NFL 2008: The year of bouncing Brett

[Drago]

Hullo there pigeons! Thought I'd play the dutiful role of starter-upperer in the new NFL topic. Though the last one wasn't exactly rampant with activity, I assure you that this year I won't be the only one posting! (simply because if nobody posts I'll just give up this time, lol)

Haven't seen the HOF game yet, but I'm feeling the same way I do every year; bemused the way great college players seem fairly average based on how they enter the league. Just as I was watching H.B. Blades slip to the 6th round last year, seeing Jamaal Charles not drafted until the third round seems odd to me. For a while, I hadn't even realised John David Booty had hit the NFL. Colt Brennan off in the 6th round... wild stuff. I don't watch enough college ball to say if I think they went off the board at the right time, but to me it just sounds strange.

So how's your favourite team gonna do? Are you going to romp the competition like my beloved Titans? Or flounder in obscurity like the familiarly abysmal Raiders? Anyone fancy voicing their say on Brett Favre, this year's Michael Vick as far as big stories go?
I haven't got any particularly large things to speculate on... though I'm calling Indianapolis to finally start taking a fall. How is it that other than Marvin Harrison last year, they avoid the injury bug every single year?? I'm thinking they'll go the way of the '04 Titans, take an incredible fall and then have to shed off some salary cap weight. I enthusiastically await that moment!!

Superbowl pick: Pittsburgh vs. Dallas (my actual prediction is New England, but I'll just say Pitt because if I'm right I'll look smarter. Consequently, if Dallas doesn't get in I'll look dumber, seeing how they can't win a playoff game)
Best team: New England Patriots
Worst team: Miami Dolphins (want to say Kansas City for a bigger gamble, but just looking at Miami's roster, it's practically a given)

[Storm_Lord]

It's definitely going to be an interesting year. I enjoyed the Hall of Fame game, and I'm hoping for my Colts to do well this season. We have rematches so to speak with both New England and San Diego, so hopefully those will end up being good.

Steelers vs. Cowboys would definitely be a good game for the Super Bowl in 2009.

[Jeff]

Well, last season was embarrassing for the Ravens. Not only did they finish at 5-11, but they were the only team to be defeated at the hands of the Miami Dolphins. Most people blamed it on Billick, and in fact that losing season was the very reason he got canned, so it'll be interesting to see where this season goes without him.

[mr_pikachu]

*is rooting for the Rams*

*will probably give up hope by week five*

*welcomes Storm_Lord to TPM and hopes that he or she will check out Fanfic and Advanced Generation*

*oh, and join the TPM Fantasy Football League, now in its third season*

*...*

*that's all*

[Roy Karrde]

After 11 long years, its a great time to be a Cowboys fan!

Also Fox News is now reporting that Farve is now a Jet

Edit: ESPN says the Jets, so I have changed it to the Jets. Damn now I cant use my Gay Pirate joke.

[Mew2-formally known as Evee67-]

I'll be cheering for my home team, the Niners, and the Chiefs.

Yeah, its gonna be a tough season for me.

[Mr.E]

Part of the activity problem is that the fantasy topic sorta doubles as a general NFL chat topic too.

Many great college players aren't drafted high for various reasons. Booty? He's a piece of garbage that merely played at a top program. Brennan? Dismissed as a system QB from a non-BCS conference. Troy Smith the year before? Criticized for being too short and had a poor going-away party. (Not that it's his fault his OL got walloped in the National Championship.) College success may or may not translate into NFL success -- see Ryan Leaf vs. Peyton Manning. The draft is a pretty imperfect science, at any rate, but simply performing well in college, where lack of parity makes it easy for a superior team to carry an otherwise mediocre player or inferior competition makes a good player look better than they are, doesn't hold much stock to NFL scouts and GMs. :/ Phew, that sentence was a mouthful.

Colts didn't exactly avoid the injury bug. Bob Sanders is nicked up and missing games constantly, losing Freeney to injury was a huge blow to their line, and then there was Ugoh going out. The Patriots should be the ones grateful they avoided any major injuries, especially considering they continued to lay it on even after they had massive leads.

olol Steelers have the toughest schedule in the league. They don't have an OL either, I'm not sure they'll even make the playoffs this year.

[kendawg528]

well my giants won the superbowl so i'm pretty pumped...though it'd be impossible to repeat considering we lost shockey, strahan, and gibril wilson, and because i don't know how long eli manning can stay turnover-free. I think dallas will finally win a playoff game and they'll most likely face the patriots in the superbowl.

[mr_pikachu]

The "year of bouncing Brett"?

Brett, nothing. Take a look at Jay Feely.

[Mr.E]

In other news, Pacman has been reinstated and is ready to go, baby!

also http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nflnation...ore-zany-.html

[Drago]

Dammit Chad, the nickname is fun but do you really want to be Mr. Eight-Five (NOT eighty-five - ochenta y cinco) for the rest of your life? What if he goes onto another team, one where the number 85 is already taken? Pleh... I'm usually a Chad fan, but this off-season he's really worn thin on me.

As for Adumb Jones? No doubt he'll have a good season... But the idea that he'll last more than two years without incident and subsequent termination from the league - farfetched. [/bittertitanfanrant]

Oh and what do y'all think? Michael Strahan back in New York? I doubt it - he certainly doesn't need to do it and I'd be inclined to end my career on a Superbowl win that few saw coming. I'm for it, though... anything that opens up some room for Steve McNair in the HOF class of 2013, eh?

[Mr.E]

It's not like Chad has to be stuck with that name forever. If he ever changes numbers, when he leaves the league or whatever, he can just change it back. All his whining, though understandable, kinda made me look down on him this off-season too, but hey this is the most hilarious thing he's ever done. The NFL is, first and foremost, an entertainment business and what better way to entertain the viewers and fans? This guy's antics are rather harmless but a hoot to follow, it's great!

We'll see what's in store for Mr. Jones. I honestly believe he can successfully revive his career in Dallas. The Cowboys seem to have a way of whipping troubled individuals into shape; just look at TO since he left the Eagles and came over.

As much as I've always been a McNair fan and he's had a pretty decent career, he's definitely not HoF material. And I very well doubt Strahan is returning, he's not Brett Favre. It's a huge blow to the Giants to lose both parts of the best DE duo in the league last year, though.

[mr_pikachu]

Shameless advertising time: Join the TPM Fantasy Football League! We're drafting later tonight, so this is your last chance to get in the game!

...That was on topic. You know it was.

Ahem. Ocho-Cinco... kinda sad, really. I'm waiting for a titanic drop in numbers akin to Michael Jackson's album sales when he forgot that five-year-old boys make poor romantic partners. Despite what Phil Jackson might think, Dennis Rodman is not the best player in NBA history, and the NFL doesn't need its own version of him. Reclaim your sanity before it's too late, Chad!


EDIT: Reebok getting 'Ocho Cinco' jerseys ready

Decades from now, will anyone remember the defunct name "Chad Johnson"?

[mr_pikachu]

Report: Tatum Bell is not taking his release well

I'll summarize: After being cut by the Lions and replaced with Rudi Johnson, Bell swiped his luggage and took it to the home of a "female acquaintance." Johnson now has his bags back and says he won't press charges... except that there's one little detail that needs to be resolved.

Tatum Bell vehemently claims complete innocence. He acknowledges that he took the bags, but says he believes that they belonged to another Lion who had been recently cut, who had asked Bell to retrieve his bags for him. Bell claims to have stolen nothing.

Rudi Johnson says that, yes, he has his bags back, but that cash and underwear are missing. He does not believe Bell's story.

Boxers or briefs? We'll know when Bell puts 'em on eBay.


...Oh, and apparently there was some football game today that a team called the "Giants" won. Or something.

[Drago]

Boy howdy that Skins offense looked anemic today. As for the Giants, despite some mid-game fizzle, if they're really as good as they looked on those first few drives (or were the Skins just that bad?), then they're in much better shape than I had anticipated.
It's weird, I can understand Jason Campbell struggling in a new system, but has his decision making always been so poor? - he was making mistakes that nobody should be making, let alone a guy in his fourth year. This discomfort needs to be ironed out fast; if he's going to dump it off every single play, Portis is going to see a lot of guys up in the box, and Moss is going to have guys up in his grill, knowing that he won't be much of a deep threat. The solution is as it is with any shaky young quarterback, the tight end. No doubt Campbell's going to be eyeing Cooley more frequently from here on.
...Sucks how even with such fancy terminology, all I'm doing is stating the blatantly obvious, oui? Jim Zorn only seemed to show emotion once today; I felt sorry for how disparaged he appeared to be, as though he couldn't believe that his guys could really be that lost.

Anyhow, here's a fun little digression... So last year, about a day or two before the Superbowl, my girlfriend said the Giants would win. This is a girl with no football knowledge at all, picking the Giants. So what, it's 50-50 to someone just looking at team names, right? Well after a couple drinks last night I pressed her to make more predictions, based on how she felt. Thought it might be fun to see how predictions go when just based on feeling...

Her pick to win the Superbowl, the Green Bay Packers. After she said this, I gave her the basic scoop on the team's situation, she said that they needed fresh blood. Said Aaron Rodgers wouldn't be spectacular this year, just serviceable - he'll improve in coming seasons.
She had a feeling for the Ravens winning it all, but to a far lesser extent.

Said the Giants and Saints would do well this year. The Seahawks will have a bad year. Bills and Bears will do okay, Chargers will fare a little better than Chicago.
The Titans would do better than the Rams, Patriots and Colts will be about on par with Tennessee. She phrased it as 'if winning the Superbowl is 100%, the Titans would get 3/4 of the way, Rams about 2/3. Vikings will have a 50% season' (which illustrates to 8-8 I guess?)
Her final prediction, and most likely her safest one - the Detroit Lions would be crap.

So yeah - I'm looking forward to seeing how accurate football predictions are without football knowledge! After all, with picking the G-Men for the Superbowl, she's got 100% accuracy!

[Mr.E]

Zorn clearly didn't know how to coach, play selection was horrendous and time management was nearly as bad. (How many times can you throw it short of the 1st down marker on 3rd down?) OL was garbage, and the stone hands of their secondary is the only reason Eli actually looked decent. For their sake, I hope they're not this bad all year. As a Cowboys fan, LOLSKINS.

I like how Moss (on the bench) scored more fantasy points for me than Burress in our league, despite having a hundred less yards receiving.

[Mr.E]

Definition of irony: For the first time ever NOT being on the injury list, Brady gets injured. Initial sources hint that it could be season-ending but we'll see.

[mr_pikachu]

If he's out for the year, that kills my retention-league fantasy team. I threw away a first-round pick to keep Brady.

On a lighter note, the end to the San Diego-Carolina game was crazy. I thought Delhomme was crazy for waiting until two seconds were left to call a timeout... then he threaded the needle straight into the end zone. That'll teach the Chargers not to give their opponents a final chance.

[Roy Karrde]

Mr Pika you are a absolute ass hole for taking Romo! Then again I cant really hate you... The Cowboys kicked ass today.

[Ultimate Charizard]

Romo was taken really late in the Draft, if you had been there for it.....

[mr_pikachu]

Romo was taken really late in the Draft, if you had been there for it.....

Yeah, we went through two full rounds before I picked up the Cowboy QB... it's your own fault for letting a top-tier quarterback last so long!

[Roy Karrde]

* Lets out a long, utterly inhuman scream *

Sources: Brady out for the year

Best team: New England Patriots

What now?

[Clark]

thats why i cant stand football, bunch of pussies. dont see stupid injuries like that in hockey. pats cheat anyways, karmas a fkin bitch aint it.

[Mr.E]

The "sources" are unreliable and we won't actually know the extent of Brady's injury for certain until they do tests on it tomorrow. Pats haters everywhere can only hope, though.

Goooood week of football. Cowboys are the clear best now amirite? Pats lost Brady, Colts lost, Chargers lost, Jags lost. NFC domination, awwwwright! Only AFC team of note that actually won (and didn't lose their would-be HoF QB in the process) are the Steelers. Speaking of which, grats on Willie Parker scoring more TDs than he did all of last year. With a worse OL, a rookie RB slated to steal goalline carries, and another rookie (WR) looking to open up the passing game, who would've thought?

The Bears? CROWN THEIR ASS!

[Drago]

* Lets out a long, utterly inhuman scream *

Sources: Brady out for the year



What now?

Now the Titans are the obvious favourites. Current leaders of the AFC South baby!!
I'm really beginning to think that my blessing is in actual fact a curse for teams... All these years of success, and when I dub the Pats 'best team' and nab Randy Moss and Laurence Maroney for the fantasy league - NOW Tom Brady goes out?? I'm beginning to wish I had declared the Colts league's best...

[Roy Karrde]

Goooood week of football. Cowboys are the clear best now amirite?

Shhh some where Laura Miller is planning a parade already...

That is a Dallas Joke btw, in 2006 the Dallas Mavs were up by 2 games to the Miami Heat and looking like they were going to sweep. The Mayor of Dallas, Laura Miller, decided to leak that the parade plans were already in place. Dallas Mavs lost the NBA Finals in 6 games. Losing 4 straight after the plan was released.

Bitch should fry in one of the hottest places of hell.

[mr_pikachu]

Now that's something you don't see every day. After one quarter, the Cowboys have had possession for less than four minutes, yet they lead 14-6.

Conclusion? Philadelphia doesn't know how to play defense.


EDIT: !!!

In one of the most idiotic football plays I've ever seen, DeSean Jackson caught a 61-yard TD pass... and tossed it behind him right before entering the end zone.

I think Jackson could use a little sympathy right now, don't you?




EDIT: Turns out it's not the first time Jackson's done that; he made a similar mistake doing more elaborate showboating in the 2005 All-American Bowl.

Not that tonight's mistake mattered in the long run. The Eagles recovered and shortly scored, and the extra time run off the clock could have only helped the Eagles; the clock forced Dallas to kick a field goal at the very end of the half. Which was irrelevant anyway, as the Cowboys won 41-37.

What a game!

[Drago]

Hey Brian, tell everyone about how I thought the Bills would beat the Jags. Go on, do it.
Anyhow I haven't had time to watch the games so far this year (only Washington/New York in week 1), but I think I'll prioritise watching this Philly/Dallas game. Sounded like a blast! What do you think, is it a keeper in my venerable tape collection?

[mr_pikachu]

Hey Brian, tell everyone about how I thought the Bills would beat the Jags. Go on, do it.

Tony thought the Bills would beat the Jags.

...

Anyhow, yeah, that game was something else. I'd say it's a keeper in your collection, if only for the "Yay a touchdown oh no wait it's not" moment. Truly beautiful.

I am very glad I didn't trade for him. Otherwise my TV would be inoperable right now.

[Mr.E]

Pacman would have picked it up if the refs weren't blaring their whistles in his ear...

[Roy Karrde]

Some one call the freaking Rape Hotline in New England.

Average Gain per Offensive Play - Miami - 8.6 | NE - 3.7
Average Gain per Rushing Play - Miami - 6.3 | NE - 4.2
Average Gain per Passing Play (includes Sacks) - Miami - 11.7 | NE 3.5

[Drago]

It's funny, I actually forgot to consider, over the last few years, every now and then, the futile Dolphins have really had NE's number - and with no Brady to lead them back, it's hardly been more evident. Time for Buffalo to claim the division??

[mr_pikachu]

38 points, and not a single touchdown for the QB. I hate you, Pennington. (Hell, despite the "average gain" stat he only picked up 226 yards.)

So New England has no offense and no defense. Which, uh, basically means they're a group of kids running in circles and picking dandelions.

[Roy Karrde]

So New England has no offense and no defense. Which, uh, basically means they're a group of kids running in circles and picking dandelions.

I believe that is called Karma.

[Mr.E]

Karma Kramer?

The NFC East is basically unstoppable right now, I love it.

[Drago]

Tony thought the Bills would beat the Jags.

So the Bills (@ STL), Titans (vs. MIN), Broncos (@ KC), Cowboys (vs. WAS) and Giants are undefeated (Plus the Ravens (@ PIT) at 2-0).
The Bengals (@ CIN), Browns (vs. CLE), Chiefs (vs. DEN), Lions, Rams (vs. BUF) and Texans (0-2) (@ JAC) are winless.

Anyone want to fathom a guess who's most likely to end their streak come week 4?
Though my prediction for first loss goes to the Ravens, who will be disappointing against Pittsburgh, out of the 3-0 teams I'm sad to say the Titans are the most likely to drop one. That being said, I expect them to win, but AP makes me nervous. The swap at MLB from Fowler to Tulloch means more speed on the field to counter Peterson, but at the expense of reliability. Fowler knows where he's supposed to be - with someone as unpredictable as Peterson, it could lead to some big whiffs from Tully. A scary thought, though fortunately Indy can't creep any closer to us this week.

Just as the 3-0 teams have a lot of (theoretically) easy wins coming up, the lacklustre squads are facing up against some tough competitors. Obviously this week is a toss-up between Cleveland and Cincinnati; personally I'm going with the Bengals to go 1-3. They've gone from completely disorganised to competitive against the Giants, and they should be able to carry over that stoutness against a much weaker Cleveland team. The only wildcard is how Brady Quinn performs; his arm should be able to tear up that Bengals D.

Should be fun to watch!

[mr_pikachu]

Here's a hint: Buffalo's streak will continue. Guess why.

[kainashi]

millen is gone. THANK GOD.

[Drago]

So the healing process for Detroit begins.. But now they won't pick up Michael Crabtree or Percy Harvin!

[Mr.E]

Here's a hint: Buffalo's streak will continue. Guess why.

I BET THE GIANTS' STREAK WILL CONTINUE OLOL

also the lolions