NFL Week 9

[Devil]

Let the hype begin...Houston vs. Oakland!

[Lockdown]

I'll take the Patriots. 

If Bill truly is on a mission to wipe the face of the earth with every team just to prove the whole spygate thing ticked him off, then the Colts are the perfect team to make an example of.  Defending SB champions and playing at home notwithstanding, I'll take the Pats.

Can't wait to see what happens with the spread as the week goes on.

[Scott]

Pats were many dropped passes from beating the Colts and winning the Superbowl last year.  Now the Pats added A Thomas, Moss, Welker, Stallworth, as well as having Harrison and Seau in the game, both who were hurt last year.

How can the Colts win?

[Lockdown]

The Colts can win by making the Patriots turn the ball over.  You don't score points if you are giving up the ball.

I don't think it will happen, but that is how they could win.

[Scott]

The Colts can win by making the Patriots turn the ball over.  You don't score points if you are giving up the ball.

Possibly.  Manning could also keep Brady off the field.  Brady has thrown all of 2 interceptions this year, and the Pats turnover differential is crazy too. 

The Colts are really good, but this Pats team is ridiculous.

[Soulchilde]

The Colts can win by making the Patriots turn the ball over.  You don't score points if you are giving up the ball.

Possibly.  Manning could also keep Brady off the field.  Brady has thrown all of 2 interceptions this year, and the Pats turnover differential is crazy too. 

The Colts are really good, but this Pats team is ridiculous.

Is this the Sunday night game?   

Btw, why wasn't there a Sunday Night game last night?

[Andrew Mallon]

The Colts can win by making the Patriots turn the ball over.  You don't score points if you are giving up the ball.

Possibly.  Manning could also keep Brady off the field.  Brady has thrown all of 2 interceptions this year, and the Pats turnover differential is crazy too. 

The Colts are really good, but this Pats team is ridiculous.

Is this the Sunday night game?   

Btw, why wasn't there a Sunday Night game last night?

World Series.

[Devil]

Pats could easily lose this game.

Besides the Colts being good, I'm sure Bill Polian is petitioning the league to change the scoring in the NFL because the (as he calls them) the Pay-Tree-Yots are scoring too many points and that should be eliminated.

Brings me to this, why is everyone crying about the Pats destroying teams? When the Colts did it, it was a wonderful offense, when the Rams did it, it was The Greatest Show on Turf. Even that idiot Schlereth, who's crying about it now, was part of those great Broncos teams who did it.

I think everyone is just sick of the Patriots. People were all geared up for the Chargers to take over for them this year and it didn't happen.

Ponchy, it's not the Colts who will take the pounding (although they might), it's the Jets where they might hang 100 on the board. Maybe the Steelers too.


 

[Lockdown]

Brings me to this, why is everyone crying about the Pats destroying teams? When the Colts did it, it was a wonderful offense, when the Rams did it, it was The Greatest Show on Turf. Even that idiot Schlereth, who's crying about it now, was part of those great Broncos teams who did it.

I realize your question was probably rhetorical, but I think the reason is because the Patriots appear to be SO superior to every other team in the league.  The Colts, Rams, and Broncos teams were good, but not like this.  Also, the Patriots are on route to break every offensive record known to man, which means... the sports guys need to analyze it to death and come up with stories.  And what better story to talk about than (everyone hates) Bill and his actions?

And to be fair... there are plenty of guys saying the "running up the score" talk is total nonsense.

[Devil]

I guess.

I'm just one of those guys who WANTS teams to run it up if they have the chance. Should be motivation.

I like Randall Godfrey complaining and saying "I hope we can see them again, definitely. You don't see Joe Gibbs doing that."

First, Randall, you just saw them yesterday and did nothing to stop them. Second, the Redskins didn't always suck. Let me give you some scores from the '91 Redskins who were coached by a guy named Gibbs: 45-0, 34-0, 42-17, 56-17 and 41-14. I'm sure that none of those points came in the 4th quarter when the 'Skins were just kneeling the ball. 

[Lockdown]

Whatever.  If the biggest thing you have to complain about as a Pats fan is that some people are moaning about your team running up the score, I'd say you're in pretty good shape.

If the Steeler's biggest problem was people accusing them of running up the score and blowing people out, I'd be doing freakin' backflips.

[Devil]

Nah - It's not a big deal to me, actually like the fear/respect thing. Kinda like the moaning about the Devils 'trap'.

Just seems that the Patriots were have been good for 7 years and other than the week after the first Super Bowl, the football media (which I think is worse than paparazzi chasing Paris Hilton) seems to have some problem with them all the time.

From the Manning love when he was owned by the Pats, to the lack of player respect (Rivers over Brady last year as an All-Pro?!?), to the Belichick hand shakes, to the stupid camera thing, and now the running up scores. I'm probably missing something, but a team that is that goood for that long in this day and age, it seems like the ESPN, Easterbrook, Peter "The Clown" King, Pete Priscoe, Collinsworth, etc. want to make excuses and rip them apart while, at the same time, praising frauds like Warren Sapp and Michael Vick who bring nothing to the table.

Always had a problem with the football media, they miss the real stories as they chase their tails to invent stories.

[Jumangi]

All I want to say...Farve is DA MAN!!!! 

Now back to the regular NFL talk.

[gellar]

That was a hell of a damn throw.

gellar

[Eightball]

I guess.

I'm just one of those guys who WANTS teams to run it up if they have the chance. Should be motivation.

I like Randall Godfrey complaining and saying "I hope we can see them again, definitely. You don't see Joe Gibbs doing that."

First, Randall, you just saw them yesterday and did nothing to stop them. Second, the Redskins didn't always suck. Let me give you some scores from the '91 Redskins who were coached by a guy named Gibbs: 45-0, 34-0, 42-17, 56-17 and 41-14. I'm sure that none of those points came in the 4th quarter when the 'Skins were just kneeling the ball. 

The difference, with the exception of the Atlanta beating (the 56-17 game, where Gibbs kept the throttle on in the 4th quarter which no one knows why...perhaps he hated Glanville?), Gibbs ran the ball in the 3rd and 4th quarter of those blowout wins.  And he'd actually punt the ball on 4th down, or in some cases, kneel the ball out.  He also had his first stringers out by the 4th quarter.  Unlike this Patriots team, which is wracking up huge numbers by continuing to go for the throat when the game is out of hand, that 1991 Skins team had teams completely blown out by half-time, and didn't continue to go for the throat afterwards.  For instance, the 45-0 pasting of the Lions was 35-0 at halftime.

The Patriots are still going for it on 4th down, still have their starters in, and are still throwing the ball.  38-0, 4th and 1 from the Skins 7, the Patriots go for it.  And then throw for a TD.  Same when it's 45-0, they go for it on 4th down, and continue to throw the ball.  There's a huge difference, Devil.

[gellar]

I have no problem with the Pats going for it on 4th and 1 from the 7.  I think they look worse if they kick the figgie there.  However, the next 4 subsequent plays should have been runs up the middle.  Passing to Wes Welker was poor form.

gellar

[Calvin]

I have no problem with the Pats going for it on 4th and 1 from the 7.  I think they look worse if they kick the figgie there.  However, the next 4 subsequent plays should have been runs up the middle.  Passing to Wes Welker was poor form.

gellar

You are my boy but thats just plain silly. It is leagues more inappropriate in a blowout to go for a FOURTH down inside the 10 than kick a simple figgie. It might be equally offensive to the other team, but in perception and the message it sends, its a much more classy move. 4th and 1 from the 7 is a relatively rare move in anything but a close game. I don't agree with the logic whatsoever.

[denoginizer]

I have no problem with the Pats going for it on 4th and 1 from the 7.  I think they look worse if they kick the figgie there.  However, the next 4 subsequent plays should have been runs up the middle.  Passing to Wes Welker was poor form.

gellar

You are my boy but thats just plain silly. It is leagues more inappropriate in a blowout to go for a FOURTH down inside the 10 than kick a simple figgie. It might be equally offensive to the other team, but in perception and the message it sends, its a much more classy move. 4th and 1 from the 7 is a relatively rare move in anything but a close game. I don't agree with the logic whatsoever.

I completely agree.  Kickong the FG is by far the classier move there.  My main problem is with keeping Brady in the game when it's 45-0 in the first place.

I would love to see a free blitzer come through and level Brady as he is dropping back to lob up another pass to Moss while up 45-0.  An injury to Brady will derail them very nicely.

I'm so tired of watching Brady stand back there forever with no pressure on him.  I think the way to beat the Pats is to blitz the hell out of them on defense and run it down their throats on offense.  The Colts are not that type of team. But the Steelers are. That Steelers/Pat game could be interesting. 

[Lockdown]

The Colts are not that type of team. But the Steelers are. That Steelers/Pat game could be interesting. 

I swear to God, deno... if you just jinxed us with that comment, I'm going to throttle you!   

[Devil]

Yeah, you guys are right. Brady couldn't handle a blitz he'd never be able to pick it up and dump a pass off to Welker, Watson, or even Faulk. The Steelers have so much success against the Pats too.

Every great offense runs it up. Find all the excuses you want (I think Gibbs and BB might have something going on too from his Giants days). When everyone else does it, it's awesome, when the Pats do it, it's classless.

3 years ago the Colts were the NFL darlings because of the points they put up and the Pats were knocked for not having any big wins.

[Eightball]

Yeah, you guys are right. Brady couldn't handle a blitz he'd never be able to pick it up and dump a pass off to Welker, Watson, or even Faulk. The Steelers have so much success against the Pats too.

Every great offense runs it up. Find all the excuses you want (I think Gibbs and BB might have something going on too from his Giants days). When everyone else does it, it's awesome, when the Pats do it, it's classless.

3 years ago the Colts were the NFL darlings because of the points they put up and the Pats were knocked for not having any big wins.

The Colts weren't running fake spike plays with a 45 point lead.

[Devil]

Now it's become Fake-Spike-Gate?

People don't like the Patriots, like they don't like the Yankees.

Like I said before, it went from the great story of beating the Rams in '02, to scoring too much in '07. They got very little respect when they were only winning Super Bowls by field goals, now they get beat up for scoring too much.

This is fine.

In 10 years, this team could be looked back on as one of the greatest teams in NFL history. Video tapes and fake spikes will be forgotten like pioneering steroids of the Steelers, salary cap shenanigans by the Niners and Broncos, rampant drug use and arrests by the Cowboys and a host of other things that winning teams may or may not have done in the NFL.

Go 7-9 and nobody cares.

[gellar]

You can be a great team and a bunch of assholes.  They are not mutually exclusive.

gellar

[Devil]

Absolutely!

Belichick lives on the edge with this stuff and some day it will come back to haunt him, no doubt.

Pats have been 1-15 before, they'll be 1-15 again.

[Jancelot]

You can be a great team and a bunch of assholes.  They are not mutually exclusive.

gellar

Exactly.  I hate the Patriots because they are a smug group of cheating (even if by association) assholes.  But that doesn't mean they aren't an amazing football team.

[papasmurff]

For those interested I heard today on Jim Rome's show that the Pat's are favored againsts the Colts

Yes the home team and defending SB champs who are also undefeated are underdogs......this should be interesting as I also think the colts have a chance....they just need to take advatange of the FEW opertunities they will get.

[Lockdown]

Spread started at 5 and was up to 6 yesterday afternoon.

Like I said, it will be interesting to see what it is by gametime.

[denoginizer]

Yeah, you guys are right. Brady couldn't handle a blitz he'd never be able to pick it up and dump a pass off to Welker, Watson, or even Faulk. The Steelers have so much success against the Pats too.

Actually I believe the Steelers were the team to break the last Patriot long regular season win streak back in 2004. 

I'm not saying that anyone is going to shut out the Patriots.  But it's clear you are not going to slow them down by playing coverage schemes.  Half of Moss's TDs have come while he was triple covered and Brady threw it to him anyway to just let him go up and get it.  You have to get pressure in Brady's face and disrupt his timing.  Sure he will beat the blitz.  But you take Moss out of the game.  He only runs 3 routes, and none of them are blitz sight adjusted.    Also you might get lucky and rattle Tom Terrific's cage a little bit.  Which no-one has been able to to do.

Believe me as a Browns fan I hate the Steelers just as much as the Pats.  So it gives me no pleasure to say this stuff. 

[Eightball]

Now it's become Fake-Spike-Gate?

People don't like the Patriots, like they don't like the Yankees.

Like I said before, it went from the great story of beating the Rams in '02, to scoring too much in '07. They got very little respect when they were only winning Super Bowls by field goals, now they get beat up for scoring too much.

This is fine.

In 10 years, this team could be looked back on as one of the greatest teams in NFL history. Video tapes and fake spikes will be forgotten like pioneering steroids of the Steelers, salary cap shenanigans by the Niners and Broncos, rampant drug use and arrests by the Cowboys and a host of other things that winning teams may or may not have done in the NFL.

Go 7-9 and nobody cares.

Strawman alert!

My point about the fake spike is only in relation to this:

Every great offense runs it up. Find all the excuses you want (I think Gibbs and BB might have something going on too from his Giants days). When everyone else does it, it's awesome, when the Pats do it, it's classless.

3 years ago the Colts were the NFL darlings because of the points they put up and the Pats were knocked for not having any big wins.

You're pointing out how other teams routinely run up the score.  And it's only classless when the Pats do it.

And I'm pointing out how other teams aren't running fake spike plays with a 45 point lead.  That's what you're misunderstanding.

It's not scoring a lot of points.  It's how they're doing it is why it's classless.

[Semaj]

I am going to agree with pretty much every non patriot fan on the planet.

I watched that game.  At 35-0 it was obvious who would win.  At 42-0 (or whatever the exact score was) you could tell Bellicheck wasn't doing it because he feared a loss.  He's making a statement, proving a point, embarrassing everyone else he plays against.

It's one thing when the playing field is level and you crush someone.  You eventually stop and take it easy, you need to save your guys for next week, you need to show a little respect for your opponent.  Sometimes blowouts happen, but usually most teams start running the ball more, start kicking field goals, start playing second stringers and hoping they do well.  He's got a much better team than most of the rest of the league, easy.  He knows it and he's making sure everyone else does.  He's going to wipe that smug look off Paytons face by making sure brady sets the record this year.  He's going to annihilate everyone because he can.  And while thats football to an extent, it's being a dickhead on many levels.

I dont like it.  I think a team with so much class and talent should be above whats occuring.  But who can stop em?  No one on the field can, and it's not likehockey where you send out the goons to make a point.  He'll do it until his point is proven or someone finally shuts down his vendetta.  So... whether you like it or hate it, it's going to continue for a while.

[Thin_J]

Part of me wants the Colts to win so people will shutup about the Pats.

Part of me wants the Pats to win so Colts fans don't become more unbearable than they already are.

But the biggest part of me wants the Pats to win because I despise all of those goddamn commercials with Manning in them. When Manning gets sacked I always have an urge to stand up and burn an HH Gregg ad from the sunday paper.

[Devil]

Semaj -

I pretty much agee with everything you said. They are running it up, like other teams have. Doesn't make it right, doesn't mean it'll change.

I really think, like I said after week 1, that Mangini gave the Patriots a rally cry for the season. Not going to debate the 'cheating' thing, but I think that angered an already talented team. The simple message in that locker room is that "Everyone thinks you cheated. Nobody thinks you can win on your talent" and that is motivating them. I'd bet anything on it.

They got less respect than the Colts when they were winning Super Bowls and the Colts were hanging up "AFC Finalist" banners (They actually do have these banners!!) so this is a chance to wipe the Colts from the record books and end all debates.

They could lose tomorrow. Easily.

[slackerjoe]

Eagles-Cowboys Sunday Night

Everything else on Sunday leading up to it is just an appetizer before the main course. 

Eagles need to win this game.  Plain and simple their season is on the line.
I've got a good feeling that McNabb will carve up the Dallas D (just any decent QB has done this season) and the Eagles D will finally make some big plays and get some picks against Romo.  Dawkins coming back should be a huge emotional lift for the defense and I'm banking on another Lito Sheppard INT-return TD vs Dallas.

[Semaj]

I dunno...

I dont think the patriots will lose until something strangehappens like brady breaks his leg... even then I dont know.

They could sweep the table, go 15-1 if they dont play anything but third stringewrs in the last game, or 16-0 otherwise.

Yes the colts can beat them... but they wont...  Maybe in the playoffs, but clearly now is the game the colts want to lose... they need a reason to be motivated for the playoffs.

[Devil]

Nice and close.

No spikes no running it up, even some kneeling for all you purists out there.

Gotta say that the officiating was some of the worst I've ever see as well. Lots of ticky-tack calls that all went one way.

Oh, well, into the bye at 9-0.

Chargers looked good again too!!! 

[ATB]

Bills are 2 plays from being 6-2 and they're one of the most banged up teams in the league.   This is why I stopped watching football all sports.

[Scott]

Chargers looked good again too!!!

One of them ran it back 109 yards.  What do you want?!

Gotta say that the officiating was some of the worst I've ever see as well. Lots of ticky-tack calls that all went one way.

No kidding!

[Devil]

ATB - You bailed on the world of sports because some Bills got hurt? Now that's a true fan! 

[naednek]

Eagles-Cowboys Sunday Night

Everything else on Sunday leading up to it is just an appetizer before the main course. 

Eagles need to win this game.  Plain and simple their season is on the line.
I've got a good feeling that McNabb will carve up the Dallas D (just any decent QB has done this season) and the Eagles D will finally make some big plays and get some picks against Romo.  Dawkins coming back should be a huge emotional lift for the defense and I'm banking on another Lito Sheppard INT-return TD vs Dallas.

ouch

[Lockdown]

Nice game, but...

This should be the story of the week.



Good Lord, is this kid fun to watch!