2012 NFL Season Thread

[Kramerica Industries]

Just as a further note, the original Cleveland Browns (and, now, Ravens) and 49ers are the only surviving teams from the AAFC playing today.

Don't be fooled if you go to the AAFC page and see a header saying the Baltimore Colts were admitted to the NFL as well. That was a franchise that folded after one year, and a new Baltimore Colts franchise emerged in 1953. There was also a Buffalo Bills team in the AAFC that was not admitted to the NFL, but that team holds no ties to the modern-day Buffalo Bills, whose origins stem from the AFL in 1960. Neither franchise keeps any of the history of their identically-named predecessors (and nor should they).

[lordsketor]

The most ironic part about it is the 2 teams featured in this years "chance to win a trip to this year's super bowl" visa commericals are in this year's super bowl.

[Kramerica Industries]

I love the Niners version of that commercial, since it's a 2012 commercial that still somehow is completely out of date.

Between the two close-up shots and being center in the background, Alex Smith still lives on.

[Cosmic]

I wonder if anyone at ESPN, Fox, NBC, CBS, or the NFL Network will mention that Ray Lewis was once the lead suspect in a double murder investigation between now and the Super Bowl?

They'll be to busy slobbering over the Harbaugh Bowl storyline. I probaly try to stay away from ESPN until the Super Bowl. EDIT:Also the joke flew over my head.

Hehe no worries.

It'll be interesting to see what the Canadian networks say about it, as they tend to spend all their hero-worshiping points on NHL players.

I'm already tired of Ray Lewis' emotions.

Couldn't agree more. WTF was that bit he was doing after the game where he was on the ground and the breathless groupies media were in that circle around him?

I wonder if anyone at ESPN, Fox, NBC, CBS, or the NFL Network will mention that Ray Lewis was once the lead suspect in a double murder investigation between now and the Super Bowl?

I was beginning to think that I was the only one who remembered that.

Ray Lewis was once under investigation for possibly killing two people, and he quotes the Bible without anyone in the mainstream media seeing the irony. Jay Cutler doesn't say hi to the guy working attendance at the parking garage at Soldier Field and is thus revealed to be the scum of humanity.

From his Wikipedia entry:

"Lewis is a Christian, and his commitment to his faith was featured in a Sports Illustrated cover story in 2006. He has six children by four women."

[CS85]

I'm basically rooting for Ray Lewis to win because so many people hate him. Ray Lewis may be a hypocritical two-faced murderous overrated showboating numbnuts, but sometimes it's nice to root for the bad guy.

[Kramerica Industries]

It's criminal how Ray Lewis is getting all the attention, but another all-time great defensive player at his position, Ed Reed, might be playing his final game too, and is getting ZERO attention.

[pmoehrin]

I was surprised the Falcons played as well as they did because I thought the Niners were going to steamroll them.

I thought Mike Nolan had a very good gameplan together for going after Kaepernick. He forced the Niners to become an offense that had virtually no big play capabilities and they responded by not turning the ball over and winning the battle on the line of scrimmage. Tough to win those kinds of games if that's what your defense has to go against. I don't think it shocked anyone that the Niners were able to run the ball like they were, but Kaepernick I thought did a tremendous job of making the absolute most out of what was given to him. They made him play like Alex Smith and he responded with one of the best games I've ever seen from a QB that didn't put up great numbers. Outside of the completion percentage there's nothing in the box score that really jumps out at you, but I saw him make a lot of easy passes on some very difficult coverages. I don't think there's any question at this point if the Niners are going to go back to Alex Smith. There is no more debate in terms of who should be the Niners QB after today.

On offense I thought the Falcons were very one dimensional and it eventually came back to bite them in the second half. I thought Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez all showed up and played either good or great games but the longest running play the Falcons had went for 12 yards and they didn't score a single TD on the ground. All the Niners did the second half was pass blitz and send everyone else into coverage. The Falcons finally did adjust to it but the drive they did it on was the same Matt Ryan lost the fumble and that was probably the turning point of the game. Up until that point the Falcons were in control but that play just gave the Niners that little spark they needed. They didn't score on the ensuing drive, but they took over the field position battle and never lost it for the rest of the game.

All in all I thought both teams played well and came in with good game plans. The Niners just had more weapons then the Falcons did and I don't think it was a fluke they won.

With the Pats and Ravens I'll just say no question losing Gronk and Talib hurt the Patriots big time in that game. They were able to cover for it against Houston, but Houston didn't look good the entire second half of the season and was probably the most overated team coming into the playoffs. The offense looked very ordinary in that game, which was to be expected because the Ravens always play the Pats tough, but they lost Talib I thought the Pats were done. They don't have much depth in the secondary and it just gave Baltimore that added edge on offense and as the game went on you could see the Pats defense getting more and more worn down.

Had the Patriots had Gronkowski and Talib both healthy not sure it would have been enough to win but certainly would have made things closer.

The Ravens for their part played an outstanding game. They showed up on both sides of the ball, they never let Tom Brady or his receivers get comfortable and on offense they did a very good job spreading the field out and even though the Patriots played it well to start the game as time went on it just wore them down. Had that game gone another quarter I think the Ravens could have very well put up 50 points on the Pats. That defense just looked spent by the end of the third quarter.

So now we got the Harbaugh bowl and its almost like looking in a mirror with these two teams. I'm expecting one of the hardest hitting Super Bowls in awhile which is probably going to make Roger Goddell cringe to see these two teams go at it on the biggest stage, but for all the NFL's efforts to make the game more pass friendly, who do you have in the Super Bowl? Two defensive oriented teams that like to run the ball.

[IceCap]

I wonder if anyone at ESPN, Fox, NBC, CBS, or the NFL Network will mention that Ray Lewis was once the lead suspect in a double murder investigation between now and the Super Bowl?

They'll be to busy slobbering over the Harbaugh Bowl storyline. I probaly try to stay away from ESPN until the Super Bowl. EDIT:Also the joke flew over my head.

Hehe no worries.

It'll be interesting to see what the Canadian networks say about it, as they tend to spend all their hero-worshiping points on NHL players.

I'm already tired of Ray Lewis' emotions.

Couldn't agree more. WTF was that bit he was doing after the game where he was on the ground and the breathless groupies media were in that circle around him?

I wonder if anyone at ESPN, Fox, NBC, CBS, or the NFL Network will mention that Ray Lewis was once the lead suspect in a double murder investigation between now and the Super Bowl?

I was beginning to think that I was the only one who remembered that.

Ray Lewis was once under investigation for possibly killing two people, and he quotes the Bible without anyone in the mainstream media seeing the irony. Jay Cutler doesn't say hi to the guy working attendance at the parking garage at Soldier Field and is thus revealed to be the scum of humanity.

From his Wikipedia entry:

"Lewis is a Christian, and his commitment to his faith was featured in a Sports Illustrated cover story in 2006. He has six children by four women."

Umm....ok?

[thespleenenator]

I wonder if anyone at ESPN, Fox, NBC, CBS, or the NFL Network will mention that Ray Lewis was once the lead suspect in a double murder investigation between now and the Super Bowl?

They'll be to busy slobbering over the Harbaugh Bowl storyline. I probaly try to stay away from ESPN until the Super Bowl. EDIT:Also the joke flew over my head.

Hehe no worries.

It'll be interesting to see what the Canadian networks say about it, as they tend to spend all their hero-worshiping points on NHL players.

I'm already tired of Ray Lewis' emotions.

Couldn't agree more. WTF was that bit he was doing after the game where he was on the ground and the breathless groupies media were in that circle around him?

I wonder if anyone at ESPN, Fox, NBC, CBS, or the NFL Network will mention that Ray Lewis was once the lead suspect in a double murder investigation between now and the Super Bowl?

I was beginning to think that I was the only one who remembered that.

Ray Lewis was once under investigation for possibly killing two people, and he quotes the Bible without anyone in the mainstream media seeing the irony. Jay Cutler doesn't say hi to the guy working attendance at the parking garage at Soldier Field and is thus revealed to be the scum of humanity.

From his Wikipedia entry:

"Lewis is a Christian, and his commitment to his faith was featured in a Sports Illustrated cover story in 2006. He has six children by four women."

Umm....ok?

The irony is that he's a devote Christian, but he has 6 children by 4 women.

[IceCap]

Ah, ok. In terms of being a devout Christian I would think the "possibly killed two people" thing would overshadow the "six kids by four women" thing. That's what I meant about the media not seeing the irony in Lewis quoting scripture.

[Lights Out]

YESSSS!!! The Pats lose and one of my all-time favorite players, Ray Lewis, might get to go out on top!

Um....ok? I don't seem to recall you ever saying Lewis was one of your all time favourites before tonight, but whateves.

No one's ever asked.

I've always liked that it's not only just talent with him, he brings an unmatched level of passion for football to the field every single game. He's also one of the last real old-school, hardnosed defenders in an NFL gone soft.

[CS85]

BTW, if you're a subscriber to the Kyle Orton School of Quarterback Greatness Appraisal, you'll be pleased to know that the all time NFL leader in road playoff wins is the elite Joe Flacco of your Baltimore Ravens.

[IceCap]

YESSSS!!! The Pats lose and one of my all-time favorite players, Ray Lewis, might get to go out on top!

Um....ok? I don't seem to recall you ever saying Lewis was one of your all time favourites before tonight, but whateves.

No one's ever asked.

Well yes, but you know.

I've always liked that it's not only just talent with him, he brings an unmatched level of passion for football to the field every single game. He's also one of the last real old-school, hardnosed defenders in an NFL gone soft.

I'd disagree about the NFL going soft, but I don't think you're wrong about anything else there. He's very passionate, and he's very talented.

I just don't like him. Not that I'm all that eager to jump on the 49ers bandwagon. While it's hard to say that Jim Harbaugh made the wrong choice by switching to Kaepernick it still rubs me the wrong way. It just seems wrong to me to replace your starter when he's winning, which is what Smith was doing when Kaepernick came in. It's just that this isn't nearly as offensive to my tragically Canadian sensibilities as Ray Lewis' off-field personality flaws.

[Eye]

YESSSS!!! The Pats lose and one of my all-time favorite players, Ray Lewis, might get to go out on top!

Um....ok? I don't seem to recall you ever saying Lewis was one of your all time favourites before tonight, but whateves.

No one's ever asked.

I've always liked that it's not only just talent with him, he brings an unmatched level of passion for football to the field every single game. He's also one of the last real old-school, hardnosed defenders in an NFL gone soft.

Why do you think that? He does a dance before a game, so that equals passion? What does he do that's so different to make him more passionate than someone else? Ray Lewis and probably most of the league have the same passion for the game.

[CS85]

May have been posted already, but Terrell Suggs wasn't pulling any punches in postgame when asked about New England:

Terrell Suggs: "These are the most arrogant pricks in the world starting with Belichick on down."

Suggs: "Tell them to have fun at the Pro Bowl. Arrogant F---ers."

Suggs: "That's funny, ever since SpyGate they haven't been able to win."

Suggs has calmed down: "All BS aside they are a hell of a ball club ... They have the right to be arrogant."

[BlueSky]

This won't be popular (and that's kind of my whole point), but how come the clear pass interference not called on the last meaningful play of the game has already been forgotten?

If replacement refs had blown the call, the media would have talked about it for a week. But we let the actual refs off the hook just like that.

It wasn't pass interference. Bowman is well with the rules to bump and push around White because he was within 5 yards. When Ryan threw the pass, Bowman let go and knocked down the pass.

I'm late responding to this, but this is very incorrect.

Even this Falcon-hater agrees that could have been called, maybe even should have been. We've all seen flags thrown on less contact than that. But for balance we're going to need an explanatory graphic on Harry Douglas' "catch" on the critical third down earlier in that drive. That was one of those calls that astound me because they're upheld even after replay. That ball was clearly on the ground and the trend among the zebras the last year or two is to disallow a catch if one of the ball's molecules even scrapes one of the turf's. And that 4th down call or non-call wasn't what blew a 17-point lead. Note to Matty Ice: Gonzalez looks more open than Roddy was.

Also graphic-worthy would be Harbaugh's comical little-girl hissyfit (sp?) in reaction to the replay announcement, but I digress.

I must be mellowing with age. In years past I'd have been very happy that the Falcons lost and did so in such a shameful fashion. And on some level I am. But I also empathize with their fans, who, like Saints fans, have had more than their share of heartbreak. I also like and respect many of the Falcons' staff and players from Arthur Blank to Mike Smith to Matt Ryan. They're good people, and if they represented other teams I'd be a fan.

With all that said, the Falcons blew a 17-point lead. At home. The week after they blew a 20-point lead. At home. Matt Ryan dropped a perfect shotgun snap in the biggest game of his life because he took his eyes off the ball. And so on. The players deserve no sympathy because they didn't deserve to win yesterday.

Can you imagine though, had the Falcons scored and the Niners then moved into long FG range with a few seconds left? Akers has hit from 63 this season but doinked that earlier kick off the upright. That scenario would've been very interesting.

[Gothamite]

He does a dance before a game, so that equals passion? What does he do that's so different to make him more passionate than someone else? Ray Lewis and probably most of the league have the same passion for the game.

Yep, dancing and preening mean that he cares more than anybody else.

Also, saying Bible-y stuff means he's a better person than you.

Well, according to the sports press, that is. Sometimes they earn the "lazy and incompetent" tag they're collectively tarred with.

[CS85]

The super-tight low angle shot of him faux-crying during the national anthem was one of the most pretentious things you'll ever see....but I'm still rooting for the Ravens, because I've got a sickening feeling Kaepernick will be Tom Brady 2.0 and the coverage worship will shift dramatically to the goddamn west coast.

[BlueSky]

Not to pile on Atlanta here but good God...this is one of the worst-written articles I've ever seen in any publication much less a major city newspaper. A few highlights:

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The defense, featuring a three-safety look on third down, forced a three-and-out as safety Thomas DeCoud, playing the linebacker role, swatted down a pass intended for Vernon Davis on third down.

===

===

The 49ers were back in business after Ryan threw an inception to Chris Culliver.

===

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The Falcons had a promising drive down going when they have moved down to San Francisco's 28 yard line.

===

Huh? Must have been an open bar in the press box.

[B-Rich]

Not to pile on Atlanta here but good God...this is one of the worst-written articles I've ever seen in any publication much less a major city newspaper. A few highlights:

===

The defense, featuring a three-safety look on third down, forced a three-and-out as safety Thomas DeCoud, playing the linebacker role, swatted down a pass intended for Vernon Davis on third down.

===

===

The 49ers were back in business after Ryan threw an inception to Chris Culliver.

===

===

The Falcons had a promising drive down going when they have moved down to San Francisco's 28 yard line.

===

Huh? Must have been an open bar in the press box.

LOL