NFL Thread - 2011-12
- Thread starter Big Sexy
- Start date
I think that was a bad decision by Jacksonville. I really am never for starting such a young QB when you aren't forced to, Garrard could have easily gave the Jags a decent season this year, and held the rookie under his wing. Now that he's gone that Luke McCown is thrown into a starting job, which really came out of nowhere. I'm not sure if they told Luke how high his chances are, but I'm guessing he didn't think he'd be starting this year and now he's going to have pressure from all directions.
I think San Francisco or Seattle is going to pick him up, they both need a guy like David Garrard. I imagine San Fran is going to get him though, as Seattle seems at least somewhat comfortable with T. Jackson going into the season, personally I feel he won't do anything based on what I've seen on his playing in the past, but you never know when someone is going to break out.
49ers have that rookie Colin Kaepernick, and he'd be really useful sitting on the bench this year watching David Garrard go to work. I know Garrard is nothing special, but he's been there long enough to know the game and give the kid some pointers. With someone at least decent starting for the Niners this year, I think they could even compete with The Rams for first place, hell Cardinals are in that race with Kolb as well.
I think San Francisco or Seattle is going to pick him up, they both need a guy like David Garrard. I imagine San Fran is going to get him though, as Seattle seems at least somewhat comfortable with T. Jackson going into the season, personally I feel he won't do anything based on what I've seen on his playing in the past, but you never know when someone is going to break out.
49ers have that rookie Colin Kaepernick, and he'd be really useful sitting on the bench this year watching David Garrard go to work. I know Garrard is nothing special, but he's been there long enough to know the game and give the kid some pointers. With someone at least decent starting for the Niners this year, I think they could even compete with The Rams for first place, hell Cardinals are in that race with Kolb as well.
Nate DaMac
Fuck erbody but me
I don't get it. Garrard was nothing spectacular but you can do far worse than him if you're looking for a starter. Especially if your other option is one of the McCowns who, to be honest, I was unaware existed in real life. I only heard the names on Madden, never actually heard them in real life.
Then again, the Jag seem to be pretty good at cutting Quarterbacks at the right time. They did the same thing with Leftwich and everyone was scratching their heads, and he hasn't done shit since then.
I'm sure someone would pick him up. Miami seems like the most logical choice.
Then again, the Jag seem to be pretty good at cutting Quarterbacks at the right time. They did the same thing with Leftwich and everyone was scratching their heads, and he hasn't done shit since then.
I'm sure someone would pick him up. Miami seems like the most logical choice.
George Steele's Barber
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Jags have nothing to play for this year. They overpaid a tight end this summer so they might as well save some money by cutting a second-tier qb.
As a football fan I hate this type of decision. Its not fair in football to ask season ticket holders to tolerate a McCown in order to save money. As a Bills fan it makes the Jags look more screwed up and more likely to be the team to quietly move to LA.
Clayton was reporting that Baltimore would be a likely fit but Miami could use the upgrade at qb.
Go L.A. Jaguars!
As a football fan I hate this type of decision. Its not fair in football to ask season ticket holders to tolerate a McCown in order to save money. As a Bills fan it makes the Jags look more screwed up and more likely to be the team to quietly move to LA.
Clayton was reporting that Baltimore would be a likely fit but Miami could use the upgrade at qb.
Go L.A. Jaguars!
I think Houston is going to really start to take control of the AFC South this year, they have everything they need to make a good team, a franchise QB in Matt Schuab, a breakout star running back in Arian Foster, the best WR in the NFL, and a potential defense. With Colts falling behind in recent years, it will be a battle and I predict a 10-6 record for Houston this year, with Colts not making or just making the wild card at 8-8 or 9-7.
With Jacksonville pretty much voluntarily dropping out of the running this year (I know that's a bit of a long shot thing to say, but open your eyes, they aren't getting anywhere without a QB, and Luke McCown is no breakout star just yet, if he ever will be). The AFC South will be an interesting one this year, as we have 3 teams that could all go either way this year when it comes to sliding into the playoffs. They all have the people they need to put together a winning team, the only thing missing is the "Winning" part of it.
Has Houston ever made playoffs before? I think last year was their best record was 9-7 in 2009.
With Jacksonville pretty much voluntarily dropping out of the running this year (I know that's a bit of a long shot thing to say, but open your eyes, they aren't getting anywhere without a QB, and Luke McCown is no breakout star just yet, if he ever will be). The AFC South will be an interesting one this year, as we have 3 teams that could all go either way this year when it comes to sliding into the playoffs. They all have the people they need to put together a winning team, the only thing missing is the "Winning" part of it.
Has Houston ever made playoffs before? I think last year was their best record was 9-7 in 2009.
The Bearded One
Love is not admissable evidence.
I am absolutely thrilled with the Jaguars decision to cut Garrard. He was nothing short of awful over the second half of last season and he looked even worse during the preseason. Garrard is a below average quarterback at best and Blaine Gabbert, who has had one month of NFL experience, has looked better than Garrard, who is in his 10th year. If he was being outplayed by a rookie, he deserved to go. He also developed a habit of throwing his teammates under the bus this preseason and that really hurt his cause a lot too. Sure, when he was good, he was really good. But when Garrard was bad, which was more often than not, he was horrible. Also, both Del Rio and offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter have both said they were limited in what they could do offensively because of the quarterback. Garrard would look at his first read, and if he wasn't wide open, then he would either immediately dump the ball off or take a sack. Garrard missed open receivers on a regular occasion, but since they weren't his first read he didn't see them. I honestly couldn't be happier about the move.
McCown was expected to take over the starting role last season before he got injured. He outperformed Garrard last preseason and took over for Garrard when he was benched against San Diego in the second week of the season. It's a shame that he got injured because I thought he would've been really good for the Jags.
Also, McCown was the quarterback Gabbert always went to for advice on the sideline, which is a telling sign I think.
McCown is only holding the job until Gabbert takes over. If there was a complete offseason, there is no doubt in my mind that Gabbert would have been the starter week one, but since there was a lockout I think they are waiting until he gets the equivalent of an offseason of practice before they put the rookie in. Gabbert has shown flashes of what he can do and has routinely made throws that Garrard never attempted. I am really excited about watching him develop this season.
As for those saying the Jags threw this season away, it's not like they were going anywhere with Garrard. With Garrard at quarterback, the Jags are a 7 to 9 win team, but with McCown and Gabbert they are more around a 6 win team. Not a huge difference.
Also, since I'm rambling, the Jaguars did not overpay Marcedes Lewis in the offseason. The Jaguars had to spend $30 million to reach the cap minimum, so they had no choice but to give players a lot of money and be active in free agency. Lewis is a top five, and I would even argue top three, tight end in the NFL. He had numbers comparable to all the best tight ends last season. Among tight ends, Lewis was ninth in receptions, eighth in yards and tied for first in touchdowns with 10. He is also one of the best, if not the best, blockers at the tight end position in the NFL. Lewis is a special player and he deserves every penny of the contract he earned.
Again, good riddance to Garrard.
McCown was expected to take over the starting role last season before he got injured. He outperformed Garrard last preseason and took over for Garrard when he was benched against San Diego in the second week of the season. It's a shame that he got injured because I thought he would've been really good for the Jags.
Also, McCown was the quarterback Gabbert always went to for advice on the sideline, which is a telling sign I think.
McCown is only holding the job until Gabbert takes over. If there was a complete offseason, there is no doubt in my mind that Gabbert would have been the starter week one, but since there was a lockout I think they are waiting until he gets the equivalent of an offseason of practice before they put the rookie in. Gabbert has shown flashes of what he can do and has routinely made throws that Garrard never attempted. I am really excited about watching him develop this season.
As for those saying the Jags threw this season away, it's not like they were going anywhere with Garrard. With Garrard at quarterback, the Jags are a 7 to 9 win team, but with McCown and Gabbert they are more around a 6 win team. Not a huge difference.
Also, since I'm rambling, the Jaguars did not overpay Marcedes Lewis in the offseason. The Jaguars had to spend $30 million to reach the cap minimum, so they had no choice but to give players a lot of money and be active in free agency. Lewis is a top five, and I would even argue top three, tight end in the NFL. He had numbers comparable to all the best tight ends last season. Among tight ends, Lewis was ninth in receptions, eighth in yards and tied for first in touchdowns with 10. He is also one of the best, if not the best, blockers at the tight end position in the NFL. Lewis is a special player and he deserves every penny of the contract he earned.
Again, good riddance to Garrard.
Nate DaMac
Fuck erbody but me
Source: nfl.com
Wow. I thought for sure that he was going to give it a go despite his nagging injury, but apparently he's worse than I thought. So now, Kerry Collins is going to start which is honestly the best available option with the lack of experience on their roster.
It kind of sucks though. Manning was on pace to break Favre's consecutive starting streak but now, that's long gone.
Yes, Manning is ruled out for Week 1 so that is out of the way, but now we have to ask....Will Peyton Manning be out for Week 2?
How will Manning's absence affect Week 1's game against the potential winners of the AFC South Division?
If he's out Week 2, will the Colts be able to take out the rising star Browns?
As for Week 1, it also depends on the health of Arian Foster, but even without him Houston has a lot of star power as far as running backs and offense goes, and I think that will come to bite The Colts in the ass opening day, although Pittsburgh won four games without their starting Quarterback last year, so you really can't count The Colts out for much, then again Pittsburgh's offense isn't based off of Ben Roethlisberger either.
For Week 2, although The Browns are starting to develop a good team, the Colts should be able to dispense of them with or without Peyton Manning there, they'll have homefield advantage, and honestly right now they have the better team.
How will Manning's absence affect Week 1's game against the potential winners of the AFC South Division?
If he's out Week 2, will the Colts be able to take out the rising star Browns?
As for Week 1, it also depends on the health of Arian Foster, but even without him Houston has a lot of star power as far as running backs and offense goes, and I think that will come to bite The Colts in the ass opening day, although Pittsburgh won four games without their starting Quarterback last year, so you really can't count The Colts out for much, then again Pittsburgh's offense isn't based off of Ben Roethlisberger either.
For Week 2, although The Browns are starting to develop a good team, the Colts should be able to dispense of them with or without Peyton Manning there, they'll have homefield advantage, and honestly right now they have the better team.
I'm sorry did we not just see Chicago dismantle an elite Offense whille The Cowboys couldn't beat the Jets? You can give Chicago a thousand excuses for how they win but they manage to win. Something the Cowboys couldn't do this week, or last season.
Offensively Chicago had a field day. They had a match with a weak defense but big plays from Forte, and Cutler show just how special the offense can be. And not even that, the offensive line improved greatly from last year. Atlanta's pass rush is not bad by any means. But Cutler was able to plant his feet and get the ball off.
And don't get me started on Defensively. Chicago was going up against a elite offense packed with playmakers. Yet Chicago limited them to one touch down and forced multiple turnovers. Even one that went for a touchdown by Urlacher.
The one thing I never get is why Chicago is always considered underdogs? When the Jets had the same amount of sucess the Bears did this year. They were considered the best damn team in the NFL. The Bears and the Jets have many parraells, but the Jets are always chosen as media darlings over Chicago.
Nate DaMac
Fuck erbody but me
So if I can keep up on it, I think I'm going to give my thoughts on the week every Sunday. I would do it Monday and some weeks I probably will, but I rarely watch MNF due to Raw and I really have little desire to see New England massacre the Dolphins. So yeah.
So I'll start where my heart is. Kansas City, what the fuck happened? I've been defending you all off season saying you guys will still be okay despite the tough schedule, but you let BUFFALO drop 41 on you?!?! Really? I have to assume that the lockout affected this because there hasn't been any drastic changes to justify what happened. Or maybe Buffalo has really improved. No idea what to think here.
Houston, now is your chance. The Colts are absolute dogshit without Peyton and the other teams in the division are .500 teams at best, now is your chance to get into the playoffs and save your coaches job. While we're on the subject, Indy... wow. Just wow. Never once have I seen a team so dependent on one fucking player. That was an embarrassment.
Detroit looks great. Matt Stafford will be great if he stays healthy and he has the weapons around him to succeed. They handled a good Buccaneers team and looked good doing so. I like what I see.
San Diego's Special Teams still suck but the rest of the team still looks excellent. Minnesota... eh. Could still be good and they haven't had a whole lot of time with McNabb just yet, but I think they could still be a solid team this year. They had a tough opponent in San Diego and I don't know if anyone can really beat them, but Minnesota did okay given the circumstances.
Carolina seems to have found their Quarterback in Cam Newton. Sure they lost but Cam put up some monster numbers and with Steve Smith playing like it's 2004 again, they could be a team to look for.
New York (Jets) won their game but let's be honest, Dallas lost that more than NY won it. Romo made some stupid mistakes and it cost them in the end, but New York isn't always going to be so lucky. They better work out the kinks quick because if they show up in New England playing like that, they're going to be crushed.
Rob Ryan is going to be a head coach somewhere next year. I'm calling it now.
Well that's all for this week. I could say more but I don't really feel like it.
So I'll start where my heart is. Kansas City, what the fuck happened? I've been defending you all off season saying you guys will still be okay despite the tough schedule, but you let BUFFALO drop 41 on you?!?! Really? I have to assume that the lockout affected this because there hasn't been any drastic changes to justify what happened. Or maybe Buffalo has really improved. No idea what to think here.
Houston, now is your chance. The Colts are absolute dogshit without Peyton and the other teams in the division are .500 teams at best, now is your chance to get into the playoffs and save your coaches job. While we're on the subject, Indy... wow. Just wow. Never once have I seen a team so dependent on one fucking player. That was an embarrassment.
Detroit looks great. Matt Stafford will be great if he stays healthy and he has the weapons around him to succeed. They handled a good Buccaneers team and looked good doing so. I like what I see.
San Diego's Special Teams still suck but the rest of the team still looks excellent. Minnesota... eh. Could still be good and they haven't had a whole lot of time with McNabb just yet, but I think they could still be a solid team this year. They had a tough opponent in San Diego and I don't know if anyone can really beat them, but Minnesota did okay given the circumstances.
Carolina seems to have found their Quarterback in Cam Newton. Sure they lost but Cam put up some monster numbers and with Steve Smith playing like it's 2004 again, they could be a team to look for.
New York (Jets) won their game but let's be honest, Dallas lost that more than NY won it. Romo made some stupid mistakes and it cost them in the end, but New York isn't always going to be so lucky. They better work out the kinks quick because if they show up in New England playing like that, they're going to be crushed.
Rob Ryan is going to be a head coach somewhere next year. I'm calling it now.
Well that's all for this week. I could say more but I don't really feel like it.
I'm gonna do what Sandy Cervix and give my thoughts on Week 1 also. So here we go!
Judging by my Avatar, you know what I'm going to start with. Indy.....what happened? I mean, this was the first game without Peyton Manning and Damn, the defense couldn't stop anybody, the offensive line played so poorly that Collins couldn't get enough time to throw or even get comfortable in the pocket. I mean come one guys. If we lose to the Browns, we need to make that call and get David Garrard. They need to fix up their team and fast.
Now, Houston you guys did very well. I honestly thought they'd shoot themselves in the foot and lose to a Manning-less Colts, but they did what they should've done. Take advantage of that opportunity and make a statement. Good job guys, but Houston has a habit of starting good and ending bad....very bad so we'll see how this goes.
Baltimore....WOW! What else can I say? I did NOT expect The Ravens to totally disassemble Pittsburgh 35-7! They came out and man did they make a statement. If The Colts don't win the Superbowl, I would love for it to be The Ravens. I don't why. They're like my 2nd Favorite team. Flacco played well, Rice played well also and the Defense needs no explanation. They dominated on both sides of the ball.
As far as Pittsburgh goes...well there's always next week. They came out and they got hit before they even knew what was coming. Baltimore prepared for them and man did they really show everyone something. Get it together Pittsburgh.
The Chiefs let Buffalo put 41 on them. Seriously...I don't even know what to believe here. Either Buffalo got really good, or Kansas City is already showing us they're a one year wonder.
I have to talk about The Vikings/Chargers game now. Because this was just silly. My problem here is McNabb. Not how he played, but what little he did. I think he was something like 5-16 for 39 yards....? Huh? They could be a pretty good team. They look like they just need time. San Diego was San Diego. Rivers has his 300+ yard game and all is well.
Now, let me get to THIS game. Cowboys vs Jets. Brace yourself as I do NOT like The Jets....at all, but that's another thread for another time. I just want to point out some things that my friends and I saw when we were watching the game.
- For starters, Plaxico Burress is dirty. Jenkins had Plax on Lockdown all night....that is until Plax delivered a cheap shot taking him out of the game for a while. Once Jenkins was gone, Alan Ball stood no chance as Burress had a TD Catch. Once Jenkins came back in, Plax didn't have any more catches.
- Revis holds.....a lot.
- Cromartie is.....well not that good. Overhyped is a much better term.
- The refs did bail out The Jets in the end with all those penalties. They weren't major, but still....
- Dallas did shoot themselves in the foot though. Romo tried to run it in and fumbled the ball at the Goal Line. Romo just needed to take the sack and Dallas goes up 27-17 and this game is over for the most part. They had some bad playcalling towards the end of the game. Like that pass Romo threw which Revis picked off.
So yeah, I really am not a fan of The Jets because they get lucky and people say they're just that good. Luck can't last forever. Dallas did look impressive sacking Sanchez 3-4 times and picking him off. I can already tell Rob Ryan is going to be a HUGE change for this team.
The Jets need to fix that offense. Their Defense will always be there to bail them out, but they need to be consistent of offense if they're going to live up to this hype.
Now for small little tidbits on the other games.
ATL @ CHI - I really thought the Bears were gonna fall into obscurity after how they ended last season, but they look just like they did last season, hell they could be even better. They manhandled what is normally a very potent offense. The Falcons need to get their act together. I think they're still feeling The Green Bay effect from the Divisional Round.
CAR @ ARI - Cam Newton....WOW! 422 Yards! Although they lost, The Panthers have to be impressed with how Cam did. What a debut! If he plays like this every week with the likes of Steve Smith, Greg Olson, and Shockey, Carolina could be very dangerous. Arizona was lucky to get the win there. Kolb is off to a good start. Let's see if it stays that way.
SEA @ SF - With Bradford out, Seattle being Seattle, the Division may come down to The Niners and The Cardinals. This may just be Week 1, but The Niners looked impressive. Ted Ginn's two returns were EPIC as well. Seattle....Garrard is still out there and I bet Carson wouldn't mind throwing to Sidney Rice. Just a thought.
CIN @ CLE - I really wanted Cleveland to win here cause I like Colt McCoy, but man they lost it. The Bengals and Bruce Gradkowski quieted them down too. I'm not gonna take away anything from Dalton, as he played well also.
PHI @ STL - The Eagles....looked like The Eagles. Pretty much what I expected. The Rams injuries are going to hurt them....big time as the injured players are big time players. By the way, I wanna know who touted this year's Eagles as The Dream Team?
DET @ TB - I hope Stafford isn't hurt. If he stays healthy throughout the whole season, I guarantee you Detroit grabs the #6 seed and gets in the playoffs. Their Defense has improved and Stafford is a great QB. Detroit can go far as long their QB stays healthy. The Bucs had a shaky start, but I expect them to bounce back. They better because with Carolina looking they way did, they can find themselves in last place.
NYG @ WAS - So, Rex Grossman and The Washington beat The Giants...by 14 points. To say I'm surprised is an understatement. I gave The Redskins NO chance heading into this game, but they proved me wrong. You never know, Redskins could sneak up behind everyone and win the Division. The Giants...well looks like it's going to be New Year, same story for Big Blue. High expectation, no payoff. Sorta like Houston.
TEN @ JAC - A battle of two average teams. The Jags always look good. I expected The Titans to be better, but they did lose by two and it took them a while to get the ball moving. I honestly don't trust Houston to be consistent for the whole season. And as bad as The Colts are doing, the division could be up to Jacksonville or Tennessee. God help us....
I already can't wait for Week 2 and as far as tonight goes. Yeah, I'm looking forward to Oakland and Denver. Like Sandy said, I don't wanna see New England humiliate The Dolphins on National Television. But I think it'll be closer than a lot of people think. Then again, I wouldn't hold my breath lol
Judging by my Avatar, you know what I'm going to start with. Indy.....what happened? I mean, this was the first game without Peyton Manning and Damn, the defense couldn't stop anybody, the offensive line played so poorly that Collins couldn't get enough time to throw or even get comfortable in the pocket. I mean come one guys. If we lose to the Browns, we need to make that call and get David Garrard. They need to fix up their team and fast.
Now, Houston you guys did very well. I honestly thought they'd shoot themselves in the foot and lose to a Manning-less Colts, but they did what they should've done. Take advantage of that opportunity and make a statement. Good job guys, but Houston has a habit of starting good and ending bad....very bad so we'll see how this goes.
Baltimore....WOW! What else can I say? I did NOT expect The Ravens to totally disassemble Pittsburgh 35-7! They came out and man did they make a statement. If The Colts don't win the Superbowl, I would love for it to be The Ravens. I don't why. They're like my 2nd Favorite team. Flacco played well, Rice played well also and the Defense needs no explanation. They dominated on both sides of the ball.
As far as Pittsburgh goes...well there's always next week. They came out and they got hit before they even knew what was coming. Baltimore prepared for them and man did they really show everyone something. Get it together Pittsburgh.
The Chiefs let Buffalo put 41 on them. Seriously...I don't even know what to believe here. Either Buffalo got really good, or Kansas City is already showing us they're a one year wonder.
I have to talk about The Vikings/Chargers game now. Because this was just silly. My problem here is McNabb. Not how he played, but what little he did. I think he was something like 5-16 for 39 yards....? Huh? They could be a pretty good team. They look like they just need time. San Diego was San Diego. Rivers has his 300+ yard game and all is well.
Now, let me get to THIS game. Cowboys vs Jets. Brace yourself as I do NOT like The Jets....at all, but that's another thread for another time. I just want to point out some things that my friends and I saw when we were watching the game.
- For starters, Plaxico Burress is dirty. Jenkins had Plax on Lockdown all night....that is until Plax delivered a cheap shot taking him out of the game for a while. Once Jenkins was gone, Alan Ball stood no chance as Burress had a TD Catch. Once Jenkins came back in, Plax didn't have any more catches.
- Revis holds.....a lot.
- Cromartie is.....well not that good. Overhyped is a much better term.
- The refs did bail out The Jets in the end with all those penalties. They weren't major, but still....
- Dallas did shoot themselves in the foot though. Romo tried to run it in and fumbled the ball at the Goal Line. Romo just needed to take the sack and Dallas goes up 27-17 and this game is over for the most part. They had some bad playcalling towards the end of the game. Like that pass Romo threw which Revis picked off.
So yeah, I really am not a fan of The Jets because they get lucky and people say they're just that good. Luck can't last forever. Dallas did look impressive sacking Sanchez 3-4 times and picking him off. I can already tell Rob Ryan is going to be a HUGE change for this team.
The Jets need to fix that offense. Their Defense will always be there to bail them out, but they need to be consistent of offense if they're going to live up to this hype.
Now for small little tidbits on the other games.
ATL @ CHI - I really thought the Bears were gonna fall into obscurity after how they ended last season, but they look just like they did last season, hell they could be even better. They manhandled what is normally a very potent offense. The Falcons need to get their act together. I think they're still feeling The Green Bay effect from the Divisional Round.
CAR @ ARI - Cam Newton....WOW! 422 Yards! Although they lost, The Panthers have to be impressed with how Cam did. What a debut! If he plays like this every week with the likes of Steve Smith, Greg Olson, and Shockey, Carolina could be very dangerous. Arizona was lucky to get the win there. Kolb is off to a good start. Let's see if it stays that way.
SEA @ SF - With Bradford out, Seattle being Seattle, the Division may come down to The Niners and The Cardinals. This may just be Week 1, but The Niners looked impressive. Ted Ginn's two returns were EPIC as well. Seattle....Garrard is still out there and I bet Carson wouldn't mind throwing to Sidney Rice. Just a thought.
CIN @ CLE - I really wanted Cleveland to win here cause I like Colt McCoy, but man they lost it. The Bengals and Bruce Gradkowski quieted them down too. I'm not gonna take away anything from Dalton, as he played well also.
PHI @ STL - The Eagles....looked like The Eagles. Pretty much what I expected. The Rams injuries are going to hurt them....big time as the injured players are big time players. By the way, I wanna know who touted this year's Eagles as The Dream Team?
DET @ TB - I hope Stafford isn't hurt. If he stays healthy throughout the whole season, I guarantee you Detroit grabs the #6 seed and gets in the playoffs. Their Defense has improved and Stafford is a great QB. Detroit can go far as long their QB stays healthy. The Bucs had a shaky start, but I expect them to bounce back. They better because with Carolina looking they way did, they can find themselves in last place.
NYG @ WAS - So, Rex Grossman and The Washington beat The Giants...by 14 points. To say I'm surprised is an understatement. I gave The Redskins NO chance heading into this game, but they proved me wrong. You never know, Redskins could sneak up behind everyone and win the Division. The Giants...well looks like it's going to be New Year, same story for Big Blue. High expectation, no payoff. Sorta like Houston.
TEN @ JAC - A battle of two average teams. The Jags always look good. I expected The Titans to be better, but they did lose by two and it took them a while to get the ball moving. I honestly don't trust Houston to be consistent for the whole season. And as bad as The Colts are doing, the division could be up to Jacksonville or Tennessee. God help us....
I already can't wait for Week 2 and as far as tonight goes. Yeah, I'm looking forward to Oakland and Denver. Like Sandy said, I don't wanna see New England humiliate The Dolphins on National Television. But I think it'll be closer than a lot of people think. Then again, I wouldn't hold my breath lol
Unsold Bacon
Shucky Ducky Quack Quack
This must be shitty news for such a young guy that he will be out for the entire season. This certainly doesn't help their playoffs hopes. But to be honest this injury works for me as Denver will have much better chance of beating them this without their Pro Bowl defender.
That post was made before the season started. Obviously I didn't think the Bears would skunk the Falcons as badly as I did, but there's always one week wonders where you don't know how something happened (Cleveland over NE last year by like 30 comes to mind). Sometimes it's a trend, sometimes it's an anomoly.
And let's not act like the Jets aren't a good team. Sure, they do get some good fortune, but they've made the playoffs the past two seasons and have a legit top 5 defense. Let's let a few weeks go by before we grant the Bears greatness, since they are a Jekyll and Hyde team like some others.
I think it's a little bit of both. KC benefited from a soft schedule and looked shitty as can be in the preseason, while Buffalo does have a sneaky offense with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm. Not a great offense, but they can surprise you a couple of weeks in the season.
The Greenius
Triforce Troll
Ted Ginn, you are awesome! The dude saved the game for the 49ers with two important special teams plays. Thank you Ginn.
Smith actually looked decent, also, but, obviously, that can change, knowing him. But on the Giants end...
Dear lord Eli, you call yourself Tom Brady level and you give us this?! Get the hell out of here. I mean he is decent, but that wasn't a good game... Not to mention Rex Grossman tore up the G-Men
Smith actually looked decent, also, but, obviously, that can change, knowing him. But on the Giants end...
Dear lord Eli, you call yourself Tom Brady level and you give us this?! Get the hell out of here. I mean he is decent, but that wasn't a good game... Not to mention Rex Grossman tore up the G-Men
x24hrs2livex
Occasional Pre-Show
When Eli said he was on Brady's level I think what he really meant was "Im just as good as Peyton." Eli wasnt that great in college and is highly overrated in the NFL. I think he should have let San Diego draft him and maybe his career would have wound up better.
Baltimore beats down Pittsburgh, who would have predicted something like that? Flacco impressed me by not doing anything stupid like he usually does.
I never thought KC was anything but a product of alot of luck last year. San Diego is very inconsistent in that division. Pitt has the makeup of a team who can bounce back from a loss like the one they suffered KC does not.
Im sorry Indy fans, but your year is blown. Just pray for a 2-14 season and hope you can get Luck in the draft. Have you guys thought about the fact Peyton may never be Peyton again? Its possible so yall should prepare for even worse than what you saw Sunday. Go get David Garrard.
Now team has ever won the NFC South 2 years in a row. And with the performance ATL gave this weekend that streak wont end this year.
After watching the Redskins pretty much dominate the Ravens defensively in their preseason game I was impressed. Now I am a staunch Skins hater but will say they are my favorite to win a wild card birth out of the Boys and Giants.
I hate Romo, I hate him, I hate him. Usually he is damn gifted in the regular season but he just sucked and swallowed at the end of the game Sunday night. It wasnt Dez Bryants fault you threw the ball right to Revis.
Someone else said Cromartie was overrated and I couldnt agree more. I guess he gets so much hype playing along side Revis, but he really is suspect.
I want to go on record saying that Mark Sanchez isnt great at all. In fact I would put him a notch below Flacco. Even though Sanchez has made it to the AFC title game twice, he still doesnt have my confidence. He needs to have a great year not another mediocre year to win me over.
I thought the NO and GB was just awesome on every level. I was hoping for NO to come out on top in the last seconds but some blown play calling helped GB gain the win. I can see these two meeting again later in the year.
Even after Dallas season compared to Chicago's you still think Dallas was the better team? Chicago went to the freaking NFC Championship for Pete sake! Granted the Cowboys improved with the new coach. But to say they're better than any playoff team is just absurd. And talking about last season, Chicago looked like a much better team on all sides of the ball, even on offense, Chicago managed to score more than the Cowboys could. And don't get me started on Defense, if you were to search up any defensive stat, Chicago would end up at the top 5 in almost all of them. Any team they play against they don't believe in turnovers, they believe in taking the ball away from their offense. And don't get me started on Special Teams. Devin Hester last season broke the NFL Record for most returns on both Punts and Kickoffs. That doesn't happen with a average Special Teams like the Cowboys.
Dallas were in shambles last season, Tony Romo was out for most of the season. The running game vanished, and the o-line couldn't block a small breeze. Defensively they were in shambles, I couldn't tell if they just sent out their tackle dummies instead to prevent anyone else from getting injuried.
Cleveland beating a team like New England is called an upset. A playoff team beating another playoff team is just called football.
Define Jekyll and Hyde? As in one week they're good, then next week not so good? Lets look back at Chicago's season... Hmm 10 wins. You don't do that by being a bad team have the season. Chicago and New York Jets have a similar team and play-style. Both are a run heavy team with a strong focus on Defense. Both reached the NFC and AFC championship and lost. Similar seasons, similar game, and opening week they both won.
Consider the Bears were incredibly good in games 7 points or less (7-3). I believe only one team had a better percentage then them with as many wins. When it comes down to things like that, it's usually a bounce or two that goes your way and fluctuates from year to year. The Bears could've easily been 7-9 or 6-10 as they were 10-6 (in fact I can think of a few instances where they had INCREDIBLE luck on their side - Week one vs. Lions, against the Packers week three) and faced the worst playoff team ever (Seahawks) at home for their lone playoff win. The defense was good, sure, but their line was awful and Cutler wasn't the greatest of QB's.
And they made improvements in most of those areas. Rob Ryan made the defense look a lot better on Sunday, although it didn't help his top two CBs went out during the game. Felix Jones did better as the feature back and DeMarco Murray did well as a sub. Dez Bryant and Miles Austin were great, specifically Bryant until he was hurt. And they were getting a pretty good rush on Sanchez.
Playoff teams change year to year. Who's to say Atlanta isn't a bust this year and just had everything go their way last year? Jumping the gun on one week is absurd, since more often then not teams will have at least two or three poor games a year. The Pats last year dropped one to the Browns. The Ravens lost to the Bengals. The Packers lost to the Lions. Judging how good a team off of week one is just dumb.
As in, they'll look like worldbeaters one week then be fortunate with one in another, be it by a bad call or just choking by the other team.
Take the Jets win against the Cowboys. The Cowboys lost that game more then the Jets won it. Romo gave it to them on a silver platter. The Bears are in the same mold. That's why they're Jekyll and Hyde. They don't take care of teams by 10 points or so often. They'll get a late drive or late pick or late penalty, hit a FG, and pull it out.
Whenever a team's defense can stop the other team from scoring 7 points or more is usually considered "A Defensive game." Chicago wasn't a flashy team. They didn't run the score on the other team. They run the ball, run the ball, score. And then the Defense comes out and takes the ball away from the other team. You're right the Bears could have ended below .500, but they didn't. Your entire debate is about "ifs" "buts" and "Maybes" What if Calvin Johnson's reception was called a touchdown? The Bears would have been 9-7 and still capture the NFC North seed and move onto the playoffs. Let me lay down a couple "Ifs." What if Chicago were to beat Green Bay in Week 17? Who would have Chicago faced in the NFC Championship game? A stout Atlanta team with Chicago gaining the Home turf. What if Seattle were to miss their Field Goal against Chicago? Then The Bears would have been 11-5. What if Dallas didn't drop their coach? Would they manage to bounce back and go 5-3? Never use "Ifs" when it comes to debating, use stone cold facts. Crying "luck" would only get you so far.
And you're saying Chicago didn't make improvements from last season? They stopped Atlanta from scoring only one touchdown. Caused multiple takeaways, and got into the face of Matt Ryan more than once. Dallas Defense looked the exact way they did last season, they want to play a bend, don't break defense, but they broke. Special teams they were a disaster. They got one of their punts blocked simply because of a missed blocking assignment. If there is anything Chicago is known for, is their steller special Teams.
And who's to say teams don't change from year to year? The Patriots won 3 superbowls in 4 years. Granted teams can either lose or win their next week, but discrediting a teams performance because "They could do worst next week" is stupid. You're naming a ton of upsets from last season and notice not a single one was The Seahawks against the Saints? The Seahawks dominated the Saints throughout the entire game. Lynches beast run was just icing on the cake. Chicago last season were on a 2 game slump with the loss of Jay Cutler.
Once again your blame luck, grow up.
Last season, Chicago beat 5 teams by more than 10 points. And the rest of the games they won, Chicago held the other team down under 14 points. You don't need to score 40 points a game to win. You just need to win.
Good teams don't lose the game. They are only beaten by the other team. If Dallas were a good team, they would have score more than the Jets did. If Dallas were a good team, they would have stopped the Jets from marching up and down the field on defense. If Dallas were a good team, they would have beaten the Jets, plain and simple.
You think Dallas is better than Chicago because Chicago had a few breaks in their season last year. But have you stopped to watch the games and see how many times Chicago caused those "Lucky bounces" and those "Late field goals." You obviously have not watched enough football to comprehend the fact that Defense can win games for teams while the Offense can slide by with only scoring once or twice. Do I want Chicago to do better on Offense? Of course, that is what every fan wants is to see their team to better on all sides of the ball.
Like I said before, the only reason you have for Dallas being a better team is non-tangible, you cry luck and use so many ifs and buts but not enough whys to convince me that the 2011 (0-1) Cowboys are better than the 2011 (1-0) Bears.
I meant the winning margin was 7 points or less, not there were 10 games they played in where they held their opponent to 7 points or less. And what my point is is that luck changes from year to year. Records in close games (7 pts or less) tend to fluctuate each year. The Bears won a few games mainly because of what the opponent did to themselves (via penalties, drops like Calvins, etc.). Their luck will be bound to flip around the opposite way.
And again, you're making snap judgments off of ONE GAME. Colts lost week one last year against Houston and still managed to make the playoffs. Who's to say the Falcons just laid an egg this week? It may have just been an anomoly.
Dallas's defense didn't look that bad, by the way. Their last 10 points allowed were because of the special teams and turnovers. And their starting corners both went down some point during the game.
I'm saying don't make a judgment that Chicago > Dallas based on one game. When I said Dallas > Chicago I was simply making a prediction based on how Dallas played under Garrett (without Romo and Ryan) and how Chicago got the ball to bounce their way a few more times then others. I very well could be wrong and the Bears could win the NFC North again, but I'm not going to make that after ONE GAME.
The Bears expected W-L last year was 9.5-6.5. They won 11. Normally when a team exceeds their expected record by as big of a margin as the Bears did last year, the next year it goes back closer (or even under) that record. The only teams to keep exceeding their W-L consistently of the past decade or so have been the Pats and Colts, to no surprise. The Falcons, likewise, exceeded their W-L by 1.8 games.
I'm just gonna trust those numbers and say both teams regress at least a game or two, if not more. It's a preseason prediction.
Yes, but the way they won some of those games leads me (and many) to think they'll fall back to an 8 or 9 win team. They aren't consistent year to year like the Pats or Colts have been. The years before this past one they won 7, 9, and 7 games, missing the playoffs each year.
That's a black and white look at it, but there's definitely other factors to consider. Teams are capable of giving games away. Dallas did that Sunday. The punt block, INT thrown to Revis, and Romo's fumble in the end zone were all preventable errors. While sure, other things can be preventable by stopping them, yes, those errors by the Cowboys were more their undoing then great plays by the Jets, especially the last two I listed.
Chicago definitely was better last year, but that wasn't my prediction, was it. I said the 2011 Cowboys would be better then the 2011 Bears. I'm taking that guess based on how those teams both played last year, with the Bears exceeding their expected W-L greatly due to many close wins, while the Cowboys had some bad luck losses early and began to improve when Garrett came over without Romo and Ryan.
And I know defenses can win you games, I'm not stupid. But you have to have SOME sort of complacency on offense if you're seen as a complete team, especially with how the game is changing. The Bears don't have a clear cut #1 receiver, Jay Cutler has been very on and off since coming to Chicago. Their line is one of the worst in the league. There's a lot of question marks on this offense and, contrary to what you might think, a defense can't carry a team all the way to the SB unless it's a truly great one like the 2000 Ravens were, which these bears are not.
It's week one, pal. The Cowboys could go on and go 12-4 and the Bears could finish 7-9. Not saying it will, but it's WEEK ONE. Saying one team sucks or one team is great off of ONE SAMPLE SIZE is ridiculous.
Again, you are denying everything Chicago does on the defensive side of the ball. Chicago creates takeaways, it's what their best at, it is what they're taught to do, and it is exactly what they did last season. Notice the top defenses like the Jets, Steelers, Ravens, and the Packers are known for creating turnovers. How many times would we see Matt Ryan turn over the ball? Chicago has an elite defense. You can say teams shoot themselves in the foot when they play them but the fact Chicago has guys like Peppers and Tillman causing fumbles speaks for itself.
I am making judgements on how they played last season and this season. Last season The Bears went to NFC Championship game with a elite offense and special defense while their offense lacked. This year they destroyed an elite team on all sides of the ball. Dallas like last year, lost because they turned over the ball on Offense, and gave up a lot of points on Defense and Special Teams.
Exactly what I am talking about. Giving up points on Special Teams and Turnovers don't excuse a horrible Defense. Chicago gave up six turnovers to Carolina with Kerry Collins behind the wheel. Did that stop the Defense from shutting Carolina to 7 points? That's what I thought. Dallas gave up 3 turnovers to the Jets defense. Dallas gave up a Touchdown on Special Teams. Everything you can do wrong Dallas did.
Green Bay Packer fans would like to have a word with you about injuries.
And what I am saying is that your statement has no real solid ground for your biased opinion against Chicago.
And my opinions are being based on facts on how well Chicago performed through 2010-2011.
Again you blame luck for how well Chicago did, yawn.
And to think Dallas could do better than Chicago after their OK half season under Garret is stupid.
In the 2010-2011 season they were predicted to win only 6 games. They won 10.
Going 8-8 or 9-7 doesn't sound that bad to me. Dallas was expected to be Superbowl contenders last season. What happened to the teams that go under their expected wins? That's what I thought.
So what are the odds Chicago becomes annual playoff contenders?
So because a team can do worse than 10-6 that means Dallas can do better? Stupid logic.
Again, you ignore the top 5 defense that Chicago has. 2006 was the year they reached the Superbowl. How long did it take for New England or Indi to become those annual contenders? New England and Indi did it by building their team around a solid Defense and a young Quarterback. Chicago has that defense and now they're hopeful Cutler can produce.
It is, it is called Football.
Like I said before, good teams don't beat themselves. The Jets caused turnovers and Dallas, being a bad team, gave the ball away as well.
And you base this on what exactly? How well they could play as opposed to how well Chicago did play?
Close wins, you mean as in stumping Offenses and grinding out the game? Or do you mean they were lucky?
Bad luck loses? Dallas was blown over by teams like Chicago, Titans, Vikings, Giants, Jaguars, and Green Bay. In fact, Dallas had more close wins than Chicago had.
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The Bears are trying to change their image with Mike Martz pass happy play calling. You obviously didn't see the big yard plays Knox and Matt Forte were making.
Knox nearly had a 1,000 yard season last year, Roy Williams was a part of Mike Martz's offense in Detroit (Where he did his best) Devin Hester is an explosive Slot guy in a play or two.Tom Brady said:
I don't know about you, but Chicago's offense look a lot better than Dallas, week one.
The 2006 Bears would like to talk to you
Hold on a minute, Aren't you saying Dallas is better than Chicago because of how well they played for half a season? Get a grip. As of last year, and now, the Chicago Bears are a better team than the Dallas Cowboys. Stat wise, team wise, and most importantly, win wise.
Cam Newton, what is there to say about this man? O I know, he's been an absolute beast. He looks poised, he's staying in the pocket and he's running when he needs too. All offseason I heard he needed to work on his mechanics. Which is bullshit. He played in an offense that played to his strengths. He's been slinging the ball like that his entire life. Nothing should change. Too much stock is put into analyzing mechanics and all that silly non sense. One thing Newton had was a solid arm, accuracy, pocket awareness and last but not least he was a winner. I'm laughing at all the people that called him a bust. He's going to be a superstar. Just watch it.
Now onto my Steelers. Steelers fans are bragging about a win against hopeless Seattle. I am not. Our redzone offense has looked atrocious. Our defense can't get off the ground. Our pass coverage is still shady. I know week one the Ravens played their best game like ever against Ben. Shit, Ben was like 8-0 career against them. Our receivers look fast and Ben is still a beast. I still think we'll finish 10-6 not because our defense but because Ben is a winner.
O and the Lions look great so far. Stafford looks worthy of that first pick a few years ago. Johnson is catching everything and their defense has been a pleasant surprise. Not just their defensive line, the entire defense in general. I want to see their game against GB before I consider them a wild card team though.
Now onto my Steelers. Steelers fans are bragging about a win against hopeless Seattle. I am not. Our redzone offense has looked atrocious. Our defense can't get off the ground. Our pass coverage is still shady. I know week one the Ravens played their best game like ever against Ben. Shit, Ben was like 8-0 career against them. Our receivers look fast and Ben is still a beast. I still think we'll finish 10-6 not because our defense but because Ben is a winner.
O and the Lions look great so far. Stafford looks worthy of that first pick a few years ago. Johnson is catching everything and their defense has been a pleasant surprise. Not just their defensive line, the entire defense in general. I want to see their game against GB before I consider them a wild card team though.
I agree. I really thought The Packers were going to expose him, but Cam still put up 400 yards despite having 3 Interceptions. Carolina looks like they've found their guy in Cam Newton. I have to say, I'm very impressed. He's making great throws, following his reads, has some pretty good poise in the pocket, and he's mobile. He's good and he'll even more dangerous as the season goes on.
On a few notes, The Lions looked amazing again. But let's see how they do against a Division Foe in Minnesota. If they can win that game, then Detroit is in business for playoff talks. I already said Detroit is grabbing that #6 seed. Their D is playing so well and as long Stafford stays healthy, their offense will be just fine.
The Redskins are 2-0....
Grossman must be doing something right down there. They already beat The Giants and I think they can get past a Romo-less Cowboys (let's be serious, Romo isn't stupid enough to play a FULL game with cracked ribs.) Eagles is a tough call though.
Bills are 2-0 too, but it ends this Sunday. Tom Brady and his boys aren't gonna get beat by Buffalo. Sorry guys.
The Jets....meh. Oakland will get them next week
Now, to the main story, at least for me anyway. Indianapolis. Really? The Browns? We can't even beat The Browns. Now, I've been on Colt forums where people bash Kerry Collins, but I'm not. Well, not mostly anyway. I don't blame Collins for two reasons:
1) When Collins came off the bench in Tennessee and led The Titans to a 13-3 record and a #1 Seed, he had something that Indianapolis lacks severely. An OFFENSIVE LINE. I mean geez, Collins can't even plant his feet to get the ball out of his hands. They have to remember that this isn't Manning where he can get the ball out faster and make up for the lackluster offensive line.
2) Collins doesn't play defense. Our defense is so used to playing with a lead because sometimes Manning will score at will on almost every drive. This defense can't stop anybody and it's sad how Manning going down affects the team this much.
Collins is so used to having great protection, which he doesn't get with The Colts. How is Collins gonna throw the ball when he's being swarmed from the snap of the ball? I know this much, we play Pittsburgh this Sunday. We better get our act together and NOW because that game has 45-3 written all over it. I still believe, so get it together.
On a few notes, The Lions looked amazing again. But let's see how they do against a Division Foe in Minnesota. If they can win that game, then Detroit is in business for playoff talks. I already said Detroit is grabbing that #6 seed. Their D is playing so well and as long Stafford stays healthy, their offense will be just fine.
The Redskins are 2-0....
Grossman must be doing something right down there. They already beat The Giants and I think they can get past a Romo-less Cowboys (let's be serious, Romo isn't stupid enough to play a FULL game with cracked ribs.) Eagles is a tough call though.
Bills are 2-0 too, but it ends this Sunday. Tom Brady and his boys aren't gonna get beat by Buffalo. Sorry guys.
The Jets....meh. Oakland will get them next week
Now, to the main story, at least for me anyway. Indianapolis. Really? The Browns? We can't even beat The Browns. Now, I've been on Colt forums where people bash Kerry Collins, but I'm not. Well, not mostly anyway. I don't blame Collins for two reasons:
1) When Collins came off the bench in Tennessee and led The Titans to a 13-3 record and a #1 Seed, he had something that Indianapolis lacks severely. An OFFENSIVE LINE. I mean geez, Collins can't even plant his feet to get the ball out of his hands. They have to remember that this isn't Manning where he can get the ball out faster and make up for the lackluster offensive line.
2) Collins doesn't play defense. Our defense is so used to playing with a lead because sometimes Manning will score at will on almost every drive. This defense can't stop anybody and it's sad how Manning going down affects the team this much.
Collins is so used to having great protection, which he doesn't get with The Colts. How is Collins gonna throw the ball when he's being swarmed from the snap of the ball? I know this much, we play Pittsburgh this Sunday. We better get our act together and NOW because that game has 45-3 written all over it. I still believe, so get it together.
Mick Overlast
Happy to be back in WZCW
I wish I can say we'll score 45, but I don't see that even coming close to happening. Our OL is still atrocious, and the secondary is still suspect.
I've been saying we won't be able to judge this year's Steelers until probably Week 4 at Houston. The Texans already have a good offense; now their defense is starting to come around.
I'll be at Lucas Oil Sunday night; should be a good time!
Houston only beat us by as much as they did because we didn't have Manning. Who knows how Manning would fare against Wade Phillips' new defense. I honestly don't think Pittsburgh will have trouble with Houston. Their D may have improved, but that's just up front. Their secondary is still susceptible to the big play.
I know Pittsburgh's OL is bad, but you guys played against the Ravens. The D Line isn't exactly nothing. If we couldn't get to Colt fucking McCoy, how are we getting to Big Ben?
As much as I'm not a fan of Big Ben, he's going to Swiss cheese that suspect secondary we have. I'm surprised at how badly the Offense AND Defense plays when Manning is out. No Manning = No Win.
The only way we win is if our D shows up. Freeney and Mathis need to bring the heat to Big Ben. Coyer has to dial up some schemes to make Ben uncomfortable in the pocket and make some mistakes and for god sakes, our secondary has to defend the big play.
And Collins....I know the O-Line is garbage, but you have to adjust. You've got all the playmakers around you. Make the plays and try to be precise. I still have faith in my team, but if we lose this game, then chances are we are done.
Mick Overlast
Happy to be back in WZCW
I wish I could share the same beliefs. Houston's strength is still in the passing game, and our secondary has been atrocious against teams who can spread it out (see Baltimore Week 1, GB in the SB, NE basically every time we play them, etc.) We have to be able to get to Schaub early and often to keep him out of a rhythm.
We're starting a rookie at RT, so there's a starting point for you. The thing about Ben is he's better when he's making plays outside of the pocket...making him uncomfortable while in it isn't going to do a lot for you; he'll get out of it and do what he does.
Collins led the Titans out of nowhere to the No. 1 seed in the AFC a few years ago, so he CAN get the job done. He just needs to get comfortable with the system and get the chemistry down with the receivers. He was retired before signing, if I'm not mistaken. I'm just glad this game is happening now instead of November/December. Good luck to your boys.