NFL 2011 Season Discussion

[Politico]

This whole spin that the Jets need to win because of 9/11 is physically sickening.

I agree (although I really loved all of the 9/11 tributes today). I turned NBC off a short while ago. I guess it does not help that I am a Miami fan.

The only things that REALLY surprised me today: How well the Bills performed and how poorly the Steelers performed.

I agree with your other points except for McNabb. I think he is finished. I will not be surprised if this is his last season. Also, Atlanta just had a bad game. It happens. I suspect they will bounce back.

[Politico]

As a Dolfan, I can only hope Miami continues to "suck for Luck" (i.e., suck enough to get the first overall pick in order to draft Andrew Luck, QB - Stanford). It is sad, but this team really has no shot this year. Time to rebuild...again

[Politico]

Fun fact of the week: Every opponent left on the Dolphins schedule is at .500 or better except for the Eagles. Dolphins may go 0-16. The question is whether or not the Colts will match them in the winless category.

[Politico]

I think the Dolphins are going 0-16. Amazingly, the Colts might go 0-16 as well if Manning does not return. How do we decide who gets the first overall pick if two teams are 0-16? Whoever has the weaker schedule? In that case, I would imagine it would be the Colts by virtue of their pathetic division. Incredible BS if the Colts go from Manning to Luck, and the Dolphins are still left trying to fill Marino's shoes despite his retirement almost 12 years ago...

[Politico]

Why is Dawkins no longer with the Eagles, anyway? It seems like he's providing solid leadership in Denver.

Andy Reid is a good coach, much like Jeff Fisher, but he had his best days with Jim Johnson as his DC. I suspect Reid is finished after this season.

If Reid gets canned, will Bill Cowher opt for Philadelphia or Miami?

[Politico]

Officially finished. Almost a relief.

Who do you think the Eagles will be looking at in the draft?  What is their biggest need, do you think?

Forget about the damn draft. This is a coaching issue.

I agree with you there.  I guess like Terry Francona in Boston, a coach who went from World Series champions to losing his team's focus, is what Andy Reid is experiencing right now.  Reid had the Eagles on a nice playoff run for several years and even brought them to the Super Bowl a few years ago, but I guess he has lost this team.  Teams go through that.

Yeah, it reminds me of Tom Coughlin. Remember how good his Jaguar teams were the first few seasons? Then he lost them somewhere along the line and ended up getting canned. But he bounced back with the Giants. I am sure Andy Reid will land somewhere, too. He may never get that Super Bowl ring like Coughlin, though.

[Politico]

Mock executions are a bit more serious than Suh stomping on someone....

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7303825/oakland-raiders-lb-rolando-mcclain-arrested-assault-charges

McClain seems real broken up by it too....

What a jackass. The NFL needs to make an example out of this criminality by finally handing out a lifetime ban. I know I will take some flak for this, but I am still upset they allowed Michael Vick back into the league. He is an exciting player, but I love dogs too much to ever forgive him for what he did.

[Politico]

My new guesses:

AFC
1. New England
2. Houston
3. Pittsburgh
4. Denver
5. Baltimore
6. Cincinnati

NFC
1. Green Bay
2. San Francisco
3. New Orleans
4. New York
5. Detroit
6. Atlanta

AFC/NFC Championships

Baltimore at New England
New Orleans at Green Bay

Super Bowl

New England Vs. Green Bay

[Politico]

Marino's 1984 performance is far more impressive than what Brees and Brady have accomplished this year (and in the past with regards to Brady's 50 TDs in 2007) considering the pass-friendly environment of the present versus 1984. Then again, I am biased. Marino circa 1984 would probably put up over 6000 yards and 60 TDs in this era. I mean, watch this video and tell me that Drew Brees or Tom Brady are really on Marino's level this season:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm3ErTOp0JQ

You can't even follow the ball on some of those passes they're so lightening fast.

I respect Brady, Brees and Rodgers, and think they're obviously the best active QBs (Peyton Manning, too, if he recovers). But I still think Marino is the best QB of all-time. I think Montana was better than current elite, too (Hard to say if Elway, Young and Favre were better in their heyday, though).

[Politico]

My new guesses:

AFC
1. New England
2. Houston
3. Pittsburgh
4. Denver
5. Baltimore
6. Cincinnati

NFC
1. Green Bay
2. San Francisco
3. New Orleans
4. New York
5. Detroit
6. Atlanta

AFC/NFC Championships

Baltimore at New England
New Orleans at Green Bay

Super Bowl

New England Vs. Green Bay

Well, I got all of the teams right. Not many people had the Bengals and Giants in these slots, which kind of makes up for the slotting errors. I am standing by my championship predictions, but I can definitely see the Saints winning the Super Bowl. It will probably be them or the Packers hoisting the Lombardi in a few weeks...

[Politico]

Even if just Leinart had stayed healthy, this might have been the Texans' year. They will probably be a force next season.

[Politico]

Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?

I really do not see how the Saints can be stopped by the 49ers, Packers or anybody in the AFC. Aaron Rodgers better bring his AAA game in the NFC Championship and hope it's a terribly frosty/snowy day. I strongly suspect the NFC Championship is going to be the real Super Bowl.

[Politico]

The Saints didn't look real good yesterday

Since when has putting up 45 points, 466 passing yards, 34 first downs, and 7.7 yards per offensive play been considered not looking real good? They gave up quite a few yards to Stafford, while completely stopping the Lions' ground game, but Stafford did have over 5000 yards for the season...

[Politico]

The Saints didn't look real good yesterday

Since when has putting up 45 points, 466 passing yards, 34 first downs, and 7.7 yards per offensive play been considered not looking real good? They gave up quite a few yards to Stafford, while completely stopping the Lions' ground game, but Stafford did have over 5000 yards for the season...

I was thinking the same thing.  I guess standards are real high nowadays.

Yeah, even by Madden standards that is a phenomenal game. At least it was back when I played Madden.

[Politico]

I like Tebow, but I am almost willing to bet everything that I own that the Broncos will not beat New England. I would be shocked if Baltimore lost to Houston. I do agree that anything can happen in the NFC, but I will be relatively surprised if the NFC Championship is not New Orleans Vs. Green Bay. Mind you, I believe the 49ers and Texans are probably going to be a force the next few seasons (I would kill to have Harbaugh as my HC), but I believe this is just the beginning of that era for them.

[Politico]

I figured anything could happen in the NFC, but I would have bet heavily against the Saints and Packers losing.

My new prediction: A rematch of Super Bowl XLII: Giants Vs. Patriots.

Brady's legacy will be damaged heavily if he loses to Manning and the Giants yet again.

[Politico]

I don't understand what would make anyone predict that the Giants will win this game. Is it that they won nine games and the 49ers won thirteen?

The regular season does not matter at this point. Just ask the Packers, who were 15-1 in the regular season and 0-1 in the post-season.

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Go ask the Packers what home field advantage means. The 49ers beat the Giants earlier in the season, but that was when the Giants were cold.

Did you not watch the Packers-Giants game? I am sorry, but Alex Smith is in a world of trouble unless that defense and running game really step up for him for four quarters.

[Politico]

In the past twenty years, the Giants have only won playoff games on the road in one season: 2007. That's not a "tendency" to go on a run, that's one example.

One, who cares about the past twenty years? Phil Simms and Steve Young have nothing to do with this upcoming match-up. What matters is what the current players on the roster have done in the past, specifically this post-season. Secondly, your number is incorrect as evidenced by the win against Green Bay yesterday. Furthermore, the Giants won all four road games in 2007 (if you count the Super Bowl as a road game), and have now handed the Packers two losses at home in the past four years. I do not think any other franchise has ever accomplished either of these feats.

[Politico]

I don't understand what would make anyone predict that the Giants will win this game. Is it that they won nine games and the 49ers won thirteen?

The regular season does not matter at this point. Just ask the Packers, who were 15-1 in the regular season and 0-1 in the post-season.

And yet none of that changes what the regular season shows; the 49ers were significantly better than the Giants.

What, the same regular season that "shows" the Packers were significantly better than the Giants (and 49ers, for that matter)? The same regular season that "showed" the Packers were unbeatable at home? Go tell the 2007 Patriots, Super Bowl losers, that they are the best team ever by virtue of being the only 16-0 team in history. Any given Sunday, man. This is why we have a post-season...

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They're a good team with an AMAZING coach. That coach is the reason for the HUGE turn-around. Don't get me wrong: I like the 49ers in the future, but I do not think this is their year. They have a little bit more maturing to do.

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You totally discount Eli's experience over Alex Smith's, not to mention a lot of vets on defense who are also still with the team? I mean, come on...

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The Giants are on fire (shutting out the Falcons on D, and handing Green Bay their first loss at home in 500-something days or something like that); the 49ers are not. The Giants are experienced; the 49ers are not. Momentum and experience count.

[Politico]

You'll understand on Sunday

[Politico]

The Giants may stack the line and force Alex Smith to beat them. That is what I would do, anyway. Get pressure on Smith on third downs, and he will fold harder than Matt Ryan did. He will take sacks if the game is close, but if the Niners' D gives up a lead of 9 or more points late in the third, Smith will start taking chances and probably throwing picks. Niners need a huge game on D and/or enormous feats on the ground. I would bet against the latter, but who knows with that D.

[Politico]

Yeah, I would say another loss in the Super Bowl is kind of a "reverse Elway": Remembered for losing his last two rather than winning his first three.

As for the Giants, Manning is apparently sick and missed practice. I am retracting my prediction about the Giants. This may yet be the 49ers' year. Darn horseshoe up their butt this year!

Source: http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Eli-Manning-misses-part-of-New-York-Giants-practice-with-stomach-illness-011812

[Politico]

There should be a thorough investigation to see if Payton knew anything. Williams should be fired by the Saints and suspended from the league for a year by the NFL.

Some folks are calling for Williams to be kicked out of the league for life. I say no way. If Michael Vick was not worthy of a life suspension, almost nobody is.

[Politico]

There should be a thorough investigation to see if Payton knew anything. Williams should be fired by the Saints and suspended from the league for a year by the NFL.

Some folks are calling for Williams to be kicked out of the league for life. I say no way. If Michael Vick was not worthy of a life suspension, almost nobody is.

Williams no longer works for the Saints. He is DC for the Rams.

Completely forgot that he joined Fisher there. Him and Fisher are tight, as I understand it.

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Regardless, if Vick's actions did not warrant a lifetime ban then nothing does short of something Rae Carruth-esque.