NFL WEEK ONE

[Kinetic 0]

Another violent crime in Murder City. How has our friend Incandenza managed to survive down there for so long?

[Kinetic 0]

Just wondering if Steve Smith is still suspended for the Chargers game? I only ask because I am trying fantasy football for the first time and the guy I'm facing has Smith starting, but I do believe he's suspended.

 

Yes.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Homer-ism aside, the Browns can be fun to follow. Their offense is pretty explosive. Their defense likes to give up as much as the offense scores and the team is usually good for some overall wackiness. Plus, coach Romeo Crenell cuts some of the dryest promos you'll ever see.

 

They haven't defeated their "rival" Steelers since 2003 despite playing them twice a year so that's something to keep an eye on.

 

Here's NFL Network's Top 10 Cleveland Browns plays of 2007 ---- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=selT99D_ZZo...feature=related

 

Agreed. Odds are at least half the season's game come down to the final play, and half of those have some kind of unusual finish. Hell, one finish last season led to a change in replay rules for this season.

 

And another led to a change of the forceout rule.

[Kinetic 0]

Since I've got no connections to any US city or state I figured I'd stick the names of all the teams in a hat and just pick one, so I've at least got someone to follow. And I ended up with the Cleveland Browns. Which works out pretty well for straight off since we get the Dallas game live this weekend. Anyway, point is I'm still new to... well, virtually everything. So anyone care to give me a nice, dumbed down rundown of what to expect?

 

Decades of heartache broken up only by occasional periods of the team not existing. There's an impending quarterback controversy, with one of the guys being a scrub coming off of a flukey good year and the other being a latent homosexual from the nation's most abhorrent major college football program. The defense should be better but won't be. The head coach is one Shoney's breakfast buffet away from a major coronary situation. The team plays in a city playfully (but accurately) referred to as "The Mistake by the Lake."

 

8-8.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

You should have picked their predecessor: The Baltimore Ravens.

Sorry Browns fans.

[migoli 0]

Yeah he's speedy but he's not even worth mentioning. He got released from the freakin Bears, for christ's sake. If any team in this league needs good players at WR, it's Chicago.

 

 

 

He wasn't released, he was a free agent and with 950 yards and 5 TDs on the Bears with that mess of a QB situation i'd say thats worse case for this year. Plus i'm willing to bet you haven't seen a thing from Jackson so far this preseason. Yes it is preseason but it was noticeable different. Like I said though that was Jackson's first year at QB,what QB looks good in his first year? But the season hasn't started so this is all really useless talk so all i'm saying is dump on them all you want but there is a legit reason there is alot of talk when it comes to them.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Since I've got no connections to any US city or state I figured I'd stick the names of all the teams in a hat and just pick one, so I've at least got someone to follow. And I ended up with the Cleveland Browns. Which works out pretty well for straight off since we get the Dallas game live this weekend. Anyway, point is I'm still new to... well, virtually everything. So anyone care to give me a nice, dumbed down rundown of what to expect?

 

Decades of heartache broken up only by occasional periods of the team not existing. There's an impending quarterback controversy, with one of the guys being a scrub coming off of a flukey good year and the other being a latent homosexual from the nation's most abhorrent major college football program. The defense should be better but won't be. The head coach is one Shoney's breakfast buffet away from a major coronary situation. The team plays in a city playfully (but accurately) referred to as "The Mistake by the Lake."

 

8-8.

 

I'm sold.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Yeah he's speedy but he's not even worth mentioning. He got released from the freakin Bears, for christ's sake. If any team in this league needs good players at WR, it's Chicago.

He wasn't released, he was a free agent and with 950 yards and 5 TDs on the Bears with that mess of a QB situation i'd say thats worse case for this year. Plus i'm willing to bet you haven't seen a thing from Jackson so far this preseason. Yes it is preseason but it was noticeable different. Like I said though that was Jackson's first year at QB,what QB looks good in his first year? But the season hasn't started so this is all really useless talk so all i'm saying is dump on them all you want but there is a legit reason there is alot of talk when it comes to them.

 

He didn't just look bad his first year, Jackson was positively awful. And I have watched a lot of preseason; I get really desperate for football this time of year and watch whatever's on, so you'll bet I would watch a Vikings game at the beginning just to see how the division rivals stack up.

 

Whatever you think of Berrian, he was Rex and Kyle's only target, and 5 TD's where you're the primary target on a sad offense is really something to look forward to. At best, Minnesota just got a clone of another receiver they already have in Sidney Rice. And a lot of QB's do show at least flashes of brilliance through their first year, Jackson doesn't even have that.

 

All I can say is just thank fuck you guys have Adrian Peterson, otherwise you'd be on par with Chicago for the worst offense in the division. But we'll see how it all goes down Monday, right?

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Am I the only one who thought Jackson was solid?

 

The guy was 24 years old and led his team to an 8-4 record when he played. These factors are positive IMO...

 

#1: Completed 58.2% of his passes at only 24 years old with a solid enough 6.5 YPA. This with, let's be honest, a crappy set of wide receivers who really haven't been upgraded that much.

 

#2: He also can scramble as he had a 4.8 YPC with 260 yards with his feet.

 

#3: He had a very good ratio with 9 TD vs. 12 INT. While the totals may look low, keep in mind that he was 24 years old starting after finishing college from a I-AA school (Not even one of the better ones either).

 

#4: From Week 11 - Week 17 (7 Games) he had a QB Rating of 82.95 with 120/184 (65.2%) with 1311 yards and 7 TD vs. 7 INT. He definitely has what it takes to be a great quarterback. If you saw the early games in the season, he was as pitiful as Terry Bradshaw but he really came on in the 2nd half.

[Kinetic 0]

I think VX is guilty of a certain amount of homerism. Time will tell.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Maybe so, but I just didn't think he was all that impressive. I didn't see much of him last year, admittedly, other than Green Bay shutting him and AP down in the game at Lambeau, but when I saw Minny's games this year I don't think he has progressed THAT much to earn the seemingly blind faith that Brad Childress has in him. And if worse comes to worse, what does Minnesota have? Gus Frerotte? Awesome.

[Kinetic 0]

They could sign Chris Simms. I hear he's available.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Since I've got no connections to any US city or state I figured I'd stick the names of all the teams in a hat and just pick one, so I've at least got someone to follow. And I ended up with the Cleveland Browns. Which works out pretty well for straight off since we get the Dallas game live this weekend. Anyway, point is I'm still new to... well, virtually everything. So anyone care to give me a nice, dumbed down rundown of what to expect?

 

Decades of heartache broken up only by occasional periods of the team not existing. There's an impending quarterback controversy, with one of the guys being a scrub coming off of a flukey good year and the other being a latent homosexual from the nation's most abhorrent major college football program. The defense should be better but won't be. The head coach is one Shoney's breakfast buffet away from a major coronary situation. The team plays in a city playfully (but accurately) referred to as "The Mistake by the Lake."

 

8-8.

 

I'm sold.

 

In Cleveland's defense, the Cuyahoga River has not caught on fire for a few decades.

 

And I believe the Cleveland fans were successful in having the only situation in the NFL where the team moved, but the city was allowed to keep the Browns' name, lineage, records, colors, ect. Otherwise, it would probably have been Steamers' football in 1999 while the Baltimore Browns ran wild.

[Tommy 0]

They could sign Chris Simms. I hear he's available.

 

Yeah.

[Kinetic 0]

They could sign Chris Simms. I hear he's available.

 

Yeah.

 

Wow, Chris. What an honor. Is it true that not only do you not have a spleen, but that you're also sterile from constantly having your balls batted down?

[Tommy 0]

Wow, heh heh. You really tell it like it is, K-Tic. You are the king, my brother, you are the king.

 

I got to tell you guys that I love the Cowboys this year. Tony Romo. T.O. Marion the Barbarian. Adam "Don't Call Me Pacman" Jones. Roy "Don't Call Me Montel" Williams. Jason Witten. This team is built to succeed. I give you the Chris Simms Brand of Certainty, this team is winning it all this year.

[Slayer 0]

And if worse comes to worse, what does Minnesota have? Gus Frerotte? Awesome.

We just talked about this yesterday, Leo

[Kinetic 0]

Oh, yes. If worse comes to worse, the Vikings QB situation will be straight Booty.

[migoli 0]

Yeah he's speedy but he's not even worth mentioning. He got released from the freakin Bears, for christ's sake. If any team in this league needs good players at WR, it's Chicago.

He wasn't released, he was a free agent and with 950 yards and 5 TDs on the Bears with that mess of a QB situation i'd say thats worse case for this year. Plus i'm willing to bet you haven't seen a thing from Jackson so far this preseason. Yes it is preseason but it was noticeable different. Like I said though that was Jackson's first year at QB,what QB looks good in his first year? But the season hasn't started so this is all really useless talk so all i'm saying is dump on them all you want but there is a legit reason there is alot of talk when it comes to them.

 

He didn't just look bad his first year, Jackson was positively awful. And I have watched a lot of preseason; I get really desperate for football this time of year and watch whatever's on, so you'll bet I would watch a Vikings game at the beginning just to see how the division rivals stack up.

 

Whatever you think of Berrian, he was Rex and Kyle's only target, and 5 TD's where you're the primary target on a sad offense is really something to look forward to. At best, Minnesota just got a clone of another receiver they already have in Sidney Rice. And a lot of QB's do show at least flashes of brilliance through their first year, Jackson doesn't even have that.

 

All I can say is just thank fuck you guys have Adrian Peterson, otherwise you'd be on par with Chicago for the worst offense in the division. But we'll see how it all goes down Monday, right?

 

 

 

Its going to be so much damn fun, that place is going to be a zoo. I know they have to hear the hype the Vikings are getting and it has to eat at their souls and THAT will turn those Favre-deprived Pack fans banana ass! I do heart football......too bad it has to start during prime baseball season.....

 

[MFer 0]

Supposedly, Tatum Bell (who was cut btw) stole Rudi Johnson's bags while Johnson met with team officials...oh boy.

[Guest דניא&#15]

So, new NFL convert here. After years of intermitently watching NFL games and trying and failing to get into it, watching the Superbowl finally won me over this year.

 

Since I've got no connections to any US city or state I figured I'd stick the names of all the teams in a hat and just pick one, so I've at least got someone to follow. And I ended up with the Cleveland Browns. Which works out pretty well for straight off since we get the Dallas game live this weekend. Anyway, point is I'm still new to... well, virtually everything. So anyone care to give me a nice, dumbed down rundown of what to expect?

 

You'll be part of one of the hotter "rivalries" in the NFL with the Browns/Steelers which always makes for a great game atmosphere regardless of how well the Brownies do. You're also part of a fun division that features smash mouth defense from Baltimore and an exciting offense similar to Cleveland from Cincinnati. Cleveland fans still hate Baltimore since that's where the original team moved to so you have that bitter feud too.

With all due respect, the guy is a quarter-day away from NE Ohio/SW Penn, following a sport that hardly exists in his native country, latching on a team that has sucked or not existed for years, with some of the most loyal and hardest-suffering fans in American sports. He's not part of anything.

[In Credible 0]

He didn't just look bad his first year, Jackson was positively awful. And I have watched a lot of preseason; I get really desperate for football this time of year and watch whatever's on, so you'll bet I would watch a Vikings game at the beginning just to see how the division rivals stack up.

 

Obviously you haven't watched the preseason, because Jackson has looked fantastic so far (before tweaking his knee).

 

Whatever you think of Berrian, he was Rex and Kyle's only target, and 5 TD's where you're the primary target on a sad offense is really something to look forward to. At best, Minnesota just got a clone of another receiver they already have in Sidney Rice.

The Bears had a terrible offense, when you don't have a running game it's really tough to get a good passing game going. Add Grossman and Orton to the mix and it's a fucking miracle Berrian had the numbers he did.

 

Sydney Rice is going to be a special receiver, he has sick body control and is going to be a red zone beast this year.

 

Also keep an eye out for Audrey Allison, he has sick speed and basically catches everything. Both Rice and Allison were rookies last year, but both will get a lot more to do this year.

 

And a lot of QB's do show at least flashes of brilliance through their first year, Jackson doesn't even have that.

 

Obviously you didn't see the Broncos game last year where he basically took the team on his back, rushed for two touchdowns late and willed them into overtime.

 

All I can say is just thank fuck you guys have Adrian Peterson, otherwise you'd be on par with Chicago for the worst offense in the division. But we'll see how it all goes down Monday, right?

 

That's pretty ignorant to say considering we have Chester Taylor who is way better than any RB Chicago has had in some time. It's like saying Favre was Greenbay's only reason for winning last year. It's funny that you mention the Vikings only having Gus as their backup considering the Packers have only 2 ROOKIE QBs behind Rogers.

 

Good luck with that, Rogers won't last an entire season if he gets pressure like he had vs San Fran.

 

[Guest Vitamin X]

Is Rogers going to be the new Farve?

 

The backup QB situation does scare me a bit, but I think we'll be okay. Matt Flynn looked pretty damn good, Brohm was a total disappointment and a waste of a 2nd round pick so far, in my opinion.

 

And Chester Taylor is decent, but he's not that good. He's good enough for a 3rd down back, which is what he'll play anyways, but I was referring more to the passing game than anything.

 

Look Vikings fans, you're good at running back and on both offensive and defensive lines, but I just don't see the reason for the hype anywhere outside of that. Packer fans aren't worried about the Vikings just yet- they're either extremely optimistic (such as myself) and think they'll just win the division handily, or extremely pessimistic and think they'll have a losing season and that they shouldn't have traded Favre. Czech alluded to this a while back, but it does seem like there's a bit of a rift in Packer Nation right now, with the "BRING BACK FAVRE" contingent believing the team is FUBAR'd and if they have anything less than another NFC Championship appearance, Ted Thompson and to a lesser extent, Mike McCarthy should head out of town.

[In Credible 0]

Well I'm glad that everyone is calling the vikes overrated. I don't see how they are though considering all they've done since last year is improve their weaknesses. They added a stud DE to help out the pass defense, they added a good safety (though he is hurt right now), they added a solid veteran WR in Berrian (I will hold off on calling him not that good until I see him with a better offense), and Jackson has a season of experience and a very good offseason under his belt (he has been very confident and it's shown in the preseason). Also I'm excited about Sydney Rice and Audrey Allison, Rice really started to come into his own last year and could develop into a game changing receiver with his height and athleticism. Allison is a speedster with great hands and good ability to improvise.

 

Oh and then we have AP.

[NoCalMike 0]

Well I'm glad that everyone is calling the vikes overrated. I don't see how they are though considering all they've done since last year is improve their weaknesses. They added a stud DE to help out the pass defense, they added a good safety (though he is hurt right now), they added a solid veteran WR in Berrian (I will hold off on calling him not that good until I see him with a better offense), and Jackson has a season of experience and a very good offseason under his belt (he has been very confident and it's shown in the preseason). Also I'm excited about Sydney Rice and Audrey Allison, Rice really started to come into his own last year and could develop into a game changing receiver with his height and athleticism. Allison is a speedster with great hands and good ability to improvise.

 

Oh and then we have AP.

 

I think Minnesota will be good, probably win the division. I think last year against the Redskins, they were probably the better team but they were facing a veteren Redskins team that was more ready to step it up in a December game with the playoffs on the line. That is the type of game that the Vikes probably win if they played it again this year. This season opposed to last season, the Vikings will be ready for that type of spotlight, methinks.

[MFer 0]

I'm not ready to say that the Vikings will win the division but I definitely think that Packer fans shouldn't get too comfortable. I think Jackson has a chance to be pretty good and that would make a huge difference in Minnesota. Green Bay will have around 10-11 wins and Minnesota will finish one or two games behind them.

 

On another NFC note, I don't know why everyone's sleeping on Seattle (no pun intended). Morris was pretty good last year and adding Jones, Duckett, and the rookie Forsett will make the run game way better than it was the last 2 years. Hasslebeck's got a back issue but it sounds like he'll be fine. I think they have enough WR depth to hold down the fort until their main guys get healthy. They also have a ton of talent on defense (Kerney, Tatupu, Peterson, Hill, Trufant) with good depth.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

I'm not ready to say that the Vikings will win the division but I definitely think that Packer fans shouldn't get too comfortable. I think Jackson has a chance to be pretty good and that would make a huge difference in Minnesota. Green Bay will have around 10-11 wins and Minnesota will finish one or two games behind them.

 

On another NFC note, I don't know why everyone's sleeping on Seattle (no pun intended). Morris was pretty good last year and adding Jones, Duckett, and the rookie Forsett will make the run game way better than it was the last 2 years. Hasslebeck's got a back issue but it sounds like he'll be fine. I think they have enough WR depth to hold down the fort until their main guys get healthy. They also have a ton of talent on defense (Kerney, Tatupu, Peterson, Hill, Trufant) with good depth.

 

I think people are sleeping on Seattle partly because their division isn't that good and the fact that they probably won't do much in the playoffs anyway.

 

Maurice Morris (in games that he had 10+ carries) went 113 carries for 462 yards (4.09) but he only had one game with more than 20 carries (28-87 against SF...). I'm not sold that he can be a feature RB and he has two backups in Jones and Duckett making the team essentially a RBBC. Duckett should be a good goal line back but he's been an enigma given the size (3.1 YPC in 2005 after a 4.9 in 2004). Julius Jones is essentially another Maurice Morris but not nearly as impressive. He's the very definition of a backup RB who should be good but like Duckett, has been enigmatic throughout his career.

 

Matt Hasselbeck, as you mentioned, has back issues but he's probably the most underrated QB in the NFL.

 

They don't have much depth at WR. Bobby Engram and Deion Branch are both injured and they lost Ben Obomanu to IR. Now they're stuck with Nate Burleson and three young players in Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne, and Jordan Kent. Burleson's a good #2 WR but it remains to be seen if he can handle the #1 role and it remains to be seen if the young guys can step it up and make plays until Engram/Branch get healthy.

 

They're limited at TE (John Carlson, Will Heller, and Jeb Putzier) which is usually a strong feature of their team. Carlson is an adequate receiver & blocker but Putzier can't block and Heller's been a back up.

 

As for their defense, it is solid for the NFC but it's not nearly as good as most teams. They had 8 games where they allowed 20+ points and seem to be up and down like a yo yo during the season. They allow 21 points one week, 3 the next, and 21 again after that. They also lost to "easy" wins in Arizona (23-20), Carolina (13-10), and Atlanta (44-41 in W17 with nothing to play for) last year and it remains to be seen if they can win the games that they should win while doing well against the top tier teams.

 

Outside of 2005's 13-3 record, they've never been "dominant" W/L wise and are the equivalent of the New York Giants. Good team that with the right amount of luck, can surprise and fight for a SB but won't consistently be in the NFC Title picture year in and year out.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I'm not ready to say that the Vikings will win the division but I definitely think that Packer fans shouldn't get too comfortable.

 

The Vikings should be playoff contenders, but they are overrated because most people say they are Super Bowl contenders which they clearly aren't. They'd get smoked by teams like Dallas.

[In Credible 0]

Dallas is overrated imo.

[Kinetic 0]

Dallas would seem to be the one sure thing in the NFC this year. The only caveat is that each of the last two years they've limped out of the regular season and shit the bed in the playoffs. But until January rolls around, I don't see any reason why they shouldn't be the best team in the conference.

 

12-4.