Yup....the old Walsh WCO Niner offense was really "a death by a thousand cuts"...a balanced approach which guaranteed a minimum of 3-4 yards per play regardless of running or passing. The defense eventually adjusts by creeping up to the line of scrimmage and then the play action becomes deadly. If the defense is spread then all it takes is a missed tackle or a player exploiting a gap/missed assignment and big plays are the result. It also should not be understated that such an offense benefits from timely QB scrambles...I think it will take time to calibrate all the moving pieces and they will definitely be "building the plane as they fly it", but it will get there. I am also happy to see Mannion in the booth...it is the best vantage point for a playcaller.

3 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

Wicks is going for 88 rec, 8 drops, 917 yards, and 10 TDs. Leading the team in receptions and TDs.

Smith will have the most yards but I think Hurts connection with Wicks is going to steal the thunder from the gigantic Smith/WR1 season everyone initially predicted.

I’m with you on this. I’ve been taking Wicks at the end of all of my drafts

8 minutes ago, austinfan said:

Disagree. I predict a high volume passing attack, not as lopsided as AR, but with a lot of passes to RBs and short throws to open WRs or TEs for 5-10 yards. Ball control with deep strikes coming off play action. More screens and wheel routes with Barkley. I don't think there will be much RPO or designed QB runs, but I won't be surprised if the plan is quickly go through your progressions then take off and avoid sacks and lost yardage.

With the move to two deep safeties, the response has become take what they give you, move the ball and suck the safeties in, then strike deep.

Don't try and force big plays, let them come out of the flow of the game.

I have been wrong before but I don't see them being a pass first team especially early in the season. Nick wants the team to have explosive plays. In a passing game that is predicated more on deep over the middle shot plays, the running game may be the most reliable way to get those plays early in the season. If they get ahead of opponents the will also look to run out the clock. Certainly, I would love to see an efficient short passing game that routinely creates 5 yard plays. I just don't see them passing at a high rate if they are running effectively.

2 minutes ago, paco said:

I’m with you on this. I’ve been taking Wicks at the end of all of my drafts

How good are you at FF?

Just now, NCiggles said:

How good are you at FF?

Terrible

15 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

Wicks is going for 88 rec, 8 drops, 917 yards, and 10 TDs. Leading the team in receptions and TDs.

Smith will have the most yards but I think Hurts connection with Wicks is going to steal the thunder from the gigantic Smith/WR1 season everyone initially predicted.

I hope he does that. I think the potential He has is there. He needs to just catch the football consistently. I still think he has a better season than lemon.

@mattwill Birds 33 Commanders 13 -- Birds D gets a safety

32 minutes ago, NOTW said:

Cousin of mine was like this for his (first) wedding - they were divorced like 2 years later

Just now, mikemack8 said:

Cousin of mine was like this for his (first) wedding - they were divorced like 2 years later

Big question… was he crying like that through the divorce proceedings?

1 hour ago, MR-CYN said:

Barkley at 11 oclock.

Missed him. Thanks for the correction

8 minutes ago, Next_Up said:

@mattwill Birds 33 Commanders 13 -- Birds D gets a safety

There are quite a few posters who want to change the "s” of that Bonus to "S”

1 hour ago, tuffstuff07 said:

Barkley is literally in the first row

Missed him

@mattwill , Barkley is up front

32 minutes ago, paco said:

I’m with you on this. I’ve been taking Wicks at the end of all of my drafts

I wanted to but the only stupid league I am still in is not deep enough to justify a Wicks pick.

Nick non answer 101

44 minutes ago, austinfan said:

Disagree. I predict a high volume passing attack, not as lopsided as AR, but with a lot of passes to RBs and short throws to open WRs or TEs for 5-10 yards. Ball control with deep strikes coming off play action. More screens and wheel routes with Barkley. I don't think there will be much RPO or designed QB runs, but I won't be surprised if the plan is quickly go through your progressions then take off and avoid sacks and lost yardage.

With the move to two deep safeties, the response has become take what they give you, move the ball and suck the safeties in, then strike deep.

Don't try and force big plays, let them come out of the flow of the game.

Whatever keeps the chains moving and doesn't ask the defense to constantly bail this offense out - I had enough of watching that through the first 6-7 games last year. I will say, I am anxious about the offensive play calling the most for Sunday. Coaches talk about how the first 7-10 plays are scripted, it'll be interesting to see how Mannion tries to get Hurts in a rhythm early.

If we make things easier for Vic and his defense, I can't see how WAS even keeps up after halftime........old school wins this game, control the clock and don't turnover the ball.

2 hours ago, paco said:

Thank you for this!

Wednesday Afternoon Season Records Prediction Update

So far 123 predictions have been submitted. They are as follows:

The 7 EMB members highlighted above in yellow submitted predictions last season, but haven't so far this season:

@bpac55 @Captain F @Cochis_Calhoun @Dutchman063 @GrouchoMan @joemas6 @Southparkeagles

In addition, the following 35 EMB members submitted 2025 weekly score predictions, and have not as yet submitted a 2026 season record prediction.

@700Level4Life @Ace Nova @Asg 15 @astrofed @birdman#12 @Bob Manigan @chris9210 @cunninghamtheman @Giggity_goo @GoEagles614 @greenskeeper @heavyharmonies @jmac+djaxallday @Know Life @Krump @Kz! @ManchesterEagle @Mike030270 @Mike31mt @mikemack8 @opa-opa@Portyansky @Sack that QB @scottr@pictips.com @Senhorcook @Swoop @Talon @The Norseman @Uscg-green @Walkdawalk @weko @Westbrook#36

35 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

Nick non answer 101

Reporter: Tell me about this specific player on the team?

Nick: We have lots of players on our team. Some of them are going to be playing in the game this Sunday.

1 hour ago, HazletonEagle said:

Wicks is going for 88 rec, 8 drops, 917 yards, and 10 TDs. Leading the team in receptions and TDs.

Smith will have the most yards but I think Hurts connection with Wicks is going to steal the thunder from the gigantic Smith/WR1 season everyone initially predicted.

Wicks will statistically be the most productive WR through four weeks on the team.

Acho is such a POS.

I know Wicks had good reports in camp, but I think he's being way overvalued. The past 2 years he's been the 5th receiving option on the Packers, and he probably would've had a lesser role last year if Kraft and Reed didn't get injured. It's not like Wicks has been a full time starter before, and the one season he had volume he was terrible. He was inactive for 3 games last year. I would not be surprised if either Hollywood or Lemon had more receiving yards than Wicks by the end of the season.

I think the top 2 in receiving yards are going to be Smith and Goedert. You will see Wicks the first 4-6 weeks before Lemon starts eating into his snaps. I'd take the under on Lemon with 575.5 receiving yards on the season. I think there's too much between Wicks, Hollywood, Lemon, and Barkley for those targets.

5 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

Acho is such a POS.

Way to share the comment that is being investigated...

3 minutes ago, wussbasket said:

I know Wicks had good reports in camp, but I think he's being way overvalued. The past 2 years he's been the 5th receiving option on the Packers, and he probably would've had a lesser role last year if Kraft and Reed didn't get injured. It's not like Wicks has been a full time starter before, and the one season he had volume he was terrible. He was inactive for 3 games last year. I would not be surprised if either Hollywood or Lemon had more receiving yards than Wicks by the end of the season.

I think the top 2 in receiving yards are going to be Smith and Goedert. You will see Wicks the first 4-6 weeks before Lemon starts eating into his snaps. I'd take the under on Lemon with 575.5 receiving yards on the season. I think there's too much between Wicks, Hollywood, Lemon, and Barkley for those targets.

May be our next Jabar Gaffney.

I definitely felt that was on the initial signing, but everything I have seen had me recalibrating my thinking.

4 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

Way to share the comment that is being investigated...

During a public discussion on his podcast, he shared an anecdote regarding a past vehicular incident and the subsequent involvement of team security personnel. Specifically, he suggested that a team employee coordinate with local cops to manage the official documentation of an accident.

"I’m playing for a team, I can’t say what team,” Acho said on his Speakeasy Podcast. "I played for three so, at least you all can’t know exactly which one.”

Acho said he rear-ended another driver on his way to practice and contacted "one of our security people” for the team he played for. He further added, "When the cop shows up, send the cop away. I’m going to send you another cop. And that other cop is going to say it wasn’t your fault. It was their fault.”