NFL week 8 open thread
posted at 12:11 pm on October 28, 2007 by Bryan
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Here’s the schedule. It’s a slack week for me since the Cowboys have a bye. Undefeated Indy goes to Carolina (where the 4-2 Panthers have suffered both of their losses), the Skins go to unbeaten New England, and the Vikings just might be good enough to do serious damage to the struggling Eagles. Will the Rams or the Dolphins pick up their first win of the season? Both are at home, and both will probably lose, though St. Louis probably has a slightly better chance to pick up a win.
Update: Heh.
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With regards to the Patriots supposedly ‘running up the score’, so soon do people forget the 2006 Playoffs where the Patriots had a huge lead on the Colts and then the Colts came all the way back to win.
This is the NFL. It is not the responsibility of a team to ’show class’. It is the responsibility of professional athletes playing defense to… you know… actually… play defense.
Personally, I prefer if opposing teams play their best against my teams when I am playing sports. The sports I play on a regular basis now are softball and walleyball in competitive leagues. There are teams we have gone up against who were clearly much, much better than we were and they knew it. However, it is an insult to us if those teams half-@ss it. I would much rather get whooped with them playing hard than have them play 50%, because they know they are so much better than us, they can not play hard and still win.
Kudos to the Patriots. Stomp on teams and force them to stop you. It is not the Patriots’ fault they are so much better than everyone else.
Michael in MI on October 28, 2007 at 7:41 PM
I’ve never even been to New England (well to Connecticut once when I was like 3), but I’ve always liked the team. It’ll be fun to watch ‘em go undefeated all the way through the Super Bowl. Doesn’t look like the Seahawks are gonna do it this year, so why not?!
As for running up the score Mike (Cool first name!), that’s always been overrated to me. The game is 60 minutes. Play all 60! When I play Madden Football, it’s FUN to score all day! When the second stringers score on the Redskins D, I’m happy for ‘em. Nothing wrong with practicing your 4th down conversions either :-)
Ordinary1 on October 28, 2007 at 7:46 PM
Damned straigh Michael in MI….What’s walleyball? I’m a goaltender in an over 40 league and I know exactly what you’re saying. It’s better to have a GOOD game than an easy win because the other guys are nursing their babies on the bench…as a humorous aside,that actually DID happen once,but it was his wife and he had to leave because she was too cold….
Blitz on October 28, 2007 at 7:46 PM
Exactly. Personally I like their attitude. ‘So, you think we cheated, huh? We’re not that good, huh? We just achieved what we did, because we’re cheaters? Yeah, well eff you.’
They’re playing with a big chip on their shoulders and I like it. I wish my Bears played like that. Instead we get a defense which can’t tackle and a running back who sulks around worse than Eli Manning and can’t break a tackle to save his life.
The Patriots remember blowing that game last year to the Colts and they are on a mission this year. Kudos to them for playing with fire and determination. And if teams don’t like them running up the score, then STOP THEM. That’s what you’re PAID to do.
Michael in MI on October 28, 2007 at 7:47 PM
Michael in MI….in regards to THIS?
“Stomp on teams and force them to stop you”
I think you might have added “and hear the lamentation of their cheerleaders?….
Just sayin’..
Blitz on October 28, 2007 at 7:50 PM
Yes, if it were that easy. I imagine Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris and the undefeated Dolphin team of old aren’t counting on meeting for a toast this year. Who will stop the Pats? Looks like only they can stop themselves at this point, or maybe an injury.
Ordinary1 on October 28, 2007 at 7:53 PM
The simple description is it is playing volleyball on a raquetball court. You can use the side walls to your advantage. Back wall and ceiling is out. Pretty interesting. I got introduced to it by my friends in college and we could go down to the Co-Rec (Co-Recreational Facility) on the weekends and play all the time. Lotta fun. Though it was tough at first to judge the way the ball came off the walls and judge the angles and spin and such. Once I got that down though, it was a lot of fun.
And I never had someone on the other team go help their babies on the sidelines or anything, but we did have an opposing team of High School and college punks all impressed with themselves and their abilities half-@ss it against us in walleyball a few times. I was on a team with mostly 40-year olds (I was in my mid and late 20s at the time… 31 now) who weren’t in the best of shape if you looked at them, but they were good walleyball players and these punks felt they would just stomp us. Yeah, they were bigger and more athletic, but we knew a lot of ways to stop them. We were skilled at digging and getting good sets and we all knew how to block. Once we started blocking and spiking in their face, that got them to stop laughing and smiling and thinking we were going to be a cakewalk. But their arrogance was just annoying.
In my fall softball league, we faced a team which played in national tournaments and was just in this league to get some practice. Every one of their players could hit it over the fence at will, it seemed. They ran up scores of 30-5 without even breaking a sweat. And I’m not exaggerating. They talked a lot of smack and were arrogant a-holes, but I will give them credit. They beat us 25-8 and played hard and hustled on every play. I can respect that. Just makes me want to improve so I can compete with them next time.
Michael in MI on October 28, 2007 at 7:56 PM
Micheal? I really think the Bears have quit on themselves. I’ve watched a cupla games and I see well,not half,but not 3/4 effort on defence. I couldn’t tell you WHY I think that,it’s just a perception. On offense? Greise is way better than Grossman,but needs to have an offense that FITS his abilities. Chicago really has no Offense,and the Lions proved that today.
Blitz on October 28, 2007 at 7:58 PM
Blitz on October 28, 2007 at 8:03 PM
WOW…….Ok,TYPOIST of the CENTURY!!!!!
Blitz on October 28, 2007 at 8:04 PM
I dunno about that. The Patriots defense has not been tested yet. In fact, the Patriots haven’t even been in a close game yet. In a close game, lots of strange things can happen. Just look at the Bears-Cardinals game last year. The Bears had no business winning that game. But they found a way to win (or the Cardinals found a way to lose). Even after Devin Hester returned the punt to put the Bears up 1, the Cardinals drove right down the field to be in position for a game-winning FG. And Rackers missed it to allow the Bears to come away with that miracle win.
Things like that happen in the NFL, even to the best teams. It’s just that the Patriots just have not even been tested yet.
I believe they CAN go undefeated. They certainly have the talent on offense to outscore even the high-powered Colts. But let’s see what happens when the defense is faced with actually needing to stop someone and isn’t playing with 20-30 point leads where the other team has to pass the ball all game and the defense can just sit back and tee off.
Plus, I think what can stop the Patriots (or at least slow them down) is the same thing that stopped the Colts high-powered offenses – pressure on the QB and sticking the WRs at the line of scrimmage and not letting them get off the line freely. Plus, punish the WRs over the middle. Limit RAC.
Hopefully this sounds familiar, because I believe that was the defensive blueprint the Patriots used to stymie the Colts all those years.
The problem is that, it takes having that kind of talent on defense to execute that plan. Do the Colts have that talent? We’ll see. So far, Brady has had almost perfect protection and plenty of time to stand back there and pick defenses apart. That needs to change. A defense that can get pressure on Brady consistently and stuff those receivers and limit RAC will have a chance against them and could make things interesting.
Michael in MI on October 28, 2007 at 8:05 PM
Washington had that game plan Michael. They didn’t even get close. Indy’s “D” depends on speed and guile, but the Pats Oline is too well disciplined to fall for that. I DO predict a close game with the Pats winning by at least 10, but if the over/under is 100? Bet the over
Blitz on October 28, 2007 at 8:09 PM
I thought the Cowboys had the best shot at doing some of those things, and really, the game wasn’t that close. Although the Patriots haven’t had the ultimate test yet, they have been tested, and they are making everyone else look silly. It’s a long season and a lot can (and usually does) happen, but at this point I think the Patriots are unstoppable unless they stop themselves.
Ordinary1 on October 28, 2007 at 8:13 PM
I don’t think their fields are designed to carry 300+ pounders in the rain. And what’s up with the Giants lucking out at the ‘road team’? An away game in London, where the Giants probobly had more fans present. Then there was the ‘away game’ in New York against New Orleans after Katrina. Hogwash.
BadgerHawk on October 28, 2007 at 8:15 PM
I don’t know if I saw that they quit, but they looked like they didn’t have a clue what was going on in that game today. Hell, I didn’t have a clue what I was watching. They would have series where they would dominate the line of scrimmage and put great pressure on Kitna and then they had series where they looked like they forgot how to tackle, couldn’t figure out how to take the right angles to track down the player with the ball and then the stupid plays by safeties to either interfere with WRs or fall down or whatever. It’s painful as a Bears fan, especially one who likes great tough defense – to watch this team flail most of the game and give up such big plays. Last year, no team was running on this defense. No one. And then when teams tried to pass, the front four were getting pressure on the QB almost every play. This year? There is no run defense. It seems like on most plays the front 7 are taking on their assignments, but where are the safeties? Losing Brown and Vasher is really showing. It is clear now that Brown was the key to that defense just as Bob Sanders is the key to the Colts D. And losing Vasher screws up the defensive backfield even more.
But really, there is no excuse for their piss-poor tackling. First they don’t take good angles to the ball-carrier and then once they do get there, the can’t tackle him. And where the heck did the gang tackling from last year go? Now, I’m lucky to see 1 or 2 Bears tackle a player. Last season, it seemed like the entire team would fly to the ball.
I dunno. I would say they’re tired from having a crappy offense always keep them on the field. But that’s not what is happening. They are getting gashed with huge plays, not dinked and dunked and 3-4 yard runs for long series. It’s just painful watching them this year. Especially when most of us Bears fans were actually expecting improvement.
And the offense.. ugh. I really think they made a HUGE mistake letting Thomas Jones go. He was a great receiver out of the backfield, a tough runner and a great leader. And an inspirational leader as well as he was always fired up. I don’t think the team has gotten over him being traded away. And to replace him with no-fire, no-toughness Benson is just… ugh.
Michael in MI on October 28, 2007 at 8:18 PM
I really believe that too. I believe the offense is only going to get better too, as scary as that seems. Maroney is going to get healthier, the new WRs are going to get more and more comfortable in the offense and Brady. They have so much balance in the running game and passing game too, especially with all the options they have with RBs.
They truly are a talented and deep team. The good thing, at least in my opinion, is that I don’t find myself hating them. They come across humble yet determined in public and aren’t bragging or in-your-face about their success. They take it in stride and stay determined and focused on the big picture and realize they have not won anything yet. And it comes across genuine to me. So it’s fun to watch them. Usually, when teams are winning all the time, I find myself rooting against them, because it gets annoying. But, for me, this team is enjoyable to watch.
Michael in MI on October 28, 2007 at 8:22 PM
Thats the problem. The Bears D believes their own hype. You could see it in the Super Bowl last year. They thought Indy would just roll over and play dead.
Given the season is pretty much over for the Bears I’d like to see Orton get the full package with the starters. Lets see what he can do.
alilianstrom on October 28, 2007 at 8:24 PM
Blitz on October 28, 2007 at 8:09 PM
Yep, Dallas and Washington tried and failed. And their defenses are not all that bad, although Dallas gave up a ton of points to the Giants too. But I think Washington’s is pretty good and they were made to look bad.
Patriots are just a juggernaut. But then again, the Colts were thought to be one in the years before they made the Super Bowl and they were stopped so. Some defensive genius with enough talent on his defense needs to come up with a great game plan, have his team execute it well and have some good bounces go his team’s way in the game and … who knows.
Still, I agree, the Patriots look unstoppable. Simply amazing what they have accomplished so far.
Michael in MI on October 28, 2007 at 8:26 PM
I tell ya, up here in MA, a lot of the libs are having a hard time accepting all this “running up the score”. I love it. It flies in the face of the no dodge-ball, purple ink, no keeping score in games, reward mediocrity mantra.
I think the NFL does as much as they can to make it fair. I don’t know why the Pats would deprive themselves of game-day snaps and invaluable game time experience the way some people want. Besides, if you were a grown man, and the other team let up on you with 10 minutes left in a 60 minute game, because they were kicking your ass too bad, wouldn’t you be mad? I would.
Can’t wait until they beat up on those ponies.
reaganaut on October 28, 2007 at 8:27 PM
I disagree. And, no, I’m not being a ‘homer’. Last year’s Bears defense with a healthy Brown and a healthy Tommie Harris. Damn, they were good. And with the depth they had on the defensive line, rotating fresh people in and out all the time. They were dominant. But when we lost Brown and then Harris in the Minnesota game, they were a completely different team.
Then in the Super Bowl, they were bringing it to the Colts all the way up until the blown coverage allowed Wayne to get free for that long TD. Even on that pass, Manning was about to get clocked. So they were bringing the pressure and stopping them. But after that play, Ron Rivera called off the dogs and allowed Manning to pick them apart. It frustrated the hell outta me watching that game to see that too. I kept yelling at the TV for the Bears to put more pressure on as they were doing in the 1st QTR, but alas…
Of course it would have helped had Grossman been even average at QB. My gosh he was horrrrrible. That put the defense in bad situations all game and they did their best to limit the bloodshed and keep them in the game. Granted, for some reason, it also looked like the Colts were not being as aggressive as they could have been too. So who knows.
But, I do think last year’s Bears D deserved the hype. With a healthy Brown and Harris. Without them though, they were just average. And I don’t think they felt the Colts were giong to roll over for them in the game. They were bringing the pain in the 1st QTR and then that long TD to Wayne seemed to change everything. I don’t know why.
Michael in MI on October 28, 2007 at 8:35 PM
I believe we have found the cs deven of the NFL! ;-)
Mallard T. Drake on October 28, 2007 at 8:59 PM
The morning sports talk jock in Seattle, Mitch Levy, is from Miami and a die-hard Dolphin fan. His tradition every year is to bring a bottle of champagne into the show on the Monday after the last undefeated team loses a game, and he and the staff celebrate by downing the bottle during the show. “Mitch in the Morning” has admitted that he is worried that he won’t get his champagne this year.
Mallard T. Drake on October 28, 2007 at 9:02 PM
No Sunday night football sucks. The NFL throwing a bone to MLB and not competing with the World Series.
How will Denver fans handle two games in town on the same night? A lot of carpal tunnel sufferers Tuesday morning from frantically switching back and forth from game to game.
Mallard T. Drake on October 28, 2007 at 9:12 PM
Hey Mallard, unless the Rockies can score here in the last inning and a half, there should be no problem Monday night :-)
Ordinary1 on October 28, 2007 at 11:42 PM
Yawn. Another Sunday, another Pats ass kicking. Bring on the Colts!
miketheman on October 29, 2007 at 12:05 AM
SOX!!!
F15Mech on October 29, 2007 at 12:10 AM
Hell yeah…Sox!!!!
miketheman on October 29, 2007 at 1:00 AM
My Vikings suck. I hate it when it is already next year territory and the season is not even half ways done. Oh well at least we had a good draft this year. Now we just need a QB and a Head Coach.
oilbertan on October 29, 2007 at 1:47 PM
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