NFL 2012 - Drive to Glory

[Timby]

SmoothieX wrote:

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Oh and Timby, I'm looking forward to your Bears rants again this year. So I have reason for them to go 5-11.

Hey.

HEY.

[gblews]

Starbreaker wrote:

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New GM. New OC. New QB coach.

Sounds like my team, the Raiders, who embark this sesaon on a strange new journey into, NFL NORMALACY. Don't know what to expect as most teams hae done it his way for years and many of them have sucked for years. At least we got 4 Super Bowls and 3 championships out of the Cult of Al (RIP).

In any event, I am looking forward to this season like no other since becoming a Raiders fan. Lets have at it.

[SmoothieX]

Timby, I honestly have no feelings about the team one way or the other, I'm a Patriots fan. I just like the Monday Morning Vitriol.

Speaking of which, I get to spray my shorts for 3 minutes as the Pats starters get one drive tonight against the New Orleans Bounty Hunters.

[Timby]

gblews wrote:

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Sounds like my team, the Raiders, who embark this sesaon on a strange new journey into, NFL NORMALACY. Don't know what to expect as most teams hae done it his way for years and many of them have sucked for years. At least we got 4 Super Bowls and 3 championships out of the Cult of Al (RIP).

I have a ton of respect for Reggie McKenzie and I feel he did a pretty decent job in this year's draft, considering the limitations forced upon him (like having no picks until the fourth round due to Carson "Fuck Mike Brown" Palmer), but I'm not sold at all on Dennis Allen, who seems cut from the Ed Donatell mold of coaching, and when your major offseason addition was Shawntae Spencer while every other team in the division got better, that's ... that's not good.

[Sheep]

Starbreaker wrote:

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Chicago Bears, your Super Bowl XLVII champions.

Earl Bennett. Lance Briggs. Jay Cutler. Matt Forte. Robbie Gould. Devin Hester. Johnny Knox. BRANDON MARSHALL. Julius Peppers. Brian Urlacher.

New GM. New OC. New QB coach.

Be afraid. Be VERY afraid.

Hester pretending to be a WR, Forte's recovery and Knox's health make those three question marks IMO.

The subtraction of Mike Martz alone should add a few wins, as should a healthy Cutler. I'm looking forward to them getting back on track after last season's debacle.

[Timby]

Sheep wrote:

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The subtraction of Mike Martz alone should add a few wins, as should a healthy Cutler. I'm looking forward to them getting back on track after last season's debacle.

Martz can go get fucked and die in a fire and I thank the Lord every day that he's gone, but I'm still concerned about Mike Tice. I don't think he'll be an utter dogshit moron of an offensive coordinator, like Martz, but I am kind of concerned that despite adding Jeremy Bates in a coaching role and the addition of Brandon Marshall, he may run a conservative, run-first offense -- not quite Ron "on third and 7, HB draw up the middle" Turner, but ... eh. Remember, this is the guy who put J'Marcus Webb in solo coverage against Jared Allen. The Bears didn't do much at all to improve the offensive line, and in fact they promoted the guy who did work to improve the line (following the annual Lovie intervention with Martz) to run the entire offense, meaning that his attention is now spread across multiple areas. I'm very interested to see what happens on offense. Webb is still the starting left tackle, Carimi is questionable ... it wasn't just Cutler getting killed, Forte was being some kind of wizard to perform like he did.

Defense is another story, since Urlacher has sat out practice for more than a week and Shea McClellin has been far from impressive in camp, and God knows what's going on in the secondary.

I think they can be a 10-win team, but my money is on the Lions winning the division, since the Vikings are a dumpster fire and the Packers need to blow up their defense, because Rodgers can't lead them to a billion yards per game forever.

[Starbreaker]

No Cutler or Forte or Urlacher tonight. Not really worth watching over this crappy hotel wifi.

[1001001]

So how about the Jets using Tebow on punt coverage. In preseason.

WTF???

[SmoothieX]

I didn't catch the game. He's kinda like the old square peg/round hole analogy. He's got the talent and committment to be in the NFL, but there's no great fit for him. And according to various reports, he bulked up so much in the offseason for the wildcat and special teams plays, that it's hurt his already shaky QB abilities.

I am curious to see how the 2 QB system works for them, I don't think this has been tried like this before. What's the over/under on how soon there will be a QC controversy, Week 3?

You can't tell me the radio shows and newspapers won't be calling for him the first time Sanchez goes 13/27 for 125 yards with 0 TDs and 2 picks, while Tebow scores twice from the Wildcat package and makes a big special teams play.

And in other news, the Pats lose LB Dane Fletcher for the year with a shredded knee. He's not a star, but definitel a serviceable player on D.

[tighr]

I wonder how fantasy leagues will treat Tebow this year. He's not going to score enough points in most leagues to be a starting QB, but he will score more points than most flex players. In my league, we can't start Quarterbacks as a flex.

[1001001]

SmoothieX wrote:

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I didn't catch the game. He's kinda like the old square peg/round hole analogy. He's got the talent and committment to be in the NFL, but there's no great fit for him. And according to various reports, he bulked up so much in the offseason for the wildcat and special teams plays, that it's hurt his already shaky QB abilities.

They used him as a blocking back in a punt formation. Maybe it was to make the Bengals think about a fake, I don't know (the sound was off in the bar). But he ran downfield to try and make a tackle. I just thought that's a really stupid way to treat your #2 QB. Can you imagine if he blew out a knee on a punt?

[SmoothieX]

Considering I hate the Jets more than a lube free prostate exam, I would not wish that upon him, but nor would I cry if that happened.

[1001001]

Well, it looks like the Rams have a little work to do....

[Talon Lardner]

Hoping the Lions do well this year. Grew up with them as a kid, so seeing them actually being a contender last season was quite a pleasure. The key for them will be to keep Stafford healthy, and watch their penalties. Last season they seemed quite undisciplined, so hopefully this season will see a bit more maturity.

[Danny99]

Talon Lardner wrote:

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Hoping the Lions do well this year. Grew up with them as a kid, so seeing them actually being a contender last season was quite a pleasure. The key for them will be to keep Stafford healthy, and watch their penalties. Last season they seemed quite undisciplined, so hopefully this season will see a bit more maturity.

Fingers crossed.

It'll be nice not have to play a Green Bay team on Thanksgiving or on the final day of the season.