NFL week 17 running thread

[cougargirl]

I think it's time for new blood at coach in Denver. That is all.

If the Broncos blow this one, there should be. Of course, I've felt that way for a couple years about that.

He deserves it just for forking with Jake's head in my world [/plummer fangirl]

Oh, it goes back further than that.

 

[Satchel Pooch]

Kick wasn't quite as arguable as Karlis' in Cleveland, despite the play by play guy calling it "no good".

Kick wasn't nearly as close as Karlis' to being no good. Don't know what happened to Menefe on that call.

 

[Oz]

Cutler > Plummer. Even after today. The Broncos had no shot to win with Plummer, might as well make the switch. I don't pin this on Shanahan's decision to play Cutler, as much as I can't stand him.

 

[Tommy_Dreamer]

Titans would have been in. They needed the same trifecta to lose JAX/CIN/DEN but they needed to beat the Patties to get in, no matter what the Chefs did.

So basically, the Pats did the rest of the AFC a favor in knocking off a very hot team.

 

[kingcreole]

Cutler > Plummer. Even after today. The Broncos had no shot to win with Plummer, might as well make the switch. I don't pin this on Shanahan's decision to play Cutler, as much as I can't stand him.

With Joke Plummer, the Broncos would have been out of it a week or two ago. It was just a royal choke job by all AFC teams today ... except for the Chiefs.

 

[MileHigh]

The Broncos "vaunted" defense will get the heat for this one. Great start, but exposed in the second half against the Colts and it's been a disgrace ever since.

 

[beefncheddar]

So, so many people to lay the blame at for the choke job in Denver:

--People who designed the POS new stadium for ruining the Broncos' home field advantage.
--Pat Bowlen for giving The Mastermind full control to assemble a defense that couldn't get a decent rush on a Pop Warner team without bringing the house.
--Shanahan for coaching a purely gutless game from start to finish. He played that game not to lose from the starting gun to the final kick. Gutless. Straight gutless. I won't even begin to list the number of times he could have attacked a dog-ass defense and instead chose to play it safe. If you're going to make the QB switch because the rook is the guy that can win in the playoffs, then forking coach like it.
--The whole forking defense (other than Champ Bailey) for not being able to keep a team that had quit from going up and down the field.
--Jay Cutler for AGAIN missing a WIDE OPEN receiver in a crucial spot (Marshall on 2nd down on the final drive).
--Jake Plummer for managing to go 0-for-2 with a forking pick after Cutler had his bell rung.
--Tatum Bell for AGAIN fumbling in a big spot.
--Mike Bell for showing no ability whatsoever to score from inside the 5 on multiple opportunities.

A TERRIBLE performance from all involved (other than Champ Bailey). Tempered by the fact that even if they had managed to beat New England (possible) they would have been skullforked sooner or later by somebody.

 

[Tommy_Dreamer]

So, so many people to lay the blame at for the choke job in Denver:

--People who designed the POS new stadium for ruining the Broncos' home field advantage.
--Pat Bowlen for giving The Mastermind full control to assemble a defense that couldn't get a decent rush on a Pop Warner team without bringing the house.
--Shanahan for coaching a purely gutless game from start to finish. He played that game not to lose from the starting gun to the final kick. Gutless. Straight gutless. I won't even begin to list the number of times he could have attacked a dog-ass defense and instead chose to play it safe. If you're going to make the QB switch because the rook is the guy that can win in the playoffs, then forking coach like it.
--The whole forking defense (other than Champ Bailey) for not being able to keep a team that had quit from going up and down the field.
--Jay Cutler for AGAIN missing a WIDE OPEN receiver in a crucial spot (Marshall on 2nd down on the final drive).
--Jake Plummer for managing to go 0-for-2 with a forking pick after Cutler had his bell rung.
--Tatum Bell for AGAIN fumbling in a big spot.
--Mike Bell for showing no ability whatsoever to score from inside the 5 on multiple opportunities.

A TERRIBLE performance from all involved (other than Champ Bailey). Tempered by the fact that even if they had managed to beat New England (possible) they would have been skullforked sooner or later by somebody.

But the important thing is you're not bitter

 

[spup1122]

OK, I watch football all the time and I watch a lot of guys get a roughing the passer call for tackling at the ankles.

I'm now watching the Bears game and it appeared Rex was tackled at the ankles. Why didn't the refs call that roughing the passer? Am I off-base on what roughing the passer is in the NFL?

This is a serious question and I really want to know. I have never played football, so I may be off completely on this. Thanks!

 

[D-3 Fan]

Why is Cowher leaving the Steelers?

Because he'll get a shirtload more money to coach the Redskins or someone else in 2008 than he will by staying with the Steelers.

I hate seeing the Steelers have the success they have with an ownership that has let great, great players for the gold-and-black leave year after year because they didn't want to pay them.

I hope anyone who votes on coach of the year compares the Jets and Saints rosters first. I'm admittedly a Jets homer, but I still think The Mangenius deserves the honor based on a less talented team in a much harder conference.

The harder conference doesn't help, because look at the schedule. Last week's win against Miami was the Jets second best win of the season.

The harder conference should help. Miami is a 10-win team in the NFC...heck the Ohio State Buckeyes are a 10-win team in the NFC. Team went 6-2 on the road with a win over New England, which is a better team than anyone the Saints faced this season.

The Saints body of work isn't any better. Philly and Dallas were decent wins, but who else? The NFC South was garbage this year, they went 1-3 against the AFC North.

And like I said, compare rosters. How many coaches in the league could squeeze 10 wins out of a team with a below average running game, a below average rush defense and a QB being held together by screws and super glue? The Saints made a huge splash with free agency in the offseason by signing Brees and added the Heisman trophy winner to a backfield that already had Duece McAllister.

The Jets were a good team in 2004, and you can't say Pennington isn't put together with duct tape without saying Brees is too.

New Orleans was a brutally awful team last year (and blah in 2004), and the intangibles of the moving itself back to New Orleans earlier this year and the other Katrina intangibles mean a lot to me.

In 2004 the Jets have two quality starting running backs (they have none now) and two All-Pros on the offensive line along with one of the league's premier pass rushers.

They have none of those things now.

The Katrina argument is weak. Tell me anyone who had their whole life ruined to the point of no return with no hope of salvaging anything in the place they called home gives two shirts about Sean Payton or the Saints.

Missing the point for $500, Alex.

We agree to disagree for $1000, Alex. The Katrina argument is a thing of the past. It was good at the start of the season, but this team is forking good. Under Haslett and Brooks, they were chronic underachievers. Katrina may have been the best thing for them. Haslett quit and they shipped Brooks to Oakland.

Payton and Brees brought in a different focus and mindset and the rest of the team bought into it. And yes the Katrina deal is weak because do you really think that the Saints, as an organization care that much about the 9th Ward? Those folks are still picking up their lives, while the fans who could afford to watch the Saints are 80/20 white to black.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

So, so many people to lay the blame at for the choke job in Denver:

--People who designed the POS new stadium for ruining the Broncos' home field advantage.
--Pat Bowlen for giving The Mastermind full control to assemble a defense that couldn't get a decent rush on a Pop Warner team without bringing the house.
--Shanahan for coaching a purely gutless game from start to finish. He played that game not to lose from the starting gun to the final kick. Gutless. Straight gutless. I won't even begin to list the number of times he could have attacked a dog-ass defense and instead chose to play it safe. If you're going to make the QB switch because the rook is the guy that can win in the playoffs, then forking coach like it.
--The whole forking defense (other than Champ Bailey) for not being able to keep a team that had quit from going up and down the field.
--Jay Cutler for AGAIN missing a WIDE OPEN receiver in a crucial spot (Marshall on 2nd down on the final drive).
--Jake Plummer for managing to go 0-for-2 with a forking pick after Cutler had his bell rung.
--Tatum Bell for AGAIN fumbling in a big spot.
--Mike Bell for showing no ability whatsoever to score from inside the 5 on multiple opportunities.

A TERRIBLE performance from all involved (other than Champ Bailey). Tempered by the fact that even if they had managed to beat New England (possible) they would have been skullforked sooner or later by somebody.

We'll be back for the rest of our wrap-up after this word from Angostura Bitters.

 

[lantaur]

NBC really has to love this Packers-Bears decision ... not sure who beyond Wisconsinites were watching this game anyway, but I imagine the second-half ratings are going to be headed downward.

Oh, and Atlanta Falcons - nice job; couldn't even beat the Eagles 'B' team. I thought it would be funny if Michael Vick had to spend the night in the hospital and thus couldn't get back to Atlanta in time for the new year. So long Jim Mora.