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.
LV major adds: QB Garoppolo, WR Jakobi, SAF Epps, LB Spillane, TE Mayer, DE Tyree Wilson, DT B. Young, CB Bennett
LV major losses: QB Carr, TE Moreau, WR Hollins
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LAC major adds: LB Kendricks, WR Q. Johnston, LB Tuipulotu, LB Henley
LAC major losses: LB Tranquill
QB (2x): No contest…Justin Herbert all day. Did he beat Jimmy G. or Aidan O’Connell? I’m not sure.
LAC jumps out (2-0).
O-Line: The Chargers have much more talent than LV could dream of on the O-Line. Last year LAC lost several OLs in-season…if they keep them healthy this season, watch out. Easy edge to LAC.
The Chargers now lead (3-0).
CBs: It could be a healthy J.C. Jackson with Asante Samuel with Michael Davis for LAC this season…which is way better than Nate Hobbs (who is great) but then no one else of note for LV. Edge to LAC.
Chargers sweep to the (4-0) win.
HC/Organization: The Chargers are poorly run and Brandon Staley is a bad head coach. However, Josh McDaniels may be the worst head coach in the NFL…and arguably the most despised/one that players don’t want to play for if they have options. At least the players like Milquetoast Staley.
LAC goes up (5-0).
Weapons: Outside of the Davante Adams weapon of mass destruction…the Chargers are better with the rest of the weapons comparison – with the 1-2 punch of Keenan-Big Mike and the RB room/depth plus a TE experience/upside edge. LAC gets the nod.
LAC jumps to a (6-0) lead.
Kicker: Hey, the Raiders win one…you want Daniel Carlson over Cameron Dicker any day.
LAC wins it (6-1) overall…and they move on to face their nemesis, Kansas City for the AFC West finals.
