Hahahahaha. Feeling bitter, Paul?

Fair play to saxon. Graceful and dignified in defeat, even on this thread full of Phins fans, as he always is in victory.

Summed it up PERFECTLY there Ben as ever. :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi:

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2...rfectville.jpg

Well, you want to put pictures up I will put some more up.

Nice interview from Randy Moss on the Pats website, lets just say in Cassels interview he looks shocked by some of the comments.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2063/...2a79b643d6.jpg

Paul, I love you in your own strange way, but I find it hard to have a serious american football convo with someone who claims to have followed the NFL for over a decade, yet has never heard of John Carney. That coupled with some of your melodramatic reactions to recent events (the Pats have has many, MANY worse seasons than this one) makes you come across as a real glory supporter.

Unless you were kidding like with the Tony Gonzalez thing a couple of weeks back, in which case excuse me.

Apologies if I've caused offence.

0 for last 2 and playing like poo.


:p

I had heard of John Carney but didnt realise he was at the Giants, I knew that Lawrence Tynes was out but didnt watch them this season and hadnt been watching the match as had Ryder Cup on.

I heard the "playing for 23 years" and then heard about the Punter who had "played for 22 years", but I dont claim to be able to put all 1600 players names to faces, I know the ins and outs of every Patriot player and a few from other teams and most of this years draft class since I actually took notice of it for once.

Brady going down is and was an awful day for the franchise, it could have been the end of his career and still could and if Brady goes down and out that left 3 QBs with no starts between the two non-rookies and a 3rd round pick rookie who is obviously highly rated by the system.

And it wasnt over a decade its 10 years this year that I have watched as much as possible although I had watched a few games from the mid 90s but it was hard to understand the rules and that which I only really picked up in the 00s and further on.

The worst season I had seen was 5-11 which was in 2000 IIRC.

Following on from elliot.

2 from 3 but we have no Q B :D

What a game at the Lucas Oil stadium.

8 secs left on the clock with 1 time out left and a FG needed.

50+ yarder

Wow Scobee!

Brilliant kick.

Some fun on the Special Teams end with the passes and flicks but that went nowhere.

I'm not sure if this question has been asked on here recently, but surely if they just took a knee. Manning would have one long bomb to one of his receivers? Surely more chance in that rather than trying a miracle play from a KR.

Setting up for a fun finish in denver as well...

What a horrible night for the Steelers, Roethlisberger gone to the lockerroom now, hope it's not his shoulder again. How the hell did the Cowboys score 41 against Philly?

Manning's not going to throw the ball 70 yards in the air. And, it's not called a "hail mary" for nothing. It's a prayer. At least with the lateral barrage, you might catch them off guard. With the hail mary... they know what's coming.

Wrist apparently.

Yeah.

But, they had left 3 back for the run or whatever they were planning with the random passes.

If Manning could force a penalty or something with his play-calling then it shortens the yards.

If not, then he could always have 5 receivers running up the field against the Safeties and Corners and hope that maybe within 30-40 one was clear of his marker and open for a 40-50 yard pass that he can bullet ahead of the man.

Its just my opinion but I think he had a better chance doing that in that position.

Talking of hail mary, I've just got the original Staubach hail mary game on my laptop. Lovely. It's all about the hook and ladder for me though.

Ha.

Have you not seen a hail mary? You'd cover it with a horrible zone D (prevent on madden is it called?) with 8 DBs (quarter?). You never man cover a hail mary pass. In your prevent D, you'd have two ultra deep safeties, easily 50 yards off the ball.

IMO your best bet is to hope for a rebound from the jump ball, but the jump ball is never going to make it near the endzone unfortanately.

Alternatively, try and throw it under the coverage (in front of everyone who has dropped back) and maybe try and set up some blocking, hook and ladder stylee.

RE: Penalties -- Sure he could bark them offside maybe once. There would only bee three down lineman and only a 5 yard gain on the penalty. You're still in the same situation.

RE: 40-50 yard pass -- there would be at least 5 DB's behind the ball and LB's even with the ball. Defense still has a strong advantage. Still a hail mary situation.

IMHO

And don't do it like the Saints just did! :p

!
Realistically, he couldn't even bark them offside. They aren't morons. It's like telling someone that your going to point at their neck and then flick their nose when they look down at your finger, and then actually expecting them to do it! They realise that they need to cover softly (and for the line not to jump)

Indeed. A gain of 2 on the play! Pants.


Incidently, this is the best trick play ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOldh...eature=related

Sick. I still have no idea how it works.

From the 6/7 where the ball landed, I agree there was no chance of a hail mary, but had there been a touchback, well actually there was no chance. You have to be lucky with so many things in reality, even having 5 wide receivers, a TE and a RB running down the field against the 8 backs would leave one short and thats with 3 in the OL. Had he kicked it out of bounds and it was from the 40 then it was a different matter.
The last hail marys I saw were the Brady ones in the SB. Where he got sacked gearing up for one, nearly hit Moss on another, but had another 1/2 which either overshot the receiver and sailed out of bounds or it went behind and was defended by the CB/S.

And the way the Jags had been playing recently they looked quite moronic but tonight they got back on it at the best of times.

The AFC is really open this year. Exciting times.

5 WR? 1TE? RB?

This isn't CFL!

You only have 5 skill position players on the pitch at any point. Hence spread is 4WR, 1RB. Empty is 5WR. I is 2RB, 2WR, 1TE. Wishbone is 3RB, TE, WR etc...

And he also would have been shot by the fans probably.

That's actually probably the worst thing a kicker could ever ever ever do in football in that situation.

In response to elliot,

When that play goes wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v0MwtO_Sdc

RIP Sean.

Elliot -- I like this trick play. Made me laugh :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSnew1PIYqk&NR=1

I'm saying it, like if you had a couple of TEs playing on the ends of your OL and they broke away for example, it wouldnt happen and I have no doubt it would go wrong but having all them options, surely someone would be open.

The fact that the QB would lying flat on his arse after being sacked by 3 different players is a different matter though :o

If Scobee had kicked that out after his FG I think he would have exiting in glory with the Colts fans as he would be traded to them for a 7th rounder before the kick left play.

Yeh. That's one hell of a hit. But on a punter so it's piss. And that's just a punter bootlegging in an exhibition game. Nothing special. Follow the ball in the youtube I posted. Or try to. Any ideas???

I know what your saying about resources and stuff, but that's also technically illegal. You have to have 5 ineligible men on the field on any (non kicking) down. Hence why you don't pass to linemen [who have not reported in eligible]

I would be kicking the QBs arse on every play after that.

Roughing the Passer, he wouldnt be getting up with the weight of the front 3 and most of the 4 getting on him as he gets squished into the ground.

Wrong Ball Coach. That's just dirty. No class at all. Funny yeh, but no skill.

Elliot -- It looks like the video you posted is some sort of fumblerooski that is now illegal in football.

I have watched it 3 times now and I honestly cant see the ball in all bar one of the plays.

But if it works, it works :p

And if its illegal you obviously cant do it but its the only real way of getting around it. Although it obviously isnt the real way to get around it.

Yeah, I'll leave that right there, I have confused myself now :D

My point is always that if I were the C on that play, when the DL found out, they'd give me one hell of a beating whilst he's running it in. You'd have to be ready for it!

Saying that, my team has completed a "QB walk off, RB direct snap, pass to QB" a while ago, like in Longest Yard. That was ridiculous. Just sitting in your stance waiting for someone to realise.

Does it? I honestly can't see.

To me it looks like they make it obvious that its a fake, but make it look like its a fake the other side.

If the ball is deliberately put on the floor its illegal though.

You want a play, I'll give you a play

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1s4ReSvjyA - Offensive play

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VKUSgHPm4E - Offense turns defense, the most committed play ever. Starts around the minute mark.

Paul - you talk pooh. And I'm going to beat you in the fantasy league.

That is all.

No point being anything other than. Every person has ups and downs in their life and, as Palace fans, we surely experience more than most.

A loss to the Jets hurts. A loss to the Fins hurts slightly less but hurts nonetheless. However, today, we didn't just lose. We embarrassed the franchise on both sides of the ball.

I didn't talk up the game, like I don't talk up any game. I'm not a pessimist but I'm a negative optimist ;)

Full credit to Miami and zero credit to my own team. Paul can look for any positives he wants but there were none there. You're better off accepting our off day against a team on top of its game and moving on.

Let us not forget - things can get worse. Without this sounding like a swipe at the Fins, let's remember that even now, we are going to be better than 1-15 and suggesting we now "play" for a high draft pick is, frankly, ********.

For a start, our high draft picks rarely succeed as they should. BB and Pioli had a history of trading off picks for numerous lower round, lower risk, lower salary picks (a la Brady). Even if there was a college QB ready to take over the NFL, I'd still not wish for a 2-14 season to get the first pick (besides, the Rams would still "beat" us to that).

BB knows what to do and he'll do it.

Who the f*ck is Miles Austin? :eek: :D

:D

No surprises there

Cowboys go 3-0.

They are my early season pick for the Superbowl.

They are looking very strong right now and are going to be hard to stop.

Dolphins jersey + Red Sox hat = Ben?

:eek:

I'm just in the office and have put my Ronnie Brown jersey over the back of my chair. My boss isn't in yet, suspect he'll ask me to put the jersey in a drawer or something.

Seconded. :p

You can't have any tight ends on the field if you're in a five receiver set. (Unless you line a TE up as a WR.)

If you put a TE in at RT or LT and they 'broke away' you'd get flagged for having an ineligible receiver downfield.

Did you even read Elliott's concise, accurate explanation of the rules? :vader:

Yes I did.

Frankly, I confused myself with the stupid youtube videos with fake plays, fake punts, flea flickers, hail marys.

I was saying that apart from a ball being tipped to your receiver, or you having Brady and Moss:) it would have been unlikely to get a last second TD.

But, IMO, and probably mine alone, its more use than trying some funny tricks that at most are going to confuse the opponent, who will have left 3 or 4 way back to stop them should a run get going from all the passing.

And I dont need to be dignified in defeat, it doesnt happen all the time like it does to Palace, might as well follow the NFL fans lead after the Brady injury.

But that is for another season, next year in fact. When the new 4 time Superbowl Champs go 19-0 :D

Who is the best passer in the NFL?

152.8: Career passer rating for Redskins WR Antwaan Randle El, who completed a pass yesterday to Chris Cooley in the third quarter. The former college quarterback at Indiana is 18 of 22 for 246 yards and 3 touchdowns.

But is it???

The one thing I've learnt most about NFL is that it's all cyclical. You're never at the top for long. Could this be the straw that broke the camel's back, leading New England back to mediocrity for a decade or two? Yesterday (and some other games from this year and last) have shown that you're not as good as people think IMO. Some parts of your team desperately need replacing, which is never an easy task.

I've got loads of videos of when New England were horrible and loads where my team with all its history and tradition, were up there with the best. Yes, we're shit at the minute, but it'll all come full circle soon (hopefully).

That's the beauty of football, you never know what's round the corner. And that's why some dignity and grace is always a good shout. You never know when you're going to be the next whipping boys of the NFL.

Hope you're right about the cyclical thing Elliott. Been waiting too long for another SB appearance.
Any new pictures on Cooley's blog this week? ;)

Great post.

I wonder if Paul, with all his talk about past glories (all of which happened in the very, very short-term) has any idea which team has the best all-time winning percentage in the NFL.

It's like talking to someone who thinks top flight football started with the Premiership.

The Cowboys were a 1-15 team when Troy Aikman started playing

The draft stops rich teams being the best - it prevents what now happens in the Premiership. The Redskins are the richest of the NFL team but have not won a Superbowl in over 15 years

That is the joy of the NFL - every dog eventually has it's day (unless you're an Eagles fan :D )

Yes, the Dolphins have the highest percentage, I know that.

But, my point about Brady is, from the end of the Patriots' season onwards, there are going to be all these questions about how committed he is after spending a year with his supermodel girlfriend. Will that get on his nerves, probably not. But when you are being questioned by the media, is he going to be is good, how will his knee react, that will piss him off and he will come back firing.
A year away from the game can only make him stronger (even though we didnt want him injured obviously), he had the trouble with his shoulder, he can let that rest and relax and come back next year with a receiving corps that is still strong, he is going to have a pissed off Randy Moss who wont have caught anything big for a season and a Wes Welker who has caught 75% of all the passes this year. He should (I stress that word), have a running game that can actually rush when needed.

He hopefully would actually turn up to Training Camp and take a few reps in pre-season. Like with Favre, I wouldnt want to have been the first team to face the Patriots with Brady like the Jets with Brett.

Also, with respect to every thing turning full circle, its a bit different in the salary cap era, you rely on your lower round draft picks to get the bigger plays, all bar 2 of our draft picks were in the 46 named yesterday, one being on IR and one not being named. Belichick and Pioli have a knack of making something out of very little. But it takes a few years to build a good team, the Dolphins looked a proper football team yesterday, it was like the NFL Team playing the little league team.

Yes, it could go very wrong for the Pats and Brady, but it could also go very right.

and the AZ cardinals. I can't think of anything worse than being a Cards fan. The Phillies of the football world!

The oldest NFL team around, yet the Cardinals have never made a Super Bowl appearance; they are currently one of six NFL teams never to have done so. Their lone NFL championship game victory, in 1947, while based in Chicago, came two decades before the first Super Bowl Game was played. The club's other NFL championship, in 1925, occurred eight years before the league began holding a championship game.

Prediction for the Five highlights tonight, Mike Carlson will almost certainly refer to "... and the Brown you can support". :lux:

I actually look forward to those puns. Pity they take up about 18% of my Sky+ space every Monday night. I think I need to be a mature student, just to enable me to keep odd hours again.

9-5 in labs for my Masters at the minute. I haven't managed to watch a night game yet. :hmph: :hmph:

I normally make it to 1.29 perfectly, and then just as the intro rolls, I crash. Only to wake up at 4.30 watching a team kneeling out a win in an awesome game.

Mentally I think Brady will be fine. I think that's where he is by far better than every QB in the league. His commitment won't be a problem.

Knee injuries are strange things though. Ben, Elliott and I would all tell you we thought Daunte Culpepper would be fine after his injury. He wasn't. There does seem to be a history building in American sports that severe knee injuries take two years to get over (e.g. Amare Stoudemire).

The things I wouldn't want my QB to have would be:
1) History of concussions.
2) Repeated shoulder surgeries.
3) Knee injuries.
4) Colourblindness (like the bizarre rumour of why Vinny Testaverde struggled in his early years in the NFL, I can't believe that was ever true).

Hahaha. What ARE you talking about? Is this another piss take? Pioli is no better than mediocre at drafting talent, and the Pats have a reputation for cutting half their picks before the season begins as a result. Where he and Belichick are brilliant is taking cast-offs from elsewhere (most notably Miami), masking their weaknesses, and playing to their strengths. Have you seriously followed the NFL for more than, like, a year?

Sorry to sound so agitated but your ramblings are becoming more and more ridiculous by the day. Even your closest cohort on here, who supports the SAME TEAM, has taken to politely requesting that you stop the insane talk.

And yeah, you're probably right, it's impossible to turn around a 1-15 franchise in the salary cap era.

Which reminds me, how is the weather in San Diego, Rob?

Still not had a single question about why I have an aquamarine jersey on the back of my chair. :(

Ben, do you need any guest contributions to the blog?

P.S. I might have written 552 words on the subject already.

Paul, you really need to stop shooting your mouth off.

As a Pats fan, I am seriously worried about the future. Knee injuries such as Brady's are a serious detriment to that player's future.

Sure, he'll come back and I'm pretty sure too that his head will be in the right place to resume. But plenty of QBs have had similar and not been themselves when they've returned - it is inevitable given how pivotal the knees are to such a role.

And whilst you might not want to believe it, one player gone can have an effect on the team far beyond his own worth.

For example, on Sunday, the D was awful. Why? Because the pressure was on them to make a play and make a stop knowing we don't have the firepower.

Also, now Brady has gone, Moss looks toothless. He is still running most routes to completion but Cassel can't throw into a narrow lane or throw over the top as accurately.

And that is just two components. All you need to do is throw in Brady next year and he has a couple of bad games and takes a hit or two to that knee, and you can wave goodbye to the current Pats dynasty.

You might call that an over-reaction but let's see:
QB - bust up
WR - star is useless and moody without the action
Others - Bruschi is 35. Faulk is 32. Vrabel is 33. Harrison is 58. Jordan is 30. The whole OL turns 30 in 2009.

Sure, we have some rookies who are starting to look like good NFL players but it is too early to say. We're not only a QB light right now, we're an aging team, particularly on D.

The more I watch this year, the more I worry. We don't yet need a new franchise QB but I wish we had an Aaron Rodgers in waiting. We don't. In fact, we don't have depth anywhere. We have good, nay GREAT, starters in most positions but no depth except for journeymen.

Paul, you obviously watch something different to me because there are no positives right now. For us, the next off-season is huge. Week 5 is huge right now and we're only playing the 49ers who I'm sure you think we'll hammer as well...

Was the line about Harrison a joke or a typo? (Suspects the former.)

Was at a great gig last night so didn't get any of the action, but my observations this morning are;

- I was worried about the Cowboys in Green Bay, and even closed my eyes to check the score this morning ... but now on 3-0! Will watch the game this evening hopefully but nice to see other players do the business on a TO off day I understand.

- Dolphins beating the Pats? Where did that come from ... I'll bet Paul was doing his piece .. ;) .. honestly though, I have that damn RB in my fantasy team and had no reason to put him in ahead of Addai or Barber .. :sob:

- Cards come back down to earth, Ginats continue their great start to the season ... as do the Titans. 49ers win again? Philly tame the Steelers ...

Did I miss anything?

It was a joke. Even Feagles isn't that old ;)

For the record, I think Harrison is 36, maybe 37... but you can see reading that why we didn't keep Seau on, can't you? :)

Yep, a great shoot out in Denver where the last 5 minutes of the first half it looked like neither team wanted to take the bull by the horns... from one daft play to the next. If you can catch it, watch it!

And as my future "home" team, I'm fully behind Denver for a Superbowl run this year and might even have to cheer for the Jets tonight.

Nope, just kidding. I'd never cheer for the Jets :D

Because Seau is tragically destined to never win a ring?

Must be horrible to stay at the top of the NFL for a long and glittering career, and then have someone like Ahmad Bradshaw win a Super Bowl in his rookie season.

Bit like having a long and glittering career as a RB, then when your team has 1st and goal on the one during a Super Bowl and is up 37-3 see the ball given to the gimmicky, overweight defensive tackle.

(Here comes JLM in 3, 2, 1...)

Just so Jazman doesn't feel left out over here, "Photograph" is possibly the most dirgy/depressing song I've ever heard. ;)

The Raiders got back to normal ;)

Great result for Dallas and Miami last night. I wish I'd be on here to see the reaction.

They were one of the leading sides in my early supporting years I seem to recall, along with Buffalo used to do quite well ...

Brilliant. I thank you ... :o

Yep I did notice that Neil ...

I'd liked to have been on here to see Paul's reaction ... can't be arsed to read back through though ...

Hi JM, Didn't you and Paulderulz have the Steelers down for an away win? Philly are looking good (apart from that little game down in Texas) and beating up one of the so-called top teams in the AFC and the other team in PA feels great this morning. Again it looks like the NFC East will be the best division in the NFL! Is the balance of power shifting back to the NFC?

Finally, what happened to the Prawn sandwich munchers down in Miami :eek:

You should jazman!

I did. My thought was that the Steelers would take advantage of the Phillies tough beating last week .... ;)

And by that I mean I was worried about the Cowboys in Green Bay but they came through thankfully ...

I may well do when I don't have work in my way .. :p

I was impressed with what I saw of Dallas last night - they look improved every time I see them.

I'm just glad I know they'll choke in the play-offs :D

Peter King highlights this week:
And this book coming out about the mid-90s Cowboys sounds very interesting. King has details of Michael Irvin supposedly stabbing someone on page 5 this week.

Wow, was I really mentioned on the clip? ;)

I have a master plan for next week - the wife is away and I plan on doing my first quarter report for each team, I'll probably start it Sunday by going through the bye week teams. For those interested, there will not be a summary on the Pats. I've had it talking about them, quite honestly and you all know my feelings already about our season.

The BBS fortune teller are we now? ;)

Looking forward to it fella :p And fair play on the Pats, would still ike to see them included though ... purely out of interest. You have a pretty unbiased view from what I have read so far - you see it as it is.

Interesting stat about this season

the NFC East is undefeated against the rest of the league

Oi the Eagles have won three NFL titles which in my eyes is just the same as a super bowl - although admittedly the last one was back in 1960 :(

The Phillies have won one world series - behave :grrr:

Yep, I'm pretty sure :moo: will make the play-offs ;)

I might include them, I'll see how I feel on the day :)

I just hope Romo doesn't get dumped by Simpson otherwise god help us ... :o

Well, she did call me at the weekend saying something about Texan men who peaked too early... ;)

Must have been talking about Vince Young .. ;)

Touche :D

So not Texan at all. ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Romo

And I finally got asked the question at 2.20pm. :lux:

Might have to keep the jersey here all week. :D

Was researching for my favourite people with the surname Brown list and was shocked to find there's never been a Kenny Brown thread in Memory Lane, but he's only number three in my list now so I guess he doesn't matter. ;)

I could watch Anthony Fasano's TD celebration from last night all day. :)

[sarcasm]Looking forward to reading your blog this week, Ben [/sarcasm]

:D :sob:

Yes, yes, thank you Mr Pedantic ;)

Must edit this post before one of my friends reads it.

D'oh! :D

I will rid myself of that 'tool' tag ... :D

Has Paul hung himself after yesterdays result? :o

You're working your way down. You started off as one of those big pneumatic drills but now you're just a regular black and decker :D

He mentioned something yesterday about how he'd be "busy" for a few days. I reckon he's avoiding taking crap from the Fins and crap from me for me beating him in the fantasy league (hopefully :D)

That's progress :D