Another week of NFL action is in the bag and there are just six weeks of the regular season remaining.
Here’s five talking points from this week.
Casting call for Holmes and Taumalolo
Where else would we start? This is an Australian website, after all.
Josh Billiris broke the story on this very website that NRL stars Valentine Holmes and Jason Taumalolo will trial in front of NFL clubs this weekend. Reaction ranged from dismissive to concern that all of our stars would leave us for greener pastures, to the downright ridiculous.
I was surprised the pair would jeopardise their already highly successful careers and earning potential for a shot at the biggest professional football league in the world. There is no doubt if they were to head to the US, they would be taking a pay cut.
If they are very successful and manage to get a team to sign them, the best they could hope for is a three-year deal, which is the longest an undrafted rookie can receive, for around $1.8 million – the equivalent to a fourth-round draft pick.
However, none of the money is guaranteed, meaning they can be cut at any time with no penalty to the team.
This is assuming they make the active roster and manage to stay there, which will depend on factors that could be out of their control.
As two of the most talented stars in the NRL, it’s fair to assume they would be able to make significantly more, had they stayed.
Josh mentioned in his comments on the article that scouts were looking at Taumalolo as a tight end, while I mentioned linebacker. His listed measurements of 6’3, 250 pounds (let’s use US figures so we can compare them) project well for both these positions, and there is the possibility he could add more weight to his figure, too.
Physically, he could handle it, but the mental side of the game will be difficult to learn. Tight end might be the hardest position other than quarterback to learn in an NFL system. Tight ends need to know the route tree and run like a receiver, and then block like an offensive lineman.
Taumalolo’s league background could help with this, as many tight ends coming out of college aren’t required to block much.
Holmes is a whole other matter.
Blessed with great instincts, lightening speed and dazzling footwork, Holmes is an athlete with few peers in the NRL.
In the NFL, he will be just another guy.
There are plenty of people who can exceed his measurable athletic ability in the NFL. He is certainly athletic enough to make it, but he is going to have to learn the game and be able to make plays with his head too.
I’m guessing he will be looked at as a wide receiver or cornerback.
However, both will likely come back, sooner rather than later.
Had they committed to going through the College system to learn the game from the ground up, they could both have been very successful.
They’re both young enough, but to transition from one elite sport to another, with little background in a game as complex as it is at the NFL level, will just be too hard, especially as they know they have big roles and bigger paychecks awaiting them back home.
Everyone should just take a breath and be happy for these guys, challenging themselves against the best athletes in the world.
The Seahawks should be Super Bowl favourites
Last week’s win against the Patriots didn’t get enough attention. Really, they shouldn’t have won that game.
The Patriots were coming off the bye and playing at home, while Seattle had a short week and had to fly across the entire country for the game. Instead, they handed the Patriots their first loss of the season with Tom Brady in the line-up.
The knock on Seattle has, for a number of years, been their porous offensive line. New England’s non-existent pass rush didn’t ask many questions of Seattle, but this week’s game against the Eagles did.
Philadelphia came into the game ranked #1 in defensive DVOA, and boasting the league’s most terrifying front four. However, Seattle was up to the Test.
Russell Wilson’s mobility was too much, only getting sacked once. The play of the O-line has certainly improved, but the real difference has been Wilson getting over his injuries and turning back into Dangeruss, destroyer of worlds. He was sublime against the Patriots, and even better against the Eagles.
He even caught a touchdown pass.
Combine this with the best receiving corp he has ever had to work with, a fit Thomas Rawls, and the best defence in football, and you have as match-up-proof a unit that exists in the NFL.
The Packers are toast
While Seattle is surging, the team many thought would be their biggest challenge are done. Last week I compared them to Suicide Squad, but perhaps I was generous.
In hindsight, they might be more similar to The Amazing Spider-man. Which was just bad, despite its stars.
While the game against Washington was much closer than the score suggested, Green Bay won’t be able to stay with anyone as long as they trot out their atrocious secondary. Time after time the Packers were beaten on long balls, their defenders unable to go with their man on deep routes. Worse, they allowed Jordan Reed to run riot in the middle of the field.
Injuries have depleted this unit so much, they are forced to play backup safeties at cornerback just to make the numbers.
I can’t see how they can win enough games to make the playoffs from here with a difficult schedule ahead. They need to win at least four of their remaining games to have any hope, and even then it’s a long shot.
I’m interested to see how they play out the season – do they come back and double their efforts, maintaining belief in their playoff dreams, or throw in the towel completely? If it’s the latter, expect Mike McCarthy to be looking for a job, and maybe General Manager Ted Thompson too.
Who’s afraid of Giants?
Somehow, in the greatest city in the world, inhabited by the loudest people on earth, there is a professional football team that’s 7-3 and hardly anyone is talking about it. What is going on?
Despite their win-loss record, the Giants don’t scare anyone. This week they sneaked past the hapless Bears, needing a last-minute interception to seal the game. Last week they had another tight win against the toothless Bengals, who look set to miss the playoffs for the first time in six years.
These are not statement-making wins.
The Giants’ defence has been much better than anticipated, but that says more about what was expected. They aren’t good enough to carry them to playoff victories like Denver’s did last year.
On offence, they have very few ways of generating consistent yardage. There is no running game to speak of and they lack targets to throw to outside of Odell Beckham, who might be the most temperamental superstar in a league chock-full of them.
The Giants play a lot of slow, no-huddle offence, allowing Eli Manning to read what the defence is giving him and make play calls accordingly. It can be infuriating to watch, and I assume, play against. However, the strategy has not yielded consistent results or high scoring.
No one is taking the Giants seriously, and that’s probably fair. They are in prime position for a Wildcard berth, which in itself would be an achievement.
However, if there is one guy who can turn into a gun slinging, fire-breathing superhero for four weeks at a time, it’s Eli Manning. Just ask the 2011 Patriots.
The missed PATs
The point after touchdown used to be the easiest point in football. Then, the NFL made a rule change, requiring PATs be taken from 15 yards further away. They also ruled that if a kick was blocked and returned into the opposing red zone, it would be worth two points to the defence.
This actually decided the game between Denver and New Orleans in round 10.
After review, the call of the field stands.
Leap the line.
Block the extra point.
Take the lead.
Wow. #DENvsNO https://t.co/yX5QdVQ2Bn— NFL (@NFL) November 13, 2016
On Sunday, this rule change reached its zenith. 11 times PATs were attempted and missed. While none were returned for points, and none really affected the outcome of the game, I wonder if this will be a turning point for how teams approach the decision of whether to take the PAT or go for two.
For years the advanced metric crowd has been saying that going for two is the smart play. With the possibility of a miss now heightened, I wonder if more coaches will be as bold as the Raiders’ “Blackjack” Del Rio in betting on their offences to make the two-point conversion.
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