The NFL Thread

They didn't. The Ravens avoided the leapfrog effect this time and stumped the Browns.

The Packers-Giants may have been a very thrilling game, but while the defense still makes a few turnovers, I'd still be concerned about giving up a lot of points. But more than just that, I'd also be concerned with a nearly non-existent running game and teams like the Cowboys, Saints and 49ers have it more than the Packers. Either one of those things or both may bite Green Bay in the ass once they somehow figure out how to get to Rodgers and the turnover well runs dry.

I'm convinced God hates Kyle Orton. He gets cut from the Broncos and they start doing well and then the Chiefs pick him up (since Cassel's probably getting cut after the season) and he gets hurt after one play, leading the third-string quarterback to win the game for them.

As for the Tebow debate, the guy was just Born Lucky. No other answer is suitable. However, I'd rather see them win the division than the overhyped like crazy Raiders (who are simply not that good despite the constant hype they get for being the Raiders).

That was also Tebow's best game of the season so far (statistic wise). 10 for 15, 202 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no turnovers.

Only rushed four times too.

But now's crunch time for Denver (and Tebow). Next two games are against Chicago and NE (both at home). And you know Chicago is pissed about losing to KC on Sunday.

But after that is Buffalo (who's in a freefall) and KC (who isn't good), so if Denver can win at least 2 of their last four games, they stand a pretty good chance to take the division.

That doesn't really mean anything... I mean, Dallas is pissed about losing to Arizona, but that doesn't mean they'll beat the Giants this week... Nor does Oakland's loss to Miami mean they'll perform any better than expected against Green Bay...

Chicago's problem is that their backup isn't Jay Cutler. And it's a serious issue.

And, technically, Tebow did have a turnover... That fumble that demonstrated that "ground can't cause a fumble except when it can"...

Edit: The NFL rules on what constitutes possession really needs to be ironed out... With that play, and the whole "just because a receiver has possession of a catch in the endzone doesn't mean it was actually a catch and touchdown. It really all depends on whether we like said player/team." bit, there are some serious issues with regards to it.

edited 5th Dec '11 12:08:49 PM by Swish

Do you mean things such as possession of the ball, crossing the plane, being able to keep inbounds and things like that? I suppose such things still need a bit of tweaking.

Chicago is pissed because they should have won that game. KC is not a good team. And the difference was a hail mary. Which Urlacher hit into the receiver's hands.

So yeah...I fear for Tebow this week.

You imply that the Dallas and Oakland shouldn't have won their games...

Also, that hail mary at the end of the first half. And Chicago still had an entire second half to "fix" their deficit, and they couldn't do it...

Chicago's problem is that Chad Hennie is a bad QB. No amount of defense is going to fix that problem. Then there's the whole Forte being out for the next two weeks(minimum)... Unless Chicago gets turnovers, they're going to lose. Just don't expect Tebow to give them up...

If Chicago is your team, and you're trying to be optimistic, that's cool... But dismiss Tebow at your own peril. I mean, as much as I'd like to see the Broncos in the playoffs, I fear Pittsburgh playing them... Primarily because I fear the offense's performance playing at a poor level(like they have in ~9 of their 11 games thus far), and keeping Denver in the game until Tebow Time...

Wait, did Miami waive Henne??

LOL!

Also, I see what you mean. The Steelers will probably eat Tebow alive and I'm not sure the defense will contain Roethlesberger with the weapons he has. If Mendenhall runs like crazy, they'll really be in trouble.

edited 5th Dec '11 5:12:50 PM by Android_Chaos

Chicago's problem is we're missing Cutler and Forte.

You misunderstood... I'm a Steeler fan, and I fear the Steelers playing the Broncos in the playoffs, because Pittsburgh's offense likes to perform below the level they should be capable of(at all times, not even depending on who they're playing against)... As such, I fear they would be leading by a small margin, Tebow-Time would kick in, and Pittsburgh would be sent home "early."

Tebow-Time is the primary reason why I would love for the Ravens to play the Broncos in the playoffs(before Pittsburgh, of course), because Baltimore likes to play down to the level of their opponents... and it'd be hilarious(for me) to see the Ravens go to Denver and lose in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

edited 5th Dec '11 5:56:57 PM by Swish

In what world did ESPN decide that San Diego at Jacksonville would be a good Monday Night game?

... They didn't.

The NFL decides which games goes on what station. And they do so before the season. Only NBC gets the right to "flex" games, at the moment, and even then they can't flex games prior to week 10, nor can the flex any game because CBS and FOX have the right to prevent a single game from being taken over the course of the season...

I don't see Tebow time working against the Steelers in the playoffs. They rarely play below their expected level in the postseason, and Tebow would be playing against an elite QB who's just as capable of making those late game miracles happen.

The Steelers aren't that scary. They barely escaped with a victory against the Chiefs (this is a team that should have gotten more than 13 points over there) and they are inconsistent. Meanwhile, Tebow has Lady Luck on his side.

No team is scary right now outside of the Packers.

The Steelers still a far more talented team than Denver and have an elite and more experienced clutch QB. Easier to have Lady Luck on your side when you're playing against bad teams and bad defenses.

Even the Packers aren't infallible. Aaron Rodgers and his crazy passer rating is what's kept them undefeated. Their defense is ranked 31st, so a ground n' pound team with a game manager QB like San Francisco is a major threat to them. Think Pats vs Jets last year.

Ground and pound offenses still have their own problems against such teams. Consuming the clock and keeping the ball out of the opposing offenses' hands isn't enough unless you're reliably getting points yourself, and against an offense like GB's that can score on quick drives, Smith may need to be able to lead quick drives himself to regain leads if they end up trailing late. The Packers D is also 2nd in generating turnovers.

Not saying SF doesn't have a shot at beating the Pack, they certainly do, but I think it would be more likely for the Saints to outgun them in a rematch than SF beating them.

The 49ers have feasted on weak opponents all year. This is one of two reasons why they're 10-2 (the other is that the near-universally hated Singletary was fired before this season).

3-2 against teams with winning records, with one of those losses being in overtime, is by no means bad. 49ers may not be as good as their record, but they're still good.

It's hard to make it through the playoffs though without a great QB or at least a good QB on a hot streak (hasn't been done since 02, and even Brad Johnson has a multiple pro-bowler), and Smith hasn't shown yet that he can win games on his arm against good teams.

Just because someone is voted to the pro-bowl(or even more than one) doesn't mean he is good at their position... It just means he is popular. I mean, Tebow is going to the Pro-Bowl this year(he's 3rd in the public voting as of this moment, behind Brady and Roethlisberger)...

Honestly, for Green Bay to lose, they'll have to have a bad game... Probably in conjunction with bad weather... But a bad game is all that's needed. But it's more likely that a bad game will come against a team that isn't affected by the weather as much(San Fransisco, NY Giants), since the Packers will be home.

Then again, people said the same things about the Colts, Pats, Steelers, Vikings, Cowboys 49ers, and various other teams over the course of the past 3 decades... So I'm not really putting much stock in Green Bay winning all of their next 7 games(or even getting to 7 games)...

Late to post my thoughts on our Monday night game, but whatever.

- Another miserable 2nd half performance, another defensive lineman out for the year and another blowout loss. To a team that's lost 6 straight.

- That long snap for the field goal was the worst snap I've seen in my entire years of watching football.

- All I can say is that I'm eyeing our position in the 2012 draft.

- You know what who I think we should draft next year? As much as I love the prospect of acquiring Blackmon or getting rid of our bust QB and drafting RGIII, I say we just draft the field of Everbank Stadium since Gabbert throws perfectly at it all the time.

edited 6th Dec '11 12:38:41 PM by NoChorus

Gabbert really just needs someone he can actually rely on to make plays downfield. With the current rookie wage scale, them taking RGIII wouldn't be a bad idea, but Gabbert can still succeed if he's given a better situation to work with.

I dunno, man, I've defended him for all year with the bad W Rs as an excuse, but last night was probably his worst performance of the season. Overthrowing, underthrowing, still flinching in the pocket, still not stepping up in the pocket to make a throw...he's going to have to seriously improve before I don't consider him a mistake anymore.

But the blame's not entirely on him and the receivers: Dirk's offense is still offensive, even after JDR's handcuffs are off of him. No imagination in play calling, vanilla, predictable and pathetic. Three run plays on the opening drive? Yeah, that'll win a championship.

Part of it is that it's really easy to kill a young player's confidence in this sort of situation, especially when the fans are against him. At this point it might really be best for both Gabbert and the Jags if they pick up RGIII and send Gabbert somewhere he can be worked into an offense more gradually and have more playmakers around him.

Jax also needs to clean house on the coaching and dump their OC.

Gabbert may be a bust, but he's not playing too much worse this season than Bradford is, and his receivers can't get open deep even with the defense stacking the box.

edited 6th Dec '11 4:47:35 PM by culex2

Well... Pittsburgh's Superbowl hopes had a real scare in the 2nd quarter... Thankfully it was only the Browns, else it probably would have been a loss.

Instead, the Steelers keep pace with the Ravens, and hopefully Ben's ankle/leg is okay for the 49ers game...

Edit: I loved Brown playing the safety on that 79 yard TD pass... Got him to move inside just enough for him to beat him.

edited 8th Dec '11 8:51:08 PM by Swish