Lurker > KCF0107

NFC North

1. Minnesota Vikings
2. Green Bay Packers
3. Detroit Lions
4. Chicago Bears

Man, the Vikings have seen sooooo many retirements over the past several offseasons, and the rest of the division has absolutely wasted the opportunity to bridge the gap, even accounting for S10 when the Packers won the division and Vikings finished last. The Vikings could become the first team to wrap up their division this year. I say that fully aware that they have a tough schedule. They might be always underachieving in the playoffs (never appeared in NFC Championship), but they are one of the best regular season teams. They have quite the balanced team. They are no slouches at throwing the ball, and they get efficient results out of their running game. The defense is effective at stopping both the run and pass. The special teams have never been especially good, especially at kicker where they probably have among the lowest career FG% in the league. Perhaps that is why they don't make it far in the playoffs, but they spent a 3rd round pick on a kicker in Cairo Santos, so maybe they can get over the hump and make a run at the SB.

The Packers made quite a few mistakes last season but were in the playoff hunt until Week 17. They spent this offseason fortifying their strengths and rectifying some past decisions (most notably getting a genuine FB). They still have a fatally flawed offense, but as long as it can be respectable, whatever that entails with a team like this, their stout defense should be able to carry the team. They need to start out strong to keep their playoff hopes alive as Weeks 13-16 are pretty rough.

Yes I know the law is that the Lions must finished second, but it's very hard for me to do so. To begin with the positives, I am cautiously optimistic about their defense this season. The Lions have invested heavily in trades, free agency, RFA, and the draft to fix the leaky D. They definitely get an A for effort, but they would much rather see some results, and I think they can, but I would ultimately need to see it to believe it. Unfortunately, I am pessimistic about their offense. QB E.J. Manuel seems like he's going to be a league-average QB at best. HB DeAngelo Williams is injured...again. The OL is always injured and with them moving on from stalwart LT Kevin Shaffer (they had little choice but to let him walk), there's nobody truly fearsome there. The Lions are perennial overachievers in the win column, but I think that their luck runs. The overachieving makes it hard for me to fully dismiss them though.

Along with the Pats and Titans, we might be seeing three teams vying to have the worst offense in B8NFLL history. It is going to be ugly in Chicago with its extreme lack of talent. It's a shame too since their OL has a case to be named the league's best. I imagine them manhandling defenders, giving QB Zach Mettenberger 10 seconds to throw a pass only for him to air mail it and the OL looking at each other shrugging and thinking, "What more can we do?" This defense though has a chance to be great with the signing of DT Vince Wilfork among my favorite offseason acquisitions. The Bears aren't making the playoffs this season. Let's get that out of the way. What they can hope for is for a rookie or second year player or two on the offense emerge as a someone who truly has a future and place on the team, and the defense to keep them competitive enough to ensure more development than regression.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Long story short: I lost my remaining writeups, so in the essence of time, I am going to (attempt to) have more succinct writeups.

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Las Vegas Pumpkins
3. Washington Redskins
4. New York Giants

The Cowboys are winning the division, probably the conference, and maybe the Super Bowl. (This was actually the original writeup).

I throw around the Curse of Stan around, but his Titans teams had poor luck and played like bad teams. The Pumpkins have have poor luck and played like a playoff team. It is mind-boggling they still don't have a playoff appearance to their name. Outside of maybe wishing for more consistency out of their OL, they have to be satisfied how players have played everywhere else. Losing star WR Ted Ginn for half the season doesn't appear to help end their playoff-less streak, and it makes the decision to move on from Greg Lee a little tougher to swallow, but there's enough promise and potential among what they have left at the position to still expect great things from QB Chris Leak and his targets. While the schedule isn't exactly a walk in the park, I am going to keep believing in the Pumpkins until they make the playoffs. It worked for the Seahawks right?

The Redskins have the potential to be scary good. This defense is great even as it gets younger, and when healthy, this offense almost matches the defense. When healthy is the key as their offensive was decimated by injuries last season, and their season went up in flames as a result. They won't have co-Defensive RotY OLB Shaq Thompson for half the season, and with LB being their weakest link on defense, things haven't started off on the right foot, but their first half schedule isn't too bad. They play their toughest games at home, and their away games aren't exactly against a murderer's row of offenses.

The Giants are coming off a season where they not only finished in the bottom half of the defensive rankings for the first time in franchise history, but they finished dead last in the league. There will certainly be some regression to the mean, but how much is the question? They have one new starter in DE Khalil Mack, so they might be asking a lot from the #3 overall pick. The offense is unspectacular but reliable in its own way, though I am curious how things will change, if at all, with three new starters on the OL to begin the season. Based on past performance, overall talent, and the schedule, the Giants should be a fringe playoff contender at the very least, but I believe they have the worst upside in the division.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Is this the year that the Wildcats' D ranking eclipses their O ranking? That's more of an indictment on my outlook of their offense, but let's stick to being positive for now! Their D finally finished in the late-teens for the first time at least when they moved to Toronto, and despite having one of the lowest average starting ratings on that side, the development and production over the years lead me to believe they can keep it going. The offense is another story. It hasn't been the same since Michael Vick left town despite WR Gonzie Massey and TE Dane Guthrie personally benefiting from it. HB Laurence Maroney is probably the most underrated HBs in the league, but his criminal usage rate in his career effectively killed his Hall of Fame chances. All of their OL have been posting higher block and lower sack rates these past few years too. So why am I down on the offense?

Nobody has capably filled Vick's shoes. He was a pretty underrated passer. Sure he had some really bad passing outings as any QB, not just a scrambling one, will have, but his effect on the offense was real and eye-popping. That offense was always in the Top 5 at the season's conclusion. Those torrid offenses help them defy all the odds when historically, poor defensive teams rarely make the playoffs (I can count all playoff teams who have made the playoffs with a defensive ranking 20th or worse on two hands). Now, they don't have that sort of edge, and that makes it tough to differentiate themselves enough, especially with one of the more talent-deficient teams, to reach the playoffs. Had they made fewer ill-advised decisions during UFA and the draft, they could have shored up a few areas in FA and be a dark horse playoff contender. As it stands now, I think they need another year to enter the playoff discussion.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

NFC West

1. St. Louis Rams
2. Seattle Seahawks
3. San Francisco 49ers
4. Toronto Wildcats

The Rams followed a 15-1 season with an 8-8 one and a quick playoff exit. What went wrong? Actually, not too much. They were actually one of the best NFC teams. Based on their rankings and Pythagorean expectation, they probably should have been 11-5. Their defense and special teams (led by otherworldly returner Roy Helu Jr.) were in line with their 15-win team. The offense was probably the chief reason why they were even subject to their poor luck in the first place. QB Ryan Tannehill had a high completion % and YPA, but he actually threw more INTs (18) than TDs (17). Also, letting HB Ronnie Brown walk and replace him with former 34th overall pick Lamar Miller did not pay off dividends. After seeing a few retirements on offense and letting another starter walk, the Rams spent their first rounder on offense (TE Austin Hooper) and heavy in free agency to beef things up. A closer return to form is in order.

The Seahawks unexpectedly surged to what was by far their best season in the league. They return all but one starter and won't expect much from their draft class (1st round OT Taylor Decker is now expected to start due to injuries) or minuscule free agent class this season barring a horrific turn of events (aka piling injuries). I don't think that will be quite good enough to win back-to-back division crowns. Their defense was actually just above-average and predicated on a very high turnover rate. The nature of the game makes it hard to expect something like that happening in consecutive seasons. QB Kirk Cousins and HB Lynell Hamilton both have an injury history that will make it tough to expect the high-flying offense from a year ago. Regression seems to be on the horizon, but given the relative weakness of the conference, I very much see this team as a prime playoff contender.

The 49ers are a weird team. I suppose inconsistent is probably a more accurate description. When this team gets going, they are among the conference's best. They can pound you to oblivion with their punishing OL and the HB said OL makes into a star. They can also keep defenses honest with one of the best WRs in the game in Andre Johnson. On defense, they have a great LB corps where all four starters pull their weight and then some. Ratings aside, I've always been impressed with their stable of CBs. The other areas are a little iffy, but they have more than enough pieces to field a league-average defense. Unfortunately, things haven't being "going" these past few seasons, and it seems like the biggest culprit is that they tend to beat themselves to an obscene amount of dumb losses. Like last season, they have a favorable schedule this season, and with this being a team with so many veterans in their final season or so in the league period or as a starter, the 49ers really need to make this season count. I don't think they are among the six favorites for playoff spots, but they can easily find themselves in the discussion. A mostly clean preseason should help in their quest.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Chicago Bears
Cleveland Browns
Baltimore Ravens
Minnesota Vikings
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Los Angeles Rams
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers
Seattle Seahawks
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
Denver Broncos
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Chicago Bears
Cleveland Browns - SUPER LOCK
Baltimore Ravens
Minnesota Vikings
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Los Angeles Rams
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers - LOCK
Seattle Seahawks - LOCK
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
Denver Broncos
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Reminder that Slay the Spire is on Game Pass for PC/XB1
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

bump
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

I was a DT last time, and I remember I was a pretty good one. I want to be a FS this time though.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

AFC Seeding

Playoff Teams
1. Denver Broncos
2. Columbus Pioneers
3. Miami Dolphins
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. Oakland Raiders
6. Indianapolis Colts

Playoff Contenders
7. New York Jets
8. Pittsburgh Steelers
9. Jacksonville Jaguars
10. Washington Hawks
11. Mexico City Browns
12. Cincinnati Bengals

Better Luck Next Season
13. Kansas City Chiefs
14. Buffalo Bills
15. New England Patriots
16. Tennessee Titans

I wrestled with who to take for the wild card spots, but I figured the tougher schedules and relatively worse present injury situations of the Jets and Steelers were just enough to go with the #2 teams in the West and South. Other than that, seeding wasn't all that difficult for me.

As you probably noticed, I am predicting two new division winners but ultimately only one new playoff team from last year's squad (Broncos in for Steelers).

I really only consider teams with losing records the season before to be dark horse playoff contenders. Shockingly, we only had five teams in the conference end up with losing records last season (Patriots, Titans, Chiefs, Browns, and Hawks), and I feel better about the Hawks than the others.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

The Jags have never had a losing season under Sultan (S3-present), and while anything is possible, they are too good for me to see that streak ending this season. HB Adrian Peterson is one of the league's best HBs, they have a deep receiving corps, and they have one of the best interior OLs in the league. However, that offense continuously has serious health concerns to where it will likely be their Achilles heel this season if they fail to make the playoffs again. On defense, that DL is fucking filthy. I'm sure that has played a role in the efficiency issues the rest of the division has had with their running games. Due to turnover from retirements and aging, LBs and the secondary are a work in progress. They are projected to have four new starters within those seven spots, and next season will likely see another new starter, so this will likely be a multi-season rebuild in those areas. I expect them to still play admirably, but it might be too much to ask of them to get them back into the playoffs.

I have little understanding of the world of gambling, but I think that a $100 bet on the Titans finishing last in the AFC South would result in a net winnings of 25 cents. It's pretty much a given. This offense is going to be bad, and the defense has a checkered history outside of their outstanding LB corps. I think the chances of them being our first repeat #1 overall picker are relatively high. By virtue of playing the NFC North and having the conference schedule of a last-place team, it isn't as if the schedule is tough, but the Titans just don't match up well with most teams as they are one of the few true rebuilding teams in the league. Management probably understands that this is going to be a rough season and is more focused on seeing what rookie QB Paxton Lynch can do with less and if Melvin Gordon or Dion Lewis will demonstrate they can be a franchise HB.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

AFC South

1. Columbus Pioneers
2. Indianapolis Colts
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
4. Tennessee Titans

The Pioneers of late have been a better version of the Cardinals/Wildcats of old in that they've had fantastic offenses and porous defenses. I think that's finally about to change. The offense should by all means still be elite. QB Russell Wilson might have a claim to be the league's fourth-best QB. Reigning MVP WR Mark Clayton is the best at his position, and even after getting pilfered during RFA, this OL is still very good. After getting tepid seasons to end his career, HB Willis McGahee was supposed to hand the baton to Le'Veon Bell, but true to his character, he's going to be missing some games. We will instead see for the first quarter of the season former Colts 1st rounder Chris Johnson, who is coming off of a promising season where he averaged 4.5 YPC and didn't fumble on 100+ touches with the Falcons. I guess what I am trying to say is that they have a complete offense. The defense I think has a chance to make a substantial rise from where they were last season. With the pair of first round picks in MLB Kyle Emanuel and OLB Kyler Fackrell, they might be the final ingredients to an effective and stable defense. I think they are legit SB contenders this season, and they are the team I am most excited about this season. I swear that playing in my city has nothing to do with it!

The Colts lost quite a few mainstays to retirement and struck out on their main targets in free agency, but they scored their LG of the present and future in RFA and added a ton of depth through the draft and free agency. This was one of the league's best teams last season and if not for a meltdown by co-Comeback Player of the Year QB Charlie Whitehurst in the playoffs, we might have seen them in the Super Bowl. Defense was their bread-and-butter, and they return 10 of 11 starters, but Whitehurst took where David Carr left off and added another dynamic to their offense that while elite, was very effective and had one of the lowest turnover rates. He should be defined by his disastrous playoff game. What could be problematic is the short and long-term at HB. Steven Jackson is the epitome of a volume runner as he hasn't had a YPC above 4.4 in his career, and he is coming off seasons where it was 4.0 and 3.9. Backup LeSean McCoy isn't much better, so it could be chalked up to OL problems. With two new starters, perhaps the Colts will field a truly complete team and make a deep playoff run.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

There is absolutely no way that Browns QB Ryan Perrilloux will have another abysmal season like he did last season. His 53.0 passer rating was even worse than the infamous Ryan Fitzpatrick S2 debacle (54.3). I don't have records of all the passer ratings we've ever had, but I'm going out on a limb and saying it is the worst single-season passer rating we've gotten out of a full-time QB. A modest improvement to simply bad will do wonders to this offense. They had a solid draft, and many of their high picks from recent drafts have been progressing nicely (more so with production than rating development). The secondary is a major concern as FS Lovon Ponder is the only stable presence (though CB Avery Atkins has been quite the ballhawk). I considered putting the Browns 2nd and also right in the heart of the playoff race, but getting rid of an elite DT in Vince Wilfork might turn out to be the biggest unforced error from this offseason. If they really wanted to give Phil Taylor a starting job, they should have just taken the $790k cap hit and be done with the humdrum Darryl Richard. Now who is going to stop the run in a run-centric division?

The Bengals have a lower ceiling than the rest of the division, but they had themselves a nice draft and spent in free agency to shore up their secondary. They could be a surprise team, which they probably find a little insulting as they are coming off of one of the more clandestine 8-8 seasons we've had. If 1st round QB Jake Locker takes off and injury replacement HB Knowshon Moreno is more like the S10 version, we might be seeing them in the playoffs.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Okay, I have noticed that these writeups are significantly longer than what I've done in seasons past, so I will cut down on what I say with the remaining six divisions.

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Mexico City Browns
4. Cincinnati Bengals

There is one sure thing in this division, and it's that the Ravens defense will be great or even elite. Year in and year out they are near or at the top of fewest yards and points allowed per game. Stifling doesn't begin to describe how formidable they are. It's even scarier that only three starters are over the age of 30. The Ravens' problems have always been on offense, and as my dumb and lame Madden Tiers suggest, there's reason to believe that the offense will improve. Yes QB Ben Roethlisberger has been a disappointment, and their best receiving weapon is their TE Eric Ebron, but this team has always been about running the ball. HB Doug Martin has recorded YPC of at least 4.3 in every season. They have transformed an elite run-blocking FB David Romaka into an elite dual-threat FB. Where the improvements may come from are their entirely new interior OL. Gone are the dreadful G Jonathan Martin (he's prof's problem now), oft-injured C Casey Rabach, and fading G Stephen Neal. In are the #10 run-blocking G, 1st round pick C Ryan Kelly, and 2nd round pick G Jeff Allen. Even a slight improvement over what they had last season and this team should see consecutive AFC North crowns.

The Steelers have the evenly spread talent to be in the thick of the playoff race, but they have a few things going against them. First and foremost is the brutal schedule. There's no stretch where they will seemingly have a bit of a reprieve, putting the onus on them staying healthy, which they already aren't after the preseason. The second is that they are shifting to a 4-3 D. They had a successful four game or so stretch as 4-3 D a few seasons ago, but the fact is that this defense has developed under a 3-4, and it is far from a guarantee that they will catch lightning in a bottle twice and make a seamless adjustment yet again. The third is that history suggests that Reggie McNeal will not replicate what he did in his half-season tryout for the Steelers. Scrambling QBs are by nature inconsistent and personal stats aside, while they tend to result in the offense being more dynamic, the Steelers do not have the offensive firepower to take advantage of that, especially with Jamario Thomas now lost for a quarter of the season. If the offense and defense regress a little like I expect them to and find themselves in the ranks of the average or above average on both sides, it will be very hard to see them as a playoff team.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Just-for-Fun Standings (among those who beat a game in 2017 or later)
KCF: 94
gameking: 89
Mr Crispy: 57
Lolo Guru: 53
ArkOfTurus: 50
KnightOfNee: 35
Arti: 23
scarletspeed: 23
MegamanX: 20
Cody: 18
Fenny: 15
Robazoid: 13
Wickle: 13
profDEADPOOL: 8
Wigs: 8
Shaduln: 7
Shonen Bat: 7
UndeadUnicorn: 7
darkx: 6
Johnbobb: 6
MZero: 6
BetrayedTangy: 5
MrSmartGuy: 5
paperwarior: 5
LordoftheMorons: 4
Bane: 3
GreatPaul: 3
KommunistKoala: 2
PrinceReva: 2
Waluigi1: 2
azuarc: 1
Cavedweller: 1
Fake Account: 1
Harrich: 1
Kain66: 1
Peace Frog: 1
SantaRPG: 1
SBell: 1
Steiner: 1
Tom Bombadil: 1
Wiki: 1

Spreadsheet with history
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X8E8oqzES42W4S82j7WTfNnzNa8c3uXdSE1rnqYG7WM/edit?usp=sharing

Additional noms this month
Cody - 1
Crispy - 1
Paul - 1
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Septembers Games:
The Evil Within (PC/XB1/PS4/360/PS3)
Slay the Spire (PC/XB1/PS4/Switch)
Super Mario Bros. (essentially every Nintendo system)
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (essentially every Nintendo system)

What is Game of the Month Club?
Game of the Month is a community project open to all B8ers where users share, discover, play and/or discuss a select few games every month. The games featured each month are chosen by YOU the users (and Lady Luck)

The Basics
- Each month will usually feature three games that were chosen via a random drawing from a pool of games that users nominated
- For each game you beat, you get a cool point on our just-for-fun standings as well as a nomination for next month's randomized drawing
- In order to receive the point and nomination, you must beat said game within the calendar month
- If you beat one of the current month's games in the previous month, you can apply for a "recently beaten waiver," but you will only receive a point and no nomination should you do so
- Drawing for next month's games is usually around a week before the end of the month
- If you periodically keep us posted on your progress and/or talk about different aspects of the games, then everyone will think you are super awesome!

Nomination Rules
- You get one nomination automatically each month
- You receive additional nominations each month for every chosen game that you beat
- Each game you nominate has to be unique from all other nominations and cannot include a game that has already been selected for GotM
- Each game must be a standalone game that can be acquired and played on its own (aka cannot be DLC/expansion that requires the base game)
- Nominations only carry over if you beat a chosen game after the drawing for next month's games but before the end of the month
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

I'm about to post the new topic. Obviously if it is still August where you live, you can continue working on August games.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

bump
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Linelight (PS4)

I've played quite a few puzzle games this year, but this is firmly entrenched as the second best after The Talos Principle. I was surprised at the wealth of mechanics and how well they used and combined them. I have played through so many excellent games this year that I might have to do Top 10 or so topic towards the end of the year.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Oh, I assumed it was to make his salary non-guaranteed since he has been in the league long enough to have his salary guaranteed if on the roster for Week 1.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Texans GM is actually their head coach filling in on an interim basis.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Fuck, we gave up Tunsil and now don't have an OL. I know we got two 1sts and a 2nd, but damn are we ever going to have a worthy OL?
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Perhaps they will go after McCoy.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Apex Legends, but I plan to play a little bit of Control soon.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

I wasn't sure whether to put the Bills or Patriots next. Despite the preseason basically ending any realistic playoff hopes for the Bills, I put them ahead. The Bills went 9-7 last season, but they were definitely lucky as they performed closer to a 6-10 team. They had an above-average pass D, but the offense and run D were bad. They had the NFL's worst turnover differential even accounting for the disastrous 10-turnover game against the Dolphins (-7 for the game). In the offseason, they lost LT Jeff Backus to retirement. They let G Adam Goldberg walk. They replaced them with serviceable but ultimately inferior players. Their lone addition that could have made a difference, first round pick HB Todd Gurley, will not be playing his rookie season. Along with other injuries on offense, and there isn't much reason for hope on offense this season.

The defense theoretically could improve, but I don't have faith in management. It was curious when management admitted that they eschew depth for high-end starters. One look at this team, and you have to wonder how this became the product of that ideology. They have the division's worst (using my expertise and opinion) starting HB, FB, WRs, TE, OL, DE, DT (tough to cross-compare 3-4 and 4-3) OLB, and SS (if we are calling Baker a FS) and only depth at a select few spots. I think it is time for a more flexible approach.

If you want a dark, dark horse playoff contender this season, look no further than the league's worst team last season record-wise! Their post-bye schedule is fantastic. Six of nine games are at home, and nearly every game seems at least somewhat winnable. They are likely to drop at least one of two from the Dolphins, and the Rams/Ravens will likely be tough, but both of those games are at home, and their away schedule aside from the Dolphins are the Browns and Titans. The remaining games include the Bengals, Chiefs, and Wildcats. In a best-case scenario, they could go 7-2, and that puts them squarely in the playoff hunt. They have to survive their first half schedule, which includes both Jets games and road games against the Seahawks and Steelers, so it is probably too much to ask they finish with a record within a game or two of .500 entering the bye, but that's why they are a dark, dark horse!

That will be contingent on so many factors though and unfortunately on both sides of the ball. Right now, they are projected to have the lowest-rated starting QB since Ryan Fitzpatrick of the doomed S2 Eagles (they moved to Las Vegas for a reason!) in Logan Thomas of the 47.6 rookie passer rating. Their other choices are rookie QB Ryan Nassib and a former 1st round pick in Case Keenum coming off a terrible sophomore season. All are sub-80 rated, and WR Lance Leggett has to feel that his career has been wasted. Luckily, they have bright spots in HB Dexter McCluster and one of the league's best OL. Their DL is still fantastic, but beyond that, the defense is mostly full of replacement-level players and unknowns outside of OLB Bruce Irvin. Maybe #1 overall pick OLB Preston Smith comes to the rescue, and a great preseason might propel 10-year vet and 112 game starter SS Keon Jackson to finally have a breakout season. I don't see it happening, but there's a path for this team to be a surprise Wild Card contender. They just need plenty of good luck for them and bad luck for the rest of the league.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

AFC East

1. Miami Dolphins
2. New York Jets
3. Buffalo Bills
4. New England Patriots

The future construction of the team might look very differently next season depending on a variety of factors, but right now, the Dolphins, on the heels of a season where one could argue they were the best team ever, are still SB contenders even with the retirements of WR Kelly Campbell and C Todd McClure, trade of MLB James Laurinaitis, and loss of LT Lane Johnson in RFA. Losing Campbell and Johnson could have major consequences though. The WR corp is looking a little thin and what was once a deep pool at OL has been pilfered to death and back to where it doesn't look at that special on paper. They still have former MVP QB Sam Keller and MVP runner-up HB Jacquizz Rodgers, so it would be a shock to anyone if they didn't have at least a very good offense. We could see a sizable drop though.

The elite defense though should see very little to any drop off with Laurinaitis gone, especially since do-it-all DE Calais Campbell is returning from a lost season. The Dolphins after owning the third-hardest schedule last season should feel relieved that play the majority of their most-difficult games at home, face the Rams and Colts early in the season when they are currently very healthy, and they avoid both the Pioneers and Jaguars. A second straight AFC East crown should be theirs if they want it.

I'm not sure there's a more underappreciated team in the NFL than the Jets. We are, what, five seasons removed from Fenny running the team, and everybody seemingly forgets about them. They are 29-19 over the past three seasons and frequently field a Top-10 defense and Top-16 offense. They have one of the best HBs in Romance Taylor, the division's best WR corps, and a developing and ascending OL on the left side and middle with the right side being manned by Jake Grove and Kareem McKenzie, who have a combined 1290 blocks against 135 sacks allowed. The defense features a DT factory, a great young LB corps, and an ascending secondary. The DE is their "weak spot" by default but they do have a 90 DE and a 1st round pick starting. Most teams would kill to have this defense. This team basically has no holes, and they never beat themselves.

The enigma surrounding this team is squarely at the QB spot where Mike Glennon's time spent behind Drew Brees and Byron Leftwich comes to an end. In limited duty, which does include two starts, he does have an 85.4 passer rating on 62.8% passing. What could cause them to miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season is not the preseason OL injuries (they did sign a replacement for one player) but the schedule. They start with road games against the Steelers and Pioneers, exit the bye with the Rams and Seahawks, and end the season with both Dolphins games with the Ravens sandwiched between. I'm sure Glennon would like the schedule to be redone.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

The Hawks, like 2/3 of the rest of the teams in the division, routinely have a reliable defense. They lost a couple of guys to retirement (most notably SS Roy Williams), but they have high draft picks to pick up where they left off. Given their historical production at the position, SS Keanu Neal might be one of the favorites for Defensive RotY. If they wish to be back in playoff contention though, they need their offense to step up. You would think a team with a team with a HB (DeMarco Murray) who has finished among the league leaders in rushing yards and a 4.4 YPC to his name, a QB who has posted an 85+ passer rating in his four seasons with the club (Philip Rivers), and an underrated WR corps would do better at scoring than they do, but the Hawks always seem to have one of the greater divides between total offense and points per game rankings. Aside from poor luck, maybe OL was an issue.

C Max Unger has a career 10:1 block:sack ratio, and RT Justin Blalock almost at 11:1 and is consistently on the blocking leaderboard. The other three spots tended to see lackluster production. With LT Jonas Jennings and RG Kynan Forney now retired, perhaps Taylor Lewan and Earl Watford can help stabilize the offense and put them in playoff contention this season. It will be tough since there are nine AFC teams that I would consider to be at least very good, but some convenient injuries and regression elsewhere can play in their favor. They get a rough start to the season with three straight road games and three of four games being against the non-Titan AFC South teams, but, and sorry to bring this up again, they do face the NFC South and avoid the Dolphins, Jets, Ravens, and Steelers, so the schedule as a whole is in their favor.

The Chiefs have some nice building blocks to form a future foundation, but this team is at least another year, probably two, away from being a serious Wild Card contender. There isn't a whole lot to say. Garappolo is coming off probably the best season by a Chief QB since Bruce Gradkowski, but his skid to end the season is a little concerning. Blount is a pretty average HB. Ditto their receiving corps (Gonzalez had a minor breakout year though) and OL (they spent a 1st round pick acquiring G Jonathan Fletcher for his potential and not production). Where they can realistically see strides though are on the defensive side where they have spent a lot of draft picks (through the draft or via trade).

Six of their projected starters are entering their rookie-4th years. Former 1st rounders OLB Jamie Collins and SS Andrew Sendejo in particular are prime for a breakout season any time. They don't have as daunting of a schedule given they finished last in S11 and face the NFC South this season, so there is hope for a better record and/or going further away from owning the #1 pick.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

AFC West Prediction

1. Denver Broncos
2. Oakland Raiders
3. Washington Hawks
4. Kansas City Chiefs

The Broncos were by all accounts a Top 5 team last year, but only finished 9-7 and more importantly, were on the outside looking in come playoffs. The defense should still remain elite despite the massive turnover at CB. They spent 2nd and 3rd (via RFA) round picks to fill the starting jobs, so a pair of upper-70s CBs should be more than fine for a defense loaded everywhere else. The offense will be a bit of a mystery. QB A.J. McCarron, coming off of a rookie season in which he posted an 82.0 passer rating with 1300 yards and a 62.4 completion %, will replace the retired Michael Vick, and will be the first pocket passer they've had as the Week 1 starter since maybe Brady Quinn. Given the OL didn't miss a beat and how well he connected with the team's top three WRs (Colbert, Wallace, and Tate), I have faith in him.

HB LaMarcus Coker has played a full 16 game season only once (S8) and has missed 12 in the past three seasons. The team no longer has absurdly high-end backup Antonio Pittman, so their backup now is former Dolphins and Rams HB Mikell Simpson. He is injured right now, but he has posted a 4.2+ YPC in all but one season, so that should be reassuring. Combine that with the best offensive and future HoF FB Brian Leonard, one of the best blocking TEs in Dwayne Allen, and a phenomenal OL (I talked earlier in the offseason about how absurd the OTs were in particular), and you have one of the AFC's SB favorites.

By virtue of winning the division, the Raiders are "lucky" to face the division winners from last season in the Dolphins, Colts, and Ravens. Then again, the alternative is being forced to face the second-place teams in the Pioneers, Steelers, and Jets (though they still got the Pioneers on their schedule), so I'm not sure which is worse. Anyway, the team with the surprise playoff run from last year had a quietly excellent offseason. They lost stalwart WR Anquan Boldin, and former 1st rounders Brandon Marshall and Doug Baldwin haven't lit it up exactly, but the team has finally handed the reins to Andy Dalton. Perhaps with some continuity (Raiders haven't had a QB be the starter out of the preseason in consecutive seasons since Daunte Culpepper eons ago), they can break loose. HB R.J. Jackson quietly had his best season in the league in his first season in Oakland.

They killed it in free agency with their OL signings. RG Adam Goldberg has the highest pass-blocking rating at the position and 16th in run-blocking. OT signees Sean Locklear and Marcus Johnson have posted a combined line of 179 blocks against 2 sacks allowed. They may not have the Broncos line, but they are probably no worse than fourth in the AFC. This defense is still great. They replaced the moribund Mychal Kendricks with 1st rounder Vontaze Burfict and so many players keep trending up. The DL is merely okay, and that would normally be problematic in a run-based division, but the Raiders somehow make it work year in and year out. With the conference becoming more evenly spread, it will be a tough path for them to stand out and replicate what they managed to do last season, but they will certainly be in the thick of the playoff race, especially being gifted the NFC South as their non-conference opponent.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/77973091
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

I don't know how I forgot this one, but there's also 100ft Robot Golf. It's from the makers of Roundabout, and your skill/success is irrelevant. You will beat the game regardless of your play. That's probably why the golfing isn't very good, but it''s very silly and funny.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Yeah, I always change things up with video games. I essentially never play the same series or genre consecutively or concurrently.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

I like a lot of traditional sports games (I own plenty of baseball, football, and golf games). You can probably pick up a bunch of older titles for $5 or so on Ebay. If you aren't a fan of sports, some off-beat games in the genre include Rocket League (has a seasonal mode), Mutant Football League, Golf Story, and Pyre.

I can vouch for all except Pyre, which I own but haven't played.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

I'm pretty sure there are quite a few fans on B8 for every team in the division except for the Vikings. They might be my second favorite team after, of course, the Dolphins, but I think strife and maybe one other person are Vikings fans.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

I'm going to be sad when the Vikings get eliminated first.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

To Do:
- Determine what days I will sim this season, including the specific date for Week 1.
- Do my seasonal division + conference standings and RotY predictions
- Start to embark on my huge project (like I did in seasons past with ranking 1st round picks at each spot and how every team was constructed)
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Week 1 User vs User Matchups
Bills (stevr) at Patriots (Jukkie)
Pumpkins (Shonen) at Bears (Stan)
Wildcats (prof) at Redskins (Wiz)
Packers (Tangicide) at Colts (KCF)
Lions (Nee) at Titans (Socko)
Buccaneers (Chris) at Chiefs (Ranlom)
49ers (Scare) at Giants (Eddv)

Game of the Week
Browns at Cowboys

Week 1's sim date is TBD, but it will likely be in mid-September
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Falcons sign G Willie Colon to a 1 year deal
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

I still can't get over me putting a different number in error last season. I would have lost the SB since I would have chosen the Rams, so maybe it is good that I still have a perfect SB record.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Packers sign FB Kalvin Bailey to a 2 year deal
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

SockoressKnight posted...

Can I sign Connor Hughes with a $0 signing bonus and then promptly cut him?

After some user(s) abused that, it was outlawed.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Wildcats cut CB Boykin and sign G Jonathan Martin to a 1 year deal.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

I may be crazy, and I know that I have brought this up before here or on Discord, but I swear that in The Walking Dead S1, Telltale used to have a message before each episode explicitly or heavily implying that our choices would have a profound impact on the story. After that turned out to not be the case and Telltale received criticism for it, it was patched to contain a more accurate message and future games used it.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

An old project that I started several seasons ago was going through our entire draft history and showing how many players at each position each team selected. I ultimately shelved that idea due to how time-consuming and uninteresting it was, but I had one tidbit that I wanted to share with everyone.

The Cincinnati Bengals in their first three drafts selected three kickers (Connor Hughes, Justin Medlock, and Chris Nendick). The only other positions that they drafted three or more over that span were at OT and OLB.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

I'm already 15+ songs behind lol. I have considered dropping out of rating songs. The main reason why I returned for this was not so much discovering songs but more so to see my compatibility. Unfortunately, it seems like half or more of the people aren't B8ers, so that novelty has sort of lost its luster.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

To Do:
- Update roster/financial/free agent sheets for preseason cuts and signings
- Post Week 1 schedule and determine what days I will sim this season, including the specific date for Week 1.
- Do my seasonal division + conference standings and RotY predictions
- Start to embark on my huge project (like I did in seasons past with ranking 1st round picks at each spot and how every team was constructed)
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

All teams should have their depth charts updated as per how the AI optimized depth charts after the preseason. For the love of all that is right in the world, please look over the depth chart sheet at least 10 times. Every season, someone doesn't realize that X player started over Y player for Z position until games have been simmed and are perplexed. Please look over at is many times as it takes for you to understand what you are seeing and let me know if you wish to make any changes.

Here are the positions that can play each position, but keep in mind that playing, for example, an DT out of position at DE will likely see a negative rating change, sometimes severe:
QB (QBs, Ks, Ps)
HB (HBs, FBs)
WR (WRs, HBs, TEs)
TE (TEs, FBs, OTs, DTs)
All OL must be played by an OL
DE (DEs, OLBs)
DT (DTs, DEs)
OLBs (LBs, DEs)
MLB (LBs)
All DBs must be played by DBs
P/K can only be played by Ps and Ks
KR/PRs (WRs, RBs, CBs. Ss, FBs, TEs)
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Okay, I should be caught up now. We have 44 users officially signed up thus far.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

okay, I should probably start adding teams to all the names I have entered in (as well as those that I haven't).
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

Bills release QB John Johnson and OLB Joey Carey and sign HB Chris Ivory and G Dylan Gandy to 1 year deals.
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg

To Do:
- Update depth chart sheet
- Update roster/financial/free agent sheets for preseason cuts and signings
- Post Week 1 schedule and determine what days I will sim this season, including the specific date for Week 1.
- Do my seasonal division + conference standings and RotY predictions
- Start to embark on my huge project (like I did in seasons past with ranking 1st round picks at each spot and how every team was constructed)
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KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg