Important games this weekend.
A Charger loss to the Raiders this weekend virtually ends their season. It would give them 4 losses with trips to Philly, Indy, and KC still on the schedule. If they lose this weekend, they should start Philip Rivers the following week against Philly. It takes about 8 games for a rookie QB to get the jitters out. (see Eli/Giants, Palmer/Bengals).

The Jags need to knock off the Steelers at home this weekend if they have any hopes of winning their division.

If the Giants beat Dallas this weekend, talk about the 9th home game will begin to swirl, as the NFC Wild Card teams will likely be from the East and South.

If the Redskins beat KC this week, does it make them "for real"? KC is coming out of a bye week, playing at home, after a 2 game skid. This game should be a blow out with everything the KC needs to play for. So if the Redskins actually win, does it make them a good team?

According to the Providence Journal, Tedy Bruschi will return to practice this week in an effort to play this season. If he can play near his old ability, he'll help the team immensely. And his presence on the field will help from aleadership and motivational points.

Why do I get the feeling Bruschi returning is a bad idea? Oh yeah, because he had a stroke! It's not like a broken arm.

Has a coach ever been fired in the middle of a game? If not I'd love to see the Vikings be the first to do it. Vikes trail the Bears 21-3 in what can only be called a Must Win Game. Note to new owner- Do not wait until tomorrow; fire Mike Tice right after he shakes Lovie Smith's hand midfield. Another plus would be that I can get rid of this nickname.

WHy they didn't just dump Tice after their last game, I'll never know. The new coach would have had two weeks to prepare. Not ideal, but as close as you'll get midseason.

I was also going to rip the Giants for not scoring from the 1yd line by letting a rookie RB fumble the ball. But the Giants held the Pokes and forced them to punt. Two passes later, they score to tie it up anyway. Looks like OT.

Jags-Steelers headed to OT as well.

[ October 16, 2005, 01:00 PM: Message edited by: FireMikeTiceNow ]

I really wish the NFL would reconsider their OT rules.

Losing without even getting the ball is bullshit.

Josh

Ugh.

Uhh what if and what if and No and No.

I enjoyed watching the Gints and Cowpokes beat each other up into OT. It was particularly interesting seeing the emotional rollercoaster New York went through in the last two minutes of regulation and then OT.

The Giants were poised to tie the game with 2 minutes left when they let big boy rookie Jacobs carry the ball for the first time all game, only to fumble at the one. (Where was Tiki with the game on the line)? The game appeared over at that point.

Dallas took over at the one and went three and out chewing up only a minute of clock, plenty of time for the Giants to make one last stab at the endzone. Two passes and 33 seconds later New York tied it up. I thought momentum swing here, remembering the Skins debacle that bit the Cowboys just weeks earlier. But this time Dallas was lucky enough to get the ball first in OT and make that first drive count in a win.

The NFC East is real tight right now with all teams 3-2 except for Dallas at 4-2. Should make for an exciting divisional race for the first time in years.

Hmm perhaps Mr.Tice has some incriminating dirt on the Viking Sex cruise he has threatened to release.

Really though, I can't believe just how bad the Vikes have gotten since dumping Moss. So many were picking them to compete for the NFC crown. Just goes to show that getting rid of the bad boy on a team does not necessarily improve it. (Wonder if the same will be true of T.O. next year)

In the first half, LT is being an all purpose back ... running for, catching, and THROWING a TD (his second of the year) in the first half in Oakland

with the way all the AFC teams seem to be losing home games, is this the year that Indy wants to break throgh and get HFA.

[ October 16, 2005, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: Breesboy ]

There is no way to change the OT rule without making a mockery of the game. Those are the breaks. If you don't get the ball first you have to stop the other team. If you can't you deserve to lose.

This has been a screwed-up day. I forgot to make my picks in the 'Pick Em. I slept through the early games and missed everything that went on. And now CBS here is screwing us by showing Jets-Bills. eek!

I just saw the replay of the Giants' tying touchdown. There was Roy Williams, using the horsecollar tackle after someone got past him again and no penalty called. Why did the league make it illegal if the officials won't call it?

The AP writeup called the Giants-Cowboys game a "slopfest." Heh.

Well the Cadillac stayed in the garage, so he'll be good as new after next weeks bye, and the 2005 Bucs showed up. Looks like I was only off by a field goal on each team. Your 5-1 Bucs win, 27-13

[quote]Joe in Philly:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by js1metsfan:
[qb] I really wish the NFL would reconsider their OT rules.

Losing without even getting the ball is bullshit.
[/quote]There is no way to change the OT rule without making a mockery of the game. Those are the breaks. If you don't get the ball first you have to stop the other team. If you can't you deserve to lose.

Why would it have to be a mockery?
Sports change drastic rules all the time. What is wrong with the college OT system?
The NHL made a drastic change eliminating ties.
Sports make changes all the time when they feel the sport could use it.
I think the NFL OT rule is ready for a change.

Josh

This Vikings season is turning me into an alcoholic. I have made a drinking game out of watching their games as it is easier than dealing with the Mike Tice game plan.

1 drink for a sack.
1 drink for a penalty.
Shots for turnovers.

If they ever score a TD that means something I will let you know what the celebration is for that. I might not find out this season though, so bear with me.

This just in...

When you show up to a bar drunk at 10:00 AM, do not blame it on the Vikings.

bills 27, jets 17!

formula for winning, a quarterback who can marginally play.

a respectable defense.

and most importantly....give da ball to #21 and clear the way for him! Repeat several times over.

My pick for studs of the week for week 6 would be

third runner-up Chris Simms for finally getting it wet backing up the injured Griese (does Gruden really pick his QB's based on hunkiness??),

second runner-up Vinny Testaverde for showing that us older guys have a lot of balls even when we lose, and

winner Ricky Proehl who once again shows what a little guy can do with some brains and a lot of chutzpah.

The college system is that they take turns driving a short distance so that a 14-14 game after regulation ends up 52-48, with all those "stats" in the OT counting, so they can say "Wow, that QB set a school record with 7 TD passes in a 5-overtime marathon!" It's actually a lot of fun to watch but it's no way to determine a winner in football. It's a joke.

And the NHL is a desperate league trying to resuscitate itself. The shootout is completely wrong. I don't want games decided by a shootout or a foul-shooting contest or a home run derby.

The NFL has it exactly right the way it is now.

------

One question, having seen only a little of the Sunday night game: are the Texans really that bad?

[ October 16, 2005, 08:49 PM: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

A little monday morning debate...

How is what chad johnson does any less of sportmanship than that a TO/Moss do to celebrate?

His dancing is not mocking the CB he beat? His list is not mocking the other team?

I would modify it to allow each team a possession. This way, both defenses will be tested and the coin toss may mean a bit less.

Yay agreement.
I also don't think it has to be as extreme as the opponents 25 yard line either. It can be as simple as a kick off.

Josh

I agree - each team should have the same number of possessions. The current system makes the coin toss at the beginning of OT ridiculously important. To me it's analagous to a baseball game going into the tenth inning, the visiting team scoring in the top of the tenth, and the game ending right then and there. It's not done that way because it would be silly, as well as somewhat unfair - much like the current policy in the NFL.

[ October 17, 2005, 10:23 AM: Message edited by: Munson Man ]

Since your nickname hasn't had the intended effect why not change it to something more positive like...

HirePeteCarrollNow

PromoteTedCottrelltoHeadCoachNow

Just a thought...

M

I think it was last year...I compiled a list of OT games and how many times the game was decided on the first drive (i.e., only 1 team had to play defense). My findings were basically that it really only would have effected the outcome of less than 1 game per season. There are worse rules out there that impact more games.

I am more bothered when the team that wins the toss goes down and scores w/o the other team getting a shot. That seems unfair. For example, the Steelers came thisclose to returning the opening OT kickoff for a TD. My change: Once each team has a possession, then it's suddent death.

I think the NFL does not want to change for 2 reasons:
1. Giving each team a possession increases the chances of a tie after 15 minutes.
2. It also would lengthen games on TV, thereby cutting into games being shown after. For example, in LA, they announced they were leaving the Pitt-Jax game for "contractual reasons" to show Oak-SD. Jax scored a play later but I can imagine how livid fans would have been had the switch been made.

I agree that the rule could be changed, and maybe each team having a possession makes sense, but it really doesn't impact as many games as people think.

My point is that the game really isn't decided on the coin toss. The stats just don't back it up. If I find time, I'll do the quick number crunching again.

And besides you've got 4 quarters to make sure it doesn't come down to a coin toss...

I saw a report about htis last season. The team that wins the coin toss wins a little over 50% of the time. Now I'm not sure if that means the team won the coin toss and won on the first possession at that rate (which would be monumentally unfair and in need of change) or if that 50% includes the teams that won the toss won the game after their 2nd, 3rd, etc. possession.

How bout this, if you lose the coin toss in OT, play some D.

I found my stats. I have to update for 2004.

2004: 12 OT games, 4 decided on first poss.
2003: 26 OT games, 6 decided on first poss.
2002: 19 OT games, 9 decided on first poss.

So right now, that's 1 out of 3 OT games that are "advantaged" by a coin toss.

[edited to add 2004 stats]

[ October 17, 2005, 05:26 PM: Message edited by: stinger85 ]

33%...that's significant enough to warrant looking into a possible rule change.
I mean something caused them to go to the 2pt conversion a few years ago, so why not look into OT.

Josh

The Chiefs proposed changes to the overtime rules several years ago (after suffering a particularly painful loss in New England) ...



[ October 17, 2005, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: coyoteugly ]

If you notice, the teams with no defense, hate the system....

I updated my stats above with 2004, which was right on the norm...4 out of 12 OT games decided on first drive.

But I bet that 33% advantage is no different than the coin toss at the beginning of the game. I'll try to do the stats on that tonight. How many times the team who rec'd the kick off and scored on the opening drive won the game.

Cyd, in your write up, Moss was injured at the end of the 1st quarter. I think he'd only been thrown two twice up to the point he was injured. Also, how can you leave the Vikings off the injury bug report? They lost their pro-bowl center before the season, their best defensive end for the season, have been without their #1 WR since week 2, and have lost countless back-ups, nickel backs ands special teams players. After the Patriots, I think they are the most injured team.

Hell, even our coach has his head up his ass!! wink

[ October 17, 2005, 05:49 PM: Message edited by: stinger85 ]

Here's a really bad idea - do what soccer does [sort of] - start at each team's 40, kick field goals, moving back 2 yards when both teams score, up 2 yards when both miss. You could have both special teams on the field simultaneously so as to speed things up - lol!

I suspect this is the sort of absurdist thinking that goes on in the rules committee.

The problem in the NFL is that both teams are so battered and exhausted after 60 minutes that overtime is not a welcome prospect, especially if it could go on and on. But since college [junior pro] football has a scheme that seems to work, two-possession overtime - of some more or less loony form - is inevitable.

Bucs may finally have a mobile starting QB. Possible that Griese is out for the season. Simms was impressive in the second half of the Dolphins game and looked good last year before getting hurt and replaced by Griese. It's about time we get to see the "future of the Bucs". Look for Claytons numbers to improve as he was a favorite receiver of Simms. The Bucs bye came at the perfect time.

I'd make some reference to a "brain fart" but then, this is Tice we're talking about...

Another highly amusing bit from Cyd's writeup: "My gut tells me that the Rams are going to give the Colts fits tonight, and that St. Louis may actually pull the upset. They're getting 13.5 points; I'm sticking with my gut on this one."

Cyd, you looked like a genius for about 10 minutes when it was 17-0. Alas, ten-minute geniuses are a dime a dozen. (Though it's 45-28 with a few minutes left so it's possible the Rams can cover the spread.) (Edit to add: I guess not. wink )

[ October 17, 2005, 09:28 PM: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

So how bad are the Rams or how good are the Colts? The Colts spot the Rams 17-0 lead then toy with them scoring 45 and it could have been more at end. So even with bonehead Martz out it does not matter. If Bulger didn't get hurt maybe the score might have been a tad closer but still no contest.

I've decided on the perfect test to find the perfect recruit for an NFL wide receiver:

One question - "Who is the NFL receiver you would most like to emulate?"

If the answer isn't Marvin Harrison, I'd move along to the next guy.

Taking nothing from Manning, whose game I have a great deal of respect for, no one has more class.

How about this... Just call the coin toss right! How hard can it be?

Are you kidding me? Harrison? What has he ever done outside of padding his stats during the regular season?

When has Harrison come up big in a game OUTSIDE of his nice little dome in some weather?

However, I’ll give the Colts this much, they have a corner on the market of Coaches and Players who are the biggest choke artists in the history of the playoffs. But hey, at least they are “Nice Guys”… and frauds.

I learned something last night from watching the MNF game.

1. There is no great team this year in the NFL.
2. Indy fans have to be the dumbest fans outside of Tampa. How pathetic were the shiny blue papers?
3. I wonder if they even sold out that game.
4. If Bolger does not go out, the rams just might blow the colts out. The only thing to stop their offense was a back up QB, not the Colts D.
5. Corey Simon is a fat piece of crap, have another hot dog.


Then again, someone with a "Pretty Smile" like chad johnson, makes him a "classy" guy.

Forget the dancing in the end zone showing everyone up, the stupid list etc... yup.. total class there kids.

Now why would you be so jealous of a gentleman with a little more padding?

I'm thinking some folks should stick to the hot jock thread and leave the real sports to the big boys.

I'm impressed.

I'm not, the hot jock thread is meant for the oogling, Week 6 is not.

Uh, you talking about Ray Bolger, who played the Cowardly Lion? Or Marc Bulger, the Rams QB? wink

yeah sorry Mr Outsports, i was thrown off by his "Pretty Smile"