NFL 2008 - Week One

[Space Bandito]

I always hate the phrase "easy schedule". Teams change entire coaching staffs, schemes, and some teams are starting new players in key positions. Look at the Giants themselves. Who predicted them as a Super Bowl winner from day one last year? You never know how strong your opponent is going to be week to week.

The Patriots defeated Dallas by several touchdowns, but struggled to defeat Baltimore. Ask them what was the easier game. Last year's results mean almost nothing.

Find out who is reffing each game. The weather for each game. The injury status for each game etc and then we can talk about how easy the schedule is.

[Jaime L]

[quote name='Space Bandito' post='1498076' date='Aug 28 2008, 11.37']Jamie, that is a pretty brutal schedule to start the season. But the Patriots face [url="http://media.ebaumsworld.com/picture/metalheadlaska/BrettFavre.png"]The Son of God, Heracles, The Man who can defeat Chuck Norris by simply not shaving[/url] on week two.[/quote]

The good news is you'll face him in week 2. By that point he'll probably just have learned his sixth play from the playbook.

[quote name='Tywin's Golden Deuce' post='1498082' date='Aug 28 2008, 11.38']Wow, surprisingly the Giants have a somewhat easy schedule after winning the Super bowl. I can easily see 12-4 year.

Thursday, 9/4 7:00 PM ET NBC Washington
Sunday, 9/14 1:00 PM ET FOX @ St. Louis
Sunday, 9/21 1:00 PM ET CBS Cincinnati
Sunday, 9/28 BYE BYE BYE BYE
Sunday, 10/5 1:00 PM ET FOX Seattle
Monday, 10/13 8:30 PM ET ESPN @ Cleveland
Sunday, 10/19 1:00 PM ET FOX San Francisco
Sunday, 10/26 4:15 PM ET FOX @ Pittsburgh
Sunday, 11/2 4:15 PM ET FOX Dallas
Sunday, 11/9 8:15 PM ET NBC @ Philadelphia
Sunday, 11/16 1:00 PM ET* CBS Baltimore
Sunday, 11/23 4:15 PM ET* FOX @ Arizona
Sunday, 11/30 1:00 PM ET* FOX @ Washington
Sunday, 12/7 1:00 PM ET* FOX Philadelphia
Sunday, 12/14 8:15 PM ET* NBC @ Dallas
Sunday, 12/21 1:00 PM ET* FOX Carolina
Sunday, 12/28 1:00 PM ET* FOX @Minnesota

I see a split with Dallas, a split with Philly and Washington and Minnesota always has their number. But the rest are feasible wins.[/quote]

Gotta say, I'd be completely shocked if the Giants won 12. Especially without having Umeniyora, Strahan, Wilson and Shockey from last year's team.

Think the Giants running game will be better. Jacobs and Bradshaw will be one of the best 1-2 punches in football. But to be completely honest, I'm still not buying Eli. And with Plaxico as the only true weapon in the passing game, don't think he has the horses to really break out. Combine that with a pass-rush that has to regress without having the two guys who always drew double teams and the Giants are going to be in a dogfight for wins all year.

[Space Bandito]

[quote name='Jaime L' post='1498103' date='Aug 28 2008, 12.48']The good news is you'll face him in week 2. By that point he'll probably just have learned his sixth play from the playbook.[/quote]

Farve doesn't learn plays. He throws Bolts from the heavens. Yeah it will be interesting. I just won't be able to turn on the TV until kick off. The coverage will be a little over the top.

I am so pumped for this season I can't wait for more beer commercials.

[Gold Storm]

I caught this on the radio, it looks like[url="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/colts/2008-08-28-saturday-injury_N.htm?csp=34"] Jeff Saturday[/url] the center for the Colts might miss six weeks at least because of ligament damage to his right knee. This will be a huge blow to the Colts, Saturday was the glue for that O-line.

[Quijote Light]

Looks like Pacman has been reinstated and will be playing in the Cowgirl's season opener. I think I'll really enjoy this because I'll get to pull out quotes from [i]Colors[/i] everytime he's on the field.

[Lord O' Bones]

[quote name='Quijote Light' post='1498457' date='Aug 28 2008, 15.31']I'll get to pull out quotes from [i]Colors[/i] everytime he's on the field.[/quote]
:huh:

[Quijote Light]

[quote name='Lord O' Bones' post='1498531' date='Aug 28 2008, 19.15']:huh:[/quote]
Pacman was the nickname given to Sean Penn's character in Colors. I'm thinking in particular of when he discovers his "girlfriend" in the back room of an apartment with a gangbanger. "This is me too Pacman!"

[Lord O' Bones]

[quote name='Quijote Light' post='1498570' date='Aug 28 2008, 17.55']Pacman was the nickname given to Sean Penn's character in Colors. I'm thinking in particular of when he discovers his "girlfriend" in the back room of an apartment with a gangbanger. "This is me too Pacman!"[/quote]
Man, I really need to see Colors again. Been awhile.

Anyway, is Washington planning on putting up that 4th point tonight at any point?

[Whiskeyjack]

Looks like Chad Johnson wasn't joking. He's supposedly changed his name to Chad Ocho Cinco.

[quote name='ESPN']If the Cincinnati Bengals' offseason couldn't get any more strange, Pro Bowl receiver Chad Johnson may have added a new chapter just before the regular season.

According to Miami radio station 790 The Ticket, which is in Johnson's hometown, the receiver has legally changed his last name to "Ocho Cinco." Johnson's -- sorry -- Ocho Cinco's reported name change has been rumored in NFL circles for weeks, and according to the station today, it's official.[/quote]

[Slyfinger]

[quote name='Space Bandito' post='1498092' date='Aug 28 2008, 12.42']I always hate the phrase "easy schedule". Teams change entire coaching staffs, schemes, and some teams are starting new players in key positions. Look at the Giants themselves. Who predicted them as a Super Bowl winner from day one last year? You never know how strong your opponent is going to be week to week.

The Patriots defeated Dallas by several touchdowns, but struggled to defeat Baltimore. Ask them what was the easier game. Last year's results mean almost nothing.

Find out who is reffing each game. The weather for each game. The injury status for each game etc and then we can talk about how easy the schedule is.[/quote]


I'm sure there are a lot of Steelers fans out there agreeing with you on this...


... or maybe my ass needs an oxygen mask to recover from all the smoke you just blew.

[Space Bandito]

[quote name='Slyfinger' post='1498759' date='Aug 29 2008, 02.19']I'm sure there are a lot of Steelers fans out there agreeing with you on this...


... or maybe my ass needs an oxygen mask to recover from all the smoke you just blew.[/quote]

:D [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYhGi65Lijg"]Smoking in the boys room[/url]

So did everyone survive that last game? Carr put a spanking on the Patriots. Jacobs ran over the 2nd, 3rd and 5th string Patriots. Seemed to make it out injury free. Belichick seemed to hint it was time to make a decision about backup QB.

[quote][b]Were each of the quarterbacks able to show you different things?[/b]
"Yeah, they're starting from different spots. They're all young, but Cass is the most experienced in our system. [Gutierrez] has the next most and then Kevin, so they all worked had. They all really competed well and taken advantage of the opportunities and the snaps that they've gotten. Tom practiced a lot this year, so it wasn't like they got all that many in practice. They got more a percentage of the playing snaps in the games than they did in practice, but I would say it was good for all of them. I think they all improved in a number of different areas, and they all have a long way to go. We'll have to figure out how we want to manage our roster, and that will certainly be one of the decisions -- how to handle the quarterback position, what to do there."[/quote]

[Bormon]

[quote name='Space Bandito' post='1498849' date='Aug 29 2008, 07.30']:D [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYhGi65Lijg"]Smoking in the boys room[/url]

So did everyone survive that last game? Carr put a spanking on the Patriots. Jacobs ran over the 2nd, 3rd and 5th string Patriots. Seemed to make it out injury free. Belichick seemed to hint it was time to make a decision about backup QB.[/quote]

Thank god preseason is over. I don't think I can handle another preseason spanking.

As for the QB, Cassell has not really shown a reason to keep him. Gutierrez isn't that far behind him and shows signs of being able to improve. O'Connell is working hard and has huge potential.

[DeliriousEdd]

Finally preseason is over. The best thing I can say about it is that there were no catastrophic injuries to the Cowboys. Not real happy about Pacman being reinstated but I've never been happy with that aquisition. I try not to hope for injuries to anybody but in his case it might be justice.

How can a man have 4 doctors tell him to get surgery or risk a career ending injury and then decide to play? Isn't there something flawed with the requirements of a physical that allows Merriman to pass?

[Trebla]

[quote name='DeliriousEdd' post='1499234' date='Aug 29 2008, 11.39']Finally preseason is over. The best thing I can say about it is that there were no catastrophic injuries to the Cowboys. Not real happy about Pacman being reinstated but I've never been happy with that aquisition. I try not to hope for injuries to anybody but in his case it might be justice.

How can a man have 4 doctors tell him to get surgery or risk a career ending injury and then decide to play? Isn't there something flawed with the requirements of a physical that allows Merriman to pass?[/quote]

well, they aren't exactly injury free. WR's Sam Hurd, Miles Austin, and Isiah Stanback are all hurt and look out for the 1st game of the season. That's the #3, 4, and 5 WR on the depth chart. Ouch.

They also are without starting LG Kyle Kosier for 4-6 weeks. Unhappy with the guard depth (they do have pretty decent OT depth) they traded a 5th round pick to Denver for OG Montrae Holland, who has been a starter the last few years. This could spell a cut for last years 3rd round pick, OT James Marten who has been a bust. I will give the Cowboys credit, when former draft picks fail, they get rid of them, unlike some teams who will hold on them for dear life to try and justify the pick.

I'm not naming names...cough, Bears, Sausage Ditka....cough....
:P

[Space Bandito]

Lots of players coming to take our jobs in a bit. Any surprising cuts? I saw the Texans had cut Rosie Colvin. Apparently he was too much of a specialist.

I'm also curious about a few old vets still unsigned. Culpepper, Ty Law etc

[Gold Storm]

The Browns are talking to Ty Law they [b]desperately[/b] need a cover DB. IMHO Culpepper will get a call to come in as a backup for some team soon, he can still be useful.

[Space Bandito]

The Browns have been talking to Law for months. They do have a lot of cap room.

[▲Jim▲]

[quote name='Trebla' post='1499293' date='Aug 29 2008, 10.32']well, they aren't exactly injury free. WR's Sam Hurd, Miles Austin, and Isiah Stanback are all hurt and look out for the 1st game of the season. That's the #3, 4, and 5 WR on the depth chart. Ouch.

They also are without starting LG Kyle Kosier for 4-6 weeks. Unhappy with the guard depth (they do have pretty decent OT depth) they traded a 5th round pick to Denver for OG Montrae Holland, who has been a starter the last few years. This could spell a cut for last years 3rd round pick, OT James Marten who has been a bust. I will give the Cowboys credit, when former draft picks fail, they get rid of them, unlike some teams who will hold on them for dear life to try and justify the pick.

I'm not naming names...cough, Bears, Sausage Ditka....cough....
:P[/quote]
Bobby Carpenter, that is all I need to say.

The Cowboys should have traded him in the offseason. He has not had much game time experience for a reason, no matter what everyone on the Cowboys coaching staff is saying. I had high hopes for him when they drafted him back in 2006 I believe it was. What little I have seen of him on the field has not impressed me.

Now off of Carpenter and onto another topic with the Cowboys, they should have picked up a WR. I am not a big fan of Crayon, he runs his mouth more than anything else. He is not that bad seeing he is a former QB, but we could have tried to better the WR corps. Now that we are almost out of WRs with injurys, and none of them are probably even equal to an average NFL receiver we are going to have to rely more on the run the first few weeks. Now yes I know this is pretty much the same depth chart we had at WR last year where there were all kind of team records set, but come on!

The first 5 weeks are not looking too easy. We got to Cleveland, and GB in weeks 1 and 3, and then we have the Eagles, Redskins, and Bengals coming out to Dallas. I see the worse they go in the first 5 is 3-2, and for the rest of the season we will have to see how the rest of the teams they play are doing.

[Mexal]

I'm floored. Bengals cut Willie Anderson.

Unreal. Rudi I understand but Willie? Wow.

[Whiskeyjack]

[quote name='Space Bandito' post='1500159' date='Aug 30 2008, 07.23']I'm also curious about a few old vets still unsigned. Culpepper, Ty Law etc[/quote]

Culpepper recently wrote an open letter to the NFL community. Its posted [url="http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/08/29/an-open-letter-from-daunte-culpepper/"]here[/url].