513 replies , Last at
26 Oct 2009, 11:42pm by
Shane S.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Sifter :: Thu, 10/22/2009 - 12:48am
A read of Monday Night Jihad??
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by BucNasty :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:20am
"Well, we've determined that we can't win at home and we can't win on the road. What we need is a neutral site."
- John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, during the inaugural season of 1976 when the Bucs endured a 0-14 record. http://sportzfun.com/quotes/gridiron-football.htm
Well, here we go.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Jimmy :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 8:44am
His best quote ever had to be when he was asked about his offense's execution replied, "I'm all in favour of it."
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by CWS (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 8:42am
The title of this article on nfl.com is "Teams can stay in good shape by running more frequently". It nearly made my head explode.
Wow. That article was mind blowing stupid.
The problem is deep rooted.
I've seen Romeo Crennell in pre game (UFL) still say to his players "We got to run the ball. We got to be able to run the ball" and this is a pro football coach.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Jimmy :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 9:43am
I haven't read the article (mainly because I think it might make my brains bleed out of my nose) but being able to run the ball is an important part of football. I am not saying you have to run the ball every first down or that giving your back 30 carries will win you a game. Maintaining a decent balance on offense is very important though and running the ball succesfully is a big part of that. If Crennel means that gaining good yardage when you do run the ball is essential then I don't have much of a problem with the quote you have produced. Getting poor returns from your running game is a recipe for very inconsistent offensive production. For more information see Bears, Chicago.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Malene, Cph (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 10:57am
Well, your point is well taken, but this article goes beyond that.
He's actually claiming to have discovered this new theory that it's MORE important to run the ball A LOT than to run it well. He didn't find much in way of correlation between winning teams and teams with high yards per carry. But lo and behold, a lot of good teams have a lot of rushing attempts.
And yes, I'm bleeding through my nose.
By the way, his opening line of "I'm a fairly simple dude..." takes the "well, no shit"-prize of the year.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Jimmy :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 12:45pm
Maybe he is one to something. He just needs to keep looking, I bet he can find evidence that QB kneels actually help your team win (I am sure I read that somewhere). So you should put a few of them in your scripted plays to make sure you do it often enough to win.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Sophandros :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:23pm
Some fool wrote to Pat Yasinksas in the NFC South Blog on ESPN.com, declaring that the Saints play better when Drew Brees throws less. His supporting evidence? Brees threw for 5,000 yards last season, and the Saints were 8-8. The Saints are undefeated right now, and have called more runs than passes.
Of course, the Saints' success this year has nothing to do with an improved defense, in addition to the more balanced attack, and the main reason that they have more runs than passes is because they THREW THE BALL to get in the lead (or had the other team throw it to Darren Sharper...), and were able to run the ball more to HOLD the lead.
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Sports talk radio and sports message boards are the killing fields of intellectual discourse.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by ar4t :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:42pm
Correlation does not equal causality.
This reminds me of a great story from a Stat professor of mine. A study was done because of an increase in shark attacks at a particular beach. They studied all the possible variables and found strong correlation between the number of shark attacks and popsicle stick sales. The proposed solution was to stop selling popsicles (never mind the fact that popsicle sales were driven by people going to the beach in grater numbers as were shark attacks)
So run to win equals shark attacks and popsicle sticks
The standard example is ice cream sales and murder rates. They always correlate together. And I actually know someone who wouldn't let her son eat ice cream because of this.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Sophandros :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:50pm
That's awesome.
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Sports talk radio and sports message boards are the killing fields of intellectual discourse.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by TomKelso :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 9:12am
Seeing that photo of Ditka on the front page,anyoen else wondering if CBS is now ordering a pilot of CSI:Sarasota (to be aired at 6PM, so the target audience can watch after getting back from the Early Bird Special)?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 10:25am
Ahm help the European guy:
Here in Denmark we changed to winter-time last night, thus turning back time an hour. Did you americans do so too? If no, how does that affect kickoff times here across the pond?
Embarrasing, but I know I'll end up getting it wrong...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Jimmy :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 10:27am
Same for the UK. It makes the games one hour earlier. I think it is why they play the London game this week.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Malene, Cph (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 10:52am
the early 1pm games have a Danish kickoff time of 18:00 today...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Theo :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 11:29am
instead of 6 hours time difference it's now 5.
So instead of games starting at 19:00 they start now at 18:00.
Is Chris Berman actually getting dumber? He was always a moron, but this season he has said things like, "The Jets are undefeated because [Min QB] was there last year" and "Football's an American game--other countries shouldn't see it."
He said something really stupid during a baseball game, too, but I don't remember what it was now. I think it was something about what a great year Manny Ramirez had. (I'm a Dodger fan, so I can't even laugh at that.)
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by sldfkjsfls (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 12:22pm
By the way, those who were involved in the Douglas Adams/Terry Pratchett/et al. discussion last week will be pleased to know that I have now watched a little Doctor Who. You talked me into it. I have too much to read right now to get to work on any new books (I've taken a month now to get about 5 pages into The Blind Watchmaker because of all of the reading I have for classes.), but I will get there eventually.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Mr Shush :: Mon, 10/26/2009 - 6:32am
Good call. Ecclestone or Tennant episodes?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:03pm
If I can trust my TV Guide channel, I have MIN@PIT and NE@TB for the early games and ATL@DAL for the late game. I'll be watching MIN@PIT for the most part, even though the execrable Tony Siragusa is the sideline "reporter".
I get Chi @ Cin for the late game. I hope I see [Min QB] and his heir apparent in Chicago combine for 13 interceptions.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:14pm
I just flipped over to the CBS game during the commercial break and see that my TV Guide channel lied. I have SD@KC.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:17pm
Wow. I think the engineers at my CBS affiliate are under the influence of controlled substances. I flip back over during the FOX commercial break and it's now NE@TB. Weird.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:08pm
Steelers force a three and out. Polamalu put a big hit on Harvin, who dropped the pass.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Rich Arpin (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:08pm
what do you think about the chances of brandon tate seeing the field for the pats today?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by DomM (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:11pm
Very good, even if it's just on kickoff or punt returns.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Rich Arpin (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:10pm
pick 6, man am I glad I have the pats d for fantasy
Steelers get a big run from Mendenhall on their first play (10-15 yards). Then, the VIkings sack Big Ben. The Steelers can't recover from the sack and punt. A bit of excitement on the punt when the return man appeared to fumble, but he was down by contact.
Bill Simmons keeps saying Tampa Bay is scary because "That Josh Johnson--he makes things happen!"
Apparently what he makes happen today is Meriweather's interception total increasing.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:19pm
The Vikings-Steelers game has started out as a defensive struggle. Each team has had two possessions; each team has punted twice. I think the Steelers have the only 1st down.
Brilliant playcall on 3rd-and-19 by Childress. Run into the middle of the line. Wow. You don't want to make people think you're, you know, trying to win the game or anything.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:30pm
I'll agree it was a very conservative play call, but it's early in the game, your QB just got sacked, and you probably want to play field position. Chilly had no way of knowing that his punter was going to crap all over the field.
Your QB is also a first-ballot Hall of Famer you supposedly signed because he gives you the confidence to make plays like throwing a 19-yard pass. Also, Minnesota so far this season has had a good offense and a poor defense--I don't think they should be playing field position.
However, if you're going to run the ball, couldn't you at least try something that has SOME chance of breaking and turning into a first down?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:40pm
Yeah, the draw up the middle was totally uninspired. Although, most teams don't have a lot of plays that they have a lot of confidence in for 3rd and 19. I'm not really trying to defend Chilly. I just understand why he made the call.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:26pm
Steelers get their second sack as the Vikings run a little, naked bootleg right into Woodley, who was unblocked. Harrison cleans up after Woodley misses the tackle.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:27pm
Oops, I think that was the Steelers third sack.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Rocco :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:27pm
I'm used to seeing shanked punts in Steelers games after the Mitch Berger experience. Not used to it from opposing punters though. Kluwe with a 12 yard bomb.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by MilkmanDanimal :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:28pm
First drive, pick six. Second drive, another INT. London, on behalf of Buccaneers fans, I'd like to apologize for what you're going to have to watch.
Just as people are questioning Brady/Belichick, they brilliantly schedule themselves against Tennessee and Tampa Bay, proving their brilliance yet again.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:36pm
I was watching the "Sports Reporters" right before the game. They were talking about the Broncos being one of the surprise teams of the season. Mike Lupica, trying to get under Bob Ryan's skin, said something along the lines of, "Who knew Josh McDaniels was carrying Belichick all these years". I thought it was a mildly amusing dig.
That was cruel--they just said, "Looking at the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates" and showed the stadium before transitioning to an ad for playoff baseball. All six of the Pirates fans (I kid--I know there are more of them than one would expect.) in the country suffer enough without having their stadium contrasted with playoff baseball.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Jerry :: Mon, 10/26/2009 - 2:30am
It occurred to me as I was crossing the Fort Duquesne Bridge and saw the ballpark on my right that the Pirates hadn't lost in three weeks.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:43pm
Just saw Houston is up 13-0 on SF. Anyone watching the game? Is Houston looking good or are the 49ers looking bad?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:47pm
I don't know if the Vikings are going to want to keep making the Steelers jump offsides with the hard count if the play continuation is going to end up with the QB on his back.
THIS JUST IN: "Adrian Peterson has breakaway speed."
He didn't do anything to bring about this comment, either.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:51pm
I really dislike this announcing crew. Fortunately, I seem to have developed an ability not to hear what they're saying most of the time. Surprisingly, this ability does *NOT* involve the mute button.
Kenny Albert, "Moose" Johnson, and "Goose" Siragusa. If I knew how I did it and thought I could teach it, I would because I could probably make a killing.
I suppose if I survived listening to Randy Cross doing Broncos games when John was still playing, I can handle anything. (Randy Cross made it very clear that John never did anything right. At all. Ever. The he slobbered over Cutler all the time by saying how much better he was than Elway.)
Often, we would get Randy Cross one week and Rich Gannon the next--that made it even better because Gannon didn't even just hate Elway. He hated the whole team no matter what. It's ironic that now he and the Raiders are apparently on the outs now.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:06pm
I understand. I resent to this day that NBC has Pay Heydn as the "analyst" for the Irish games, although I have to admit he's been pretty objective.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:49pm
That was an ugly 3rd down play for the Vikings. Polamalu was the only person in the picture when the pass hit the ground. Maybe training camp does matter.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:55pm
That was a jarring picture. CBS was doing a scenic shot of London. I wasn't ready for the juxtaposition of a red, double-decker bus driving by a McDonald's. I know McDonald's has been in Great Britain for years and I actually like McDonald's, but seeing those two "icons" together was somehow wrong to me.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Oldcat (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 11:47pm
McDonalds sells some decent Indian style food in England -- " McCurry " if i remember right.
Childress is actually making a decent adjustment here throwing the quick passes to keep the QB upright and let the receivers make plays. However, AD still seems absent.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:03pm
I wonder what other adjustments Chilly will have to make after "sprinting" on to the field to call that time-out.
I'm not watching that game, but Sportsline just says "strained groin. His return is questionable." Apparently Donald Brown has followed him out now.
Could Saint Louis have a shot against Manning and 10 guys off the street?
No.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:14pm
This just in: The Browns can't tackle or cover. FOX just showed the highlight of the Rodgers-Driver TD pass. Driver was wide open and then the Browns missed two or three tackles as Driver ran in for the TD.
Berrian limps along the sideline and it seems as though no one is even paying any attention.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:23pm
Well, between extolling the virtues of the Vikings QB, talking about Big Ben's toughness, pointing out the AD is always a threat to make a big run, and reiterating how effective the Dick LeBeau zone blitz scheme is, who has time for injuries, formations, substitutions, and the spot of the ball? After all, none of that is really important anyway.
Oh, by all means. They surely deserve it for something anyway.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Rocco :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:26pm
The Steelers offense finally gets their act together at the end of the half. Nice TD pass to Mike Wallace.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:27pm
I'm always amazed that two teams can play a particular style of football for 28 minutes, then it gets to be two minutes until the end of a half and it's like two different teams suddenly show up on the field. Anyway, that was quite the nice two minute drive by the Steelers to take the lead with about a half minute to go in the half. They go 91 yards in a buck fifteen.
Ben Roethlisberger is like the opposite of Ray Rice for me--whenever I see him he looks fantastic, but his numbers the rest of the time never jibe with what I see.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Shane S. (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:29pm
And that's more of what you'd expect to see with replacement defensive backs running around in the vikings secondary...
Is Pittsburgh the prettiest major city in the country to see from above? I love watching games there on TV just for the views of the city with the rivers going through it (and now I realize there are rivers in this city too) and everything.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:45pm
I'd have to say Seattle, but I lived in the Puget Sound area for a long time, so I'm biased.
by Still Alive (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:24pm
I think most people would say Seattle of San Francisco assuming you are sticking to the top 20 or so. Personally I find them all fascinating from the air, but i work in Economic development and love city planning.
Apparently, the Steelers, if they don't run, go to the air. Who would have guessed?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Rocco :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:50pm
It's a new strategy they're trying out, although if you listened to the media they'd have you think the Steelers are a run-first team that doesn't believe in throwing.
I know that in Madden when I don't run, I don't throw.
And you never step in the same river once.
Now, to be serious--is the media ever going to figure out that the Steelers haven't really been a run-first team since Cowher's Super Bowl team (which prossibly wouldn't have been run-first either if Maddox hadn't gotten hurt)?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:59pm
This would require them to learn a new storyline, but they're limited on the number they can learn and remember.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:48pm
Are you kidding me? Sapp just launched himself head first like a missile at Big Ben as he's running out of bounds. Sapp draws the personal foul penalty. Talk about stupid.
Weird problem on that play for the Steelers. Ben looks to his right, fakes but doesn't seem to have any interest in actually throwing, then just goes down. Someone made a big mistake, I hope. If that's how the play was supposed to go, I'm frightened--though I guess Tomlin did coach under Childress . . .
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by dmb :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:54pm
For the first time in years, I hear an announcer (Dick Stockton?) actually use the term "end-around" ... and, of course, this call happens on an actual reverse. I'm used to announcers screwing up any call that involves a receiver carrying the ball, but usually it's because they add one reverse to however many actually happened. Even though the call was wrong, it was weirdly refreshing.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:54pm
If you were referring to the Steelers play, it's Kenny Albert with the play-by-play.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by dmb :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:31pm
Yeah, I was ... and Albert actually ended up getting it right on an end-around to Harvin!
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dave :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:58pm
Someone else made this exact same mistake last week. I too was amazed and amused by it.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:52pm
C'mon, FOX robot! Where's the 'wax on, wax off' action.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by DM (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:54pm
Michael Crabtree has already surpassed Darius Heyward-Bey's season totals. 3 rec for 39 yards against 2 for 36.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 2:56pm
Now, now, Crabtree actually has someone resembling an NFL QB throwing to him.
And now we find out--does Childress actually have any balls at all or does he kick a field goal at the 1?
To no one's surprise, they kick the field goal. Awful job at the goal line by Minnesota, both in play calling and execution.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:07pm
The Steelers make a nice goal line stand forcing the Vikings to settle for a FG. The Vikings had first and goal at the one. Polamalu shot one of the A gaps and blew up the full back on the first down running play. His teammates stack up AD for no gain. The Vikings go play action, incomplete on the next two plays. If I were a Vikings fan, this is the point where I'd be PO'd at the play calling. C'mon boys, buckle on the chin straps and run it down their throats. Jiminy, I think a QB sneak would've worked (they were inside the one). And, I think I'd have gone for on 4th down.
I would have broken all rules of football and put in T-Jack to run a sneak. He's huge and QB sneaks work not because of surprise but because it's just very very difficult to get to the right spot in time. Plus it doesn't give you any major problems if he gets hurt.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:08pm
Deleted inadvertent double post.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by ArchnerdUW :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:12pm
The offensive play calling in the Vikings/Steelers game is an apparent race to the bottom between Childress and Arians.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:17pm
Clark just lit up Harvin on a long 3rd down play. It was a clean hit: right shoulder into the middle of the back. The Vikings QB made a great throw to get it to Harvin, but he can't hold on through the big hit.
Well, without researching it, I would guess that Pittsburgh gives up that many points late because they can't run well enough to run out the clock (especially since Parker has started for half the year) while Minnesota can't play pass defense normally and it gets even worse when they're spread out. So, yes, I think that's about right.
Wow--great catch and run by Santonio Holmes. I think every Viking touched him.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Jimmy :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:22pm
A bizarre moment only the NFL could bring to Britain. Antonio Bryant is called for a delay of game for spiking the ball. Fair enough that is the rule but only the NFL could spend three minutes with the officials in the huddle and conversation with both coaches to then call a player for delay of game.
You know you have too many pointless rules when ........
I can't explain it, but I've always sort of rooted for Alex Smith. I hope he at least gets rid of Shaun Hill. I'm so tired of hearing about his record as a starter. I'm tired of hearing Orton's too, but at least I know 6 of those wins are for my team.
And very nice downfield throw by Vikings QB gets called back and he limps around behind the line.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:35pm
For all the abuse Ron Winter gets, I think he made the correct call there. The defender was blocked into the Vikings QB legs. The Vikings QB has been a little gimpy since then.
As I type this, Polamalu just crushed Rice (I think) on the side lines. They call it an incomplete pass on the field. The Vikings are challenging that Rice actually got both feet down before being turned into road kill.
Going into the commercial, the announcers are announcing what stupidity that challenge is because he didn't even get close to catching it. Coming back, they announce, "We all know it's a catch."
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:36pm
Massaquoi is lighting it up if you're in a PPT league. 9 targets, 1 catch, 22 yards, and a 10-yard OPI. They just went to him twice on the goal line and came up with nothing.
Well played. Triple letter for the "Q" and triple word, too.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:43pm
A while back, Kenny Albert asked if Packers' fans were celebrating after the Vikings QB came up gimpy after the near sack. I thought that was rather classless, even by announcer standards. I don't want to see the Vikings QB hurt, I just want to see him fail. Does he really think the Packers' fan base wants to see the Vikings QB hurt?
After I go out of my way to praise Winter, he has to go and piss in my Wheaties. Jerk.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dave :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:45pm
Awesome downfield blocking by the Steeler D on the fumble recovery TD there. That was the best I may have ever seen on perhaps the slowest runback in history.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Rocco :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:48pm
I think that honor belongs to Dan Wilkinson. Still awesome.
Great blocking yes, but the slowest runback in history was a 62-yard interception return for a TD by supposedly 340-lb Keith Traylor (I still think he was 360+).
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:46pm
Are you kidding me? The Vikings QB is either stripped or the ball slips out of his hand. Woodley picks up the ball. The Steelers defense gets downfield, makes 3 or 4 great blocks, and Woodley rumbles in for the 77-yard TD return. What a great play.
Great return by Harvin. If he ever starts doing a decent job of catching he's going to be scary as hell. It was well blocked, too. And the announcers complain about Jeff Reed's tackle attempt--HE'S A FRICKING KICKER!
They just did a segment on Countdown this morning about the NFL possibly requiring helmets for officials in the future and then we have one leaving this game after getting run over in the middle of the open field.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:52pm
Even a kicker should be able to tackle better than that. And, if you believe the air bags, he didn't do his job which was to turn Harvin back to the center of the field.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Rocco :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:54pm
He could at least have been a speed bump. I'm not quite sure what he was doing there.
It seems to me they usually try to coax the returner into going out of bounds, though. (And it bizarrely works. Why would you avoid the kicker?) Perhaps I'm wrong about that. It doesn't matter in the end.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Whatev (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:07pm
This is why Sebastian Janikowski is the best possible kicker for the Raiders. When the coverage unit inevitably blows their assignments, Janikowski is there to tackle the return man.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:50pm
OMG. Harvin takes the ensuing KO 88-yards for a TD. Jeff Reed does a horrible job of trying to tackle. One of the zebras is run over by one of the Vikings and is still down.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:55pm
Alex Smith and Vernon Davis are doing their best to be Joe Montana and Jerry Rice for a day. They have hooked up for all of the 49ers points. The 49ers are within three: 24-21 Houston.
Agreed. I have also for years called it "The Shanahan Maneuver."
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:59pm
Steelers catch a huge break as Big Ben has the ball stripped from behind while scrambling. Two Vikings had a chance at the recovery, but the ball ultimately bounces out of bounds. Steelers get the chance to punt.
Childress makes this face mask-type gesture every time they show him on the sideline. I want to know what the hell he's saying.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:02pm
In defense of Reed, Harvin did hint a cut to the inside, freesing Reed. Still didn't looked good, but neither would I while getting semi-juked by a guy like HArvin..
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:06pm
Well, each team has a road kill now. AD utterly ran over Gay on that pass play.
Looked to me like he was going to try to make a tackle, saw that he would get blocked, and so just fell down to avoid it. Apparently he thought he saw Michael Strahan.
And Vikings QB gives the game away. Killer interception. AD is on the sidelines as they attempt a screen to Taylor--QB doesn't even come close to being on target and Taylor misses a catch he still should have had and then no one knocks it down. Bad, bad play for the Vikings.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:08pm
And feel-good story of the week throws a gameending int... I feel sad..
I was actually talking about Alex Smith... hehe...
By the way, I'm in the (lonely) camp of "I hope Cutler succeeds". I've spend hours and hours arguing for him versus Rivers. I guess stuff like that doesn't evaporate from one day to another...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:18pm
I'll take the Pout (Cutler) over the Wonder Brat (Rivers) any day.
I still take Rivers #3 in the league. Cutler would be (thinks) #9. But I'm weird.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:26pm
If we're talking quality of play, I wouldn't put Rivers higher than #4. I don't think he's quite in the same league as P. Manning, Brees, and Brady. I agree that Cutler is borderline top 10.
I can see how that would work. I'm against him in large part because I found him eternally disappointing in Denver. His decision-making doesn't seem to have improved one bit from his first pass. He's so physically gifted that he gets away with it, but he could be on an all-time great level if he would get his head into it.
His treatment from the media and his own attitude also really remind me of [Vikings QB]. And I need someone to hate once the latter retires. Brady would be the obvious heir, but he just seems to be a hard-working and generally good guy, so I can't bring myself to use him.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:24pm
I find your dislike of Cutler perfectly understandable. I just dislike Rivers more.
For me, disliking Brady is reflexive. He played for Michigan, now he plays for the Patriots. That's enough for me.
I can dislike him--after all, I have for a couple of years now been calling Peyton Manning "Greatest QB of All Time--Non-John Elway Division" and he reminds me so much of Joe Montana, my hatred of whom I have described many times on these boards. But "hate" I can't get to. I hate Cutler and [Vikings QB].
I also have to point out that I am glad Cutler is gone and was glad from the day he was traded, so it really isn't that I'm angry at the trade.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:53pm
I just the highlights of this game during half time of the second game and now understand that Alex Smith returned to form and threw a bad interception to kill the come back hopes of SF.
Maybe we can encourage the Danish Denver fan to practice some revisionist history and delete the name.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:17pm
I think the rufusal to mention his name is getting a bit ridiculus, but I don't want to sabotage your little game:) Editing...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:18pm
Which I apparently cannot - after the page has been refreshed i guessed. Oh well - ther's alway next week...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Jerry :: Mon, 10/26/2009 - 2:35am
You can't edit after someone has replied to you, presumably so the conversation flows without seeming non-sequitors.
One of the nice things about being at the game is not having to hear announcers, but I thought Favre looked really good; some of those incompletions were in the only spot where they could be caught, but the receiver couldn't hang on.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:20pm
Yes, I know I'm being childish, but thank you for playing.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Whatev (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:12pm
I agree, even though it's one of those commercials that annoys me because I already own the product. (It doesn't actually say anything about the year, so I'm counting my 2001 Ford Escape as the product even though they're obviously showing a new one.)
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:07pm
I think she says something about "pressing the button" and "oil".
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by young curmudgeon (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:31pm
Obligatory announcer complaint follows: I'm a Pittsburgh fan and it seemed as if the announcers had decided that the Vikings' QB was going to be the story no matter what happened in the game. If the Steelers did something good, the point made was "How will the Vikings QB respond?" If the Vikings did something good, it was almost always credited to their exceptional QB (Even the announcers did have to interrupt their pleasuring of the Vikings QB a couple of times to acknowledge just how astonishing a player Adrian Peterson is). If, for instance, Kurt Warner had given up the fumble that Woodley returned for a TD, there would have been at least one invocation of the sacred phrase "ball security." (I say this recognizing that the fumble was the result of excellent play by, I believe, Kiesel, rather than a blunder by the Vikings' QB, but be that as it may, there was nary a whisper of criticism of His Eminence for losing the ball.) When Fox made the interception, "it's all on Chester Taylor" was the immediate explanation, although I may have heard one announcer have the temerity to suggest that the ball had been thrown too soon and there was a better play available if the QB had shown a bit more patience. If I heard correctly (I was distracted by my happiness over the interception), I'm sure that this announcer will be taken aside by the producers, the NFL, and the media and reminded that no such negative remarks are to be permitted to sully the airwaves.
On the other hand, I don't really care. Pittsburgh won the game, and who and what gets talked about by the announcers is now in the past and irrelevant.
My CAPTCHA is "Repub- libras" I'm trying frantically to think of an astrological pun on Democrats, and failing miserably. A little help, here!
The only one I can come up with is Demo-cancers, which seems considerably more insulting than Repub-libras.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dave :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:35pm
They also blamed the sun on an incompletion on a pass that was clearly underthrown by Viking QB by about 5 yards. It was similar to the time Gruden blamed an incompletion on a caught ball that was out of bounds on the receiver, citing the "perfect throw."
Being in Chicago, I have been subjected to every one of the Favres games so far this year. It sucks. But this crew, as bad as they were, was actually the least slobbery/biased of all the ones they've had so far this year.
It seems to me that he carried it on his back in much the same way James Wilder did with Tampa Bay in 1984-5, though (and I know you'll already know about Wilder since I know you post at pfr as well, so I won't describe). He wasn't actually good--they just didn't have anyone else. But perhaps I don't fully appreciate the difference in the line between the two years since I rarely saw them last year.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:53pm
I see where you're going, and there's definetely an element of truth it that. But Wilder had 405 carries in 84 and 375 in 85. Matt Forte had 316 - Wilder even had more receptions than Forte 65 of last year.
Wilder was definitely more extreme, it's true, but their per-play production was about equal.
Wilder in '84: 3.8 per carry, 8.1 per reception, 4.5 per touch
Forte in '08: 3.9 per carry, 7.6 per reception, 4.5 per touch
Wilder was noticeably worse than either of those in '85.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Mr Shush :: Mon, 10/26/2009 - 7:44am
Um, but Wilder was really good and Forte is really good. Production /= performance. A bad enough line will result in poor YPC numbers for just about any running back.
Also note that Forte's overall production last year was spectacularly good per DYAR, because he was so exceptional as a receiver.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by ChiTown11111 (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:40pm
He went to Tulane. Not that good players can't come from small schools, but there is a reason for everything.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Rich Conley (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 9:34pm
I like Forte, and I don't think it would be an overstatement to say that Chicago may have the worst interior offensive line in the NFL. 2
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dave :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:32pm
I can't decide if Delhomme's latest INT is worse than Jamarcus's latest INT or not.
Probably not. Russel just flung it right to a guy standing right in the way on a screen. How awful.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:34pm
I hate seeing Orlando Pace like this... Tank Johnson just destroyed him there..
Yeah, not only is the Bengals' line making holes but Benson looks really good on his way through them and after.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Whatev (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:15pm
*sigh* It was either this or Redskins D against Philly.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:50pm
Romo shaken up a little on a scramble. The play results in a 4th down and Dallas punts. It looks like Romo will return.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:53pm
As they come back from commercial, they show Romo on the bench and Kitna warming up. Maybe Romo is hurt more than I thought. I don't know what the injury is.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:57pm
Romo comes back out after the Falcons punt. They're calling his injury a neck strain.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dave :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:53pm
"Wildcat or conventional, Miami in the running game... is quite good."
Why is it that the highest-paid first and second string announcers have nothing to say other than "OMG The Wildcat!!!111!!!" but Charles Davis (who?) is actually calm and honest and talks about how impressively the Dolphins block their running plays?
Every other team's wildcat is just as Jaws describes - a stupid gimmick - but the Phins is another story entirely. They're going to be a serious playoff contender despite their slow start, I think.
14-3 after Williams runs a very long way without being touched. Nobody in black even got anywhere near him.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:02pm
I've seen the Dolphins play a couple of times this year and I am really impressed at how well their Wildcat scheme works.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dave :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:54pm
Keeping with the bad announcer theme, Dan Dierdorf:
"And now we're being told that Shaun Ellis, the Jets' defensive end, has an ankle."
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:58pm
What a beauty from Palmer to Coles. Pitch-and-catch at the moment...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:00pm
Fantasy players across the country either scream in frustration or thank their lucky stars as Roy Williams catches a pass for a first down.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:03pm
Fantasy players across the country either scream in frustration or thank their lucky stars as Roy Williams drops an easy pass that would have been well short of the first down yardage.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:01pm
The Bears are laying an egg in Ohio.
Funny sentence when you think about it...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:09pm
Newman just made an utterly pathetic attempt to tackle Roddy White. Newman just lunges forward with his shoulder. White easily sidesteps and Newman looks like someone just unexpectedly opened a door as he falls worthlessly to the ground. White gets the first down.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:12pm
Not wanting to be outdone by Newman's sucktitude, Matt Ryan throws an inexplicable pass right into the arms of Jenkins for a Cowboys interception.
I was going to switch to the other game. Then I remembered that it was the Jets at Oakland. Whoopee.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:17pm
Since the Falcons' opening TD drive which was around 15 plays and ate up around 8 minutes, the Falcons and Cowboys seem to be playing a game of "We suck at football worse that you do". This has not been a particularly well played game.
Of course, I probably have a lot of chutzpah complaining about the quality of any game that doesn't involve the Browns, Chiefs, Raiders, or Rams.
Bruce Gradkowski is in now--JaMarcus has been benched.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:21pm
We probably shouldn't jump to any conclusions about the coaching staff making a good decision. Cable was probably watching the SF-HOU game and is just aping what Mike Singletary did.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:18pm
Details, please. Hurt, benched, bodily assumed into football hell?
By the way, can we have a rule against all throwbacks that completely change a team's colors? I can't keep in mind that these are the Jets when they're in Charger colors.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dave :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:21pm
He was actually over 50% completions to his own teammates. That's not part of the game plan.
The update on Sportsline about the benching says, "Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell could use earplugs. He's being booed unmercifully by fans who have watched him turn the ball over three times. He just threw his second pick, tossing a jump ball into the end zone to reserve WR Todd Watkins. One problem. Watkins was covered by Jets Pro Bowl CB Darrelle Revis, who made a leaping interception."
There's another update now:
"Raiders backup QB Bruce Gradkowski replaced starter JaMarcus Russell with 5:45 left in the first half. He was greeted with a huge ovation from the fans, who had been booing Russell. This is the first time Russell has been benched this season."
Bruce Gradkowski getting a "huge ovation." Wow.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:28pm
Loser League players across the country either scream in frustration or thank their lucky stars as Russell gets 11 attempts before being benched.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:19pm
Tip drill INT by Torbor for the Dolphins. Maybe this is the day the Saints offense gets unlucky enough to stall...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by tornadot :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:21pm
This Cincy/Bears game is getting a bit boring now. Do the Bears have it in them to stop this machine? Or should I save myself the trouble and check back in the 4th quarter?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:23pm
After trading fumbles, Romo hits Austin for a long TD pass (a very nice play except for the lack of Falcons coverage). It's now 10-7 Dallas.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:24pm
In game 6 of the ALCS, it's Buffalo 7 and Carolina 2.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:27pm
Is Chicago composed of the Northwestern team today? I know Cincy has had a pretty good year so far, but 28-0 over the Wildcats, er, I mean Bears? That's more than laying an egg.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:31pm
On reflection, perhaps I owe Northwestern fans an apology for comparing their team to the Bears today.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:28pm
Great play by Jason Taylor, bullrushing past Bushrod, knocks the ball out of Bress's hands. The Saints recover though. The rush is really getting there for the Phins...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dave :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:29pm
Any other non-native Chicago residents in here? Are you enjoying this thrashing as much as I am?
The Bengals just got a little soft there and are going to attempt a FG now, which might completely ruin my hope that Palmer ties the all time TD pass record against the Bears D.
The two games I can watch have a combined score of 52-0. Raiders fans are booing their team. Obviously, they need Raiderjoe to remind them of their obligation as Raider fans.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:35pm
The ingratitude of those Raiders' fans is unseemly. The Raiders have their two wins for the first half of the season. It's greedy for a Raiders fan to want more from their team. What nerve.
It's quite out of character. Raider fans are the most blindly loyal fans anywhere in sports. I would never have believed I would hear Raider fans boo their team.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:31pm
Why did the Bears just let 40 seconds run off the clock?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Dan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:48pm
And it cost them a shot at a touchdown. They stopped Cincy on 3rd & short after the 2 minute warning, and then let the Bengals run the play clock all the way down before kicking the FG. That meant the Bears got the ball back with just over a minute left and all 3 timeouts. They end up with first & goal with 1 second left in the half and kick the FG to make it 31-3. Way to go, guys.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Jimmy :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:56pm
It is all part of a plan so cunning and devilish that mortal minds cannot conceive of it in all it's glorious majesty (unfortunately this will include Lovie Smith).
Stage One: Allow 31 uncontested points to start the game.
Stage Two: Waste loads of time when the end of the half is approaching.
Stage Three: ????
Stage Four: PROFIT
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:33pm
I seems there has been more blowouts this year than normal. And a lot more complete smackdowns. Anyone else have that feeling?
Yes. And after everyone else on this board got to go to another game, I was still subjected to NE-Ten last week, so if neither CBS nor Fox switches today, I'm going to cry.
By the way, 55-0 for the two games combined now.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:39pm
I certainly have that feeling today. I think you're probably right about the season, too. The NFL's vaunted parity is AWOL this season. It's been a long time since the NFL has had a half dozen or so really good teams and a half dozen or so really crappy teams with everyone else sort of muddling around in the middle.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:37pm
The 31-"nil" shtick got old a looong time ago...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:41pm
This is so strange. The Miami defense is absolutely whipping the NO offense. This not because of a backup at LT. Something is wrong... Hmm..
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:45pm
Maybe the humidity is bothering them.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Whatev (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 6:57pm
Are you kidding? New Orleans is in LOUISIANA.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:42pm
Romo makes an incredible play, which ends up in a TD. I think Romo evaded a tackle attempt from every defensive line player on the Falcons, as well as a linebacker or two, before stepping up and throwing the TD pass. The Falcons were incredibly inept tackling that play. At the half: Dallas 17, Atlanta 7.
What sacrifice do I have to make to the football and/or television gods to get either of the other two games?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:49pm
I counsel patience. The networks usually wait until the 2nd half to switch games. If each team gets a possession and they don't switch, I think you're faced with two choices: heavy drinking or turning off the TV.
They just showed a replay of Leon Washington's injury and it looked pretty nasty.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:51pm
Hating at the Raiders is piling on at this point, but I'm a Broncos-fan so I'm allowed.
I have a hard time describing how good this feels. Every offseason I'm over at silverandblackpride.com. The cool-aid being consumed at that place is surreal. And every year their hopes (not hopes. Expectations, really) are crushed. I love it.
"JaMarcus Russel got a lot better at the end of last year. The lights were definetely turned on. He "gets it" now. 11-5, baby!".
I have nothing against JR. I believe he could've been succesfull with the right coaching and some sorrounding talent - like with Alex Smith, I actually feel sorry for them - it must be devastating to have a franchise waste your talent completely.
No idea. I cannot identify announcers by voice and I'm going back and forth between the games at this point, hoping one will disappear. I will say the play-by-play guy deserves some credit for this--they came back from the half and he said that the Jets had a perfect first half then quickly corrected himself to say "It wasn't perfect. They lost Leon Washington to an injury."
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by jayinalaska :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 6:04pm
I just went and looked it up. It is Dick Enberg. It's amazing to me that Enberg is still calling games. He's been doing it for a long time and he really has fallen off quite a bit in quality. I can remember when he and Merlin Olsen were the top crew for NBC back in the day when they had the AFC games and there were a few years when I thought they were every bit as good as Pat Summeril and John Madden on CBS (doing the NFC games.)
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by funtime42 :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:51pm
I've been a Bengals fan from their first draft and let me assure you, a 31 - 3 lead is not safe until well past the two-minute warning. God knows I love them, but they've created more ways to lose a game than Peyton has TD passes. On the other hand, they're great aerobic exercise...
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Jimmy :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:52pm
The Bears are playing worse than I have ever seen them play. I can't say the offense has been terrrible, although it hasn't exactly been brilliant with two turnovers but the defense hasn't looked like stopping the Bengals at all. They are just getting shredded. Not to take anything away from the Bengals offense but the only defensive player who has turned up at all for the Bears is Briggs.
If this is how the defensive line plays without Tommie Harris then he needs to be healthy quickly. Angelo's greatest blunder might have been cutting Marc Columbo so he could go to Dallas and leg whip Harris and reduce him to a shadow of his former self. A shadow would however have more stopping power than the Bears defensive line today which is slowing the Bengals down less than a headwind would a Bugatti Veyron. God knows what would happen if Briggs got hurt, it isn't worth thinking about.
"A shadow would however have more stopping power than the Bears defensive line today which is slowing the Bengals down less than a headwind would a Bugatti Veyron."
You need to copyright that.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Whatev (not verified) :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 7:00pm
The Bears are also running out of linebackers, aren't they?
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Jimmy :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 9:29pm
Yes and shuffling them backwards and forwards in the starting lineup. It really isn't pretty.
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Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:57pm
What a play (and drive) by the Saints. I don't know if it was carving up a prevent D or just realizing they are the Saint, and start moving the ball, but it was very impressive.
And as i write that, it's being rewieved with 5 tick left on the clock. Ball half a yard short.
RSS Feed
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
A read of Monday Night Jihad??
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
"Well, we've determined that we can't win at home and we can't win on the road. What we need is a neutral site."
- John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, during the inaugural season of 1976 when the Bucs endured a 0-14 record.
http://sportzfun.com/quotes/gridiron-football.htm
Well, here we go.
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
His best quote ever had to be when he was asked about his offense's execution replied, "I'm all in favour of it."
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
The title of this article on nfl.com is "Teams can stay in good shape by running more frequently". It nearly made my head explode.
http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story?id=09000d5d813a23fc&template=with-vi...
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
Wow. That article was mind blowing stupid.
The problem is deep rooted.
I've seen Romeo Crennell in pre game (UFL) still say to his players "We got to run the ball. We got to be able to run the ball" and this is a pro football coach.
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
I haven't read the article (mainly because I think it might make my brains bleed out of my nose) but being able to run the ball is an important part of football. I am not saying you have to run the ball every first down or that giving your back 30 carries will win you a game. Maintaining a decent balance on offense is very important though and running the ball succesfully is a big part of that. If Crennel means that gaining good yardage when you do run the ball is essential then I don't have much of a problem with the quote you have produced. Getting poor returns from your running game is a recipe for very inconsistent offensive production. For more information see Bears, Chicago.
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
Well, your point is well taken, but this article goes beyond that.
He's actually claiming to have discovered this new theory that it's MORE important to run the ball A LOT than to run it well. He didn't find much in way of correlation between winning teams and teams with high yards per carry. But lo and behold, a lot of good teams have a lot of rushing attempts.
And yes, I'm bleeding through my nose.
By the way, his opening line of "I'm a fairly simple dude..." takes the "well, no shit"-prize of the year.
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
Maybe he is one to something. He just needs to keep looking, I bet he can find evidence that QB kneels actually help your team win (I am sure I read that somewhere). So you should put a few of them in your scripted plays to make sure you do it often enough to win.
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
Some fool wrote to Pat Yasinksas in the NFC South Blog on ESPN.com, declaring that the Saints play better when Drew Brees throws less. His supporting evidence? Brees threw for 5,000 yards last season, and the Saints were 8-8. The Saints are undefeated right now, and have called more runs than passes.
Of course, the Saints' success this year has nothing to do with an improved defense, in addition to the more balanced attack, and the main reason that they have more runs than passes is because they THREW THE BALL to get in the lead (or had the other team throw it to Darren Sharper...), and were able to run the ball more to HOLD the lead.
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Sports talk radio and sports message boards are the killing fields of intellectual discourse.
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
Correlation does not equal causality.
This reminds me of a great story from a Stat professor of mine. A study was done because of an increase in shark attacks at a particular beach. They studied all the possible variables and found strong correlation between the number of shark attacks and popsicle stick sales. The proposed solution was to stop selling popsicles (never mind the fact that popsicle sales were driven by people going to the beach in grater numbers as were shark attacks)
So run to win equals shark attacks and popsicle sticks
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
The standard example is ice cream sales and murder rates. They always correlate together. And I actually know someone who wouldn't let her son eat ice cream because of this.
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
That's awesome.
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Sports talk radio and sports message boards are the killing fields of intellectual discourse.
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
Seeing that photo of Ditka on the front page,anyoen else wondering if CBS is now ordering a pilot of CSI:Sarasota (to be aired at 6PM, so the target audience can watch after getting back from the Early Bird Special)?
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
Ahm help the European guy:
Here in Denmark we changed to winter-time last night, thus turning back time an hour. Did you americans do so too? If no, how does that affect kickoff times here across the pond?
Embarrasing, but I know I'll end up getting it wrong...
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
Same for the UK. It makes the games one hour earlier. I think it is why they play the London game this week.
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
the early 1pm games have a Danish kickoff time of 18:00 today...
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
instead of 6 hours time difference it's now 5.
So instead of games starting at 19:00 they start now at 18:00.
The US changes time next week.
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
We(US) go back an hour next Sunday.
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Thanks, guys. Eller "tak" til Malene
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Is Chris Berman actually getting dumber? He was always a moron, but this season he has said things like, "The Jets are undefeated because [Min QB] was there last year" and "Football's an American game--other countries shouldn't see it."
He said something really stupid during a baseball game, too, but I don't remember what it was now. I think it was something about what a great year Manny Ramirez had. (I'm a Dodger fan, so I can't even laugh at that.)
Re: Week 7 Open Discussion Thread
Eponysterical.
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I am giving up on any pregame stuff.set I will read until the Vikings begin their first loss of the season.
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By the way, those who were involved in the Douglas Adams/Terry Pratchett/et al. discussion last week will be pleased to know that I have now watched a little Doctor Who. You talked me into it. I have too much to read right now to get to work on any new books (I've taken a month now to get about 5 pages into The Blind Watchmaker because of all of the reading I have for classes.), but I will get there eventually.
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Good call. Ecclestone or Tennant episodes?
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If I can trust my TV Guide channel, I have MIN@PIT and NE@TB for the early games and ATL@DAL for the late game. I'll be watching MIN@PIT for the most part, even though the execrable Tony Siragusa is the sideline "reporter".
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I get Chi @ Cin for the late game. I hope I see [Min QB] and his heir apparent in Chicago combine for 13 interceptions.
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I just flipped over to the CBS game during the commercial break and see that my TV Guide channel lied. I have SD@KC.
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Wow. I think the engineers at my CBS affiliate are under the influence of controlled substances. I flip back over during the FOX commercial break and it's now NE@TB. Weird.
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Steelers force a three and out. Polamalu put a big hit on Harvin, who dropped the pass.
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what do you think about the chances of brandon tate seeing the field for the pats today?
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Very good, even if it's just on kickoff or punt returns.
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pick 6, man am I glad I have the pats d for fantasy
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I do too.
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Steelers get a big run from Mendenhall on their first play (10-15 yards). Then, the VIkings sack Big Ben. The Steelers can't recover from the sack and punt. A bit of excitement on the punt when the return man appeared to fumble, but he was down by contact.
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No one wants to hold on to the ball in Pittsburgh, it seems.
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That was a good defensive series for the Steelers. They get a sack, hold a run for a short gain, and there's a poorly thrown pass on 3rd down.
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I like Meriweather's shaking fans' hands after the TD--just showed the highlight.
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Somebody needs to tell Josh Johnson that Merriweather is not on his team. That's two completions to him so far.
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Bill Simmons keeps saying Tampa Bay is scary because "That Josh Johnson--he makes things happen!"
Apparently what he makes happen today is Meriweather's interception total increasing.
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The Vikings-Steelers game has started out as a defensive struggle. Each team has had two possessions; each team has punted twice. I think the Steelers have the only 1st down.
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Is Percy Harvin really short or does he just look like it?
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He's listed as 5'11" but I doubt it. He looks smaller compared to the other Vikings recievers.
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Brilliant playcall on 3rd-and-19 by Childress. Run into the middle of the line. Wow. You don't want to make people think you're, you know, trying to win the game or anything.
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I'll agree it was a very conservative play call, but it's early in the game, your QB just got sacked, and you probably want to play field position. Chilly had no way of knowing that his punter was going to crap all over the field.
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Your QB is also a first-ballot Hall of Famer you supposedly signed because he gives you the confidence to make plays like throwing a 19-yard pass. Also, Minnesota so far this season has had a good offense and a poor defense--I don't think they should be playing field position.
However, if you're going to run the ball, couldn't you at least try something that has SOME chance of breaking and turning into a first down?
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Yeah, the draw up the middle was totally uninspired. Although, most teams don't have a lot of plays that they have a lot of confidence in for 3rd and 19. I'm not really trying to defend Chilly. I just understand why he made the call.
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Steelers get their second sack as the Vikings run a little, naked bootleg right into Woodley, who was unblocked. Harrison cleans up after Woodley misses the tackle.
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Oops, I think that was the Steelers third sack.
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I'm used to seeing shanked punts in Steelers games after the Mitch Berger experience. Not used to it from opposing punters though. Kluwe with a 12 yard bomb.
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First drive, pick six. Second drive, another INT. London, on behalf of Buccaneers fans, I'd like to apologize for what you're going to have to watch.
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Just as people are questioning Brady/Belichick, they brilliantly schedule themselves against Tennessee and Tampa Bay, proving their brilliance yet again.
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I was watching the "Sports Reporters" right before the game. They were talking about the Broncos being one of the surprise teams of the season. Mike Lupica, trying to get under Bob Ryan's skin, said something along the lines of, "Who knew Josh McDaniels was carrying Belichick all these years". I thought it was a mildly amusing dig.
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That's a good one, yes.
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There's a Brandon Tate sighting for you. 11 yards on an end around.
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Great call on the end around there--right at Jared Allen and he heads upfield until it's too late.
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I think the Steelers lead the league in OPI flags against them. The one on Heath to negate the TD was legit.
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I shoulda put tate in rather than maroney at RB
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That was cruel--they just said, "Looking at the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates" and showed the stadium before transitioning to an ad for playoff baseball. All six of the Pirates fans (I kid--I know there are more of them than one would expect.) in the country suffer enough without having their stadium contrasted with playoff baseball.
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It occurred to me as I was crossing the Fort Duquesne Bridge and saw the ballpark on my right that the Pirates hadn't lost in three weeks.
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Just saw Houston is up 13-0 on SF. Anyone watching the game? Is Houston looking good or are the 49ers looking bad?
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I don't know if the Vikings are going to want to keep making the Steelers jump offsides with the hard count if the play continuation is going to end up with the QB on his back.
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THIS JUST IN: "Adrian Peterson has breakaway speed."
He didn't do anything to bring about this comment, either.
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I really dislike this announcing crew. Fortunately, I seem to have developed an ability not to hear what they're saying most of the time. Surprisingly, this ability does *NOT* involve the mute button.
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You simply must teach this skill to others.
Who actually is the crew, anyway?
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Kenny Albert, "Moose" Johnson, and "Goose" Siragusa. If I knew how I did it and thought I could teach it, I would because I could probably make a killing.
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I suppose if I survived listening to Randy Cross doing Broncos games when John was still playing, I can handle anything. (Randy Cross made it very clear that John never did anything right. At all. Ever. The he slobbered over Cutler all the time by saying how much better he was than Elway.)
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And, you dislike Randy Cross why? (I kid, I kid!)
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Often, we would get Randy Cross one week and Rich Gannon the next--that made it even better because Gannon didn't even just hate Elway. He hated the whole team no matter what. It's ironic that now he and the Raiders are apparently on the outs now.
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I understand. I resent to this day that NBC has Pay Heydn as the "analyst" for the Irish games, although I have to admit he's been pretty objective.
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That was an ugly 3rd down play for the Vikings. Polamalu was the only person in the picture when the pass hit the ground. Maybe training camp does matter.
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That was a jarring picture. CBS was doing a scenic shot of London. I wasn't ready for the juxtaposition of a red, double-decker bus driving by a McDonald's. I know McDonald's has been in Great Britain for years and I actually like McDonald's, but seeing those two "icons" together was somehow wrong to me.
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McDonalds sells some decent Indian style food in England -- " McCurry " if i remember right.
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Childress is actually making a decent adjustment here throwing the quick passes to keep the QB upright and let the receivers make plays. However, AD still seems absent.
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I wonder what other adjustments Chilly will have to make after "sprinting" on to the field to call that time-out.
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Drinking a vodka as big as your head?
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The adjustments pay off as the Vikings score the TD. Peterson picks up the critical first down in the red zone and scores the TD.
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Vikings QB costs his team a TD by refusing to set his feet, fearing an oncoming hit.
Then Adrian Peterson scores going through a hole that I could have run through.
I leave any lessons from this sequence up to the reader.
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The Vikings QB is just having fun out there.
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Having fun with his swagger hanging out . . .
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That was an image I didn't need. Thanks.
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I apologize.
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Except for the Vikings-Steelers game, everything else is pretty lopsided. I'm a little surprised it's only 14-3 for the Colts/Lambs game.
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None of them seem surprising, either.
However, Reggie Wayne is now out. Saint Louis comeback brewing?
...
...
...
No.
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Ah, the universe slips back into alignment. The score crawl shows 21-3 Indy.
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How bad is the injury?
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I'm not watching that game, but Sportsline just says "strained groin. His return is questionable." Apparently Donald Brown has followed him out now.
Could Saint Louis have a shot against Manning and 10 guys off the street?
No.
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This just in: The Browns can't tackle or cover. FOX just showed the highlight of the Rodgers-Driver TD pass. Driver was wide open and then the Browns missed two or three tackles as Driver ran in for the TD.
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Or throw. Or run. Or block. Or scheme. Or walk upright.
This Browns team may be the worst team I've ever seen--just from how they look. I still maintain the '08 Lions looked far better than the '06 Raiders.
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Berrian limps along the sideline and it seems as though no one is even paying any attention.
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Well, between extolling the virtues of the Vikings QB, talking about Big Ben's toughness, pointing out the AD is always a threat to make a big run, and reiterating how effective the Dick LeBeau zone blitz scheme is, who has time for injuries, formations, substitutions, and the spot of the ball? After all, none of that is really important anyway.
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The announcers actually did point it out--it was the Vikings sideline that seemed oddly ignorant.
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I'm not going to let your puny facts get in the way of my announcer bashing.
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Oh, by all means. They surely deserve it for something anyway.
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The Steelers offense finally gets their act together at the end of the half. Nice TD pass to Mike Wallace.
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I'm always amazed that two teams can play a particular style of football for 28 minutes, then it gets to be two minutes until the end of a half and it's like two different teams suddenly show up on the field. Anyway, that was quite the nice two minute drive by the Steelers to take the lead with about a half minute to go in the half. They go 91 yards in a buck fifteen.
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Ben Roethlisberger is like the opposite of Ray Rice for me--whenever I see him he looks fantastic, but his numbers the rest of the time never jibe with what I see.
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And that's more of what you'd expect to see with replacement defensive backs running around in the vikings secondary...
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It's not like they've looked stellar even with Winfield.
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Which is not to contradict your point, by the way.
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Is it just me, or did the Steelers actually keep Jared Allen in check during the first half? I don't recall him making any big plays.
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They did overall, but he did hit Ben twice. And the announcers gave him credit for both sacks though he doesn't get either.
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Is Pittsburgh the prettiest major city in the country to see from above? I love watching games there on TV just for the views of the city with the rivers going through it (and now I realize there are rivers in this city too) and everything.
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I'd have to say Seattle, but I lived in the Puget Sound area for a long time, so I'm biased.
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Seattle is pretty, though, that's fair.
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I think most people would say Seattle of San Francisco assuming you are sticking to the top 20 or so. Personally I find them all fascinating from the air, but i work in Economic development and love city planning.
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Apparently, the Steelers, if they don't run, go to the air. Who would have guessed?
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It's a new strategy they're trying out, although if you listened to the media they'd have you think the Steelers are a run-first team that doesn't believe in throwing.
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I know that in Madden when I don't run, I don't throw.
And you never step in the same river once.
Now, to be serious--is the media ever going to figure out that the Steelers haven't really been a run-first team since Cowher's Super Bowl team (which prossibly wouldn't have been run-first either if Maddox hadn't gotten hurt)?
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This would require them to learn a new storyline, but they're limited on the number they can learn and remember.
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Are you kidding me? Sapp just launched himself head first like a missile at Big Ben as he's running out of bounds. Sapp draws the personal foul penalty. Talk about stupid.
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Weird problem on that play for the Steelers. Ben looks to his right, fakes but doesn't seem to have any interest in actually throwing, then just goes down. Someone made a big mistake, I hope. If that's how the play was supposed to go, I'm frightened--though I guess Tomlin did coach under Childress . . .
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For the first time in years, I hear an announcer (Dick Stockton?) actually use the term "end-around" ... and, of course, this call happens on an actual reverse. I'm used to announcers screwing up any call that involves a receiver carrying the ball, but usually it's because they add one reverse to however many actually happened. Even though the call was wrong, it was weirdly refreshing.
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If you were referring to the Steelers play, it's Kenny Albert with the play-by-play.
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Yeah, I was ... and Albert actually ended up getting it right on an end-around to Harvin!
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Someone else made this exact same mistake last week. I too was amazed and amused by it.
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C'mon, FOX robot! Where's the 'wax on, wax off' action.
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Michael Crabtree has already surpassed Darius Heyward-Bey's season totals. 3 rec for 39 yards against 2 for 36.
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Now, now, Crabtree actually has someone resembling an NFL QB throwing to him.
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Not anymore--Alex Smith.
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Don't be so sure. Hill got benched, Alex Smith is in.
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We have an Alex Smith sighting!
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If I were Chilly, I think I'd take that naked bootleg play to Woodley's side out of the playbook for the rest of the day.
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Moose agrees. Are you frightened?
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Yep, I'm hiding under the table waiting for the end of the world.
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And Alex Smith retires now--with a perfect QB rating for his final season.
His retirement speech: "F.U. Singletary!"
And he runs away cackling madly . . . carrying a pair of pants . . . no one looks at Singletary.
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Childress's wish list for next season: An inside running back.
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Viking QB completes the TD pass . . . to the crossbar.
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And now we find out--does Childress actually have any balls at all or does he kick a field goal at the 1?
To no one's surprise, they kick the field goal. Awful job at the goal line by Minnesota, both in play calling and execution.
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The Steelers make a nice goal line stand forcing the Vikings to settle for a FG. The Vikings had first and goal at the one. Polamalu shot one of the A gaps and blew up the full back on the first down running play. His teammates stack up AD for no gain. The Vikings go play action, incomplete on the next two plays. If I were a Vikings fan, this is the point where I'd be PO'd at the play calling. C'mon boys, buckle on the chin straps and run it down their throats. Jiminy, I think a QB sneak would've worked (they were inside the one). And, I think I'd have gone for on 4th down.
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I would have broken all rules of football and put in T-Jack to run a sneak. He's huge and QB sneaks work not because of surprise but because it's just very very difficult to get to the right spot in time. Plus it doesn't give you any major problems if he gets hurt.
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Deleted inadvertent double post.
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The offensive play calling in the Vikings/Steelers game is an apparent race to the bottom between Childress and Arians.
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Clark just lit up Harvin on a long 3rd down play. It was a clean hit: right shoulder into the middle of the back. The Vikings QB made a great throw to get it to Harvin, but he can't hold on through the big hit.
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Harvin can't catch anything. He completely missed that one before he got hit.
Oddly, the QB hurries downfield to check on him. Bizarre looking.
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After that graphic, should we be thinking a 34-31 finish for the game?
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Well, without researching it, I would guess that Pittsburgh gives up that many points late because they can't run well enough to run out the clock (especially since Parker has started for half the year) while Minnesota can't play pass defense normally and it gets even worse when they're spread out. So, yes, I think that's about right.
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Wow--great catch and run by Santonio Holmes. I think every Viking touched him.
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A bizarre moment only the NFL could bring to Britain. Antonio Bryant is called for a delay of game for spiking the ball. Fair enough that is the rule but only the NFL could spend three minutes with the officials in the huddle and conversation with both coaches to then call a player for delay of game.
You know you have too many pointless rules when ........
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That is truly awesome.
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I love irony.
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Mendenhall gets himself benched? Horrendous fumble when they should have had a touchdown coming.
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Does he have a history of fumbling? If not, his play of the last 4 weeks gives him a mulligan. I agree it was a horrid fumble, though.
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I think he does. I will look. I'm also used to Shanahan, who would bench him for that fumble if he had rushed for 300 yards 2 straight games.
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Well, he has one fumble in 96 touches coming into this game, so I guess he doesn't have a history unless he did in college, which I wouldn't know.
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Yeah he had a fumbling problem in college, and he had a problem in practice his rookie year.
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By the way, Alex Smith is absolutely carving up the Texans. The same ones against whom Hill was 6/11 for 45 yards.
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Alex Smith is leading the 49ers in a comeback bid. Can he sustain it?
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I can't explain it, but I've always sort of rooted for Alex Smith. I hope he at least gets rid of Shaun Hill. I'm so tired of hearing about his record as a starter. I'm tired of hearing Orton's too, but at least I know 6 of those wins are for my team.
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Wow--Moose just praised someone besides himself.
And very nice downfield throw by Vikings QB gets called back and he limps around behind the line.
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For all the abuse Ron Winter gets, I think he made the correct call there. The defender was blocked into the Vikings QB legs. The Vikings QB has been a little gimpy since then.
As I type this, Polamalu just crushed Rice (I think) on the side lines. They call it an incomplete pass on the field. The Vikings are challenging that Rice actually got both feet down before being turned into road kill.
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Ooh--I thought Rice made the catch in real time. And on replay I still think he did.
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I think you're right.
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Going into the commercial, the announcers are announcing what stupidity that challenge is because he didn't even get close to catching it. Coming back, they announce, "We all know it's a catch."
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Massaquoi is lighting it up if you're in a PPT league. 9 targets, 1 catch, 22 yards, and a 10-yard OPI. They just went to him twice on the goal line and came up with nothing.
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He's also a first-rounder in a Scrabble league.
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Well played. Triple letter for the "Q" and triple word, too.
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A while back, Kenny Albert asked if Packers' fans were celebrating after the Vikings QB came up gimpy after the near sack. I thought that was rather classless, even by announcer standards. I don't want to see the Vikings QB hurt, I just want to see him fail. Does he really think the Packers' fan base wants to see the Vikings QB hurt?
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The funny part to me was that Moose was like, "Well, they know what a tough SOB he is and they appreciated it."
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Seemingly bad call costs the Vikings a QB--first and goal now on the 20.
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*TD, not QB. He is unfortunately still there.
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After I go out of my way to praise Winter, he has to go and piss in my Wheaties. Jerk.
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Awesome downfield blocking by the Steeler D on the fumble recovery TD there. That was the best I may have ever seen on perhaps the slowest runback in history.
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I think that honor belongs to Dan Wilkinson. Still awesome.
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Great blocking yes, but the slowest runback in history was a 62-yard interception return for a TD by supposedly 340-lb Keith Traylor (I still think he was 360+).
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Are you kidding me? The Vikings QB is either stripped or the ball slips out of his hand. Woodley picks up the ball. The Steelers defense gets downfield, makes 3 or 4 great blocks, and Woodley rumbles in for the 77-yard TD return. What a great play.
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After the TD is taken away by a bad call, Pittsburgh scores a defensive touchdown. That call could have decided the game in the end.
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Great return by Harvin. If he ever starts doing a decent job of catching he's going to be scary as hell. It was well blocked, too. And the announcers complain about Jeff Reed's tackle attempt--HE'S A FRICKING KICKER!
And an official looks to be in bad shape.
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They just did a segment on Countdown this morning about the NFL possibly requiring helmets for officials in the future and then we have one leaving this game after getting run over in the middle of the open field.
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Even a kicker should be able to tackle better than that. And, if you believe the air bags, he didn't do his job which was to turn Harvin back to the center of the field.
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He could at least have been a speed bump. I'm not quite sure what he was doing there.
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Imitating a bobble head doll.
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It seems to me they usually try to coax the returner into going out of bounds, though. (And it bizarrely works. Why would you avoid the kicker?) Perhaps I'm wrong about that. It doesn't matter in the end.
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This is why Sebastian Janikowski is the best possible kicker for the Raiders. When the coverage unit inevitably blows their assignments, Janikowski is there to tackle the return man.
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OMG. Harvin takes the ensuing KO 88-yards for a TD. Jeff Reed does a horrible job of trying to tackle. One of the zebras is run over by one of the Vikings and is still down.
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Alex Smith and Vernon Davis are doing their best to be Joe Montana and Jerry Rice for a day. They have hooked up for all of the 49ers points. The 49ers are within three: 24-21 Houston.
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Mewelde Moore in for Mendenhall now.
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Argh Vikings, FALL on the ball.
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Ray Edwards should have had a fumble recovery for Minnesota but he tries to pick it up instead of falling on it.
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Benching an RB for fumbling once is an overreaction. End of story.
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Keep in mind that he fumbled in the red zone last week, as well.
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Oh ok, I was unaware. I guess it makes sence then...
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Mendenhall also fumbled last week.
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Agreed. I have also for years called it "The Shanahan Maneuver."
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Steelers catch a huge break as Big Ben has the ball stripped from behind while scrambling. Two Vikings had a chance at the recovery, but the ball ultimately bounces out of bounds. Steelers get the chance to punt.
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Childress makes this face mask-type gesture every time they show him on the sideline. I want to know what the hell he's saying.
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In defense of Reed, Harvin did hint a cut to the inside, freesing Reed. Still didn't looked good, but neither would I while getting semi-juked by a guy like HArvin..
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Well, each team has a road kill now. AD utterly ran over Gay on that pass play.
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William Gay was just killed in an accident. He was run over by a fast-moving Adrian Peterson.
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Unbelievable. The Vikings QB has his pass tipped. Pick 6. That's all on Chester Taylor.
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I just saw the Vikings QB attempt at some kind of a block or tackle on the pick 6. I withdraw all of my objections and comments made about Jeff Reed.
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Looked to me like he was going to try to make a tackle, saw that he would get blocked, and so just fell down to avoid it. Apparently he thought he saw Michael Strahan.
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And Vikings QB gives the game away. Killer interception. AD is on the sidelines as they attempt a screen to Taylor--QB doesn't even come close to being on target and Taylor misses a catch he still should have had and then no one knocks it down. Bad, bad play for the Vikings.
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And feel-good story of the week throws a gameending int... I feel sad..
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*Cackles madly*
Now, let's see Cutler follow suit this afternoon.
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I was actually talking about Alex Smith... hehe...
By the way, I'm in the (lonely) camp of "I hope Cutler succeeds". I've spend hours and hours arguing for him versus Rivers. I guess stuff like that doesn't evaporate from one day to another...
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I'll take the Pout (Cutler) over the Wonder Brat (Rivers) any day.
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I still take Rivers #3 in the league. Cutler would be (thinks) #9. But I'm weird.
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If we're talking quality of play, I wouldn't put Rivers higher than #4. I don't think he's quite in the same league as P. Manning, Brees, and Brady. I agree that Cutler is borderline top 10.
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Ah, I guess I misunderstood your comment about taking Cutler over Rivers any day, so never mind.
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I can see how that would work. I'm against him in large part because I found him eternally disappointing in Denver. His decision-making doesn't seem to have improved one bit from his first pass. He's so physically gifted that he gets away with it, but he could be on an all-time great level if he would get his head into it.
His treatment from the media and his own attitude also really remind me of [Vikings QB]. And I need someone to hate once the latter retires. Brady would be the obvious heir, but he just seems to be a hard-working and generally good guy, so I can't bring myself to use him.
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I find your dislike of Cutler perfectly understandable. I just dislike Rivers more.
For me, disliking Brady is reflexive. He played for Michigan, now he plays for the Patriots. That's enough for me.
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I can dislike him--after all, I have for a couple of years now been calling Peyton Manning "Greatest QB of All Time--Non-John Elway Division" and he reminds me so much of Joe Montana, my hatred of whom I have described many times on these boards. But "hate" I can't get to. I hate Cutler and [Vikings QB].
I also have to point out that I am glad Cutler is gone and was glad from the day he was traded, so it really isn't that I'm angry at the trade.
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I just the highlights of this game during half time of the second game and now understand that Alex Smith returned to form and threw a bad interception to kill the come back hopes of SF.
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And Vikings QB also fell to the ground to avoid getting blocked on the runback.
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I cannot stand another week of Brett Favre love... And as i write that Fox comes up with a HUUUGE play! Ha!
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By the way, 187 posts before his name is invoked.
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Maybe we can encourage the Danish Denver fan to practice some revisionist history and delete the name.
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I think the rufusal to mention his name is getting a bit ridiculus, but I don't want to sabotage your little game:) Editing...
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Which I apparently cannot - after the page has been refreshed i guessed. Oh well - ther's alway next week...
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You can't edit after someone has replied to you, presumably so the conversation flows without seeming non-sequitors.
One of the nice things about being at the game is not having to hear announcers, but I thought Favre looked really good; some of those incompletions were in the only spot where they could be caught, but the receiver couldn't hang on.
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Yes, I know I'm being childish, but thank you for playing.
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Alex Smith: quarterback of the future?
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First, we have to find out if Alex Smith: Quarterback of the Present is true, right?
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Just saying, I never, ever expected to see Alex Smith of all people riding to the rescue. Well, he didn't quite get there, but still.
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What a fitting ending. Harrison sacks the Vikings QB to end the game.
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Maybe Cutler has the inverse BF-effect on his defenses? That was ugly by the Bears...
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I approve of the girl in the Ford commercial in the pink shirt... I haven't heard a word she's been saying, but I approve.
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I agree, even though it's one of those commercials that annoys me because I already own the product. (It doesn't actually say anything about the year, so I'm counting my 2001 Ford Escape as the product even though they're obviously showing a new one.)
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I think she says something about "pressing the button" and "oil".
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Obligatory announcer complaint follows: I'm a Pittsburgh fan and it seemed as if the announcers had decided that the Vikings' QB was going to be the story no matter what happened in the game. If the Steelers did something good, the point made was "How will the Vikings QB respond?" If the Vikings did something good, it was almost always credited to their exceptional QB (Even the announcers did have to interrupt their pleasuring of the Vikings QB a couple of times to acknowledge just how astonishing a player Adrian Peterson is). If, for instance, Kurt Warner had given up the fumble that Woodley returned for a TD, there would have been at least one invocation of the sacred phrase "ball security." (I say this recognizing that the fumble was the result of excellent play by, I believe, Kiesel, rather than a blunder by the Vikings' QB, but be that as it may, there was nary a whisper of criticism of His Eminence for losing the ball.) When Fox made the interception, "it's all on Chester Taylor" was the immediate explanation, although I may have heard one announcer have the temerity to suggest that the ball had been thrown too soon and there was a better play available if the QB had shown a bit more patience. If I heard correctly (I was distracted by my happiness over the interception), I'm sure that this announcer will be taken aside by the producers, the NFL, and the media and reminded that no such negative remarks are to be permitted to sully the airwaves.
On the other hand, I don't really care. Pittsburgh won the game, and who and what gets talked about by the announcers is now in the past and irrelevant.
My CAPTCHA is "Repub- libras" I'm trying frantically to think of an astrological pun on Democrats, and failing miserably. A little help, here!
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The only one I can come up with is Demo-cancers, which seems considerably more insulting than Repub-libras.
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They also blamed the sun on an incompletion on a pass that was clearly underthrown by Viking QB by about 5 yards. It was similar to the time Gruden blamed an incompletion on a caught ball that was out of bounds on the receiver, citing the "perfect throw."
Being in Chicago, I have been subjected to every one of the Favres games so far this year. It sucks. But this crew, as bad as they were, was actually the least slobbery/biased of all the ones they've had so far this year.
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At what point does Forte just become "not good?" I wasn't impressed with him last year, either, but this year he just looks awful.
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I like Forte. I carried the Chicago offense on his back last year. This year he's fighting off tacklers in the backfield...
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It seems to me that he carried it on his back in much the same way James Wilder did with Tampa Bay in 1984-5, though (and I know you'll already know about Wilder since I know you post at pfr as well, so I won't describe). He wasn't actually good--they just didn't have anyone else. But perhaps I don't fully appreciate the difference in the line between the two years since I rarely saw them last year.
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I see where you're going, and there's definetely an element of truth it that. But Wilder had 405 carries in 84 and 375 in 85. Matt Forte had 316 - Wilder even had more receptions than Forte 65 of last year.
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Wilder was definitely more extreme, it's true, but their per-play production was about equal.
Wilder in '84: 3.8 per carry, 8.1 per reception, 4.5 per touch
Forte in '08: 3.9 per carry, 7.6 per reception, 4.5 per touch
Wilder was noticeably worse than either of those in '85.
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Um, but Wilder was really good and Forte is really good. Production /= performance. A bad enough line will result in poor YPC numbers for just about any running back.
Also note that Forte's overall production last year was spectacularly good per DYAR, because he was so exceptional as a receiver.
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He went to Tulane. Not that good players can't come from small schools, but there is a reason for everything.
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I like Forte, and I don't think it would be an overstatement to say that Chicago may have the worst interior offensive line in the NFL. 2
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I can't decide if Delhomme's latest INT is worse than Jamarcus's latest INT or not.
Probably not. Russel just flung it right to a guy standing right in the way on a screen. How awful.
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I hate seeing Orlando Pace like this... Tank Johnson just destroyed him there..
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this i going to be a looong day for the Bears D
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Yeah, not only is the Bengals' line making holes but Benson looks really good on his way through them and after.
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*sigh* It was either this or Redskins D against Philly.
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Romo shaken up a little on a scramble. The play results in a 4th down and Dallas punts. It looks like Romo will return.
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As they come back from commercial, they show Romo on the bench and Kitna warming up. Maybe Romo is hurt more than I thought. I don't know what the injury is.
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Romo comes back out after the Falcons punt. They're calling his injury a neck strain.
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"Wildcat or conventional, Miami in the running game... is quite good."
Why is it that the highest-paid first and second string announcers have nothing to say other than "OMG The Wildcat!!!111!!!" but Charles Davis (who?) is actually calm and honest and talks about how impressively the Dolphins block their running plays?
Every other team's wildcat is just as Jaws describes - a stupid gimmick - but the Phins is another story entirely. They're going to be a serious playoff contender despite their slow start, I think.
14-3 after Williams runs a very long way without being touched. Nobody in black even got anywhere near him.
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I've seen the Dolphins play a couple of times this year and I am really impressed at how well their Wildcat scheme works.
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Keeping with the bad announcer theme, Dan Dierdorf:
"And now we're being told that Shaun Ellis, the Jets' defensive end, has an ankle."
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What a beauty from Palmer to Coles. Pitch-and-catch at the moment...
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Fantasy players across the country either scream in frustration or thank their lucky stars as Roy Williams catches a pass for a first down.
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Fantasy players across the country either scream in frustration or thank their lucky stars as Roy Williams drops an easy pass that would have been well short of the first down yardage.
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The Bears are laying an egg in Ohio.
Funny sentence when you think about it...
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Newman just made an utterly pathetic attempt to tackle Roddy White. Newman just lunges forward with his shoulder. White easily sidesteps and Newman looks like someone just unexpectedly opened a door as he falls worthlessly to the ground. White gets the first down.
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Not wanting to be outdone by Newman's sucktitude, Matt Ryan throws an inexplicable pass right into the arms of Jenkins for a Cowboys interception.
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I was going to switch to the other game. Then I remembered that it was the Jets at Oakland. Whoopee.
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Since the Falcons' opening TD drive which was around 15 plays and ate up around 8 minutes, the Falcons and Cowboys seem to be playing a game of "We suck at football worse that you do". This has not been a particularly well played game.
Of course, I probably have a lot of chutzpah complaining about the quality of any game that doesn't involve the Browns, Chiefs, Raiders, or Rams.
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ALERT: JAMARCUS IS GONE
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Bruce Gradkowski is in now--JaMarcus has been benched.
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We probably shouldn't jump to any conclusions about the coaching staff making a good decision. Cable was probably watching the SF-HOU game and is just aping what Mike Singletary did.
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Details, please. Hurt, benched, bodily assumed into football hell?
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I'm actually watching this horrible game to find out for sure, but it sounds like he was just outright benched.
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By the way, can we have a rule against all throwbacks that completely change a team's colors? I can't keep in mind that these are the Jets when they're in Charger colors.
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He was actually over 50% completions to his own teammates. That's not part of the game plan.
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It also sounds like Leon Washington is badly injured.
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I just saw on ESPN that he broke his leg and is out for the season. That's a bad loss for the Jets.
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The update on Sportsline about the benching says, "Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell could use earplugs. He's being booed unmercifully by fans who have watched him turn the ball over three times. He just threw his second pick, tossing a jump ball into the end zone to reserve WR Todd Watkins. One problem. Watkins was covered by Jets Pro Bowl CB Darrelle Revis, who made a leaping interception."
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There's another update now:
"Raiders backup QB Bruce Gradkowski replaced starter JaMarcus Russell with 5:45 left in the first half. He was greeted with a huge ovation from the fans, who had been booing Russell. This is the first time Russell has been benched this season."
Bruce Gradkowski getting a "huge ovation." Wow.
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Loser League players across the country either scream in frustration or thank their lucky stars as Russell gets 11 attempts before being benched.
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Tip drill INT by Torbor for the Dolphins. Maybe this is the day the Saints offense gets unlucky enough to stall...
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This Cincy/Bears game is getting a bit boring now. Do the Bears have it in them to stop this machine? Or should I save myself the trouble and check back in the 4th quarter?
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After trading fumbles, Romo hits Austin for a long TD pass (a very nice play except for the lack of Falcons coverage). It's now 10-7 Dallas.
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In game 6 of the ALCS, it's Buffalo 7 and Carolina 2.
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Is Chicago composed of the Northwestern team today? I know Cincy has had a pretty good year so far, but 28-0 over the Wildcats, er, I mean Bears? That's more than laying an egg.
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On reflection, perhaps I owe Northwestern fans an apology for comparing their team to the Bears today.
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Great play by Jason Taylor, bullrushing past Bushrod, knocks the ball out of Bress's hands. The Saints recover though. The rush is really getting there for the Phins...
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Any other non-native Chicago residents in here? Are you enjoying this thrashing as much as I am?
The Bengals just got a little soft there and are going to attempt a FG now, which might completely ruin my hope that Palmer ties the all time TD pass record against the Bears D.
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The two games I can watch have a combined score of 52-0. Raiders fans are booing their team. Obviously, they need Raiderjoe to remind them of their obligation as Raider fans.
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The ingratitude of those Raiders' fans is unseemly. The Raiders have their two wins for the first half of the season. It's greedy for a Raiders fan to want more from their team. What nerve.
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It's quite out of character. Raider fans are the most blindly loyal fans anywhere in sports. I would never have believed I would hear Raider fans boo their team.
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Why did the Bears just let 40 seconds run off the clock?
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And it cost them a shot at a touchdown. They stopped Cincy on 3rd & short after the 2 minute warning, and then let the Bengals run the play clock all the way down before kicking the FG. That meant the Bears got the ball back with just over a minute left and all 3 timeouts. They end up with first & goal with 1 second left in the half and kick the FG to make it 31-3. Way to go, guys.
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It is all part of a plan so cunning and devilish that mortal minds cannot conceive of it in all it's glorious majesty (unfortunately this will include Lovie Smith).
Stage One: Allow 31 uncontested points to start the game.
Stage Two: Waste loads of time when the end of the half is approaching.
Stage Three: ????
Stage Four: PROFIT
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I seems there has been more blowouts this year than normal. And a lot more complete smackdowns. Anyone else have that feeling?
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Yes. And after everyone else on this board got to go to another game, I was still subjected to NE-Ten last week, so if neither CBS nor Fox switches today, I'm going to cry.
By the way, 55-0 for the two games combined now.
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I certainly have that feeling today. I think you're probably right about the season, too. The NFL's vaunted parity is AWOL this season. It's been a long time since the NFL has had a half dozen or so really good teams and a half dozen or so really crappy teams with everyone else sort of muddling around in the middle.
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The 31-"nil" shtick got old a looong time ago...
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This is so strange. The Miami defense is absolutely whipping the NO offense. This not because of a backup at LT. Something is wrong... Hmm..
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Maybe the humidity is bothering them.
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Are you kidding? New Orleans is in LOUISIANA.
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Romo makes an incredible play, which ends up in a TD. I think Romo evaded a tackle attempt from every defensive line player on the Falcons, as well as a linebacker or two, before stepping up and throwing the TD pass. The Falcons were incredibly inept tackling that play. At the half: Dallas 17, Atlanta 7.
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What sacrifice do I have to make to the football and/or television gods to get either of the other two games?
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I counsel patience. The networks usually wait until the 2nd half to switch games. If each team gets a possession and they don't switch, I think you're faced with two choices: heavy drinking or turning off the TV.
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Since my drink of choice is Dr. Pepper, I don't know that it would help.
Oddly, the Raiders are showing life.
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Sadly, not enough life to score and salvage some pride.
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They just showed a replay of Leon Washington's injury and it looked pretty nasty.
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Hating at the Raiders is piling on at this point, but I'm a Broncos-fan so I'm allowed.
I have a hard time describing how good this feels. Every offseason I'm over at silverandblackpride.com. The cool-aid being consumed at that place is surreal. And every year their hopes (not hopes. Expectations, really) are crushed. I love it.
"JaMarcus Russel got a lot better at the end of last year. The lights were definetely turned on. He "gets it" now. 11-5, baby!".
I have nothing against JR. I believe he could've been succesfull with the right coaching and some sorrounding talent - like with Alex Smith, I actually feel sorry for them - it must be devastating to have a franchise waste your talent completely.
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Agreed on all points.
JaMarcus looks to me like Jake Plummer, really. And as much as I couldn't stand him, Plummer had a reasonably successful career.
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The color guy here (Play-by-play called him Dan, so is it Dan Fouts? I thought he wasn't working anymore.) wants JaMarcus back in.
Raider fans are cuckoo for Gradkowski!
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Yep, it's Dan Fouts. Isn't he paired with Dick Enberg?
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No idea. I cannot identify announcers by voice and I'm going back and forth between the games at this point, hoping one will disappear. I will say the play-by-play guy deserves some credit for this--they came back from the half and he said that the Jets had a perfect first half then quickly corrected himself to say "It wasn't perfect. They lost Leon Washington to an injury."
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I just went and looked it up. It is Dick Enberg. It's amazing to me that Enberg is still calling games. He's been doing it for a long time and he really has fallen off quite a bit in quality. I can remember when he and Merlin Olsen were the top crew for NBC back in the day when they had the AFC games and there were a few years when I thought they were every bit as good as Pat Summeril and John Madden on CBS (doing the NFC games.)
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I've been a Bengals fan from their first draft and let me assure you, a 31 - 3 lead is not safe until well past the two-minute warning. God knows I love them, but they've created more ways to lose a game than Peyton has TD passes. On the other hand, they're great aerobic exercise...
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The Bears are playing worse than I have ever seen them play. I can't say the offense has been terrrible, although it hasn't exactly been brilliant with two turnovers but the defense hasn't looked like stopping the Bengals at all. They are just getting shredded. Not to take anything away from the Bengals offense but the only defensive player who has turned up at all for the Bears is Briggs.
If this is how the defensive line plays without Tommie Harris then he needs to be healthy quickly. Angelo's greatest blunder might have been cutting Marc Columbo so he could go to Dallas and leg whip Harris and reduce him to a shadow of his former self. A shadow would however have more stopping power than the Bears defensive line today which is slowing the Bengals down less than a headwind would a Bugatti Veyron. God knows what would happen if Briggs got hurt, it isn't worth thinking about.
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"A shadow would however have more stopping power than the Bears defensive line today which is slowing the Bengals down less than a headwind would a Bugatti Veyron."
You need to copyright that.
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The Bears are also running out of linebackers, aren't they?
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Yes and shuffling them backwards and forwards in the starting lineup. It really isn't pretty.
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What a play (and drive) by the Saints. I don't know if it was carving up a prevent D or just realizing they are the Saint, and start moving the ball, but it was very impressive.
And as i write that, it's being rewieved with 5 tick left on the clock. Ball half a yard short.