20 QUESTIONS
The NFL can’t get out of its own way. Games can’t even get to kickoff without a problem, as evidenced by a national anthem controversy that won’t go away.
The Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots in one of the all-time great Super Bowls — with a backup quarterback, no less. Yet off-the-field concerns are at or near the top of the list when it comes to looking at questions, dilemmas and drama for the season to come.
So let’s take a look...
1. Who will be standing and who will be kneeling for The Star-Spangled Banner when the season begins Week 1?
No way to know. Just when the whole issue seemed to be fading away, the NFL issued a clumsy, non-specific but heavy-handed directive implying there could be discipline for those who don’t stand at attention. Predictably, and rightly so, the NFL Players Association got involved. Even removing presidential pressure, this should have been a no-brainer. Let it go away on its own. But the NFL stirred it back up. And here we go again.
2. Does anybody know what a legal tackle is anymore?
This will be scrutinized repeatedly in the weeks to come. There was even a contract holdout over it, with Chicago first-round pick Roquan Smith fearing the loss of guaranteed money should he get suspended for the clear-as-mud directive about leading with the head. With any luck, we’ll have zero idea what constitutes a clean tackle. Just as it is with whether a player makes a catch or not. Next up — whether a first down is truly a first down.
3. Can Philadelphia become the first team in 14 seasons to repeat as Super Bowl champion?
Probably not. The last back-toback Super Bowl winner was New England following the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Seattle forfeited its chance to repeat after 2014 the moment Russell Wilson threw an interception at the goal line with the Patriots ripe for the kill. The Eagles’ remarkable run a year ago will be difficult to duplicate. Tom Brady’s 505-yard performance in the Super Bowl provides a blueprint for how to attack the Eagles. Throw. Throw. And throw some more.
4. Will Philadelphia’s insistence that Carson Wentz is its quarterback be as seamless as it seems?
For now it is. Nick Foles got a raise and managed to avoid getting traded to a bottom-feeder. He’s saying all the right things and appears to mean it. But if Wentz struggles, there’s a quarterback on the roster who dominated both the NFC title game against Minnesota, then outdueled Tom Brady. The fans notorious for booing Santa Claus will be pining for the guy who giftwrapped a championship.
5. Which divisions have the best starting quarterbacks ? (Hint, look to the NFC)
1) NFC South (Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Jameis Winston); 2) NFC West (Russell Wilson, Jared Goff, Jimmy Garoppolo, Sam Bradford-Josh Rosen); 3) NFC North (Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford, Kirk Cousins, Mitchell Trubisky); 4) NFC East (Carson Wentz-Nick Foles, Alex Smith, Eli Manning, Dak Prescott); 5) AFC West (Philip Rivers, Derek Carr, Case Keenum, Patrick Mahomes); 6) AFC North (Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Andy Dalton, Tyrod Taylor-Baker Mayfield); 7) AFC South (Andrew Luck, Marcus Mariota, Deshaun Watson, Blake Bortles); 8) AFC East (Tom Brady, Josh McCown-Sam Darnold, Ryan Tannehill, AJ McCarronJosh Allen).
6. Can Houston quarterback
Deshaun Watson duplicate what he did in seven games as a rookie?
Watson was on his way to one of the NFL’s most spectacular seasons by a rookie quarterback, passing for 1,699 yards and 19 touchdowns with 269 yards rushing before going down with a knee injury. Opponents have plenty of time to evaluate what he did a year ago, and chances are Watson won’t be 100 per cent. The guess here is there will be a sophomore slump — at least for a time.
7. Will negotiated suspensions become the norm?
The NFL suspended Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston three games for violating the personal conduct policy after an issue with a female ride-share driver. It allowed Winston to reduce the time he normally would have been suspended as well as giving him the opportunity to admit no guilt. A plea bargain, essentially. It may not be justice, but it allows both the NFL to save face and Winston plausible deniability. The NFL loves to hide its dirt. Expect more of these.
8. Is Kirk Cousins a stats guy or a winning quarterback? Cousins was supposed to be on the 49ers’ radar after Kyle Shanahan had coached him with Washington. Notice how Shanahan jumped at the chance to get Jimmy Garoppolo? Playing with a Minnesota team with an excellent defence, we’ll see if Cousins can lead a team, manage a game and play winning football even if his numbers aren’t what they were in Washington.
9. Will Hue Jackson survive another season with the Browns? Jackson, who was coach of the Raiders when Al Davis died, did a remarkable job with a stagnant Oakland offence. He then stepped into a Cleveland quagmire and has been roundly ridiculed for a 1-31 record. He’s still there, with John Dorsey retaining him as head coach after an 0-16 season. To be fair, Jackson hasn’t had a chance to be head coach for a legitimate organization.
10. Does Andrew Luck need a new home, and will he be physically able to be a top-flight quarterback even if that happens?
Luck’s right shoulder may or may not be on the mend, a byproduct of an awful Colts organization that never bothered to build around the best pure quarterback talent of the last decade. After New England offensive co-ordinator Josh McCown left the Colts at the altar, Frank Reich takes his shot to get something done and keep Luck healthy. Adding a quality guard (Quenton Nelson) in the first round of the draft is only a start.
11. How many commercials will J.J. Watt do if he returns to his three-time Defensive Player of the Year form?
The Texans’ defensive end does so many good things in the community in terms of raising money, it’s hard to fault the amount of air time he gets. Watt simply can’t resist being front and centre when a camera is around. He has had a broken leg, a herniated disk in his back, and sometimes no amount of on-camera workouts can fix a body that has been beaten up this much. Watt has played in eight of Houston’s past 32 games. If he gets hurt again, we may never see the old Watt.
12. Will the running game be back in vogue? Todd Gurley has helped transform the Rams, Leonard Fournette was a big factor in getting Jacksonville to the playoffs, and Saquon Barkley appears poised to be a major factor immediately for the New York Giants. Dallas lost Ezekiel Elliott to a suspension and missed the playoffs. Jon Gruden is in Oakland promising to get the Raiders back to smash-mouth football. Putting some offensive balance back in the NFL would be a good thing for fans of physicality.
13. Speaking of Jon Gruden, how will he operate for the Raiders the second time around?
Gruden seemed to become more and more impatient as his Tampa Bay days wound down. He has had nine years to think about how he might do things differently. So far, Gruden has seemed like the same guy in practice, and he wants success right away, but he can basically coach the Raiders as long as he wants, and the opportunity is there to build for the long term.
14. Who are the players most indispensable to their teams in 2018? (Hint: They’re almost all quarterbacks)
1) Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers; 2) New England QB Tom Brady; 3) Seattle QB Russell Wilson; 4) Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck; 5) 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo; 6) Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger; 7) Atlanta QB Matt Ryan; 8) Dallas RB Ezekiel Elliott; 9) Detroit QB Matt Stafford; 10) Raiders QB Derek Carr.
15. Is Sam Darnold the answer for a Jets team that has been looking for a quarterback forever?
Darnold can benefit from a watch-and-learn period behind the agreeable Josh McCown. But it remains to be seen if the Jets can put an offensive system in place that will allow him to flourish. The position has been basically a graveyard. Even Brett Favre could only stand a year there in 2008. McCown, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, Mark Sanchez ... you have to go back to weak-armed but accurate Chad Pennington to find someone who had some legit success. Broadway Sam has his work cut out for him.
16. Is top draft pick Baker Mayfield another Johnny Manziel or something more? Something more, but it remains to be seen how much more. He plays for the Browns, after all. The edge Mayfield possesses in terms of personality is not necessarily a bad thing. He’s also got a knack for dropping dimes to receivers in coverage, always an underrated part of playing quarterback in a sport that seems to covet cannon-like arms with little or no touch. A bad team is the worst place for a young quarterback, however.
17. Are the Lions philosophically opposed to the run? Since Barry Sanders retired in 1998, Detroit has had exactly three runners gain 1,000 yards. When Reggie Bush managed to get a pedestrian 1,006 yards in 2013, they should have held a parade. Eleven times in that span their top rusher failed to crack 700 yards. It takes 43.8 yards per game to reach 700 in a 16-game season. No wonder they’re paying quarterback Matt Stafford more than $25 million per year. Hazard pay.
18. Which five coaches are the most likely candidates for an in-season firing?
1) Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay. Putting all your eggs in the Jameis Winston basket is a risky proposition; 2) Hue Jackson, Cleveland. He’s 1-31. If he gets to 1-37, I mean, really? 3) Vance Joseph, Denver. The way the Broncos sagged last year, I’m surprised John Elway didn’t make a move in the off-season; 4) Adam Gase, Miami. Man, that 10-6 season in 2016 seems like a mirage, and the porpoises are poised for another 10-loss season; 5) Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati. Even owner Mike Brown has to run out of patience some time.
19. Who are the top first-year eligible Hall of Fame candidates in 2019?
Safeties get little respect when it comes to the Hall of Fame, but Ed Reed of the Ravens could be an exception. He was a five-time All-Pro, led the NFL in interceptions three times and was an NFL defensive player of the year in 2004. His 64 career interceptions rank seventh all-time. Also getting strong consideration will be Tony Gonzalez, whose 1,325 receptions are second all-time, and his 15,127 yards rank sixth. The pass-happy era in which Gonzalez played could prevent him from being a first-ballot pick.
20. Who makes it to Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta?
The NFL remains a quarterbackdriven league, and Tom Brady will be my pick to reach the Super Bowl every year until he doesn’t. The guy lost last year and still added to his legacy with the way he played. Going with Green Bay in the NFC because of my respect for Aaron Rodgers. He seems too good to retire with a single ring.