I just now came to realize that we had no NFL predictions thread, as we did last year.
Well, we’re too late for the prediction part, but we can still have some discussion.
The Giants really got jobbed by the refs on that offensive PI call. There was nothing there to call whatsoever, and it was a huge momentum turner.
Tiki Barber really is an elite back - he may be the second best in the league (behind LDT). They run all over the place with an average offensive line.
The Colts’ running game on the other hand really sucked. I wonder why that is - is it possible that they have a finesse, pass blocking o-line that’s no good at run blocking, but Edgerrin James made them look better than they were? It’s hard to believe that the Giants were selling out against the run - it was the big Manning Vs Manning match, you had to expect the big passing game to come.
In other thoughts, Tampa Bay sucks donkey balls.
A Ravens loss is the second best thing that can happen on Sunday following a Browns win, so I paid attention to this game.
I’m amazed that that offense somehow got them to the playoffs last year, it was so inept. The Raven’s D is good, but not THAT good. Tampa Bay’s offense was just more limp than Bob Dole’s junk. And their D couldn’t pressure McNair behind a swiss cheese line. McNair + Ravens o-line = broken sternum waiting to happen, yet the ferocious Tampa Bay D-line barely laid a hand on him.
The media was already already tripping over themselves to give that sad sack 6-10 team predictions to win the super bowl (as they do every year) - now after a game like that, ESPN is not only going to get on their knees for the ratbirds, but they’ll do it with a huge grin.
They’re not that good. They’ll be lucky to make it a break-even season. They’re not going to the playoffs. You heard it here first.
The Browns vs Saints game was simply sad. Maurice Carthon is the worst offensive coordinator in the league. His ‘unpredictable’ play calling is so laughably bad. His philosophy is - “when it’s third and inches, they don’t expect you to run the toss sweep to your fullback! So that’s what I’ll do! Every damn time!”. Basically, he tries to do the exact opposite of what a competant OC would do on any given play. Third and 15? It’s time for play action! Third and 1? Time for a toss sweep to your slowest runner, or maybe go 5 wides. Third and 6? Have everyone run 4 yard out routes!
And it’s sad because he tries to do the opposite/unpredictable every damn time, so it becomes predictable. It’s a good thing when you mix it up sometimes to keep the defense guessing, but when you try to do the deceptive thing every single time, then they expect you to do exactly that. So you start out with a play less likely to suceed and they’re prepared for it.
We’re more talented on offense than defense (2 legitimate stars in the making, what should be an average offensive line, and good skill positions all around), yet the defense always shows itself to be far more competant. Why? We have good defensive coaching, and high-school level offensive coaching.
The defense made a competant showing - our offense couldn’t keep them off the field, and kept giving them the ball in our territory, and the defense made two stops from first and goal from inside the 5 anyway. We could’ve, and should’ve, won that game decisively. But the O-line was pathetic - we couldn’t run up the gut on a bad run D partly because of bad calling, and partly bad execution, and there were at least 10 passing plays where someone ran unblocked at our QB. He takes too many sacks, but he makes plays with his feet. Overall, given the level of support he had - constant jailbreaks on passing plays, receivers dropping balls, he made a good showing.
I was at a bar and didn’t hear the game, but from what I’ve been told, apparently the announcers jerked off below the camera while saying “OH MY GOD… REGGIE BUSH… OH THAT HUNK OF MAGICAL MAN MEAT” for the entire game.