NFL 2011 Season Discussion

[Akno21]

The Ravens have played "this game" before, but it's almost entirely about an inability to beat Pittsburgh and Indianapolis -- before today, they hadn't beaten Roethlisberger since 2006. Of the 23 games they've lost in 2006 and 2008-10, their last four playoff seasons, 10 have been to those two teams alone. A 35-7 Week 1 victory obviously doesn't ensure a Super Bowl berth, but it's a significant win for a team that's been characterized by its maddening predictability -- always beating who they're "supposed to," but never beating who they're not.

[Akno21]

It's been a pretty good day so far for professional football.  The Bills finally got the monkey off their back and beat the arrogant, prideful Patriots.  

How dare a professional sports team be arrogant and have pride.

[Akno21]

Sam, the Ravens have made the playoffs 4 times in the last 5 seasons. That's more than the Jets.

[Akno21]

Jets/Lions Romo can show up every week and I'd still take him over Vick and that $100 mil salary.

You are aware Vick's only going to get about 4/10 of that $100 million, right?

[Akno21]

Jets/Lions Romo can show up every week and I'd still take him over Vick and that $100 mil salary.

You are aware Vick's only going to get about 4/10 of that $100 million, right?

Excuse King for the excessive stupidity. He doesn't know any better.

$40 mil is still about $41 mil too much for Ron Mexico.

Do you watch games? Or do you just enjoy saying things that sound clever inside your head?

[Akno21]

The NFC isn't exactly teeming with impossible-to-beat playoff teams, though, outside of Green Bay. If the Eagles can sneak in at 10-6 or 9-7 -- which is perfectly plausible, especially in the NFC East -- a first-round exit is far from inevitable. And even with Green Bay, the Eagles had a pass in the end zone last season that would have beat them.

[Akno21]

How many Super Bowl rings did those "Philadelphia teams" get you?

[Akno21]

how crazy bad is Belichick rooting for Cincy this weekend??

One-tenth as crazy bad as Harbaugh is rooting for Houston.

[Akno21]

I could see the Patriots' pass defense giving up 300 yards next week.

...and still winning by 14.

[Akno21]

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

Seriously? His legacy is damaged if he reaches yet another Super Bowl? He'd still be 3-2 in that tiny sample size.

[Akno21]

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.

I mean, legacy's an inherently stupid thing to talk about, because it's about how nitwit fans perceive things rather than any sort of objective look at what things actually happened. But this is especially stupid. If anything, the post-Super Bowl title years have enhanced Brady's legacy; he's no longer just the Bill Russell, "all he does is win" benefactor of great defenses and teams around him. He's long had the championships; the last five years have given him the stats. He's pretty damn historically secure.