Phillip Rivers retires
January 20th, 2021 at 8:52 AM ^
I heard if you post cya on Twitter you'll get banned or something
January 20th, 2021 at 9:24 AM ^
Is doooooochebag ok?
January 20th, 2021 at 8:52 AM ^
They could roll with Jacoby Brissett and seek to get a young gun next year when they inevitably end up in the top ten draft picks.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:40 AM ^
They can help the Lions out and provide them with some draft capital and take Stat Padford off of our hands.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:46 AM ^
If you're starting Brissett next year, I'm hoping its because you've picked up someone in the draft this year and are willing to let him sit for a year and learn before taking over in 2022.
Brissett isn't a bad QB, but he's not going to take you where you want to go. To tab him as your starter without having your long-term plan in place already on the team....to me that's just throwing in the towel and calling next year a complete wash.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:53 AM ^
Yep. That's what I said they could do. The draft is a bit top heavy at QB but not deep enough to warrant a pick where the Colts will be drafting unless someone falls far. It's a big jump from Fields to Lance to Trask and beyond. Although, 2022 doesn't look outstanding either unless they really perform poorly and get a shot at Sam Howell. The kid from USC might come out too.
January 20th, 2021 at 10:21 AM ^
The Colts are built to win now. They're not rolling with Brissett or Fitzpatrick or any rookie.
January 20th, 2021 at 11:07 AM ^
Agreed. With the defense they have, and the pieces on the offensive line, its hard for me to imagine them throwing 2021 away. They've got the pieces everywhere else to be a contender, but they need to get really aggressive in free agency and try to lure Watson to town, or they need to be willing to get aggressive in the draft and move up to get a guy like Fields. But I think that's going to cost them way too much to move up that high, so free agency and going all-in on Watson, or hoping Wentz can revive his career with a change of scenery and better weapons/OL seem like the way to go for Indy.
January 20th, 2021 at 1:00 PM ^
Didn't they just lose their LT to sudden retirement though?
January 20th, 2021 at 10:50 AM ^
They drafted Jacob Eason last year.
January 20th, 2021 at 8:54 AM ^
Haskins is available.
January 20th, 2021 at 12:50 PM ^
Hey, it would certainly make the analysts' jobs easier to have a QB with absolutely no interest in film study or...preparation in general.
I really feel for the guy who was in charge of putting together film for Jim Harbaugh, Peyton Manning, and Andrew Luck over the past 20 years. Dude deserves a vacation.
January 20th, 2021 at 8:56 AM ^
Colts could also go after Wentz since their HC Frank Reich coached him for his Super Bowl season
January 20th, 2021 at 8:58 AM ^
That contract though. Yikes
January 20th, 2021 at 8:58 AM ^
based off of everything published about Wentz lately I doubt Reich wants anything to do with him.
January 20th, 2021 at 3:27 PM ^
What's this on Wentz? I thought he was a model citizen type of guy.
January 20th, 2021 at 8:57 AM ^
They should get Watson. I'm still hoping that Stafford some how ends up with the Steelers.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:21 AM ^
Unless the Steelers buck history, they're not touching Stafford unless the Lions eat some money or will be satisfied in late round draft picks.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:27 AM ^
I know, it's a dream. Big Ben is done IMO. But they just announced that he will be back next year.
January 20th, 2021 at 10:22 AM ^
Now that Bill O'Brien is no longer the GM, there's no chance Houston trades Watson within the division.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:06 AM ^
The Texans will not send Watson to a division rival. There's just no way that's happening, though I would love it if it did.
I find it more likely they will try to get Wentz, draft someone in the first round, or do another older veteran signing.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:10 AM ^
A solid QB for a decade and a half. 13 seasons with over 4000 yards. Probably one of the toughest QBs in the league over that period of time. All time great trash talker while somehow keeping the language PG. All accounts show he's a good family man, lives pretty modestly, and seemed respected by most all of the league. He's been a good player to have in the league.
The Colts probably feel they are a good QB away from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Watson and Stafford have to be at the top of their lists. It'll be interesting if they go for it all for the next year or two or if maybe they give a guy like Trubisky a shot on a one year deal and if it doesn't work, draft their next franchise QB.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:54 AM ^
...lives pretty modestly...
I disagree. Phillip Rivers and his wife have nine children. They could field their own starting lineup for the Colts! The Rivers live extravagantly; they just spread it out.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:26 AM ^
If Indy's willing to give up a first-rounder for Stafford, the Lions have to pull the trigger. You don't hire an unproven GM/coach tandem unless you're prepping for a multi-year build.
The Lions could do worse than some Fitzmagic for a year or two until their next QB of the future is ready.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:32 AM ^
No thanks on fitz. Hell likely win games. Chase Daniel can start and lose and we can have nice high 2022 draft pick. I really hope they don’t reach if three qb’s have already gone off the board though
January 20th, 2021 at 10:27 AM ^
I'll take 21 and 85 this year and 32 next year, thank you very much.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:30 AM ^
Miami should have drafted him, as he was the closest thing to Marino, same type of thrower. Yeah, I know, he was no Marino, but Marino-lite. Had they done so they'd have had a much different history, instead of cycling through 17+ QBs since. Ironically both couldn't get over the hump.
January 20th, 2021 at 10:27 AM ^
He was better than Marino.
January 20th, 2021 at 3:30 PM ^
... to which every child of the 80s replies: "Heresy!"
January 20th, 2021 at 9:31 AM ^
Ben Roethlisberger the last man standing from the 2004 QB class. Potentially 3 Hall of Famers.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:40 AM ^
I could never stand this guy. Always came off as a total prick
January 20th, 2021 at 9:56 AM ^
I had lunch at a Catholic conference once that he was attending and we happened to be near enough to talk. He was very nice. The setting I understand. He presented real folksy. On the field he is likely a different animal.
January 20th, 2021 at 10:08 AM ^
I think its the Gordon Ramsey effect. You see that dude on TV and he plays this angry madman.
And then in real life, dude is supposed to be like the nicest guy you can meet.
January 20th, 2021 at 10:28 AM ^
He's not though. He really is one of the nicest guys to ever play the game.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:46 AM ^
Great QB? He's a HoFer.
People don't realize how good he was until they look at his numbers. Dude put up great numbers year after year after year, even as his arm turned into jello.
January 20th, 2021 at 10:30 AM ^
63,440 yards and 421 touchdown passes.
Not too shabby.
Ironically, Stafford is on pace to break both marks.
January 20th, 2021 at 10:50 AM ^
At least Rivers has won some playoff games in his career. He's been able to win some games when things have actually mattered.
January 20th, 2021 at 11:13 AM ^
In many ways he was the opposite side of the coin from Troy Aikman (stipulating that the coin is a great, HOF QB on either side). Aikman's numbers weren't really gaudy, but dang, the Cowboy NEVER lost a close game in the playoffs, or in the regular season when they needed the game to make the playoffs. In contrast, Rivers has stats, but he always came up small (for him) when the Chargers really needed a game.
January 20th, 2021 at 3:32 PM ^
NEVER lost ... except to the LIONS!! The Lions' only playoff win since the 1957 league championship was against the Aikman/Smith/Irvin Cowboys.
January 20th, 2021 at 11:11 PM ^
Aikman didn’t start that game. He came in to mop up for Steve Beuerlein.
January 21st, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
Aikman didn't mop up. He came in late in the second quarter and played the rest of the game.
Aikman was the Cowboys' starter most of that year (as he had been in prior years) but Jimmy Johnson didn't love some of his TOs and missed throws later in the regular season and put Beuerlein in as the supposed "hot hand" for a string of games. Backfired on them when they ran into a very potent Lions offense that had a field day against a weak Dallas secondary.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:56 AM ^
He was an Iron Man, the number of consecutive starts was Cal Ripkenesque - in a much more violent game. He was an excellent quarterback, but will never be appreciated like those who have one Super Bowls.
January 20th, 2021 at 10:03 AM ^
I don't think the Colts are in much of a position where they'll be able to trade up high enough to get one of the difference-makers at the QB position this year. Certainly not anywhere close enough to get to Lawrence or Fields without mortgaging the next 5-7 years of their team's future. Maybe Zach Wilson or Trey Lance fall far enough where they can trade up a few spots to get them, but its not looking good. Plenty of teams need a QB this year. Hell, the first four teams to draft (Jags, Jets, Texans and Falcons) could all conceivably draft QBs, depending on what happens in the offseason.
I think free agency will be the way to go for them. Either that or you fall in love with a guy like Kyle Trask or Mac Jones, who should still be available by the time you pick, and let them take a year or two to learn behind Brissett. But if I'm Indy, I'm going balls to the wall for Watson. You've already got a team that can get to the playoffs right now, so you've got that to sell to him. Bringing him in makes you a Super Bowl contender.
January 20th, 2021 at 10:14 AM ^
Miami has the Texans pick at 3
January 20th, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
Ah. My mistake. Well in any case, the Jags will for sure be drafting Lawrence, the Jets and Falcons still could grab a QB at 3 and 4, and the Lions could conceivably go QB as well at 7. The four best guys could very well all be off the board by the time the tenth pick rolls around, and the Colts don't pick until 21.
I think my point still stands that its going to be very difficult for the Colts to draft a instant difference-maker at QB this year, unless they are willing to give up a lot of their future to move up, or they fall in love with a Mac Jones or Kyle Trask type of player, but the odds of either of those guys being ready right away are slimmer. Also not sure I'd use a first round pick on either of them. One of them might still be around in the second.
If I'm the Colts GM, I'm backing up the dump truck of cash to DeShaun Watson's house and telling him to name his price. If that doesn't work, you give Carson Wentz a call and hope that a change of scenery, a much better OL and better weapons will be able to help him re-capture what made him an MVP three years ago.
January 20th, 2021 at 10:26 AM ^
"Never one of the best."
#5 all-time in passing yards
#5 all-time in passing touchdowns
San Diego had some really good teams. They just kept running into Brady in the playoffs.
January 20th, 2021 at 12:31 PM ^
I had the same thought - he is underrated since he was always overshadowed by other QBs, so he never seemed to be the best in any given year. Obviously his career overlapped entirely with Brady, Brees, Roethlisberger and Eli Manning, who all won Super Bowls and had at least equivalent stats (more or less) and team success. Peyton Manning was also clearly better for the first half of his career, and Aaron Rodgers for the second part. Add in a few other QBs who pop up with good seasons from time to time - Mahomes, Watson, etc. and Rivers never seemed to be a Top 5 QB, though there is something to say about being consistently in the top 10 for 17 seasons. Being on the West Coast in San Diego, a relatively low-profile team probably didn't help for his exposure and retrospective review of his career.
January 20th, 2021 at 11:27 AM ^
I think you can make a pretty good case for him being one of the best of his generation and a hall of famer. He didn't win a Super Bowl, and will always be compared to Eli and Ben, who each won two. Aside from Super Bowls, he compares favorably with them. It's a subjective judgement whether you have to win a Super Bowl to be one of the best, that seems to carry a lot more weight with QB than any other position (and for good reason!) But teams win Super Bowls, as Nick Foles could tell you. If I had a vote I would vote for him for HOF.
January 20th, 2021 at 12:10 PM ^
He and Eli Manning are essentially opposites from a numbers perspective. Good tests of what a QB will need to reach the Hall of Fame in this modern day of the passing offense.
Rivers put up great numbers, game after game. He won a ton of games. But when it came playoff time, there was always a better team. He's the test of whether simply being elite in the regular season for a long time is enough on its own.
Eli did not put up great numbers, but he has two Super Bowl MVP trophies. A long career where he won more than 100 regular season games. He's the test of whether the rings can make up for basically being average otherwise for a long time.
These will be interesting arguments. Unlike the obvious ones when it comes time to discuss Brady, Peyton Manning, Brees, Roethlisberger and Rodgers.
January 20th, 2021 at 1:59 PM ^
It'll be a travesty if Eli gets in but Rivers doesn't. I'd take Rivers over Eli as my QB any day of the week. Eli had the good fortune of being on a team with a killer defense for a number of years. The Giants D won those two Super Bowls over the Patriots, not Eli. Roethlisberger is similar. While there were some seasons that he was truly elite, those weren't the Steelers' Super Bowl years. Again, their D carried them to the Super Bowl wins. If Rivers played for the Steelers or Giants, I have no doubt that he'd have won at least the two Super Bowls Eli/Ben won, maybe more.
Rivers never had that great D, and that was the ultimate difference. Plus, he had the supreme misfortune of having to play in the AFC. Want a crazy stat? During Rivers' 16 years with the Chargers, in all but two of those years the AFC was represented in the Super Bowl by either Brady, (Peyton) Manning (Colts/Broncos) or Roethlisberger. One of those years was Flacco with the Ravens, when he won the Harbowl, and the other was last year with Mahomes. A hell of a mountain to have to climb, especially compared to the QBs the NFC was putting into the Super Bowl.