NFL 2008

[Ozzu]

God. Tony Romo is finally coming back. The Cowboys weren't exactly lighting it up when he was there, but they weren't the heaping bowl of suck they are now.

[HaemishM]

I look forward to the 2-3 weeks it'll take Romo to get back into playing form - it should be   

[Bungee]

W T F is wrong with the officiating these days??

Did ANYONE happen to see the Chargers @ Steelers game?? You've got to be kidding me, aside from numerous "holding" calls on the steelers vs NOT called FUCKING OBVIOUS holding calls (I guess bringing down a DEFENDER by the FACEMASK from fucking BEHIND is not a penalty for these refs...) HOW IN THE WORLD WASN'T THAT LAST PLAY A FREAKIN TD BY POLAMALU??

Fuck your apologies mr. ref, just be happy with the money you'll get from vegas for this...

[Nebu]

Have you ever worked as a ref?  Here's a hint: IT'S A HARD FUCKING JOB!  Human error is part of the equation and you have to give the guys props for getting as many calls right as they do.  Imagine that every second of your job was scrutinized by millions of people with slow motion film.  It can't be easy.

I hate games being decided by a call as much as the next guy, but it's all part of the game.  The coaches all know this. 

[JWIV]

They actually apologized for this last night.  It was a misinterpretation of the rules.  An illegal forward pass only stops the play dead if it touches the ground, which the first pass (the actual illegal pass never did).

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i1GZ1rpRU_OWSdhg8OHJz3-QEEpwD94GDRUG0

[Paelos]

I look forward to the 2-3 weeks it'll take Romo to get back into playing form - it should be   

200 yards, 70% completions, and a TD with 2 INTS. The important stat was the W. Take one of those picks away, and that's a pretty good start for a guy just coming back. I think if he can duplicate that kind of performance and have the running game average over 4 yards on the ground, and the Cowboys will be SF next week.

[Bungee]

Have you ever worked as a ref?  Here's a hint: IT'S A HARD FUCKING JOB!  Human error is part of the equation and you have to give the guys props for getting as many calls right as they do.  Imagine that every second of your job was scrutinized by millions of people with slow motion film.  It can't be easy.

I hate games being decided by a call as much as the next guy, but it's all part of the game.  The coaches all know this. 

I don't complain too much about refs because of that. I'm playing a sport at a national level and even though I can get pretty upset by calls or non-calls, I'm cool with that afterall.
But they haven fuckin' INSTANT REPLAY in the NFL. And they even used it!

It's one thing that they don't SEE a foul- it's another thing if they don't know the RULES. Because that's what refs do- enforce them. And to do that, I excpect them to know them , too.
They didn't like to call a few holding penalties that were pretty obvious- ok, won't do too much on the outcome of the game or even the season.

But putting 6 points off the board because they didn't know (misinterpreted my ass...) what happened and how to react to that can change the outcome of a game and even a season. Ask the Chargers, I think they can tell you a story or two about that...

[shiznitz]

The Eagles-Bengals game was so embarassing to watch as an NFL fan that my testicles shriveled a little bit.

[HaemishM]

The refs didn't just fuck up the Steelers game. The Cowboys game had some shit reffing too. That punt that resulted in a touchback after the refs looked at it on the replay? Bullshit call or bullshit explanation, one of the two. When the player touched the ball on the 1-yard line, ball should be dead. If the ball isn't dead until the player stops moving, SAY THAT IN THE EXPLANATION. Otherwise, it makes you look like you don't know the rules. Maybe the call was right, but if so, the explanation did not make that clear.

[Ozzu]

The refs didn't just fuck up the Steelers game. The Cowboys game had some shit reffing too. That punt that resulted in a touchback after the refs looked at it on the replay? Bullshit call or bullshit explanation, one of the two. When the player touched the ball on the 1-yard line, ball should be dead. If the ball isn't dead until the player stops moving, SAY THAT IN THE EXPLANATION. Otherwise, it makes you look like you don't know the rules. Maybe the call was right, but if so, the explanation did not make that clear.

The call was right. The explanation sucked. It has to be in his possession. He was still rolling towards the endzone when he had it in his arms, he attempted to throw it back into play knowing that he wasn't stopped yet, but his teammates kicked the ball into his ass.

From the NFL Rulebook:

A punted ball remains a kicked ball until it is declared dead or in possession of either team.

http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/kicksfromscrimmage

[Ozzu]

The Cowboys look like a totally different team with Romo back. He still doesn't look 100%, but you can't really argue with 300+ yards and 3 TDs. He's a machine even with a bum finger.

[HaemishM]

Good thing they were playing San Francisco.  I think I could pass for 300 yards against the Niners.

Also, what the fuck happened to the Packers' defense last night? Holy shit, I had to stop watching in the 3rd, it was just too painful.

[HaemishM]

I think the Titans just scored again.

Goddamnit, could we have had any LESS competitive games yesterday? The only matchup that wasn't a complete fuckup from the get go was the Eagles/Cardinals game, and it ended up being a fucking blowout anyway. The football just plain sucked ass yesterday. I think we can stop the tradition of letting Detroit get the Thanksgiving game until they can learn how to field a team more competitive than the Ford Street Elementary JV.

[Brogarn]

I watched maybe 10 minutes of football total yesterday. Seriously crappy games. Although I was surprised to read this morning that the Eagles demolished the Cardinals. I wasn't expecting that.

[Paelos]

I like watching my Cowboys on Thanksgiving. On paper, you could look at the Cowboys v. Seahawks matchup at the beginning of the season, and everyone expected them to be leading their respective divisions. Things just didn't pan out that way. Detroit has run out of excuses though. The lions haven't won their division in 15 years. They haven't been NFL champions in over 50 years. They suck. Newer NFL fans can't recall a time when they were competative.

Speaking of not competative, I'm going to be really pissed off when 2 or 3 division winners have worse records than the wild card teams this year.

[Trippy]

Speaking of not competative, I'm going to be really pissed off when 2 or 3 division winners have worse records than the wild card teams this year.

That happens regularly.

[Paelos]

Speaking of not competative, I'm going to be really pissed off when 2 or 3 division winners have worse records than the wild card teams this year.

That happens regularly.

It hasn't happened in the last 5 years that both wild card winners had better records than a division winner. One may have, but not both. With the shittiness of the NFC North and West, that's a very real possibility this year.

[Trippy]

Speaking of not competative, I'm going to be really pissed off when 2 or 3 division winners have worse records than the wild card teams this year.

That happens regularly.

It hasn't happened in the last 5 years that both wild card winners had better records than a division winner. One may have, but not both. With the shittiness of the NFC North and West, that's a very real possibility this year.

Oh, you meant 2 division winners in the same conference. Yes that's more rare.

[Triforcer]

Plax being Plax might have real consequences this time- some commentators are saying mandatory three year sentence for this kind of firearms offense.  No doubt the "accidental shooting of himself" will morph into "buddy accidentally shot him," with said buddy receiving a million or two for doing the time. 

[HaemishM]

Ok, wait. I'm just hearing this Plax story.

So he carries an unlicensed weapon into a fucking night club. He then proceeds to shoot himself in the thigh with it. New York doesn't recognize out-of-state gun licenses, so he's looking at a felony charge of carrying an unlicensed firearm. The man makes MILLIONS. He can't just hire a fucking bodyguard to carry a weapon instead of having to have one on himself? He can't afford to hire someone to remind him when to register his gats?

How... fucking... stupid... are... you?

Injury time, definitely suspension time AND possible jail time just carry a heater in da club?

Fucking clownshoes. BUH-BYE.

[Paelos]

You can't fix stupid.

[HaemishM]

The Packers season is probably over. 2 games behind Minnesota with no more games left against them, a game behind the Bears and completely out of the wild card picture. Either Minnesota and Chicago have to completely shit the bed AND the Pack run the table, or they just aren't going to make it. Their run defense has been crap this season.

[Mr_PeaCH]

FUCK the Chargers!  s'all I'm sayin.

(This was supposed to be THE SEASON, ya know?)

[Trippy]

With Norv Turner as the coach?

[JWIV]

With Norv Turner as the coach?

I just don't fucking understand the infatuation with retreads.  People in Baltimore were clamoring for Turner or the like instead of Harbaugh.  It's like, DID YOU FUCKHEADS NOT WATCH TURNER & SCHOTTENHEIMER in Washington?   

[Rasix]

Too early to say that LT's career is over?  Don't know if it's the line's fault, but the guy's averaging 3.7 yards per carry and has a whopping 6 TDs.  On closer inspection, he's almost 30.  Yep, he's done. Too bad, seems like a decent guy if a bit petulant at times during the predictable San Diego playoff exits.

The Packers season is probably over. 2 games behind Minnesota with no more games left against them, a game behind the Bears and completely out of the wild card picture. Either Minnesota and Chicago have to completely shit the bed AND the Pack run the table, or they just aren't going to make it. Their run defense has been crap this season.

Their defense is 100% terrible this year.  No use singling any aspect out. For shutdown, Pro Bowl corners, Harris and Woodson sure are giving up a lot of game breaking plays.  Nothing quite like getting beat to jump balls by a guy shorter than I am.

[HaemishM]

Too early to say that LT's career is over?  Don't know if it's the line's fault, but the guy's averaging 3.7 yards per carry and has a whopping 6 TDs.  On closer inspection, he's almost 30.  Yep, he's done. Too bad, seems like a decent guy if a bit petulant at times during the predictable San Diego playoff exits.

I think LT's suffering from not having Turner as his change of pace back anymore. Sproles is fast, but a completely different type of runner. Turner could take those punishing up the gut runs and do almost as well as LT. Sproles can't. Not to mention I don't think he's quite healed from that toe injury.

Agreed about Green Bay's defense. I think part of it is that Cullen Jenkins has been missing from the line all year, but really, the whole defense has suffered.

[Paelos]

I'm shocked that the two wild cards in the NFC could come from the South division 

Things sure have changed here on Walton's Mountain.

[Bungee]

At this point of the season, I think it's safe to quote myself

Call me "optimistic", but I really think the Pats will be the negative surprise of the upcoming season.

They'll still make it to the playoffs, but only on the backs of rebuilding Division Rivals and no QB in Buffalo.
Their Defense just won't be able to hold their level of last year- and signing another silverback to bolster a crushed secondary won't help. I had my reasons when getting Mayo on my FF team- he WILL record most tackles on that team b/c no one else has young enough feet to get to action as fast as he will.

On another note- Browns vs Steelers won't be nearly as close as people think.
Browns D is still the Browns D, and even if the Steelers D won't be as good as in past years, it's still enough to hold most opponents down to a point, where one of the best game-managing, bomb-armed QBs and a packed backfield will be able to outscore them.

I really expect big surprises from the Titans and the Bucs this season. I really think they are where there must be to take it to the next level.

Pats sucking when playing real teams-check
Pats making it to the POs- ok I begin to doubt that but still in the picture
Steelers vs Browns not even close- check
Steelers D not as good as in the past- omg shame on me
Big Surprise Titans- check check check
Big Surprise Bucs- 9-3 anyone?

 

[Triforcer]

I'm switching from Broughden to you as my investment adviser 

[Ozzu]

Pats sucking when playing real teams-check
Pats making it to the POs- ok I begin to doubt that but still in the picture
Steelers vs Browns not even close- check
Steelers D not as good as in the past- omg shame on me
Big Surprise Titans- check check check
Big Surprise Bucs- 9-3 anyone?

 

Wow. You nailed it. The Titans I could kind of see, but the Bucs? They have been so inept on offense for so long, I figured they'd pull another 8-8 or something. I was most definitely wrong there.

Oh and Cowboys vs Steelers. That's going to be a game right there. The Cowboys can't do worse than 3-1 in the next 4 and even hope of making the playoffs in the NFC this year. If they were going to lose one, they better do it against the AFC as well or their conference record would take another hit and I doubt they would win any tiebreakers save for the head-to-heads with a couple of the teams.

[Nevermore]

The rumor going around that Monte Kiffen is going to Tennessee to coach with his son makes me a 

[JWIV]

The rumor going around that Monte Kiffen is going to Tennessee to coach with his son makes me a 

Gah yah, this is not good news for the Bucs.

[murdoc]

The rumor going around that Monte Kiffen is going to Tennessee to coach with his son makes me a 

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[WayAbvPar]

I found this elsewhere but felt obligated to share it-