2008 NFL Season Thread- The Road to Super Bowl XLIII

[Medic]

Panthers running game made the Bucs look foolish tonight, One second the ESPN guys would be gushing about Monte Kiffin and the next second either DeAngelo Williams or Jonathan Stewart is running behind the Tampa secondary towards the end zone. It's not very often in the NFL when a team can throw two running backs at you and have both of tehm get 100+ yards and two touchdowns. Williams nearly made it to 200 yards.

It was 186 and 115 yards for Williams and Stewart. Only Delhome taking some knees kept the Panthers ground game below 300 yards rushing. (it was 299)

Reminds me when the Bucs defense was better than it was now but nevertheless got abso-fuck-lutely raped by the 2000-2002 Raiders running game. Nothing against Monte Kiffin but his Cover 2's been skewered by running games before, especially power games. Playing the pass-obsessed Raiders in their Super Bowl was like a 2nd Christmas.

[Havok]

That whole game, and all I can say wow about was that amazing TD catch by Antonio Bryant. Then I wonder, WHERE THE FUCK WAS THAT SHIT WHEN YOU WERE IN SAN FRANCISCO YOU DUMB SHIT?!?!

Edit: And Frank Gore's ankle X-rays came back negative.

[Elfdart]

That whole game, and all I can say wow about was that amazing TD catch by Antonio Bryant. Then I wonder, WHERE THE FUCK WAS THAT SHIT WHEN YOU WERE IN SAN FRANCISCO YOU DUMB SHIT?!?!

Edit: And Frank Gore's ankle X-rays came back negative.

He had a very good 2006 season (over 18 yards/catch). The team shouldn't have given up on him.

[Havok]

That whole game, and all I can say wow about was that amazing TD catch by Antonio Bryant. Then I wonder, WHERE THE FUCK WAS THAT SHIT WHEN YOU WERE IN SAN FRANCISCO YOU DUMB SHIT?!?!

Edit: And Frank Gore's ankle X-rays came back negative.

He had a very good 2006 season (over 18 yards/catch). The team shouldn't have given up on him.

True, but then again, he shouldn't have been driving his Ferrari around the Bay Area at 140mph either.

[Dark Flame]

I didn't watch the Browns game. By all accounts, I didn't miss anything.

The MNF game was fun to watch, though. I love to see a good ground attack dismantle a team. The Panthers-Giants game should be really fun to watch, too.

[Darth Fanboy]

Why in the FUCK are the Browns slated for Monday Night Football again? What dumbshit scheduling guy thought that America would want to see the Cleveland Browns three times? Did that many people drink the kool aid after last season's bunch of overacheivers? They've also had one Sunday Night game and one Thursday night game. What justification is there for this team to have five prime-time appearances?

Sorry Dark Flame, i'm all for giving every team at least one chance for the national spotlight, two if possible for as many teams as possible, but I just can't see Cleveland as having justified that spot. Especially against Philadelphia, who despite a big win against the Giants still doesn't impress me.

Cheez, I'm almost tempted to put my money on the game ending up tied at 3, with each team racking up 500 yards of offense but there being 47 turnovers in the game.

[Qwerty 42]

Why in the FUCK are the Browns slated for Monday Night Football again? What dumbshit scheduling guy thought that America would want to see the Cleveland Browns three times? Did that many people drink the kool aid after last season's bunch of overacheivers? They've also had one Sunday Night game and one Thursday night game. What justification is there for this team to have five prime-time appearances?

Sorry Dark Flame, i'm all for giving every team at least one chance for the national spotlight, two if possible for as many teams as possible, but I just can't see Cleveland as having justified that spot. Especially against Philadelphia, who despite a big win against the Giants still doesn't impress me.

Cheez, I'm almost tempted to put my money on the game ending up tied at 3, with each team racking up 500 yards of offense but there being 47 turnovers in the game.

Flex scheduling only applies to Sunday games, meaning that after it became apparent the Browns weren't going anywhere they couldn't do anything about their numerous prime time appearances. Even then, flex scheduling doesn't take effect until week ten or something.

[Darth Fanboy]

Flex scheduling only applies to Sunday games, meaning that after it became apparent the Browns weren't going anywhere they couldn't do anything about their numerous prime time appearances. Even then, flex scheduling doesn't take effect until week ten or something.

That doesn't change the fact that at some point at the beginning of this season some dipshits decided that America needed the Browns on Monday Night Football three times.

[Havok]

Going by last year, which is always how they schedule the primetime games, the Browns had a pretty impressive offense, even though they bogged down towards the end. The decision makers gambled and lost this time.

[Darth Fanboy]

Going by last year, which is always how they schedule the primetime games, the Browns had a pretty impressive offense, even though they bogged down towards the end. The decision makers gambled and lost this time.

They also only won one game against a playoff team, I remain unimpressed. Here's hoping they can pull a Houston and do something, anything to make the game watchable and competitive. Otherwise we're going to be hearing all about Brian Westbrook and how fucking magical he is for the entire game and Donovan McNabb "overcoming adversity" to lead his team. I already want to stab my eardrums out just thinking about what goddamn rant Kornheiser is going to go on.

I'm glad there's going to be at least two hockey games on for me to turn it to instead.

[Qwerty 42]

Alright:

New Orleans at Chicago
Tampa Bay at Atlanta
Washington at Cincinnati
Tennessee at Houston
Green Bay at Jacksonville
San Francisco at Miami
Seattle at St. Louis
Buffalo at New York Jets
San Diego at Kansas City
Detroit at Indianapolis
Minnesota at Arizona
Pittsburgh at Baltimore
Denver at Carolina
New England at Oakland
New York Giants at Dallas
Cleveland at Philadelphia

[Darth Fanboy]

I'm going to make my picks now:

New Orleans at Chicago

[Dark Flame]

Kinda late, but here goes:

New Orleans at Chicago- I really was planning to pick them, really!
Tampa Bay at Atlanta-NFC South home domination.
Washington at Cincinnati- Oh yes, I called it.
Tennessee at Houston- Are they legit?
Green Bay at Jacksonville- Staying alive, staying alive...
San Francisco at Miami- I want both teams to win, but Miami really has something to play for.
Seattle at St. Louis- Toilet Bowl of the NFC.
Buffalo at New York Jets- They have to get at least one divisional win, right?
San Diego at Kansas City
Detroit at Indianapolis- I'm not going there.
Minnesota at Arizona- One team has a fire underneath them, the other is content.
Pittsburgh at Baltimore
Denver at Carolina
New England at Oakland
New York Giants at Dallas- Team Obliterator is making a real impact.
Cleveland at Philadelphia

As for Cleveland's prime time games, like someone said, the programmers gambled and lost. However, our Thursday game should have been entertaining to watch, if you're not a Browns fan. And we've won both of our MNF games so far. Maybe we can use that to stay competitive on primetime TV. Hopefully....

[Falkenhayn]

If Kris Jenkins is Healthy, we lose by a ton.

If not, we lose by a little less. Dick Jauron will mark time, 'cause he thinks the axe is about to drop anyway. Turk Schonert's made noises about opening up the playbook, but they make noises about that every year. Rush 3, Drop 8 with your best man-cover guy shadowing Lee Evans. It's childishly simple.

[Elfdart]

Didn't they just give Jauron an extension?

[Falkenhayn]

Didn't they just give Jauron an extension?

Rumor says they did, and that he signed it, and that Ralph wants to can his ass anyway. Rumors say a lot about 1BD. What I know is that there was a negotiation and nothing was announced.

Smart money says that no winning seasons and pissing away a 5-1 start will have coach updating his resume.

[Darth Fanboy]

INSANE finish in Kansas City as the Chargers score two very late touchdowns to win 22-21.

-The Chargers are down 21-10 with about five minutes or so left in the game, they drive down the field and score but miss their two point conversion.

-The onside kick is caught by a Kansas City player, but he fumbles and San Diego gets the ball back.

-After a long pass to Vincent Jackson to get SD within striking distance, Rivers throws another TD pass to get the lead, but the 2 point conversion fails.

-With thirty seconds still on the clock, Kansas City gets a decent return and has the ball at about midfield.

-A pass is complete across the middle and it looks like time will run out before KC can get a play in or spike the ball, but one of the Chargers interferes with the official as he is setting the ball and is called for a penalty, two seconds are put back on the clock and KC now has a chance for a 50 yard field goal.

-The kick misses wide left, Chargers win.

[Elfdart]

Bowe committed a mortal sin on the hands team. If you catch it, you go down in a fetal position around the ball and hope the ref blows the whistle before the other team starts punching your nuts to get the ball loose.

Now I just need the Panthers and Bills to beat the Donkeys, which would set up the Zebra Bowl.

[Falkenhayn]

So the Buffalo News has this little tidbit about Dick Debacle. You were right Elfy, turns out he signed, but this is interesting, and only came out today...

"Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. was as stunned and upset as any of the players as he left the locker room in the Meadowlands. He made it clear he did not like the call to throw the ball.

Asked to comment on the much-reported contract extension that has been reached with head coach Dick Jauron, Wilson responded:

"Did you see that fumble? It was terrible wasn't it?"

+http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/523060.html

My Italics.

[Falkenhayn]

Oh. Bill Billicheck, up by 29 with 2 minutes left, challenged a first down spot.

[Havok]

Surprised?

Edit: The only reason it pisses me off, is it is slowing down the end of this game and keeping CBS from going over to the Baltimore Pittsburgh game.

[CmdrWilkens]

So Baltimore-Pittsburgh...I wasn't aware that you could score a touchdown without the ball passing over the plane of the goal line. Now maybe they mis-spoke but "two feet down in the end zone...touchdown" isn't how the challenge works. He had possesion, he was down...but he had posession at about the 6" line. Moreover when the call on the field is not a touchdown there must be "incontravertible video evidence" to make it a touchdown.

[Falkenhayn]

Surprised?

Edit: The only reason it pisses me off, is it is slowing down the end of this game and keeping CBS from going over to the Baltimore Pittsburgh game.

Nope, just thought I'd throw that out there. God Bless the AFC's favorite douchebag.

[Bilbo]

So Baltimore-Pittsburgh...I wasn't aware that you could score a touchdown without the ball passing over the plane of the goal line. Now maybe they mis-spoke but "two feet down in the end zone...touchdown" isn't how the challenge works. He had possesion, he was down...but he had posession at about the 6" line. Moreover when the call on the field is not a touchdown there must be "incontravertible video evidence" to make it a touchdown.

I have never understood the pro-Steelers bias with the refs in the NFL. It was obvious in the super bowl they won against Seattle. This one is just blatant.

On the flip side the Ravens just cannot get a break. Stolen from here. Stolen last year when they should have handed the first defeat to the Patriots. The NFL hates them as much as they love the Steelers.

[Darth Fanboy]

Yeah it was a pro Steelers bias that got the Steelers driving on every play late in the 4th quarter, and not the fact that the Raven's let the game get away by not generation enough offense of their own.

The Ravens did not score a touchdown, they did not stop the Steeler's from driving late, and they barely passed 200 total yards. There's no reason to be screaming about the referees for one play. This was not a game that was stolen from Baltimore nor one that they "deserved" to win.

addendum:

Did the KC guy fumble the ball when he landed? It looked to me like he made the catch in the air and never even had the chance to get down to the ground before it got knocked out