BILLS!!! JETS!!! ONLY ON CBS!!! -ILNFL Week 8 Thread

Indianapolis at Carolina - Carolina
Cleveland at St. Louis - Cleveland playoff run begins here, their cake schedule begins here. Romp.
NY Giants at Miami - Giants
Philadelphia at Minnesota - Philly. T. Jackson is the worst QB I've ever seen and I've seen every Browns QB play.
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati - Cinci
Detroit at Chicago - Chicago
Oakland at Tennessee - TN
Buffalo at NY Jets - Jets have the QB advantage but Bills have a better D. Bills.
Jacksonville at Tampa Bay - TB
Houston at San Diego - Chargers
New Orleans at San Francisco - NO
Washington at New England - if this game was in Wash I'd say it might be close, but since it's NE I'll go with the 'skins
Green Bay at Denver denver - Denver

THE LONG-AWAITED RETURN OF DUKE UMENYIORA TO HIS NATIVE ALBION

UMENYIORA IS MAD GANGSTA SON !!!!!

i think it's gonna wind up being a pats/giants superbowl this year.

the nfc is far from impressive.

I said that 8 weeks ago and cankles got all over my shit

NFC has been far from impressive since john elway got his rings though

on the other hand the AFC has the dolphins in it

where is the cankles we used to know?

Cowboys/Patriots rematch in the Super Bowl. This puts me in the position of rooting for the Patriots or building
an enormous crockpot and slow cooking myself to death on LOW for 8-10 hours.

although I may have to up the cooking time to 12 hours so that I'll miss the pregame show

you know historically ive always hated the cowboys - but ill admit to being pretty amused by the romo/to combo. and marion barber 3 is completely monsterous

Same here. That T.O. really cracks my funny bone.

yah i love romo the carefree gunslinger persona too

as well as romo the crying baby

yes where is Ade?

Marion Barber is badass and I wish he played for a different team.

WHERE MY MAN CANKEY GO @ ?

st. louis is by far the worst team in the nfl fwiw.

Cowboys/Patriots rematch in the Super Bowl.

dallas was lucky to get by minnesota, they've got to right their ship.

^^^this was my preseason pick but they've looked prety past few weeks. thing is, they'll probably coast to a first round bye + home game which should give them a pretty navigable road to the super bowl. i'll give eli another 2 years before i trust him in the playoffs.

they've looked pretty average past few weeks**

Indianapolis at Carolina INDAY
Cleveland at St. Louis CLEVELANG
NY Giants at Miami giants. GIANTESS
Philadelphia at Minnesota MIN
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati PIT
Detroit at Chicago CHI
Oakland at Tennessee TN
Buffalo at NY Jets BUFFALOS
Jacksonville at Tampa Bay TAMPA DO U C
Houston at San Diego SAN DIEGO IS ON FIRE WIN WILL BE DEDICATED TO PPLS WHO LOST HOMES ALL IS WELL
New Orleans at San Francisco NO
Washington at New England SAD TIMES IN WAS
Green Bay at Denver DENVER

(52-50 on thee season)

Guys, you think the Dolphins could win this weekend if they put in MEGATAYLOR?

http://deadspin.com/assets/resources/2007/10/jasontaylor.jpg

^^PLZ TO PUT ON EBAY

Buffalo is an enigmaz this year... two blowout losses on the road to good teams, but only four points shy of 4-2 after playing a slate of DEN, PIT, NE, LOLJETS, DAL and BAL. Not bad given that they're starting the 3rd-string D and have no quarterback throwing to a miniature WR1.

The question isn't so much how do these guys stay in games (let alone blow leads) as it is how does any other NFL team manage not to go 8-8.

^ Any other NFL team = any other team that is not Miami, obv.

marshawn is getting (righfully) overshadowed by peterson, but he's having a great year. dude's a fucking bruiser.

Week 9 lulz preview:

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/7164/belistophelesjf1.png

Belistopheles!

stealing signs = evil

fundie batshit homophobia = good

WHAAAAAAATEEEEVEEEEERRRRRRR

wheres that sweet jpg from tho?

espn page 2 today, header image for TMQ

fuck that anti-semite.

so, who's watching the new england game this week?

http://b2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/00484/20/59/484769502_l.jpg

whoops, wrong link!

insert the link to the football maps site here.

awesome

much better!!

Redskins' receivers looking to snap scoreless streak By Adam Schefter

http://static.nfl.com/static/content//catch_all/nfl_image/Adam_Schefter_SH.jpg

evil will always triumph over good, because good is dumb

that was a holdover from the badass pizza thread on noizebored. this is me in my halloween costume for this year:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1075/1064279201_e42887ed39.jpg?v=0

i'm going as the best goddamn dog ever.

being awesome in a big ass back yard as usual

WAS has the top defense in the league according to DVOA (2nd in pass d, 4th in run d), and their secondary is HELLACIOUS. so this should be an interestin' matchup~~~

being awesome in a big ass back yard as usual

that dog is a fraud, the dog above (linus bucko jones) is the best goddamn dog ever. it's his birthday next week.

WAS has the top defense in the league according to DVOA (2nd in pass d, 4th in run d), and their secondary is HELLACIOUS. so this should be an interestin' matchup~~~

it still won't matter. pats will win by 14.

nyc i fucking hate living in youuuuu soooo much sometimes

http://the506.com/nflmaps/2007-08-FOX2.PNG

"I couldn't find London on a map if they didn't have the names of the countries. I swear to God. I don't know what nothing is. I know Italy looks like a boot. I learned that. I know London Fletcher. We did a football camp together. So I know him. That's the closest thing I know to London. He's black, so I'm sure he's not from London. I'm sure that's a coincidental name."

Channing Crowder - ambassador for the NFL to the wider world
http://www.thephinsider.com/story/2007/10/24/22552/399

ha!

One CBS game per week is not shown in HD so you'd think the hapless Jets /Toronto Bills game would be the odd man out but no, the playoff bound Browns are to be blacklisted this week.

nyc i fucking hate living in youuuuu soooo much sometimes

OTM, I'm skipping football this week i think.

Weird, why is no football in NYC/SC/Tampa?

It has to do with a game not being allowed to be shown if the local team is at home, or something like that.

(Of course, we don't even know if San Diego will technically be "at home".)

Considering they're not even closing out Qualcomm as a shelter until later today, I have doubts that the SD game will really be "at home."

local team at home and game not sold out

first blackout of this type was for the 1958 Championship Game, everybody else got to watch it on teevee except those within like 15 miles of Yankee Stadium

Huh, I didn't realize those rules meant you couldn't show any game at all.

it doesn't

both afternoon broadcasters still cover one game each

I am fucking tired of having to watch the Niners and Raiders instead of real football teams, that's for sure.

For once, it's actually kinda nice to live 300 miles away from the nearest NFL team.

in the early 80s, with the exception of the home opener, the pats were never shown on tv in boston. in the late 80s/early 90s there were occasions when the team would be a few thousand seats short of a sellout and wbz, the local nbc affiliate who had the rights to afc games, would frequently guarantee a sellout and buy up whatever remaining tickets were unsold at the cut off point. i'm sure they wrote off the cost of the tickets plus they made a shit ton more on ads for a football game versus a shitty 7th run movie.

It is truly sad to be a Dolphins fan these days. Worst organization in the league; sadder still because the owner wants to win so badly. But he's wanted his incoming coaches to tell him that the team is only a player or two away, which is exactly the opposite of what the team's needed for years -- a total overhaul. Instead we get Joey Porter, who's good, but not for us, totally botched draft picks, stupid trades, and a revolving door of coaches who are either legacy picks (Dave W.), scumbags whose hearts were never really in it (Saban), or second-tier selections (Cam Cam).

I hate the NFL. Oh, to the guy upthread, don't pencil the Patriots into the Super Bowl yet. Their defense is average. Statistically, it's good, but that's really a function of their offense. They could easily lose a game to the Colts. We'll see soon.

I hate the Patriots and love the Red Sox/Celtics. The duality of man.

the patriots might lose to the colts but they will be in the superbowl. i'll wager any amount on it.

I won't wager. I will bitch and moan. I hate the Patriots.

I'm just glad it doesn't look like a set-in-stone cowboys/pats matchup anymore

i seriously think the giants are gonna come out of the nfc for some reason.

because the defense reminds you of a time when football was completely awesome

no, that would be the pats offense and that time is every sunday.

scumbags whose hearts were never really in it (Saban)

As a lifelong Tide fan, I can't say I feel too sorry for your loss. But I agree with your assessment of the multitude of problems in Miami. Has a club ever petitioned the NFL to take one season off so that they can scrap everything and start from scratch? Maybe Miami should set a precedent. 2008: the year of the 31-team league.

But I agree with your assessment of the multitude of problems in Miami.

Another sad aspect of it is that -- with top notch management -- we could contend again quickly. We'll have 20m under the cap after this year (with a few personnel moves, we can be more than 30m under), and we have 3 picks in the top 60 in the draft (including, in all likelihood, the No. 1).

I feel for the owner, too. His failings come from his desire to win and naive optimism. Normally, those are good traits.

I haven't ever seen Beck throw a ball. Do you think he could be the guy? If so, a compliment to his talent with a new, speedier, more youthful defense and Miami could easily make Miami 2nd in the AFC East. Ted Ginn is just waiting to score 16 tds next season--that kid's got mad breakaway speed. With a healthy Ronnie Brown back (presumably), 2008 could probably be a 9-7 season at least.

as a survivor of the victor kiam as owner dark days for the pats i feel for you. it's one thing if you have a coach who can't get it done (pete carrol) because they can be easily replaced. but when it's the coach (rod rust) and scouts (bobby grier) and gm (sam jankovich) it's horrible because it seems there's no chance of the situation any better.

good luck.

or second-tier selections (Cam Cam)

Seems a little early for that statement. He turned Ronnie Brown into LT in three games, and he's catching the team in an aggressive rebuilding mode, and losing top players evey week.

Free agency is a funny thing, and with the cap room and draft picks (and lol Ricky Williams) the Fish could be right back in it next year. Assuming the front office doesn't fuck it up.

but the point is the front office hasn't done shit with draft picks the last 6 years. that fish is truly stinking from the head down.

I haven't ever seen Beck throw a ball. Do you think he could be the guy?

Cameron is supposed to be a top notch evaluator of quarterback talent, and he's very high on Beck. Also, Beck has a nice arm. On the other hand, he's 26 already, so if he's going to be an impact player, he'd better be one soon (by comparison, Tom Brady is -- what -- maybe 30?).

but the point is the front office hasn't done shit with draft picks the last 6 years. that fish is truly stinking from the head down.

Yep. Here's a sobering point. In the six drafts from 1998 to 2003, Miami had 59 choices. It exercised 46 of those picks and used 13 other choices in trades to acquire veteran players. Remarkably, none of the players from those drafts is on the current Dolphins roster.

ESPN -- Miami Stinks

Seems a little early for that statement [about Cam Cameron]. He turned Ronnie Brown into LT in three games, and he's catching the team in an aggressive rebuilding mode, and losing top players evey week.

Maybe you're right. What you say is true. It's also true that the offensive line has been much better under Cam's stewardship. It's also true that the Dolphins are 0 -- 7, and look like a legitimate risk to go 0 -- 16. That's the kind of season that can get a coach fired.

let's say miami winds up with the first pick, who do you see them taking?

Offhand, I don't know. But since I'm curious, I will look into some top college players likely to be available and get back to you.

I can say that we have so many needs that it's hard to know where to start. I'd say that RB is our one solid position, but R. Brown's ACL tear casts doubt over that one potential strong-spot. Beyond that, we'll have to see how Beck performs when he comes in (and he will) after the bye week. I do think we'll have to go defense with the first pick -- which I'm confident we'll get -- since we've aged so far and fallen so precipitously on that side of the ball.

r seymour is back this week for a little warm up before he has to pwn joseph addai

i've never wanted the skins to win so badly before.

lol gl

i've never wanted the skins to win so badly before.

Yes; a 1000 times yes.

eh could happen - skins are probably the type of team the pats can lose to

Guys, the Patriots defense isn't that good. They seem much better than they are because the Patriots' offense usually has New England so far up that the opposing team is pushed into a depserate, one-dimentional game.

Maybe they just score too quickly, and so the defense is always on the field!

Looks like a good, but not elite, defense to me; the offense is simply too effective through the air. Can't score on the ground, have to put more pressure on the quarterback, etc. etc. all the way to february.

Yeah, it's maybe a bit above average. See what happens if they get into a close game, where the opposing offense can execute their normal game plan deep into the second half. I'm not saying they're bad, by any stretch: Just vulnerable on defense.

id agree w/good but not great d. although they havent really been tested. lots of coasting and resting starters, especially in the second half. also as i mentioned their best defensive player is coming back this week.

cant score on the ground is a bit of a stretch. have they tried to score on the ground? has there been any need? the running game is fine. they can employ the typical pass to get the lead, run to protect it - if they ever need to.

do brittshes really like the nfl? who are all those blokes w/giants jerseys? theyre all american right?

or the nfl gave them the jerseys eh? suspicious amount of brand new lookin green dolphins jerseys.

Can't score on the ground,

uh, they did have SAMMY MORRIS give them two hundred yard games. their #1 running back missed basically 3 1/2 games and they've been relying on kevin faulk as their primary ground gainer. maroney is averaging around 4.5 ypc and evans/morris were the goal line options. i don't think this team has a problem scoring on the ground.

the bears are dressed as the great pumpkin for halloween wearing their hideous orange jerseys. ced benson is having a decent day but the bears are about to go down by double digits as it's first and goal from the 5 with detroit up 3-0 already.

hester is waiting for hanson to miss a 52 yarder!

but it was good.

Moose pointed this out from the booth, but I noticed it too. The britishes are all going crazy when the kickers and punters come out in the MIA/NYG game, and seem only moderately enthused by plays from scrimmage. CULTURE WAR!

on the replay, immediately after the kick, all the lions players started sprinting down field to cover in case hester did get it. detroit kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds. i think hester has had one return today? which i missed while i was making coffee.

xpost- maybe with familiarity with rugby/soccer they have more of an appreciation for or at least familiartity with the kicking aspect of the game?

did i use familiarity twice in one sentence? YUP.

fox not showing fan invading field - fu no fun!

man steven jackson hurt ANOTHER part of his body today.

maybe the bears should consider going to no-huddle full time...

(that's 50% a joke)

WOAH MIKE HALL EX-DREAM JOB WINNER DOING SIDELINE REPORTING FOR FOX.

the bears d-backfield is making kitna look like mid-80s dan marino.

only on 3rd down tho.

cleo lemon is a wonderful name for a guy

now i can't hear them say lemon w/o thinking of tracy jordan saying, "LEMON!" XD

yah mee too

hester never ceases to be breathtaking.

cleo lemon is a wonderful name for a guy

-- jhøshea, Sunday, October 28, 2007 1:52 PM (Sunday, October 28, 2007 1:52 PM) Bookmark Link

sounds like he should have been a 6th man for the kansas city kings in like 1975 or '76. small forward out of unc greensboro or something.

lol.

lol bears defense really sucks, they better be looking at some dbacks in the coming draft.

4th and inches, bears jump offsides, automatic 1st down. 1st and goal from the 1.

should have thrown a fade to roy williams.

eli's old lady is hot

I just saw a britishes wearing a Titans jersey. (!)

Was it a streaker who ran across the field? when's Morganna the Kissing Bandit going to show up?

Cankles is actually otm, if he's talking about Mama Manning.

Yes, Browns intercept Bulger...WIN AGAIN!

i wish this fucking bears game would hurry up and get over, i don't wanna miss the pats.

four interceptions for griese. tremendous.

why switch to the bears game and not the eagles? eff u fox! at least phi/min is within 1 possession...

LET'S GO P-MEN!

i predict campbell has nightmares for the rest of the week after this game.

had moss wide open in the back of the endzone but brady had already tucked it under.

seriously, did anyone NOT think that vrabel was getting the ball? every fucking time.

Every team they do that to must be thinking "no, they won't do that AGAIN!"

as of now the pats covered the spread. they're 7-0 vs the spread this year which is insane even before you consider what some of the lines have been this year.

pour it on new orleans, give sf a top 10 pick.

Guys, the Patriots defense isn't that good.

Yeah, yeah.

Properly chastised, I'll rephrase to "can't WIN on the ground".
But boy they can fucking win through the air, can't they?

I'll rephrase to "can't WIN on the ground".

i'd rephrase to "haven't tried to win on the ground".

wow, they score a td here joe gibbs may take a swing at belichek after the game.

Let's hope Gibbs knocks Belichek's block off his shoulders. To reiterate: I HATE THE PATRIOTS.

Eh, I've gotta see it; their rushers have five tds and six fumbles so far this season.

gibbs doesn't have the balls to try.

i don't think the patriots care what you or anyone else think of them. and after "Guys, the Patriots defense isn't that good" i don't think your opinion carries much weight anyway.

wtf matt gutierrez is on kick off coverage?

Guys, the Skins offense isn't that good.

I've gone from hating the Pats back to loving them because the way they're winning every week is so masterfully absurd (and a little cruel).

since that pats game is unwatchable, i saw a lot of jets/bills. forgot how terrible gus johnson is as a broadcaster..so painful.

Guys, the Skins offense isn't that good.

Yes; Thank you.

Don't thank me so soon! That was raillery!

Let's hope Gibbs knocks Belichek's block off his shoulders.

If Gibbs doesn't want to get blown out, he could try stopping freakin' Cassel from running it in.

Oh l@@k u guise! Skins might score!!!

as long as cooley doesn't score here i don't care. i'm only up 3 in my other league and had to sign ike hilliard due to injury/bye weeks. he's given me next to nothing today.

fuck me.

That was a man-sized play by Cooley though to avoid the shutout.

was that larry izzo he beat?

Jets Bills was depressing.

jets & bills combining into 1 team might be decent. still would be a qb issue

WHERE'S IKE HILLIARD???!?!?

Hello? Jets/Bills was AWESOME. Wind was a major factor.

Of course, I didn't have to watch it...

good finish in florida!

FFFFAAAAAAHHHHHKKKKKKKKKKKkk

WAU. With GB@DEN still to play and 4:16 left in SF, I can do no worse than 10/13 against the spread this week.

Browns go down 14-0 and look like bums, usually that means game over. Not with Thunder and Wrighting! Kardiac Kids bak kthis kseason!

yeah, that was awesome, brownie.

I just saw on NFL Gameday that Joe Gibbs declined to shake Belichick's hand. Deion Sanders called him a puss; that seems pretty accurate.

Jets/Bills was really not awesome until that Losman pass to Lee Evans. I don't really understand the Bills this season.

also, does Eli Manning have a steady girl? what means "old lady"?

damn, now i understand why everyone hates the Pats! but, i also kind of like that they're just being more evil every week

so it's belichick's job to make sure the redskins defense can stop the pats offense? gibbs is old and in the way, time to retire AGAIN grandpa, you're ruining whatever's left of your legacy.

redskins radio was all "that was just classless". LOLs
hey now, gibbs has 3 super bowl rings. i blame dan snyder

i don't actually have a problem with belichick. it's not like i didn't watch the first gibbs era skins win some massive blowout games back when art monk/gary clark/ricky sanders were playing

The Bears were on around here for the first time in weeks, so I watched them. Benson is just a terrible back, the guy adds zip to the passing game. Hoping for Griese to be able to gun his way to victory is going to fail more times than not. Olsen looks pretty good.

Considering how many yards Detroit put under the wheels, they did not put that many points on the board.

"I don't really understand the Bills this season."

The Bills have not made much sense since the end of the Kelly/Thomas/Smith years. They seem to have discovered a knack in creating a QB controversy out of nowhere over nothing. I know Losman was off to a cold start when he got hurt, but from what I have read, part of that was the game plan completely got away from the deep passing game which was working last year. I don't get it, 99 times out of a 100 that no name backup is not going to end up being Tom Brady. Oh well, keep it up and good luck in Los Angeles.

i wonder what hyperbole gregg easterbrook will pull out of his ass this week, given that he said last time around

One funny thing did come out of that NE/Wash game, as AGAIN the visiting team had trouble with the sideline communications.

Muhahaha...you soft bastards we will crush you.

The Pats ought to remember that it would only take one cheap shot to end this whole thing. Alonzo Carreker of the Packers did it to the McMahon and Bears in 87.

The Pats ought to remember that it would only take one cheap shot to end this whole thing. Alonzo Carreker of the Packers did it to the McMahon and Bears in 87.

if that happened don't you think the pats would even the playing field on the first snap of the game every game? or given their recent penchant for revenge, turn it in their advantage by taking out the TWO best players on the opposition? cheap tricks are two way streets.

matt cassell against the 'skins first string scored as many as the redskins against the pats back ups.

AGAIN the visiting team had trouble with the sideline communications.

this happens every year at miami too but seeing as they're currently 0-8 i guess it's not newsworthy.

<i>McMahon and Bears in 87</i>

yeah but.. wasn't mcmahon himself known for being a dick.. i dunno, maybe someone will go over to the sidelines and bodyslam belechik into the turf. (by the way i checked wikipedia on that.. the guy who ended mcmahon's season.. HE DIED)

okay, apparently Gibbs did shake Belichick's hand. I apologize for calling him a puss.

if that happened don't you think the pats would even the playing field on the first snap of the game every game? or given their recent penchant for revenge, turn it in their advantage by taking out the TWO best players on the opposition?
THIS! IS! NEW ENGLAND!
http://me2bz4u.com/%7Ejkenscoff/blog2/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/300-1.jpg

plz add helmet kthx

my Buffalo D comes thru!

I may be drunk but I know that my brownies will have to play the Bills at the end of the season in order to get into the playoffs. Only the dark spirits will allow me to like myself after that.

sorry HS :'"[

eli's fiance

*HS = horseshoe

I may be drunk but I know that my brownies will have to play the Bills at the end of the season in order to get into the playoffs. Only the dark spirits will allow me to like myself after that.

yeah, I'm not sure what that means either other than BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE. ETC..

WE HAVE FIVE DOLLARS WAGERED ON THAT BATTLE, BROWNIE!

5000

50000

the winner gets to keep Lake Erie WATER

FRESH WATER

FUCK THE WEST & SOUTH :-[

FUCK TORONTO, ALSO!

amen sister

my god the pats wtf wasnt dc supposed to have a good d? this is getting scary. and awesome. scary awesome. wicked scary awesome.

ps http://scoopsnoodle.com/lix/yay.gif

everyone amped for the greatest regular season match up evaaaaaar!

complaining about running up the score in an nfl game is the most ludicrous thing ever. a few weeks ago, someone on this board (probably cankles or hs) said something to the effect of "if you don't want them to run up the score, then why don't you stop them?" which is the most otm thing ive heard about the whole thing.

+ this is the nfl. this isn't tim tebow bombing hapless mcneese st. freshman in a 60-0 game or something.

Basically, if you haven't taken your first team out of the game, don't blame the winning team for leaving their first team in.

lol bears defense really sucks, they better be looking at some dbacks in the coming draft.

-- chicago kevin, Sunday, 28 October 2007 19:14 (Yesterday) Link

http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/img/eric1004.jpg

i don't think the patriots care what you or anyone else think of them. and after "Guys, the Patriots defense isn't that good" i don't think your opinion carries much weight anyway.

-- chicago kevin, Sunday, October 28, 2007 10:44 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

lol otm

god

soaksljkalsfjlkasf

everyone amped for the greatest regular season match up evaaaaaar!

totally!!!!

re: running up the score.. what would joe montana do? :)
speed limit 55 | denver broncos 10

and yeah, i thought the skins had a good d as well. 5th in the league

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2007/writers/don_banks/10/28/colts/tx_102807_manning_ap.jpg

a few weeks ago, someone on this board (probably cankles or hs) said something to the effect of "if you don't want them to run up the score, then why don't you stop them?" which is the most otm thing ive heard about the whole thing.

OH OH I WAS ME I AM THE MOST OTM!!!! AND I HAVE A SUPERBOWL RING!!!!

http://i24.tinypic.com/2h713k3.jpg

omg dogg is dat u

and the ring

yah its me and my aunts super bowl ring from when she was dwight clarks assistant - it has five superbowl trophy diamond motifs on it cause it was the 9ers 5th superbowl - pretty fucking gangster

my plan is after my cousin inherits it is to set him up or blackmail him or whatever then the ring will be mine

it should be too hard cause hes a really trusting nice guy

shouldnt be tooo hard cause hes a really trusting nice guy (aka suckeeeeerrrrrrr)

wow wow wow I want a super bowl ring.

The Pats have totally won me over this season, I pretty strongly hope they go 16-0 at this point! Are they playing anyone likeable later in the season, apart from Indy?

i just read the sports guy reading my mind here - ive been worried abt week 17 too

nobody is mentioning a crucial monkey wrench in New England's quest to go 19-0: In Week 17, they're playing in New York against the Giants. Let's say they're 15-0 at that point and have home field locked up. And let's say the Giants need that game to either clinch their division or a bye in the first round. Could the Pats possibly justify playing Tom Brady against a top-five team with one of the best pass rushes in the league?

In my opinion, they have to play him because the goal for this particular Patriots season transcends the Super Bowl: They have a chance to be remembered as one of the greatest teams ever (if not THE greatest team ever) and live on like those '72 Dolphins have lived on for the past 35 years ... and that's before getting into the "shoving it in everyone's face who tried to discredit the first three Super Bowls" and "being vilified for stealing signals when everyone in this league cheats to varying degrees" components. If they're going to embrace the role of the Cobra Kai Yankees, then they have to try for a 19-0 season, right? No mercy. No mercy.

although i just cant abide by the yankees comparison - can not do that

Aaron Schatz: The Patriots are winning by so many points that they just brought in Eric Gagne at quarterback.

Your head looks photoshopped. I don't think it really is; it might just be congenital.

okay I'm super-excited about Colts-Pats. I thought it would be boring for the 587th time, but I was wrong.

i love the pats now and it's not just because tom brady is my qb in fantasy football. they basically look unstoppable, like even when you think they might be in for a tough game they just raep the other team by 45.

pats = http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:_NmZN98kmeQiLM:http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/02/21/clint_eastwood_narrowweb__200x237.jpg

rest of nfl = http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:KlI_ANg5iBZEfM:http://www.olympus.net/personal/uvl/Tuco_01.JPG

also, is the "this is football" commercial available for viewing anywhere on the internets? I keep looking for it on youtube but it's nowhere. ;_;

I will never start loving the Pats, but I am looking forward to the America's Game for this season. Hope Randy is one of the players they interview.

I love the Braylon Edwards-answers-the-phone moment. Also, as Ade has noted, the Belichick moment at the end. I think I'm losing it a little.

"and this is what the Colts do best"

this is bratwurst!!!

GUISE TALK TO ME HOW CAN YOU ALL BE DOING WORK WHEN THE COLTS AND PATS WILL PLAY IN SIX DAYS?????

i'm going to predict a 41-27 pats victory, with peyton manning doing his part but the indy d unable to contain the NE passing game.

that sounds abt right

what is this "one of the best pass rushes" crap? try THE best pass rush
bitch ass journos

part of me thinks that sounds right and the wishful part of me that has managed to be a Bills fan for 17 years thinks maybe the Colts pull off something miraculous. but yeah, that sounds right.

keep in mind that they play in the nfc tom

feh

I liked Mike Tanier's piece on how Spagnuolo is totally saving Coughlin's job

where, Tom?

I can't believe I have to root for Peyton Manning, so gross

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/2007/10/19/ramblings/too-deep-zone/5628/

I used to hate Belichick but I have come to terms with the fact that he is a huge genius and is basically the best in the league at his job right now. my problem with the pats as usual is that tedi bruschi is the most entertaining guy on their team and the most creative bit they can muster is his "awwww yeah" cheer. They even made Randy Moss a boring old team player.

also, worst logo in the game. therefore, colts plz. lol.

Randy Moss's total adoration for Tom Brady almost makes me wish I could like Tom Brady, but I can't.

I think my (irrational) Brady resentment goes back to when he won the job in the absence of Bledsoe. I've always liked Bledsoe, even if he was never more than a middle-of-the-pack qb. If he'd taken over for some other schlub, who knows what my opinion of Brady would be in 2007.

apropos of nothing, I love Deion Sanders and wish he would call games.

Yah! I was so disappointed when he left the CBS football desk and was replaced by marble-mouth Shannon Sharpe.

sometimes even I, with my high tolerance for douchiness, can't take NFL Gameday with all the pageantry and then all of a sudden Sanders gets serious and it's awesome.

i enjoyed the giants d article - but does anyone else think fo is the worstest site ever. like not just from a design nerd standpoint but from a more basic this site is unfucking usable or lookatable angle.

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:KlI_ANg5iBZEfM:http://www.olympus.net/personal/uvl/Tuco_01.JPG

</posts_in_character_thread>

I've always liked Bledsoe, even if he was never more than a middle-of-the-pack qb.

Actually, he was a lot more than a middle-of-the-pack QB for most of his career, with a real-deal laser rocket arm and a gorgeous long ball.

He was also relatively immobile and susceptible to throwing dumb INTs when faced with a stiff rush up the middle. And this tendency did not go away as he grew older and even less mobile. And defenses grew wise to this. Is really all that happened. Give him protection and a downfield threat and he could torch you all day.

They even made Randy Moss a boring old team player.

this is exactly why they're awesome, it's like they're a secret society or something. you know randy is still randy.

Belichick's just put the fear of god in everyone. I saw an interview with Stallworth, I think? and the reporter was practically taunting him, trying to get him to get mad at the stuff people were saying about the Pats. and finally Stallworth was like, look, I don't want to end up on Belichick's list, so I'm not talking.

I've always liked Bledsoe, even if he was never more than a middle-of-the-pack qb.

hmmmmm, threw for over 4,000 yards 3 times (and 3,985 in 1999), four time pro-bowler, top 10 in the nfl in passing yards 7 times, top 10 in nfl in tds 7 times, number five in nfl history in pass attempts and pass completion, number 7 all time in the nfl in pass yards, number 13 all time in tds... not bad for a 14 year career where he was a part time player in two of them.

his second year with the pats (and esp. the 2nd half of that year after he learned how to play) he was ungodly. 400 completions on 691 (!) attempts (i'm not sure if marion butts was the running back that year or the year before) for 4,555 yards. everything changed for the franchise that year.

marble-mouth Shannon Sharpe.

^^makes me more uncomfortable then even bradshaw's lulz attempts.

heh-heh...butts.

there was a golden age of beastly backs: butts, rod bernstein, natrone means, the nigerian nightmare, barry word, barry foster, bam morris, ironhead...good times.

the last in that line was the bus i guess.

HEY IRONHEAD, WHAT'S WITH THAT THINGIE?

i heard ironhead's kid's name called on a college game i was watching this weekend, don't remember which one or what position he played but i'm guessing it was maybe the rutgers game (since i watched that one pretty much all the way through).

wikipedia tells me his son plays for ohio state. poor dead ironhead.

from bledsoe's wiki entry

At the age of 23, he became the youngest player in NFL history to surpass the 10,000-yard passing plateau when he connected with Ben Coates on a 6-yard completion just before the half vs. the Jets (12/10/95).

i was at that game, it got moved from a 1:00 to 4:00 start for nbc. the pats clinched their playoff spot with this game and sam gash blew out his knee. it went from really fucking cold to brutally fucking cold after the sun went down. it was so windy that we couldn't get our grill to light in the parking lot.

Belichick's just put the fear of god in everyone.

espn radio this morning - 'this team has just made all the nfl fans completely civil. because what are you going to say? they are just that good..' the guy kept going on and on. i just checked the schedule and yes, they are playing philadelphia

hmm, maybe i can get tickets to see them in b-more

If Belichick = 1972 Nixon, then I can't wait for 2009.

I'd completely forgotten all those things about Bledsoe. I retract my claim of him being middle-of-the-pack!

For MVP consideration, I want a player who is on a winning team that simply wouldn't be winning without that player on their team. LT is hurt by the presence of Gates, Dwight by the offensive Hall of Famers he's surrounded by on offense, Carson's got the Johnsons. Shaun's splitting MVP with Hass

But could Dallas be 6-3 without Drew Bledsoe? Highly unlikely. Considering how far he's come and his past and the fact that he has the highest QB rating in the league and the talent he's surrounded with and that dem Boys are number one in the division and I'm goin' with Bledsoe.
Guy needs a nickname. "Bedsore"?

-- Forksclovetofu

he had that one really good year in buffalo after he left NE. he's underrated. but his career is still a little disappointing, maybe.

if he was on a team with a superior line he could excel. if he'd been the qb of the bears last year it would have been interesting.

the bears would never do anything so wise as to bring in a proven starting qb

beldsoe had some lovely years w/parcells (pats ver) - but he's sooo cooked now - total sack and interception machine. which is not to say he cant be better than what the bears got.

I saw on the Jax game this sunday that Del Rio contacted Bledsoe after Garrard went down, but he declined to even come work out.

I know this is probably boo-worthy, but I'm pretty convinced that Deanna Favre is a tranny.

wow this new replay route arrow graphic is nice

there was an article about bledsoe in the sunday boston globe. i've got time, let me find it. may require registration. but worth it anyway since the globe sports page is one of if not the best in the country.

"its breast cancer awareness week. theres been a lot of... awareness."

OK, that Veronica Lake hair-over-the-eye look is pretty OK.

jay cutler is having a good time out there

have they showed the "this is football" commercial yet, for the love of god? I'm hanging on by a thread here.

am I supposed to care about Jay Cutler? I feel like the least he could do, if so, is be cuet.

Jay Cutler looks exactly like any number of dudes I knew growing up in Alabama, and they were all stupid.

whoa@jay cutler gis:

http://www.gabriellereillyweekly.com/gabrielle_reilly/fitness/fitness_health_diet_gabrielle_reilly/jay_cutler2.jpg

Weirdly enough, that looks like an unused idea for a Smiths album cover.

okay officially I hate the celebrity in the booth feature (except when it's Charles Barkeley <3 <3 <3) but Vince Vaughan seems sweet.

yow!

That was some pretty quick scrambling by special teams.

yow yow !!

Jennings, U MAD BRO!

that was pretty stylish.

just havin fun

Yay fun!

football is gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy

lol @ Greg Jennings on Brett Favre: "this dude is like 70 years old..."

I wuvved bledsoe.

he's underrated. but his career is still a little disappointing, maybe

gear hits the nail on the head