# Rams/lions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [November 1, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965 "2009-11-01T18:44:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/21 "2009-11-01T22:33:26Z")

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Sam Bradford? I’d be surprised if he’s even taken in the first 10 picks. That shoulder injury has got to be a big worry, and he won’t have finished his rehab in time for the Combine.

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**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/22 "2009-11-01T22:43:32Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> Sam Bradford? I’d be surprised if he’s even taken in the first 10 picks. That shoulder injury has got to be a big worry, and he won’t have finished his rehab in time for the Combine.

The [surgery went well](http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/12435636/rss) and the optimistic side of the estimate pegs his recovery being complete right around the combine. In any case it’s very likely he’ll be ready to work out before the draft in private workouts. Considering his College experience I’m not sure he’d have thrown at the combine anyways, most guys with his creds don’t. Certainly it’s a question, but I’m not aware of any other QBs in his class at the moment and if one of these crappy teams need a QB and are drafting in the top 5 they’ll be taking Bradford until someone comes along to replace him as the “consensus best QB”.

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**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/23 "2009-11-02T00:48:29Z")

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> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> My condolences. Just enjoying the level of relief that’s apparent after beating a team that’s won once in 24 attempts. Ladies and Gentleman, the St. Louis Rams!

From a team that was 0 for the last 17.Damn right ! I am thrilled! Arent you a raider fan?

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**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/24 "2009-11-02T01:04:12Z")

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> [@MadTheSwine](#):
>
> From a team that was 0 for the last 17.Damn right ! I am thrilled! Arent you a raider fan?

Pretty sure he’s a Bears fan.

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**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/25 "2009-11-02T01:08:22Z")

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> [@Rysto](#):
>
> Pretty sure he’s a Bears fan.

I’m hoping that was a whoosh, otherwise I’m going to have to step up my SDMB spamming of the football threads.

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**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/26 "2009-11-02T01:57:22Z")

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The New York Times sports section today, in their NFL round-up, started out their description of this game suchly:

“This game will only be shown in sports taverns with more than 200 televisions, and will be relegated to the low-definition screen hidden behind the pool table.”

The rest of the description was just as funny.

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**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/27 "2009-11-02T04:15:40Z")

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Well, it’s good to see that the Lions got their one win with smoke and mirrors. They can slug it out with the best\* of them.

\*Best Of the Worst

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/28 "2009-11-02T04:23:09Z")

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> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> The [surgery went well](http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/12435636/rss) and the optimistic side of the estimate pegs his recovery being complete right around the combine. In any case it’s very likely he’ll be ready to work out before the draft in private workouts. Considering his College experience I’m not sure he’d have thrown at the combine anyways, most guys with his creds don’t. Certainly it’s a question, but I’m not aware of any other QBs in his class at the moment and if one of these crappy teams need a QB and are drafting in the top 5 they’ll be taking Bradford until someone comes along to replace him as the “consensus best QB”.

Consensus or not, nobody is going to give that kind of money to a guy with Chad Pennington’s shoulder injury, especially considering he didn’t have a huge arm to begin with.

I would have drafted Colt McCoy before him regardless of the injury, and I guarantee teams will pass on him because of it regardless of his pro day/workout performances.

I’m actually quietly hopeful that the Buccaneers keep losing so we can draft Ndamukong Suh. It’s time we had a dominant inside presence as the focal point of our defense again.

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**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/29 "2009-11-02T04:55:05Z")

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Lions only need to draft about 8 linemen next year, Offensive and defensive. Any talent will get them on the first team.

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**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/30 "2009-11-02T04:57:21Z")

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They claimed 48,000 attendance. It did not look like that many. They are finally paying for decades of poor management.

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**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/31 "2009-11-02T06:34:53Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> Consensus or not, nobody is going to give that kind of money to a guy with Chad Pennington’s shoulder injury, especially considering he didn’t have a huge arm to begin with.
> 
> I would have drafted Colt McCoy before him regardless of the injury, and I guarantee teams will pass on him because of it regardless of his pro day/workout performances.
> 
> I’m actually quietly hopeful that the Buccaneers keep losing so we can draft Ndamukong Suh. It’s time we had a dominant inside presence as the focal point of our defense again.

I’m not saying you’re wrong about Bradford, but I assure you that he will be drafted there unless another QB emerges in the Combine. It won’t be McCoy, he’ll never be an NFL QB. Alex Smith was taken first overall even though no one liked him. Russell was too and even if Davis weren’t madly in love with him another team would have made the same mistake before the 10th pick. The best college QB ALWAYS goes in the top 5 if any of those teams can reasonably be considered to be in need of a QB. There will be at least 3 teams in that situation, Bradford is getting drafted early unless something dramatic happens in the off-season. I agree it’s a bad idea, but teams will do it. The recent success of Ryan, Flacco, Sanchez and Stafford (sorta) will only further convince GMs and owners that you always draft a “franchise” QB if you are terrible and at the top of the draft.

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**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/32 "2009-11-02T08:01:06Z")

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> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#):
>
> But they won, and broke a shorter losing streak then the Lions did. Looks like St. Louis will be drafting a QB in the first round next April. Bulger is not the man for this offense.

Nobody is the man for that offense. Their receivers might be the worst in the NFL. What a waste of a top-5 RB.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/33 "2009-11-02T14:28:09Z")

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> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> It won’t be McCoy, he’ll never be an NFL QB.

He’s the most accurate quarterback in college football history and has rushed for 492 and 561 yards over the last two seasons. If there’s a sure-fire prospect at quarterback in this draft, he’s it.

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**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/34 "2009-11-02T14:59:51Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> He’s the most accurate quarterback in college football history and has rushed for 492 and 561 yards over the last two seasons. If there’s a sure-fire prospect at quarterback in this draft, he’s it.

Rex Grossman, Cade McNown, Jason White, Ken Dorsey, Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Craig Krenzel.

Of the top of my head, those were all “can’t miss” prospects because of their college carers.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/35 "2009-11-02T15:17:27Z")

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Dorsey and Krenzel were drafted in the seventh and fifth rounds, respectively. White was not drafted at all. In what way were they “can’t miss” prospects?

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**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/36 "2009-11-02T17:05:42Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> Dorsey and Krenzel were drafted in the seventh and fifth rounds, respectively. White was not drafted at all. In what way were they “can’t miss” prospects?

Coming into the end of their college careers? Greatly ballyhooed. That’s also why “can’t miss” is in quotations, because quite clearly, they were all bad prospects, but they all put up very good college numbers.

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**Author:** ![UncleNito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7cd45c/32.png) [@UncleNito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleNito)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/37 "2009-11-02T17:33:07Z")

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> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#):
>
> Coming into the end of their college careers? Greatly ballyhooed. That’s also why “can’t miss” is in quotations, because quite clearly, they were all bad prospects, but they all put up very good college numbers.

I don’t remember either Krenzel or Dorsey being “greatly ballyhooed” as NFL prospects. I followed OSU pretty closely that year, and Krenzel was never the key to that team. I remember the scouting book on him pretty much being “late pick, likely backup” – which is pretty much what happened.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/38 "2009-11-02T17:41:50Z")

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> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#):
>
> Coming into the end of their college careers? Greatly ballyhooed. That’s also why “can’t miss” is in quotations, because quite clearly, they were all bad prospects, but they all put up very good college numbers.

They were ballhooed for their college production, not as NFL prospects. You could just as easily toss Graham Harrell and Colt Brennan into that group. The reason they aren’t NFL prospects was perceived poor arm strength- an issue McCoy does not share.

I am on record as saying (numerous times) that I think drafting a quarterback with a top-10 pick is a horrible idea, unless it’s a pick you traded for. If your team is bad enough to have that kind of record, chances are you’re just going to have a better paid tackling dummy for your opponents to splatter all over the field- and the likelihood of picking a bust is much higher than with an offensive tackle, running back or defensive player.

However, teams will continue to draft quarterbacks early (especially given the recent run of success by first-round quarterbacks) because it’s what they’re expected to do. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy- draftniks announce that Team X _must_ draft a quarterback, and if Team X doesn’t, the fans howl because Mel Kiper said they _have to._

That being the case, I think teams that are set on drafting a quarterback this offseason should be aiming for McCoy.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/39 "2009-11-02T17:55:49Z")

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> [@UncleNito](#):
>
> I don’t remember either Krenzel or Dorsey being “greatly ballyhooed” as NFL prospects. I followed OSU pretty closely that year, and Krenzel was never the key to that team. I remember the scouting book on him pretty much being “late pick, likely backup” – which is pretty much what happened.

Fine. Take him off the list and replace him with Troy Smith. Also, there’s a slight disconnect here. I’m mainly referring to players that, because of their exemplary college careers, were supposed to be successful in the NFL. Primarily, this is all pre-combine talk and stats that I’m talking about.

Even then, take Krenzel off the list and it’s still the same.

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**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rams-lions/515965/40 "2009-11-02T19:48:52Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> He’s the most accurate quarterback in college football history and has rushed for 492 and 561 yards over the last two seasons. If there’s a sure-fire prospect at quarterback in this draft, he’s it.

Not even close. He’s too small and has a potato arm and can’t throw the ball downfield consistently. He’ll drop like a stone when he gets to the combine and has to throw next to Locker and Claussen and the ghost of Vince Young will haunt him. He’s the Cade McNown of this draft.

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