NFL 2012 - Drive to Glory

[SmoothieX]

but this team was the team that Peyton Manning played for with all those other guys.

Many of those guys are gone, the roster has really been turned over.

 

[tighr]

The coach's fight with Leukemia has definitely been a unifying point, but this team was the team that Peyton Manning played for with all those other guys. Heck, I think more people paid attention to Peyton on the sidelines than the rest of the team on the field last year. Even though Luck is a big name in his own right, this team is a much more of a team concept and though you can't blame Manning for that, can you blame the other players for being distracted by the constant worry about his health?

You must be thinking of Reggie Wayne, because not many other players from the Manning years are left. The ENTIRE offensive line is brand new (including TEs), The ENTIRE defensive line is brand new, only a handful of linebackers remain (Angerer, Freeny, Mathis) and a handful of DBs (Bethea, Powers). Donald Brown is still around, but I've never liked him and he hasn't been much of a replacement for Addai.

This team has been completely overhauled.

There was plenty of recognition to go around when Manning was still there... there were a lot of Pro Bowlers on those teams, and they had name recognition. The stadium wasn't completely filled with Manning jerseys on game day, everyone had their favorite player. Maybe the reason you think of the Colts now as more of a "team" is because you'd be hard pressed to name any of the players on it other than Luck right now.

 

[SmoothieX]

As a Pats fan, I got to know the Colts pretty well from their much hyped matchups. Very few of the star powered regulars are still there from the Manning days. They really cleaned house this offseason.

 

[Timby]

The dumpster fire that we named the Colts last year is now 6-3 and in the thick of the playoff race. Raise your hand if you saw that coming. Anyone? Anyone at all?

Let's look at their schedule and results, though:

1 Sun Sep 9, 2012 @Bears L 21-41 0-1 62,341
2 Sun Sep 16, 2012 Vikings W 23-20 1-1 63,912
3 Sun Sep 23, 2012 Jaguars L 17-22 1-2 63,536
4 --- BYE WEEK ---
5 Sun Oct 7, 2012 Packers W 30-27 2-2 67,020
6 Sun Oct 14, 2012 @Jets L 9-35 2-3 79,088
7 Sun Oct 21, 2012 Browns W 17-13 3-3 64,560
8 Sun Oct 28, 2012 @Titans W 19-13 (OT) 4-3 69,143
9 Sun Nov 4, 2012 Dolphins W 23-20 5-3 66,479
10 Thu Nov 8, 2012 @Jaguars W 27-10 6-3 63,272

Their losses have been to mostly dogshit teams (the Jaguars are beyond terrible, the Jets are incredibly schizophrenic, the Bears are the outlier there), and they're barely squeaking by teams like Miami and Cleveland and Minnesota and Tennessee, when they should be smoking them (if they're a genuinely decent club). Their record is surprising, but for all the wrong reasons; I don't think this team is legit until at least another season (which makes sense, as it will take a while to dig out of the aftermath of Bill Polian shitting his pants for the last decade).

 

[archeryguy1701]

Regardless of who they're beating or losing to, I don't think anyone expected them to even be considering getting a winning record, myself included. They may not be a legit contender yet, but the fact that they're beating teams with some regularity, whether those teams be good or bad, is a really good sign for where they're at. Youre usually not supposed to win too many games when you're in Year One of a top-to-bottom franchise overhaul.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Watching the end of the Rams-49ers game. Wow, what a clusterfuck.

Under a minute in OT & the Rams have no sense of urgency going on. Taking their sweet time getting up to the line with the clock running.

It's about to end in a tie.

 

[Caligula]

First NFL tie in four seasons. That was a very sloppy finish.

Speaking of sloppy play, WTF happened to the Giants today? That was embarrassing!

 

[1001001]

Oh my GOD!!



Fucking Rams suck so much it makes me sick to my ass!

First play in OT: 80 yard pass to the Niner 2 yard line!

But wait...no..."Illegal Formation" penalty. Illegal formation? What the fuck? You're supposed to be goddamned professionals! You can't get something as basic as lining up correctly?? Fuck you and everyone you've ever loved.

Ah, but fortune smiles once again. Akers misses an easy FG, and the Rams are back in it!

Game winning field goal time...and...IT'S GOOD!!!

Except...hold on...the play clock ran out. Are you serious? You know that big ticking screen at either end of the field? FUCKING LOOK AT IT you chimp fuckers. GOD!!! Why?

Isaiah Pead should be cut immediately and left to find his own way home. The rest of the team (except Steven Jackson) should take the fucking Greyhound back, with stops in Get Fucked, NV and Eat Shit and Die, CO.










(Sorry Timby. I know this is your thing, but I couldn't hold that in without giving myself an embolism.)

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ Yeah, I thought Timby might've hacked your account there for a sec.

I'd be pissed too.

 

[Starbreaker]

I had the Colts going 9-7, but they're on absolute fire right now.

 

[archeryguy1701]

Today's Broncos game gave much to be optimistic about. First and foremost, the defense continues to be dominant. The Panthers offense was getting slaughtered. There were lots of Supermen flying around, and none of them were named Cam. Miller was a one-man wrecking crew today.

Trindon Holliday is scary good on returns.... but hopefully the coaches thoroughly smack him around for his early celebration. We should have gotten today's TD return taken away and he was extremely close to buggering up last week's return with the same stunt. If he wants to showboat and fling the ball away, he needs to be at least halfway through the endzone. Hopefully the coaches make him learn his lesson before he ends up costing the team some points.

The offense struggled today, and continued their horrible problems with not being able to recover their own fumbles. Honestly, how is it even possible that you put the ball on the ground 14 times and lose it 12? That's just bloody stupid. On a related note, McGahee is developing some nasty fumble issues as well. He needs to get this figured out because the options behind him aren't great (Hillman shows flashes but isn't there yet, I'm still not sure how Ball keeps hanging onto this roster, and Moreno also fumbles but doesn't have Willis' upside of occassionally gaining some yards).

Also saw the end of the Rams/ 49ers game..... did either of those teams want to win?

 

[tomalak301]

Oh my GOD!!



Fucking Rams suck so much it makes me sick to my ass!

First play in OT: 80 yard pass to the Niner 2 yard line!

But wait...no..."Illegal Formation" penalty. Illegal formation? What the fuck? You're supposed to be goddamned professionals! You can't get something as basic as lining up correctly?? Fuck you and everyone you've ever loved.

Ah, but fortune smiles once again. Akers misses an easy FG, and the Rams are back in it!

Game winning field goal time...and...IT'S GOOD!!!

Except...hold on...the play clock ran out. Are you serious? You know that big ticking screen at either end of the field? FUCKING LOOK AT IT you chimp fuckers. GOD!!! Why?

Isaiah Pead should be cut immediately and left to find his own way home. The rest of the team (except Steven Jackson) should take the fucking Greyhound back, with stops in Get Fucked, NV and Eat Shit and Die, CO.










(Sorry Timby. I know this is your thing, but I couldn't hold that in without giving myself an embolism.)

I could just echo your frustrations on the other side for the 49ers, but I'll just say what a clusterfuck of a game. I was actually impressed with Kaepernick, even though man does he hold onto the ball way too long. However, the bad thing about this game is the 49ers defense might be incredibly overrated. Everyone talks about how great they are, but when was the last time they intercepted a pass, or did what the Bears have done and picked 6 a pass. The 49ers (I think) don't even have the sacks like they had last year and while they do a great job holding teams, in terms of turning the ball over, they haven't been all that great this year.

They deserved that loss, but lucky they even tied. Still, it was a terrible football game, but I had a little fun at the end thinking back to the last time there was a tie and Donovan McNabb not knowing those were legit in the NFL. Hopefully the 49ers wake up next week against Chicago or else it's going to be a long game, and the Bears are coming off a loss at home.

 

[SmoothieX]

The end of that Pats-Bills game had me pulling my hair out. Up by 6 late and the other team has moved the all day. If it wasn't the Bills, and actually someone decent, they totally woulda lost.

 

[Spider]

Well, I wouldn't say the Texans stuck it to the Bears Sunday night, but I will say the Texans out-Bears'd the Bears.

It's good to be a Texans fan these days.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ Yeah. The Bears knew the weather was bad & Houston would spend most of the game running, then let them run amok.

Then the Bears couldn't repeat a successful running game themselves.

Also, the Bears are bringing back McCown.

 

[Pegaritaville]

I hope the Lions play as shitty next week against the Packers as they did Sunday against the Vikings.

Lots of upsets and screwy scores this week. No wonder I only got 5 right on the pick'em board.

 

[SmoothieX]

I had a rough week in my pool too. I think the entire board collectively relaxed their sphincters when the Steelers won in OT.

 

[Starbreaker]

Anyone notice that Yahoo Fantasy was down for the morning games on Sunday? I tried to get on there and change two of my picks after hearing some crazy stats on the radio involving the Giants in Cincinnati and how hot Josh Freeman was right now. Ended up not getting to change.

 

[Danny99]

I hope the Lions play as shitty next week against the Packers as they did Sunday against the Vikings.

Lots of upsets and screwy scores this week. No wonder I only got 5 right on the pick'em board.

The Lions are such a bipolar team. When they are on, they are on. When they are off, they are just awful.

I'm still hopeful though. The team seems to be moving forward and they are no longer the whipping boy of the NFL like that 0-16 season.

 

[Pegaritaville]

Anyone notice that Yahoo Fantasy was down for the morning games on Sunday? I tried to get on there and change two of my picks after hearing some crazy stats on the radio involving the Giants in Cincinnati and how hot Josh Freeman was right now. Ended up not getting to change.

I kept trying to change my fantasy lineup from my phone and thought I was having problems with the app again. In the end it didn't matter (would've gotten slaughtered no matter who I put in), but it was pretty annoying. They did appologize, but the timing couldn't have been worse.