NFL '13 SEASON THREAD

[Cujo]

Darrelle Revis is already sick of this team. Didn't take long!

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000245928/article/darrelle-revis-reportedly-unhappy-with-bucs-coach-schiano?campaign=Twitter_atl

[See Red]

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.

That's just crazy talk. Champ rated as one of the best CB's in football last year. One bad game in which he was set up for failure (guy his age defending a player like Torrey Smith without safety help) doesn't make the guy a bum all of a sudden. I'll take the first 16 games as a better example of the guys skillset. Additionally, Champ has always been among the leagues best in regards to run support from the CB position.

As for Von Miller, he was the one receiving all of the attention from the defense. Dumervil benefited from Miller's presence. Dumervil was one of the worst in the league in run support, so I'll gladly take an upgrade in that department. But it's not like teams were letting Miller destroy them because they chose to instead double team Dumervil.

Also, the additions of Rodgers-Cromartie and Knighton were pretty big ones for the defense.

[TalktoChuck]

I'm not saying there won't be an upgrade. I'm simply saying that having both back won't dramatically shift the end result of the defense. The points allowed will stay about the same. Von's going to take a little while to get back into. Where those two are going to greatly help is in leadership. During the season you won't see (see being the key word) a huge difference. But the playoffs is where they'll make their big splash.

Also Dumervil was a big part of Von's on the field performance, as well as his off field. Von will still be good, but without another playmaker for the offense to at least think about they can devote more effort towards Von. And while Sean Phillips isn't bad by any means, he is a downgrade from Elvis and past his prime.

I don't means this to sound like a downer. Von is still going to be good, but he wont beas effective as he was last year. And the defense is still going to be good, maybe even really good. But they are nowhere near the level of the Seahawks defense. But they don't have to be, just get Peyton there and he'll finish the rest.

[Kramerica Industries]

Darrelle Revis is already sick of this team. Didn't take long!

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000245928/article/darrelle-revis-reportedly-unhappy-with-bucs-coach-schiano?campaign=Twitter_atl

That whole Greg Schiano thing is looking like a big winner, isn't it?

[AHcreative]

Well, Pittsburgh's starting off this game like any '09 Rams drive: run, run, run, punt.

[dbadefense1990]

Well, Pittsburgh's starting off this game like any '09 Rams drive: run, run, run, punt.

In other words, the same gameplay no Madden NFL player ever uses. All people do on offense in virtual land are shotgun formations and quick slants.

[Lights Out]

Darrelle Revis is already sick of this team. Didn't take long!

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000245928/article/darrelle-revis-reportedly-unhappy-with-bucs-coach-schiano?campaign=Twitter_atl

To be fair, Schiano is not a good NFL coach and has zero control over his team, so the players being fed up with him shouldn't be a surprise.

[NEW.ERA]

Mike Carey should probably stop getting games to ref. I haven't watched any of this game until now, but I can only assume he's called 25 penalties by now.

[Kramerica Industries]

I mean, what does it tell you when a purportedly militant-like disciplinarian oversees a team that has committed 25 penalties, including numerous personal foul penalties (Clayborn aside) in the first two weeks of the season? Schiano doesn't have any control over the team. And it wouldn't be anywhere near the first time the Bucs made a horrifying mistake with the head coach they hired.

For all the hype, this will probably be a 4-12 team, at best.

[dfwabel]

That was a pathetic performance by the Cowboys today, offensively speaking. To the Chiefs credit, their defense played a good game. Forcing Romo to make bad throws/decisions. I thought on the opening 3rd quarter drive decided the game. The Cowboys couldn't punch it in, and subquently, lost by less than 4 points. Same old Dallas. We played a good game defensively. Containing Charles and getting pressure on Smith, plus keeping them to only 17 points should have been good enough to win.

If we want to be anything other than a mediocre team, we have to be able to run the ball effectively (meaning you can pick up first downs on 3rd down and solid redzone running) and have the ability to score TD's instead of FG's in the redzone.

Mediocre teams score FG's in the redzone, good teams score TD's. The Cowboys are an average team and will be until they correct those glaring weaknesses.

While it was the 21st game in the Jason Garrett era (OC and HC) in which the team scored 20 points in a road game*, the offense really was not the problem.

The problem was the defense. Since 2010, they are 0-11 in road games in which Dallas has 0 takeways.

With 3:50 left in the game, DAL cut the Chiefs lead to 17-16. After the kickoff and the fire drill of a KC return, the ball was on the KC 19 and DAL had all three TOs. Going into that drive, Jamaal Charles had 8 carries for 8 yards for the game and KC went into "22" formation so they has 2 TE and 2 RB. Reid was ready to give you the ball back, but Charles had made the Cowboys burn all of their timeouts and went 8 carries for 47 yards and had another 7 yards called back on the illegal shift penalty, thus putting the Chiefs in a position to actually have to throw one pass - on 3rd and 10. That was the PI and the game.

*-DAL is 4-17 in those road games under Garrett.

Also keep in mind that DeMarco Murray has been targeted for 16 passes already. Those are essentially running plays in terms of coverage and trying to make a defender miss.

[ninersdd]

The Steelers got a questionable tripping call against them. If that's called on any one of the other 31 teams, I feel sorry for them, but not Pittsburgh. That Bernard looks like a good pick so far, 2 TDs for Cincy.

[dfwabel]

Mike Carey should probably stop getting games to ref. I haven't watched any of this game until now, but I can only assume he's called 25 penalties by now.

His crew tends not to call the most penalties per season. That goes to John Parry, Ron Winter and Ed "Guns" Hochulli. Ed and Winter love to call Holding.

Mike Carey himself has a problem of overly explaining things to the crowd and TV audience.

[infrared41]

Mike Carey should probably stop getting games to ref. I haven't watched any of this game until now, but I can only assume he's called 25 penalties by now.

Only 25? Carey must be letting them play this week.

[dbadefense1990]

Mike Carey should probably stop getting games to ref. I haven't watched any of this game until now, but I can only assume he's called 25 penalties by now.

His crew tends not to call the most penalties per season. That goes to John Parry, Ron Winter and Ed "Guns" Hochulli. Ed and Winter love to call Holding.

Mike Carey himself has a problem of overly explaining things to the crowd and TV audience.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YPX7qleLtzc

[hbgoo1975]

Cincy is leading.........but the Steelers might come back, so don't celebrate yet! This game and the one in Cleveland may be the only games the Steelers win this year. As for Chica-Goo, great start yes, but they may miss the playoffs if everything goes south.

[See Red]

Cincy is leading.........but the Steelers might come back, so don't celebrate yet! This game and the one in Cleveland may be the only games the Steelers win this year. As for Chica-Goo, great start yes, but they may miss the playoffs if everything goes south.

Wonderful insight.

[dfwabel]

Cincy is leading.........but the Steelers might come back, so don't celebrate yet! This game and the one in Cleveland may be the only games the Steelers win this year. As for Chica-Goo, great start yes, but they may miss the playoffs if everything goes south.

Last season, the Bears were 7-1 yet missed the playoffs, so your comment has missed your point.

I guess your panda pad is short of bamboo this September.

[ninersdd]

Only 2nd time Ben has lost in Cincy. Statement win for the Bengals against a bitter rival. They played like the best team in the division tonight.

[NEW.ERA]

Pittsburgh's bad.

Green Bay goes to Cincinnati. First regular season meeting in Cincy since....

[drdougfresh]

As for Chica-Goo, great start yes, but they may miss the playoffs if everything goes south.

That is EXACTLY how I feel about the Lions, man. They're gonna make the playoffs... unless they don't.

Hit the nail right on the head.