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2008-09 NFL Season Thread

SHANAHAN HAS SOMETHING UP HIS SLEEVE?

The immediate speculation in some league circles when word broke of the termination of long-time Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is that Shanahan has something else cooking, and that he forced his firing by refusing to agree to changes that owner Pat Bowlen wants to make.

According to Jeff Legwold of the Rocky Mountain News, part of that speculation is right on the money.

Per Legwold, Shanahan was fired because he refused to fire defensive coordinator Bob Slowik, whose unit surrendered 52 points in a Week Seventeen loss to the Chargers.

Said Bowlen, in a release issued by the team: “After giving this careful consideration, I have concluded that a change in our football operations is in the best interests of the Denver Broncos. This is certainly a difficult decision, but one that I feel must be made and which will ultimately be in the best interests of all concerned.

“I appreciate the 21 years that Mike Shanahan has given to the organization as an assistant and head coach, and the two Super Bowl wins in that time. His contributions hold a special place in Broncos history.”

So if Shanahan wanted to get out of town because he has something else cooking, what might it be?

Believe it or not, there’s speculation that Shanahan is trying to position himself for the Chargers job.

What’s that, you say? The Chargers are in the playoffs and they’ve made it clear that Norv Turner is coming back as head coach?

That was our reaction, too. But a highly-placed league source suspects that something is happening with Shanahan and San Diego.

In our book, it’s almost as unlikely as Shanahan coaching the Raiders. But we’ll continue to keep our eyes peeled on this one.
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http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/30/shanahan-broncos-agree-part-ways/
 
majordude said:
First off, Cowher only won one Super Bowl. Went to two but all through his tenure in Pittsburgh he supported crappy QBs. So I don't think he is nearly as good as everyone thinks.
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Career record of 161-99-1. That's pretty good
 
majordude said:
Thomas, it's like this, you ask a pretty girl out on Friday night and she says she's babysitting or something. I ask the same girl out on the very same night and she says, "Absolutely! I'm looking forward to it!"

That's the difference. :cool:
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And that's what Cowher comes across like...a girl, with a flimsy excuse.

Edit: Not sure what his motivations were for saying he was going to talk to the Jets, but he's apparently changed his mind again, and he's not talking to them. So I'll withdraw my criticism. Still, I wonder why he didn't just say that either. :confused:
 
Thomas Veil said:
And that's what Cowher comes across like...a girl, with a flimsy excuse.
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See, there you go. You are missing the point entirely. It isn't a problem with the girl, it's a problem with you. The Browns suck. Have since the league formed. Versions I and II. The Jets have some great history, play in a real city, and have cooler unis. That's why Cowher at least flirted with them but blew off the Browns from the get-go.
 
majordude said:
See, there you go. You are missing the point entirely. It isn't a problem with the girl, it's a problem with you. The Browns suck. Have since the league formed. Versions I and II. The Jets have some great history, play in a real city, and have cooler unis. That's why Cowher at least flirted with them but blew off the Browns from the get-go.
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That's alright. There's always Mangini for the Browns.
 
majordude said:
See, there you go. You are missing the point entirely. It isn't a problem with the girl, it's a problem with you. The Browns suck. Have since the league formed. Versions I and II. The Jets have some great history, play in a real city, and have cooler unis. That's why Cowher at least flirted with them but blew off the Browns from the get-go.
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I didn't miss the point, I just don't acknowledge it. Except for last year, the expansion Browns have sucked. Beyond that....

"Real city??"
 
NEW YORK -- Jerod Mayo firmly answered everyone who criticized the New England Patriots for taking him with the 10th pick in April's draft by winning The Associated Press 2008 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Mayo was a nearly unanimous choice, earning 49 of 50 votes Wednesday from a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. He was the outstanding performer on a linebacking corps that often struggled during New England's 11-5 season, leading the team in tackles with 128.

"I knew when they first called my name at the draft I was going to an organization that knew how to win," Mayo said. "They knew how to prepare for games and things like that. So I pretty much came in trying to learn as much as I could."

Mayo's versatility, highlighted by quickness and a physical style, made him stand out even though the Patriots didn't make the playoffs.

"My main focus coming to here [was] I wanted to win the Super Bowl as a rookie," he said. "I thank the AP for the award but I would trade it in for a Super Bowl any day."

"Jerod's done a lot for us," coach Bill Belichick said. "We've asked a lot of him and from Day 1 he's really been a well-prepared, very mature player who can do a lot of things: play the running game, play in the passing game, blitz, helps us in the kicking game.

"He's smart, makes a lot of defensive adjustments and calls for us there. He runs well. He's tough. He's a good all-around football player, very mature, very professional. For a rookie, he's probably as professional as anybody I've coached."

Mayo, a star at Tennessee, expected to be drafted in the middle of the first round. But when the Patriots took him earlier, "I was overwhelmed, excited and emotions were running over," he said.

The sixth straight linebacker to win the award, Mayo was a starter all season. Seven times he led the Patriots in tackles, with five games of at least 10 stops. His best work came in a 34-31 overtime loss to the Jets when he finished with 23 tackles, 17 solo. The 23 tackles were the most by a Patriot since 1994.

"I was just trying to fly around and make plays and, at the end of the day, the stat sheet said 23 tackles," Mayo said, "but we caught a loss so I was pretty disappointed. I really couldn't celebrate that accomplishment like I wanted to."

He credited veteran linebackers Tedy Bruschi, who also plays inside, and Mike Vrabel, who lines up outside, with helping him.

"Those guys really took me under their wing and showed me the ropes on how to be a professional on and off the field," Mayo said.

When Bruschi, 35, and Vrabel, 33, retire, Mayo is confident that he'll be ready to be the defensive leader. He's already made progress toward that goal.

"Jerod's taken his leadership up," Vrabel said. "I think he came in as a rookie and obviously learned the playbook and learned everything in and out and physically can go out there and make any play that we needed him to."
Mayo said even after Bruschi was sidelined with knee issues, he kept the longtime star's advice at hand. He received text messages while Bruschi missed the last three games.

"Ever since I came in on the first day, Tedy has taken me under his wing and showed me the ropes," Mayo said. "He's like an older brother to me."
The only other defensive rookie to get a vote was Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers. Of course, the rookie crop was far deeper on offense this year.

But that doesn't diminish Mayo's work.

"He's very, very fast, very physical, he runs around [and] makes a bunch of plays for them," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

"As a rookie, to come in and to step up to the plate and basically been thrown into the fire, I think he's handled it pretty well," Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. "He's one heck of a player and he's going to get better and better as time rolls on."

Mayo is the second Patriot to win the award; defensive back Mike Haynes won in 1976.

Last year's winner was 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3801728

NEW YORK -- Matt Ryan found a quick way to make Falcons fans forget Michael Vick, Bobby Petrino and all the ugliness of Atlanta football.

The quarterback led a sensational turnaround from laughingstock franchise to Super Bowl contender, for which Ryan earned The Associated Press 2008 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award Tuesday.

"I'm certainly flattered," Ryan said. "There's a number of guys who had great rookie seasons this year, so to even be mentioned in that light is nice. It's certainly a great honor, and I think it speaks to what we did as a team this year."

What the Falcons did was go 11-5 and make the playoffs after a dismal 2007 that saw Vick incarcerated on a dogfighting conviction and Petrino leave after 13 games to go coach Arkansas. Ryan was chosen third overall out of Boston College to be the cornerstone of Atlanta's rebuilding effort.

The Falcons can take pride in the foundation he has laid.

"The season seems like a blur, without question," Ryan said. "It seems like it's gone by so fast. I just really tried to take it in stride and not get caught up in all the things that happened this year.

"I think that's the biggest thing. We had success and we were able to get a wild-card spot, so that was the huge thing for us this year. Now that we're in we have a chance like everybody else. Hopefully we can make the most of it."

Few quarterbacks make so much out of their first NFL seasons. Since 1957, when the award was first given, only three quarterbacks have won it, all recently: Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, Tennessee's Vince Young in 2006, and Ryan.

Ryan was a landslide winner in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. He collected 44 votes, far in front of Titans running back Chris Johnson with three. Broncos tackle Ryan Clady had two and Bears running back Matt Forte got one.

He not only overwhelmingly impressed the voters, but his opponents.

"I'm not trying to compare anybody to Peyton Manning," Saints linebacker Scott Fujita said, "but for somebody to do that that early in their career and have that much maturity and that much control of the offense, and be able to dictate to us the things that they wanted to do, I was impressed with him. And frustrated and ticked off at the same time."

Ryan ranked 11th in passer rating at 87.7 and had 16 touchdowns to go with 11 interceptions. But it wasn't the numbers as much as his command of the huddle and his cool under pressure that made him -- and the Falcons -- winners.

"Obviously the big question was how well Matt would perform as a rookie quarterback," Falcons veteran linebacker Keith Brooking said. "We knew there'd be bumps in the road, but it's unbelievable what he's done in such a short period of time with the guys on our offense."

The balloting doesn't indicate the outstanding depth of the rookie class on offense. Running backs Steve Slaton of Houston, Tim Hightower of Arizona, Ray Rice of Baltimore, Jonathan Stewart of Carolina, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice of Dallas, Peyton Hillis of Denver, Kevin Smith of Detroit and Jamaal Charles of Kansas City all were contributors. So were wide receivers Eddie Royal of Denver, DeSean Jackson of Philadelphia, Davone Bess of Miami and Donnie Avery of St. Louis.

Another rookie quarterback, Joe Flacco of Baltimore, helped lead his team into the playoffs.

Add in tight ends John Carlson of Seattle and Dustin Keller of the Jets and the strength of the first-year crop is impressive.

And Ryan was the cream.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3800047
 
scotty96LSC said:
Hmmm. Jerry and Mike are friends. Shanahan to Dallas????
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Dallas would also be a good possibility. Like the Browns with Cowher, Dallas has a rich owner so Mike could get at least 9 million or more from them. I think it's about time coaches that good start getting paid as much as their star players, which would often be 10+ million and another several for bonuses. If this adds up to wins, and ticket sales, and spin off products, then it's money well spent..
 
Shanahan won't go to Dallas. Dallas is a 3-4, Shanahan "coached" a 4-3. Wade Philips is supposedly not losing his job. Jason Garrett has been waiting in the wings for 2 years now to take over. Jerry Jones has too much invested in them already to replace either of them. The Cowboys' offensive line is huge- not designed for Shanahan's zone blocking scheme.
 
Getting things started today...

Falcons and Cardinals at 4:30
Colts and Chargers at 8:00

I see the Falcons and Colts emerging from this first round ;)
Should be some good football though

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
Not a good start for the Falcons :(

Matt Ryan with a pick already
Not able to run the ball

And a great catch by the Cardinal's Fitzgerald :(

7-0 Cardinals

Edit: 71 yard strike... Cardinals 14-3
Just when we started running the ball and settling down :(

Edit 2: 14-10
Falcons looked good on that drive just before the half :)

Edit 3: Oooooo nice... pick, deep in Cardinal territory
Need points off this before the half

Edit 4: 17-14 Falcons
They have recovered and adjusted well to a slow beginning

Edit: 5 21-17 Cardinals
Fumble recovery and TD on first play of the 2nd half :(
Freak play



Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
being a cards fan, i am happy to see we're doing well.

offense is clicking, running game and pass rush and run stopping coming outta nowhere.

also being a cards fan, despite the touchdown we just scored (28-17) i know we can easily find a way to lose....

good game so far
 
Falcons have killed themselves with turnovers :(
Their inexperience and immaturity is showing

Kudos to the Cardinals
They have been well prepared and played well

Edit: 30-24 Cardinals with 4:15 left
Looks like it might be too little, too late :(

Need a BIG stop on the kickoff and series to make a miracle finish

Edit 2: Good coverage... big series
Geez... 15 yard pass completed...


Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
this 3rd down is the game. force them to punt/kick the 55 yard field goal.
 
WTF is Matt Millen doing on the set??Are you kidding me?
Falcons and their fans have nothing to be ashamed about. Ryan made some rookie mistakes. They'll be back and better,esp with Dimitroff drafting..
 
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