NFL 2011

[Tannhauser]

Slight derail but what's up with Eli's psyche?

Peyton QB's in college.  So does Eli.
Peyton goes to the NFL.  So does Eli.
Peyton shills for Sony.  Eli shills for Samsung.

Psst. Eli.  YOU WILL NEVER BE PEYTON AND YOUR PARENTS LOVE HIM MORE.

[JWIV]

Watching the Steelers get dismantled has made my entire week.  It's not that I dislike the Steelers, it's that I dislike their fans.  Not having to listen to them for a week at work is like a gift.  

Its my only regret about being on vacation right now and out of town .  The city apparently went completely apeshit over it.   I had to settle for running around the condo I'm renting screaming my head off.  God, what a game.

[01101010]

Watching the Steelers get dismantled has made my entire week.  It's not that I dislike the Steelers, it's that I dislike their fans.  Not having to listen to them for a week at work is like a gift.  

Its my only regret about being on vacation right now and out of town .  The city apparently went completely apeshit over it.   I had to settle for running around the condo I'm renting screaming my head off.  God, what a game.

I for one can't wait to get into work tomorrow and start sipping the tears. I really should have marketed my terrible tissues.... 

[Paelos]

Tony Romo continues to be a cocksucking choke artist.

[Sjofn]

The FFB league I'm in this season only has 8 teams, so we decided to do some wacky shit this year. Like allow two starting quarterbacks.

I have Manning the Lesser, Tony Romo, and Jay Cutler. Autodraft is awesome.


I am pretty displeased about the Giants but ... I dunno. I've been expecting it to be shitty, so it's hard to be disappointed.

[Cyrrex]

Because I just moved back to Europe, I decided to sign up for NFL Red  Zone for the first time ever - I only managed to watch the early games, but HOLY SHIT do you get to see a lot of football over those three hours.  It's like watching 10 hours of football.  A little exhausting, even...it's non-stop action, something happening all the time.

Highly, highly recommended if any of you are on the fence about getting Red Zone.

[WayAbvPar]

Yeah RZ is the tits. Nothing like 8 hours of no commercial football!

[HaemishM]

My Sunday recap:

Holy fuck, Ravens Defense, save some for the rest of my fantasy team. Also, Ray Rice Beast Mode HOOOOOOOOO!!!! This team should not be this good, even at home. It's early yet, but I may have been completely wrong about the Ravens' chances this year. The Steelers are better than this by FAR. I fell asleep during most of this game, but what I saw was ugly.

Atlanta... seriously? What the fuck was wrong with you? I watched like 3 quarters of the most disjointed offense I've seen you play in a while. It's like you were afraid to go down the field in the passing game. There was no continuity to the offense at all. And your defensive coverage sucked monkey ass. You better pick that shit up if you want to compete against New Orleans.

The Redskins defense was much much better than I expected it to be and I expected it to be decent. Maybe it was just that the Giants are REALLY FUCKING BAD. They were really bad and Eli had the Eli face going most of the game and I can't figure out why. They were able to run the ball. They seemed able to pass pretty well. But when it mattered... INTERCEPTION HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! The G-men's defense sucked a big fat one, especially their defensive backfield. Either these young Redskins receivers are pretty good (especially this Armstrong kid), your cornerbacks are one-legged cripples or your coverage schemes suck. Rex Grossman really should not have looked that good.

Cowboys and Jets. Hey Tony Romo... you are not Brett Favre, and it doesn't ever appear you will be. Learn to throw from the pocket. Of course, if your O Line could actually pass protect, you might not have to feel you must win the game on your own. Also, Dez Bryant... I've heard potassium pills help with the cramps. Learn to be on the field. Mark Sanchez keeps being exactly what I thought he is. Inconsistent. He only looked good when Dallas' secondary ended up breaking their labias. The rest of the time he looked like Rex Grossman.

In the WTF, Guys? category - Cleveland, Kansas City and Atlanta. At least Atlanta played a division winner from last year. The Bengals and the Bills? Le ugh.

[naum]

Yeah RZ is the tits. Nothing like 8 hours of no commercial football!

Except DirecTV fucked over its customers again, viewers getting "free" sample/trial got their NFL Sunday Ticket just dandy but paying customers (including set top boxes, PS3 and online) were screwed most of the 1st game as picture just froze and then a mandatory box reset/reboot was required to view ANY channel. People calling in were treated to a lengthy "hold", then disconnected. Internet traffic roared so much it took down website for awhile. After awhile, their service department (@DirectvService) began responding via Twitter… …that's how customer service is done now in the 21st century, I reckon…  

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the Steelers were on the local channel feed, so I got to see the meltdown v. the Ravens. When Ben is struggling, he really is awful, and on par with the Jamarcus Russels and Jason Campbells of the league. The defense, is more troublesome, as its been carved up two games in a row and Troy Polamalu, fresh off his big contract score ($35M + $10M signing bonus for 4 years?) still seems like he's late to the play, every snap. Still, I don't know what all the wailing is about, it just regular season game #1, Ravens, no doubt, much more motivated (after each playoff season being ceremoniously pwned by Steelers) and on home turf and Killer Ray got his juices flowing after folding up the 9/11 flag tribute.

[Paelos]

Who would have figured I should have started Cutler instead of Big Ben?

[ghost]

I'm not a fantasy football guy, but Roethlisberger isn't a stat stuffer.  I wouldn't have expected him to be a good fantasy pick. 

[Paelos]

I'm not a fantasy football guy, but Roethlisberger isn't a stat stuffer.  I wouldn't have expected him to be a good fantasy pick. 

Yeah, but Cutler doing well? That was the shock.

[Rasix]

Rapey's been a decent fantasy start 3 out of the last 4 years.  You could discount last year I suppose since he didn't start the first 4 games.

[ghost]

Yeah, I went back and looked at Cutler's stats.  He isn't as good as I remembered, stat wise.  Rapey probably is the better overall pick there. 

[HaemishM]

Rapey is a solid fantasy start most games. Cutler is... well, besides being a Cunt is going to have games where he throws the lights out and games where he can't figure out which team is his.

[Rasix]

I won with him last year! 

[shiznitz]

It is always preferable for a QB or RB to have one or two HORRENDOUS games a season than it is to have mediocrity every week.  Ben will bounce back. 

[Ingmar]

Newton did a great job holding down my bench.

[Segoris]

Who would have figured I should have started Cutler instead of Big Ben?

I had the exact same problem. On one of my teams I chose Big Ben over Cutler (and also had Pits Defense for -5). On paper going into the game it was the better choice. What really hurt was on another team I sat Chi's defense since I had Ryan and Turner so the points each earned wouldn't go against one another, sadly Chi's defense scored more than Ryan and Turner combined. I can't wait for week two so I can put this week behind me.

[Nevermore]

LeSean McCoy 

[Bunk]

I have Rivers (who I started) and Cutler. Cutler actualy scored slightly higher. The guy has had 16 300 yard games in his career.

Highest scoring entry on my FF team so far this week? Bear's Defence.

 

[Nebu]

I have Rivers (who I started) and Cutler. Cutler actualy scored slightly higher. The guy has had 16 300 yard games in his career.

Highest scoring entry on my FF team so far this week? Bear's Defence.

 

In my main league, I played a guy that had both Urlacher (as an IDP) and the Bear's D.  It wasn't a good week to have the PIT defense. 

[01101010]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6962076/kansas-city-chiefs-safety-eric-berry-rest-2011

Ugh... crushing. I really liked this guy, was sorted sad he didn't get drafted by the Browns... Now, a little more comfortable with their pick instead, but still.

[Murgos]

I have Rivers (who I started) and Cutler. Cutler actualy scored slightly higher. The guy has had 16 300 yard games in his career.

Highest scoring entry on my FF team so far this week? Bear's Defence.

 

Rivers is likely to perform well every week though.  I wouldn't count on Cutler being that consistent.

[Nebu]

I have Rivers (who I started) and Cutler. Cutler actualy scored slightly higher. The guy has had 16 300 yard games in his career.

Highest scoring entry on my FF team so far this week? Bear's Defence.

 

Rivers is likely to perform well every week though.  I wouldn't count on Cutler being that consistent.

No!!!!  Rivers sucks and you should start Cutler every week... and trade Rivers to me! 

[Nevermore]

Wow, guess it's a good thing I picked Brady as my QB in the second round, even though I fucking hate the Patriots and Brady in particular.   

[stu]

Raiders-Broncos: Penalties are a good thing, right?

[HaemishM]

So yeah, Miami? Sucks. Yes, let's switch our offense to a pass crazy offense with a QB who has thrown more INT's than TD's in his career and who most people aren't convinced can be a good backup QB. And let's ditch our power running game for Reggie Bush (who looked good early) and someone who can't punch it in from the 1. Let's rely on our defense... oh, yeah that's not going work either. Yes, tonight's game was against Tom Brady and the Pats but still. It's going to be a long season for the Fins.

There was a Broncos/Raiders game tonight? 

[Nevermore]

For once, Henne actually wasn't the problem even though he saved his miscues for the red zone.  Relying on the awful, awful Daniel Thomas to provide the followup punch to Reggie Bush is what will sink their offense.  Not that it matters much considering how terrible the defense looked.  I don't care if it's the Patriots, you just don't give up over 500 yards passing.  Going to be along year.

[Fordel]

From what I saw of the game, the Dolphins defense was just dazed and confused the entire game.

Brady would be throwing the pass already, while the Dolphins were still trying to figure out who was covering what.

[shiznitz]

I agree.  Miami was not ready for week 1. 

[01101010]

Just think, at this rate, Brady is on par to throw 8000y for the season. Move over Marino! 

[HaemishM]

Henne definitely didn't look bad. But he's the wrong kind of QB to go for the ZOMGLOOKPASS offense. And not having a big, strong back to grab those 3rd and 1 and 4th and 1 situations is going to kill them. Reggie Bush is not a feature back, no matter what he might want people to think. He was actually used to best effect the way they used him in New Orleans. If he makes it to 10 games, I'll be surprised.

[Stewie]

No offense HaemishM, but you don't know what you are talking about.

Henne is a pure thrower and is exactly the right kind of QB for a "ZOMGLOOKPASS" offense. They have been misusing him his 1st 3 years in the league. Dan Henning was a horrible O coordinator.
You talk about picks but in actuality he has thrown less picakble balls then Mark Sanchez (amongst others) . In fact he had 1 picakble ball dropped last year, This is the least of any starting QB in the league. Again comparing him to Sanchez who had 15 pickable balls dropped.  (Stats from PFF)

This year you will see them probably end up closer to the average.
Henne was actually fairly accurate when he was allowed to throw. You saw evidence of that Monday night.
My main knocks on him (I have watched every snap he has taken as a pro) is he gets a bit excited and overcooks his touch passes and he doesn't quite think the game fast enough, both of these will come with time and it already looks like the game is starting to slow down for him a bit.
 
You also talk about the dolphins power running game.

And not having a big, strong back to grab those 3rd and 1 and 4th and 1 situations is going to kill them

 
This year rookie Daniel Thomas is supposed to fill that roll, he was out in game 1 with a pulled hamstring. But he should be back in game 2. Although I am worried that he is not capable of being a solid starter. He runs too vertically and tends to go down to easy. That being said it looks like they are trying to correct that from what i could see of his preseason carries.

either way the run 1st O they were trying to run was not working. you have a gunslinger for a QB use that.

[Nebu]

With the continuing value and athletic ability improvements in defensive players, I think that teams are nearly forced to find a quality FB to make the running game viable.  Quality FB's are a rare breed.  If you can find one that also has a pair of hands, you win.