NFL '13 SEASON THREAD

[IceCap]

Yeah, and Manning literally threw that game away.

[BlueSky]

Yeah, and Manning literally threw that game away.

Tracy Porter talked later about how they knew the Colts often went to that play on that down and distance. Don't blame Peyton Manning if a defender makes a play based on film study and situational awareness. It had worked for Indy all season long but they went to the well once too often. Manning was under pressure and it was 3rd down. You can argue he should've taken the sack but he had no time to go through his progressions.

Also, games are like life - the present moment is a product of all the moments that came before. We can play "ifs and buts" till doomsday but IMO the Saints won that game, the Colts didn't lose it.

[BigEd76]

Things I am tired of:

1. David Akers (already)

Everyone here was angry when we let him go, but he's been shaky for the last 4 years. Part of that had to do with his child being sick, but I also think his leg is going, and he was awful whenever he played at Giants/MetLife Stadium. Hopefully playing in domes will help. Yesterday? yikes

[Still MIGHTY]

Yeah, and Manning literally threw that game away.

And the defense couldn't stop Brees, Hank Baskett couldn't field a surprise onside kick, and on that particular throw, Reggie Wayne ran the wrong route.

Totally Peyton's fault.......

[NJTank]

The Saints won that Super Bowl, because Sean Payton out coached Jim Caldwell. The Colts could have put the game away but got conservative at the end of the half. Saints got a chance to kick a Field Goal that the On Side and boom Colts were off their game the rest of the way.

[drdougfresh]

Things I am tired of:

1. David Akers (already)

Everyone here was angry when we let him go, but he's been shaky for the last 4 years. Part of that had to do with his child being sick, but I also think his leg is going, and he was awful whenever he played at Giants/MetLife Stadium. Hopefully playing in domes will help. Yesterday? yikes

Like, I know he's a "YouTube sensation", but letting Rugland go seemed silly to me. Dude completely missed on a 49 yarder and made it with 10 yards to spare. When he's younger and seemingly has a better leg, I don't understand keeping a guy who hit less than 70% of his kicks last year. Seeing Akers fall apart after getting bumped yesterday only serves to further fans' wonder.

[hbgoo1975]

Jacksonville sucks! So does their helmets!

[ninersdd]

http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=9680957&top&wjb=

Jag fans want Jesus. Protest starts at 3:16 PM.

[Rockstar Matt]

http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=9680957&top&wjb=

Jag fans want Jesus. Protest starts at 3:16 PM.

The only positive for the Jags if do sign Tebow would be to temporarily divert people's attention from "this Jaguars team might be the worst team ever" to "Oh, look, Tebow! Te-ee-bow. Who-oo-a."

[Cujo]

Things I am tired of:

1. David Akers (already)

So in other words...

Proof: The Lions DO have a kicking game!

[IceCap]

Yeah, and Manning literally threw that game away.

And the defense couldn't stop Brees, Hank Baskett couldn't field a surprise onside kick, and on that particular throw, Reggie Wayne ran the wrong route.

Totally Peyton's fault.......

Sorry. Didn't mean to imply that he did. Just that it wasn't a game the Colts "should" have won, as Cujo claimed.

[Cujo]

I'd say we're heading towards a Denver-Seattle Superbowl. They both look like they're the best teams by far.

Still not sold on Denver's defense, that's what let them down last year and this year seems like nothing changed

The Denver defense was very solid last year, and will only get better once Von and Champ return to the lineup. Plus, it's a tremendous help to the D when your offense can put up 45 points on average.

[BigEd76]

Since the NFL went to the modern 16 game season ... what is the lowest scoring output for a team over the entire season? Wondering if my boys have a chance of at least setting some kind of record this season.

Here are the teams that scored less than 200 points in a 16-game season:

1992 Seahawks = 140 (2-14)

1991 Colts = 143 (1-15)

1998 Eagles = 161 (3-13)

2000 Browns = 161 (3-13)

2006 Raiders = 168 (2-14)

2009 Rams = 175 (1-15)

1990 Patriots = 181 (1-15)

2000 Bengals = 185 (4-12)

1993 Bengals = 187 (3-13)

1993 Colts = 189 (4-12)

2011 Rams = 193 (2-14)

1991 Cardinals = 196 (4-12)

2010 Panthers = 196 (2-14)

2009 Raiders = 197 (5-11)

1991 Buccaneers = 199 (3-13)

[TalktoChuck]

I'd say we're heading towards a Denver-Seattle Superbowl. They both look like they're the best teams by far.

Still not sold on Denver's defense, that's what let them down last year and this year seems like nothing changed

The Denver defense was very solid last year, and will only get better once Von and Champ return to the lineup. Plus, it's a tremendous help to the D when your offense can put up 45 points on average.

Don't look for champ and Von to make a big difference when they get back. Champs getting old and doesn't have much left. Granted half a Champ Bailey is still better than most corners. And Von will still make plays, but without Elvis on the other side, this plays will be less frequent. Losing Elvis was a big blown, even more so with what's happened with Von.

When they return the defense will improve, but not by as much as most people expect it to.

[ADW77]

I'd say we're heading towards a Denver-Seattle Superbowl. They both look like they're the best teams by far.

Still not sold on Denver's defense, that's what let them down last year and this year seems like nothing changed

The Denver defense was very solid last year, and will only get better once Von and Champ return to the lineup. Plus, it's a tremendous help to the D when your offense can put up 45 points on average.

Don't look for champ and Von to make a big difference when they get back. Champs getting old and doesn't have much left. Granted half a Champ Bailey is still better than most corners. And Von will still make plays, but without Elvis on the other side, this plays will be less frequent. Losing Elvis was a big blown, even more so with what's happened with Von.

When they return the defense will improve, but not by as much as most people expect it to.

Von Miller is the best outside linebacker in the NFL. You can't seriously think that this was a product of Dumervil, especially considering not all of his 30 career sacks came with Elvis on the field. I would also like to point out that Shaun Phillips is almost just as effective as Dumervil, and it'll be evident when Von returns.

As for Champ Bailey, he's still a top 10 corner in the NFL. Outside of the playoff game last year, where he was set one on one with no safety help against one of the fastest players in the league, he gave up a grand total of one touchdown.

So your assumption that the return of their two best defensive players won't make 'that much of a difference' is fallacious.

[DS729]

Going back to the end of 2012, the Seahawks have won four of their past five road games. They've won games at Soldier Field the past three seasons. They went east and beat the Redskins in the playoffs, and probably should've beaten the Falcons too, if not for the inexplicable prevent defense they used in the final :30.

I think we're reading a little too far into road struggles at this point. That's a young team, an improved roster from off-season additions, and now more experience on their side, too. This could be a legitimate #1 in the NFC this year, and if that were to happen, then it doesn't even matter if they're good or bad on the road, because the NFC road to the Super Bowl would run through Seattle.

That was a beatdown tonight. San Francisco couldn't move the ball, Kaepernick looked feeble. That was ludicrously impressive.

You hit in right on the head. Seattle is unbeatable at home, I don't think anyone is denying that. But they have added new pieces, and gained some experience which should definitely improve on that 4-6 road record last year.

[DS729]

Going back to the end of 2012, the Seahawks have won four of their past five road games. They've won games at Soldier Field the past three seasons. They went east and beat the Redskins in the playoffs, and probably should've beaten the Falcons too, if not for the inexplicable prevent defense they used in the final :30.

I think we're reading a little too far into road struggles at this point. That's a young team, an improved roster from off-season additions, and now more experience on their side, too. This could be a legitimate #1 in the NFC this year, and if that were to happen, then it doesn't even matter if they're good or bad on the road, because the NFC road to the Super Bowl would run through Seattle.

That was a beatdown tonight. San Francisco couldn't move the ball, Kaepernick looked feeble. That was ludicrously impressive.

They beat the Bears when the Bears were in the midst of choking their way out of the playoffs. They beat a bad Buffalo team, lost to an equally bad Dolphins team, and lost to a bad Lions team. Last week they struggled mightily with a mediocre Panthers team. In the playoffs they beat a hobbled RGIII -- the only reason the Redskins made the playoffs was because of the zone-read and they couldn't run it in that game.

Without the blown call against Green Bay last year, they wouldn't have made the playoffs last year.

You're digging quite deep there into the beginning of 2012. I think it was pretty clear the Seahawks improved by leaps and bounds as the season progressed. I think Chicago was 8-3 when they beat them; yeah, that's pretty impressive, to me, and especially the way they beat them. They beat a bad Buffalo team? Sure. They hammered a bad Buffalo team. They scored 50 points. It's not easy to go away from home and hang 50 points on anybody in the NFL.

I mean, you're a knowledgeable fellow and I respect your beliefs. The Seahawks aren't going to hold the Niners to three points at Candlestick, for instance. But after a night like tonight, when they so thoroughly overwhelmed them and Kaepernick looked lost, and SF couldn't establish anything resembling a ground game, I don't see any reason to think the Seahawks can't win the return leg at Candlestick. As alluded to, Wilson only completed eight passes tonight. I will expect more than that in the next go around.

They did get better as they went. But ultimately, they got better when they started running the read-option. An SEC coach said that last year, watching NFL teams try and defend the read option was like watching college defenses try and defend it 15 years ago. Teams are actually defending it this year. I just don't understand how we can look at this game and talk about how elite or legit they are when just one week ago they really struggled with a not-so-great Panthers team. Their defense is legit... but you guys aren't at all worried about their offense?

Winning a game on the East Coast is impressive enough, don't care how close it is, a win is a win. Plus, Carolina isn't as bad as their record depicts them, they play hard and lose alot of close games, hopefully they'll start winning eventually all the Panthers fans 'round here seem depressed.

I'll also add Tampa into that conversation as well, pretty disappointing to see them lose at the Jets last week.

[Still MIGHTY]

Yeah, and Manning literally threw that game away.

And the defense couldn't stop Brees, Hank Baskett couldn't field a surprise onside kick, and on that particular throw, Reggie Wayne ran the wrong route.

Totally Peyton's fault.......

Sorry. Didn't mean to imply that he did. Just that it wasn't a game the Colts "should" have won, as Cujo claimed.

I think what he's saying, and I agree, was that on paper and before the game, the thinking was that the Colts should win that game. It was a Colts team that would have went 16-0 if not for Caldwell's idiocy. Peyton won his 4th MVP. They beat the Ravens and Jets soundly. They were clicking on all cylinders. I thought they were actually playing better than the Super Bowl 41 team. I mean, of course I'm a bit biased, but I really did think they were going to win. Hell, I thought that the Colts had the momentum on the Tracy Porter interception drive. The way they were playing, I was convinced that Peyton was going to drive the team down for the tying TD and that we were going to go to our first Super Bowl overtime.

Ultimately they didn't, and a whole ton of credit to the Saints, they beat us that day. Plain and simple.

[FiddySicks]

Aaaaand the NFL decides to suspend Deshaun Goldson for next Sunday's game vs the Pats.

I'm sorry, but :censored: the NFL. This is getting so ridiculous. Sure, protect the players heads, I get that. But this is football. Part of the game simply involves high speed collisions where your head is going to make contact with other players heads. What are players supposed to do? It's the nature of the game. And I get fining and suspending guys for paryicularly blatant displays of head hunting, but fining and suspending so many guys for making big hits that are questionable is doing nothing but hurting the value of the game and costing them viewers due to their inconsistency.

This is some real NBA style crap the NFL is pulling, and it's making the game hard to watch.

Safety is very important, but if you don't want to put yourself at risk for head injuries, don't play football. It's just that simple.

[ninersdd]

I wonder when will Brandon Meriwether be getting a suspension soon then? I know he has had some issues with regards to helmet to helmet hits, including yesterday.