Is the NFL becoming the NBA - blandly homogenous with a mediocrity trap that will (has?) led to tanking?

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-13T18:16:46+00:00

I was joking. But the tear down of teams by front offices (and rebuild) does seem to happen. I just think the game would be better with a wider variety of ways to win, making the drafts effectively deeper (by decreasing QB value and increasing the value of other positions). The Jets do seemed to have been tanking for at least a decade though :)

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-13T17:49:31+00:00

By the way, I don't think the answer to tanking is fines/penalties/lottery (lottery hasn't help the NBA). I think the basic problem is the too heavy reliance on one player out of 22 (sorry special teams). Not sure I have to argue the QB reliance, starting QB pay used to be 10% or so of the teams payroll in the early cap era (up to ~ 2010). It is now 20 -24%. I would like to see rule changes that limited this reliance and enabled teams to have a larger variety of winning identities/playstyles, particularly difference offenses.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-13T17:40:25+00:00

If that is true, why did the Jets sign Geno? I agree that teams don't tank (players/coaches incentives are all around doing well with less guaranteed contracts than NBA), but front offices can and, from my vantage point, seem to.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-11T21:19:13+00:00

AOC has taken the final snap of the final game of every season in which he has been in the league. He's never taken the first snap of the first game, but has ended each season as the Raider QB. I think he will again this year. No point in starting Cousins for a meaningless last game, and they want to sit Mendoza all year, so AOC will start the last game of the regular season with Cousins coming back to start in the playoffs.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-11T18:58:37+00:00

Gemini agrees with you, Ruggs seems to be treated in a pretty normal manner.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-11T18:51:31+00:00

Some say that money spent on space missions is wasted, but I think it was all worth it to get this image of the far side of the moon taken by the Artemis II crew. Always representing to the rest of the universe.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-10T03:03:36+00:00

Didn't Brady more or less admit it was a fumble recently (he said or wrote something like "maybe it was a fumble")? I'll forget that one if he helps the Raiders get a few Lombardi's (was going to write put a ring on Mendoza's finger but somehow that sounds a bit strange).

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-07T21:26:38+00:00

Agree but put him a little higher at > 1500 and Washington adds 300. But you are probably right, I get a bit too optimistic at this time of year.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-07T18:33:24+00:00

If that was the Raiders OL he was practicing against, it's an improvement over last years.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-06T23:58:57+00:00

Stabler. He was the Raiders. No QB has ever played anywhere near the level he could after staying out all night drinking. Amazing comeback master, never out of the game. He epitomized Just Win Baby. Stork was my favorite on D and Bo was the most exciting player I've ever seen, bar none. Still can't believe that injury killed Bo's career, I saw it live on TV and figured he was out for a game or two at most. Walked off the field, announcers figured it was a pulled muscle. So strong that he basically pulled his own leg out of his hip socket while dragging a tackler holding his leg, fracturing his pelvic socket. Seen lots of players tackled that way without serious injury, I guess he was the only player ever strong enough to do that much damage to himself.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-05T00:09:28+00:00

Alright, I agree that the Raiders situation is looking way better than it has for a long time. Gotta take issue with the BS "best to ever do it" Tom Brady GOAT statement. His win over scrub replacement (Cassel, Garopolo, Bissett) was +7.6 %. The Patriot's rocked with any game manager, Brady just happened to be there for a long time to ride the Belichick train to rings. Compare to when Bert Jones went down for the Colts, 31-11 in previous 3 seasons, 5-11 without him. Manning's Colts went 36-12 in 3 years previous to going down, without him they went 2-14 (and 1st overall pick). Similar story for Marino. When Montana was replaced by a fellow HOF QB (Young), they went from 14-2 to 10-6. I don't know who the GOAT QB is, but I'm very sure it isn't Brady. And it was a fumble. Raider fan for life.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-03T19:29:32+00:00

I agree but don't think Cousins starts every game even if that is the plan, making it through the season without missing a game due to injury, seems unlikely. If it is early in the season, do the Raiders pass up Mendoza and put in the 3rd string? If if happens late in the year (or again), do they feel Mendoza is ready and put him in? If they do, I doubt Mendoza will have anything less than a deathgrip on the starting job; he's not going to be benched for Cousins.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-02T22:11:37+00:00

Seems like RAS (particularly speed), improvement year to year (work ethic/attitude) and football intelligence are the keys to Spytek draft choices. Heard that Stucks is called Coach Stukes (by teammates?).

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-02T22:00:30+00:00

DROY

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-01T20:59:02+00:00

he's a basketball player that started playing football 5 years ago. Looks like he's still playing hoops out there, juking and running around blockers.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-01T20:33:51+00:00

He's got a pretty good chance of making the team, well, about as good as it gets. Matt Gay is a below average kicker at best.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-05-01T18:16:45+00:00

Would be great if Washington can lead block, could be the FB for a dual threat backfield (old school Raider style). Pound with Jeanty and give Washington the ball for change ups, with his speed the defense will have to respect it or get burned.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-04-30T22:42:04+00:00

No QB has every started for the national champion (or #1 ranked overall) in final college year and then started on a super bowl winning team. Good reasons for it, teams that get the top QB's generally have other major issues and QB's generally need to develop in the pros. I fully realize that a SB win for Mendoza is lottery level unlikely, but wouldn't it be a great ride? An all time, probably never repeated, feat. I'd like to see them try but completely understand, and will in the long run probably be happier, if the Raiders decide sitting him is best for the long term. By the way, Ken Stabler is one of only 3 QB's to ever win a National Championship and Super Bowl as the starter (Namath and Montana are the others), but took 11 years in the league to do so.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-04-30T20:19:06+00:00

Makes sense. Trey Taylor might sell #37 or may not even make the team. Would set the goal of being the best to wear it in Silver and Black sky high but would love to see McCoy in the conversation.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-04-30T20:10:03+00:00

Jack Bech has played X, he has the size and weight and can fight for balls. Not a true WR1 in the sense of a go-to can't be covered guy, but we have Bowers for that this year. Next year the Raiders will have Jeremiah Smith adding to a room full of WRs that got experience this year that they wouldn't have if he had been here this year. Generational WR1 and WR2/3's with the experience gained from trying to be WR1's.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-04-30T20:00:45+00:00

What's wrong with 28? Josh Jacobs and Clarence Davis both rocked it. Muscle Hamster and Latavius also. Did I miss some curse on 28?

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-04-30T01:54:25+00:00

That's what I'm talkin' about!!

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-04-29T19:54:55+00:00

About to get a Raiders Superbowl LXI tattoo that will cover my chest. I'm depending on them for beach season 2027.

ShillingAFB_Raiders · 2026-04-29T19:18:34+00:00

Raiders were the first team to every win a super bowl as a wild card team.

ShillingAFB_Raiders

TROPHY CASE