I would just like to point out that the Dolphins were electric in Miami this weekend.

That's one win for us.

Green Bay/Chicago game was a great start to the year, Aaron Rodgers is my favorite QB these days. However he rarely stays healthy for long because he gets hit too much. Now he will limp his way through the season from game #1 and maybe play at 70% and maybe not if he gets hit again. Still hope they make playoffs.

Rule changes this year should make some of those circus catches stand, instead of the ball moved a fraction in slow-motion and its incomplete. Offense is getting the benefit of most rule changes. Defense can't go after QB as hard, but is getting a slight break on helmet-to-helmet calls.

........and the Dolphins go top of the division with another great win.

Bring on the silly raider types next week.

Being in New York, Sam Darnold was greeted as the second coming of Joe Namath last week. Might as well have locked up the Super Bowl then and there.

Well Miami brought them back to earth fast enough. Few rookie QBs can step right in and be great, but the NY sport press is relentless. You are either a God or a Bum. That's the reason why I dislike all NY sport teams, I can't take the extreme praise or the shocked damnation.

Giants taking the field now. I could be wrong, but I really don't see either the Jets or Giants doing much this year. Forget the OBs, both teams don't seem to have much besides 3 or 4 good players.

Hi Raven,

Miami certainly looks better than last year. They used to lose to the Jets when NY didn't have a quarterback and now they win once the Jets get somebody who appears to be good. It isn't just the NY press, all preseason I kept hearing, "The Browns should have picked Darnold." Cleveland was on the edge of winning both their games so far. They could be 2-0.

Another thing I kept hearing is that the Giants could be the surprise team this year. They have a decent defense but they had trouble getting first downs tonight even before they lost their center. They moved the ball in the fourth quarter but that was after the Cowboys relaxed once the score was 20-3 late and then they got lucky with an onside kick and made the game look closer than it was.

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Being in New York, Sam Darnold was greeted as the second coming of Joe Namath last week. Might as well have locked up the Super Bowl then and there.

Well Miami brought them back to earth fast enough. Few rookie QBs can step right in and be great, but the NY sport press is relentless. You are either a God or a Bum. That's the reason why I dislike all NY sport teams, I can't take the extreme praise or the shocked damnation.

Giants taking the field now. I could be wrong, but I really don't see either the Jets or Giants doing much this year. Forget the OBs, both teams don't seem to have much besides 3 or 4 good players.

.........and we just keep rollin'

3 - 0 bring on the next lot.

Oh heck, normal service has been resumed.

NOooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

OMG!! I need a lie down.

Dolphins beat the Yogi Bears.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfie:
OMG!! I need a lie down.

Dolphins beat the Yogi Bears.

My beloved Bears are 3-2 and should be 5-0.

Dolphins scrape another win but i'll try not to get very excited about it.

OMG!!!!!!!!

Dolphins beat the Patriots.

There is a future after all.

Well, so much for home field advantage.

With the exception of the Colts game, the Wild Card games were great. Down to the wire endings with big surprises. I really felt for the Bears' kicker to have if bounce wrong off of 2 posts no less. Talk about bad luck.

All my favorite teams didn't make it in, so I have no dog in the fight, just enjoying good football. But those slow-motion calls deciding what is and isn't catch are going to come back and destroy the outcome of one of these playoff games, just wait and see.

What about that great betting moment in the Seahawks-Cowboys game. The Seahawks lost but late in the game they went for two and got it, beating the spread (Dallas was picked by 2 1/2. It reminded me of an old SNL sketch which was about the same situation but with the Raiders.

The Dolphins have been my favorite team since I was 8 years old but I've liked the Seahawks since they joined the league. Their first coach, Jack Patera, used to run trick plays like having the kicker go out for a pass on a fake field goal. It was fun.

The thing I don't like is that past offseason rule changes made it even harder to recover an onside kick. Only about 8% of onside kicks were successful this year (I think 4 total) which is down from about 25%. That's a lot of extra kneel-downs/anti-climactic endings. With all the pro-offense changes, that's an anti-offense decision. I know the goal is decreasing high speed hit injuries which happen on kickoffs but are there a lot of injuries on onside kicks?

I have to say my own line picks weren't great this year, breaking even at 32-32. I might have done better flipping a coin.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
With the exception of the Colts game, the Wild Card games were great. Down to the wire endings with big surprises. I really felt for the Bears' kicker to have if bounce wrong off of 2 posts no less. Talk about bad luck.

All my favorite teams didn't make it in, so I have no dog in the fight, just enjoying good football. But those slow-motion calls deciding what is and isn't catch are going to come back and destroy the outcome of one of these playoff games, just wait and see.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: catskilleagle,

[QUOTE]Originally posted by catskilleagle:
I have to say my own line picks weren't great this year, breaking even at 32-32. I might have done better flipping a coin.


It wasn't a great year for football, they are in a transitional phase. Lots of rookie QBs with promise and several QBs that don't look like they will ever live up to their promise. Many stars are aging out and new names in the wings, but it does seem like there is less team unity as players move around and the contracts keep going up.

The only thing I was totally right about this year was the state of the Giants and Jets. I said they would go nowhere from day one and they didn't.

The Jets are a lost cause because the team is just bad and has not improved in years. Now they think Sam Darnold will solve everything. If he was the greatest QB ever, he still needs a good team, which he doesn't have. News flash, from what I saw this year he may mature into an average QB if his offensive line doesn't get him killed first. They should be better next year, but that's not saying much.

The Giants are more complicated. They now have a fantastic runner in Barkley and they may want to stay with there current lineup because they showed promise in the last few games. I think that's a mistake.

If I owned the club I would dump Beckham so fast his head would spin. Did anyone really think he would play in any of the last 4 games when they were out of the playoffs and he had a boo-boo? He can be a terrific player, but he is a selfish, immature man. Let him be someone else's star and problem, get a bunch of good players in a trade.

As much as I like Eli Manning, he was not a winning QB this year or last. His numbers are still good, but he can't get out of the pocket and takes too many sacks. He also has a habit of throwing interceptions at the wrong time, very early or very late in the game. He is capable of playing well next year, but I think they need to change him if an experienced QB opens up. I don't like the idea of a rookie QB in the wings, that will just make more drama and Eli doesn't deserve it.

Anyway got that off my chest. I don't think it's inevitable that the Saints beat the Eagles next. They should of course, but the Eagles keep looking like a team of destiny. How else do you explain a double donk? And they are still the reigning Champs. I think it will at least be a good game and I would take the points.

I think every year is a great year for football. The off-season seems to stretch forever. March seems like the longest month.

Yeah, I've heard sports commentators talk about less team unity though players have been chasing the money since the 70's. The 72 Dolphins lost Csonka, Kiick, and Warfield to the World Football League and haven't won a Super Bowl since (Marino never got a running back).

Yeah, Sam Darnold has promise but he needs a line. Andrew Luck got a better line this year and he could be Comeback Player of the Year and the Colts are still in the playoffs.

I agree about OBJ. Last year, he let himself be photographed on a boat with someone smoking weed in the background and it was a week he should have been with his team. The Cowboys let their problem child go and he's still looking for work. The Steelers have the same issue with Antonio Brown but they might have to keep him another year.

People talk about how great Wentz is but he gets hurt every year. Foles didn't look good early in the season but he's on a roll again. The Eagles can't afford to let him go now and what if he does beat the Saints or it ends with a field goal or some blunder beyond Foles' control?

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by catskilleagle:
I have to say my own line picks weren't great this year, breaking even at 32-32. I might have done better flipping a coin.


It wasn't a great year for football, they are in a transitional phase. Lots of rookie QBs with promise and several QBs that don't look like they will ever live up to their promise. Many stars are aging out and new names in the wings, but it does seem like there is less team unity as players move around and the contracts keep going up.

The only thing I was totally right about this year was the state of the Giants and Jets. I said they would go nowhere from day one and they didn't.

The Jets are a lost cause because the team is just bad and has not improved in years. Now they think Sam Darnold will solve everything. If he was the greatest QB ever, he still needs a good team, which he doesn't have. News flash, from what I saw this year he may mature into an average QB if his offensive line doesn't get him killed first. They should be better next year, but that's not saying much.

The Giants are more complicated. They now have a fantastic runner in Barkley and they may want to stay with there current lineup because they showed promise in the last few games. I think that's a mistake.

If I owned the club I would dump Beckham so fast his head would spin. Did anyone really think he would play in any of the last 4 games when they were out of the playoffs and he had a boo-boo? He can be a terrific player, but he is a selfish, immature man. Let him be someone else's star and problem, get a bunch of good players in a trade.

As much as I like Eli Manning, he was not a winning QB this year or last. His numbers are still good, but he can't get out of the pocket and takes too many sacks. He also has a habit of throwing interceptions at the wrong time, very early or very late in the game. He is capable of playing well next year, but I think they need to change him if an experienced QB opens up. I don't like the idea of a rookie QB in the wings, that will just make more drama and Eli doesn't deserve it.

Anyway got that off my chest. I don't think it's inevitable that the Saints beat the Eagles next. They should of course, but the Eagles keep looking like a team of destiny. How else do you explain a double donk? And they are still the reigning Champs. I think it will at least be a good game and I would take the points.

Best game of the weekend was Eagles/Saints and the Eagles might have pulled it out if the pass didn't go through the receiver's hands for an interception. The points may have covered if over 6, but the best team won. Look for Foles to leave Philly now.

Everyone wants the marquee match up of Brady and Brees in the Super Bowl. That is where the big money comes out. I really like the young kid Mahomes. He has a slinger arm right now, throws from any position and stance. He could be the next best thing. I think he has gone as far as he will this year.

I would be surprised if it doesn't come down to the Pats and the Saints. Not saying I would mind, just that I'd be surprised. Money and sentiment will be for the Saints, but if the Patriots defense can press Brees it will be a different game. If that's the match up, The Saints should win, but I still wouldn't bet against the Pats.

Seems like pro football manages to taint the Super Bowl one way or another every year. The Rams should not be in it.

I thought one of those over reaching slow motion calls would do it in and it turns out that a non-call still ruined it with all those new regulations. That only makes it worse because the game is monitored to death and yet a terrible game changing call can't even be challenged. There is something very wrong with that.

If the Saints had gotten that call, which was blatant pass interference, they could have come close to running out the clock and the Rams would have had no chance for the tying field goal. The Rams came back wonderfully with both the last minute field goal and the winning record setting field goal. Their kicker won that game, but they should not have had the chance.

I don't know who they will play in the Super Ball or if they will win, but it doesn't matter. They don't belong there if not for that horrible call.

Put it in the books! I may have seen a worst Super Bowl at some time in my life, but I can't remember it. Just about every aspect of the game, the half-time show, the commercials were just awful. Gladys Knight does a nice Anthem, that's about all the good I can say. Oh and that Tony Romo earned his money. The best laugh I got was when someone got 3 points and he said "they are on fire".

The Game: I know there are many fans who love low scoring, defensive minded games. It was low scoring alright, but how much was great defense and how much was bad offense with no game plan? To start with, the Rams should not even have been there and that's exactly how the Couch and the QB played. I can't detail the ways the game plan failed, it seemed non-existent. Brady played horribly all first half, he could only hit Edelman and that went nowhere. Edelman was MVP, even though he only moved the ball, but did not score anything. Moving was enough in this lousy game. The Pats should have been down a minimum of 14 points by the half, but the Rams could only punt. By the 4th quarter the Rams defense was so tired, the Pats could run. What really annoys me is that the Saints got robbed for this sham of a contest. Congrats Brady and Pats.

Halftime: I turned down the sound half way thru half time. It wasn't just the rap. Maroon 5's songs also, and drum lines, and choirs and stupid flying balloons with LOVE messages and cartoon characters from nowhere and bouncing around going for dancing. By the time it wound up Levine was down to doing a Magic Mike imitation and even that was boring. I think that was the worst halftime show they ever put on.

Commercials: Again terrible stuff to spends millions of dollars on. The best one was the NFL promoting itself because it had all the old football stars breaking up a dinner. After that the Skittles play made me laugh and the only Budlight ad I even liked was the one where the GoT dragon shows up and fries everyone. All of the celebrity filled ones, especially Pepsi and various beers, were bad. The TurboTax robot child was just creepy. Many of the ads had nothing to do with the products and you couldn't tell what they were selling until the writing came up. And all those earnest, tearjerking, socially affirmative, message laden, totally PR driven spots were barely watchable.

That's it, that's my rant, I'm done. Glad I got it out of my system. I may not start watching the NFL next year, every season is worse than the last one.