I don't even know what to say about Oakland anymore...

Singletary seems to be doing well as coach, benching Just Turnovers Sullivan and Vernon Davis. Not sure I'd pull my pants down but whatever it takes.

Remember Ryan Leaf?

I think the league was shocked when the Raiders invested so much cash in Hall and Walker. Hall has always been a trouble maker, and I always thought he had average talent. Walker had a good year a couple of years ago, but was certainly on the down side of his career.

Mike Singleterry was a great linebacker, but his antics during and after his first game coachiung was bizarre. After Nolan was fired, the 49ers had their worst game of the season under Singletary, but his raving post-game press conference took the attention away from the horrible effort, and got the ESPN-type analysts to kiss up saying how intense he is. I don't necessarily buy it. I think that kind of stuff wears thin.

I saw that Singletary press conference.

He,indeed,appeared to have lost the plot somewhat....

I'm picking the Bears to knock off the Titans this week.

They have a shot, I think I have picked Da Bears in the pickem games.

Another 13 point second half lead blown by the Browns horrific defense last night. But I was impressed with Brady Quinn's first start. He didn't try to do too much and showed good composure. He tooks some hits and stayed to take the hit when necessary. His receivers continued to be drop passes, as has been the norm all season. I would have liked to see him throw a couple of deep balls to stretch the defense. But Quinn made some good reads and checked down to 2nd and 3rd options as the defense gave him.

While it was only one game, it was good start to his career as a Brown.

Quinn played well. It was a very nice debut. I don't know if Romeo is the best coach for him though. Brady Quinn is going to have a lot of great games in his career. Just as long as none come against Pittsburgh.

The Browns don't seem to know how to finish game under him. But I thought the Browns' defense was better than the Broncos, and I think the Browns are better than Denver.

Cutler had a great game, but the Broncos are going nowhere.

Being that I'm from Cleveland I was happy they finally put Quinn in the game, Derek Anderson is playing like shit this year and can't throw a pass to save his life. We really need to get rid of Romeo, he's a shitty coach and has brought nothing to the browns at all.

Requiem:

Welcome to the boards! I, too, am from Cleveland. Misery loves company when it comes to our sports teams.

I'm all for getting rid of Crennel, but who do you envision bringing in? I get the feeling Savage's days may be numbered, but I would like to give him a little more time. He has hit on some draft picks. Whomever they hire, it needs to be person with prior NFL head coaching experience.

I saw this in today's WSJ. I don't like it. The Player's Union needs to define limits on this sort of stuff. Right or wrong these are grown men. In my opinion the League has no business monitoring its players' private lives-which women they're seeing or who their friends are. Of course there are some players who are pure knuckleheads (Pacman Jones) but they should be dealt with on an individual basis

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122601853947707055.html#articleTabs%3Darticle


Why the NFL Spies on Its Players
To Buff Image, League Broadens Discipline, Hires Ex-Cops; 'A White Man in Sunglasses'
By HANNAH KARP

The National Football League's unprecedented new effort to protect its image by cracking down on loutish behavior is making some of the league's 1,952 players a little nervous.

This sweeping new personal-conduct policy, which was announced before the 2007 season, allows the NFL to quickly and summarily fine and suspend players; not just for committing crimes, but for any act that's deemed harmful to the NFL's "integrity and reputation." To guard against these unpredictable suspensions (there have been 10 so far), NFL teams are hiring former police officers and FBI agents as security chiefs, ordering up extensive background checks, installing video-surveillance systems in locker rooms, chasing down rumors and sometimes forbidding players from talking to the press.

During a recent road trip, the San Diego Chargers not only conducted bed checks, but placed guards in the hotel hallways to make sure players didn't sneak out. The Seattle Seahawks have declared an entire downtown entertainment district off-limits, and the Denver Broncos have begun sending a former cop to local nightclubs on weekends to make sure the players behave.

The increased scrutiny has taken a toll on some players, including Broncos defensive tackle Marcus Thomas. Last year, after the policy was announced, Mr. Thomas had called his agent in a panic: He said he was convinced he was being followed by "a white man in sunglasses" who had been sent by the NFL. A league spokesman says NFL security did not follow Mr. Thomas.

Offensive lineman Langston Walker of the Buffalo Bills, who has an economics degree from the University of California at Berkeley, is no fan of the new code, which he considers too aggressive. When someone intentionally spilled a drink on him at a Los Angeles bar recently, Mr. Walker says he was worried about how the NFL's discipline czars might have reacted if things had escalated. "When you start not to trust your own organization or governing body, who can you trust?" he says.

The NFL's new standards move it ahead of other U.S. sports leagues, whose policies on player behavior outside of competition are not as explicit. These changes come at a time when NFL players continue to make headlines for off-field incidents. Last year, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick pleaded guilty to charges of sponsoring a dogfighting operation.

A study by the San Diego Union-Tribune found at least 57 NFL players have been arrested so far this year, and that about 10% of the league's players currently on rosters have been arrested during their playing careers. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says the league doesn't track arrest records. He says the 10% figure is misleading because it includes instances where charges were dropped.

The crackdown comes at a financially sensitive time for the league: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell warned last month that NFL revenues -- which total about $7 billion -- were "under pressure" and that it was searching "aggressively" for new sources of income. The NFL says the policy has nothing to do with economics.

Some recent suspensions to key players handed down by the league have put teams in a tough spot. The Dallas Cowboys suffered an embarrassing loss to the Arizona Cardinals last month after cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was suspended indefinitely. Mr. Jones, who has a history of encounters with the law, was punished even though the incident -- an alleged tussle with one of his bodyguards -- didn't result in an arrest or any charges. (Mr. Jones, through his attorney, declined to comment).

The Minnesota Vikings lost three of their first four games this season while left tackle Bryant McKinnie was serving a suspension for an altercation at a Miami nightclub in February. Mr. McKinnie told reporters the incident was "blown out of proportion" and that he was surprised by the suspension's length. Under previous NFL policies, Mr. McKinnie would more likely have been fined or sent to counseling.

Kansas City's star running back Larry Johnson was suspended for this week's game after being charged with simple assault for allegedly pushing the side of a woman's face at a club in February. Mr. Johnson has declined to comment on the case, which has yet to be tried.

Dave Abrams, a retired police officer, was appointed security chief by the Broncos last year after a player was killed in a shooting. Mr. Abrams's BlackBerry is loaded with each player's personal information and he has trained dozens of bartenders and bouncers to call him when players show up. Sometimes he comes to take note of the women they're with and how much they've had to drink. "It's always fun to watch their eyes light up the first time they see me in a bar or a nightclub on a Friday night," he says. "It just makes them realize that someone's paying attention."


This June, when Bills running back Marshawn Lynch was suspected of being involved in a hit-and-run accident in Buffalo, Chris Clark, the team's new security director, was texting him within six hours. Mr. Clark advised Mr. Lynch not to talk to police without an attorney. Mr. Lynch eventually pleaded guilty to a traffic violation, which is not a violation of the NFL's conduct policy. The following month, Mr. Goodell assured Mr. Lynch he wouldn't be suspended. "You can't make things go away, but you can make things go a little easier for them," says Mr. Clark.

The NFL first started addressing criminal activity a decade ago with fines and mandatory counseling. In 2000, two NFL players, Rae Carruth and Ray Lewis, were charged with murder. Mr. Carruth was convicted and Mr. Lewis was exonerated. After this, the league's pre-employment screening was expanded to identify "at risk" players and every team was instructed to hire a full-time security director. Not every team did. Before the Cincinnati Bengals hired one last year, the team famously saw nine of its players arrested in a nine-month span.

Since Mr. Goodell became commissioner in 2006, he has taken steps to promote a more wholesome image for the league. He's beefed up the NFL's program for rookies, adding sessions on media training and eight hours of "conduct-management" class. He added a stringent behavior code for fans and issued a rule forbidding cheerleaders from warming up in close proximity to visiting teams. At his annual address to reporters at the 2007 Super Bowl, Mr. Goodell said he felt the number of incidents had reached "a few too many." Mr. Aiello says the policy aims to "protect the integrity of the game" and that Mr. Goodell is always looking for ways to improve the league's operations "and to aggressively enforce our rules."

The NFL players union says the personal-conduct suspensions and fines have been excessive, "particularly in cases where a player has been accused of but not found guilty of a violation of law," says spokesman Carl Francis.

In a few cases, judgments have been amended. Last month, Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. saw another side of the policy. After developing a staph infection (the bug had been plaguing the team for some time) he received text messages from a press official who challenged the hospital's diagnosis, warned it would be "very bad" to talk about the situation to reporters, and suggested he invent another illness. "We can give [the media] something, but not staph," said one.

When he refused, the team suspended him for detrimental conduct, citing the NFL's new policy. After Mr. Winslow showed higher-up executives the messages, the suspension was rescinded. "I think the player-conduct policy can be very subjective at times and might need some restructuring to clearly define what is and is not considered conduct detrimental, so it is not improperly imposed," Mr. Winslow says. A Browns team spokesman says "the matter was resolved several weeks ago and we've moved on."

In any event, the days of teams taking a passive view of player discipline seem to be over.

Last season, shortly after several San Diego players were cited for sneaking out of a team hotel, the team fired security director Mike Cash without explanation, according to Mr. Cash.

Mr. Cash says he never expected his job to involve babysitting. "They're grown men," he says. "They're going to do what they want." The Chargers declined to comment.

Lamar Woodley fined for sacking quarterback in "an intimidating manner".

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/11/07/woodley-fined-for-campbell-sack/

This is a complete joke, as is the fine on Justin Tuck for "tackling with his full weight." Sacking the QB in an intimidating manner? What other way is there to sack him? Yes, Woodley threw him to the ground hard, but we have seen numerous examples of QBs breaking tackles and completing first downs

Hines Ward was fined twice this year for plays, which the league conceded were perfectly legal and not deserving of a penalty, but they concluded that he blocked the opponents too hard.

I understand that the league has an interest in avoiding injury, but the game is popular because it is a physical game. The league is slowly removing this element. The more physical teams are being punished and singled out.

I truly believe part of the fine against Woodley took into account that the Steelers, who sacked Jason Campbell 7 times Monday night, are playing Peyton Manning this week and the league is intimating that "if the Golden Boy so much as has a stubbed toe after the game, expect heads to roll."

That's ridiculous with the sacks...

I also think that the injury to Brady, the face of the league, may have affested the way the NFL is looking at things.

LN, how are the Colts looking this week?

The Colts need to get a running game going, overcome injuries to the secondary (Ratliff was on the street last Wednesday, guarded Randy Moss last Sunday), and keep playing good run defense like they have the past few weeks.

And Willie Parker is out for the Steelers, so that's good for the Colts.

It'll be a close game, Colts by 3.

Pittsburgh-Indy is a good game. It'll make the win that much more sweeter.

What's this I hear about Willie Parker tearing his labia?

I think this year Peyton Manning is really showing how good he is when playing from behind. Between the Vikings and Texans games and then him carrying us against Pittsburgh with no running game...

I watched the highlights from the last minute drive last night, and Singletary really fell apart in the last minute of last night's game. With no time outs it took the team 20-25 seconds to decide to spike the ball. That left them rushed when they got the ball inside the 5, and the play calling there was questionable.
I did think Gore though could have scored. He must have lost his footing because there was very little contact made when he headed for the end zone.

It was frustrating and I'm not even a 49ers fan.

LN's Power Rankings
1 Tennessee
2 NY Giants
3 Carolina
4 NY Jets
5 Baltimore
6 Philadelphia
7 Pittsburgh
8 Arizona
9 Tampa Bay
10 Atlanta
11 Chicago
12 New England


The Jets are not the 4th best team in the NFL.

Shaun Hill's effort to get the first down without his helmet was impressive and it was nice to see Vernon Davis giving Singletary a hug on the sidelines after his touchdown + unsportsmanlike conduct. After all the crap those two have taken the last two weeks it's good to see some positive communication.

Listen to me, things must really be bad for the Raiders if I'm looking for good things in the Niners game.

The Steelers' 11-10 win over the Chargers was the first time in the history of the NFL, that a game ended with that score.

The NFL has issued a statement, however, that the officials erroneously did not give Troy Polamalu credit for a touchdown that would have made the score 18-10.

Jeff Fischer has to be the most underappreciated coach in the history of the NFL. He doesn't have the personnel to blow teams out, and his teams lack the celebrity names that are overhyped in bigger markets, but the Titans consistently beat the hell out of whomever they play.

On Thanksgiving Day they may be 11-0, playing the 0-11 Lions.

How did that tradition of Detroit always playing on Thanksgiving Day get started? I think it's a cool tradition but I think the teams need to be different so that we can be thankful for good football on Thanksgiving. We shouldn't have to watch such a bad team every year. Watch though, they will be the ones to beat Tennessee.

Giants rout Ravens 30-10 to underline superiority


EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Reuters) – The New York Giants ran over the Baltimore Ravens 30-10 on Sunday to underline their status as top team in the NFC and serious threats to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

In a meeting between the National Football League's leading rushing team in the Giants and the Ravens, rated the best defense against the run, the New York attack won out.

The Giants rushed for 210 yards, getting 73 yards from Brandon Jacobs including two one-yard touchdown plunges in the first quarter, and a 77-yard fourth-quarter burst by Ahmad Bradshaw as they improved their NFC-best record to 9-1.

"We are excited about being 9-1 and being 6-0 at home," Giants head coach Tom Coughlin told reporters.

"Our offensive line has done an outstanding job, our fullback, our tight ends...our power runners. That is a very good team, the number one team defensively in the league against the run, and we were able to do some good things."

Baltimore, whose four-game winning streak had lifted them to a share of first place in the AFC North, slipped to 6-4 as they yielded 132 more yards on the ground than in any other game this season.

"I sure wish we could've given the Giants a better football game. That's a heck of a football team, and they proved that today," said Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

Jacobs spearheaded a 68-yard scoring drive on New York's first possession, reversing field on a 36-yard run to set up the touchdown. Derrick Ward had a nifty 22-yard run in his turn in the backfield and Bradshaw finished with 96 yards rushing.

"That's our three-headed monster," center Shaun O'Hara said about the Giants' trio of running backs. "They do a great job and make it easy on us, they make it fun.

"I think it's a luxury to have Brandon and how big he is and unleash him in the first quarter and let him run wild, and then have Derrick (Ward) come in as the change of pace guy.

"I think a lot of teams would love to have just those two guys but to have Ahmad come in as our clean-up guy, I mean he could be starting on just about any team in the NFL."

The Giants led 20-3 at the half and threatened to add more points before Ray Lewis intercepted an Eli Manning pass at the six-yard line with 19 seconds left.

After an anemic first half, the revitalized Ravens came out with a spark after intermission with rookie quarterback Joe Flacco hitting receivers and scrambling for first downs.

Baltimore drove 79 yards for a touchdown on their first possession of the third quarter to make it 20-10, but New York restored their lead when cornerback Aaron Ross returned an interception of a Joe Flacco pass 50 yards for a touchdown.

Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce was impressed by the New York ground attack. "I was the biggest cheerleader on the sidelines," he said. "I took pride in that today. They made up their minds that they wanted to run."

O'Hara said the game was a measuring stick. "Any time you get a chance to play a number one in anything you look forward to that. You get to gauge yourself and that's what today was."

All these copied and pasted articles...

What are your thoughts JL?

My thoughts are, I better make plans to be in Tampa on February 1.

Hehe, you may be right.

What does everyone think about Tennessee? Are they really this good?

I'm not overly impressed. They've only played 2 teams over .500 all year.

The NFL needs to stop playing the Lions & Cowboys as the two home host teams on Thanksgiving Day - especially Detroit. The Lions are one of the most horrible organizations in all of professional sports. Why do we need to see them year after year? The "tradition" argument holds no weight IMO. The last time the Lions had any worthwhile reason to watch them on Thanksgiving was when Barry Sanders was playing. And he has been retired for a decade. I wish they would rotate teams on a yearly basis for these games. If it's a lousy matchup, so be it. But it's a guaranteed terrible game if the Lions are involved.

I am not a believer in Tennesee's 10-0 record. I think that they will lose in the divisional round to any of these possible opponents: New England, Indy, or Pittsburgh. I agree that Jeff Fischer is underappreciated, but the Titans are very vanilla offensively. Kerry Collins has not been in a playoff game in nearly a decade. By the time they reach the playoffs, I think rookie Chris Johnson will be out of gas and LenDale White is not the kind of player that opponents lose sleep over.

Someone on ESPN said it best: "The Giants were able to beat a very good team by 3 touchdowns, and they didn't even bring their A game". (Eli: 13 completions, 1 INT, 153 yards. Defense: 1 sack)