NFL Football - 2008-09 Season Discussion

[chrisspringob]

So, with the Giants and TB both losing and Carolina winning, we now have an interesting situation where the winner of next Sunday night's Giants-Panthers game will clinch home field advantage in the NFC, regardless of what happens in all other games in the next two weeks. The only way that the #1 seed could go unresolved beyond next week is if that game ends in a tie.

How often has that happened, where there's a regular season game in which the winner automatically clinches the #1 seed? NBC must surely be thankful for flex scheduling.

[Edit: And I just realized that Carolina hasn't even clinched a playoff spot yet. If they simply beat the Giants next week, they would go from not even having clinched a playoff berth yet to clinching the #1 seed, just from that one game.]

Relatedly, since both the Giants and Titans lost this week, who would you say is now the favorite to win the Super Bowl? There doesn't seem to be an obvious answer at the moment. Obviously, the Giants-Panthers and Steelers-Titans games next week will help clarify things, but what would be your guess if you had to pick right now?

 

[Neroon]

I really have to hand it to Matt Cassell. Even if it was against the Raiders, he showed some sincere guts yesterday. Just days after his father leaves this world, Matt goes out and tosses four TD passes in an important game for the Pats.

 

[Captain Craig]

Titans losing to the Texans was just a shame. Not that Houston isn't a good team, they are, we just played bad and not directly due to anything Houston did to us. Collins passes were off. Despite whatever wind was on that field I don't know a Titans fan who wouldn't be more content still losing had we tried that 49yrd field goal. Passing it then, in the wind which was a supposed isssue, when Kerry had been mostly "off" all day on a 4th&3 just caught me, and the radio announcer, off guard.

Next week against Pittsburgh now actually matters for something.
I hope we regroup. Now isn't the time to fall apart. We've lost 2 of the last 3. Limping into the playoffs is not what needs to happen after the great year this team has had.

 

[Nobody]

[
Given everything else that has happend in Michigan (particularly Detroit) I doubt this will even get noticed

You sir, severely underestimate the impact sports, especially football, has on our state. We will notice -- and we'll cry with happiness.

I don't know if the Lions going 0-16 is a good thing. That wide receiver Crabtree isn't really No. 1 overall pick material.

Put that in the "pro" column for why we'll draft him.


-nobody

 

[tomalak301]

I really have to hand it to Matt Cassell. Even if it was against the Raiders, he showed some sincere guts yesterday. Just days after his father leaves this world, Matt goes out and tosses four TD passes in an important game for the Pats.

Seems like that always happens against the Raiders. God this Oakland team is awful. There isn't anything new to be said about it either. Davis is an idiot, the interim coach is incompetent, and this franchise is a mess. I would have left after the first quarter to avoid the monsoon yesterday if I was unfortunate enough to have tickets for this game.

 

[Pegaritaville]

I really have to hand it to Matt Cassell. Even if it was against the Raiders, he showed some sincere guts yesterday. Just days after his father leaves this world, Matt goes out and tosses four TD passes in an important game for the Pats.

Reminds me of when Brett Favre played against the Raiders just after his father passed away. Kind of odd that both ended up playing great games against Oakland while facing a difficult emotional situation.


I'm thoroughly disgusted with my Packers. It's bad enough when you lose to decent teams, but you need to really underachieve to lose to a team like Jacksonville. Each week they find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The Lions will have to play extra bad against the Pack in the final week if they want to keep that 0-16 record alive.

Surprised to see Houston beat the Titans. Tennessee hasn't been playing very well of late, and Houston seems to be on a roll, but I didn't see that coming.

 

[1001001]

Surprised to see Houston beat the Titans. Tennessee hasn't been playing very well of late, and Houston seems to be on a roll, but I didn't see that coming.

What was Fisher thinking, not kicking the field goal at the end? That was bizarre.

We haven't heard from our resident Arizona fan today. I wonder why?

 

[Captain Craig]

Surprised to see Houston beat the Titans. Tennessee hasn't been playing very well of late, and Houston seems to be on a roll, but I didn't see that coming.

What was Fisher thinking, not kicking the field goal at the end? That was bizarre.

Even more bizarre was his explanation of it when asked.

As it turned out, Hurricane Ike played a big role in Fisher's call. After the September hurricane damaged some roof tiles, the Texans determined they wouldn't be able to close the roof for the rest of the season, until repairs could be made to the roof. So on a blustery day, with 26-mph winds swirling in the stadium, Fisher kicked himself for a decision he didn't make, and it wasn't about not kicking the 49-yarder. "I should have taken the wind in the fourth in the quarter,'' Fisher told me. "That's one I wish I had back. Before the game, Rob was trying field goals at that end from 48, 50, 51, and he was falling short. Way short, on a couple of them.''
Tennessee had won the toss before the game. The Titans elected to receive, and Houston chose which goal to defend, picking the favorable winds in the second and fourth quarters. Obviously, Fisher wishes he had deferred, and taken the prevailing winds in the second and fourth quarters.
If Tennessee loses to Pittsburgh, Fisher's going to remember that coin flip for a long, long time.

Wait. So the real bad decision was made at the coin flip?!?
I'm a Titan fan but I don't drink enough Kool-Aid to buy that one Jeff.

 

[chrisspringob]

I just noticed another weird happenstance with the schedule in the final two weeks of the regular season. Not only do the Giants play the Panthers next week for the #1 seed in the NFC, but if the Giants lose that game, then their regular season finale game against Minnesota could very well be the game to determine the #2 seed (Minnesota would have to beat Atlanta this weekend in order for that to be the case).

How often has *that* ever happened? That a team closes out the regular season in back-to-back games for which the winner automatically clinches a bye?

 

[Aragorn]

Did you see Bungles coach Marvin Lewis get into it with a reporter?

Article here.

Listen to it here in mp3 format.

 

[trekkerguy]

Whu-buh....buh....wha......HALLEUJAH!!! A victory! I never thought I'd ever be so happy to be 5-9!

Same here!

I'm just glad to have seen an effort by the team. They actually tried and played as a team out there, and whoila! A win!

Jags fans yay! I am not alone here!

 

[Neroon]

Did you see Bungles coach Marvin Lewis get into it with a reporter?

Article here.

Listen to it here in mp3 format.

I listened to it on the way home from work yesterday. Although I can understand Lewis being so frustrated with the season and the Och-Cinco brouhaha and so on... I thought the reporter wasn't out of line at all. he might have even been somewhat complimentary.

 

[INACTIVESamusAranX]

Once again I had to watch the freakin Jags choke another freakin win away. Garrard choked like a dog, and so did the defense.

I am absolutely disgusted with this team. Just when they actually win a game they revert to their old ways of choking a game away.

I've never been this upset with my team before.

 

[trekkerguy]

Once again I had to watch the freakin Jags choke another freakin win away. Garrard choked like a dog, and so did the defense.

I am absolutely disgusted with this team. Just when they actually win a game they revert to their old ways of choking a game away.

I've never been this upset with my team before.

From what I've read he didn't choke, both defenses did, but he simply didn't see the sack coming while he was doing his reads.

He and Manning both played great ball, as did Mojo. It was simply the Colts turn to have the last good play. That's all.

I'm not upset with them in the slightest, this year meant nothing weeks ago, just something to forget and move on to next year.

 

[INACTIVESamusAranX]

Once again I had to watch the freakin Jags choke another freakin win away. Garrard choked like a dog, and so did the defense.

I am absolutely disgusted with this team. Just when they actually win a game they revert to their old ways of choking a game away.

I've never been this upset with my team before.

From what I've read he didn't choke, both defenses did, but he simply didn't see the sack coming while he was doing his reads.

He and Manning both played great ball, as did Mojo. It was simply the Colts turn to have the last good play. That's all.

I'm not upset with them in the slightest, this year meant nothing weeks ago, just something to forget and move on to next year.

Thanks for the perspective.

I'm usually pretty miffed after heartbreaking losses like that.

I'm still dissappointed, but as you said, this game really didn't matter in the long run. At least the Jaguars are competitive again, excluding perhaps the defensive side of the ball.

Top 10 draft pick, here we come. *Sigh*

 

[Mallory]

The Colts made the playoffs again after their slow start. They sure managed to pull it together over the past few weeks.

 

[trekkerguy]

The Colts made the playoffs again after their slow start. They sure managed to pull it together over the past few weeks.

And I'm glad to see it, I hope they kick Tennessee's ass...

 

[Neroon]

The thing about the Colts this year is that even when they win they haven't been getting the big jump on their opponent like they did in year's past. That makes it harder on the defense, to the point where they turn in a performance like they did Thursday night.

 

[trekkerguy]

The thing about the Colts this year is that even when they win they haven't been getting the big jump on their opponent like they did in year's past. That makes it harder on the defense, to the point where they turn in a performance like they did Thursday night.

Very true, but as long as Peyton Manning is... Peyton Manning, and the defense comes through when it needs to like at the end of Thursdays game, they'll keep winning.

 

[the_wildcard]

Quick Fantasy Football question. 3rd string reciever.....do I start Derrick Mason against Cowboys or Donnie Avery against Niners.
Mason is playing against a defense that's been gaining momentum these days.

Avery is playing against an obvious (and it pains me to say this as a Niner fan) weaker secondary...BUT Avery is reported to have a hip injury. I figure he may have nothing to play for, whereas Mason and his Ravens are fighting for playoff spots.