Official NFL Thread - 2012-2013 Season

[WestCoastJoe]

Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez are team-mates now!!!! Apparently (according to numerous reports on NFL Network) John Elway offered Tebow a choice between Jacksonville and NYJets and Tebow picked the Jets. Glad this story is over, guess we'll see how 'tebowmania' plays in the Big Apple alongside the quickly fading vinsanity.......

The release of Peyton Manning obviously caused other issues to arise. Just more proof of how much of a business this game is, IMO..........

Interesting how Elway cut Tebow loose. Their styles were not dissimilar in some ways. I was an Elway fan. He was very mobile, great scramblers, great improv QB. At his best in improv IMO. He could slop around in regulation as well, best at game end.

Peyton is pretty near the end of his career.

Would have preferred Tebow with the Patriots, but they might not have wanted to undermine Brady with Tebow zealots LOL.

[notahomer]

So, Smith re-signs in SanFran, Stanton gets loose from Tebow's shadow and Miami is still wondering whose going to replace Dan Marino? Okay, exageratting a little. But the Dolphins obviously need to make a splash via QB and if they struggle again this season, you gotta figure they'll just bite the bullet and go after an established free agent and/or high draft pick....

Guess that will be it pretty much until the draft. I'd sure love to see the guy the Redskins have probably landed (RG3 ?) play in the CFL. Never going to happen of course. The only game I watched him play in college was his bowl game this year and I immediately thought "man, I'd love to see this guy playing CFL rules".

[notahomer]

Will he or won't he come out of retirement?

Brett Farve? Nah, Bill Parcells. In what has been a very strange off-season in the NFL, IMO, this is the latest. On the surface it kinda makes sense. Your protege gets a year long suspension and needs someone to take over as head coach for a year. The Big TUna fits the bill (no pun intended) from Payton's perspective but does it make sense from Parcells? Guess we'll find out.

Think its either going to be a dream season (unlikely) or a nightmare (more likely) season for the Saints. The player portions of fines/suspensions from Bountygate have still not occurred. Hit the Saints too hard and don't like their chances at all. And this has been intended to be a lesson to scare off any future imitators. That being said, I think the NFL has sent its message and the team has paid a price.

This does seem to have been an even more unusual NFL off-season, IMO.

[TheLionKing]

I don't thik this is the end of it. Player suspensions could be next

[WestCoastJoe]

Will he or won't he come out of retirement?

Brett Farve? Nah, Bill Parcells. In what has been a very strange off-season in the NFL, IMO, this is the latest. On the surface it kinda makes sense. Your protege gets a year long suspension and needs someone to take over as head coach for a year. The Big TUna fits the bill (no pun intended) from Payton's perspective but does it make sense from Parcells? Guess we'll find out.

Think its either going to be a dream season (unlikely) or a nightmare (more likely) season for the Saints. The player portions of fines/suspensions from Bountygate have still not occurred. Hit the Saints too hard and don't like their chances at all. And this has been intended to be a lesson to scare off any future imitators. That being said, I think the NFL has sent its message and the team has paid a price.

This does seem to have been an even more unusual NFL off-season, IMO.

I could see Parcells taking over for one year. That seems to fit his modus operandi. He has been staying for shorter and shorter terms with each new team. And he is getting older.

Since Payton is a protege of his, the Saints should be in step with what Parcells does. IMO he is not so much of an Xs and Os guy, but more of a motivator and leader and goal setting guy. Tough defence. Strong running game. Less of an emphasis on the passing game than many NFL teams nowadays, but Simms shot lights out in that Super Bowl win.

I am a fan of Tuna. I would like to see him coach one more year.

[Robbie]

The New York Giants Super Bowl XLVI ring. I'd really like to see the 2011 BC Lions Grey Cup ring when it's revealed.



While it's good to acknowledge previous championships, personallly I don't think it should be done in the form of a championship ring. Unless perhaps it's done during a dynasty in which the same team wins several consecutive championships featuring mostly the same players. The Giants ring shows diamonds in the form of four Lombardi trophies. While Eli Manning was around in the 2007 Super Bowl, he certainly wasn't there for the 1987 and 1991 Giants teams.

The 2006 Lions GC ring was certainly designed to show the 5 Grey Cups in Lions' history. Let's see if the 2011 GC ring will acknowledge six championships or would the design be more of a standalone one only recognizing the 2011 win, like the previous four rings.

[notahomer]

Starting to hear the annual surprise cuts at the end of training camp. Hightower, Branch and Young are certainly on their way to the waiver wire....

The biggest training camp surprise, IMO, has been the promotion of Russell Wilson to Seahawks starting QB. They did a lot to get Matt Flynn a vet with little game experience but their third round pick has blown them away. I've seen him play a bit in the preseason but just glimpses becuase preseason is hard to make time to watch for. I think the 49ers repeat in the division but everybody else in this division also gets better.

[BiggestLionsFan]

What to watch this weekend?

[notahomer]

I really wanted to watch the Broncos/Steelers game but it looks like I might be busy..... My loss. I caught the opener and I try to catch every Cowboys/Giants game. In fact, except the recent versions of the Redskins, I try to take in most NFC East games. Sorry Gordon Ramsey, I don't care what show you are pushing now, Monday Night Football is back.......

[notahomer]

Some surprises, IMO but is the usual for the first couple weeks/month of the NFL season. RG3 looked good in leading the Redskins to a win over Brees and the Saints. The Lions struggled but managed to beat the Rams. Eagles blew the Browns away on the stat sheet but had to rely on a late INT drop (and a TD catch the next play) to sneak by Cleveland. Certainly do see some differences in the games of course (versus CFL). I think our officials are a little stricter on the protecting of QB's but who knows, the NFL is using replacement officials right now.

I definately think their pre-season is a game/two too long (just like the CFL one maybe a game too short). What is the point of playing so many games in August if the actual starters struggle in September because they didn't play enough in August? Oh yah, its a business and thats where the owners makes some $$$.

[notahomer]

Monday Night Double header.....

Missed most of the first half of game one. It quickly devolved into an easy win by the Ravens over their divisional rivals the Bengals. Ray Lewis still getting it done......

The second game? Two teams I like to watch for different reasons. Oakland Raiders (for the rebel culture etc...) and the San Diego Chargers (offence central). Really is strange. I think this game would have been closer except that the Raiders long-snapper got knocked out in the first half and therefore PUNTS became a nightmare. Scoreboard said 22-14 Chargers but this game was a relatively easy win for SD. I thought Carson Palmer looked great at times but there were a few throws that must have had the Oakland Coaches going

So, week one is in the books. Manning looked fine, IMO. RG3 did well too. I actually did enjoy the Seahawks game too. Maybe the NFC West will climb out of the basement of futility. I doubt 7-9 will win this division ever again, especially considering how the 49ers are forcing their division to play better too......

[Robbie]

This entertaining and somewhat funny scene when there's an interception and run can happen in the CFL, but occurs more often in the NFL with the large offensive lineman in any team. It's usually the defensive backs who make interceptions, and if they can get past the first wave of tacklers (receivers, running backs, TE) and head towards the end zone, the last line of defense would be the huge offensive lineman and it's a scene to see a huge 300+ pound man chase a much smaller man with a kind of run for your life impression. With all their due credit the huge offensive lineman can still run fairly fast despite their huge weight and I appreciate their valiant efforts to chase and catch the interceptor. But the defensive back who are smaller and run faster and are more agile can usually outrun and escape the clutches of their giant pursuer, albeit barely. But they better not tease and taunt the huge offensive lineman lest there be a fist fight in which the smaller man will get the worst of it.

Missed most of the first half of game one. It quickly devolved into an easy win by the Ravens over their divisional rivals the Bengals. Ray Lewis still getting it done......

This scenario happened on MNF when Ravens safety Ed Reed caught an interception and scored a touchdown while barely beating out the huge 6-4, 335 pound Bengals right tackle Andre Smith.

[notahomer]

Sounded like a good slate of games. Obviously I missed the early game due to the Montreal/Riders matchup (that ended well, IMO!!!).

Redskins lost a close one to the Rams. Seattle beat the Cowboys (Dallas looked awful, IMO), Cardinals beat Patriots and 49ers beat the Lions (no not those Lions the ones who've one championships this century). Looks like the NFC West is not going to be won with a losing record anytime soon.......

Officiating is starting to become a problem IMO. Blatantly bad calls are made and luckily most can be caught and/or cleaned up but many are not. For example there was a call in the Jets/Steelers game where a Jet ripped the ball out of the Steelers hands. It did look like a strip but fair enough perhaps not clear enough to be overturn but regardless, the Broadcast Crew showed a clip (before the decision came in) where the Steelers knee was clearly down quite a few yards back. So it shouldn't have been a fumble but only because he was down clearly before the fumble happened. I'm a Steeler hater, especially because of the Superbowl loss of the Seahawks when they played the Steelers in a game where the losing coach Holmgren said afterwards "I ddint' realize we were playing the guys in the striped shirts too". I know its just my paranoia speaking but IMO, the Steelers seem to get more of these phantom calls than other teams....

In the Sunday nighter, the Detroit Coach actually challenged a play because he was hoping his QB was sacked twice on the same play! Thankfully for the Lions the coach was right because Stafford was sacked five yards closer to the endzone than where he was brought down a second time. The regular officials make their mistakes too but I think the start of this season has shown how much better the usual crop of NFL Zebras are, IMO......

[notahomer]

Maybe Peyton Manning can only play well in the rarified air at Mile High Stadium in Denver. Somehow Manning tossed four interceptions in the first quarter in an eventual loss to the Falcons. Typical NFL game, IMO. Struggling, having trouble moving the ball but they don't take chances or go for it. The Falcons completed a pass I didn't think would be thrown simply because the usual NFL way would have been to run it again.

This week has not been a good week for the replacement officials. I read in the paper today, one replacement official, who happened to be a major Saints fan according to his Facebook page, was scheduled to officiate in the Saints game yesterday. Thankfully, the replacement was replaced! To be honest I am surprised how long this is going on. The NFL owners and players are both making money. They claim to be one of the best leagues and in so many ways I agree. I think how they train and hold officials accountable is excellent. What on earth could be holding these officials out. I highly doubt they are being unreasonable in their demands. These replacement officials are doing the best they can but IMO, there is no question, their body of work over the preseason and first two weeks have just proven how much better the regular crews are. I will admit, the replacements are still doing a way better job than I would. I just would like to see the regular zebras back......

[notahomer]

Apparently a strange day in the NFL. I missed most of the first two NFL games (before the sunday nighter) due to a CFL doubleheader. Steelers lost to the Raiders! Cardinals are 3-0! 49ners stumbled to the Vikings! Jets need OT to beat the Dolphins!

I did take in the Sunday Nighter. Patriots moved out quickly to a 13 point lead. Ravens got the lead before halftime but then Patriots scored late in the half to head into the lockerroom up six. Patriots again got back out to a big lead but the game ended on a short field goal giving the Ravens a one point win over the Pats. Look for Bill Belichek to get fined for trying to grab a ref after the game. He was choked but thats going to cost him........

I'm looking forward to the Monday Nighter. Seattle at home to the Packers. Brain says Packers but thats why they play the games.

The officiating had its problems again. Bottom line is the regular officials are put in a process that makes them the best for NFL games. The replacements are doing the best they can but its just not good enough, IMO. Apparently the NFL and its regular officials are not near reaching a settlement.