NFL '13 SEASON THREAD

[rams80]

The Patriots commentators offensive commentary has now been totally stripped down to "And another offensive turnover for the Patriots."

That's what happens when you load up the skill positions with players from the '7-'11 Rams.

[JayMac]

The Patriots commentators offensive commentary has now been totally stripped down to "And another offensive turnover for the Patriots."

That's what happens when you load up the skill positions with players from the '7-'11 Rams.

So when the Patriots don't win for a 9th straight year, will the amazing Tom Brady get another free pass? I swear he is made of Teflon. No one ever criticizes that man.

/rant

[BlueSky]

Why is there all this blowback from players about the hit on Dustin Keller? Guys get hit like that all the time. It's unfortunate he got hurt but come on, that was just bad luck the way it played out. Did anybody see anything questionable about that hit?

You are saying blowback, but you as a Saints fan (again) seem to point to a Falcon speaking. In this case, Tony Gonzalez.

Good grief. Reach much? First, I said "from players" because it's not just Gonzalez. From the linked story:

===

Add Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez to the list of players who don't buy what D.J. Swearinger is selling.

===

The list that includes Brian Hartline andTyson Clabo among others and it was being debated on NFL Network and so on. So putting aside your Falconoia, my point was, why is this Texans player having to defend that hit? Why in the world would the competition committee review it? It was a clean, legal hit of the kind that happens dozens of times every single NFL Sunday. A similar hit took out Gale Sayers' knee in 1968 but now we're getting all bent out of shape about it? I don't mean to sound cavalier about Keller's injury but come on, how many players have been hurt that way? Why is this different?

Plus the irony of the NFL putting so much emphasis on avoiding the head and neck and now it's a big surprise when defenders hit low? C'mon, man.

This is the same puzzlement I had after the '09 NFC Championship. Overtime had decided numerous playoff games yet all of a sudden OT had to be revamped? Huh? It was good enough for the Colts and Giants in '58 and for every playoff game since but after that particular game in '09 everybody gets up in arms over playoff OT and the league changes it? Why??

It's true that the team with the ball first wins slightly more than half of those games but the part everybody seemed to miss was that most do not win on the first possession.

We're going to end up with targets on players the size of Iron Man's power pack and a hit anywhere else will be a penalty.

Maybe it's because hits like that go unpenalized, but Jon Bostic gets nailed with a fine for a completely normal hit on Mike Willie.

It went unpenalized because it was legal. The Bostic hit should not have been penalized either but it has nothing to do with the Keller hit.

[NJTank]

I dont understand why D.J. Swearing was not fined for an obviously dirty hit to Dustin Keller.

[Island_Style]

I dont understand why D.J. Swearing was not fined for an obviously dirty hit to Dustin Keller.

It was legal. The NFL won't do anything about it because it's a product of all the lawsuits against them. Easier to sue for brain trauma than for shot knees.

[BlueSky]

I dont understand why D.J. Swearing was not fined for an obviously dirty hit to Dustin Keller.

What was dirty about it?

[NJTank]

Because he directly targeted Kellers knee cap, I think that is worse that the head shots.

[BlueSky]

Because he directly targeted Kellers knee cap, I think that is worse that the head shots.

So this guy, moving at NFL game speed, aimed for and hit a moving target a few inches across? Not likely.

Answer this: what's he supposed to hit?

[NJTank]

I rather see the high hit than the knee capping.

[TorinK92]

My masochistic need to check the Pat's score from last night reassures me to not watch them this year.

Because he directly targeted Kellers knee cap, I think that is worse that the head shots.

Seems like it could happen by accident though, you've got guys crashing into each other specifically to stop the other man, most often coming head on or slightly to the side. Seems like kneecap hits that seemed like they were lined up could have been just happenstance.

[Sport]

I will be very surprised if the Patriots aren't at least 9-7. Preseason scores are the worst indicator of a team's future success.

Case in point: the 2008 Lions went 4-0 in the preseason.

[NJTank]

My masochistic need to check the Pat's score from last night reassures me to not watch them this year.

Because he directly targeted Kellers knee cap, I think that is worse that the head shots.

Seems like it could happen by accident though, you've got guys crashing into each other specifically to stop the other man, most often coming head on or slightly to the side. Seems like kneecap hits that seemed like they were lined up could have been just happenstance.

It was in the open field, he could have tackled him, he could have aimed at his chest, could have even wrapped him up.

[Kramerica Industries]

Dustin Keller was about the only guy I was ever comfortable seeing Mark Sanchez throw the ball to.

Of course the Jets let him walk.

[BlueSky]

My masochistic need to check the Pat's score from last night reassures me to not watch them this year.

Because he directly targeted Kellers knee cap, I think that is worse that the head shots.

Seems like it could happen by accident though, you've got guys crashing into each other specifically to stop the other man, most often coming head on or slightly to the side. Seems like kneecap hits that seemed like they were lined up could have been just happenstance.

It was in the open field, he could have tackled him, he could have aimed at his chest, could have even wrapped him up.

People act as though Swearinger had intent. His job is to knock the s*** out of his opponent. He did. It happens thousands of times every season and fortunately few end up like this one. To look at it another way, if Keller hadn't been hurt not one word would have been spoken about this hit.

[Gothamite]

If he hit instead of tackling, I would have complained regardless of the outcome.

That always irritates me. Very poor fundamentals in the league.

[BlueSky]

If he hit instead of tackling, I would have complained regardless of the outcome.

That always irritates me. Very poor fundamentals in the league.

I was waiting for you to show up on this. I see you got the revision I made to your avatar.

[Gothamite]

That was you? I had been giving the admiral all the credit for it. My humblest apologies.

[HedleyLamarr]

I dont understand why D.J. Swearing was not fined for an obviously dirty hit to Dustin Keller.

What was dirty about it?

Let me answer your question with a question: Have you ever had a torn ligament in your knee?

I have. It's worse than having a broken bone, especially if your knee got injured in a non-contact method. The physical process (and this is without having the financial backing of an NFL team helping you recover) takes up to a year. The mental physical recovery process can take a lot longer.

I injured my knee playing football. When I didn't play football, I would take casual runs, both on a track as well as trail running. You're severely limited in your ability to put pressure on your knee in the first 6 months, closer to a year. Then, once you're medically cleared, it's all mental after that....can I walk for a mile? Can I turn while moving, or do I need to stop, turn, then start walking again? Can I run the same? Can I turn on a track while running? Can I run on non-smooth surfaces (stairs, trails, on grass, on dirt, etc.) without fear of tweaking and re-injuring myself? Can I run if it's wet? These are huge mental roadblocks that you just won't understand until you do have a serious knee injury.

So when I see a guy diving towards a ball-carrier's knee or below (instead of squaring themselves up).....yes, it's a dirty play. They're trying to hit the guy instead of making a tackle.

[dbadefense1990]

I will be very surprised if the Patriots aren't at least 9-7. Preseason scores are the worst indicator of a team's future success.

Case in point: the 2008 Lions went 4-0 in the preseason.

So, the Lions picked the wrong campaign to go undefeated in.

[fouhy12]

I hate it when people go for the hit instead of the tackle, for two reasons. 1) There is a higher chance of an injury. 2) If you don't knock the guy down when you hit him, he breaks the tackle and is going to keep getting yards. If you go for a clean tackle, yes, it will be at shoulder height with the possibility of a head injury, but there is a lower chance of an injury overall, and a good tackle will prevent the player from gaining many, if any, more yards.

Also, in 2011, the Lions crushed the Patriots in the preseason similarly to yesterday's game. The Patriots went to the Super Bowl. The thing with the Lions is that they are built to beat the Patriots. On defense, they can get consistent pressure with 4 rushers, leading to less time for Brady to throw and less openings for him to throw to. On offense, the Lions have Megatron and Stafford, who can make big plays which the Patriots secondary has a hard time playing against. The Giants are built similarly: great pass rush and big play offense, which is why the Pats lost in '07 and '11.