The NFL 2012 Season

[kenthepen]

I agree... I start mourning the end of the season during the playoffs.... seven games left....... three games left........ one.

I love the game of basketball, and it used to be my favorite spectator sport, but I can hardly stand to watch the Narcissist's Basketball Association anymore... and college isn't much better.

[Bebop]

Yeah, I might give boxing another chance. Why I need to watch sports at all, I'm not sure. When I was playing sports I didn't watch very much. But you wanna talk about a sport that will regularly break your heart? Boxing, if it's not rigged, if it's not a mismatch, and even if both guys show up to fight on the same night, the chances of a competitive fight are about one out of ten. Quickly turns out to be too much to ask, at least of me.

By the way, Ken, as a Pats fan, how frustrated were you yesterday when Brady didn't run those four yards for a first? I'm not sure what went on there- if he misjudged, or was so intent on passing the ball that he didn't see the open yards, but that could have kept the Pats in the game. They were on what, the Ravens' 10-15 yardline- down I think by 2 td's., but with a good chunk of the 3rd and all of the 4th quarter left on the clock. They get 7 there, they're very much in the game. Kind of smelled like a lack of hunger of Tom's part.

[kenthepen]

Only mildly frustrated by that particular missed opportunity. Ever since his season-ending injury Tom just doesn't think run, and watching the replay it looked like he had that thought too late.

I, too, used to love boxing, but it just fell away years ago(in the nineties) when there seemed to be a dearth of talent. I can't stand ppv, think it's a lot of money to gamble on a fight that's more likely to disappoint. And got fed up with everything being controlled by King and Arum.
And any Mayweather/Pacquiao event at this point would be too late.

[Bebop]

Originally Posted by kenthepen

Only mildly frustrated by that particular missed opportunity. Ever since his season-ending injury Tom just doesn't think run, and watching the replay it looked like he had that thought too late.

I, too, used to love boxing, but it just fell away years ago(in the nineties) when there seemed to be a dearth of talent. I can't stand ppv, think it's a lot of money to gamble on a fight that's more likely to disappoint. And got fed up with everything being controlled by King and Arum.
And any Mayweather/Pacquiao event at this point would be too late.

Yeah, I guess you're right. A shame though.

Right, PPV, is very likely to disappoint, and especially with the Heavies, it could be all over before the pizza shows up. You never know where the good fights are gonna come from. Two guys you never heard of, not in the main event but in one of the prelims, in some beat up little venue in the middle of nowhere and you're watching one for the ages.

[benluby]

Originally Posted by Ed Panther

Flacco now with a 15-2 touchdown/interception ratio in the playoffs the last three years. And that's with two game-winning touchdown passes dropped. And he's outplayed Brady every time they've played. Yes, even the game he only completed 4 passes.. which shows just how bad Brady plays when he plays a tough defense. (besides the Steelers D)


Benluby, have your thoughts on Flacco changed at all? That was pretty impressive how he took over the game today in the 3rd quarter.

Now that I think of it, you might be a Patriots fan. So this isn't meant as trash talk. I'm just curious if he's done enough yet to sway your perception?

Another thing worth noting, is that Flacco was stuck with Cam Cameron as OC his first 5 years. And Drew Brees even said that Cameron kept him (Brees) from going to that next level. And in the 5 meaningful games since the Ravens canned Cameron, Flacco has a 12-1 td/int ratio, and over 1400 passing yards. Those numbers, especially when coming in playoff games on the road, are rather hard to rationalize as being short of elite.
When extrapolated, they come to about 4,500 passing yards and 38 touchdowns and 3-4 interceptions.

I know I could take the cheap route and say 'his receivers made all the difference', but that won't fly. Flacco has stepped it up. He's playing, if not at an elite level, damn near it.
The Ravens D controlled the game, with Welker making catches that weren't game changing and dropping a couple of key conversion attempts.
I told my sons, when Talib left with his hamstring that the secondary was going to be in trouble, and I was right.
You can't stop Boldin with an average back. The Ravens beat the Pats, period. Flacco showed not just game management but skill.
Brady made a bonehead move with that slide, but truthfully, I don't think it would have mattered in the long run.
Everyone may pick the Niners to win this, but I can't. I'm going with the Ravens for one simple reason. They've played against top notch defenses, and beat them.
The Niners haven't. The NFC didn't really have a defensive powerhouse in the playoffs. The Ravens took apart the Bronco's, who have a good defensive unit.
Atlanta isn't that good on D.
We'll see, but I think we're going to see the Ravens take it by ten.

[Lavern08]

Hubby and I will be rooting for the 49ers.

Not Ray Lewis fans at all.

I agree with Bebop - We always get a little down when football season is over.

While hubby watches a bit of NBA, we really haven't been into it since Jordan retired.

*Goes off to plan our Superbowl Par-tay*

[Bebop]

Originally Posted by Lavern08

Hubby and I will be rooting for the 49ers.

Not Ray Lewis fans at all.

I agree with Bebop - We always get a little down when football season is over.

While hubby watches a bit of NBA, we really haven't been into it since Jordan retired.

*Goes off to plan our Superbowl Par-tay*

What should I bring to the party? (Is this when you call on me to do you a service?) I have a hunch you throw a good one- seem to be an up person in general. But not Ray Lewis fans?! That's damn near sacrilege! (probably shouldn't use those two words in the same sentence)- Besides, Baltmore's right in your backyard!!

[benluby]

Originally Posted by Bebop

What should I bring to the party? (Is this when you call on me to do you a service?) I have a hunch you throw a good one- seem to be an up person in general. But not Ray Lewis fans?! That's damn near sacrilege! (probably shouldn't use those two words in the same sentence)- Besides, Baltmore's right in your backyard!!

What does location matter? Live twenty minutes outside Atlanta and there is not a single team in Atlanta that I will root for.

[Bebop]

Originally Posted by benluby

What does location matter? Live twenty minutes outside Atlanta and there is not a single team in Atlanta that I will root for.

Just a joke, Ben.

[benluby]

Originally Posted by Bebop

Just a joke, Ben.

Ah well. I'm so slow I'm in park half the damn time.

[Bebop]

Originally Posted by benluby

Ah well. I'm so slow I'm in park half the damn time.

Nah, not a thing man.

By the way, and I may have asked you this before, I'm definitely not working with total recall, but are you from Atlanta? Boston? Neither?

[kenthepen]

Me too me too not a Ray Lewis fan. Or Ravens fan. Or John Harbaugh fan. I have grudging respect for Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, and a few others.

ETA: see the clips of Pollard hits that caused season-ending injuries? Coincidence? Just hard hitting? I think not.

[benluby]

Originally Posted by Bebop

Nah, not a thing man.

By the way, and I may have asked you this before, I'm definitely not working with total recall, but are you from Atlanta? Boston? Neither?

I'm from Atlanta.

[Bebop]

Originally Posted by kenthepen

Me too me too not a Ray Lewis fan. Or Ravens fan. Or John Harbaugh fan. I have grudging respect for Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, and a few others.

ETA: see the clips of Pollard hits that caused season-ending injuries? Coincidence? Just hard hitting? I think not.

I'd like to see the hits.

ETA: I mean, funny for a Steeler fan to defend the Ravens, and I'm not really doing that. Just would like to see exactly what we're talking about.

Originally Posted by benluby

I'm from Atlanta.

How'd you end up a Patriots fan?

[kenthepen]

They showed the hits during the game. Maybe when Ridley went down?

[Bebop]

Originally Posted by kenthepen

They showed the hits during the game. Maybe when Ridley went down?

Right, okay. I may have missed the clips but...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrqIf7wFQsM

I'll tell you though, on this hit, Ridley lowers his head into Pollard. Wait, lemme look again, make sure I'm right. Yeah, look at the second angle of it.

[rugcat]

Originally Posted by benluby

Everyone may pick the Niners to win this, but I can't. I'm going with the Ravens for one simple reason. They've played against top notch defenses, and beat them.
The Niners haven't. The NFC didn't really have a defensive powerhouse in the playoffs. The Ravens took apart the Bronco's, who have a good defensive unit.
Atlanta isn't that good on D.
We'll see, but I think we're going to see the Ravens take it by ten.

You are dreaming, my friend.

They can't run against the Niner defense, and they'll be forced to rely on the pass. Flaco, though an excellent QB, does make some high risk throws, and will end up getting picked at some point -- maybe more than once.

On the other side of the ball, the Niners will be able to move on the ground. The Falcons did a great job in containing Kaepernick, but they paid a price -- it opened the middle for Gore, who will hit for 5, 6, 7 yds even if he can't break one. If they clog the middle and stuff him, Kap will run wild like he did against Green Bay.

Not to mention, the man can pass the receivers can catch.

Niners by seven, maybe more.

[kenthepen]

I agree, on this hit. The ones on Brady and Welker were knees, and Hernandez an ankle. That's a little more suspicious. There may not be a bounty, but it certainly seems like attempted injury.

[Bebop]

Originally Posted by rugcat

You are dreaming, my friend.

They can't run against the Niner defense, and they'll be forced to rely on the pass. Flaco, though an excellent QB, does make some high risk throws, and will end up getting picked at some point -- maybe more than once.

On the other side of the ball, the Niners will be able to move on the ground. The Falcons did a great job in containing Kaepernick, but they paid a price -- it opened the middle for Gore, who will hit for 5, 6, 7 yds even if he can't break one. If they clog the middle and stuff him, Kap will run wild like he did against Green Bay.

Not to mention, the man can pass the receivers can catch.

Niners by seven, maybe more.

What impressed me so much yesterday is Kap did it w/o running the ball himself. Just the idea that he MIGHT keep it was enough to get def looking the wrong way just for a second but that was enough to free up Gore.

Originally Posted by kenthepen

I agree, on this hit. The ones on Brady and Welker were knees, and Hernandez an ankle. That's a little more suspicious. There may not be a bounty, but it certainly seems like attempted injury.

Funny, 'cause all you hear from df players these days is how the new rules won't let them live. I agree with the new rules though. Too many season/career ending injuries.

[benluby]

Originally Posted by Bebop

I'd like to see the hits.

ETA: I mean, funny for a Steeler fan to defend the Ravens, and I'm not really doing that. Just would like to see exactly what we're talking about.



How'd you end up a Patriots fan?

Probably because they've seemed to always have a team first mentality, with no real superstars until the last few years.
I was torn for years between the Packers (Favre fan) and the Pats. After Green Bay pulled their stunt, I no longer had a problem between the two.

[benluby]

Originally Posted by rugcat

You are dreaming, my friend.

They can't run against the Niner defense, and they'll be forced to rely on the pass. Flaco, though an excellent QB, does make some high risk throws, and will end up getting picked at some point -- maybe more than once.

On the other side of the ball, the Niners will be able to move on the ground. The Falcons did a great job in containing Kaepernick, but they paid a price -- it opened the middle for Gore, who will hit for 5, 6, 7 yds even if he can't break one. If they clog the middle and stuff him, Kap will run wild like he did against Green Bay.

Not to mention, the man can pass the receivers can catch.

Niners by seven, maybe more.

We'll have to wait and see. The Falcons don't play to win. They play to not lose, which is their Achilles heel.
It's why Dan Reeves could never win the big game, and why Mike Smith, unless he snaps out of it, won't. And note that I am taking nothing away from the Niners.
I think they're a tough team, the ONLY reason I'm picking the Ravens is Flacco is more seasoned than Kap, and Anquan Boldin is a beast.

[rugcat]

Originally Posted by benluby

I think they're a tough team, the ONLY reason I'm picking the Ravens is Flacco is more seasoned than Kap, and Anquan Boldin is a beast.

Agreed on all of this, but being in SF I've seen all of Kap's games. Originally I was a skeptic, and thought Alex Smith had proved himself reliable, effective, and seasoned, while Kap was talented but raw. I thought it was a mistake to throw him into the starting role.

But apart from his athletic abilities, which are huge, the kid has amazing poise and an understanding of the game which is phenomenal for a rookie. Some QBs never even get there.

So it turns out I'm not as smart as Harbaugh after all. Win or lose, I think Kap will acquit himself well.

Boldin is indeed a beast, but one guy doesn't win a game. And Crabtree is no slouch, either, and he has help.

[Shadow Dragon]

Originally Posted by rugcat

You are dreaming, my friend.

They can't run against the Niner defense, and they'll be forced to rely on the pass. Flaco, though an excellent QB, does make some high risk throws, and will end up getting picked at some point -- maybe more than once.

On the other side of the ball, the Niners will be able to move on the ground. The Falcons did a great job in containing Kaepernick, but they paid a price -- it opened the middle for Gore, who will hit for 5, 6, 7 yds even if he can't break one. If they clog the middle and stuff him, Kap will run wild like he did against Green Bay.

Not to mention, the man can pass the receivers can catch.

Niners by seven, maybe more.

Isn't this exactly the same thing most of the experts were saying about the Ravens vs Broncos game? On the other team's offense vs the Raven's defense, it also reaks of deja vu from what they said about how the Ravens' defense wouldn't be able to stop the Patriots.

As for this exact comparison, the Ravens play against Big Ben twice a year. If there's one thing their defense is experienced with, it's dealing with quarterbacks that run around and extend the play.

[mirandashell]

I'm another one going for the Ravens. Though I will also be pleased if the Niners win.

The reasons I'm shooting for the Ravens are:

1. The whole 'destiny' thing. It just feels like Ravens year.

2. The so-called 'NFL experts' who have called every Ravens game wrong so far and are dissing them again.

3. I have a feeling. A feeling I have had since the last game of the season.

[Gilroy Cullen]

Is it bad that every time I see Flacco, I read it as Falco from the movie the Replacements?