NFL 2010 Regular Season Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Angell]

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield


The biggest surprises to me over the weekend were the Seahawks beating up on San Fran and the Chargers losing to the Chiefs. I know it's a Norv Turner team, but San Diego should not be losing to a poor team like KC. Houston beating the Colts did not surprise me at all -- I think the Texans are going to be very good this year.

Shouldn't be a surprise, really. While Turner is coaching, the chargers are going to be slow out of the box, it's just a given. Even when they have what is considered a "soft" opening schedule. Yes, they have no business losing to the Chiefs, but that's the chargers.

 

[Malcolm R]

Trent Dilfer obviously has some sort of man-crush on Phillip Rivers. Despite Rivers' prima donna act last night with all the on-field tantrums, Dilfer was constantly trying to explain away that behavior with ongoing praise about how Rivers is such a hard worker and an "ultimate competitor". Puh-leeze. Rivers' ego barely fits into the stadium. A real leader and competitor would have more self control and not berate his teammates on national television.

 

[Steve_Tk]

Sanchez proved me wrong for sure, let's see if he can keep it up.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I wouldn't get too excited about Sanchez just yet. The Patriots do not have a very good secondary.

 

Philly tried real hard to give the Lions a gift yesterday, but Detroit couldn't take advantage of the Eagles generous nature. It was ironic that a DeSean Jackson reception was overturned on replay review under the exact same rule that nullified Calvin Johnson's last minute catch in the end zone last week.

 

Neither Dallas nor Minnesota look very good right now. My annual list of coaches most likely to get fired by the end of the year starts out as:

 

1. Wade Philips

2. John Fox

3. Brad Childress

4. Eric Mangini

 

[Steve_Tk]

Are there any good NFC teams this year? I guess the Packers and Saints right now? I can name 5-6 AFC monsters that I don't think an NFC team can beat.

 

Andy Reid still plans to start Kolb...

 

[Dheiner]

I'm curious. I realize repeating is tough, but, why do you think any AFC team is better than The Saints?

 

[Johnny Angell]

There was a period in which the SB was a ho-hum game and not very competitive (i.e. the NFC always won). Now we've entered a phase in which the game is competitive and the AFC wins more often than not. However, wasn't Indy the favorite last year? Didn't they lose to a team that had lost 4 straight regular season games? No matter who gets there, I don't see that changing.

 

I'm an AFC fan, so I'd like the AFC to have the lock on the game, but they don't.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I cannot answer for Steve, but the Saints and Packers are the only NFC teams that really impress me so far, too. Of course, it's early and a lot can change between now and the playoffs.

 

Look at the other supposed NFC playoff contenders:

 

1. The Cowboys have looked like crap throughout the preseason and the first two real games.

2. The Vikings are fighting injuries and a hurt, rusty, and way past his prime Favre

3. The Eagles were easily handled by the Packers and barely hung on against a bad Detroit team

4. San Fran was blown out by Seattle, who's not very good.

5. The Giants certainly didn't look like a playoff team last night.

 

Atlanta has some promise, though, and Dallas and/or Minnesota still have time to turn things around. The Niners will probably make the playoffs, since somebody has to win that awful division. I think the Bears are frauds, though. I forgot to add Lovie Smith to my coaching list above (I knew I forgot somebody).

 

[Ockeghem]

Scott,

 

I amended your sentence above, because I know you unintentionally left off one of your favorite teams:

 

"I cannot answer for Steve, but the Saints, Packers, and especially my 2-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, are the only NFC teams that really impress me so far, too. Of course, it's early and a lot can change between now and the playoffs."

 

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Originally Posted by Ockeghem

 

The Bucs have been one of those early surprises, but I expect them -- as well as Chicago and Kansas City -- to come back down to earth soon. I think Tampa is only the third best team in their division.

 

[Ockeghem]

 

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield

 

The Bucs have been one of those early surprises, but I expect them -- as well as Chicago and Kansas City -- to come back down to earth soon. I think Tampa is only the third best team in their division.

 

Scott,

 

It was just a bit of fun. I know you're not a Tampa Bay fan.

 

I think the Chiefs could be a surprise, maybe even a 10-6 team. Then again, it was I who picked the Lions to win six games last year.

 

I was pulling for the 49ers last night. But turnovers -- ugh.
 

 

[Johnny Angell]

Originally Posted by Ockeghem

 

 

I think the Chiefs could be a surprise, maybe even a 10-6 team. Then again, it was I who picked the Lions to win six games last year.

 

I think the Chiefs will come down to earth very soon. Their QB is not very good. I believe he has a very low qb rating.
 

 

[Malcolm R]

Originally Posted by Johnny Angell



I think the Chiefs will come down to earth very soon. Their QB is not very good. I believe he has a very low qb rating.
 

Matt Cassel is certainly nothing like the QB he was when he took over in New England a couple years ago when Tom Brady was injured, guiding the Patriots to an 11-5 finish. I guess there's something to be said for coaching and talented teammates.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Originally Posted by Malcolm R




Matt Cassel is certainly nothing like the QB he was when he took over in New England a couple years ago when Tom Brady was injured, guiding the Patriots to an 11-5 finish. I guess there's something to be said for coaching and talented teammates.

If you look a little deeper into that 11-5 record in New England, nobody should be surprised that Cassel is nothing special. After all, he took a team that finished 16-0 the previous season, lost 5 more games and did not make the playoffs. It just shows that Pats team was so good that almost any QB could get double digit wins.

 

[Ockeghem]

Kassel was dubbed 'the Legend' in our household during that season. We were just joking around, of course.

 

In their 16-0 year, the Patriots were very good, but not quite good enough. That catch in the Super Bowl was awesome, however. And the Giants deserved to win.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The Lions road losing streak is now at 22 games. Next week they are at Green Bay, so you can already chalk up #23 (they have not won there since 1991). After next week's loss, head coach Jim Schwartz will have the worst record for a HC after his first 20 games in Detroit Lions history (2-18). Considering this team's pathetic history, that will be quite an accomplishment. Another coaching career ruined by Wm. Clay Ford, Sr.

 

Fortunately, I made a wise decision and played golf instead of staying home to watch this sad-sack team. Now I just need to figure out what to do next Sunday. Hopefully the weather will still be nice for another round of golf.

 

[Ockeghem]

The Lions ought to pass to Calvin Johnson more and more. I don't understand why they don't do this, and I fail to understand why they appear to be an almost completely different team than they were during the exhibition season. They looked like they were improving then; now they look as though they have regressed. I still don't have that many problems with their defense, but goodness that offensive line is not very good.

 

I took the Jets last night. I didn't see how Miami could win, although they sure did make the game close. The AFC East is going to be quite interesting this year. Early on, the Jets have the upper hand within the division. But there's a long way to go.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Do the Saints cut Utley for his placekicking woes? The Falcons got a minor miracle in OT with that chipshot miss, but they did what they had to do in regulation, which was play keep-away with the ball so the Saints offense were kept off the field enough to keep the score close.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The team that has pleasantly surprised me so far is Pittsburgh. I really thought they would struggle, between missing Big Ben, their patchwork offensive line, and trading away Santonio Holmes. Instead, they have looked very good, and their defense has been tremendous so far.

 

As for the Lions looking good in preseason, you should know better than to put any stock in that, Scott. There are lots of bad teams that look decent in those preseason games, playing against opponents who will soon be in the CFL. Heck, Detroit went 4-0 in the preseason the year they went 0-16.

 

[Malcolm R]

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield

The team that has pleasantly surprised me so far is Pittsburgh. I really thought they would struggle, between missing Big Ben, their patchwork offensive line, and trading away Santonio Holmes. Instead, they have looked very good, and their defense has been tremendous so far.

.

As a Pittsburgh fan, I've long maintained that Roethlisberger can be as much of a curse as a blessing at times. I've never bought into this idea that the whole team, and its success, rests on his shoulders. Batch & Dixon have usually proven to be very good when called upon, so I'm not overly surprised at the team's success behind them and without Roethlisberger.

 

It's my dream that they'd consider letting Batch start even after Ben's suspension is over, but I suppose they pay Ben too much money to be a back-up. But like Andy Reid in Philly, the team should select whatever combination of players gives them the best chance to win, not just who's "expected" to start. I would rather see the Steelers continue behind Batch/Dixon, who have proven they can drive the team to a win with its current roster, than have the team switch back to Roethlisberger, who in all likelihood will be kind of rusty after four weeks away from the team.