2006 NFL Season

[KevKaos]

really? from here i see that indy's d gets a lot of heat, peyton takes heat for never winning the big one, phillip rivers is questioned as able to lead the chargers to the SB this soon, the pats are only recently hitting their stride... really haven't heard a lot of negatives talked about over and over with the ravens. third person paranoia?

Your point is well taken. This year the broadcasters have been reasonable as far as the Ravens are concerned. My point on Balt being dis'd comes from Baltimores lack of standing as a big TV market like say New York, Dallas and the Steelers. Those teams seem to have fans all over the country, so they seem to get national coverage even if they aren't playing well.

Enough of all that and me being touchy. This playoffs has been interesting to say the least.

 

[Applespider]

You're right in terms of the fanbases but I think there's another aspect. That the Ravens have been a little up and down in terms of seasons since their Super Bowl win and aside from the two Lewises (Ray and Jamal), they don't have many big-names that are recognisable to the average non-Raven fan or fantasy football geek. That goes back partially to the media not promoting them much - having the Redskins so close-by likely doesn't help either since they're more media hungry as an organisation.

The relatively inconsistent seasons means that they don't mentioned in the same breath as those teams you are used to seeing in the playoffs or are expected to see (whether or not they make it).

And, and we've had this discussion before, they don't play consistently attractive football unless you're a football purist who loves defense. Many Sunday afternoon fans would rather see an average Rams team where you know there's the chance (even at 10 down in the final quarter) for Holt or Bruce or Jackson to catch a long pass or break a long run and pull it back than a good Ravens team where it's going to be a struggle along the lines for the most part.

 

[xsedrinam]

S.I. picks this weekend. Agree or Disagree?

Colts 27, Ravens 24 (#1 Offense in AFC vs. #1 Defense in NFL)
Disagree. I’m going with Baltimore’s D on this one.

Saints 31, Eagles 27
Disagree, even though Sheppard’s out, I’m hoping Garcia and Philly’s under estimated OL have one more win in them.

Bears 23, Seahawks 13
Agree. Though I hope it’s by a bigger margin.

Patriots 34, Chargers 31
Agree. At least, I want to real bad. This could be an awesome game to watch.

 

[NJuul]

From an NFL-fan across the pond:

Ravens
Eagles
Chicago
Chargers (looking so much forward to this game, and I too am cheering for the Patriots)

It's gonna be a long night tonight, first game kicks off at 22.30 CET.

 

[Applespider]

I'm wavering on several of them...

But I'll go
Ravens - their O picked up a little towards the end of the season. And they do have receivers who can catch the ball for the most pack so the Colts tactics last week of sticking 8 defenders in the box shouldn't work. And Peyton still has that January Jinx on his shoulders on last week's evidence.

Saints/Eagles is my biggest flipflop. On the one hand, the Brees and the Saints could attack Sheppard's replacement or, if the Eagles give him safety help, dump mid-length passes to Bush who I'm not convinced a linebacker can take down easily. But the Saints have played better away from home than at the SuperDome... I'd like the Saints to win since New Orleans is an awesome city and it would be a Cinderella story... but you just can't rule out the Eagles as Packers fans know all too well. I'm just hoping for a good game where I don't mind which team wins - I'll probably root for the Saints since they haven't been there for the longest!

Seattle @ Bears. Common-sense says the Bears at home in Chicago but there's a lot resting on how well Grossman does in the first few series. A couple of bad drives and those fans will start baying for his blood - and give Seattle new hope. Bears so long as Grossman doesn't pull a Peyton.

Patriots @ Chargers. On paper the best game of the weekend. San Diego has more talent but the Patriots have Belicheck and oodles more post-season experience. I'm rooting for the Chargers to win again because they haven't been to the big dance for a while and they play exciting football - I'd love to see LT more this season. Again, my head is saying Pats - stops thinking!

 

[Applespider]

So 1 and 1 after yesterday's games.

The Colts still didn't look dominant although I'll concede that their D did look better again - perhaps the reason they looked so bad in the late regular season was they were just playing vanilla? Still McNair's two INTs were costly since both those drives should have scored.

Congrats to the Saints although I really thought they'd managed to do the typical Saints snatching defeat from the jaws of victory when Bush missed that backwards toss and the Eagles recovered. Why though if the Eagles were happy to try on 4th and 10, didn't them on 4th and 15? It was most likely their season on the line... so why play so conservatively particularly since the Saints were able to run the ball?

 

[iSaint]

S.I. picks this weekend. Agree or Disagree?

Saints 31, Eagles 27
Disagree, even though Sheppard’s out, I’m hoping Garcia and Philly’s under estimated OL have one more win in them.

They were close on this one. The Saints offense really produced. They could have scored more than their 27. They'll need to the farther they get in the playoffs.

 

[xsedrinam]

So 1 and 1 after yesterday's games.

I'm 0-2. I didn't expect to see a 7-Field Goal game. Manning was effecient enough, but I thought McNair's judgment with throwing the ball was poor and being intercepted at the goal line proved fatally unattractive. Expecting a better day, today.

They were close on this one. The Saints offense really produced. They could have scored more than their 27. They'll need to the farther they get in the playoffs.

Good for N.O. on this one. I wanted to see this game so much, but they didn't show it, here.

 

[e²Studios]

I'm 0-2. I didn't expect to see a 7-Field Goal game. Manning was effecient enough, but I thought McNair's judgment with throwing the ball was poor and being intercepted at the goal line proved fatally unattractive. Expecting a better day, today.


Good for N.O. on this one. I wanted to see this game so much, but they didn't show it, here.

I'm 0-2 this weekend

I hope the SeaChickens can pull off a win against the Bears, but i have faith

 

[twoodcc]

I'm 0-2 this weekend

I hope the SeaChickens can pull off a win against the Bears, but i have faith

i'm 0-3 now....

 

[Applespider]

I'm not saying that the Patriots aren't a good team nor that they don't take full advantage of their opportunities, but heck, they seem to be the jammiest, flukiest, luckiest team of the decade. I'm sure much of it is hustling to the ball but from obscure tuck rules to fortunate backward passes last week to a DB fumbling a pick, they do seem to get the run of the ball.

I'm just waiting for a last minute field goal to win this one... yawn, it's almost a script these days. I hope not I don't want to see the Patriots and Colts play again...

EDIT: Ah well, Pats @ Colts. Can I root for both teams to lose?

EDIT2: CBS just said "improbable victories" which seems to sum it up. The Patriots just seem to always get the best of improbable plays

 

[xsedrinam]

I'm not saying that the Patriots aren't a good team nor that they don't take full advantage of their opportunities, but heck, they seem to be the jammiest, flukiest, luckiest team of the decade. I'm sure much of it is hustling to the ball but from obscure tuck rules to fortunate backward passes last week to a DB fumbling a pick, they do seem to get the run of the ball.

I'm just waiting for a last minute field goal to win this one... yawn, it's almost a script these days. I hope not I don't want to see the Patriots and Colts play again...

Brace yourself. Really, give credit to the Pats and Belicheck on this one. They played a faster, better team, but still found a way to win.

 

[gauchogolfer]

Marty once again demonstrated his talent for coaching in the postseason.

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

Chargers blew this one with dumb mistakes, you cant play dumb football against new England yet in the 2nd half thats what they did. Stupid turnovers,stupid penaltys and stupid stuff like staying inbounds with only seconds on the clock when you need to stop the clock.

 

[xsedrinam]

Gotta admit too, though I was pulling for New England, not getting to see Tomlinson run again this year will be missed. He's all that. Oh, forgot about the Pro Bowl. Anyway if you're a Charger fan it's got to be a disappointing end to a great season.

 

[yojitani]

Chargers blew this one with dumb mistakes, you cant play dumb football against new England yet in the 2nd half thats what they did. Stupid turnovers,stupid penaltys and stupid stuff like staying inbounds with only seconds on the clock when you need to stop the clock.

Gotta agree with this, especially staying inbounds when they needed to stop the clock. Had they done so, I reckon they could have gotten off one more play before they went for the field goal.
I was pretty indifferent to this game, but the chargers seemed to be a stronger, faster team. As usual though, the Pats played smart football.

For the Superbowl, I'd like to see Colts - Saints. I just typed Bears, but then changed my mind. The Bears shouldn't go to the SB until they get rid of Rex Grossman - of all the playoff teams, I prefer the Bears as a club, BTW, but Grossmann is hard to watch on his 'good' days.

 

[fotografica]

Classic Marty ball.The guy just can't get it done in the post season.Why abandon the outside running game that was killing the Pats the whole first half? You've got the best RB in the game,and you're not giving him the touches when it counts.Why blow a timeout on a call that had no chance of being reversed? Could have run at least one more play to get that FG closer.How do you lose with this team?And note to Chargers..Don't plan a post game celebration BEFORE you win the game....Talk about a collapse...

 

[asxtb]

Back in November I gave a friend (who's a Pats fan) my prediction:
AFC Championship game. Colts and Patriots at Indy. Game tied with 2 seconds to go. And Adam Viniteri kicks the game winning field goal.

So far I'm right about the AFC Championship, the teams and the location. It'd be real scary if Viniteri actually did kick the game winning field goal.

By the way, I'm a Colts fan.

 

[kerpow]

Back in November I gave a friend (who's a Pats fan) my prediction:
AFC Championship game. Colts and Patriots at Indy. Game tied with 2 seconds to go. And Adam Viniteri kicks the game winning field goal.

So far I'm right about the AFC Championship, the teams and the location. It'd be real scary if Viniteri actually did kick the game winning field goal.

By the way, I'm a Colts fan.

I must be a much more pessimistic Colts fan than you, as I never once imagined that we'd be hosting the Championship game. Even when we were 9-0!!

It will be a huge game for all Colts fans but I expect most people would like to have seen other teams from the AFC getting this far.

 

[Applespider]

It will be a huge game for all Colts fans but I expect most people would like to have seen other teams from the AFC getting this far.

Yup Ah well... will just boo both teams Can't decide who I want to lose least yet. Perhaps I'll go for the first team to have a bad officiating call against them

But hey kerpow, another NFL fan in London Where are you watching Super Bowl this year?

 

[kerpow]

Yup Ah well... will just boo both teams Can't decide who I want to lose least yet. Perhaps I'll go for the first team to have a bad officiating call against them

But hey kerpow, another NFL fan in London Where are you watching Super Bowl this year?

Well normally it would be on my sofa with alot of beer and wings (I have a stash of Buffalo Wild Wings sauce )

I tried to get tickets to that Superbowl Bash one year at the Ministry of Sound but it had sold out.

This year, would you believe, I'll be in Kazakhstan on a business trip (I'm an IT guy for an Oil company - I know; boo, hiss). I don't think Borat and his buddies will be showing the game and with the time difference it would start at 3am anyway. There's practically no internet access out there so I expect I'll be able to avoid any news sites and watch a recording of it when I get back. If the Colts make it to the SB.......

On a happier note, did you know that tomorrow there'll be announcing the teams and location of an regular season NFL game to be held in Europe. If its in London I'll be there and may try to get a group from Mac Rumors to meet up for it.

 

[Applespider]

Well normally it would be on my sofa with alot of beer and wings (I have a stash of Buffalo Wild Wings sauce )

Oh me too as regards the wing sauce! Although we used to always go out to either Sports Cafe before it went so downhill and then Bodeans before the manager who used to let us have lock-ins to watch the late game left. This year not sure... might end up hosting folks at home

On a happier note, did you know that tomorrow there'll be announcing the teams and location of an regular season NFL game to be held in Europe. If its in London I'll be there and may try to get a group from Mac Rumors to meet up for it.

Yup although I'm not sure I'll go to it. I disagree with the principle of taking a game away from the US fans particularly in what might be a tight division race where homefield advantage will be important. I don't agree that London deserve it - the German fans who have supported NFL Europe all these years are more deserving but because Sky fork out the big bucks, London jump the queue.

And I really don't believe that having a regular season game in London every 4 or 5 years with different teams playing is the way to encourage fans to get into the sport. It will end up with a bunch of Z list 'celebs' who are there because the NFL will throw a good party - just like those official SuperBowl parties used to be full of celebs dolled up to the nines who went for the goodie bag and left before halftime.

I'd far rather the NFL spent the cash on creating proper international leagues with 4 or 5 teams in the UK, Germany, France, Scandinavia where the game is played competitively rather than with the politics that used to surround playing time in the old NFLE. That way you have a proper year-round presence in the community, you can teach the kids to play, you could sponsor bars showing the NFL proper and the game might have more chance of prospering.

If it's the Giants and Dolphins, as rumoured, then since I have a few Dolfan friends, I might end up there but I'm just not entirely convinced. Sorry for the rant

 

[kerpow]

I disagree with the principle of taking a game away from the US fans particularly in what might be a tight division race where homefield advantage will be important. I don't agree that London deserve it - the German fans who have supported NFL Europe all these years are more deserving but because Sky fork out the big bucks, London jump the queue.

I think most people would agree with you on both counts.

I'm going to go purely for the sporting aspect of it. I won't be bringing any friends to try to introduce them to the game, I'll just go with a few like minded souls to watch a football game.

 

[Mike Teezie]

Jeez, I really wish Seattle could have pulled it out against da Bears.

I'd feel much better about playing Seattle in the dome, versus the Bears at Soldier Field. But hey, just to be in the NFC Title game is a great feeling.

Hey clayj - how 'bout them Panthers??!!!!!

 

[beatsme]

For the Superbowl, I'd like to see Colts - Saints.

I've got a feeling that this is going to be the matchup. I'm just not a big believer in the Bears; haven't been all season, really. And I think Grossman's inexperience at QB is going to catch up to him in the title game. Yea, they had a great season, but they played a weak schedule (only played three teams with winning records) and nobody in NFC North came close to challenging them for the division title. Of course, the Saints didn't have a knockout schedule either, but they played in a tougher division and also played much tougher opponents outside of it.

anyway, for the NFC title, I'd have to give the edge to the Saints, based on their ability to make the big play and also based on the experience of Drew Brees.

for the AFC, hard to know. If Indy's defense plays New England they way they played Baltimore, then the Colts win. I'm giving them the edge since they're at home and also because Manning has beaten the Patriots the last two times they played...he appears to have finally figured Belichick out.

just my opinion...