National Football League

[ChrisE]

My UH friend just called me in orgasm saying Case Keenum has been named the starter for the Texans Sunday. Too bad, against that KC defense. Sux to get tossed into something like that for your first start. At least I will see it first hand, probably shyt-faced in the nosebleeds at Arrowhead.

Of course, Kubiak has been splitting starters time in practice all week with Yates. So he has had 50% less time with the first string than he should have if Kubiak would have made the decision earlier. More incompetence.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Keenum set all kinds of passing records in college and ran a spread pro set of sorts. But he's not very big, has questionable arm strengt, and no NFL experience (pre-season doesn't count). I wish him well, but to be thrown to the wolves like this against one of the best defenses in the NFL isn't all that fair to the kid.

 

[Amsterhammer]

SEA@ARI –
TB@ATL - Falcons need this one.
STL@CAR – Could go either way, I’ll go for a home win.
CIN@DET – Could also go either way, I’ll stick with the Lions.
SD@JAX – I’m going to regret this, but I have to go for Sandy Eggo.
BUF@MIA – Fins should be too good at home.
NE@NYJ – Another Pats win.
DAL@PHI - This should be a Dallas win, barring Romo.....
CHI@WAS - A Skins win by some fluke would not surprise, but I just can’t pick my team on what I’ve seen so far.
SF@TEN - 49ers shouldn’t have too much trouble.
CLE@GB - Packers to win again.
HOU@KC – Chiefs too good.
BAL@PIT – Got to be Ravens for me if they can start playing in the first half, though it could be squeaky close.
DEN@IND – Peyton comes home and does the business.
MIN@NYG – Surely, surely they can win this one?

 

[The Hitch]

Lol. Mike Nugent has the best job in the world. Turn up at a new stadium every Sunday, watch the game, come on at the end, kick the field goal, win the game, sit back down.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Well, I sure had the game of the day!

I was convinced right till the end that they would find some strange, bizarre way of losing at the death. But, a hell of a game to watch.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Some quick thoughts.

At this point in the season it's startling that there are only three teams in the NFC with five wins: Sea, NO, and SF. The next best team is GB at 4-2.

Indianapolis now has wins over the three best teams in the NFL: The Broncos, Seahawks, and 49ers.

Despite being the only unbeaten team, KC just doesn't look like a serious contender to me. Yes, their defense is very solid with a great front four, yes, Andy Reid has them disciplined, yes Alex Smith and Jamal Charles are giving serviceable offensive, mistake free performances. But they just don't look like a 7-0 team who may be 9-0 after playing Cleveland and Buffalo.

Do not be surprised if San Diego makes the playoffs, even upsets someone. They look great on offense and are quietly 4-3 behind Rivers, with a win over Indy.

Despite all the safety rules, injuries are playing a key role to teams. Cutler, Wayne, Cushing, Briggs, Doug Martin, Roddy White and Stephen Jackson, Bobby Wagner, so many names I can't even list them all...

Percy Harvin practicing with Seattle, but team says he won't play until 100%, no exception. Seems smart to me.

Philly may be in a real bind. Foles was not good playing with a hurt groin, and a healthy Barkley was worse. Vick can't heal fast enough. But the Eagles just did not look very explosive. Very little hurry up, or urgency even. Strange for a Chip Kelly team.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Cutler

Nooooooooooooooooo! Smokin' Jay Cutler is out for at least 4 weeks due to a groin tear.

Sniff-sniff... I'm going to cry.

On a different note - not that I actually watched the game, but that KC-Houston score was a little too close for comfort for me. Had KC lost I would have been dead in survival football. (That would have made me cry, too.)

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Hahaha, Tric Rider. Stop it with the sniff sniff stuff. You are keeping me in stiches. I mean, don't really stop it, as I'm busting up.

Further thoughts: Indy would not win a second matchup against at least 2 of those 3 teams, and maybe not vs all 3 with the Broncs being the 3rd.

Harvin's return to SEA is a much anticipated thing by many. But I'm equally hoping the 2 starting tackles return soon, especially LT Okung. But I agree there is no need to hurry the return of all 3 of those guys as up next for SEA are the Rams and then the Bucs.

Speaking of Rams, there apparently is some consideration being given in the Rams front office of bringing in Tebow (since Bradford is out for season w/ torn left ACL). Don't think it will happen though.

And speaking of QBs... Josh Freeman gets the start tonight on MNF vs the NYG. Josh has been a Vike now for a whole 2 weeks. There can't be much of the playbook he can manage. Anyway, the crummy game of the week just got interesting. If the NYG can't get a win tonight, oh my!

Finally, sad news that Titans owner Bud Adams has passed away. link

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

ESPN's Scott Van Pelt put the Monday night game well... "We just spent (wasted) 3 hours and we can't get it back. We are all in this together."

What a colasal mistake to start Josh Freeman, and that's no disrespect to him. No. That's all on the foolhardy coaching staff. The kid showed he has talent, but he had no chance put in that position. What's going on in the Vikes organization is stoopid.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/oct/22/broncos-giants-season-opening-streaks-end?CMP=twt_gu

Five things we learned in week seven: Peyton Manning's return to Indianapolis ends the Bronco's winning streak; Eli Manning's Giants finally win; Patriots fall to new rule

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Hahaha, Tric Rider. Stop it with the sniff sniff stuff. You are keeping me in stiches. I mean, don't really stop it, as I'm busting up.

So here you are, mocking my pain.

You know what no Cutler for at least four weeks means? It means no fun, photoshopped entries on the Smokin' Jay Cutler website!

I think I'm going to cry...

At any rate, I'm picking the Panthers for tomorrow, the rest of my picks will come later.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

My bad. I just thought that was a humorous way of expressing the loss of Cutler. But backup Josh McCown should be efficient and athletic. The good news its a bye week. Bad news is thats followed by @GB, Detroit, Baltimore. Bears have good things going defensively, including +7 in Takeaway difference. So that may help.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

What does everyone think of the new blocking rule that affected the end of the last Jets-Pats game? ....

Well, here is one viewpoint by Skip Bayless and Steven A Smith that I do not agree with. link There are several points Skip makes I disagree with:
1. There was no leverage gained by the Pats DL - Disagree. If I was the Pats DLineman committing the rule violation I'd feel dissed that Skip does not think I have the strength to affect leverage. Put 2 DL guys plowing through one Jet OLineman and the OLineman is "at disadvantage". Disadvantage is part of the spirit of the rule that everyone seems to be forgetting. This is why we have rules about disallowing defenders from launching themselves off another teammate on FG-PAT attempts to block kicks. (The other part of this new rule everyone is chiming in on is player safety... and in this situation I don't think safety was jeopardized, at least not by much if any.)
2. The MAIN point Bayless makes is that the refs should not have thrown the penalty flag because in THAT MOMENT, the refs just should not make a call that affects the outcome of games. Ok, so what if the flag was not thrown and the Pats block the kick? Then what kind of discussion do you think we would be having? It would be all about how Bilicheat broke another rule and won a game as a result! So... I do not buy arguments on this that the flag should not be thrown in game-determining moments. The bottom line is - THE RULES ARE THE RULES, SO FOLLOW THEM AND YOUR TEAM WON'T GET FLAGGED. PERIOD. Now, that said, since then even Bilichick admits (in link above) that after reviewing film his player broke the rule and he, the coach, is to blame for not teaching the rule. Good job by coach for standing up and being responsible.

 

[Amsterhammer]

CAR @ TB

Rest to follow.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Taking the Panters too, but not by a blowout. TB has talent beyond their record. But so does Carolina.

That MNF game was atrocious. Leslie Frazier is on his way to being fired. The Viks barely had Peterson run the ball! And the Giants barely looked better. Eli still threw several terrible passes. With Vick likely to play on Sunday, the Giants won't see the same QB they did in Freeman.

On3m@ - Agree on Seattle OL. Having especially a healthy Okung back is bigger than Harvin. Also agree on your assessment of Indy. They play SF, SEA and Den again, they could easily go 0-3 against them. Still, big wins for them.

Agree Bayliss is a tool. The rule was put into place for player safety, and it was the right call. Props to Belicheck for saying so. I do think the NFL has to put in some subtle rules to make FGs more of a challenge, and reward teams going for it on 4th down. For starters, I think they should take the damned orange flags showing wind direction off the goal posts.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

I had not thought about the wind directional flags mounted on goalposts. But I like the idea of getting rid of them.

What's the rule about snow blowers used to clear a spot for kickers? And you know what piece of history I'm talking about. I really don't remember what became of that. No snow blowers. Should only allow what hands and feet can clear. The thought of the entire O-Line kicking snow away with their feet during a timeout is funny, and like poetry. They way it should be. Like an offense trickulating downfield. Okay, so I'm odd.

 

[Amsterhammer]

There look to be an unusual number of bankers this week, one or more of which are bound to go wrong.

CAR @ TB
NYG @ PHI – What neutral will watch this? Ugh, what a choice. Iggles on a coin toss.
SF @ JAX – Banker #1
DAL @ DET – I don’t like picking the Cowboys unless I have to.
CLE @ KC – Should be a banker, but could be close again for the Chiefs.
MIA @ NE – Banker #2
BUF @ NO – Banker #3
PIT @ OAK – Have the Steelers turned their corner?
NYJ @ CIN – Should be nearly another home banker, unless the Jets have turned a very big corner.
WAS @ DEN – Banker #4
ATL @ ARI – Could go either way, I’ll take a chance on the home team.
GB @ MIN – This should be an away banker on current form, but these two have had some strange games.
SEA @ STL – Banker #5

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

NYG @ PHI – As bad as the Eagles D is, and evn with Vick playing hurt, I go Philly.
SF @ JAX – Lock of the week.
DAL @ DET – The Cowboys are very good at losing games like this, right when you think they are for real.
CLE @ KC – KC stays unbeaten.
MIA @ NE – Dolphins not paying well, Pats healing.
BUF @ NO – Bills better, but Saints unbeatable at home.
PIT @ OAK – Traditional rivalry, but Steelers better coached.
NYJ @ CIN – Hets have to run well to have a chance.
WAS @ DEN – RGIII playing better, but not enough.
ATL @ ARI – Stephen Jackson probable.
GB @ MIN – Freeman to bench, faking concussion? (Rodney Harrison suggested as much).
SEA @ STL – With Bradford out, no hope.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Just in the nick of time before the kickoff of the first wave of today's games, the rest of my picks...

Detroit
Kansas City
New England
New Orleans
Philadelphia
San Francisco (49ers have to win, I picked them for survival football)
Oakland
Cincinnati
Denver
Arizona
Green Bay
Seattle

 

[Tricycle Rider]

There are several points Skip makes I disagree with...

The group consensus on the message boards I frequent is that Skip Bayless is largely a contrarian ******bag.

Might be true, I don't really follow ESPN's football talk shows.

 

[The Hitch]

My god did cowboys just **** that up.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

I love to watch Dallas lose almost as much as seeing my team win. Great game!

 

[Amsterhammer]

I love to watch Dallas lose almost as much as seeing my team win. Great game!

Oh man! You beat me to it. My Skins buddies, my son, and I, were all thrilled to bits, especially by the particularly cruel manner of the loss - first time they lost the lead was with 12 seconds left.

Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Boom!

 

[SirLes]

Went to the game at Wembley today. Wow the Bucs suck. Still fun to watch.

Sad part about these games is that only the struggling franchises want to give up a home game but to draw a crowd you need a more popular team. Result is the "home" team gets stuffed and there are a large number of "away" fans at the game.

Lots of 49s fans there and not a lot to get excited about if you are trying to support the "home" team.

Giants are slightly less sucky than before. O-line seems to be getting a bit better and the recent additions to the D seem to be making a difference. Hopefully we get Brown and Wilson back to aid the running game although Hillis is doing ok having joined.

Can't believe that having started 0-6 were still in with a chance of winning the division. (Not saying we will) . Is the worst NFC East ever? Cowboys still favourites cfor the division as they have 4 wins so may only need a couple more!