn.
July 29: Camp opens
Aug. 10-11: Joint practices with the Cincinnati Bengals
Aug. 12: Preseason opener at Cincinnati Bengals, 7:30 p.m.
Full camp schedule

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Atlanta Falcons Training Facility, Flowery Branch, Ga.
July 28: Camp opens
Aug. 11: Preseason opener vs. Washington Redskins, 7 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

Carolina Panthers
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Wofford College, Spartanburg, S.C.
July 28: Camp opens
Aug. 11: Preseason opener at Baltimore Ravens, 7:30 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

New Orleans Saints
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
The Greenbrier, White Sulpher Springs, W.Va.
July 28: Camp opens
Aug. 9-10: Joint practice at New England Patriots
Aug. 11: Preseason opener at New England Patriots, 7:30 p.m. ET
Aug. 18-19: Joint practices at Houston Texans
Full camp schedule

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
One Buccaneer Place, Tampa, Fla.
July 30: Camp opens
Aug. 11: Preseason opener at Eagles, 7 p.m. ET
Aug. 23-24: Joint practices with Cleveland Browns
Full camp schedule

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals

CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
July 29: Camp opens
Aug. 12: Preseason opener vs. Oakland Raiders, 9 p.m. ET
Aug. 16-17: Joint practices at San Diego Chargers
Full camp schedule

Los Angeles Rams
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
UC Irvine, Irvine, Calif.
July 30: Camp opens
Aug. 13: Preseason opener vs. Dallas Cowboys, 8 p.m. ET

San Francisco 49ers
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
SAP Performance Facility, Santa Clara, Calif.
July 31: Camp opens
Aug 11-12: Joint practices with Houston Texans
Aug. 14: Preseason opener vs. Houston Texans, 7 p.m. ET

Seattle Seahawks
CAMP LOCATION KEY DATES
Virginia Mason Athletic Center, Renton, Wash.
July 30: Camp opens
Aug. 13: Preseason opener at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:30 p.m. ET
Full camp schedule

**StarDust Bum** · 08-03-2016, 01:58 AM

Kelly says preseason games will decide 49ers QB competition
August 2, 2016

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) Coach Chip Kelly is putting Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert on equal footing as they compete for the San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback job.

Both players received the same number of practice reps through the first three days of training camp. Kelly said he will use preseason games to decide the starter.

''They're not going to get hit in any of our training sessions and there's no quarterback in the NFL or even college that probably gets hit in practice,'' Kelly said.

''So, really the big determination with those guys will be the preseason games are going to be huge for those guys.''

Gabbert replaced Kaepernick nine games into last season after the 49ers went 2-6 in Kaepernick's starts under former coach Jim Tomsula. They finished 3-5 with Gabbert starting, who posted a career-best 86.2 passer rating after a turbulent three-year tenure in Jacksonville led to a trade to San Francisco in 2014.

Kaepernick missed the majority of the offseason program while recovering from three surgeries. He was placed on injured reserve in November to have surgery on his left shoulder. After the season, he had procedures on his throwing hand and left knee.

While recovering, Kaepernick during practice stood yards behind offensive drills and took mental notes. That helped him transition to Kelly's up-tempo offense before being cleared by team doctors to participate in training camp this week.

''It felt great just to be back on the field to start with, and then to get into the offense and really sink my teeth into and get comfortable with it,'' Kaepernick said. ''It felt good with everything I was doing.''

Gabbert, who was selected 26 spots ahead of Kaepernick in the 2011 draft, faces free agency next spring and is looking to improve on last season to revitalize his career after the Jaguars went 5-22 in his starts.

As a 22-year-old rookie, Gabbert replaced veteran David Gerrard in the starting lineup.

''This isn't my first quarterback competition I've ever been in and definitely won't be the last,'' Gabbert said. ''So when you're out there, you've just got to make the most out of your opportunities and go out there and have fun.''

While Gabbert and Kaepernick are competing for the starting job, they're also trying to learn Kelly's fast-paced offense. His no-huddle attack led to the Eagles ranking last in time of possession in Kelly's three seasons, which tests players physically and mentally.

''When you're physically tired, you've still got to think,'' Gabbert said. ''That's something you've got to work hard at because when your body starts going, start breathing hard, you've still got to process the information, the play call coming into your headset, know what your read is, whether it's a run game or pass game being able to kind of function when you're tired.''

Kaepernick spent his time off before training camp trying to regain weight after the surgeries impacted his weight lifting regimen.

''Yeah, (I'm) definitely putting a lot of weight back on,'' Kaepernick said. ''I don't look like my high school self anymore. I feel like I look more like an adult now.''

**StarDust Bum** · 08-04-2016, 12:11 PM

HOF Notes - Packers vs. Colts
August 4, 2016

Green Bay Packers

Head Coach: Mike McCarthy
Quarterback Rotation: Aaron Rodgers, Brett Hundley, Joe Callahan, Marquise Williams (Rookie - North Carolina)

The Packers have gone 20-20 in the preseason under head coach Mike McCarthy and that includes a 6-6 record the last three seasons. The ‘over’ has produced a 26-14 (65%) mark during this span but the points haven’t come in bunches outside of Lambeau Field. Green Bay has averaged 17.5 points per game in its last six road games in the preseason, which has helped the ‘under’ go 4-2.

For updated injury reports on the Packers for this contest, we suggest following Ryan Wood and Rob Demovsky via Twitter. Backup quarterback Brett Hundley (ankle) is ‘questionable’ for Sunday while starting wide receiver Jordy Nelson (knee) and tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee) are expected to miss.

Indianapolis Colts

Head Coach: Chuck Pagano

Quarterback Rotation: Andrew Luck, Scott Tolzien, Stephen Morris

The Colts haven’t put much stock in the preseason, even dating back to Peyton Manning’s tenure at quarterback. Since the Luck/Pagano connection started in 2012, the Colts haven’t been profitable in the preseason by owning a 5-11 SU and 6-10 ATS record. In three of four preseason openers under Pagano, the Colts have finished ‘over’ the total, including in last season’s 36-10 defeat to the Eagles on a 40.5 total.

For updated injury reports on the Colts, we suggest following Stephen Holder and Zak Keefer via Twitter. Starting center Ryan Kelly (shoulder) is ‘questionable’ for Sunday as the Colts are mostly healthy heading into the Hall of Fame Game.

Preseason Coaching Stats

Mike McCarthy, Green Bay – 20-20 SU, 20-20 ATS, 26-14 O/U
Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis – 5-11 SU, 7-9 ATS, 7-9 O/U

Preseason Results - Last Two Years

Green Bay

2015 (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS, 3-1 O/U)

Green Bay (+2.5, 38) 22 at New England 11
Green Bay (PK, 42.5) 19 at Pittsburgh 24
Green Bay (+6, 46) 26 vs. Philadelphia 39
Green Bay (-2, 39.5) 38 vs. New Orleans 10

2014 (3-1 SU, 3-1 ATS, 2-2 O/U)

Green Bay (+3, 37) 16 at Tennessee 20
Green Bay (+2, 43.5) 21 at St. Louis 7
Green Bay (-7, 43.5) 31 vs. Oakland 21
Green Bay (-3.5, 42) 34 vs. Kansas City 14

Indianapolis

2015 (1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS, 1-3 O/U)

Indianapolis (+4.5, 40.5) 10 at Philadelphia 36
Indianapolis (-3.5, 41) 11 vs. Chicago 23
Indianapolis (+2.5, 41.5) 24 at St. Louis 14
Indianapolis (-1, 39) 6 vs. Cincinnati 9

2014 (0-4 SU, 1-3 ATS, 2-2 O/U)

Indianapolis (+3.5, 37) 10 at N.Y. Jets 13
Indianapolis (-1, 42.5) 26 vs. N.Y. Giants 27
Indianapolis (-1, 47.5) 17 vs. New Orleans 23
Indianapolis (+2.5, 41) 7 at Cincinnati 35

Hall of Fame Game History & Trends

Recent Trends:

-- Green Bay has gone 1-3 in the HOF game, the last appearance coming in 2003 when it lost to Kansas City (9-0).
-- Indianapolis is 1-1 in the HOF game, losing to Washington in 2008 (30-16) and beating New Orleans (10-3) in 1996.
-- The NFC has won the last five non-conference matchups in the HOF game.
-- The 'under' has hit in four of the past five HOF contests.
-- Four of the last six HOF games have been decided by four points or more.

HALL OF FAME GAME HISTORY (1962-2015)
Year Result
2015 Minnesota 14 Pittsburgh 3
2014 N.Y. Giants 17 Buffalo 13
2013 Dallas 24 Miami 20
2012 New Orleans 17 Arizona 10
2011 PPD
2010 Dallas 16 Cincinnati 7
2009 Tennessee 21 Buffalo 18
2008 Washington 30 Indianapolis 16
2007 Pittsburgh 20 New Orleans 7
2006 Oakland 16 Philadelphia 10
2005 Chicago 27 Miami 24
2004 Washington 20 Denver 17
2003 Kansas City 9 Green Bay 0
2002 N.Y. Giants 34 Houston 17
2001 St. Louis 17 Miami 10
2000 New England 20 San Francisco 0
1999 Cleveland 20 Dallas 17
1998 Tampa Bay 30 Pittsburgh 6
1997 Minnesota 28 Seattle 26
1996 Indianapolis 10 New Orleans 3
1995 Carolina 20 Jacksonville 14
1994 Atlanta 21 San Diego 17
1993 L.A. Raiders 19 Green Bay 3
1992 N.Y. Jets 41 Philadelphia 14
1991 Detroit 14 Denver 3
1990 Chicago 13 Cleveland 0
1989 Washington 31 Buffalo 6
1988 Cincinnati 14 L.A. Rams 7
1987 San Francisco 20 Kansas City 7
1986 New England 21 St. Louis 16
1985 N.Y. Giants 21 Houston 20
1984 Seattle 38 Tampa Bay 0
1983 Pittsburgh 27 New Orleans 14
1982 Minnesota 30 Baltimore 14
1981 Cleveland 24 Atlanta 10
1980 San Diego 0 Green Bay 0
1979 Oakland 20 Dallas 13
1978 Philadelphia 17 Miami 3
1977 Chicago 20 N.Y. Jets 6
1976 Denver 10 Detroit 7
1975 Washington 17 Cincinnati 9
1974 St. Louis 21 Buffalo 13
1973 San Francisco 20 New England 7
1972 Kansas City 23 N.Y. Giants 17
1971 L.A. Rams 17 Houston 6
1970 New Orleans 14 Minnesota 13
1969 Green Bay 38 Atlanta 24
1968 Chicago 30 Dallas 24
1967 Philadelphia 28 Cleveland 13
1965 Washington 20 Detroit 3
1964 Baltimore 48 Pittsburgh 17
1963 Pittsburgh 16 Cleveland 7
1962 St. Louis 17 N.Y. Giants 17

**StarDust Bum** · 08-04-2016, 12:15 PM

HOF 2016: Pace paved way for Rams' Greatest Show on Turf
August 4, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) Orlando Pace accomplished what he set out to do, becoming one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL. At 6-foot-7, he had the wingspan to ward off pass rushers, at 325 pounds he had the bulk for the power game, plus he was amazingly light on his feet.

''He's cut from a different cloth,'' former St. Louis Rams teammate D'Marco Farr said. ''Canton is built for guys like him.''

There is one small regret for the new Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Though he played an outsized role in the Greatest Show on Turf with the assemblage of high-octane talent that produced two Super Bowl teams and a championship with the St. Louis Rams from 1999-2001, the soft-spoken, five-time All-Pro never made it to the end zone.

''I did get a little jealous when I see Ryan Tucker score, and some other guys, too,'' Pace said.

Though head coach Mike Martz was somewhat receptive to the idea of giving Pace the ball in the second Super Bowl season, offensive line coach Jim Hanifan nixed the tackle-eligible hijinks, judging Pace too much of a vital cog to risk injury.

''He didn't want me to catch the ball, he didn't want me to get hurt,'' Pace said. ''He vetoed all those thoughts and all those special plays.''

Now, the 40-year-old Pace has a chance to dictate terms. He has chosen his son, Justin, to be his presenter in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday.

''He was my first-born and I wanted him to really share in that moment,'' Pace said.

Pace was such a catch coming out of Ohio State in 1997 that the Rams traded up with the Jets to snatch him first overall. From 1999-2004, St. Louis was wildly successful, in no small part because of the gentle giant protecting the left flank for first Kurt Warner and then Marc Bulger.

''He was the MVP of what we were doing,'' wide receiver Isaac Bruce said.

''The first time I saw him walk through the door I was like, `my goodness.' He was huge,'' Farr said. ''He was one of our better athletes, and that included the receivers and the running backs.''

In an eight-year stretch from 1998-2005, Pace played every game in seven of those seasons. He had the franchise tag three consecutive years in a career finally derailed by a torn biceps.

The Sandusky, Ohio, native made such an impression that current Rams guard Rodger Saffold, who also grew up in Ohio, wears No. 76 in his honor.

Linebacker Mike Jones had the tackle that saved the 2000 Super Bowl victory over Tennessee, but like other teammates, he recognized the rare talent on offense that got the Rams to the pinnacle. Jones said Pace had the skills of a power forward.

''He had that rare ability to drive you off the ball and set a fence that no one could get around,'' Jones said.

Hall of Famer and former teammate Aeneas Williams remembers being struck by a speech from Archie Manning, who said, ''Guys, you see me limping, so it's obvious that none of my teammates, offensive linemen, are in the Hall of Fame.''

''I can say this about Kurt Warner, he's not limping. He's fairly healthy and one of the reasons is because he had Orlando Pace protecting his blind side.''

Before the Rams chose him, Pace had never been to St. Louis. He was familiar with Dick Vermeil, though, from the coach's experience on college football telecasts before returning to the NFL.

Pace was among the first to be credited with pancake blocks when he dominated at Ohio State.

''When I went to Columbus, it was almost like a dream,'' Pace recalled. ''Everything that could go right, did go right.''

The NFL agreed with that assessment, and Pace was the first offensive lineman picked No. 1 overall since 1968.

''There's not a lot of hardships being No. 1,'' Pace said.

There was an adjustment period. He made nine starts his rookie year, struggling along with the rest of the franchise, which had a losing record each of its first four years in St. Louis after making the move from the West Coast.

In 1999, the famously intense Vermeil backed off on what had been a grueling practice regimen. Everybody thrived with a more focused approach, and though Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk got the lion's share of the credit, none of it would have happened without Pace paving the way.

In '99, Pace anchored a line that helped the offense produce the most passing yards in NFL history.

''I loved it in St. Louis, I'm always a Ram,'' said Pace, who wrapped up his career with a year in Chicago in 2009. ''Nobody can ever take that away. It was a special time for us.''

Pace is the second member of the Rams' glory years in St. Louis make it to Canton, joining Faulk. He hopes there will be more, and soon, with Warner a finalist the last two years, and wide receivers Bruce and Torry Holt also instrumental in that run.

''Kurt should have gotten in this year,'' Pace said. ''Hopefully he gets the call for what he did for two organizations, winning two MVPs. There's no way he should not be in the hall.''

Pace takes his place there on Saturday night.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-07-2016, 11:55 AM

Hall of Fame Game betting preview and odds: Packers vs. Colts

Andrew Luck will play briefly for the Colts Sunday, but neither Aaron Rodgers nor Brett Hundley will play for the Packers.

Green Bay Packers vs. Indianapolis Colts (-3, 34)

Two teams with big ambition - and offences to match - face off Sunday as the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts do battle in the annual Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The official preseason kickoff may not be heavy on big-name players, but it should feature plenty of young talent looking to secure a spot on their respective 53-man rosters.

While neither team is expected to give much of its overall strategy away, Colts head coach Chuck Pagano has already said that all of his projected starters will see at least some action. That includes quarterback Andrew Luck, who signed one of the biggest deals in NFL history over the offseason and will be looking to put the memory of a dismal 2015 season behind him. The same goes for Packers receiver Jordy Nelson, who missed all of last season with a knee injury and may miss this game, as well.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: This game opened as a Pick ‘Em, but has since shifted in favor of the Colts. The total has dipped a whopping 2 1/2 points from its opener of 36 1/2.

WEATHER REPORT: Sunny skies are expected in Canton, with game-time temperatures sitting in the high-70s and dropping throughout the evening. Wind will blow across the length of the field from the north at 5 mph.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "A substantial line move in this game as the Colts have gone from Pick'em to a 3-point favorite, which is obviously a very key number. The main reason is because Green Bay will likely be without their top 2 quarterbacks in this game as both Aaron Rodgers (rest) and backup Brett Hundley (ankle) are not expected to play. This means the Packers will have to rely on a pair of undrafted rookie quarterbacks in Marquise Williams and Joe Callahan for the entire game."

ABOUT THE PACKERS (2015: 10-6, 2nd in NFC North): Nelson likely won’t see the field Sunday as he recovers from tendinitis in his left knee - likely a compensation issue stemming from a torn right ACL that cost him the entire 2015 campaign. Fans shouldn’t expect to see much of QB Aaron Rodgers, either - the Packers are notoriously careful with their star players early in the preseason, and having a fifth exhibition contest on the schedule will likely mean a parade of backups in Canton on Sunday.

ABOUT THE COLTS (2015: 8-8, 2nd in AFC South): Indianapolis will be without at least one of its key contributors Sunday, with rookie center Ryan Kelly on the sidelines with a strained left shoulder. Having an extra preseason game allows Pagano to rest Kelly completely and still get him into an optimal number of exhibition situations. Luck, RB Frank Gore and WRs T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief and Philip Dorsett will be among the offensive starters to see action, though it won’t be much.

TRENDS:

* The Packers have scored just three points in their previous three Hall of Fame games.
* The teams have played to the over in each of their last five meetings.
* The underdog has covered the spread in four of the last five encounters.

CONSENSUS: Public opinion is nearly split on this game, with 54 percent of Consensus users going with Green Bay and 51 percent opting for the Under.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-07-2016, 11:57 AM

WLT PCT UNITS RANK

ATS Picks 0-0-0 0.00% +0

O/U Picks 0-0-0 0.00% +0

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

GB at IND 08:00 PM

IND -2.5

U 34.0

**StarDust Bum** · 08-11-2016, 01:27 AM

All 4 QBs expected to play in Falcons' preseason opener
August 10, 2016

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) All four of Atlanta's quarterbacks are expected to play in Thursday night's preseason opener against Washington, setting a pattern of frequent substitutions that should follow at other positions.

Matt Ryan and top backup Matt Schaub will be the first two quarterbacks in the game, followed by Sean Renfree and Matt Sims. Ryan and other starters are expected to have limited playing time.

''We're looking forward to everybody getting to be a part of this game and getting an evaluation on everybody, all four QBs,'' coach Dan Quinn said Tuesday.

The preseason opener will feature rookies, including tight end Austin Hooper, who is pushing starter Jacob Tamme.

''It's kind of a really cool night and really devoted toward them as they're getting their NFL careers started with their first preseason game,'' Quinn said. ''It's an important one for all, but especially for them.''

Quinn isn't planning to substitute full units together. Some first- and second-team players may remain on the field longer.

Linebacker, wide receiver and tight end have emerged as the deepest and most competitive positions in training camp.

The team's unofficial depth chart lists Vic Beasley Jr., Paul Worrilow and Sean Weatherspoon as the starting linebackers in the Falcons' base defense. Rookies Deion Jones and De'Vondre Campbell could move into the first unit.

The competition at receiver includes a battle between Mohamed Sanu and Justin Hardy for the No. 2 spot behind Julio Jones. Sanu has had some drops in practice while Hardy, a second-year player, has been impressive with his sideline grabs and ability to soar for catches over the middle.

''Both guys are doing very great for us,'' Jones said. ''We're going to compete. It doesn't matter, I mean, they compete against me, I compete against them. It's not just Justin and Sanu competing. It's all of us competing.''

There appears to be good depth at receiver even after veterans Roddy White and Devin Hester were released and Herman Moore signed with the team for only one practice before retiring this week.

Rookie Devin Fuller, Aldrick Robinson, Corey Washington, Nick Williams, J.D. McKissic, David Glidden and others are competing with Eric Weems for spots behind Jones, Sanu and Hardy.

''That's what we want, to keep getting that competition strong where it's really tough and guys are pushing one another,'' Quinn said.

The plan also calls for some players, including linebackers, to be used at more than one spot.

''We love putting them in pressure spots to see how they respond and moving them and playing them in more than one position to see what they can handle,'' Quinn said. ''It's a great test and one we fully intend to put guys in different spots.''

The team's top draft pick, safety Keanu Neal, is listed as a starter but could be held out with a ''trunk'' nerve injury not believed to be serious. Tight end Levine Toilolo (hand) and running back Terron Ward (ankle) also could be held out.

Quinn has not said if newly signed defensive end Dwight Freeney will play.

NOTES: The team signed RB Cyrus Gray, a 2012 sixth-round pick by Kansas City. Gray had a combined 24 carries for 99 yards and one touchdown in three seasons with the team.

Announcement

The bum's 2016 nfl preseason schedule along with picks and news !!

The bum's 2016 nfl preseason schedule along with picks and news !!

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment