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The Everything NFL Thread - 2009

Does anyone else here have the feeling that the Saints' explosive offensive can only take them so far? I keep hearing all this talk about how they're Superbowl shoe-ins, but I just don't see them keeping it up in post season. Someone is bound to make use of their many mistakes and shaky defense.
 
See that's the thing - their defense is not shaky at all. Yeah they're not the best in every category, but they aren't the worst either. They don't have a "weakness" like alot of other teams do. They have a pro bowl (potentially HoF) safety in Darren Sharper and other solid CBs to bolster their secondary, and a quick D-line with talented pass rushers that get at the QB. Sure, their run D could be better, but there aren't a whole lot of teams that are completely shutting down the run this year. Pittsburgh, who has the #1 run D right now, is still allowing an average of 76.6 ypg, which is good but not stifling. Only the top 9 run defenses are even allowing under 100 ypg. The Saints are #11. They're also #17 in pass defense. So you see their defense is not shaky at all, just average. They also have a well balanced offense now that isn't so pass-dependant, giving them all the ingredients necessary for a Super Bowl team. Sure they could improve in some areas, but couldn't everyone?
 
WaterBomb said:
blaaaaah I can't decide who to start as my #2 RB - Jonathan Stewart vs New Orleans, or LT vs the Giants
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Lemme put it this way:

LT is averaging under 4 yards a carry after playing both Oakland AND KC

Jonathan Stewart has scored In 3 consecutive games I believe

While the Giants are reeling, it's not because of the Run Defense. A matter of fact they have one of the top run defenses because teams choose to attack their secondary. Since the Chargers have become a pass-first team over the past few years, you can expect them to attack the Giants through the air.

Carolina on the other hand, is NOT a passing team. I'd expect them to keep the ball out of Jake Delhomme's hands as much as possible. Which means they'll run the ball. And who's the Goaline back? Jonathan Stewart is. Expect Carolina to use a similar gameplan to Miami's when they played New Orleans. Also the Saints are missing both their starting DTs. They are going to start a converted defensive end at DT plus someone they picked up off waivers.

I hoped I helped.
 
elettricita said:
Does anyone else here have the feeling that the Saints' explosive offensive can only take them so far? I keep hearing all this talk about how they're Superbowl shoe-ins, but I just don't see them keeping it up in post season. Someone is bound to make use of their many mistakes and shaky defense.
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The Saints have scored 273 points (39.0 ppg) and allowed 154, for the best point differential in football. They are all but locks to win their division, and will probably get a bye. Football Observers, over 10,000 simulations, projects them to get 13.5 wins. They are a great team with a favorable schedule. You can probably pencil them in right now to get to, at the very worst, the divisional round. Any weaknesses in their defense, which is solid, is made up for in the fact that their offense is without question the best in all of football.

Even though they have historically struggled at home and against bad teams (they are 0-8 ATS in their past 8 home games against Carolina) this is probably the best Saints team ever. Of course, things can always go wrong, but I think you have to consider them, along with the Vikings, to be the top contenders to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl right now.
 
carolina is doomed once they fall behind

they've allowed the least passing yards in the league though so it's not all hopeless. the run D isn't very good though. but as soon as they fall behind by two scores, it's pretty much game imo...
 
Fabbles said:
Maybe... but still, we play Green Bay on the road and you never want to go on the road to play a team coming off a bye, especially a division foe. And I already mentioned the fact they destroyed a very good Giants team last year in the same situation. Aside from San Diego, who did not throw on 4th down, we have not beaten an elite quarterback, so Jay Cutler could potentially destroy our terrible secondary. Detroit we should kill at home. We by all means should destroy Oakland as well, but Philly lost in Oakland so I just don't know.

Seeing how Houston's schedule from here on out is insanely easy, I see them getting in the playoffs, which means the Ravens will have to beat either the Bengals or the Steelers. If the Ravens lose to the Bengals again I think we are done unless we sweep the Steelers, which is highly, highly unlikely. 11-5, which is a stretch for the Ravens right now, might not get us in.

And again, we still haven't proven we can win a close game. Until we do, we will not be making the playoffs.
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The game against the Giants was their only home win dating back to 2007. In 2008 and 2009, they are a combined 1-10 at home. Arguably, they are the worst home team in football, and among the worst teams overall. The Ravens have games to be worried about, but this is not one of them. Don't forget that against the Giants they were a monday night home underdog, which is usually quite an advantage. They won't have even that small luxury against the Ravens.

Football Outsiders gives Baltimore a 66% chance of making the playoffs as well, so I wouldn't be overly concerned about their prospects this season.
 
Steeler said:
carolina is doomed once they fall behind

they've allowed the least passing yards in the league though so it's not all hopeless. the run D isn't very good though. but as soon as they fall behind by two scores, it's pretty much game imo...
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I'd just like to mention one more thing about this Carolina - New Orleans game.

Pat Yasinskas said:
As we have said repeatedly, this year’s Saints are very different than in previous years.

However, with the Panthers coming to town Sunday, it’s worth a quick look back at this series. Carolina has defeated the Saints seven straight times when playing in Louisiana, including a 2005 game in Baton Rouge, and most of the games have been close and painful for the Saints. In fact, the Panthers haven't lost an away game to the Saints during coach John Fox's tenure.

Here’s a quick look back at those games:
  • 2008: Panthers, 33-31 (FG with :01 remaining)
  • 2007: Panthers, 16-13 (FG with :00 remaining)
  • 2006: Panthers, 31-21
  • 2005: Panthers, 27-10 (at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.)
  • 2004: Panthers, 32-21
  • 2003: Panthers, 23-20 (FG with 10:25 left in OT)
  • 2002: Panthers, 10-6 (eliminated Saints from playoffs)
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I might as well get this started haha

Atlanta vs Washington Redskins suck.
Chicago vs Arizona Bears suck.
Baltimore vs Cincinnati Ochocino and Palmer FTW
Houston vs Indianapolis. Andre Johnson > all of the Colts.
Kansas City vs Jacksonville KC off the bye..and..well...Jacksonville sucks.
Miami vs New England Patriots FTW
Tampa Bay vs Green Bay a rookie QB in his first game vs Al Harris and Charles Woodson? lol. Packers FTW
Carolina vs New Orleans I doubt there will be an upset here...
Detroit vs Seattle
San Diego vs New York Philip Rivers >>>>>> Eli Manning. let's just hope The rest of the Chargers play.
Tennessee vs San Francisco
Dallas vs Philadelphia Should be a good game
Pittsburgh vs Denver I hate both teams so much. idk who I want to lose more!
 
yep i'm starting Ryan Moats as well

edit actually there's a report out of espn citing kubiak that MOATS IS STARTING

i have a chance
 
Atlanta vs Washington - Easy. Falcons are at home... Washington sucks. If we run the ball like we did last week against the saints this should be easy.
Chicago vs Arizona - THEY ARE WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY WERE.
Cincinnati vs Baltimore - I dunno... I just have a feeling. Should be a good game though.
Houston vs Indianapolis- Upset1. Andre Johnson is a beast? I've been saying this for the past few weeks x_x.
Kansas City vs Jacksonville- POCKET HERCULES aka Maurics Jones Drew
New England vs Miami- New England is starting to get good again.
Green Bay vs Tampa Bay- Green Bay has played better. Aaron Rodgers is a better QB than people give him credit for.
Carolina vs New Orleans- UPSET2. Cuz I need the saints to lose this week and the Panthers did shut down a potent Cardinals passing attack. The Saints had trouble with Michael Turner so I want to see how they fair against the dynamic duo on the Panthers side.
Detroit vs Seattle - Seattle is just plain better from what I've seen.
San Diego vs New York(G) - Philip Rivers has a decent passing attack which will be hard for the GMen to overcome.
San Fransisco vs Tennessee- San Fran has played decent football so I look for them to win.
Dallas vs Philadelphia - Eagles are gonna blitz Romo into hell.
Pittsburg vs Denver - Denver struggles against really good defense.
 
kurt warner is disgusting

he costs me a game last week and he's probably going to win me one this week

what the hell tampa? i knew josh freeman would be a good NFL qb. he did well here at kansas state. good start for the kid.

WOW carolina. deangelo doin good for my team!

houston is ready for the playoffs btw. in all likelihood, either pittsburgh or cincinnati will get one of the wild card spots, in the other slot houston, baltimore, new york, and san diego are the top contenders. there are other teams in the hunt i guess, like jacksonville and miami, but i think both teams will fade. looking at the schedules, i think houston has the easiest going. they have indy/new england, and then they play TEN/JAC/SEA/STL/MIA.
 
Doesn't look like the Ravens will make the playoffs. At best 10-6, but I see an 8-8 or 9-7 finish most likely. San Diego/Houston will get the last spot.
 
Steeler said:
i think houston has the easiest going. they have indy/new england, and then they play TEN/JAC/SEA/STL/MIA.
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Well, I wouldn't count Seattle, Miami, and Tennessee as auto-wins just yet. Tennessee looks to have found themselves, Seattle's defense has greatly improved, and Miami is a much better team than their record would indicate. Even Jax has some potential, so we can't rule them out either. I see Houston going 4-4 in their last 8 games, leaving them at a questionable 9-7. The way things are going now though, 9-7 might get them in. We shall see!

Also I'm not one to blame games on the refs, but I think the Philly game would have turned out differently if the refs had made the correct spot on McNabb's 4th down sneak. But of course, that doesn't excuse Sheldon Brown for blowing his coverage and giving an easy TD to Austin. As I've said before, a great team must overcome referee mistakes with solid play, and they didn't in this case.
 
Houston isn't making the playoffs, you guys are nuts.

SNF game was poorly reffed on both sides. McNabb might not have had the first down even with a more correct spot anyway but I'd place more blame on the poor execution on 2nd-and-1 and 3rd-and-1. A goal line stand is one thing, where the defense has nothing else to cover, this was the middle of the field. Whatever. WOO COWBOYS etc.
 
muahaahaha go Cowboys!

I picked the Bucs to win just to piss off my cousin who is a 49ers fan.. I lmao when I was watching the scores at work.

Titans win two in a row eh? +2 Vince Young's confidence. Glad the guy got to start again.

and whats up with the Colts always seeming to have to come back and pulling out a win?
 
Fuck the Cowboys

Fuck the Giants (4 straight bitches)

Fuck the Falcons

Whatever, Eagles will win the division anyway. And even if they don't, they're going farther in the playoffs than any other NFC East team. But Eagles underachieving during the regular season is nothing new.

Also New England must play both the undefeated teams in consecutive weeks I believe. I wonder if they can stop both teams from achieving regular season perfection?
 
HeroMasaki said:
Also New England must play both the undefeated teams in consecutive weeks I believe. I wonder if they can stop both teams from achieving regular season perfection?
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I sure hope so... since I'm pretty confident the Saints can't beat Atlanta AND Carolina in ATL and NC. So the Falcons MIGHT take over the division although I doubt they'd win. Would make the probability of a wildcard birth much more likely.
 
In a rare alignment of the stars this weekend, I won both my fantasy football games, the Steelers won, my soccer team won, AND I got a new car. Life is good!
 
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