2025 NFL Game Thread - Divisional Round
Saturday
4:30pm & 8:00pm EST
Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos (-1.5)
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks (-7)
Sunday
Y'all are wild lol.
Of course, the very best will always be the bar the others are chasing, but another reason that Brady/Mahomes have so many titles in the last 10 years is because they were/are the very best. That's a very small list, yet there are 32 NFL teams.
There are only 4 active starting QBs with a SB win, including Rodgers who may retire. That list expands by 3 if you include active starting QBs who have appeared in at least one SB.
Caleb is still easily a borderline top 10 QB in the world today, with a ton of remaining upside to correct the issues. He improved everywhere this year, except completion %. The cool thing about being only 24 years old, is that he still has the opportunity to continue improving. The fact he has the raw ability to do things on the field that only a handful of other guys do is a positive, not a negative. Now he has to match that raw ability with consistency and improving his current skillset.
When the sample sizes are small, all people do is look at the results and act as if it means something.
These guys are able physically to play a miniscule number of years. The sample sizes will always be small. Maybe you should just run Madden sims all day every day and call it good?
The results are all that matter. Win column baby!
The problem with the modern nfl is you have 4 years to decide if your project qb is worth setting the new record for money spent on an nfl player
I think this speaks to a bigger issue that it is so ****ing obvious now breaking the bank for a qb isn’t gonna get you a title in the modern nfl. And every rookie contract qb who performs with relative competence is getting a record deal
When the top 14 qbs in AAV are eliminated by now and of those 14 qbs only two has played a Super Bowl under their current contract, judging guys like Caleb needs to be done under a very different context
You're right about that. The QB second contract is a massive problem right now. There has to be some type of scale. It can't always be, well I deserve more than the last guy, even if the play doesn't warrant that amount. It's too binary.
With that said, I think Caleb will be worth whatever it costs. Somebody like Bryce on the other hand, well I have big concerns there lol. We could easily end up with the Tua/Kyler problem.
I think this speaks to a bigger issue that it is so ****ing obvious now breaking the bank for a qb isn’t gonna get you a title in the modern nfl. And every rookie contract qb who performs with relative competence is getting a record deal
Please continue.
EDIT: the highlighted row means nothing. Just got caught in my screen capture.
Jalen’s cap hit was only $13.5 in 2024. $22 this season. And continuing to balloon. We’ll see how the next few seasons go.
Still doesn’t negate the fact that too many average to good starters are overpaid on second contracts. The league needs a reset somehow. Just like how the absurd rookie contract scale was reset in 2011.
Maye: rookie contract, deep as **** team
Nix: rookie contract, deep as **** team
Darnold: average contract, deep as **** team
Stafford: wp rams
I’m not gonna say mcvay is the best coach in football but I will say the rams are the best run team in football
Does Seattle give Darnold an extension if they make or win the SB?
Excised from the CW's prospect analysis:
Weaknesses
• Averse to playing throw-and-catch football on schedule.
• Eyes can become sticky and sluggish working through progressions.
• Must learn to throw with better anticipation/timing on the NFL level.
• Hero-ball mentality creates indecisiveness and inconsistent decision-making.
• Disconcerting deep-ball accuracy in QB-friendly offense.
• Will throw on the move unnecessarily rather than platform up.
• Passes up easy scramble yardage for more challenging throws.
Re: Darnold - I could see a restructure where they add an extra year or 2 to reward him.
Re: Kyler - His problem has always been that work ethic is lacking. That’s ultimately what it comes down to for the guys with big upside who make it versus those that don’t.
We’ll see how much work Caleb puts in over the next few seasons. But he has the ability, imo.
I would have happily traded Bork getting 100 million a year and never making the playoffs again for that god damn game to end differently
I don’t suspect the Seahawks are at that level of desperation but there’s definitely an afterglow of win it all and who cares
Jalen’s cap hit was only $13.5 in 2024. $22 this season. And continuing to balloon. We’ll see how the next few seasons go.
Still doesn’t negate the fact that too many average to good starters are overpaid on second contracts. The league needs a reset somehow. Just like how the absurd rookie contract scale was reset in 2011.
It's also missing the point. What team on that list doesn't have a highly paid QB (either in money or draft capital)?
The answer is going to be Foles, which is only mentioned because Wentz got injured in a possible MVP season.
EDIT: Wasn't Hurts on his rookie contract when he probably should have won the superbowl MVP?
You’re missing the point. The argument isn’t that SB caliber QBs cost a lot. The argument is to avoid crushing your team’s cap by paying an average to good QB as if they’re elite after the rookie deal.
Guys like Tua and Kyler clearly weren’t worth it. Guys like Trevor, Purdy, Love, etc. could get you to the SB, but they still aren’t worth what they are paid, relative to an entire roster construction.
Draft costs and cap costs are two different considerations.
Yeah that list doesn't include all of the $50M QBs who didn't win a Lombardi, of which there are quite a few now.
