NFL VI - I'm dreaming of a White Christmas...

[Rockroi]

The penultimate week of 2009 Football:

-Pats, once again, look amazing against a horrid team… at home … Best news was that the team finally benched Lawrence Maroney for what seemed to be his 84th fumble at the goal line this season. Protect the ball you tip-toeing over-drafted hack.

Brady looked pretty good- 23-26, 267 yards 4 TDs , 0INTs. His QB rating was 149, with is 7.3 points shy of perfect… which begs the question, “What more did Brady have to do to get the perfect number?” I’m guessing bed a supermodel right at the 50-yard line. The D looked solid, but its all meaningless because the Jags were unwatchably bad. Man I wish I could play them twice a year like other teams…

Speaking of other teams, in a month or so we will know for certain whether or not the Colts’ move was the smart one. But it sure as hell looked like a sad one. Just helping the Jets get to the playoffs. Oh, but it cements Mannings’ MVP status: that team looks like 10 pounds of turd in a five-pound bag without him.

Speaking of turd, what was the last important game the Giants won? Yeah, I thought that was the one. God DAMN IT they are bad. I mean, for God’s sake, you are fighting for your playoff life and you lay that egg? WTF? Have some pride you luck-sacks!

Bengals look almost as bad as the Pats.

The Browns meanwhile are going to set the expectations next season way too high because they have not looked ungodly bad in the last 6 games of the season as they did the first 8. And didn’t it feel like they played the Raiders twice this season?

I am now wondering what has happened to the Saints. Guys, go with me: you cannot just turn it back on whenever you want.

And what a shocker! The Ravens have a dumb penalty that could have won them the game! What are the odds?

I don’t want to play the Steelers in the first round. Or the Jets.

[Arakasi]

Rather face the Jets. Steelers have a really good offense. Jets have umm a good running game and that's it. Doesn't matter really, since only one of them can make it. Wonder if Indy didn't mind that happening.

[Krafus]

For my first season of NFL watching, I don't think I have yet seen a team shoot itself in the feet (or, in this case, wings) with as much frequency or enthusiasm as the Ravens did yesterday. Aside from racking up a lot of yards in penalties (over 100, I think), they lost three touchdowns, any one of which would have won them the game, to penalties or incompetence.

[Mexal]

For my first season of NFL watching, I don't think I have yet seen a team shoot itself in the feet (or, in this case, wings) with as much frequency or enthusiasm as the Ravens did yesterday. Aside from racking up a lot of yards in penalties (over 100, I think), they lost three touchdowns, any one of which would have won them the game, to penalties or incompetence.

That's what the Ravens do. The Bengals are taking after them in some respects which is a bit annoying.

Now that the emotional roller coaster of yesterday is over, I can say categorically that I'm incredibly proud of the Bengals. They played a lackluster game yesterday but honestly, it was to be expected given they flew back from a gut wrenching loss in SD to fly to NO on Tuesday for a funeral and then to play in a game that they needed to win (well, Ravens lost so didn't need to). I don't think the general population has any idea what this team has been through. There is no way that we could have faced this adversity in the past.

On a different note, we've lost our third defensive starter (Maluaga) for the year yesterday with 2 who haven't played the last few weeks. I'm surprised that this defense is still going though to be fair, it's not nearly as good as it was earlier in the year. If Peko and Crocker comes back for the playoffs, that would be a massive boost.

:cheers: <--- To relaxing until the playoffs

[awesome possum]

I think the Colts are shooting themselves in the foot here. They're basically looking at a month-long bye here and will be incredibly rusty come the second round of the playoffs. If they make it to the AFC championship game I'll be surprised. If they make it to the Super Bowl I'll be stunned.

Resting all the starters worked so well for them in the past.

[Krafus]

I think the Colts are shooting themselves in the foot here. They're basically looking at a month-long bye here and will be incredibly rusty come the second round of the playoffs. If they make it to the AFC championship game I'll be surprised. If they make it to the Super Bowl I'll be stunned.

Yeah, I wonder how that will work out for the Colts? If they lose again, or just play noticeably less well, I would be surprised if every Colts fan and their mother didn't blame yesterday's decision to keep Manning and other important players on the sidelines. Talk about a morale-downer for the whole team, especially as it resulted in a loss.

[Kalbear]

That was the thing that struck me when I watched the highlights - the people arguing with Caldwell, the players sitting on the sidelines looking dejected, Manning basically saying that he didn't agree with his coach one bit and hated this. I think that playing like this - not to lose guys - is kinda like playing not to lose, and at a certain level of skill athletes are the kinds of people that need to win, period. They can't think about whether or not they'll be hurt, they can't think about playing weaker or soft or not playing; it fucks up their psyche and makes them feel mortal.

We'll see I guess; it might be a brilliant move. I don't think that the Colts are going to win it all this year anyway; while Manning has been on another playing field this year, his team has significant large flaws that can be exploited by other good teams, and all it takes is one game with meh luck. Playing the Pats or the Chargers is fairly dangerous, and the NFC's team should also be a hard match no matter who it is.

[CelticBrennus]

I just think the Colts decision makes no sense at all unless they have a lot of players who are a lot more beat up then they want people to know. This was probably the last chance they have to play a decent team until their first playoff game, in three weeks, especially a team with a good defense.

As for the Pats, its fun that Brady has thrown more touchdowns in his last two games against the Jags then he has incomplete passes.

[Trebla]

Eagles vs. Cowboys for the NFC East title. Eagles with a win can actually get the #2 seed with help from the Viking. Dallas can get redmeption with a win after last years debacle against the Eagles.

These teams match up very well. Both teams have the secondaries to cover the opposing teams receivers. I think it comes down to which QB plays better. And both QB's are playing well.

[Krafus]

Hey, the Bears are playing tonight against the Vikings. Anybody want to make a guess as to how many interceptions Jay Cutler will throw? I say three.

[Space Bandito]

How about how many camera shots of Brett and Childress. I say 300. I guess the Saints losing made this game a little more interesting. In addition the future of the Bears (coaching) is in doubt - can they get some semblance of positive momentum before the season ends?

[awesome possum]

Cutler will throw at least one more, I imagine.

While I can't root for the Vikings, I think I'm going to root against the Bears tonight. If they get blown out again, and then lose against the Lions there will be a real chance for the Bears to eat his contract and fire Lovie Smith. If they win tonight and next week he stays almost for sure due to the season ending on a positive note, which is outright laughable.

An excellent article on how Lovie, Angelo and president Ted Phillips have hosed the Bears. I was angry about the way the season had gone down before I read this. It made me livid. What a freaking joke, and the sad thing is as long as Virginia McCaskey lives the changes needed won't be made.

Instead of going out and getting a head coach that will inspire the team and the city, if Lovie is fired they're going to go out and get another coordinator castoff from a team. Maybe the offensive coordinator on the Titans.

The Bears should be among the top teams of the NFL, but instead, thanks to horrible decisions at almost all stages through the organization, they're going to be a bottom-tiered team for the next two seasons at least. Jay Cutler will end up on the list of names with Thomas Jones, Bernard Berrian, Brandon McGowan, Chris Harris, Marc Columbo, Cedric Benson, Ron Rivera and others who did could have helped cement the Bears future but instead were cast off.

If I weren't high as a kite on pain killers after falling on the stupid ice and knocking my back out of whack, I'd be in the midst of a Bears-induced rage.

[Rockroi]

How about how many camera shots of Brett and Childress. I say 300.

Yeah, I predict an awkward, clearly staged set of shots of Childress and Favre joshing it up together on the sidelines; Favre all emphatic and "rah-rah" while Childress looks on with a half-grin platered to his face. I envision it after Favre comes off the field after yet another uncontested TD, he comes over to the sidelines, Childress waiting for him so that all the TV cameras cannot miss him giving Brett an awkward High-Five and then some nice talking, maybe even a hug. It will be lifeless and completely staged.

This reminds me to the 2008 completely phony "Everything-is-completely-cool-with-Romo-and-TO" game last year. After a week of TO throwing his team under the bus, including and especially Romo and TE Whitten, the Cowboys beat the hell out of some team with TO having a good game. IT JUST SO HAPPENED that the three of them were on the sidelines between plays laughing it up, smiling and playing like they were all the best of friends. It was great!

It was TOs last season with the Cowboys.

[Tsavong Lah]

I only hate the Bears when they play the Packers. I don't care otherwise, except for when they play the Vikings, then I'm a fan. Everyone up here in Minnesnowta is all revved up now that the Saints lost again, so I'm looking forward to the awful bears showing them that the Vikes aren't all they are cracked up to be (although last week went a long ways towards that goal).

[Jaxom 1974]

Now that the emotional roller coaster of yesterday is over, I can say categorically that I'm incredibly proud of the Bengals. They played a lackluster game yesterday but honestly...

Honestly, Mex, if it was that lackluster for me, it was only because the radio team calling the game for Cincinnati (the actual broadcast team mind you) was rather lackluster in their presentation. They bored me as I listened to the game travelling home from Ohio yesterday.

That was the thing that struck me when I watched the highlights - the people arguing with Caldwell, the players sitting on the sidelines looking dejected, Manning basically saying that he didn't agree with his coach one bit and hated this. I think that playing like this - not to lose guys - is kinda like playing not to lose, and at a certain level of skill athletes are the kinds of people that need to win, period. They can't think about whether or not they'll be hurt, they can't think about playing weaker or soft or not playing; it fucks up their psyche and makes them feel mortal.

We'll see I guess; it might be a brilliant move. I don't think that the Colts are going to win it all this year anyway; while Manning has been on another playing field this year, his team has significant large flaws that can be exploited by other good teams, and all it takes is one game with meh luck. Playing the Pats or the Chargers is fairly dangerous, and the NFC's team should also be a hard match no matter who it is.

Perhaps Caldwell will come to some of his senses and unleash the hounds in the final week? It could happen.

While I can't root for the Vikings, I think I'm going to root against the Bears tonight. If they get blown out again, and then lose against the Lions there will be a real chance for the Bears to eat his contract and fire Lovie Smith. If they win tonight and next week he stays almost for sure due to the season ending on a positive note, which is outright laughable.

Pray that Lovie goes. That they all go. I don't think I could endure another season of having to listen to him or Angelo...

[Arakasi]

But but if they beat the Vikings tonight that means they have to keep him!

Btw the Vikings suck hard.

[Jaxom 1974]

I'd be a lot more excited about the first half of this game tonight if it actually meant something other than "Lovie and the rest will probably keep their jobs now...".

[awesome possum]

I'd be a lot more excited about the first half of this game tonight if it actually meant something other than "Lovie and the rest will probably keep their jobs now...".

This is fun to watch, but at the same time not fun at all. We're seeing the Bears team at least I thought we'd be seeing all year. It's more than bittersweet, and the fact that Lovie and maybe even Ron Turner could end up keeping their jobs (Angelo and Phillips are safe no matter what) because of a great game against a good team? It smarts.

[Jaxom 1974]

This is fun to watch, but at the same time not fun at all. We're seeing the Bears team at least I thought we'd be seeing all year. It's more than bittersweet, and the fact that Lovie and maybe even Ron Turner could end up keeping their jobs (Angelo and Phillips are safe no matter what) because of a great game against a good team? It smarts.

Well, here's hoping things settle to what was expected in the second half and we can move some people out of town. If the coaching staff goes, there's no way that Angelo and Phillips keep their jobs.

Someone up thread mentioned something about the idea that the Bears deserve better, but it's hard for things to go in the direction that is needed while Virginia is still about and ultimately the final say on anything. It's such a similar situation to what the Blackhawks went through with Old Man Wirtz before he passed and Rocky took control and look at where they are now...the difference being, there's no one amongst the younger McCaskeys that inspires that sense of "wanting it" the way Rocky Wirtz did.

[Centrist Simon Steele]

This is the Cutler I remember. I imagine if Chicago gets a better coordinator (who takes charge instead of letting Cutler take charge) this is more of what we'll see in the future.