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Browns HC Kevin Stefanski, Billy’s Jets Project Is Finally Here, Lamar Franchise Tagged + Guys On Chicks

Wednesday, March 8, 202314 takes

Lamar Jackson has been franchise tagged and Daniel Jones gets a new deal. Ja Morant won’t even listen to Steven Adams and we have a billion dollar idea (-). Billy has completed his Jets QB thesis and reveals his findings with a power point presentation (-). Hot Seat/Cool Throne including Jake getting political (-). Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski joins the show to talk about his career, coaching philosophies, trick plays, growing up in Philly and more (-). We finish with guys on chicks and a very dumb debate (-).

Kevin Stefanski on Playcalling, Billy's Jets Thesis, and Lamar Jackson

The NFL offseason is officially in high gear as the Lamar Jackson saga took a massive turn with the Ravens applying the non-exclusive franchise tag. Big Cat and PFT broke down why Baltimore might be playing a dangerous game of chicken with their franchise cornerstone. PFT is already convinced he knows exactly where the former MVP is heading, regardless of what the reports say.

Loss
Mar 8, 2023
#314
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Lamar Jackson is the future quarterback of the Washington Commanders.

I can report exclusively via Leroy that the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills will not be pursuing Lamar Jackson... That basically just leaves the commanders and that's it. So future Commander Lamar Jackson, I refuse to let Schefter beat me on.

Lamar Jackson ultimately signed a long-term extension with the Baltimore Ravens on April 27, 2023.

The guys also looked at the ripple effects of the tag, specifically how it reflects the Ravens' confidence in getting a long-term deal done. If they were truly certain about the future, the tag would likely look a lot different.

Loss
Mar 8, 2023
#313
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The Ravens would have used the exclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson if they truly believed a long-term deal was coming.

If you're the Ravens GM and you truly believe that you're going to re-sign Lamar Jackson to a long-term deal... wouldn't you make it an exclusive franchise tag? I certainly would. If you're confident that you can reach a place where you'll have an extension, then you would probably put that tag on him instead of the lesser amount and then leave the option for him to get signed by somebody else.

The Ravens did eventually sign Lamar Jackson to a 5-year, $260 million extension on April 27, 2023, after using the non-exclusive tag, proving they could reach an agreement despite the tag choice.

Speaking of veteran quarterbacks finding new homes, Derek Carr is officially a Saint, and Daniel Jones got his bag from the Giants. Big Cat isn't exactly sold on the ceiling of the new-look New Orleans offense.

Loss
Mar 8, 2023
#315
Big CatBig Cat

The ceiling for Derek Carr and the Saints is a second-round playoff loss.

The Derek Carr deal... if you're a Saints fan, I guess you're like, 'Hey, it's better than what we've been going through.' But doesn't it feel like the ceiling for Derek Carr and the Saints is like maybe a second round loss?

The Saints went 9-8 in Carr's first season and missed the playoffs entirely, falling well short of even the 'ceiling' of a second-round loss.

The Billy Football Dissertation

After months of teasing, Billy finally delivered his senior project: a full-blown PowerPoint presentation titled "How the New York Media Ruins Jets Quarterbacks." It was exactly as chaotic as you’d expect, featuring theories on pre-automobile city layouts and the lack of interpersonal relationships between writers and athletes. Billy’s main point is that the constant negativity from local tabloids creates a destructive environment that no young QB can survive.

Void
Mar 8, 2023·Picks
#317
Billy FootballBilly Football

The New York media ruins Jets quarterbacks by sensationalizing negative news to gain clicks.

The New York media sensationalizes quarterbacks' performances to gain clicks and remain competitive in the big media market. Amplification of negative news and critiques elicits greater responses from the consumers, leading to a lack of confidence in the fan base, ultimately resulting in a destructive impact on the team and the quarterback's confidence.

This is a social/media theory that is inherently subjective, though the hosts argue it has some merit regarding click-driven journalism.

When the discussion turned to which veteran could actually handle the Big Apple, Billy was quick to write off the newest Saint. He believes the personality fit would have been a disaster from day one.

Void
Mar 8, 2023·Picks
#318
Billy FootballBilly Football

Derek Carr would not work in New York because he is too sensitive to media criticism.

Derek Carr would not work [in New York]. He's too sensitive. He cries, he blocks everybody on Twitter. Like, his excuses wouldn't suffice for the New York [media].

Carr signed with the Saints, so his fit in New York was never tested, making this impossible to definitively verify.

Kevin Stefanski Joins the Show

Cleveland Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski joined the show for a great interview. He was an incredibly good sport, immediately leaning into the "hard question" when Big Cat read him a tweet calling his coaching decisions into question during the Saints game. Stefanski opened up about his time in Minnesota, the chaos of the Minneapolis Miracle, and how his upbringing in the Madden generation actually helps his game management today.

Void
Mar 8, 2023
#320
Kevin StefanskiKevin Stefanski

The Madden generation is better at NFL game management because they grew up simulating those situations.

Honestly, so I grew up playing Madden. I really believe our generation is maybe a little bit better at game management because we've done that. Because we know when you're down 10 and you got, Hey, we're gonna kick the field goal now, and then I'm gonna get the onside, I gotta get the seven later. I do think all those games, I know it's silly, but I do think that all helps when it comes to game management.

This is a subjective observation of the coaching landscape.

They got into the weeds on offensive philosophy, specifically the age-old debate of "establishing the run." Despite having Nick Chubb in his backfield, Stefanski isn't tied to the old-school thinking that you need to run to set up the pass.

Void
Mar 8, 2023
#321
Kevin StefanskiKevin Stefanski

The idea that you must 'establish the run' to make play-action effective is a fallacy.

That's a fallacy. You don't have to establish the run to throw. I think play action's been proven that you don't need to have a good run attack or be running the ball to get the linebackers to decide.

Many football analysts and data scientists (like those at PFF) have published studies supporting this, though it remains a point of debate among traditionalists.

PFT also tried to pitch the coach on a few "innovations," including the idea that the NFL is missing a massive trick by not utilizing rugby-style laterals more frequently.

Push
Mar 8, 2023
#23089
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Designed downfield laterals are the future of NFL offensive football.

I think I know what the future of offensive football is gonna be. It's gonna be designed downfield, laterals. You see the chiefs do it occasionally. But when it's executed, right. When it's taught correctly, it can turn a, a seven yard gain into a 40 yard gain very, very easily.

While the Chiefs (Travis Kelce) have famously done this, it has not yet become a league-wide 'designed' staple of offenses.

Hot Seat/Cool Throne and Guys on Chicks

Hot Seat/Cool Throne featured Jake getting surprisingly political after a blog about "Barack-ology" went viral, and Big Cat shared his updated thoughts on the NBA MVP race. While the award is prestigious, the way we talk about it every single day might be reaching a breaking point.

Void
Big CatBig Cat

I'm correcting my take: MVPs aren't overrated, but the discussion about them is overrated.

So here, all correct. Correcting my own take. Maybe MVPs aren't overrated, but the discussion about them is overrated because I feel like we spend a shit a lot of time talking about an MVP that most people like at the end of the day, then the playoff starts. It's like, yeah, this is what we're playing for.

This is a subjective meta-opinion about media discourse.

We wrapped up the show with an all-time Guys on Chicks segment where Hank attempted to argue that shampoo simply doesn't "work" on armpit hair. It led to a heated debate about the mechanics of scent, sweat glands, and why your head smells better than your pits.

Win
HankHank

Using shampoo on your armpits doesn't work to make them smell good like it does for the hair on your head.

When you wash your hair, it smells nice. When you wash your armpit hair, the smell does not stick. It doesn't do anything... If you use shampoo in your hair, you'll be able to smell the shampoo in your hair later in the day. Use shampoo in your armpits. You will not be able to smell that.

Biologically, armpits have different sweat glands (apocrine) and a different microbiome than the scalp, which affects scent. Hank's observation is physically 'correct' but his logic is bizarre.

No matter how much shampoo Hank uses, he still hasn't won the lottery ball.

nflbrownsjetslamar-jacksonnbapardon-my-take

More Takes

Push
Mar 8, 2023
#23087
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Derek Carr and Daniel Jones will be the new era of the Carson Wentz vs. Dak Prescott debate.

We've definitely got the new era of the Carson Wentz versus Dak Prescott debate already set up and ready to go for us. And that's Daniel Jones and Derek Carr. Now we'll be tied in because of, they're got, they got essentially the same contract.

The comparison did persist for a year or two, though both players eventually struggled significantly, moving the conversation away from their 'rivalry' to their 'contracts'.
Void
Mar 8, 2023
#316
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Adam Silver hates being the disciplinary figure and would much rather be seen as the 'cool' commissioner.

Silver hates this. Silver wants to be the cool guy. He wants to be the cool substitute teacher. He wants to be the cool stepdad. Like, 'Hey, I'm your friend, you can tell me anything.' So whenever he has to actually be the heavy, he absolutely cannot stand that.

This is a subjective assessment of a public figure's personality and management style.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

The NBA MVP award and the discussion surrounding it are overrated compared to winning a title.

I also have a take: the MVP is just way overrated besides the team... in terms of a league-wide discussion, I just don't care who wins the MVP. I don't care who wins the title. Can you remember every MVP? ... Maybe MVPs aren't overrated, but the discussion about them is overrated because I feel like we spend a shit lot of time talking about an MVP that most people at the end of the day, then the playoffs starts, it's like, 'Yeah, this is what we're playing for.'

This is a subjective opinion about the cultural value of sports awards.
Void
Mar 8, 2023
#322
Kevin StefanskiKevin Stefanski

Pressuring the opposing quarterback is more important than protecting your own.

[Big Cat: What's more important... protect the quarterback or heat up the quarterback?] Stefanski: Ooh, I probably heat up the quarterback. Yeah, that's the right answer. That's the way that you win Super Bowls.

This is a subjective strategic preference.

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