NFL 2010-11 Season
 

What are your feelings, your predictions, your plans?

Are you excited for the season, or afraid your team is gonna bomb out? Who do you think is going to win their division, the Super Bowl, etc.? What players are going to stand out?

When game-day comes, are you sitting around the big screen with your buddies, your family, all glued to your seats, eating snacks? Or are you at the local sports bar, a cold beer in your hand, and all your fellow fan-mates cheering?

Or are you a sports widow, doing something, ANYTHING else, to avoid watching football?

The Giants will likely be doing some re-building this season :(

As long as the Cowboys don't go to the Super Bowl, I will be mollified.

Die hard football fan here.

My team, the Houston Texans, is playoff bound this year. 9 or 10 wins. I've been tortured too long about playoff hopes, this is the year!

My fearless Super Bowl prediction: Green Bay Packers vs San Diego Chargers. For the NFC it could possibly be the Cowboys, but the pressure will get to them and they'll self destruct in the playoffs (like always). Sam with the Vikings, watch out for the Favre picks and Peterson fumbles. For the AFC, it's a little harder to predict, but I think it will come down to the Chargers or Colts. As long as Manning is QB for the Colts, they'll make some noise. The Chargers have too much talent on both sides of the ball to not go deep, but I say that every year.

It's gonna be a good year of football. Nothing is certain!

I love football, but I prefer college ball. The only season I was glued to the television watching NFL games was the season the Seahawks made it to the Super Bowl. This isn't to say I don't spend Sunday flipping through whatever games I do get over my antenna, because I do :) Following the Seachickens has meant a near-lifetime of disappointment.

My wife and I both love football. However, it's a mixed marriage. She's a Giants fan, I'm a Patriots fan. This didn't used to be a problem, as the two teams had a good working relationship and rarely played each other, except for preseason. We still root for each other's teams, except when they play each other. The less said of that Superbowl, the better.

My wife's Super Bowl prediction: the halftime entertainment will be Bon Jovi.

I've said it before and I'll say it again... fuck the Cowboys. I don't want them to lose... I want their team plane to crash into their annual fan club meeting. Or at least Jerry Jones' house.

I'd like to see the seachicken win, but we all know that's not happening. I've always liked the 49'ers... don't see that anytime soon either. My good friends down here are Packer fans so I'm ok with them winning.

Awesome! Its amazing how quickly preseason ball creeps up on you though, it seems like the Superbowl just finished doesn't it.

I'm pretty excited this year, the Titans seems to always get something going but its hard to tell from one year to the next how they are going to do. In 2008 they finished 13-3 and got blown out in the playoffs yet in 2009 they started 0-6 (including losing something like 59-0 to New England, my old team), make a dramatic season comeback under former basket case Vince Young and nearly make the post season. So yeah I have no idea what to expect. I just enjoy watching me some football and the electricity round these parts during football season is unbelievable (don't even get me started on college ball).

My watching habits vary from week to week. Sometimes I get as many people to come over as possible, we cook on the grill all morning and sometimes buy a keg and crowd around the tv. Other times its great heading out to the bar. NOTHING however beats tailgating and a great seat on the 50 yard line, my brother works for the company that owns the naming rights for LP Field in Nashville and he can often get free/discounted tickets for games so you just have to take advantage of that.

Hardcore Bucs fan, here...

It's a torturous existence, and I only like to talk about that one year.

Last year we didn't do as awful as we've been known to do in the past, though. Perhaps we'll keep the momentum going.

Two predictions that maybe no one else has made yet (formally stated):

I expect the Redskins' defense to return to top-ten form again this season.
(tidbit of trivia: just learned that in the past decade, there were only two or three instances in which, by year's end, the 'Skins defense was not ranked overall in the top ten of all teams in the NFL; last year was the aberration from the norm, I believe.)

I also expect that the Detriot Lions' offense is poised to fly this year.
Defense, on the other hand, will be of no help to their ascending "shoot-out" mentality, but that, too, might also force for more points to be gained via the offense.


(Last one: I'm glad I didn't have to invest an hour into re-starting this thread from last year.)

Y'know, I would really love to see the 'Skins have a good season. They've always been up there with the teams I root for and I think they're due.

Redskins have a great offense, with McNabb and those young recievers. Too bad you have to play the Cowboys twice a year. Eagles will give you guys some hell too. I'd be pumped for this year if I was a 'Skins fan.

The interesting thing I've noticed about Redskins games in the past half-decade-to-decade or so, is that when they play within the division, even sometimes outside of it, their defense always keeps them in games. It's a "bend but don't break" mentality for the most part, I think, that keeps a perpetual 'Skins' fan fuming, yet hopeful; allowing the dink-and-dunk plays, occasional field goals, but they somehow, still save the big plays from happening against them. With the exception of the second matchup against the Giants (total blowout) they were in every game against their division rivals up until the 4th quarter, where they can never quite finish.

Really quite annoying to have an offense so inept, you are neck-and-neck for most of the game, with some of the more potent offenses in the league (NO, Phi, SD, Dal) yet it's still a struggle to get even a field goal for them, let alone a touchdown. I've noticed the same thing with the Bucs (my team) as well as with SF (though I think they'll get over their anemic offensive woes this season).

Another interesting tidbit of trivia: Last season, the 'Skins lost a total of five of their games by a margin of 3 points or less, plus another handful of other games they lost by less than a touchdown (less impressive, but still..).

The best term I can come up with is: that the Redskins, like their home stadium in Fedex Field in Landover, MD (I think) are just one big "bog" of a team; they play up or down to their opponent, and so, too, does it seem their competition for the week "sinks" into it with them. It's just a fight for positioning most of the time, and whomever has the lucky break to catch some points here and there, wins.

http://espn.go.com/espn/thelife/vide...more=fullstory

I'm hoping that the EA Sports simulations are 3 for 3. They predicted the Blackhawks for NHL, and Spain for the World Cup. For the NFL... it will be the Patriots defeating the Packers. Please?

It does seem like the Pats are finally in a position to make some noise again after a couple of disastrous seasons. Getting Wes Welker back so soon and Brady back to firing on all cylinders should help them go pretty far...but then again I don't know, that defense had a lot of issues last year....I haven't paid much attention to their off season acquisitions but if they haven't addressed it getting to a Superbowl is going to tough but a rematch from Superbowl XXXI would be a lot of fun.

I really do miss watching the Pats though, a crisp fall Sunday afternoon in New England with the Patriots on tv is pretty hard to beat. :)

Ravens...enough said :D

ditto.

I think the Dolphins have a fair shot at a 9 or 10 win season. They won't go too
far into the postseason, though.
I watch parts of almost every game I can, and I switch back and forth. I've been
watching football for 25 years, ever since I started playing as a 14 year old.
Go Fins!

Does anyone care for the news and notes of the week? (Revis finally ending holdout; Seattle cleaning out / imploding their entire roster, having Housh released, then subsequently signing with Baltimore; there's about 1/3 of the league's teams starting new and/or unproven / backup quarterbacks for the tentative week 1, and perhaps beyond.)

I've really been sleeping on my duties from last season (best games of the season) and I'm already behind on my Playoff Predictions, Super Bowl Contenders, and Possible Breakout Candidates for this season.

- - -

So, in an effort to at least cross off one of the three things I'm itching to accomplish before this week's games kick off, I've gone ahead and started this: A Forum-specific Pick 'em endeavor.

Time for Prognosticating (click to join)
League #ID: 54851
Password: tfproject

For whoever would like to join, and perhaps tout their predictions, gut instincts or their prowess at predicting how the NFL will shape up from week to week, the option is now available. It takes less than 20 seconds to join, and it also takes than less than a minute of investment per week to choose the winners and losers of every single NFL match you decide to vote on. So, if you'd like to join me, I welcome the competition and comraderie. I don't believe there is a limit to members joining / teams, so for whoever likes football, and making absrud / intelligient predictions from week-to-week about possible game outcomes, then this is your venue.
(If anyone would like an expansion on the details of why I installed 'confidence points', I'll explain it in one sentence for those wanting to know the very lax rules of how I figure this will work out.)

Lastly, I finally figured out the way I'll be structuring out my 'Playoff Pool Predictions' on a point-per-prediction-correct system. It's really neat, it costs nothing to just rattle off meaningless intuitive thoughts on which clubs you think rise to the occasion, and which teams falter, on the road to the 2011 Playoff Season.
(semi-relevant trivia: I believe I heard yesterday, somewhere, that every year since 2004, there has been at least 5 new playoff teams in the whole of the NFL participating in the post-season.)

- - -

It's good thing I am not the gambling type (perhaps because I don't value money?) because I truly think if I really put my mind to it, I think I could become the next Brandon Lang (but without the personality, extroversion, popularity, or airtime, and in the sense that I just want / pick winners.
(Or perhaps Coach Singletary said this?)

I would if I didn't already know all of it.

What do you think of Revis ending the holdout? I thought all along that the Jets needed to lock him up and give him whatever he wanted. He's the best shutdown corner in the league and whenever he's on the field, that entire side is locked up. Best players should get the best money, simple as that.

In other news, former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart was released by the Cards and signed by my Texans. Saw him play in the preseason versus Houston, and we killed him. He looked terrible. I don't know what happened to him, whether it was coaching or not working hard enough or what, but he could not make it work in Arizona. Coach Kubiak is great at developing QB's and I think he can make Leinart at least a little better than he was. We signed him for a year and we needed a backup, the risk/reward works in the Texans favor.

My opinion on the matter: Revis was being too greedy throughout this process and too-self-aggrandising to compare himself to Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha and demand a salary contract equal to or higher than his. First off, owner Al Davis may be losing his grip on evaluating great talent and maybe relies too much on certain stats (speed) to realize whether or not ertain prospects will benefit his team or not; but, I do believe he made a worthwhile contract signing with CB Asomugha. The contract may have been ground-breaking and extraordinarily-high for such a position, yet he deserved it. For the last several seasons, Asomugha has been one of the only true "shutdown corners" in the game, even when there were no examples of such a player (Champ Bailey is the only other cornerback I remember seeing this past decade that could once claim being to able effectively "shut down" one side of the field and / or elite receiver).

For Revis to not honor his current contract (which he held out for as a rookie as well) because his head coach told him he was the best corner in the game now, and only because he's played at an All-Pro level for a year or two now, it just grates me. If you do well, I do think you will be rewarded. But do it consistently, (not just for one great season) and without your hand out, waiting to see more money, and then I'll be on your side.

The same goes with Vincent Jackson; he has been a real success in the game for, what, a year-and-a-half is all. Yet, he, too, is holding out, seeking a new contract which will make him one of the top-5 receivers in the game, when in all honesty, I don't think he deserves it. Yes, I do like what he did last season, and in the latter-half of 2008 into the post-season, but it's not just about his talent or skills, as much as it may be about his current All-Pro quarterback (P. Rivers) throwing him the deep / jump ball, and he also benefits from having a head coach in Norv Turner who loves to chuck it down the field and make big plays more than just about any other coach, and he does so consistently, as evidenced by his last few years in San Diego.

- - -
About the Texans signing Leinart: I don't think the organization will strike gold in a coal mine again by signing another teams' backup QB (M. Schaub was Brees' backup in New Orleans for a season or two, before he made his way to the Texans, and competing for the starting job, alongside Sage Rosenfels). Still, it can't hurt to see what Leinart is capable of, and what he may be able to do in case of an injury to Schaub. The backup QB market in the NFL is extremely thin, being filled with journeyman, old veterans, unproven rookies who've never taken a "live"-NFL snap yet, and just failed franchise projects. Leinart may never have fully-developed his pro-awareness and good QB sense yet, though I do think he was the best available QB on the market, and a debatable upgrade over once-current Texans QB backup, Dan Orlovsky.

(Geesh. That's a lot of words.)

Denver is going to be the unexpected upstart to displace the chargers.

Correction, Schaub was Michael Vick's backup in Atlanta before Vick was jailed. Leinart isn't coming in looking for a starting job, he has no pressure like he did in Arizona. If Schaub can stay healthy for a consecutive full season, we should be in good shape to make a playoff run, as Schaub is a top-5 QB in the NFL. We're in big trouble if Leinart ever comes in, but I do think he will have a good chance to develop as a backup with Kubiak teaching him the art of throwing and leadership.

Jets are going to rape your livestock and eat your babies.

Oh, yeah. Thanks for the correction. I also agree about him needing to stay healthy throughout the entire season for their team to even have a chance to make the playoffs, but that's true for most other NFL teams as well.

It seems I don't know how confidence points work, I just select which team I think wins outright. I've seen the errors of my way, and it's just one game (though I did "pick" it right: NO over Minn.)

For anyone else that might enjoy seeing how many of your picks are right (or horribly wrong) over the course of a full season, I think (just, maybe) anyone can join here at any time they wish to:

Texans took down the dirty Colts!

Haha! Over 200 yards from undrafted sophomore running back Arian Foster.

Colts fans should be ashamed at the extraordinary low level of competition they showed today.

Giants 1-0!

(After 4 turnovers and 9 penalties for 95 yards. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy. A good team would have crushed them.)

It pains me to say it, but--Go Redskins?

And Jesus, what must a person have done in their life to be cursed by being a Lions fan?

And why do I have to live in a black hole where my double header for football Sunday consists of the Bears followed by the Rams? It's inhumane, I tell you.

---------- Post added at 06:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:48 PM ----------

Does watching cheerleaders getting eaten by mascots ever get old?
NFL Videos: Mascot eats cheerleader
Not if you're me, it doesn't.

Bwahahaha! You SUCK, Dallas!

I knew there was a reason a woke up with "morning wood."

Aside from a couple games, like Texans vs Colts, yesterday was a pretty bad day for football watching. Low scoring games and blowouts were the norm.

Calvin Johnson and the Lions got screwed, they need to change that rule.

Dallas is overrated!

Every year I say I won't watch the Cleveland Browns and once more they let me down!

The nerve of them to loose to the Worst Team from last year!!! The Brownies are consistantly sucky.

Thank Gawd I like the Steelers waaaay more.....Way to Go Black & Gold!

'Phins pulled it out, watch out, NFL.
Against the bills!!!!

So glad to see the Jets believing their own hype.

I was surprised at the shit game the Jets brought last night. I bought into their hype, lucky for them it's only game one of the season. They have some work to do, but I think once the offense gets going they'll be playoff bound once again.

The first week is nearly as useless as pre-season when it comes to evaluating teams. Personnel are still trying to find a "groove," offenses and defenses are both still being tweaked. Something like seven of last year's playoff teams ended up losing their opening day game though. Could be an interesting season.

Replace "Bucs" with "Bengals," and that's pretty much exactly what I'd say :)


Yep, Cincinnati girl here. Terrible showing last week, but it has to get better after that, right? I normally work on Sundays, so I'll try to catch bits & pieces of the game at work. Like snowy, I'm really more into college football, so I get much more excited over the Buckeyes & the Bearcats :)

Who Dey Cinna!

Chicago will beat Dallas. Watch.

That would make my week.

Who dey, indeed, wraith ;)

This is way cool.

Time-lapse video of Giants to Jets change at New Meadowlands

Additionally: NYTimes


-- courtesy of Shutdown Corner

hahahahaha....must have watched that 20 times in a row...wife thinks I've lost my mind....

That Giants/Jets transformation video is poetry in motion, Jet.

It's just as sweet as it was last week :lol:

Wow, G-Men, losing isn't enough, you have to put in the most pathetic effort of any team thus far this season.

They looked like garbage in front of the entire country. Giants haven't done anything since the Super Bowl.

Texans pulled it out in overtime yesterday. 4th and 10, Schaub to Andre for a touchdown. Schaub was like "screw the first down, I want to win!"

Then in overtime Kubiak elected to punt instead of go for the field goal, which I thought was bad. Seemed like he was coaching to not lose, instead of coaching to win. But we stopped them after the punt and got down the field, kicking a field goal to win it all.

Guess who we play next week? Dallas! We beat them in the pre-season, we'll beat them now!

The Patriots are looking like the best first-half team ever. Sure would be nice if they could show up in the second half as well.

Gotta love the Dolphins! Go 'Phins go!

I just want to thank all the Dallas fans I had the pleasure of watching the game with at the airport in Texas. Watching you guys melt down and act like little babies as your team lost made my lay over really enjoyable. Thanks!

Bengals beat the Ravens! w00t! Ooooh, they play Carolina next week. Can my hometown team beat my new state's team?

Winners and Losers [sports article ; listing ; analysis]

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/5494/1284947054.jpg
The Bengals defense sacked Joe Flacco once and intercepted him four times.

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/7691/1284947605.jpg
Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley (56) and safety Ryan Clark (25) tackle
Titans RB Chris Johnson. Johnson was held to 34-yards rushing.

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3443/1284949320.jpg
Eagles QB Michael Vick passed for 284 yards and two touchdowns against the
Lions and also rushed for 37 yards.

Great game last night. Niners probably would have won it, if they'd done a better job protecting the ball.

And McKinley of the Broncos committed suicide? I don't understand that. I've had a few go 'rounds with depression myself, but it always shocks me to see people that have so much going for them decide to end their life. Anyway, a tough week for Denver.

God damn you Titans!!!!!! :mad: 7 turn overs? Really? (although I think that last one was pretty iffy Collins arm was clearly going forward to me and the Johnson drop was a little ticky tacky too, both could have gone either way) Sitting in the stands in 95 degree heat to watch Vince Young and the offense have a meltdown for 4 hours was AWESOME!

Okay I take that back I actually had a blast...more so in the parking lot before and after but whatever...they just better get their asses in gear for the Denver game or somebody else can have my seat.

Cheer up, Wes. Next week the Titans play the marshmallows of the NFC East.

Yeah hopefully they can take advantage. The Titans are odd though, one game they look like they could destroy any team in the NFL and the next they're struggling to make even the most basic of plays...average team I suppose.

What can you do, its all about having a good time with friends win or lose if the beer is good, your friends know how to have fun and the grill fires up the way its supposed to its always going to be a good time. :thumbsup:

interesting-note-I-happened-to-pick-up-on-of-the-day:

Texans couldn't take down the Cowboys. Dissapointing day in Houston. We are the number one offense and we basically scored 6 points, the touchdown was in garbage time. We were outplayed and outmatched. Defense continues to shit itself when the ball is in the air. Next week we play Oakland. I'm not worried about them.

"Giants" is synonymous with "pathetic."

Someone needs to remind Eli he throws with his right hand.

How 'bout them Bears?

They're kind of brutal to watch on offense, as Jay Cutler is getting assaulted on a regular basis, Matt Forte can't rush for a yard even if he were to immediately fall down straight the length of his body, Aromashodu, Chester Taylor and Greg Olsen routinely seem to be getting lost in the shuffle and disappearing for halves (if not full games) at a time, and overall, it's a very one-dimensional offense, in my perspective.

However, I do give much credit to Cutler (and perhaps his maturation alongside his coordinators and coaches) for being able to actually "lead" this team to a respectable standing thus far. He's been playing above and beyond expectations so far, but what worries me is if he ever (make it when he) falls back down to earth, I'm afraid he may not get back up. (There's currently four offensive lines in the NFL that have me extremely anxious for the quarterbacks who play behind and rely on them: Buffalo, Chicago, San Francisco, & Washington.)

On the bright-side, though: The Bears defense is looking to be formidable once more, just like I called it before the season began (somewhere). If there's anything at all in which I'd like to see more of, it is seeing the Bears' Defense "bear down", create havoc, and make things happen (which is exactly what L. Briggs, B. Urlacher, C. Tillman, & J. Peppers have done so far).

Just like the Steelers and the Titans at the moment: the Bears might not have the most potent offense, but it is servicable enough, they limit turnovers, and their respectie defenses make outstanding plays and stops to help shift most of the lead momentum in their favor, from the first run to the last whistle.

how about that Kyle Orton though? mighty impressive.

I was thinking about him recently, and yeah, he has been a revelation to this opening part of the early NFL season.

Orton was a fine quarterback in a new setting last year in his first season as McDaniel's current "product of the system" QB, but still... I like him (and so do you, I take it, dksuddeth).

To tell the truth, though, I've been impressd with Orton's play for nearing around 2-1/2 years now, since he was the off-on-again starter with the Chicago Bears. (little bit after Griese was out of the picture, but when he was still competing with Grossman for the next week's starting gig.)

Somewhat like Vince Young, (but actually not really) Orton has a great home-field-winning advantage, it would seem, and he can be just as competent as a visitor, as evidenced by this past weekend's stellar play.
But, again, somewhat like his tying-tether player in Chicago, QB Jay Cutler, most of what's become of orton's early success this season is due more in part to the system he is under direction of, and another big factor to boot would be that neither the bears or Broncos have had what one would term a "solid" running-game complement since week 1, and that may even be a stretch. That means more of the offensive responsibility ("burden") falls on the passer to keep the team afloat and competitive.

Still, being the top passer alongside Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers through a quarter of the season is a great achievement.
(and again, to note: neither of the above two "elite" quarterbacks has a consistent ground game presence to "aid" them, so their arms go on auto-trigger more than, say, a Matt Schaub, at this point.)

I'm going to take another stab at being ignored for being too wordy and analytical again by featuring what I had meant to a month-and-a-half ago, before the season started, and whence this expansive concept (it's really easy in practice / office betting pools) might have been at its peak "gratifying moment" - when we really didn't know anything at all.

It's title and sport-specific dartboard-throwing at best, as it's a yearly turnover in trying to guess (educated or not) the highest percentage of NFL playoff teams, winners, and longshot Superbowl hopefuls, all to win several tens of dineros and/or ego-boosting that elsewhere-inapplicable "prognostication prowess" of yours (read as: mine).

It's done, though. There are my predictions above (before the season began). I look forward to testing my model.

I'm still reading your in-depth football knowledge, Jet. You know your NFL, that's for sure.

Regarding Orton: consistency is not something he's known for. Let's keep track of him as we move through the season, I think we'll see his numbers drop off.

How have your predictions changed (if any)?

Well, for one, it's amazing how I've forgotten how much the Pittsburgh Steelers rely on the intensity and dynamic brought to their team by the true cornerstone of their identity, and that is with a high-level and healthy-returning Troy Polamalu. It's done wonders for them, both with his own spectcaular play, and how he raises the effort of those around him.

One thing I'd like to mention as this first quarter of the NFL has now come to an end, and where everyone else is reigning praises on Clay Matthews as an early-bid Defensive Player of the Year candidate, (he very well deserves it) but I am astonished by how well Steelers' lniebacker Lawrence Timmons is playing. Without looking it up at the moment, I think I am right in my estimation that he currently leads the NFL in tackles, and it might not even be close (and think about it, he is on a bye this week, and could still be the league leader). Even if I'm wrong, though, I know for a fact he is in the top-3 in this category, he has been an exacting run-stopper, has forced numerous turnovers this early in the season already, and it just leaves me in awe at how prolific, year after year, that the Pittsburgh Steelers churn out top-level linebackers. I just learned a few weeks ago that the team has the nickname of "Linbacker U(-niversity)" and I am in total agreement with that assessment. With the OLBs in Harrison and Woodley, the veteran Farrior, the upstart Timmons (I need to check and see if he is a fourth-year player or younger), and 'tweener Kemayrion Winbley (sp?) it is depth beyond belief there in the Steel City.

I agree that the Steelers' should be in many early-season listing as one of the top 3 teams thus far, but still, I don't like to change my predictions because that's exactly what they were: fun, sometimes baseless and "hopeful" predictions of how I wanted to see this year's playoff picture shape up. I'll be lucky to get 50% of what I outlined above right, but it's a neat diversion nonetheless (probably more fun if I wagered any $$$ on it, but I'm not much of a gambler).

At this stage, if anyone is counting on Cincinnati making a return trip to the postseason, their biggest obstacle(s) to making it two years' in a row in the past two decades (or longer) lies within their own division: Balt. still seems like the favorite to me in winning the division, but if Pitt. fails to falter down the line (which I am somehow hoping they do) then Cinn. will be left behind as the other two duke it out for a division title and runner-up wildcard. (also, though I don't like to mention it, Palmer just doesn't seem like he has anything left to give anymore, and the offensive line is no longer providing the "oomph" they did like last season, meaning benson also suffers as well. Their defense might be their only saving grace into even getting above .500 this season.)

Ha, Ha! Cowboy's suck.

I was rooting for them today to beat Texan rival Titans. The one time I want the Cowboys, they let me down.

Texans got beat up by the G-men today. We couldn't do anything right. The Giants knew exactly what we were gonna do and they stopped everything we tried. Next week we play the Chiefs, and the Chiefs are damn good.

WOOO HOOOO Goooo Titans!!!! (sorry PT)

It was a heart stopper the whole way but that interception at the end was just great! Seriously though what kind of bullshit is the NFL trying to pull calling back that bomb Vince thew to Kenny Britt? The defenseman touched him as his momentum takes him forward and that's a tackle? Seriously NFL?

Between stupid rules like that and that god awful "roughing" the QB or whatever its called the NFL is one focus group, or pissed off owner away from full on flag football. :shakehead:

I can't complain too much though it was a great win.

I really expected better out of Houston this year. Been disappointing so far, nothing would have been better then to have them in the SB this year while the Cowboys watched from home.

Great day. Nice come back Houston, very nice. Seahawks took out Da Bears, 9'ers finally got a win, Jets came back at mile high and of course my personal favorite the Cowboys lost again. Love to watch them lose and listen to their fans whine about it.

Drunken ramblings:

Another rough day to be a 'Skins fan but, goddamn, do they make it interesting. All-in-all, I can't say that I'm too disappointed with today's performance, though I would have liked to see how Manning would have dealt with a healthy Landry, a not-dead Sean Taylor and a motivated (and playing) Haynesworth. It would have been Ron Mexico x elevendy billion. Wish we had a running game and a young Chris Samuels on O-line. Glad we dumped Fuckface Campbell. How's that working out for you, Oakland?

---------

Quote of the day belongs to Sonny Jurgenson: "‎Tony Romo did what he does better than any other quarterback in the league; he got a drive going and then choked at midfield".

Well played, Mr. Jurgenson.

I'm disappointed in you, Walt. Only retards and locals are 'Skins fans.

Yay Patriots! I'd rather have an eager Branch than a moody Moss.

Bill Belichieck doesn't dump Moss without knowing he has a replacement for him. Branch owned that game.

Damn, Walt, listen to those names you dropped: a not dead Sean Taylor, Fuckface Campbell, and (the classic) Ron Mexico. Good stuff, I liked the "not dead" Sean Taylor the most. You should have said "a less fat Haynesworth," but you can't have them all. How did your cornerback from Oakland look yesterday? Can't remember his name, but after the Houston win against Washington he threw his fellow secondary under the bus and said Andre Johnson was nothing special. Haha, right.

Texans defense can't stop anything. You want to run it down our throats, you can. You want to throw it all over the field, you can. Kareem Jackson is awful in coverage. Good thing our offense has a war-path like no other. We play the Colts in two weeks on Monday night, gonna be a big-time game.

Well...... Pigs now Fly!

The Browns BEAT The Saints today: 30 to 17. Totally Awesome. (We're all still in shock in Northern Ohio)

:)

What's next? Dogs and cats living together?

Dallas 1 and 5... ROTFLMAO

Romo broke his collar bone. Ouch!

Brett Favre broke his ankle and threw multiple picks. Double ouch!

No, I'm a 'Skins fan, and I'm only three-and-a-half years dislocated from the area. There's also some trivial fact about the NFL worldwide in which if you ask the common European or Asian or South American (I don't know how or where this statistic came from, assuming they know 2% of what the NFL really is) and 7 out of 10 would reply that the Washington team is "America's (Best Representative/Recognizable of the Product) Team" (as you would have guessed it due to the results, ESPN was left out of this survey).


I'm also a Bucs fan (1A) , a Cardinals fan (the Redskins of the West, I call them - they once in the same conference: in this same decade, Kurt Warner mancrush have I, whatever else [the coincidental fact that there are no Cardinals in the desert tickles me as well]...) and as recently as (let me count on my fingers) six years ago, I'm also a Chargers fan (Tomlinson awe, as well as the Norv Turner side-effect). I have two teams, yeah, and I adopted the Bolts and Birds both within the past decade, but I still root for them nearly as fervently as my "true" allegiances. Also a fun fact: I can actually call each one of them above teams, in some manner of truthfulness, a "home" team, as I've lived in each of the above four markets (St. Pete, D.C., San Diego, and Scottsdale) for a minimum of four years each.

I'm also slightly invested in the Green Bay Packers, and the Baltimore Ravens, and I'm still shopping around for two more "fringe" teams to root for (tho I suspect I need to branch out into the AFC more).

Come to the light side, Jet. I'll make you an honorary Texans fan.

Who's watching the Monday night game? Texans vs Colts, game two of the series. Texans destroyed the Colts in week one, Arian Foster rushed for over 200 yards. Colts are missing some huge players, and they haven't been swept in a division series in something like ten years. It's gonna be an exciting game with Cushing moved to middle linebacker, rushing straight up the middle into Manning's face.

Texans 34 vs Colts 27

Favre, congratulations on another consecutive start. The Patriots appreciate the win more.

My prediction: Favre's true final game of his career will be December 12th, versus the New York Giants. They've legally injured five other quarterbacks this year.

I kind of hope you're right but think it'll likely be closer and the Texans will lose.

But I thought GB would lose yesterday so what do I know. Well, I know I'm happy Dallas is a spectacular failure thus far.

And Randy Moss is a free man, he got cut by Vikings after giving up on a play yesterday.

The play he gave up on was the one where he got the pass interference call and he watched the ball land 2 feet away from him. He could have scored and then they'd decline the penalty. I saw that play and I was like "why didn't he catch the ball! It was right there!" even though I'm a Pats fan. I just hate to see players mail it in when they're on the field. None of the broadcasters said anything about Moss giving up on that play either, they were too busy giving Moss the reach-around by drawing the penalty.

Moss is old and washed up. He's a shit receiver compared to what he should be. He gives up on every team he's ever played for and doesn't go hard when he puts the helmet on. All he can do now is run the fly pattern straight up the field, he can't run any other route. GARBAGE.

Has anyone from the Vikings actually stated a reason for dumping Moss on his ass, or is it just conjecture at this point? I haven't been able to find anything.

malcontent

I'm not a usual for being succinct, but the above is the answer.

My god I just can't get away from Randy Moss, he played for the Pats when I lived up in Maine and somehow followed me to Tennessee...what are the odds? He was pretty fun to watch though.

Anyway hopefully he'll be useful, with Britt going down and CJ struggling a bit it might be just what the offense needs...and hopefully that's how it turns out.

I need to start preparing my "rookies of the year" feature (thinking about a week 10 opener is ideal) for the most talented and essential key rookies for nearly all teams, on both sides of the ball.

Wes, do you have any nominations for Titans players?
(I believe Javon Ringer is a rookie, but other than being C. Johnson's backup, he hasn't played much of a role. Although, at the beginning of the season, the Titans were so impressed, I guess, with CJ, and Ringer, I suppose as well, that those were the only two RBs that were kept on the 53-man roster.)

Yeah Ringer is pretty good, but I think he played last year if I remember right so I'm not sure he counts as a rookie, if he does I'd say he'd probably be my top pick. Otherwise I'm kind of drawing a blank right now over which rookie is really standing out above all others nobody has REALLY blown me away yet.

Sam Bradford as ROY? He's been playing decent. Haven't been following the rookies this year like I usually do.

No Texans nominations here, Jet. None of our rooks are any good. Our number one pick cornerback gets burned every time the opposing QB throws it at him. Saying his name is a sin, at this point in the season.

Is anyone else here an NFL geek like me? (not just a home-team investor.) Because I need some help - does anyone know of a servicable, or an actually good way of measuring the worth of a team's offensive line (and more specifically, the value of an individual guard or tackle)?

I don't usually vote for the Pro-Bowl, nor do I ever watch it, but thinking about desrving names to put into an O-line's ballot, is really really difficult, unless you watch hundreds upon hundreds of hours of game film over weeks to compare. At this point, all I think I know is that Michael Oher is good, and so is probably Trent Williams, and then maybe one or two ( or all) of the Indianapolis O-line is good. Defensive lines are so much easier to evaluate, as there are actually tracking stats worth monitoring there (tackles, forced fumbles, sacks, QB pressures, stuffs, Running YPC Average, etc.).

There's too many unwritten variables for me to process and compute well on the offensive line, however: pass-blocking, run-blocking, penalties taken, costly-miscues, opening running lanes, max protection, QB pressures and sacks, and so on. (if there's any facet of football where the 'team mentality' goes more into effect, I believe it is found within how a team's O-line works together.)

I know that FootballOutsiders.com probably has a value-based scale on the exact thing I'm asking, but I'm just looking for a simple "eye-test" here. Anyone have a cheatsheet?

Look at the team's rushing yards per game and the amount of sacks on the QB. That covers the two facets of the offense, rushing and passing. Like you said, other than watching a ton of game film, there's not a whole lot of hard stats for the O-line (even though it's the most important part of any team). I can't help you individually for each player, again, no stats for the posisition. Start out looking at the best teams (or best offenses) in the NFL and check out how many sacks they give up or their rushing yards per game. The best teams will all have a high power running game and a low sack count, while you'll see a steady decrease as you move down towards a team like the Buffalo Bills.

I don't know I see some progress, I think there's hope yet. The Texans are 4-3 and the rest of their schedule isn't all wine and roses but I'd think they could beat JAC and match up pretty well against most of the other teams left.

I still think they could see post season play this year, likely lose their only play-off game but possibly do even better next year.

In the NFL you just never know.

Still would have loved to see them play in Dallas for the Superbowl this year. Oh well, at least Dallas is going down in flames nicely.

I really like that the perennial losers of the past 2-8 years (the Chiefs, the Lions, the Rams, and the Raiders) seem to be "surprising" everyone in how well they are playing at this point in the season.

Not just better offensively, but in the case of the Rams and the Chiefs, their defenses have vastly improved as well (while the Raiders and Lions defense still give up a lot of points, I do think both team there are in the top 5 of the league when it comes to sacks, as well as eye-opening special-teams play).

I wouldn't call the Seahawks or Browns markedly better yet, but I do see the upgrades insceme, play-calling, and overall, the "feel" of a team in a better position than they were last year (more on the defensive side of the ball for these two, but it's an improvement, no less).



Plus, I'm just as surprised as anyone at how well the Buccaneers are playing right now, and it's being done with middle-of-the-pack play, and just a drive to win (and a cushy opening slate of games). I knew they weren't going ot be one of the dreg teams this season, because for the better part of the last decade, they were consistently a winning ball club (and only last year's record, as well as the year before where they had a 1-game lead in the division with a month to play, and let both Carolina AND Atlanta bypass them, and they ended up missing the playoffs at 9-7 due to the tiebreaker against Atlanta).



Finally, remember that preseason prediction I made in this very thread, what about the Washington Redskins and the Detroit Lions? It looks like I made a (semi-)good call on both. I stated that Detroit would be much improved on offense, (and they needed to be, what with their still in-progess shamble of a defense) and they are only the sixth best team in the NFL in average total points per game (at 26.1, right behind the Chargers and ahead of the Giants, Eagles and Texans) ; additionally, Detroit has being scrappy enough to be in a position to win in nearly every single game they've played thus far up until very late in the fourth quarter. This is a team, more than any other I can name at the moment, that is tailor-made to be involved in "shoot-outs" on a weekly basis (potent offense, plus lousy defense -- though I do think the Bills might be the second team in such an argument to come to mind, along with the Texans and Cowboys).

About the 'Skins defense prediction (a return to top-10 status) I made, however; I don't know what Jim Haslett thinks he is doing, or where the "identifiable" problem seems to be, exactly, but this team is wholly underperforming. Nearly every week (Washington will have already been five nationally-broadcast games this season, when you also factor in the Week 10 Phi@Was Monday Night re-match) I see good play after tremendous tackle, interception-opportunity made, yet still, like always, this is a "bend-but-don't-break" defense. In half the games they'e played thus far, Washington has limited their opponents to 14 pts or less, which is great, (and also ties Pitt. and the NYJ defense for most in the season) yet they've also allowed Indy and Houston to basically dial up their respective offenses at will against this defense, due to uncapitalized opportunities (mainly, interceptions that are right there for the taking). And then there goes the mentioning of losing to lowly teams like the Rams and Lions (both teams scored 30+ against the 'Skins, and both teams, in the past 3 seasons, have a combined 4-2 record against Was.). It's a very Jeykll-and-Hyde-type season for this D -- really no other way to put it. I see LaRon Landry as an All-Pro safety this year, DeAngelo Hall has a very good chance at making another Pro-Bowl, London Fletcher is always a consistent tackling machine, and I think he should be making his second consecutive tropical trip; additionally, CB Carlos Rogers might be able to a claim for a Pro-Bowl spot if he'd only learn to catch the errant/lob ball interceptions that are thrown to him, and it goes without saying that LB Brian Orakpo is among one of this defense's most valuable cogs (he is tied for third in the league with seven sacks, right behind Cowboys' LB DeMarcus Ware). There's just something missing in the play-calling or coverage or something else that has this team playing so out of sync, when it has at the very least five potential Pro-Bowlers lining up each week, yet it is still giving up the second-most yards per game (nearly 400 ypg! mostly via the pass; only Houston gives up more) in the NFL.

What happened to our Fantasy Football thread?

I hate the Steelers.

This is a discussion thread. Is there a particular reason you hate the Steelers (in that every player on their roster is a criminal offender, in your mind?) or are you just stating an obviously-cliched rivalry phrase because you are a Bengals fan?


(I dislike the Steeers, too, but more because they should have lost their most recent SB title, yet the officiating basically handed them an ill-gotten win ; and two, that last MNF game cost me two sure wins by less than a margin of five points, thus bringing down my overall win percentage.)

"Cool story, bro": Minnesota Vikings DE Jared Allen could salvage season

excerpt:
+ bonus
[ESPN.]

Wow not turning out to be my week. I really was hoping Houston would prevail, heart breaker. Seattle and San Fran are both getting their asses handed to them. plus Dallas won, twice now, fuck.

I need several drinks. Least GB won.