NFL Season 2012-2013

[Brando70]

I will say this about Tannehill: last year Blaine Gabbert didn't look like he could connect toilet paper to his butthole, but he looked so much better this week, on the road no less. Tannehill played terribly, but he was on the road against a top defense and an AFC title contender. Sometimes rookie QBs still play like rookie QBs. Probably will be a year before Miami knows what they really have.

[wco81]

ESPN or NFL had a segment showing all these clips where the Raiders were still committing bad penalties and making other undisciplined plays. Too early to say the culture has changed or not. But it's hard to break old habits.


In the Steelers game, they said Haley the new OC is trying to get Ben to go through his progressions, not improvise as much. He has trying for the first part of the game but it wasn't long before he was double or even triple pumping. That worked for awhile but he couldn't get the ball to Brown on some deep in cuts or posts with no safety back because he was under duress by the time he finally pulled the trigger.

[TCrouch]

In that exact same clip, they also mentioned that they weren't playing like the same old Raiders, but thought some might see those few plays and assume they were. They showed that clip right after Kelly jumped offsides twice on that long drive. The other stuff they showed was a couple of fumbles (one from a rookie WR that kept trying to fight for yards, not realizing you're going to get murdered when you do that, and the other was the ridiculous reverse). In the game, they had 6 penalties for 30 something yards. Last year they would have had 10+ for 100 yards. So that's already progress, considering 3 of those penalties came on one drive.

It's definitely changing, but you've got some of the same players, so some of that crap is guaranteed to happen. As far as undisciplined plays, the only ones I can recall are those offsides by Kelly and the weird reverse-flip that hit Jones' facemask for a fumble and a 25-yard loss. Undisciplined play from the Raiders is what they did last year--giving up 31 touchdown passes AND allowing 5.1 yards per carry on the ground. To see the linebackers hitting gaps and attacking the run, and very few wide open receivers was a massive difference from past years.

They certainly have a lot of work to do...they're not ready to win a Super Bowl or anything, but they're making progress.

[dbdynsty25]

I actually wonder why teams don't invest in getting one of their other special team lineup up to par when it comes to long snapping. It seems to happen to one or two teams each year, where their guy goes down and then the rest of the game is a disaster.

And you're not giving the Raiders enough credit...they will roll through Miami next weekend even though they always seem to struggle against the Phins. I was hoping the Dolphins would have a win or two by the time I get to Arizona for the Dolphins/Cardinals at the end of this month, but it's not looking good. In fact, it appears as though I wasted 350 bucks. Oh well.

[XXXIV]

I dont expect him to change the team over night.

I just want them to win games like the one yesterday. Win games you that you have two 4th quarter leads in.

Dont be bring that sorry soft ass Prevent D. That Im a scared little girl D when you had them confused the entire game when you played straight up. The defense on the last TWO Lion drives was embarrassing. As bad a defense as you will EVER see. My God it was horrible.

Again I dont expect the playoffs or even 8 wins but dont go blowing games you have won.

I hate the prevent defense too, that always pisses me off.

The bright side is that I cant remember that last time a Rams loss bothered me the next day.

Go Rams!!!!.... you bastards.

[Brando70]

Bears-Packers tonight. I would love nothing better than to see tens of thousands of Wisconsinites, clad in their finest hunting orange and cheddar top hats, staring in disbelief at a 0-2 start for their team like an empty steam tray at a buffet.

[wco81]

Interesting pregame talk. Cutler dares the Packers to play man and press on the Bears WRs. (who do they have besides Marshall?).

Yeah I don't think the Packers are up to that, besides Williams.

Really going to come down to whether Bears can stop or slow down Rodgers and company. I think last year will be hard to match, 45 TDs, 6 ints and all those yards.

One thing they mentioned in week 1 was that the Packers threw more to covered receivers than any team in the league -- interesting that someone keeps stats of such categories. So a lot of back-shoulder throws, jump balls and the like, with the Packers receivers winning most of those 50-50 plays. That level of execution may not be sustainable.

But if the Packers line up in shotgun with Randall Cobb in the backfield, he may be hard to cover. 49ers went to dime a lot, with just one ILB to cover Cobb or Finley. They gave up a lot of underneath stuff to Cobb but basically denied Packers the explosive plays they look for.

Now Jennings is hurt so Rodgers may line up more under center and they may try to run more this game. Or at least show the run.

[Brando70]

Packers are such a one-dimensional team. That one dimension is amazing, but they still can't run the ball and the defense looks as bad if not worse than last season. They have no defensive playmakers aside from Clay Matthews.

We may have a rare Bears-Packers shootout as I agree that Bears D will probably give up a lot of yards. Pretty jazzed for the game tonight.

[Danimal]

Interesting pregame talk. Cutler dares the Packers to play man and press on the Bears WRs. (who do they have besides Marshall?).

I love it how things get twisted when they make there way around the country.

[TCrouch]

Exactly. The way I read that story, I thought the Packers talked about getting up and manhandling the Bears receivers at the line, which is what they said they had success with before. And Cutler basically responded with "yeah, go for it. I hope they do".

He responded to somebody talking trash...what's he supposed to say..."oh no, we're doomed!!"

[wco81]

The account I heard was in the context of Cutler saying things in the media that players normally don't say. Besides the press issue for this game, it was Cutler undermining Forte's negotiating position by saying he should sign whatever the Bears had on the table at the time.

Sounds like something Favre would do. Oh that's right he did do that to one of his WRs, didn't he?

[dbdynsty25]

Lol. Nice catch Brandon. Different team...same hands.

[Spooky]

Lol. Nice catch Brandon. Different team...same hands.

I was waiting for you to say something.

[dbdynsty25]

Lol. Nice catch Brandon. Different team...same hands.

I was waiting for you to say something.

He's clutch...what can I say. That game was vintage BM...probably should stand for bowel movement tho. So inconsistent and you CAN NOT count on the guy.

[XXXIV]

Im waiting for Cutler.

The wait continues!

Though I am pretty sure Cutler will light up Me lambs, you cant play the colts and the Rams every week.

[RobVarak]

I for one am shocked, shocked that the Bears plan for doing nothing to address their dreadful OL hasn't been more successful in addressing their dreadful OL.

I've got to rethink everything I know about football.

[Danimal]

Welcome back to earth Bears fans.

I'll give props to the D though minus the fake field goal which was a ballsy call you kept that a 6 point game. Considering the position your stinky offense put you in all night that was a hell of an effort.

BTW have we ever heard of a draw or screen? It's ok if 1 screen play gets blown up you can try it again.

[RobVarak]

Welcome back to earth Bears fans.

I'll give props to the D though minus the fake field goal which was a ballsy call you kept that a 6 point game. Considering the position your stinky offense put you in all night that was a hell of an effort.

BTW have we ever heard of a draw or screen? It's ok if 1 screen play gets blown up you can try it again.

Hard to call a draw or screen, or roll the pocket for that matter, if you OL can't manage to hold a block for 2 seconds. And I'm not exaggerating when I say "2 seconds."

Only choice is to totally sell out the pass and just admit that you can't throw the ball safely, which isn't really an option when you're already down in an NFL game.

[Danimal]

Hard to call a draw or screen, or roll the pocket for that matter, if you OL can't manage to hold a block for 2 seconds. And I'm not exaggerating when I say "2 seconds."

Maybe a screen but not a draw or delayed hand off. You just need to get creative like the Pack did with their formations. Cutler was under duress all night no doubt but he made some stupid decisions and the WR were abysmal, like they didn't want to compete.

BTW did you see Woodson post game comment ""It's the same old Jay. We just need to be in position. Jay will throw us the ball"

Again I am not sure why the Pack are so puffy chested. You put up 16 points on offense and with excellent field position most of the night.

[Brando70]

Again I am not sure why the Pack are so puffy chested. You put up 16 points on offense and with excellent field position most of the night.

Agreed. The Bears gift-wrapped that game and it was still close going into the fourth. Really frustrating to waste a solid defensive effort by the Bears with a comically inept performance on offense. They had so many chances to get the momentum and just pissed every one of them away.

Also, the fake FG was a bad, bad call. Attempting a fake on fourth and 26 is way too risky. It was the equivalent of throwing money on hard 10 and crowing when you hit it. Pure luck, and only worked because Tillman focused on Mason Crosby running outside instead of seeing Crabtree had the ball. You definitely can spot the kicker a 15-yard lead in that situation.

[Brando70]

Also, the Bill Simmons Curse is alive and well -- he wrote glowingly about the Bears passing game before yesterday's game. That's always the kiss of death.

[XXXIV]

The Rams are not losing yet....but only because they dont kick off for another two plus hours.

Will they find away to contain RGIII? or will they be as confused as by him as I was when I played Zeppo's Skins in Madden13?

That was a nice pass Brees threw to the Panthers.
Nice pass Eli did not throw to a wide open Bradshaw.
Eagles and Ravens playing prison rules.
Pretty cool punt return for the Bengals from Adam Jones.

I like Redzone.

[MizzouRah]

Rams will beat Washington.

[XXXIV]

Rams will beat Washington.

Does that come with a guarantee?

Go Rams!!!

[dbdynsty25]

Not a good look for the Raiders getting rolled by a bad Dolphins team who is notoriously horrible at home.