Well, Tebow was cut by the Patriots and has probably heard his last hurrah in the NFL. How does this continue to happen? Tebow, Brady Quinn, Colt McCoy ... the list goes on of college star QBs that fall flat in the NFL. Is it bad scouting? Are they placed in offensive schemes that don't use their talents effectively? Do they play for just plain bad teams?
Well, Tebow was cut by the Patriots and has probably heard his last hurrah in the NFL. How does this continue to happen? Tebow, Brady Quinn, Colt McCoy ... the list goes on of college star QBs that fall flat in the NFL. Is it bad scouting? Are they placed in offensive schemes that don't use their talents effectively? Do they play for just plain bad teams?
I often wonder about this myself, i think alot of it has to do with the type of offenses they run in college, like alot of offenses center around option play and the wildcat formation and players that specialize in that dont always adjust into the nfl that well. And not to mention that the defensive schemes are much more complicated in the pros and some QBs have trouble reading them. There were a lot of people that forsaw that tebow would not be succesful in the nfl bc of the type of player he was in college.
i think alot of it has to do with the type of offenses they run in college, like alot of offenses center around option play and the wildcat formation and players that specialize in that dont always adjust into the nfl that well. And not to mention that the defensive schemes are much more complicated in the pros and some QBs have trouble reading them.
Good points. Yes, the college offenses seem to be more freelance than the pros and I imagine that pro defenses are immensely more complicated than those in college. It appears that alot of college QBs are not trained to see the field and read, but to focus on their main target.
In college talent can carry you. In the NFL you need talent and dedication and a work ethic to always get better. Also the stuff mentioned before. And add in a bunch of factors like coaching and injuries and schemes and so on.
Nobody thought Tebow was going to light up the NFL as a passer. Or Colt McCoy, but I dont think anyone thought Russel Wilson would either.
One of the factors in the NFL that takes a lot of QB's by surprise is the speed of the game. Where there is a bit of forgiveness in college ball, a pass cannot be late or delivered behind a receiver.
Pittsburgh's offensive line was truly offensive. The Giants served up more turnovers than a Pillsbury bake-off. The Patriots and Colts squeaked out wins against weak teams. And the Jets use a late hit in the final ticks of the game clock to steal a win.
You have to love week one.
My favorite scene of the day was the line of Bills fans, handcuffed, dressed in orange prison jumpsuits with Aaron Hernandez's name and number on the back, and chained together.
Well, Tebow was cut by the Patriots and has probably heard his last hurrah in the NFL. How does this continue to happen? Tebow, Brady Quinn, Colt McCoy ... the list goes on of college star QBs that fall flat in the NFL. Is it bad scouting? Are they placed in offensive schemes that don't use their talents effectively? Do they play for just plain bad teams?
I often wonder about this myself, i think alot of it has to do with the type of offenses they run in college, like alot of offenses center around option play and the wildcat formation and players that specialize in that dont always adjust into the nfl that well. And not to mention that the defensive schemes are much more complicated in the pros and some QBs have trouble reading them. There were a lot of people that forsaw that tebow would not be succesful in the nfl bc of the type of player he was in college.
I think a couple of factors come into play. First, the speed of the NFL game is so different than in college. In the NFL, you rarely see any player have speed that is far & away greater than other players on the field. Whereas college there is bigger discrepancy. Second, I think the issue of accuracy is a huge factor with the success (or lack thereof) from college to the pros. Quinn, Tebow, and countless others struggled in college with accuracy. That is not correctable in the pros, where the window and split second a receiver is open is dramatically less than in college.
And as Dellacroce pointed out, the ability to read a defense is what separates the Andrew Lucks and the JaMarcus Russells. Defenses are far more complex and deceptive in the pros, which many of the college QBs are not used to seeing and fail to make the adjustment once they get to the NFL.
Goombah makes some excellent points. Whereas many college receivers make it easy for their qbs by running away from defenders, in the NFL everyone in the secondary can run. Also the coverages and blitz schemes are far more complex in the NFL than in the best college programs.
One measure that's been helpful in determining what college qbs will find success in the pros is the rule of 26-27-60. A qb, who scores at least a 26 on the Wonderlic, has startes 27 college games as qb, and completed 60% of his passes has a high probability of being a successful pro qb.
Goombah makes some excellent points. Whereas many college receivers make it easy for their qbs by running away from defenders, in the NFL everyone in the secondary can run. Also the coverages and blitz schemes are far more complex in the NFL than in the best college programs.
One measure that's been helpful in determining what college qbs will find success in the pros is the rule of 26-27-60. A qb, who scores at least a 26 on the Wonderlic, has startes 27 college games as qb, and completed 60% of his passes has a high probability of being a successful pro qb.
That's a good measuring stick, Klydon. However, I think the 27 college starts is not enough of a barometer. Especially with the creampuff schedules so many Division I teams play. It happens much less frequently these days, but most of these QBs need to play at least 3 seasons worth of college games. But even guys like Quinn, Leinhart, Vince Young, and Carson Palmer were blue chippers who have had average to subpar pro careers. They simply benefited from having great talent surrounding them at the collegiate level that was missing in the pros.
Yogi, my Steelers will be in London end of the month toplay the Vikings. Are you a fan? It'll play at 1PM EST here; what time is that in London?
That will be a 6pm kick off here Oli. Apparently it was the quickest selling Wembley game yet so I reckon there will be a lot of Steeler fans in the house. I shall be watching and rooting for the Steelers!!
Yogi, my Steelers will be in London end of the month toplay the Vikings. Are you a fan? It'll play at 1PM EST here; what time is that in London?
That will be a 6pm kick off here Oli. Apparently it was the quickest selling Wembley game yet so I reckon there will be a lot of Steeler fans in the house. I shall be watching and rooting for the Steelers!!
Bravo! They lost to the Bengals last night, but they showed some good stuff nonetheless. As the season continues, I think they'll significantly improve.
Yogi, my Steelers will be in London end of the month toplay the Vikings. Are you a fan? It'll play at 1PM EST here; what time is that in London?
That will be a 6pm kick off here Oli. Apparently it was the quickest selling Wembley game yet so I reckon there will be a lot of Steeler fans in the house. I shall be watching and rooting for the Steelers!!
I'm sure there'll be many Terrible Towels flying in Wembley.
Yogi, my Steelers will be in London end of the month toplay the Vikings. Are you a fan? It'll play at 1PM EST here; what time is that in London?
That will be a 6pm kick off here Oli. Apparently it was the quickest selling Wembley game yet so I reckon there will be a lot of Steeler fans in the house. I shall be watching and rooting for the Steelers!!
I'm sure there'll be many Terrible Towels flying in Wembley.
What's with Cleveland trading Trent Richardson their first round pick in May (#3 overall) for the Colts' first rounder next year (likely to be in the 20s overall)?
What's with Cleveland trading Trent Richardson their first round pick in May (#3 overall) for the Colts' first rounder next year (likely to be in the 20s overall)?
You have not noticed a pattern of idiotic moves from the Cleveland front office since 1999? This trade will be a good move if they draft a franchise QB in next year's draft. However, nothing in Cleveland's draft history in the past 14 years indicates that they will get it right.
This front office - rightly so - did not like the players brought in by Mike Holmgren. Thus the exodus of Weeden as the starting QB and trading Richardson.
This trade is interesting because Richardson has been average (3 yds p/carry), comes out on 3rd down, and has already had 3 injuries since being drafted. Enter Indy, who lost their starting RB for the season last week. They overpaid for Richardson, who will benefit from a better QB in Luck. But Richardson is a small back who I think will continue to be hampered by injuries. So I think Cleveland was wise to land a #1 pick for him which they wouldn't have gotten in the offseason. And I think had Indy not lost its running back and not had a franchise QB in place, they would not have overpaid with a #1 pick.
I think Richardson will benefit in Indy. The Browns haven't had a solid passing game and as a result defenses could stack against the run. I think he'll find better running lanes with the Colts and will be able to utilize his speed. He's a very good receiver too, which will give Luck another weapon in short time.
The Browns haven't done well drafting and developing franchise qbs from Tim Couch to Brady Quinn to Colt McCoy.
But the way things are going, they very well may beat my Steelers, 9-6.
Good luck with the Indians, goombah. They have the best schedule to finish the season, and I'm betting they win one of the wildcards.
But the way things are going, they very well may beat my Steelers, 9-6.
Good luck with the Indians, goombah. They have the best schedule to finish the season, and I'm betting they win one of the wildcards.
The Browns beat the Steelers about once every 5 years. It took Charlie Batch & 8 turnovers last year for us to eek out a win.
I hope that you are correct about the Indians. They have made great strides this year and are going to be relevant with Francona. But they lack a superstar hitter, which I think will be a deciding factor.
It is very nice to see the Pirates do well this year, particularly after their collapse last year.
I hope that you are correct about the Indians. They have made great strides this year and are going to be relevant with Francona. But they lack a superstar hitter, which I think will be a deciding factor.
It is very nice to see the Pirates do well this year, particularly after their collapse last year.
I don't want to sidetrack the thread by focusing on baseball, but I wouldn't be too worried about lacking a superstar hitter in the lineup. In the postseason teams with effective pitching can remove the impact of an individual slugger by pitching around or not challenging him. It was done to Bonds, and I've seen it happen to Ryan Howard, who tried too hard to make something happen by expanding his already expanded strike zone. a team with a balanced lineup removes this option.
In the regular season Peyton Manning is far better than Eli, whose regular seasons are inconsistent and unspectacular. But in the postseasons I don't think there's any doubt that Eli has been the better quarterback.
And this season it looks as though inconsistent and unspectacular could be good enough to win the NFC East.
I have lived in Massachusetts for almost 10 years, but I grew up outside of Pittsburgh across the border in Ohio (suburb of Youngstown). I actually am a huge Miami Dolphins fan...Big Dan Marino fan. Obviously, I haven't any anything to be excited about for years...but I like Miami's Coach a lot and I love that there is actually something to be excited about finally...for now anyway:)
In the regular season Peyton Manning is far better than Eli, whose regular seasons are inconsistent and unspectacular. But in the postseasons I don't think there's any doubt that Eli has been the better quarterback.
And this season it looks as though inconsistent and unspectacular could be good enough to win the NFC East.
Peyton, more often than not, has come up small in the playoffs. See 1999-2005, 2010, and last year. In baseball terms, Peyton is "Mr. May," which is the snarky nickname George Steinbrenner once used to describe Dave Winfield. I would call Peyton "Mr. Regular Season."
Eli has two Super Bowl rings. The first came against a team that was 3 minutes from having a perfect 19-0 season. His second ring was earned by calmly making great throws in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl and having a fabulous playoff run.
Edit: Eli also has two of the most iconic throws in SB history. He threw a rope along the sidelines in his most recent SB. Of course, he engineered one of the most amazing plays in a Super Bowl, where he nearly was sacked, threw the ball up for grabs, and it was caught against the WR's helmet.
This season is wide open. The NFC seems stronger with teams like SF, Seattle, Atlanta, & New Orleans. The AFC is experiencing a change of the recent guard as teams like New England and Pittsburgh are getting old. And not since 1999's Denver Broncos have I seen a defending Super Bowl champion have such a roster upheaval than the Baltimore Ravens. Houston, Denver and perhaps Indy & Cincinnati all have the talent to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. But each of these teams have flaws. If I had to pick an AFC team, it would be Denver. But all it takes is another bad Peyton Manning playoff game and the Broncos could be on the outside looking in.
So what do we know at the 1/4 point in the season? Seattle & Denver are scary good, the Ravens are not repeating, Peyton Manning shows no sign of slowing down, and both Dallas & Cincy are pretenders. We also see that RG3 is not fully healthy, Jacksonville is as bad of a team as the 2008 Lions, and that the only class of 2004 QBs playing well is Phillip Rivers.
Both NY coaches could lose their jobs, although firing a two time SB winning coach would not make much sense.
Broncos have beaten the stinko Giants, the fake Eagles, the poopy ass Raiders and the OK Ravens. Maybe they are not as good as their record (and Pay-ton's records) might suggest.
If 28 is the final line for Denver- Jax, then you go with the underdog. This isn't college. There are too many variables to make that a safe bet on Denver.
Colts beat the Jags by 34. But I'd definitely take the under. Peyton might only play 3 quarters again.
And about Peyton in the playoffs... Yeah that 18-1 Pats team? The One that set all those offensive records? Eli did a great job on defense especially the pass rush against Brady..
I never thought I'd live to see the day when my Steelers were ranked 29th out of 32 teams. Madonne!
It's only week 4. The playoffs may be a long shot, but I don't really guage a team's overall strength until Thanksgiving. They're no top ten 10 team, but when it's all said and done, they won't or at least shouldn't be a botton ten team.
So while we are currently #29 out of 32, all we can do to get some satisfaction is point and laugh at the three wretched teams behind us.
Well Kly, I do expect the Steelers to come storming back when they play the Jets. The addition of Brown should help open up holes for Bell. That will give Ben the play-option and slow down the rush. If he's throwing for 300-400 yards now, he should be able to connect with his receivers with a reduced pass rush.
Ndamukong Suh is the vilest, dirtiest player in the NFL since Conrad Dobler.
You wonder how far the league will go. They are playing politics here, but that guy is a time bomb. When you see how blatant his violations are you can't help but think that someday there is going to be a tragedy. I think most players respect that their competitors are there to earn a living, just like they are. Therefore within the "brotherhood" there is a line you don't cross and Suh crosses it....often.
Sunday: Giants at Eagles. Oh boy. Two of the NFC duds. As a Giant fan I keep hoping for a game where they put it all together. If they knock out Vick early - he is on a tender hamstring - it could be sharks in the water with Matt Barkley. I feel a bit sorry for the Eagles. They have never been able to rise to the top - close. A few years back when Westbrook was in his prime they had a shot, but he was hurt for the Superbowl. That year was their best shot, but they missed him.
Forbes recently published a list of the most disliked players in the NFL.
Here’s the rundown:
1. Eagles quarterback Michael Vick 2. Chargers linebacker Manti Te'o 3. Detroit defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh 4. Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger 5. Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez
Of course, on that list only Vick is a felon. So, what do people have against Sanchez?
A list like this coming from Forbes? If it came from Sports Illustrated would it have been different? Sanchez isn't even on the roster, is he?
You might as well put all of the USC quarterbacks on the list: Sanchez, Leinart, Cassel, Palmer have all failed miserably and Barkley only paid one quarter, but managed 3 interceptions plus one called back by penalty.
Of course, on that list only Vick is a felon. So, what do people have against Sanchez?
Sanchez is definitely deserving to be on the top 5. The other players committed some kind of crime or hoax, or from dirty play. And their backlash comes from fans from other teams.
The anger towards Sanchez is nearly entirely from his own Jets fans. Basically, after a poor season, the former GM signed him to a lucrative extension and guaranteed him a chunk of his money. He did this because Sanchez had his feelings hurt when the Jets wooed Peyton Manning in the offseason.
Sanchez is guaranteed nearly $20 million from '12 to '13, which is the only reason he's still on the roster. The media boldly says that Sanchez will be cut after this season. For anyone else, the media would report that the player "might" be released, or have his contract restructured. That's how much of a foregone conclusion it is for Sanchez to be gone.
Now that the GM has been fired, the anger has been directed towards Sanchez. There was also anger directed towards Rex Ryan, in part, for his bromance with Sanchez. Do you know that Coach Ryan has a sexy woman wearing Sanchez's #6 jersey tattooed on his arm? Seriously.
I had the good fortune to attend the Lions-Cowboys game yesterday at Ford Field. While I don't live in Michigan, a friend of mine and I made the 2.5 hour drive and enjoyed the game. I have liked the Cowboys since I was little, but I had no real rooting interest.
It was a fairly pedestrian game until the start of the 4th quarter. Dallas was winning, but it was more the result of poor Detroit play and benefiting from 4 Lions turnovers. Then the game just exploded. Calvin Johnson put on one of the most incredible performances I have ever seen. At first I thought it was a misprint, but the stat line read 12 catches for 329 yards receiving.
As a disinterested observer, Lions fans are much like my hometown Browns fans. They seem to be waiting for the other shoe to drop and for the Lions to implode. Over the years, the Lions have given their fans many instances to feel this way. But yesterday, the game wasn't decided until the last tick on the clock. The Cowboys went up by 10 with a little less than 7:00 minutes to play. I would say that 1/3 of the stadium emptied at that point. But the Lions came back on the next drive to cut the lead to 3 again. With about 1:30 to play, Detroit failed to convert on 4th down and we left our seats to head to the car. We had a long walk within the stadium and heard some cheers, so we poked our heads in to see what was happening. The place erupted as if the Lions had just won the Super Bowl.
It was pure luck, but this was the first NFL game that I have attended in over 10 years. But we happened to pick one of the most exciting finishes in recent memory.
When I heard about the Dolphins' Richie Incognito, I was thinking that he could get a job collecting debts for one of the 5 families. He seems to be the ultimate bully.
When I heard about the Dolphins' Richie Incognito, I was thinking that he could get a job collecting debts for one of the 5 families. He seems to be the ultimate bully.
This has the potential to be an interesting court case. I would imagine some lawyers are anxious to get involved with Jonathan Martin, particularly if he decides to sue the NFL, the Dolphins, and/or Incognito. The last thing the NFL wants is a lawsuit against its multi-billion dollar empire, particularly if there proves to be evidence of covering up similar incidents.
When I first heard about Martin walking out of the Dolphins facility last week, my thought was that he just was a crybaby. Now, after hearing the voicemail he received from Incognito and the allegations that this was ongoing abuse, I think Martin did the right thing.
Credit should be given to Martin for not coming back with a gun or a knife. The NFL already has one player under investigation for 1st degree murder. For Martin to not violently respond after being told "I'm going to kill you" is a testament to Martin's maturity.
While I have not been in an NFL locker room, Incognito clearly crossed the line by dropping an extremely offensive racial slur and then threatening to kill Martin. Whether it was a joke or not is not the point. Incognito was obviously seeing how far he could push Martin and had already gone quite far based upon what has been reported. It seems likely that more information will be released in the comings days and weeks.
Well said, goombah. The abuse delivered by Incognito appears to be viciously constant. Even after being let go by the Dolphins at least for the moment, he has directed violent tweets at the ESPN reporter, who broke the story.
The NFL doesn't need the Richie Incognito mentality to tarnish its brand.
How about making him pay $15000 for Incognito's trip to Vegas....and Martin didn't even go.
Shows that no matter how big and strong someone is, there's still a bully out there. Before this story broke, I incorrectly thought that NFL linemen didn't really have to worry about this stuff.
Next and final stop for the released Incognito.....Oakland Raiders?
Right now the Colts have to feel like they were fleeced into paying a first rounder for Trent Richardson's 3 yds p/carry. I had serious questions about the Browns front office when this move was made. But they deserve credit for unloading a player who they felt was not going to contribute. And Richardson has proven the Browns correct in being a colossal disappointment after the trade. He is shaping up to be a big bust.
How about making him pay $15000 for Incognito's trip to Vegas....and Martin didn't even go.
Shows that no matter how big and strong someone is, there's still a bully out there. Before this story broke, I incorrectly thought that NFL linemen didn't really have to worry about this stuff.
Next and final stop for the released Incognito.....Oakland Raiders?
OHHH YAY we talking about my DOLPHINS on BB!!!!! Crap nevermind....
lol they gotta revamp the entire offense. It will be a long 3-5 years in Miami, not to mention that it has been a decade since we were somewhat relevant.
Ireland-Gotta Go Philibin-Gotta Go O-line in no particular order (minus Mckennie)-Gotta Go Running backs- Gotta Go
Am I getting my drift across? in Layman's terms: WE BAD
I'm not a Patriot fan, and nor am I a fan of Tom Brady, but they got a raw deal Monday night on the final play of the game. The interference clearly occurred prior to the interceptionand prevented Gronkowski from making a play on the ball.
Also, New Orleans benefited on a poor penalty call when Brees was sacked and fumbled in the fourth quarter. Although I was rooting for the Saints, I thought the call was silly.
How about them Eagles....FIRST PLACE! A few weeks ago i was ready to write off this season but Foles is finally looking like a starting QB. Hope it lasts!
I thought the call on Monday night was correct, but I also think that Carolina played an exceptional game and deserved to win. People forget how good that football game was until that last play. Hats off to the Panthers
Tom Brady introduced additional exhibits last night in establishing his superiority over Peyton Manning throughout their careers.
Brady was Joe Montana in the second half of last night's game. While it is difficult, if not impossible, to determine a player's greatness until the career is over and you have the benefit of time to gain a vivid perspective, Brady is in that Montana level. Joe was much faster, but Brady has a stronger arm.
I have to credit Belichick for a ballsy decision in kicking off to Denver to begin overtime. Few coaches would volunteeringly hand the ball to Peyton Manning in OT, knowing that a TD ends it.
I think Denver should hope that John Fox gets better by the playoffs. Jack DelRio never impressed me as a coach. He seemed unprepared to handle the team with a 24 point lead. He needed a little more imagination.
Oli and Kly.....can the Steel Ones make a run? Has Big Ben found the mojo? What is a fans perspective?
It's still a tough road ahead, but the Steelers have been playing much better. They still have some problems, but Ben hasn't been one of them. They have a respectable running game with the rookie Leveon Bell, who missed the first 4 games.
They have to win in Baltimore tomorrow. The loser of the game will likely be excluded from the playoffs. The games with the Ravens are always hard fought, and have provided the best football in the NFL over the past ten years. The games are almost always decided by three points. IO'm hoping for a Steeler win as they have had some good days in Baltimore.
Oli and Kly.....can the Steel Ones make a run? Has Big Ben found the mojo? What is a fans perspective?
It's still a tough road ahead, but the Steelers have been playing much better. They still have some problems, but Ben hasn't been one of them. They have a respectable running game with the rookie Leveon Bell, who missed the first 4 games.
They have to win in Baltimore tomorrow. The loser of the game will likely be excluded from the playoffs. The games with the Ravens are always hard fought, and have provided the best football in the NFL over the past ten years. The games are almost always decided by three points. IO'm hoping for a Steeler win as they have had some good days in Baltimore.
I concur. For the first time this season I have confidence in them. Despite everything, Ben is on track to break his yardage record and he'll continue that against the Ravens.
Looks like Foles is the man now....Vick better get used to sitting on the bench if Foles can keep this going.
They're clicking. The interesting thing is that the eagle offense will get even better under Chip Kelly. There'll be some roadblocks along the way, but the team is still getting used to the system. The turnaround is remarkable.
Tomlin, oh no! What did you do Mike? He BLUNDERED! Has he been hanging around with Bill "the Cheater" Belichicken? Can you spell I-N-T-G-R-E-T-E-E? What is this sport coming to? Next there will be players taking steroids. What a shame. Bring on Rugby...Yogi don't you agree?
Rugby is a fine sport MC, however ex players tend to end up with lots of missing teeth, cauliflower ears, flat noses and more scar tissue than Rocky Balboa!!! It's not for the faint hearted.
Rugby is a fine sport MC, however ex players tend to end up with lots of missing teeth, cauliflower ears, flat noses and more scar tissue than Rocky Balboa!!! It's not for the faint hearted.
Yes, but they are manly men, doing manly things with other men in a manly way. What are they doing in bottom of that scrum pile?
Rugby is a fine sport MC, however ex players tend to end up with lots of missing teeth, cauliflower ears, flat noses and more scar tissue than Rocky Balboa!!! It's not for the faint hearted.
Yes, but they are manly men, doing manly things with other men in a manly way. What are they doing in bottom of that scrum pile?
Usually biting, chewing each other's ears, gouging each other's eyes out and generally mutilating each other. The weird man love comes later in the communal bath
Had a nice chuckle this morning watching my tape of last nights Sunday Night Football. The Panthers defence player ( I forget who) who introduced himself as the Kraken from Hogwarts, all with a straight face and shades on. I hope he was doing it for a laugh and not being serious, either way it was hilarious!!
My Steelers came close to pulling off what might have been the greatest play in NFL history. If Antonio Brown would not have stepped out of bounds, that scoring play with no time left would have eclipsed the Immaculate Reception in NFL lore.
My Steelers came close to pulling off what might have been the greatest play in NFL history. If Antonio Brown would not have stepped out of bounds, that scoring play with no time left would have eclipsed the Immaculate Reception in NFL lore.
I was driving through a snow and ice storm as I haerd the final play on the radio. I was ready to pull over and make snow angels on the highway. My neighbor, a Dolphin fan, was at the game and assumed for a minute that it was a touchdown, and started out after the game until he realized the fans weren't screaming their heads off.
I have no problem with Tomlin. I think it's insane for the lague to consider taking away a draft pick because of the sideline incident, which is a tempest in a teapot.
Keep in mind that since 1969 the Steelers have had only three head coaches, all of whom have been to multiple Super Bowls and winning at least one. And Tomlin is still one of the younger coaches while also one of the most experienced.
They art the only team in sports, who haven't made a mistake with hiring head coaches since 1969.
I have no problem with Tomlin. I think it's insane for the lague to consider taking away a draft pick because of the sideline incident, which is a tempest in a teapot.
I agree with the insanity regarding docking a draft pick. They're not going to do it, so why threaten it? I think it's to send a message to sideline personnel that future incidents will be dealt with harshly.
The solution, of course, is to train the officials. The officials should have flagged Tomlin, and probably should have awarded the TD. That would have solved the problem and served as a deterrent for similar acts in the future.
Agreed on the unbelievable run for Steeler coaches.
I've looked at all of the available replays a number of time. Cortez was closing on him well before he tackled him and would have caught him regardless of Tomlin.
Alright Steeler boys, please stop dancing around the issue, your coach is a cheater in the likes of Belickicken. Whatever the league throws at him he deserves. What if it was Rex Ryan?
Alright Steeler boys, please stop dancing around the issue, your coach is a cheater in the likes of Belickicken. Whatever the league throws at him he deserves. What if it was Rex Ryan?
Not really. Tomlin has been coaching in the league a long time with a few teams without even the slightest scandal or controversy. It's incongruous that he would all of a sudden pick a nationally televised game against a heated rival to step on the field intentionally to interfere with a ball carrier on the field where it would be conspicuously obvious. He would have far more to lose than gain from this behavior.
During that game (and others in Baltimore) he viewed all kickoffs from that spot near the field facing the jumbo screen, but this time the long return ended near him. Yes, it was wrong, he should have been flagged, and I have no problem with a fine. As olivant said, the runner was going to be tackled anyway as the defender had an angle on him.
As for Rex Ryan, who really cares? Rex is no Mike Tomlin, and he has enough baggage with the Jets. But while Ryan was with the Jets, they had a similar play where an assistant coach or trainer deliberately stuck his foot out and tripped and injured an opposing player. The league in its wisdom never considered docking the Jets a draft pick for this conduct, which was far more egregious and undeniably deliberate than that in the Steeler case.
There has been a recent revisionist assessment of Tony Romo in the sports media recently, marked by a feature by Sports Illustrated, which concocted some statistics to suggest that Tony Romo is one of the great quarterbacks.
Sure, he put up a lot of yards, and yes, he wasn't playing defense, but he has made turning victories into losses an art form.
There has been a recent revisionist assessment of Tony Romo in the sports media recently, marked by a feature by Sports Illustrated, which concocted some statistics to suggest that Tony Romo is one of the great quarterbacks.
Sure, he put up a lot of yards, and yes, he wasn't playing defense, but he has made turning victories into losses an art form.
One of the great delights of my life is to tune into 1310 AM on Monday mornings during the season and listen to Norm Hitzges lament the Cowboys shortcomings during their previous game. Today was such a monday.
I saw this study and I agree as the bond between these teams and their fans is fiercer than others, in particular, the warm weather teams. Though I would think that over the past decades the Raiders have done so much losing that their fans should be accustomed to it.
But Pittsburgh fans follow the Steelers as if they are immediate family. Many find that they identify more with the team than they do with their religion.
Unstable fans...hmmmm. That confirms a lot of suspicions.
It's all semantics. I'm not convinced that the study confirms a lack of stability. I prefer to look at it as being more emotionally invested in the team.
Unstable fans...hmmmm. That confirms a lot of suspicions.
It's all semantics. I'm not convinced that the study confirms a lack of stability. I prefer to look at it as being more emotionally invested in the team.
Spoken like an attorney....and probably backed by a college professor. OR, both professions skilled in the art of spin. All kidding aside; a great franchise to follow...if you would ditch those towels.
I'm not really seeing what the Steeler player did wrong here. It is a vicious hit but it seems to me that it ought to be within the rules and spirit of the game. I did not know that kickers and punters are ruled "defenseless" throughout the play. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Here the punter is clearly trying to stop the Steeler kick returner from scoring so another Steeler player stops him. That's what he's supposed to do. If he lets that punter make the play, I think the coaches would let him hear about it during film session and being a rookie, he might not have a job the following week. I'm all for player safety but I don't think any one position ought to be safer than any other. If you step on the field and are part of the action, you're liable to get hit. It's a vicious brutal game but I thought this was a clean hit.
Its total bull. If a punter is defenseless the whole game he should have to punt then turn around and sprint to the endzone out of bounds behind him so not to interfere with any blockers or potential run backs
I'm not really seeing what the Steeler player did wrong here. It is a vicious hit but it seems to me that it ought to be within the rules and spirit of the game. I did not know that kickers and punters are ruled "defenseless" throughout the play. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Here the punter is clearly trying to stop the Steeler kick returner from scoring so another Steeler player stops him. That's what he's supposed to do. If he lets that punter make the play, I think the coaches would let him hear about it during film session and being a rookie, he might not have a job the following week. I'm all for player safety but I don't think any one position ought to be safer than any other. If you step on the field and are part of the action, you're liable to get hit. It's a vicious brutal game but I thought this was a clean hit.
You're absolutely correct. The hit was clean and officials were not reprimanded because it was not deemed to be a penalty. The block generated media discussion and the NFL in typical form with eyes always focused on saving their butts from suits imposed an arbitrary punishment.
Until now, never in the history of the NFL were punters regarded as per se defenseless. In the 70s there were kickers and punters, who would make tackles downfield. If the punters today are not to be blocked and truly are defenseless, they should be required to run off the field as soon as they punt and be penalized for loitering on the field if they do not leave the field. In the alternative, if they are truly defenseless, they should wear numberless bright pink jerseys to differentiate them from players, and therefore when they are downfield in the midst of ten of his teammates, opposing players mayrecognize him as a non-player, who can not participate in the outcome of the play.
The "defenseless" designation is ridiculously applied. In the Steeler game against the Dolphins, they called a penalty for a hit (not to the head) on a defenseless player. The "defenseless player" at the time was carrying the ball and attempting to stretch for the first down.
Unstable fans...hmmmm. That confirms a lot of suspicions.
It's all semantics. I'm not convinced that the study confirms a lack of stability. I prefer to look at it as being more emotionally invested in the team.
Spoken like an attorney....and probably backed by a college professor. OR, both professions skilled in the art of spin. All kidding aside; a great franchise to follow...if you would ditch those towels.
The towels provide us with the only mental stability we have.
The ownership rights to the Terrible Towel was given to the Allegheny School outside of Pittsburgh, which provides care to mentally retarded and disabled children. The sale of the towels have brought millions of dollars to the school.
You're absolutely correct. The hit was clean and officials were not reprimanded because it was not deemed to be a penalty.
I can understand if a fan doesn't like the rule, but it was an illegal hit. The rule is pretty clear: "You can’t hit him in the head or neck, and you can’t use the crown or forehead parts of the helmet to the body.”
According to Dean Blandino, the NFL's VP of Officiating, the hit was illegal (which is why the Steeler player was fined $25k) and there should have been a flag thrown on the play (negating the TD).
You're absolutely correct. The hit was clean and officials were not reprimanded because it was not deemed to be a penalty.
I can understand if a fan doesn't like the rule, but it was an illegal hit. The rule is pretty clear: "You can’t hit him in the head or neck, and you can’t use the crown or forehead parts of the helmet to the body.”
According to Dean Blandino, the NFL's VP of Officiating, the hit was illegal (which is why the Steeler player was fined $25k) and there should have been a flag thrown on the play (negating the TD).
You need to read your article a little more closely. The key to the fine was the finding that the punter is considered a defenseless player throughout the down, and even if he's downfield, he gets "defenseless player protection." Had that block been on a linebacker, there would be no fine.
Even if the punter is engaged in tackling a ball carrier, under the league's ruling he is defenseless.
It's interesting to note that the punter Huber did not call the block a cheap shot. I guess that contrary to the league, for which he plays, he considers himself a football player.
Are you saying it was a legal hit, or that the rule should be changed. Do you dispute the quotes from Blandino?
I don't have a dog in this fight, and didn't know about these punter related news until the SNF game. These rules weren't newly introduced this season, or were they?
I thought the deal with punters/kickers were that they more or less keep themselves out of the way during a play, they're untouchable. But if they're deep in the thick of it, they're on their own?
Are you saying it was a legal hit, or that the rule should be changed. Do you dispute the quotes from Blandino?
I don't have a dog in this fight, and didn't know about these punter related news until the SNF game. These rules weren't newly introduced this season, or were they?
I disagree with designating a punter as a defenseless player, especially when he is downfield attempting to assist his teammates in a tackle. I had never heard the explanation that a punter is considered defenseless throughout the entire down. The block was a brutal hit, but one that special team playerrs are expected to make. The injury and intensity of the hit was made worse by the punter's failure to see it coming.
The league, in my opinion, has been vague and arbitrary about imposing fines and suspensions. The claim that hits with the front of the helmet or crown are illegal doesn't properly consider the speed and objective of the game. There are helmet to helmet hits on every play at the line of scrimmage and runners are always running head first and tackling and blocking can't avoid many of the hits or contact to the head.
It has gotten to the point where every time there's a hard hit, you expect to see a flag or expect a fine.
I thought the deal with punters/kickers were that they more or less keep themselves out of the way during a play, they're untouchable. But if they're deep in the thick of it, they're on their own?
That was the understanding of the rules by fans and players alike until this week. If punters are defenseless throughout the down, defenses better be careful on fake punts.
Ok, I understand your frustration based on your post.
However, I believe that while the fans were naive about the rule (I was), the special teams players must have known the rules. After all, it's what some of them do for a living, and they have a dedicated special teams coach.
Looking back on it, I don't recall ever seeing a punter getting pancaked on a block. Part of it might have been that they're usually the last line of defense. But they never seem to be blocked and are left alone for a one/one tackle attempt on the ball carrier.
It seems like no one wants to win the NFC North. Detroit is out. Its probably time for Schwartz to hit the road.
I agree. He hasn't been a good coach from the get-go. It's time for Rex Ryan to go too.
As a Bears fan I hope we beat Green Bay this Sunday and win the north. However, if we do, I can't see us advancing in the playoffs. Our D is terrible and Cutler is too hot/cold. As far as Schwartz, if he's not fired by 12:01 a.m. after the season, the Detroit owner is nuts. He has all that talent, Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers have missed two months of the season and he STILL can't win the division? The team is undisciplined and a complete wreck. Goodbye.
Well, I thought that when Manning returned a couple of years ago that he would take a hit and be reinjured. How wrong! However, I'm predicting that Rodgers has returned too soon and he will be reinjured.
Well, I thought that when Manning returned a couple of years ago that he would take a hit and be reinjured. How wrong! However, I'm predicting that Rodgers has returned too soon and he will be reinjured.
I agree that Rodgers is returning too soon as well, oli. I hope he does not get injured and of course the Bears win fair and square. SOMEBODY has to win the NFC North and I sure hope it is Chicago. However, if Rodgers gets injured again and leaves early, then us Bear fans will have to hear the tiresome narrative: "Yes, you won the division BUT Aaron Rodgers was out!"
There's a lot of Bears fans (myself included) that think a lot of Rodgers but of course dislike the Packers. That's the rational side of the the argument, the Meatball fan side says "GO BEARS!"
Well, for want of a field goal, my Steelers missed the playoffs. They did their part, but fate had a different plan. Some compensation; the Cowboys lost.
Well, for want of a field goal, my Steelers missed the playoffs. They did their part, but fate had a different plan. Some compensation; the Cowboys lost.
The Chiefs didn't play their qb or all-pro players as they had nothing to gain from winning the game, but that is their right that they earned. I was happy that they p[layed hard and if Succup made that 41 yarder, the Steelers would be in the postseason.
To rub salt in the wound, the league has commented that on that field goal attempt at the end of regulation, the Chargers had too many players on the right side of the line and should have been flagged, and the Chiefs allowed to rekick. There are two officials, whose job it is to count the players on the line before the kick for this purpose.
Moreover, the officials blew it for the Chiefs (more specifically, the Steelers) in overtime when the Chargers fumbled on the fake punt and KC seemingly returned it for a td. The ruling after the fact was that progress was stopped. Replays confirm clearly the ball was being advanced when it came loose, but the call is not reviewable.
Anyway, the beneficiary of the result was Cincinnati. I wouldn't wager on how far the Steelers would have advanced in the playoffs, but I am quite onfident they would have beaten the Bengals next week.
However, if Rodgers gets injured again and leaves early, then us Bear fans will have to hear the tiresome narrative: "Yes, you won the division BUT Aaron Rodgers was out!"
Sorry about the Bears losing, but at least I'm sure you're happy that Rodgers played the whole game and you don't have to put up with the tiresome Packer fans.
The Cowboy/Eagle game was a fun one to watch. People worried about how Kyle Orton would play, but I think he lived up to the standards of Tony romo in the clutch.
LeSean McCoy is a hometown kid, so I'll root for the Eagles with the Steelers eliminated even though there is usually strong dislike between Steeler and Eagle fans where I live.
My picks for next week:
Eagles over the Saints by 6 49ers over the Packers by 3 Bengals over the Chargers by 7 Colts over the Chiefs by 4
The Lions fired Schwartz today, making the long-expected move one day after their underachievement of a season ended with a 14-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
They will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. with team president Tom Lewand and general manager Martin Mayhew. There is no official word yet on the fate of the Lions’ front office...
The Cowboy/Eagle game was a fun one to watch. People worried about how Kyle Orton would play, but I think he lived up to the standards of Tony romo in the clutch.
I hate those stinking Cowboys. They are most Eagle fans #1 enemy ...then comes the Giants.
EAGLES!! NFC East division champions!
It's gonna be a tough game vs the Saints....should be a good game though.
However, if Rodgers gets injured again and leaves early, then us Bear fans will have to hear the tiresome narrative: "Yes, you won the division BUT Aaron Rodgers was out!"
Sorry about the Bears losing, but at least I'm sure you're happy that Rodgers played the whole game and you don't have to put up with the tiresome Packer fans.
I think I would have just settled for a win - no matter what... this one stung.
However, if Rodgers gets injured again and leaves early, then us Bear fans will have to hear the tiresome narrative: "Yes, you won the division BUT Aaron Rodgers was out!"
Sorry about the Bears losing, but at least I'm sure you're happy that Rodgers played the whole game and you don't have to put up with the tiresome Packer fans.
I think I would have just settled for a win - no matter what... this one stung.
No doubt. That's a loss that stays with you for a while.
Which would have a better chance of winning? Good players overcoming bad coaching (play calling)? Good coaching overcoming bad players?
I think of the Giants. I have not been a Kevin Gilbride fan (the Offensive Coordinator), and now he is gone. This year the Giants O-line was either aging, injured or of mediocre talent, but the play calling didn't seem to change. Same power running, same pass patterns. Without searching statistics, I'd venture a guess that the "yards after catch" were very low. Player or Play calling? I think when the Giants were winning two Super Bowls, it was good players overcoming bad coaching.
I think when the Giants were winning two Super Bowls, it was good players overcoming bad coaching.
I'm not sure. I think that in both super bowls the Patriots had better players on the field than the giants, particularly at quarterback. While I think Belichick is probably the best head coach today, he was outcoached in those games by a good coach, who used to work with him. Sure. the Giants had some luck late in both games that was crucial, but it was finding a way to stop Brady that put them in a position to take advantage of good fortune.
Well, on the money side I came out ahead on Saturday's playoff games. I had the Chiefs and 3 points and the Saints and 7 points.
For Sunday I have the 49ers even. No Chargers bet though.
3 for 3 with the spread. That's pretty sharp. great games thius weekend. Andy Dalton laid an egg, and the Bengals still haven't won in the postseason since 1990.
Well, I thought that when Manning returned a couple of years ago that he would take a hit and be reinjured. How wrong! However, I'm predicting that Rodgers has returned too soon and he will be reinjured.
Well, perhaps I should stop predicting QB injury re-injuries. Rodgers looked pretty good in the GB game.
The Pennsylvania man has filed a motion against the NFL to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania for "a temporary emergency injunction" on the playoffs based on his belief that the San Diego Chargers don't belong there, per The Baltimore Sun.
Spuck is fumed over a controversial missed call in San Diego's Week 17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Officials in that game failed to call the Chargers for an illegal formation by the defense on a 41-yard missed field goal attempt by K.C. with eight seconds remaining. Had the call been made, Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop would have lined up for a 36-yard attempt.
Instead, the Bolts moved on, bumping the Pittsburgh Steelers from the playoff chase.
Spuck filed the motion before the postseason, with instructions for the league to "suspend the playoffs for a week to 10 days, allow Succop to re-kick the field goal, or let the Steelers play the Chargers at a neutral site to determine who plays on," according to The Sun.
Spuck filed the motion before the postseason, with instructions for the league to "suspend the playoffs for a week to 10 days, allow Succop to re-kick the field goal, or let the Steelers play the Chargers at a neutral site to determine who plays on," according to The Sun.
Luck didn't live up to his name this postseason with seven interceptions when he had only nine all season. He learned that playoff football is a different animal than regular season ball.
To get to the Super Bowl Denver will have to beat SD and NE, two teams that beat them in the regular season. the other team to beat them wwas the Colts, the only other team in the AFC playoffs this weekend.
The Seattle/New Orleans game provided something in a playoff game that hadn't been seen since 1978: Two starting quarterbacks, 6 feet tall or under. Last time that happened Pat Haden of the LA Rams beat the Vikings, led by hall odf famer Fran Tarkenton, one of the most overlooked great qbs of all time.
Denver will make some mistakes in the 1st quarter which will result in field goals. New England will make worse mistakes though. The second half will result in Manning running a lot which will result in some 4th downs, but New England will be held to some field goals at which point the clock will be running low and the deficit will be great.
The NFC Championship game will be a shocker. Colin Kappernick will gain about 160 to 210 yards rushing like he did in the GB game last year. This will totally rattle Seattle. Seattle fans will be crying more tear drops than rain accumulation in Seattle.
After the game, Colin Kapernick will try to act like a hotdog by wearing those expensive earphones whilst Seattle fans throw things; like in that commercial.
Between or during the games, I better not go into that.
I don't have a dog in this fight but I'm rooting for the Broncos because I've always been a big Peyton Manning fan. All other things being equal, I'd take Manning over Brady any day of the week.
Anyway, I think it will be Denver vs. Seattle in the Super Bowl.
Manning may have another bad playoff game, but I'm thinking that he'll do enough to propel Denver to victory on Sunday. NE's secondary is beat up and their defense is not the defense Peyton played against when he was with the Colts.
As tough as Seattle has been at home, I think SF is on a roll. They seem like a different offense with Crabtree healthy. They have many weapons: the feet of their agile QB, the power of Gore, and the three-headed receiving monster of Crabtree, Vernon Davis, and Boldin.
I think it will be Super Bowl rematch of Denver vs. SF.
I think it will be Super Bowl rematch of Denver vs. SF.
A rematch from 1990. I have one of the footballs used in that game. If I recall correctly, it was used in the final series of downs in the third quarter. According to the certificate and ball number, there were four plays, including a twelve yard Montana-to-Rice completion.
I remember that game because of the drubbing Denver took. That was back when Elway had no running game. I believe that was Bill Walsh's last Super Bowl. It was also a back-to-back title for the 49ers, after having won on a 92 yard drive in the last minute the previous year.
Its a tough call but I think its Denver and San Fran also, if only cause I think this is Peyton's swan song AND because "the hoodie" hasnt won squat since he got caught cheating AND because Brady is over rated.
I remember that game because of the drubbing Denver took. That was back when Elway had no running game. I believe that was Bill Walsh's last Super Bowl. It was also a back-to-back title for the 49ers, after having won on a 92 yard drive in the last minute the previous year.
Bill Walsh's final Super Bowl was the 92 yard drive one. The 55-10 one which was next year was George Seifert.
What's odd though was that the following year would be the closest Super Bowl after the most deficit Super Bowl.
Former NFL safety Darren Sharper was arrested Friday on suspicion of rape. Sharper was arrested and booked Friday and released on $200,000 bail just before midnight, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. He faces a Feb. 14 court appearance.
LAPD says it is investigating Sharper in connection with two sexual assaults that occurred in the West Los Angeles area, one in October and another earlier this month.
I remember that game because of the drubbing Denver took. That was back when Elway had no running game. I believe that was Bill Walsh's last Super Bowl. It was also a back-to-back title for the 49ers, after having won on a 92 yard drive in the last minute the previous year.
Bill Walsh's final Super Bowl was the 92 yard drive one. The 55-10 one which was next year was George Seifert.
What's odd though was that the following year would be the closest Super Bowl after the most deficit Super Bowl.
Thanks for the correction. For some reason I was thinking that Seifert only won the ring in 1994 against SD, but you are correct.
It's not possible to go out on a higher winning note than how Walsh exited. Funny how he beat Cincinnati twice. The first game in 1981 was a close finish, but SF jumped to a 20-0 halftime lead. I remember an impressive 4th down goal line stand the Niners had in the first half, but Kenny Anderson leading the Bengals back in the 2nd half. That also was the first season of Cincinnati's uniform and helmet change with the tiger stripes. Previous to that, their helmets said "Bengals" and were very bland.
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The conference championship games were pretty good to watch. I thought SF gave the game away more than Seattle won it. The Seahawks have a tough defense, but will have a much tougher test with Peyton Manning and the Denver receivers. If the game is close and relies upon the QBs to win it, Manning has a huge edge over Russell Wilson. Denver should play to stop the RB Lynch and dare Wilson to beat them through the air.
Thanks for the correction. For some reason I was thinking that Seifert only won the ring in 1994 against SD, but you are correct.
It's not possible to go out on a higher winning note than how Walsh exited. Funny how he beat Cincinnati twice. The first game in 1981 was a close finish, but SF jumped to a 20-0 halftime lead. I remember an impressive 4th down goal line stand the Niners had in the first half, but Kenny Anderson leading the Bengals back in the 2nd half. That also was the first season of Cincinnati's uniform and helmet change with the tiger stripes. Previous to that, their helmets said "Bengals" and were very bland.
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The conference championship games were pretty good to watch. I thought SF gave the game away more than Seattle won it. The Seahawks have a tough defense, but will have a much tougher test with Peyton Manning and the Denver receivers. If the game is close and relies upon the QBs to win it, Manning has a huge edge over Russell Wilson. Denver should play to stop the RB Lynch and dare Wilson to beat them through the air.
You may have confused Seifert in '95 with Steve Young, who won his first and only SB against the Chargers.
The Sea/SF game showed that Kaepernick and Wilson, while promising, are not in the elite bracket of qbs and have quite a way to go. Kaepernick kept the team in it with his legs early, but in the fourth quarter when the game had to be won with his arm he threw two picks and fumbled twice. It seems that he is too eager to run and doesn't see the field well yet.
I was disappointed in Wilson, who had two bad hand-off exchanges in the 4th quarter, one of which led to a fumble at the goal line. He also dropped the ball once for no reason and was shockingly careless on the first play from scrimmage when he had the ball stripped after having much time to make a play. His inability to eat the clock or come away with a td after Kaepernick's blunders allowed SF ample time to drive down the field to win the game. If he had done this against Denver, Manning would certainly have made him pay dearly.
Around every Super Bowl I usually make some meals or snacks that represent the cities or regions of the teams playing. I thought long and hard about Denver and Seattle and came up with some decent options, but then figured that as these teams are from the only NFL cities in the only two states of the country that have legalized marijuana, the best thing to do is to smoke weed during the game.
In an unrelated oddity, every Super Bowl has had at least one player on the roster of one of the teams who had played in the Big 33 Game. This game is played every summer between 33 of the best PA high school senior grads against 33 from another state (MD,TX or OH). This year marks the first time where a roster doesn't include a Big 33 vet.
Finally, the Super Bowl has inspired Bud Bowl, Puppy Bowl and Kitty Bowl. This year the Nat. Geo. channel brings you guppy bowl. During the Super Bowl they will air continuous coverage of a large fish tank with an assortment of fish floating. This will be the only bowl where the competitors, who ultimately rise to the top, will be the clear losers.
Around every Super Bowl I usually make some meals or snacks that represent the cities or regions of the teams playing. I thought long and hard about Denver and Seattle and came up with some decent options, but then figured that as these teams are from the only NFL cities in the only two states of the country that have legalized marijuana, the best thing to do is to smoke weed during the game.
How about Peyton Manning do a spoof of his "cut that meat" commercial? Picture him sitting in a group chanting "smoke that weed, smoke that weed..."
There have been 7 super bowls won by SEC quarterbacks and 7 by Big 10 qbs. This SB will give one conference an edge, but neither will be the top SB-winning qb conference. That distinction goes to the PAC-12 with 12 wins, none of which curiously belong to USC.
The schools with the most SB victories by quarterback is Notre Dame with 5, and the schools with the most individual winning SB qbs are Alabama (Starr, Namath and Stabler) and Purdue (Griese, Dawson and Brees).
And for those interested in the most useless trivia:
This Super Bowl presents the largest differential in jersey numbers between opposing qbs: 15.
Cleveland Browns hired the guy from Pawn Stars as the new head coach.
With the number of preferable candidates withdrawing their names from consideration for the Browns' coaching job I think Chumley was the next choice if this guy turned it down.
Well, I'll make my Super Bowl pick now. Before the season started, I picked the Seahawks to beat the Colts for the championship, but after watching the playoffs, I think the Broncos will win, 31-22.
Wilson is a good qb, but I think the moment of the Super Bowl will overwhelm him a bit. He's been shaky in the playoffs and Pete Carroll will try to take the pressure off him by trying to run the ball and throw some quick outs. Denver will initially stop the running game and Seattle will be faced often with third downs.
Seattle's defense is outstanding, but they disguise very little. Manning should have a lot of success throwing beneath the coverage and hitting on crossing routes, some of which will bring large gains. Like Baltimore last year, the Broncos will open up a double digit first half lead against the inexperienced Seahawks. Denver will then shorten the game in the second half with its running game of Moreno and Ball, who'll find some nice holes, set up by the passing game.
By the way, I hope I'm wrong. I think I would like to see Seattle win this game
Kly, I pretty much agree with your analysis and outcome. This is another game where my emotion is involved, so I won't wager. I want Manning to win though: Broncos 31-21.
As in baseball; good pitching beats good hitting. In footbal good defense beats good offense. Aren't the sports writers the ones who build Manning up...and then they tear him down. Part of their job. And oh yes, there are 21 other players on the field that influence the outcome and the combinations of circumstances are infinitesimal. How many days until pitchers and catchers report?
Despite all of the theatrics associated with the Superbowl, it is just one game. That places it in contrast with hockey, basketball, and baseball which all award an annual championship as the product of winning multiple games. Those of us who follow professional football know that any number of variables can accrue to a single game that can affect each player and each team.
Of course, it is not likely that professional football can employ a multiple game championship playoff.
I thought Peyton and the Broncos would win, but Wilson was the better qb on the field. He moved faster, threw the ball harder and with more confidence, and made better decisions. Peyton looked old, slow and weak.
Unfortunately, you have to judge quarterbacks with more weight in the big games, and this game, in which Manning was terrible, affects his legacy. His postseason performance has been mediocre with his teams (often #1 seeds) getting knocked out early.
It's funny how he set a Super Bowl record for completions, but the fact is he didn't get anything on offense that Seattle didn't give him. I was surprised by how uncompetitive he was and the Seattle secondary forced the action on him.
Sure, Seattle played defense tremendously, but the great ones find a way to elevate and compete in the big moments.
If Joe Namath is going to wear a woman's coat at midfield before more than 100 million viewers, he's got to get the coin flip right.
The few shots of John Elway watching the game while his team was blown off the field reminded me of his expressions in his first three Super Bowls when he was blown out and played poorly.
Elway just signed John Fox to an extension before the Super Bowl. While he would've done so anyhow, he has to be looking at Fox and Jack DelRio in a different light after the game. Fox would have received a $1 million bonus if he won the game. Coaching was a huge determing factor in the game.
I am an idiot for picking the Seahawks as Super Bowl champs before the season and changing to Denver after the conference championships.
Seattle should have another run next year, but after next season they'll have to overpay Wilson, who's earning a near minimum salary and lose Sherman, who's only making about $500,000. They have other young players at the league minimum.
My favorite commercial was the John Stamos yogurt ad where he was joined by the Full House co-stars.
You know Kly that Namath's wearing a fur coat (maybe the same one) goes back decades. But why a guy would wear one is beyond me unless you are in the Arctic.
I did well wagering during the 1st playoff round. But I felt some emotion during the latter rounds, so I didn't bet. Same with the SB: I wanted Peyton to win.
I'm not sold on Wilson or Seattle repeating. You're right about 2 years from now; many of their players will be free agents. They'll pay Wilson, but I just don't see him having the command of the field like Peyton, Brady, or Ben that a QB needs to repeat.
If Joe Namath is going to wear a woman's coat at midfield before more than 100 million viewers, he's got to get the coin flip right.
The few shots of John Elway watching the game while his team was blown off the field reminded me of his expressions in his first three Super Bowls when he was blown out and played poorly.
Elway just signed John Fox to an extension before the Super Bowl. While he would've done so anyhow, he has to be looking at Fox and Jack DelRio in a different light after the game. Fox would have received a $1 million bonus if he won the game. Coaching was a huge determing factor in the game.
I am an idiot for picking the Seahawks as Super Bowl champs before the season and changing to Denver after the conference championships.
Seattle should have another run next year, but after next season they'll have to overpay Wilson, who's earning a near minimum salary and lose Sherman, who's only making about $500,000. They have other young players at the league minimum.
My favorite commercial was the John Stamos yogurt ad where he was joined by the Full House co-stars.
I think Pete Carroll is vile scum for how he left USC and jumped to the NFL to avoid the consequences. He was the reason I rooted for the Broncos - I find Carroll that unlikable.
I would have rather seen a drunken Joe Namath slur his words and hit on a sideline reporter like he did a few years ago instead of dressing like a baffoon in a fur coat. Sure he did it in the 1960s, but he looked even more ridiculous on Sunday.
I thought the Broncos made two mistakes before even taking their first snap, which also proved to be disastrous. Denver won the coin toss and should have deferred until the 2nd half. Most teams come out tight offensively and with the jitters in the Super Bowl. Why not let that be Seattle? Secondly, that buffoon returner taking the opening kickoff when he was 7 yards deep in the endzone was a terrible decision, even if Manning would not have botched the snap. The Bronocs started around the 13 yard line because of this decision. From there, everything went downhill for the Broncos and they never recovered.
I wouldn't really consider it cheating. They probably just figured out that making a peace sign meant run a long route, making a "L" sign to the forehead meant running a hook, and sticking the bird meant "I really hate you guys".
I think good teams crank it up a notch and Seattle did that. The Broncos didn't match the intensity. It seemed they were playing survival football, waiting for the big play. Maybe too much reliance on Manning. A good lesson in "team".
Since we don't have an NFL 2014 thread: CBS intends to broadcast at least 8 games on Thursday nights. Also, the NFL is bringing back some Saturday games on CBS.
It's only week 4. The playoffs may be a long shot, but I don't really guage a team's overall strength until Thanksgiving. They're no top ten 10 team, but when it's all said and done, they won't or at least shouldn't be a botton ten team.
Joe Paterno recruited many of his linebackers for "Linebacker U" from Pittsburgh.
I think I would have just settled for a win - no matter what... this one stung. 
