NFL Week 2

[stevew]

Is nbcs coverage fucked up for anyone else. Their hd has gone out 4 or 5 times already

[saldana]

Originally Posted by stevew

Is nbcs coverage fucked up for anyone else. Their hd has gone out 4 or 5 times already

yeah..it has been messed up for me since the pregame show. it is really annoying.

[Deattribution]

Originally Posted by stevew

Is nbcs coverage fucked up for anyone else. Their hd has gone out 4 or 5 times already

Yeah, it's really messed up, for some reason it has the Browns and Steelers on

[TroyF]

I hate it, just hate it when the team I cheer for wins a game like this. Denver went into a shell on offense at the start of the second half and that should have cost them the game. The defenses for both teams are just horrific. Both teams could have won the game with a simple stop. Instead it became a game of "which offense can stop themselves"

The Chargers did it twice when they settled for FG's. Denver did it when they went conservative in the third quarter and then again twice inside the five yard line. Of course only one of those counted.

This is one of those rare games where neither team really deserved to win the game. The Broncos got lucky with the calls, and they also let a FB have a 67 yard reception. The Chargers had 456 total yards and LT was hurt. Ugly.

The Chargers allowed a 49 yard run on 2nd and 25. They watched Brandon Marshall catch 18 passes (which could have been over 20 had a couple of penalties not been accepted by Denver)

Winning and losing aside, the two QB's combined to attempt 83 passes. They were sacked two times. If either one of these teams wants to think about playing deep into the playoffs, that had better change and had better change quickly.

The Broncos are averaging over 450 yards a game after two weeks. Cutler is completing over 70 percent of his passes for 325 yards a game with 6 TD's and 1 really horrible INT.

Excluding an end of half kneel down today and an end of game kneel down last week, the Broncos have had the ball 19 times. They've scored on 13 of those possessions with 9 being TD's. For two games, I now understand what it's like to cheer for the Colts or last years Pats teams. (but my team doesn't have a defense)

[bhlloy]

I've never understood why a ref would blow a play like that dead rather than let it go and see what happens. Once you have replay, let the replay do it's job. This isn't the first time somebody has got screwed by this and it won't be the last.

I can't say that the Chargers didn't deserve to lose though after they let the same type of play beat them 3 times in a row (Rosario last week and then the same guy twice this week). If you aren't going to bring the blitz (to be fair at least on the two point conversion Cutler felt some pressure) at least make sure nobody is wide open in the back of the end zone. Really shouldn't be that hard.

[kingnebwsu]

Bottom line as a Denver fan...take a look at the division standings:

Broncos 2-0
Raiders 1-1
Chiefs 0-2
Chargers 0-2

Two weeks into the season, the Broncos couldn't have asked for a better start. No other team in the division has a win outside the division & the very talented Chargers are 0-2. Awesome start, but there's still 14 games left.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

I've never understood why a ref would blow a play like that dead rather than let it go and see what happens. Once you have replay, let the replay do it's job. This isn't the first time somebody has got screwed by this and it won't be the last.

How far do we take this? They believe the play is over so they blow the whistle. If they don't blow the whistle and a player gets hurt on a play thaqt should have been over the negative results are much worse than a potentially incorrect call.

For years there were no replays and the league survived, no black holes were formed, the world did not end...

[molson]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

How far do we take this? They believe the play is over so they blow the whistle. If they don't blow the whistle and a player gets hurt on a play thaqt should have been over the negative results are much worse than a potentially incorrect call.

For years there were no replays and the league survived, no black holes were formed, the world did not end...

Referees definitely lean towards calling those kinds of plays fumbles, but ya, you can't do it every single time.

As a neutral fan, the occasional blown call adds to the entertainment value of a game. I distinguish that from refs who are just inconsistent and on the take (like in the NBA). The memory of winning a game on a bad call, losing a game on a bad call - it adds something extra to the whole thing. There's a limit of course, but I certainly don't feel cheating or anything when a ref messes something up, the way some people here seem to.

If tomorrow, there was a technology that allowed every play to be called correctly in every sports, every time, I wouldn't want it. It's part of the game, part of the story. And part of winning convincingly is putting yourself outside of that "danger zone" of bad calls and bounces.

[tarcone]

That was an exciting game in Denver. Shanahan is the man going for 2 to offset the bad call. Too bad the Chargers defense sucked today and couldnt stop it.
Im excited about Cutler. I think the Broncos have finally found Elways replacement.
And who is the best QB from that draft? Vince "Suicide" Young? Nope. Matt "Give me a drunk coed over a playbook anyday" Leinhart? Nope. Jay Cutler is the class of the draft.

GO BRONCOS

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

I've never understood why a ref would blow a play like that dead rather than let it go and see what happens. Once you have replay, let the replay do it's job. This isn't the first time somebody has got screwed by this and it won't be the last.

simple mental relapse. You get into some auto-pilot sometimes, you see the play, vaguely see the arm go up, the ball squirts loose and you whistle without even thinking about it. Believe me, if he'd had thought about it, he would have let the play go...

Goes to say, he's only human after all...

FM

[tarcone]

Whistle stops the play. And how many humans have the eyesight to distinguish between a fumble and an incomplete pass on that play. It looked incomplete from my couch.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by kingnebwsu

Bottom line as a Denver fan...take a look at the division standings:

Broncos 2-0
Raiders 1-1
Chiefs 0-2
Chargers 0-2

Two weeks into the season, the Broncos couldn't have asked for a better start. No other team in the division has a win outside the division & the very talented Chargers are 0-2. Awesome start, but there's still 14 games left.

No question. I think that's what stings Chargers fans even more. This was a huge game for one this early in the season. Denver now has a two game lead and the tiebreaker. At the beginning of the year, if you'd told the Broncos the standings would look like that, they'd be in celebration mode.

It just sickens me to win like this. It really does. I actually feel badly for the Chargers and Norv Turner. I never thought I'd say those words. . .

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by TroyF

No question. I think that's what stings Chargers fans even more. This was a huge game for one this early in the season. Denver now has a two game lead and the tiebreaker. At the beginning of the year, if you'd told the Broncos the standings would look like that, they'd be in celebration mode.

It just sickens me to win like this. It really does. I actually feel badly for the Chargers and Norv Turner. I never thought I'd say those words. . .

I dont think it should sicken you. Shanahan gave the Chargers a chance to win. They couldnt do it. I thought is was a fantastic win for the Broncos and cant wait to see the Chief and Charger fans at work tomorrow.

[kcchief19]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Both teams could have won the game with a simple stop. Instead it became a game of "which offense can stop themselves"

Not to beat a dead horse -- no pun intended -- but San Diego didn't stop themselves; Denver did. You can argue that Denver did enough to win -- you cannot argue that they earned this win in any more than the Chargers did.

I also assume Cris Collinsworth is still on the NFL's payroll, because he's doing a great job defending the league. Even when Costas points out that Hochuli blew the call, it pained him to admit it.

But Collinsworth is flat out wrong on the Chambers play. It was not a simultaneous possession; Chambers had the ball, hit the ground and was down by contact. It was after he was down by contact that the ball was wrestled away. Collinsworth claims that the play was not reviewable because it was simultaneous possession and that is not reviewable. If that were the case, the replay booth would have told the Hochuli the play was not reviewable and the equipment malfunction wouldn't have mattered.

The NFL should be flat out embarrassed from this game an issue a formal apology and develop a contigency for such matters. It's further evidence why replay needs to be removed from the on-field officials and into the booth -- how easy would it have been for an NFL booth official to walk over to any of the half dozen media booths and watch the freakin' replay?

I have been a long-time opponent of replay and until it is implemented sensibly will continue to do so. The fact that possession of a fumble can be reviewed but possession from an "empty hand" from the quarterback cannot is silly.

[kcchief19]

Originally Posted by TroyF

It just sickens me to win like this. It really does. I actually feel badly for the Chargers and Norv Turner. I never thought I'd say those words. . .

Are you sure you're a Broncos fan? You don't sound like a douche bag ... I'm assuming tarcone is a typical Broncos fan.

[molson]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

The NFL should be flat out embarrassed from this game an issue a formal apology and develop a contigency for such matters. It's further evidence why replay needs to be removed from the on-field officials and into the booth -- how easy would it have been for an NFL booth official to walk over to any of the half dozen media booths and watch the freakin' replay?

I have been a long-time opponent of replay and until it is implemented sensibly will continue to do so. The fact that possession of a fumble can be reviewed but possession from an "empty hand" from the quarterback cannot is silly.

I don't see any way around it. If you want to replay plays like that, you're telling players, "OK, stop as the whistle, except if you think there's a chance that the play will be overruled, in which case, keep playing". That's just nonsensical, not to mention extremely dangerous.

The NFL, as a matter of practice, come out with memos after high profile blown calls that give their "official" interpretation. They don't owe anyone a formal apology. Referees make bad calls every game. It's not the end of the world.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

Are you sure you're a Broncos fan? You don't sound like a douche bag ... I'm assuming tarcone is a typical Broncos fan.

Snipe at the winners. At least you have someone to root against during your 0-16 season. Herm Edwards is the Dave Wanstadt of the NFL.

But, hey, you did have a good draft. You can always say that this season.

[SirFozzie]

WHAFUCK?

A taunting penalty called while the Steelers were in the defensive huddle???

[Fighter of Foo]

WTF is Carl Winslow doing kicking a FG down 7 with 3:21 left to play?!?!?!?

[Lathum]

Jesus, they know they are gonna run it and still cant stop them. horrible

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Fighter of Foo

WTF is Carl Winslow doing kicking a FG down 7 with 3:21 left to play?!?!?!?

losing.

[Fighter of Foo]

Not if he bet on his own team +6

[MrDNA]

Sigh. Why must I be a Browns fan? Lions fans, let's go get a drink.

[SirFozzie]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Robble-Robble Burger completely ignores the questions about his shoulder during the post game interview.

[hoopsguy]

Hmm, it sounded like an audition for the Patriots

[Jas_lov]

And what was with the short kickoff? You've chosen to kick the FG and play defense to get the ball back so you kick it high in the air to the 30 yard line? Layne Kiffen will be fired tomorrow and the worst coach in the league will be a tie between Romeo Crennel and Marvin Lewis.

[hoopsguy]

Two straight weeks of genius field goal decisions by Romeo - last week he kicked one when down 3 TDs to Cowboys with about 10 minutes to play.

[stevew]

I'm sorry the league bothered to subject y'all to that game. Should have been a one PM game locally televised. Unless you get geeked for bad coaching calls and defense.

Just as a simple thing, how long can you let Crennel go when he's 0-7 vs his main rival team. I would assume most college coaches would get fired if they lost 4 straight years to their main rival. Unless he gets them into the playoffs, his dumbass is fired.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Layne Kiffen will be fired tomorrow and the worst coach in the league will be a tie between Romeo Crennel and Marvin Lewis.

It's not even a competition, Brad Childress is the worst coach in the league. Childress cannot be fired soon enough. Watching the incompetence of the Vikings since he's been in Minnesota really makes me miss Mike Tice.

[Crim]

Originally Posted by mckerney

It's not even a competition, Brad Childress is the worst coach in the league. Childress cannot be fired soon enough. Watching the incompetence of the Vikings since he's been in Minnesota really makes me miss Mike Tice.

Strong words there, mckerney.

[gstelmack]

Three things we're getting a firm handle on this season after all the preseason discussions:

1) The Packers aren't dead with Aaron Rodgers at the helm.
2) The Jets are not the toast of the AFC with Favre at the helm. In fact, right now they look like #3 in the AFC East (#1/#2 pending some clashes between the Bills and Pats, since the Bills look like they may be for real). I did not get to watch much of NYJ/NED, but I did get to see the Merriweather pick...
3) The Pats are not dead with Matt Cassel at QB. Of course they need the defense to continue playing like it's 2001/2002/2003, but the young guys sure seem to be stepping up.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

WHAFUCK?

A taunting penalty called while the Steelers were in the defensive huddle???

I missed this last night, but I thought Jerry Porter was in Miami now?

And my entry in Sabs' pickem game officially hates the Steelers after they managed all of 10 points. At least the AFC looks a lot more wide open after they laid that turd...

[PackerFanatic]

Originally Posted by Fighter of Foo

WTF is Carl Winslow doing kicking a FG down 7 with 3:21 left to play?!?!?!?

LOL - I don't think I have heard that one, I love it.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by JAG

I used to think that way too, but there's also an advantage in not letting the opposing team's offense know that you need more than one score. They have to play things more legitimately than they would if they knew you were down two scores.

Yeah, but if you need two scores, you almost want them to play you this way. Get into your two minute drill and get down the field pretty quick as they're giving your receivers a cushion. Of course, I guess it would depend on the type of QB you had and if you trust that he'd have the discipline to throw it away instead of completing that 2 yd pass in the middle of the field. (Another pet peeve).

At least your reasoning has some logic behind it, which is different from what I hear from most announcers. The worst example is in a Louisville-MTSU game from a couple years back. MTSU was down 51-35 in the 4th quarter and scored a TD making it 51-41. Then they kicked the Extra Point!!! The worst part is the announcer praised the coach because he didn't go for two points "too early."

[Crim]

Originally Posted by Fighter of Foo

WTF is Carl Winslow doing kicking a FG down 7 with 3:21 left to play?!?!?!?

Madden immediately said he'd do the same thing. I fully disagreed then, and upon further reflection, I still disagree. It was, what, 4th and 7, deep in Steeler territory, I say the odds of picking up 7 yards on one play and managing to finish off the drive from 30-ish yards out are much higher than kicking the FG, kicking off, stopping the Steelers, and driving the field to score the touchdown they still need.

Romeo Crennel always looks like he's just bitten into a stale doughnut. His late-game decision making is that doughnut, my friends.

[PackerFanatic]

Do I seriously see someone wanting Mike Tice back? Wow, things must be worse than I thought in Minnesota.

[larrymcg421]

This sequence sums up the Dolphins...

Sigh....

[Jas_lov]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Three things we're getting a firm handle on this season after all the preseason discussions:

1) The Packers aren't dead with Aaron Rodgers at the helm.
2) The Jets are not the toast of the AFC with Favre at the helm. In fact, right now they look like #3 in the AFC East (#1/#2 pending some clashes between the Bills and Pats, since the Bills look like they may be for real). I did not get to watch much of NYJ/NED, but I did get to see the Merriweather pick...
3) The Pats are not dead with Matt Cassel at QB. Of course they need the defense to continue playing like it's 2001/2002/2003, but the young guys sure seem to be stepping up.

I never thought any of these teams were dead.

1. The Packers will get a good test next week vs. Dallas. Rodgers has done well against a couple of bad pass defenses. I worry about T.O., Crayton, and Witten torching the Packers secondary.

2. The Jets probably lose at SD next week but they can beat the creampuffs on their schedule with Favre and rack up 8-9 wins. I agree that Buffalo emerging as a good team makes it a little more difficult for them.

3. The Patriots had too much talent and too good of a coach to just fold. I thought they'd win 10-11 and I still think that. Like the Jets, their schedule is full of games against terrible teams.

[PackerFanatic]

The Packers had trouble against the decent TE last year, and hopefully they will be able to squelch that this week. Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson gave them a few fits yesterday and they will need to have their act together unless they want Romo to tear them a new one.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

This sequence sums up the Dolphins...



Sigh....

That sequence wasn't as bad as the Lions

3-1-DET 19 (3:37) 32-B.Jackson right end for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Detroit Lions at 03:31

2-M.Crosby kicks 64 yards from GB 30 to DET 6. 10-B.Middleton to DET 31 for 25 yards (59-T.White).
1-10-DET 31 (3:22) (Shotgun) 8-J.Kitna pass short left to 84-S.McDonald to DET 40 for 9 yards (31-A.Harris).
2-1-DET 40 (3:14) (Shotgun) 8-J.Kitna pass short right intended for 87-M.Furrey INTERCEPTED by 21-C.Woodson at DET 41. 21-C.Woodson for 41 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Detroit Lions at 03:09

2-M.Crosby kicks 70 yards from GB 30 to DET 0. 10-B.Middleton to DET 17 for 17 yards (37-A.Rouse).
1-10-DET 17 (3:03) (Shotgun) 8-J.Kitna pass short left to 84-S.McDonald to DET 24 for 7 yards (27-W.Blackmon).
2-3-DET 24 (2:41) 8-J.Kitna pass incomplete deep middle to 84-S.McDonald.
3-3-DET 24 (2:33) (Shotgun) 8-J.Kitna scrambles right end to DET 31 for 7 yards.
1-10-DET 31 (2:15) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 8-J.Kitna pass short middle intended for 81-C.Johnson INTERCEPTED by 36-N.Collins at DET 42. 36-N.Collins for 42 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by MrDNA

Sigh. Why must I be a Browns fan? Lions fans, let's go get a drink.

Sure. You've got the first round.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by PackerFanatic

Do I seriously see someone wanting Mike Tice back? Wow, things must be worse than I thought in Minnesota.

Tice isn't nearly as bad a coach as he got a rep for, especially when you look at what Childress has done following him. At the end of his tenure when Red McCombs was looking to sell the team he was given nothing to spend on players or coaches. When Scott Linehan left to coach the Rams, Tice was not given any money to hire an offensive coordinator, so he gave the position to offensive line coach Steve Loney. He was then told he couldn't hire an offensive line coach so he had to have Loney work as both OC and offensive line coach. The team went 9-7 that year.

Since then Childress has had an owner who would spend anything he needed and he's managed 6-10, 8-8, and an 0-2 start. And his 0-5 record against Green Bay isn't quite as good as Tice's 5-4. Also, as a guy who was considered a QB guru when he was brought in, his decision makings on what to do with the QB position has looked completely incompetent. So yes, in looking at what Childress has done I'd much rather have had Tice the last 3 seasons.

[RendeR]

I hereby retire from even hoping. I'm ashamed of the Cincinnati Coaching staff.

The offense is loaded with talented players, the OFF coordinator is loaded with the same fucking 4 plays we've been running since 2003. Every team in the NFL knows exactly when and where we're going with the ball. its pathetic.

I and hereby appologizing to the Bengals Defense, they played their asses off and gave up ONE bad/blown play all day long against Tennessee. The Offense couldn;t score points, the Defense kept getting put back out there having to force things to try and give the O another shot.

I have not been this embarrassed by our offense since Klingler was our QB.

Sad. Just fucking sad.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by RendeR

I hereby retire from even hoping. I'm ashamed of the Cincinnati Coaching staff.

The offense is loaded with talented players, the OFF coordinator is loaded with the same fucking 4 plays we've been running since 2003. Every team in the NFL knows exactly when and where we're going with the ball. its pathetic.

I and hereby appologizing to the Bengals Defense, they played their asses off and gave up ONE bad/blown play all day long against Tennessee. The Offense couldn;t score points, the Defense kept getting put back out there having to force things to try and give the O another shot.

I have not been this embarrassed by our offense since Klingler was our QB.

Sad. Just fucking sad.

Wow. You wouldn't last one quarter as a Lions' fan.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Wow. You wouldn't last one quarter as a Lions' fan.

Dude, you're just now going through what we went through for 15 years prior to '03, we actually started winning for a few, so you'll have to forgive me for feeling like my date left me under the bleachers without my shorts.

[molson]

The NFL is more public about this kind of stuff than any other sport, it's cool to see.

ESPN - NFL to give Hochuli lower grades after call in Chargers-Broncos game - NFL

"Officials are held accountable for their calls. They are graded on every play of every game," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday. "Ed has been an outstanding official for many years, but he will be marked down for this call. Under our evaluation system, an official's grades impact his status for potentially working the playoffs and ultimately whether or not he is retained."

I knew Hochuli was a lawyer, I didn't realize he was a partner in a major law firm. He certainly doesn't need the NFL gig.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by molson

ESPN - NFL to give Hochuli lower grades after call in Chargers-Broncos game - NFL

I know it's easy to take shots at writers when they say something screwy, but I can't help myself. The first sentence of that article:

"Ed Hochuli's acknowledgement that he erred on a call late in Sunday's San Diego Chargers-Denver Broncos game will mean lower grades for one of the NFL's highest-profile referees."

So his acknowledgement means lower grades? I thought it was the bad call that would mean lower grades. The way that sentence is written, it suggests that his grades would be higher if he hadn't admitted his mistake.

Every time I send a professional e-mail for work, whether it's to a client, my boss, or the girl fresh out of college who just got hired this morning, I read it at least twice to see if I've written anything that could be misinterpreted like that. Frankly, I'd be embarrassed to write a sentence for work like the one I quoted.

Then again, if that sentence is indeed accurate, I find the NFL's stance just a bit unsettling here.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Dude, you're just now going through what we went through for 15 years prior to '03, we actually started winning for a few, so you'll have to forgive me for feeling like my date left me under the bleachers without my shorts.

Huh? 15 years? Are you kidding me?

We've going through this for the last 51 years. ONE playoff win since 1957. ONE.

So, dude, you don't know what pain is. The only talk like that I'll hear is from Arizona Cardinals' fans. They're the only ones who know the depths of such futility.

I will lend a Cleveland Browns' fan a shoulder as well, given the whole franchise moving thing and the fact that no Cleveland has won anything since forever.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Dude, you're just now going through what we went through for 15 years prior to '03, we actually started winning for a few, so you'll have to forgive me for feeling like my date left me under the bleachers without my shorts.

We went through this phase .. it's called the Wayne Fontes era.

[B & B]

I like Wayne?