People are giving Belichick a lot of credit for keeping Moss under control during his time at New England, but I think a lot of it had to do with the personal and NFL records he was breaking. It's also fairly hard to complain about anything on an undefeated team.
And you KNOW if it were anyone other than that limp-dicked geriatric, nobody in the league office would've batted a fucking eye.
Are you fucking kidding me? If it was Tom "Beiber" Brady, it would have been $75,000. That hit on Peyton would have been at least $45,000, and Eli would rate a solid $35,000. If we're gonna go ahead and say that fines for hits on QB depends on who the QB is (which I agree with), let's not pretend Brett Favre is a ranking member anymore. Dude's career is done, and not going well in his last season. The only people making money off Brett anymore are Brett, Green Bay merchandisers, and the tabloids. I saw that hit, it looked pretty clean to me. But if the league wants to fine somebody for that, rather than overturning the Vikings clearly good Touchdown that would have let us beat Green Bay, I guess I can be ok with it, for now.
So I just learned that the Bucs are 5-2. Can we talk about this? How the fuck are they 5-2? I haven't seen one game, I'm DYING to see how the fucking Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 5-2. I've also heard they exhumed Cadillac William's body from the bottom of the injured reserved list. What is going on here?
Taking a glance at their schedule it might be the easiest in the league. Then, there's the fact that none of the teams they've beaten have winning records, and the only two good teams they have played (steelers and saints) blew them out by a combined 50 points. Last minute heroics account for all three of their last wins. In my opinion, they're at best one and done in the playoffs.
So...its been revealed in the NBA Board that I am an unabashed homer for Cleveland teams... But are any of you watching this Browns/Patriots game? I'm absolutely shocked. Are the Browns just playing THAT good or are the Patriots just playing that poorly today?
Combo of both. The Patriots are overrated this year, and don't have the talent to justify their record. They beat SD based on SD's mistakes (SD beat themselves) and since Moss has left, the Pats offense has sputtered along pretty slowly. The truth is that the Browns are just the perfect team to face the Pats. The Browns defense is really good (this is starting to become evident as the season progresses) and the Pats offense is just really not good. The Pats defense is also not that great, and it wouldn't surprise me if a few Pats players were looking past Cleveland. I just think the Pats are the worst 6-1 team in the NFL. I don't think they're as bad as they played today, but I don't think they're as good as their record indicates.
They were the only 6-1 team in the nfl. I don't think the pats are overrated, as in I don't hear people calling them the super bowl favorites. Are they the best team in the league, even after getting shown up by the browns today? Probably not, but then who do you pick? As for the offense not being that good, they were leading the league in points per game, and Moss has been gone for awhile now. They still have Brady, Welker, strong TEs, and we might see some other receivers begin to emerge now that Brady is forced to spread the ball around more. I don't think their defensive woes will be fixed in time for January, but they're in the hunt as much as anyone else.
Uuuhhmm what? Wes Welker is worthless without Moss. Anthony Hernandez strong? No not really. This team is horribly overrated and you just saw it. Yes they were 6-1 but they played nobody. They had a monday night miracle win against Miami when they had four special team and defensive TD's. They beat Buffalo by 8 (and gave up 30 points to them) and they beat Cinci in OT. They are above average and they have a great schedule because of weak teams. Once they hit Indy and Pitt we will see the true colors. I also predict the Jet's beating them (again) They rank in the 20's against both the pass and rush and their own rush is chaotic at best. This team is kind of a sham but give's a good look at how bad the NFL is as a whole. The buc's were 5-2, are they good? It's going to be a really, really interesting playoff run because we have no clear cut frontrunner. Thanks to Sean Payton showing everybody what happens when you blitz Rothlisberger we could have a real crap shoot in the AFC. As for the NFC I hate to admit it but the Giants look to be the best of a crappy conference. I They will get a test when they play Philly, maybe. We could have some fun with Superbowl picks now because some of us will probably pick some teams that don't even make the playoffs. I like Pitt vs. NYG.
I don't think the NFL is bad as a whole, I think everyone is more balanced as a whole. The Jets were very close to getting killed by the Lions and people were up their asses 2-3 weeks ago. I also don't think the Patriots are shit like Mike Ness thinks, but if you've been watching Peyton Hillis, this kid is no fucking joke. He's like Alstott 2.0. He was the 8th string running back in Denver back in the day, and he started rattling off 100 yard runs. Everyone thought it was because of Mike Shanahan's magical wagical zone blocking scheme. Then Daniels came in and fucked off, traded him to Cleveland. Only took Mangini a game or two to realize "Oh shit, I should fucking play this guy." And voila! I don't trust anyone in this league. I was watching the Bears game and crying as the announcers were talking about how the Bears finally got their offense together apparently not realizing they were playing the worst team in the league. Anyone else love how the Colts got Vicked today? Apparently Andy Reid is only half an idiot.
Ok, it's not a miracle win when you beat a team 41-14. I don't care how you get the points. Odd that you ignore the more recent wins against Baltimore, San Diego, and Minnesota. And what do you mean beat Cincinnati in OT? They were blowing them out for the majority of the game. It was never close. You mean Aaron Hernandez? The individual numbers don't look as good because Moss doesn't command so much coverage and Brady is forced to hit more targets. That much we can agree on. I guess you can choose to say their results are because everyone else sucks so much rather than this being a competitive season. Let's not forget the patriots have arguably the best coach in the league too. Belichick has had more success than any other coach in our era. I don't want to defend their defense, it still has major problems, but with the exception of today's game against the browns they've been playing well enough to keep them in games. For the super bowl I'm picking Green Bay vs. Baltimore.
Wow the Cowboys are getting destroyed, and after that kickoff fumble fiasco I'm wodering if Phillips is seeing how badily he can fuck up and not get fired. And fuck the Packers; everything always fucking goes their way. It's hard to beat a team when you have to play both the team plus the refs and fate at the same time. (Not to excuse the Cowboys, they're pretty much hopeless.)
And it is odd that you ignore how New England beat San Diego. SD's turnovers in that game were absolutely mind boggling. New England happened to be in the right place to take advantage of a team that was stumbling over itself to give away a win. Minnesota is hardly what could be considered a 'good' team this season. Favre is turning into a joke, their entire team was in turmoil, and Minnesota still dominated every single stat except turnovers (1 for Minnesota, none for NE) and the final score. The bottom line is that the Pats are 1 or 2 reversed calls or turnovers away from being 4-3. They are in the same boat as the Bears (except they are a better team that the Bears, IMHO). Their record is not indicative of how good (or bad) they are. They've not won games so much as their opponents have lost them. Again, this isn't to say I think they're bad. I don't. I think they're a team that should end the season with a 9-7 record, but will likely luck their way into a 10-6 or 11-5 record. They'll make the playoffs. Then, I think they'll get ousted in the first or second round. I just don't see them making the AFC title game. My picks, 8 weeks in? Fuck, it is harder this season than ever. AFC title game: Titans v. Steelers NFC title game: Giants v. Packers Superbowl: Giants v. Titans Honestly, though, with this season, anything can change. I've never been this uncertain of who is good this far into the season.
I'm willing to admit the bucs might not a contender, but a team's record is the be end all way they're judged in this league. The idea that winning isn't supposed to be indicative of a quality team is kind of far fetched isn't it? Are the patriots supposed to look bad because they make less mistakes than their opponents? Consistent, well coached teams perform better every season. Minnesota lost by 10 points, had a turnover, and did not dominate any stat categories. I'll look stupid if they lose two consecutive against the colts (who they haven't beat since '07) and the steelers, but I'll wager on a similar finish to you (11-5) and will not at all be surprised if they make the super bowl.
I disagree about the teams win/loss record being the end all be all way a team is judged. Want an example? Simple: The Chicago Bears. By a straight win/loss record, the Bears are the best team in the NFC North. Better than the Packers, Better than the Vikings, better than the Lions. By the straight win/loss record, the Bears are at the same level as the following teams: Steelers Titans Colts Chiefs Raiders Packers If you put the Bears in a game with any team in that list, the Bears would be an underdog. Their win/loss record indicates that they are the same quality, but the visual test, and an honest evaluation of the talent on each team, indicates that the Steelers, Titans, Colts, Chiefs, and Packers are all better teams. Hell, given how they've been playing, I'd even take the Raiders over the Bears if they were to play tomorrow. I just don't buy that wins/losses is the end-all be-all of judging a team's quality. Another example: San Diego. Their offense and defense rank in the top 3rd of the league, and yet their record is 4-5. If the Chargers were to face the Bears tomorrow, there is no doubt in my mind the Chargers would smoke the Bears. In fact, the Chargers could go toe-to-toe with any team on that list I gave earlier, and if not beat those teams, than make them really, really close games. Now, of course, wins and losses are all that matters in terms of making the playoffs. But, good teams don't necessarily always make the playoffs, and shitty teams aren't always kept out. The bottom line is that record is not completely indicative of a team's quality. Other things factor in: The strength of schedule Turnover ratio HOW they're winning games (see: Lions @ Bears, SD @ New England) Injuries If games were played in a (metaphorical) vacuum, with no external measures, wins/losses would be the only indicator. Games aren't played in a vacuum, and therefore other factors matter.
You're like a dog with a bone. The bears won't be ahead of the packers in less than an hour anyway. And we were talking about the patriots rather than the bears and chargers right? We argue too far when we don't disagree all that much. If I only looked at records I wouldn't ever quote stats and I wouldn't have written that post about the bucs. All I'm saying is the list of other measures is secondary and come January nobody gives a shit about the team that could've, should've, would've if they had an easier schedule and could stop turning the ball over.
The point is the Patriots are not the caliber team you associate with a 6-1 record. Did you really use Minn as a defense? They are a below average team. The chargers? Again they are 4-5! Cinci, they were blowing them out until OT? Well considering Cinci is 2-5 and stinks well that just sold me that the Pats are good. The real defining game they have is beating the Ravens one of two teams this year they beat with a winning record. Are you defending Hernandez? That is a player you would consider a top ten TE? Here is a hint, you could play TE and still get a couple red zone TD's with Brady at the helm. I do agree with you that they have the best coach in football, they also have the second best QB. That being said I suppose they are always poised for a run. 11-5 could be tough for a team that has the Colts, Steelers and Jet's coming up. Could they make the superbowl? It wouldn't shock me as I said before the league is pretty spread out as far as talent is concerned. Also save me the crap about anytime a team scores 40 points it's not a miracle, you know very well that a team can beat itself. The Pat's did it yesterday. I don't think they are very good but I know they are better than the Browns, and to get crushed 35-14? You don't think any of that was luck? In other news the absolute worst call I have seen in some time was made by Jim Schwartz yesterday. How with 1:40 left on the clock and the other team low on timeouts do you call a pass play against an excellent defense with your back up QB? How did that make any fucking sense at all? If he ran it he could have knocked 40 more seconds off the clock and then punted it to Mark Sanchez. I don't think anyone would disagree that Sanchez isn't exactly Manning or that the NYJ offense is hardly explosive. That was a terrible, terrible call. He also didn't even throw it to one of his playmakers, I really have no clue what happened there. R.I.P Wade Phillips. He is so fired, it kind of sucks because I hate Dallas so much that I will miss him ruining all that talent. With my luck Jerry Jones will somehow get Bill Cowher or some shit. Let's take it a step further boys: AFC championship NYJ vs. Steelers, Steelers win. NFC championship NYG vs. Greenbay, Giants win.
Anyone else find the numbers Phillip Rivers are putting up to be impressive, given the fact that he had three hurt receivers, didn't have Gates yesterday, and only had Matthews half a game? The Chargers are definitely a contender when they get Vincent Jackson back with some backup (assuming they can make the playoffs).
The problem with that, is that even though they've been the league leader in offense and close to the top in defense for a lot of the season, they're just now wining games. They've lost to bad teams on stupid plays, mostly involving special teams. Still, I do find his numbers impressive, considering I don't think even he had ever heard of his receivers until last week.