A new idea I had in order to help me go through the NFL team’s rosters and examine all the personnel and coaching changes, etc., one-by-one. I’m going to look at two teams head-to-head in seven key categories (my bias on what is ‘key’). The team that gets my vote in each category gets a ‘win’…the first team to 4 wins moves on to the next round. Just a quick, hopefully fun, way to take the temperature of each team heading into the 2023 preseason.
The seven categories…it’s actually six because one category is so important that it’s worth double:
1-2) The quarterbacks comparison…the winner of this gets 2 wins, or if too close to call it could be a 1-1 split.
3) O-Line -- Judging which team has the better O-Line…the most critical aspect of a team after the QB.
4) Cornerbacks -- After O-Line, I think the most critical position is shutdown corners (or not having any).
5) Head Coach/Organization -- A battle of which coaches will get in the way less, to some degree but also an edge given to teams that will attract free agents or be a desired destination in trades…and what teams are filling the stadium for home games, etc. Everything rolled into one judgment call.
6) Offensive Weapons -- Which team has the better, scarier RB-WR-TE group.
7) Kicker -- If it comes down to #7, of course the kicker should make the determination...as the kicker often determines the winner of a 59+ minute war prior with a last second make/miss.
As we lead into each category and tap a winner -- I’m also listing the major add/loss for each team in the offseason so far, just to eyeball it as a list.
Is this a brilliant way to judge teams over another? Who knows! But it struck me as something fun to do while studying each team this preseason, after the majority of offseason moves have been made.
JAX major adds: WR C. Ridley, OT A. Harrison, LB V. Miller, PK McManus, TE Strange
JAX major losses: OT J. Taylor, DE A. Key, PK Patterson
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HOU major adds: QB Stroud, DE W. Anderson, OC Scruggs, WR Metchie, WR T. Dell, TE Schultz, SAF J. Ward, LB Perryman
HOU major losses: WR R. Woods, DE Okoronkwo
QB (2x): I so want to push Stroud over Lawrence, but a three-year NFL player vs. a rookie QB, judging this moment/this season, I have to give it to Lawrence. I won’t in the future, but for right now I have to go with the edge to Lawrence.
JAX takes a (2-0).
O-Line: The Jags have a very underrated O-Line…and it’s way better than Houston’s.
Jags in control (3-0)
CBs: Houston was top 10 best in pass defense and #1 best in least TD passes allowed last season. Some of that because you could run all over them, but we have to give some credit to the secondary. The Jags weren’t bad either in 2022 (but had schedule/opponent strength help), but edge to Houston.
JAX still leads (3-1)
HC/Organization: Demeco Ryans is a step in the right direction to get credibility back in Houston, but they’re still suffering from so many botches and too much mismanagement of the past 3-4 years to have much credibility with players right now.
Jacksonville has a lot of mismanagement in executive positions, but Doug Pederson is one of the best, most respected HCs in the league…players respond to him and will want to play for him. Two weak franchises right now but give the current edge to JAX.
Jags clinch the win (4-1)
Weapons: Jacksonville is deep at WR and TE. Houston wins at RB. Just more attractive weapons for the Jags especially at TE.
JAX expands to a (5-1) lead.
Kicker: Why JAX opted for Brandon McManus, I have no idea. Fairbairn is a much better all-around kicker. Edge to Houston.
Jags win it (5-2).
