2008 NFL Season

[Pentegarn]

Originally Posted by Colonel Flagg

'grats, Pent. Do I sense a new avatar?

I was going to just admire it now and again, but a good idea is a good idea...

[Pentegarn]

Originally Posted by Colonel Flagg

More importantly, will we be able to run the pool again next year?

Well, it was about the Madden curse, so I would say yes, we just have to wait and see who the next victim is going to be when Madden 2010 drops.

[pac-man]

The Madden Curse lives. Brett's injury was in his brain. Call it ego, call it pride, call it denial- something got in his craw as training camp approached. He's not the same, never will be. Steve McNair was better in his first year with the Ravens than his second. It's not about learning the system. It's not about shoulder problems. It's about getting old.

Shannahan being fired was a shocker. How many players did he have to replace this year (especially half backs)? How many 1000 yd rushers did he make after Terrell Davis left? The team was hobbled, the defense wasn't good from the get-go, and they didn't beat San Diego the first time.

I looked at the semifinalists for the Hall of Fame earlier. I'm rooting for Derrick Thomas, Cris Carter, Shannon Sharpe, Bruce Smith, and Ray Guy. Lots of good candidates in there, though. Bob Hayes will probably be the old guy inductee.

Fans in Seattle are probably glad 2008's over.

[Colonel Flagg]

So much for wild-card weekend. Falcons go down in ignonimous defeat to the CARDINALS while Indianapolis loses to the 8-8 (now 9-8) Chargers. (Maybe McClain was right and they should fire Dungy).

And now today - Baltimore demoralizes the Fish, 27-9, with Chad throwing 4 picks. Nice.

And in the game I was most interested in, the Eagles beat the Vikings 26-14 in a game that was closer than the score indicated. McNabb had a good day, don't get me wrong, but the offense was definitely not clicking on all cylinders. Minnesota would have made a game of it were it not for the incredibly inept play of one Tarvaris Jackson (sp?) who went 15-35 with no TD's and one interception returned for a TD.

If the Eag's play this way against the Giants next week, they're going to get hammered.

[WhiteRat]

Tarvaris had the INT but managed the game very well in the first half, IMO. He collapsed in the second half, but who can blame the guy when blitzing linebackers run through your o-line untouched every other play? It was only a matter of time before the constant blitzing would catch up to him.

Now that the season is over, I hope Chrome Dome gets his 24-25 record ass out of town. Wilf (the owner) shells out insane amounts of dough on free agents and all he can muster is a 10-6 record. Pfffft.

I think the Vikings need to bring in a young veteran, possibly Derek Andersen, and let him, TJack, and JD Booty have a hot and wild three way competition for the starting job next season.

[Colonel Flagg]

I don't think so - the Vikes improved by 2 games each year since Childress was hired (6-10 in '06 and 8-8 in '07). You'll have to wait for a significant downturn for them to make a switch now. Unless Wilf is more of a "Jerry Jones" type, in which case Childress' ass should have been handed to him by now.

[pac-man]

Why settle for Derek Anderson, WR? Matt Cassel will cost you some draft picks, but the Vikings have a team that is built for playoff football everywhere except under center. TJ looked good though, and he will be a more than competant starter one day.

The Ravens are for reals. And anytime they lock horns with Tennessee in the playoffs the game is a fucking slobberknocker. It's apparent that it doesn't matter if a team doesn't turn the ball over against everyone else. Ed Reed and co. force turnovers.

My faith in the Chargers lapsed after they won the West. I wanted them to beat Indy, but didn't think they had it in them. They proved me wrong. They can beat the Steelers. I won't say that they will, but they can.

Eagles and Cardinals both looked impressive, but I'm pretty sure their seasons are going to end this weekend. The Cardinals can't win on the East coast, and the G-Men will be ready for Jim Johnston's blitzes and stunts.

[Colonel Flagg]

Ravens-Titans should be the best game this weekend. Followed by the Eagles-Giants. Sorry, but I just can't see either the Chargers or the Cards putting up much of a fight in the other two games.

But I've been wrong before .... and will be again, I'm sure.

[WhiteRat]

Originally Posted by Colonel Flagg

I don't think so - the Vikes improved by 2 games each year since Childress was hired (6-10 in '06 and 8-8 in '07). You'll have to wait for a significant downturn for them to make a switch now. Unless Wilf is more of a "Jerry Jones" type, in which case Childress' ass should have been handed to him by now.

With the money that has been spent in recent years, a 2 win "improvement" each year will not suffice. This 10-6 record this year should've happened his first year, especially given that Mike Tice left Chilly a 9-7 team to work with. The fans are fed up with his crappy offense, which by the way, he dubbed (in his own words) as "kick ass". No one can figure out why he tends to go away from AP in the second half nearly every game. Rumblings from the locker room the past 3 seasons also suggest that player's find him to tough to play for. He is very unpopular in Minny and people have been calling for his head since the '06 season.

Wilf might be a Jerry Jones Lite, given the fact that he is desperately trying to get a new stadium approved. He's been throwing money around like crazy (Allen, Berrian, Madieu Williams) and inside sources say that the Week 2 benching of Tarvaris Jackson was ordered by Wilf himself. Wilf is trying to build a winner in the Vikings so as to try to butter up the legislature to pony up more money for the 3rd new stadium in 2 years.

Now, this all moot, as Wilf stated yesterday that Childress will be back next season.


As for Pac-Man...
I'd love to have Cassell. Hell, I wanted the Vikes to make a push for him last year. I also think very highly of Jackson, but depending on what kind of pressure Wilf will put on Chilly as far as the QB situation, he might not fit in the long term plans of the team. Most Minnesota fans hate Jackson and Wilf will seemingly do anything to get in the bosom of the local goverment. Cassell will come at a steep price that i'm sure Wilf will pay, it's just that I'd also like to see Jackson compete for the starting job next year. Bringing in Andersen would push Jackson more than what Frerotte could ever do, and if Jackson fails, you have a decent option at QB at a much cheaper cost than Cassell.

Just my 47 cents.

[McClain]

I'm still butthurt.

[pac-man]

Everybody's been talking about changing the overtime rule in the NFL since last week's Chargers/Colts game.

I think it's fine the way it is. You want it more, you go get it. If anything they should take away field goals as a score in overtime. Touchdown or bust. Sudden death overtime is pretty much exclusive to the NFL and it works. Coin toss winners don't win often enough to say otherwise.

[MattJack]

I read somewhere a suggestion of a slight change where the home team gets the ball first if you go into SD OT. I actually like it.

Everyone will know who will get the ball if OT happens, and home field advantage will mean something again! WIN-WIN

I love the Colts(probably the only team other than the Saints that I actually like and want to win), but Peyton really fuck*d them that game. They deserved to lose. The rule didn't have anything to do with it imo.

[WhiteRat]

Originally Posted by pac-man

Coin toss winners don't win often enough to say otherwise.

Any figures to back this up? In my experience, it seems to me that the coin toss winner usually just drives down the field and kicks a field goal.

[pac-man]

Total no. of overtime games (1974–2003)

365

Both teams had at least one possession

261 (72 %)

Team won toss and won game

189 (52 %)

Team lost toss and won game

160 (44 %)

Team won toss and drove for winning score

102 (28 %)

Games ending in a tie

15 (5 %)

From: http://www.maa.org/mathland/mathtrek_11_08_04.html

A majority of the time, both teams have at least one possession.

[pac-man]

As a loyal and vocal Ravens fan, first I'd like to say, "WOOOOO!!!!!"

As a loyal and vocal football fan, I'd like to say, "Jesus Tittyfucking Christ! These officials are horrible."

The old cliche is that you'd rather be lucky than good, and the zebras missing the delay of game against Baltimore is luck. They were outplayed, outcoached, and were obviously tired, but the Ravens pulled it out. Bruising game, as advertised. I love watching Tennessee and B-more play. It's fun watching a sprinkling of football between penalties, injuries, and shoving matches.

And who are these mofos masquerading as the Arizona Cardinals? Moreso, why the hell did the braintrust on the Carolina sideline go into "panic mode" when they were only down 10 points? There is no reason why Williams and Stewart shouldn't have both went over 100 yards, of course other than the fact that the coaches kept calling pass and Delhomme interpreted that as "Throw into double coverage, good single coverage, triple coverage, or just away from the guy wearing black and teal."

Giants over Eagles, Steelers over Chargers. I would go out on a limb, but who knows anymore? Sure things and home teams haven't had the best success, so I'm going to say they're due and save myself the trouble of trying to break things down. All four teams are good, and both games should be fun.

I'll be p.o.'ed if they don't make NFL official a full-time job. I know that they're probably going to look at playoff seeding and overtime during the offseason, but the first thing that needs to be addressed is that officials are blatantly affecting the outcome of games. Tennessee got a phantom call in their first match against Baltimore, now vice versa. People might not be talking down about the Chargers if they get that call against Denver. So forth and so on... we all have our team, and I'd wager we've all seen them get hosed on an obvious call/non-call this season.

Some serious football being played out there, though. Big-time credit to Tennessee and Carolina for having great seasons. Their fans should not be disappointed.

[Colonel Flagg]

Originally Posted by pac-man

[W]hy the hell did the braintrust on the Carolina sideline go into "panic mode" when they were only down 10 points? There is no reason why Williams and Stewart shouldn't have both went over 100 yards, of course other than the fact that the coaches kept calling pass and Delhomme interpreted that as "Throw into double coverage, good single coverage, triple coverage, or just away from the guy wearing black and teal."

As a Philadelphia fan who watched the Eagles do much the same thing in most of their 6 losses this year, I can only speculate that John Fox was channeling his inner Andy Reid. But hat's off to the Cards - they really played surprisingly well considering their regular season record on the East Coast.

Originally Posted by pac-man

Giants over Eagles, Steelers over Chargers. I would go out on a limb, but who knows anymore? Sure things and home teams haven't had the best success, so I'm going to say they're due and save myself the trouble of trying to break things down. All four teams are good, and both games should be fun.

Being a loyal and rabid Eagles fan I'd respectfully disagree with the first prediction. However, I find it also a bit out of the ordinary that the home field is having so little effect in the playoffs this year. I can only hope this trend continues!

[Colonel Flagg]

Did my eyes deceive me, or did Reid really run the ball that much, even when Westbrook and Buckhalter were getting stuffed at the line 9 times out of 10? 40 passes and 28 rushes - that's about a 60/40 split. What was he smoking?

Statistically the game looked about even, except in one crucial statistic - the Giants were only 3-13 on third down conversions. Whe it counted, the Eagles defense stepped up to the plate, so to speak.

Ugly ugly game, but a win is a win. Bring on the Cards!

[WhiteRat]

The Eagles and Cards have defnitely been playing top notch football the past few weeks. If you would've asked me at the start of the playoffs if I thought Philly and AZ would be in the NFC Championship Game, I would've shat in your mouth. Definitely surprising. At least the Steelers beat who they were supposed too.

With that said, the Super Bowl is only two games away!

[pac-man]

You win the turnover battle, you win the game. The Eagles defense made Jacobs run outside, pressured Eli, and forced mistakes. Plaxico Burress would've been nice to have today for the football Giants. I'm telling you, if Donovan McNabb brings the Lombardi Trophy to Philly, his detractors should form a line behind him and proceed to kiss his ass. He wasn't great today, but he didn't make mistakes. Not to mention that this will be his 5th NFC Championship game. Lots of credit to Andy Reid and Jim Johnson for calling a winning game. Who'd a thunk Eagles vs. Cardinals for the NFC Championship? I'm sure a lot of people in Philly are wringing their hands at the thought of facing the Cards, but Arizona has obviously saved their best football for the playoffs. I like the Eagles, but mainly because the Cardinals have been the Cardinals for so long that I really can't even get my head around the fact that they're a game away from a Super Bowl.

Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh III. If the Steel Curtain falls over the Ravens running game like it did San Diego's, it may be ugly for the birds. Rex Ryan and Cam Cameron have had ample time to figure these guys out, though. Third time's the charm for B-more. San Diego had salvaged their season, and my hat's off to Rivers, Gates, Sproles and co. Tough breaks for LT the last two years, but he's a future Hall of Famer so he's got that going for him.

[Colonel Flagg]

I wonder if this will go down in history as the "Son of the Body Bag Game" - these two teams have a long history of hatred going back to the days when the Ravens were the "original" Cleveland Browns.

[pac-man]

Tony Dungy is retiring later today, it seems.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3827058

[Colonel Flagg]

McClain must be so thrilled.

[MattJack]

Agreed.

Somewhere there is a McClain cumm*ng right now.

[WhiteRat]

Bucs have fired Gruden and GM Bruce Allen.

[Pentegarn]

Originally Posted by WhiteRat

Bucs have fired Gruden and GM Bruce Allen.

Wow.... poor me (being a Browns fan) having to stomach a Ravens Steelers AFC championship. I don't know who to hope loses, it would be like watching a fight between Rosie O'Donnel and Michael Moore to the death...

Guess I could pray for meteors