Hidden Stat
Posted: October 4th, 2016 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 166 Comments »There are a lot of stats to examine these days. Football has really become a numbers game. It still isn’t baseball, but this is very unlike the game I grew up watching in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
One of the hidden stats is sack differential. You want to have more sacks than you allow. Right now the Eagles are +6, which is good. Lets take a look at the Super Bowl teams from last year. Denver was +13. Carolina was +11. Those aren’t great numbers, but that’s because those teams don’t have top flight pass blockers. The Eagles were dead even last year, which makes sense for a 7-9 team. The Niners were awful last year, finishing -25.
Beyond differential, the Eagles do well in sack percentages.
Most sacks per pass attempt (@NFL teams in 2016):
1. Broncos- 12.2%
2. @Eagles– 10.1%
3. Texans- 9.7%
4. Seahawks- 9.6%
5. Vikings- 9.5%— John Gonoude (@john_gonoude) October 4, 2016
Sacks allowed / pass attempt (@NFL teams in 2016):
1. @RAIDERS – 1.31%
2. 49ers – 2.52%
3. Jets – 3.89%
4. Eagles – 3.92%
5. Giants – 3.95%— Evert Geerlings (@E_Geerlings) October 4, 2016
There isn’t a lot of fancy meaning to all this. On offense, you have an O-line that can protect the QB. You also have a QB who knows how to run, get the ball out quickly or simply throw the ball away. On defense, you can get to the QB. It also says you cover pretty well, meaning the QB has to hold the ball which makes him more vulnerable to meeting Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham.
*****
I wrote my PE.com piece on Doug Pederson and the brilliant job he’s done this season.
It’s funny…back in 1999, I was lukewarm on Andy Reid. He turned out to be a great hire.
I was all-in on Chip Kelly in 2013 and he turned out to be a great weird hire.
I was lukewarm on Doug Pederson and he’s been great so far.
When Doug leaves in 14 years, don’t listen to me.
Giants stepping up and preventing the Eagles from hiring McAdoo is in the running for best serendipitous moment in recent Eagle history.
— #1 doug pederson fan (@Philatticus) October 4, 2016
The Eagles did strongly consider Ben McAdoo. Thankfully the Giants denied that. And they didn’t stop there. Pederson wanted to hire Steve Spagnuolo to be the Eagles DC. Instead, McAdoo and the Giants hired him. The Eagles had to “settle” for some guy named Jim Schwartz.
*****
Les Bowen updates the Lane Johnson situation, since there was a hearing today. No definitive news.
Lane Johnson’s appeal of his 10-game NFL suspension for ingesting a performance-enhancing substance lasted nearly 8 hours Tuesday at the NFL offices in New York. Attorney Steve Zashin said the Eagles’ right tackle will play this weekend at Detroit, as expected, before a decision is announced, typically in a week to 10 days.
Zashin, a Wharton grad who practices labor law in Cleveland, declined to discuss any of the issues raised. Johnson and agent Ken Sarnoff declined comment.
On the positive side, the hearing lasted a long time and Johnson did have a labor law specialist arguing for him.
On the negative side…the test results.
Best case scenario might be a reduced suspension, but I’m not holding my breath.
_
Tommy – a post during an Orioles wild card game? Color me surprised
Yeah, I was reading quickly. My O’s have me a bit nervous.
I bet. Phillies or Eagles elimination games I lock myself in a room from an hour before the game until it’s over.
Sorry about your O’s Tommy. Edwin left you guys in tears.
Normally suspensions can be reduced, so why cant Johnson’s?
The stuff I was reading (last thread? Twitter? I am tired.) claimed that reduction are negotiated as a means to avoid arbitration because the arbitrator is all or nothing. It doesn’t seem to match my memory, but I can’t cite a specific counterexample.
It makes sense. I just cant see the NFL agreeing to a reduction and I cant see Lane winning his arbitration.
Please explain because it seems every fan and reporter in Philly or even the nation for that matter have not mentioned this until now.
I am not disputing your comment. I am just shocked by it, and even more shocked that it comes out this late in the process.
I was shocked by it too – but I am just repeating what it says in Bowen’s article (which Tommy linked). First I had heard of it – and Bowen is an idiot so maybe he could be wrong, but he sounded like he was confident.
[…] Tommy Lawlor There are a lot of stats to examine these days. Football has really become a numbers game. It still […]
To be fair, this is the kind of personnel that Spags has shown he knows how to use very well. Maybe not like what we have now, but I always held that the chance to woork with what might be an elite group of DL is a big part of Shelby Schwartz came here in the first place
Do we have to carry Lane on the 53 if he is suspended?
i don’t think so.
nope
Nope, If everyone stays healthy against the Lions I’ll guess CJ Smith gets the promotion.
Off topic – I have an Eagles related fantasy football question for those who are so inclined.
Who do you think would be better to pick up and start for this week (my top two running backs are both on bye), Sproles or Smallwood? I could also pick up Chris Thompson on Washington. 14 team standard (non-PPR) league and not much out there.
I would go Sproles unless we hear that Mathews will be limited again. It’s not worth having any eagle RB unfortunately.
Thanks. That is what I was thinking as well.
smallwood. I think smallwoood is going to get a lot of carries. Sproles had some homerun plays but i think smallwood is going to eat some of KB’s and Ryan Mathews’ lunch. Sort of wonder if Ryan wouldn’t be better on a zone blocking team. Doesn’t seem as good as he was last year. Assume this will be his last year in philly.
In any non-ppr, Sproles doesn’t offer much…
Non-PPR? Probably Smallwood. I wish I didn’t think this but I believe the Eagles are going to get up big on Detroit early and run the ball in the 2nd half. That will all be Smallwood and Barner. I still think Mathews will be hurt.
Dwayne Washington if healthy or duke Johnson Jr or Cameron Artis-Payne might be worth a pickup. Be patient and comb thru the free agent list and pay attention to the buzz
Short on CB talent?
A star, quite the equal of dumpster is born (poached from Piatz1019):
http://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/049170ed3b717112adbeb4377979cb6b103ab8efc4f4c2d2861b34495a4ebd21.jpg?w=600&h=349
I like how physical kicking net is with receivers!
The real question is whether kicking net has been coached to turn and locate the ball…
Hardly matters, he’s got no hands.
I know that guy! He is Malcolm Jenkins cousin
Guy? That is Annette Forkikken out of PKU.
I think Jenkins and a few receivers would catch better if they had nets instead of hands
we’re slowly building up an ‘all-equipment’ team.
Garbage Can = OL
Fly Swatter things = DL (?)
Kicking Net = CB
The NFLPA is useless. Why offer an app that is absolutely unreliable? It’s worse than nothing.
If Lane Johnson did use an app provided by the league that approved the drug he took he should have some kind of case
How would you ever prove definitively that whatever supplement he’s claiming was on the app is the only one that he used?
Lane cant, but at least the NFLPA could have the backs of their players instead of throwing them under the bus for using an App promoted by them to the players.
Is that what’s happening here?
Yep, the NFLPA basicly said via twitter “Screw you” to Lane
Yeah lane said he ran the product through the app and still got dinged. Nflpa will test products for you but he didn’t do that and frankly that seems like a lot to go through. Believing lane the issue is that there were unauthorized ingredients in the supplement which likely is a huge issue as there is no regulation of the supplement market.
The only way would be to supply an unopened container of the nlfpa approved substance for testing. If everything ended up consistent with Lane’s results, it might be enough to demonstrate he was acting in good faith. If that is worth anything (might not be).
My guess is he would not be able to produce such a container, as it was just as likely human error that tainted his workout shake. Like the staff at the place he works out at during the offseason using the same spoon/equipment to prepare all the shakes for all the customers or something.
Or he actually used the banned substance, then just blamed the supplement because he wasn’t going to admit it.
Yes, absolutely. That possibility is in my blind spot because the level of sheer idiocy required…is totally plausible in an nfl player (sigh)
Typically that’s what I’d think, but I’d like to think that with that much money on the line he wouldn’t do that.
月黑风高夜，访问博客时！
Sometimes(maybe always?), during a bye week, a team will reflect on what they have and possible switch a player(or 2) to a more prominent role. There are some rumors of Smallwood…I haven’t read much in the last week — are the Eagles moving in that direction? Any rumors of Smallwood running with the 1st team?
Based on what I have seen, Smallwood is clearly the 2nd best RB behind Mathews.
You mean behind Mostert?!
I’m going to be in Vegas Sunday, how do you guys feel about Eagles less the points (which I think is 3). Their WR’s scare me a little, but this again seems like a good match up for us. Their OL is just ok, and their DL isn’t great at getting pressure.
Without Ansah or Levy they have no talent on D.
Stafford has the talent to go off but also has a propensity for dumb INTs.
I’d make a confident bet, but wouldn’t bet the farm.
i want to believe you, but i’m still worried.
Ngata going up against Kelce could be trouble.
and as Jimmy K noted, some other guy is leading the league in sacks.
“55.7 percent of the Lions’ career sacks from their defensive front seven starters are coming from Haloti Ngata, who is now 32 and has never had more than 5.5 sacks in any one season, although previously unknown DE Kerry Hyder actually leads the league with 5 sacks.”
http://www.phillyvoice.com/eagles-vs-lions-five-matchups-watch/
I already live and die off the game, so throwing $50 or $100 on it really doesn’t change much. I don’t even have a farm.
Ok, well don’t finance one and then gamble it on the game. Otherwise I think you’re good.
I have wagered on the Eagles for many years but stopped during the Chip era because I felt it was too hard to say what would happen when the team takes the field.
This team is different. There is a solid plan in place which uses the roster to its full potential. The Lions are a poor team who just lost to the Bears. At -3, I’m in on this game.
I used to bet football quite a bit. I realized the odds makers are really good at what they do. I don’t bet much anymore!
uncannily good.
I give my money away every year, this one no different. To be any good you have to be willing to bet teams like the Bears this past week or other teams that are against every thing you would believe would happen. They are hard to put money on but it actually works if you can do it consistently enough. I know this and still cant do it. Basically betting against the public a lot of times
The best year I had was when Peyton got hurt. There were always ridiculous spreads in favor of the other team, but they always covered.
They are the smartest guys in the room, for sure, but they can be beat. Donovan once won me a nice watch.
I think that this may not be the most objective forum in which to pose your question.
But I am also pretty sure we win by two touchdowns.
at least. Maybe I can get better odds if I offer to give 14 points.
football is hella dumb, I try not to think too highly of any prognosticating enough to put money down on it.
Coming off of bye I think we cover. Of course I thought Pitt was going to pound us so who knows!
Their was a line somewhere which was Eagles -2.5, I feel like that’s almost stealing money, I think the Eagles are going to thump the Lions. Haven’t felt this confident about any line so far this season.
bet on the lions and you win either way
but I lose my soul. No thank you.
Eagles with the bye still atop DVOA (nasty Seattle moving in on their usual place at the top): http://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2016/week-4-dvoa-ratings
Hey! Who would have thought we’d be at #1 for the first quarter of the season in ANY power ranking?
None of the brainiacs who create these stupid things in the first place. That is for sure.
But what do you really think?
With the recent talk of Vaitai potentially getting the start at RT if Johnson is suspended, it might be time to take a fresh look at this year’s draft class. We all thought it was pretty boring, especially because of the loss of “exciting” picks. But if HV (please let his middle initial be P!) is indeed our new starter at RT, that means we’ve got the following starters as rookies:
Carson MF Wentz
Smallwood
H(P?)V
Mills
Seumalo would probably be the starter if he wasn’t injured; at the very least, he’s definitely in the mix for the future.
I’d say that’s a pretty decent draft class, especially compared to some of the absolute bombs from the past. What’s unexpected is that it’s a pretty decent group of starters even without accounting for Wentz.
It has been researched and put through some focus group studies. The consensus opinion is that a name like Halapoulivaati is worthy of contributing two letters to ones initials. Therefore, Halapoulivaati Vaitai can be shorted to HPV.
That would make his natural position G[u]ard(asil).
This is very very good. For people who dont know, Guardisil is the vaccine for teenagers against HPV.
oh I thought it was for the other ….sil. You know, price check in aisle 5, shes baking a loaf of bread and its a sourdough
lamisil? lol i just got here and i don’t know what we’re talking about
EDIT: of course, 2 seconds after i hit post, it hits me. OHHHHHHHH i’m an idiot.
why would he not be called just Vaitai? or Hala?
no one wants to see HPV all over the place
A certain company in the Philadelphia suburbs wouldn’t necessarily mind it.
Well, if we didn’t want HPV, Lane should have been more careful in his extracurricular activities.
4 games in? We thought Ags was going to be a beast this time last year.
I would say there are enough ifs and conditionals in the comment to make clear this is a formative evaluation and not a summative one.
For a team that had few picks because of the Wentz trade, to already be getting production out of rookies Wentz, Mills, Smallwood, Destiny Vaiao and possibly Vaitai in the first quarter of the season, means that Howie and the coaches have done a pretty damn good job with this draft class
If Suemqlo was healthy,he would Not be playing ahead of Brooks, Barbie or Kelce!
..
Maybe he would replace Wisnewski I goal line package but even thats not certain.
Anybody having experiences with watching the Eagles at the FedEx Field in Washington before?
I am seriously considering driving up there for a weekend.
Top OT prospect Mike McGlinchey says he’s pretty confident he’s returning to Notre Dame which would make an allegedly thin OT class thinner. You never know but an old trusted poster (you may know him ndirish) on Eagles TATE said he knows Mike and Mike hasn’t spoken a word to him about declaring. He seems to think McGlinchey will stay in school.
man, i remember ndirish posting on the EMB from like 10 years ago. haven’t been there in AGES.
If Brian Kelly gets fired and he realizes he could go top 10, I bet he rethinks it.
“Bradham said he was confident he would be cleared, but according to the report, he’s been charged with aggravated battery causing bodily harm, a second-degree felony. Bradham if convicted could face up to 15 years in prison. He has pled not guilty, and a trial has been set for January”
https://twitter.com/Mfranknfl/status/783732449540964356
To be fair,
1. Florida has shown to be dangerous to Eagles players walking around (see McDougle, Jerome)
2. Barry Switzer did the exact same thing years ago, so it’s not without precedent.
Barry Switzer and Nigel are both idiots.
I said this a few days ago but it bears repeating, we live in a day and age where guns are an accessory afterthought for some people.
above was for the cabana boy incident. He needed protection from cabana boys. One wave of the gun and maybe his troubles would have subsided on the beach and the service would have been more complimentary
I know, it just so happened that I read your post immediately after reading Martin’s tweet, so I thought I’d share.
he could try tipping instead
Didn’t McDougal or something get shot in the stomach in Florida?
Yes, Miami, the same city that Nigel was arrested in. They have serious gun violence problems down there in Miami-Dade County.
There are serious gun violence problems almost everywhere now.
Thanks Obama!
Don’t be surprised if he will never have to show up in court after settling it privately by paying that guy off…
good point
We need to get us one of those “fixers” like the Cowboys have.
We have one. The fact you don’t know he exists proves he’s doing a good job.
I’ve heard some stories that I’ll have to wait to share over a beer.
1. This is the most intriguing post since rumors that we were getting Kiko Alanzo. Hopefully this one turns out better.
2. Why didn’t this guy confiscate all of Bradham’s guns when he got out on bond? Why isn’t Bradham owning guns a violation of sports science’s efforts to keep players healthy? Is this fixer now tethered to Bradham?
fantasy help. Should I trade Julio + Brady for Bortles + Demarco? Sounds crazy but demarco is the best RB in the league right now.
I wouldn’t. Reliable RBs are great but they’re often easier to find than good WRs or QBs, especially since they seem to get hurt more often than other skill positions (at least in my limited fantasy experience).
no way, and seasons have ebbs and flows. They will hit big lulls which is very possible with Demarco. Whereas Julio is solid and Brady revenge tour is quite possible
If you do, please let me know as I have a bridge I would like to sell you.
Maybe just Brady for Demarco which won’t happen. What is your Wr and Rb situation?
No RBs (Smallwood, Gio, Doug Martin)
Good WRs (Julio, Jordy, Maclin, Mike Wallace, Will Fuller)
QBs (Brady and Matt Ryan)
yeah if i got DeMarco the only thing I am looking at on your squad is Julio, everything else is just noise.
I don’t even play fantasy football and this looks like a horrible trade to me.
Julio is hot after last week
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
Selling high on Julio and high on Brady’s potential (after you absorbed the suspension) isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but you need wayyy better compensation.
Might be helpful coming out of the bye week:
https://twitter.com/MBarkannCSN/status/783678204175351808
Would be huge. That’s one of the potential places for the team to grow during the season. This team has been very impressive, but I think a timely breakout would be tremendous for cementing our “contender” status.
i’m just happy that he has looked good enough to deserve more of a role in the offense.
Hopefully, I stashed him on my ff bench in the 2nd to last round of my draft thinking that he could really turn it on later in the year.
Here here.
Same
I wonder if Lane and his lawyers feel confident that this will be thrown out. He didn’t take a plea deal (a la Bell) and had his agent who is a labor law lawyer from UPenn seems to think they have a strong case. I don’t disagree, but I don’t know who the arbitrator is. Judges can be kind of funny with the law whereas some are more prone to side with labor and the other with management. Where’s ACViking when you need him? We could use some additional insight on this appeal.
https://twitter.com/Jeff_McLane/status/783443023594217472
Surely ACV is paying close attention to the appeal, but I don’t think many details of the appeal have been made available to the public to speculate on.
I’m wondering if Lane has a legal case to leverage the appeal like Brady had, seems like they are working within the NFL appeal system for now, right?
Yes. But the interesting thing is how they are going about it. I’m wondering if there’s some law that they think the NFL isn’t following and if the appeal doesn’t go their way, they take it to court. Since I don’t know labor law, I can’t speak to what that is. But being a lawyer in this case as an agent has its advantages, especially labor law. Another thing I’d be interested in, is if this does go past appeal to court, who the friend of court briefs would be from.
Just to clarify – and its not a big deal – but the labor lawyer they brought in for the appeal is not his agent. Perhaps since they brought in an outside person that means that the case is strong, but with the NFL I will believe it when I see it.
From Les Bowen Article:
“There are a number of issues relative to Lane’s appeal,” Zashin said in a prepared statement. “Many of those issues strike at the heart of substantive player protection. We await the decision of the arbitrator. In the meantime, Lane will prepare and play as scheduled.”
Zashin, a Wharton grad who practices labor law in Cleveland, declined to discuss any of the issues raised. Johnson and agent Ken Sarnoff declined comment.”
Was he actually offered a reduced suspension like Bell or are you just guessing? I did not read that anywhere else.
Going by what Les Bowen suggested/said. He’s usually good about reporting on what he’s told, it’s his game analysis that isn’t very good.
OK, I read Les’s posts as they would only offer him a reduced sentence after the hearing but before the arbitrator’s ruling. Either way, we should know by Thanksgiving;-P
Looks like Ziggy Ansah, Levy and Ebron won’t play Sunday…while we will be at full strength. Hopefully the good health continues especially thought the trenches
..
Carson Palmer has been ruled out of the San Fran game which is the last thing that the Cardinals can afford right now
..
Kevin white is back on I.R
Do I need to reconsider? I know it really doesn’t matter what the talking heads say when it comes to game predictions but, in what universe will the Lions beat us Sunday? I just don’t see it…
It’s really not the NBA where you can be very confident in who will win. Turnovers and fumbles can be very random and have high influence on the game. You have to look at it as… if they played each other 100 times, how many times do you think the Eagles win? I’d guess the Eagles win at least 80% of those scenarios, if not more. But there are certainly scenarios where Wentz fumbles it and DET recovers it at the PHI 20, and gets a TD, followed by a key player on PHI getting injured.
Well then why pick any game? Barring any of those factors you mention, what makes some think DET will have a better team/out play us at the line of scrimage/throw better than us/run better than us/have a better D than us…on Sunday?
If I think they win that game 80% of the time with at least a margin of victory of 3 points, then I bet on it. I might lose my bet 20% of the time, but that’s why it’s gambling.
Well, you did say “in what universe,” as if it would be some kind of huge improbability. And really, it wouldn’t, even if the Eagles are as good as they have appeared. The better teams lose all the time.
I didn’t read the article but on si.com Peter King says right now Bradford is the NFL MVP. That’s funny b/c I thought he was game managing. Just when I think I can’t think less of Peter King he lowers the bar. He would never survive if we were starting out today. It’s just more access (but less smarts) than anyone else.
Well they did lose their starting QB and starting RB, and are now 4-0. There’s a case to be made there. Not saying it’s right, but I can see how it could happen.
Peyton Manning won MVP in his first Superbowl win, even though there were like 4-5 other players on that team that were more deserving. That doesn’t include the #1 person from the other team in that game, Rex Grossman.
They’re 31st in offense. Their defense is the reason they’re 4-0, not Bradford.
It would be odd if all you have to do to win MVP was not throw interceptions…
He joined that team 4 weeks ago. He’s doing a pretty great job considering. Remember what happened when they got Josh Freeman and tried to put him in after a week?
If I recall it wasn’t even a week before Freeman started, and then he never had another shot. That was almost as crazy as not using your best pitcher in a 1 game playoff…almost.
Must have been a tough night. Sucks liking a team that’s good but can’t seem to get over the hump.
He’s a shill. Really really really can’t stand the guy.
I especially hate his navel gazing series of “Things I think I think”. Is there anything more cringy?
I wouldn’t come out and pronounce it as fact, maybe float it out there for thoughtful consideration. Like oh this Vikings team was 1 piece away from being a legit contender, that piece was Sam Bradford, even in losing AP. People would mull it over and say, nice thought but no.
The other consideration is that his competition in the QB field seems sort of unlikely. Basically Wentz, Dak, Matt Ryan, Wilson after a Gutsy and awesome performance in Seattle. Big Ben had a big up, but he is probably not be the MVP of his offense. Which brings us to the idea that the MVP might not be a QB, which makes things interesting.
All reasons why discussing an MVP before week 5 starts is silly. Almost as silly as pre-season power rankings.
True, grand pronouncements are dumb at this point. But it is interesting to think about. Does Brady have the highest odds right now without having taken a snap? Or would they actually give it to a rookie? If Wentz wins 11+ games by playing like he has been, why not? No one else has lit the world on fire.
Pats at 3-1 without Brady brings him down in the MVP rankings.
I thought so too, but if Brady come back and plays like Brady, Makes Gronk a facotr again, the vulnerabilities they showed vs the Bills instantly become insignificant and they become instant superbowl favorites right?
Superbowl favorites, sure. But now the world is convinced that Belichick can win with anybody under center, Brady’s less MVP. Plus, he stumped for Trump and you know people hate that.
Great points, can’t undersell the popularity contest portion of MVP.
I love that, made me like Brady more.
I think BB is a genius, but people definitely remember that he just got shutout by the Bills of all teams
Fuck Brady and Fuck Trump.
I stopped reading at Wentz. The MVP voters should too.
You and MVP voters should stop reading half-way through my comments because my posts are long, boring, and non-sense, first and foremost.
King comes up with some amazingly stupid crap. Kind of encapsulates all the bad things that can happen in a low-information environment. Not that he killed anything or anyone.
Bradford’s ranked #7 in the league by DVOA, whereas last year he finished up at #24. Wentz is at #5 currently, Dak at #4. But Bradford as MVP candidate? He should get injured now, because his reputation’s at its height.
Yep. That defense isn’t at all why they are winnning.
Big v in for lane at RT a possibility per Doug. Would be great not to break up the left side of the line. But he didn’t play particularly well in the preseason.
Re: Lane Johnson Appeal to the PEDs Suspension
In answer to The Original AG . . . I’m putting something together on this.
One serious disability — as Ark87 pointed out — is we’re not privy to the facts before the arbitrator.
Anyway, there’s at least one argument — based on the limited public information we have, assuming it’s true — that may give LJ a legal out, despite the NFLPA’s response to LJ’s finger-pointing back in August.
In short form . . . There’s no disputing that the NFL management council (the owners) and the NFLPA agree that violating the PEDs policy is a strict liability offense — subject to an extraordinary-circumstances defense (like “the beef-at-the-restaurant” argument).
The PEDs Policy expressly warns (Sec. 3.5), just because you ask your team doctor or trainer if a supplement is safe, you’re still responsible:
Players are responsible for what is in their bodies and a positive test will not be excused because a Player was unaware that he was taking a Prohibited Substance.
https://nflpaweb.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/PDFs/Player%20Development/2015%20Policy%20on%20Performance-Enhancing%20Substances.pdf
But the PEDs policy also says the following (Sec. 3.5):
Questions concerning dietary supplements should be directed to the Independent Administrator and/or the NFL Players Association’s Director of Drug Policies at [redacted].
The PEDs policy is silent about the NFLPA app on which LJ says he relied.
But the quoted language about putting your questions to the NFLPA Director of Drug Policies may be the soft spot.
To date, as far as we know, no arbitrator’s ruled that . . .
(i) using the NFLPA app does *not* constitute a “question” — for purposes of Sec. 3.5, and
(ii) Sec. 3.5’s “question” language is not a *safe harbor* for violators.
Until an arbitrator rules on the precise legal meaning of this language, it may — if this arbitrator agrees — open the door to a *good faith* defense for Johnson.
While this may seem like common sense, that’s not a legal standard.
Also, there may exist side-letter agreements that have never been made public between the NFL and the NFLPA concerning the meaning of Sec. 3.5.
In any case . . . there’s more to this argument, but that’s the short version.
http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/49/49ded2238ba4eaaca94bf22f509c13db3e7699d8a1934664cd942a491650b05f.jpg
If only they’d used a “Notwithstanding the foregoing” in the latter part of 3.5. To me even if you had a question and got advice from the NFLPA then you still fall under the general strict liability rule.
I think you’re right.
Whats your opinion on bird law?
Awesome, thanks.
Wow, the ACViking spot light gets aimed at the clouds and there you are.
This may be my favorite post in igglesblitz history.
Legal Theory! Explained vis-a-vis Football!
Awesome!
great post! i’d like to hear more about this ” “the beef-at-the-restaurant” argument”, if you have the time. Yea, i could probably just google it, but i suddenly have great trust in your ability to explain law stuff to me as if i were a child (thats a good thing, thanks).
I was just thinking that it’s 4 weeks into the season and both Rueben Randle and Chris Givens are still unemployed. Many in the media had one or both of them penciled in as starters at the beginning of training camp. Then again, they also had Bradford as a starter. Funny how fast things can change.
given our WR corps if you can’t play in philly where can you play
Detroit, their WRs actually have more drops than the Birds.
I wonder if they may have stuck around on another team if they signed originally in free agency. Not every GM is going to cut bait like Howie.
Is Smallwood startable in fantasy this week? Sproles?
Unfortunately, no