NFL - Are you Ready For Some Football?! Super Bowl Hunting

[Koyaanisqatsi]

The population in Foxboro is looking to be cut in half over the next few weeks...OC leaving, ST coach leaving, Pioli leaving, Dom Capers leaving...wonder if they know something about Belichick's future that's causing them to get out now...

On the other hand:

Belichick Technical Institute: School for Coaches from our New England Patriots!
by William Russo (Contributor)
January 13, 2009

Classes Now Starting at Patriot Place in Foxboro for the Famous Coaching Academy!

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and Charlie Weis, or even a front-office guy like Scott Pioli, in just a few weeks of mentoring under The Incomparable Belichick....

At BelichickTech, we are committed to helping men and women develop the skills and knowledge to pursue many opportunities in today's fastest growing career backfields, including offensive coordination, defensive development, special-teams design, criminal justice, legal aid for players, scoreboard-clock watching, and the ever-important science of sideline pacing!

At BelichickTech, spend One Full Week under the Master Himself before embarking on your own NFL coaching career!

Belichick trainees will be given their own chalkboard, headphone set, and clipboard.

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See how a wet finger helps to test wind currents before sending out the kicking squad, as part of the important lesson on how domed stadiums are different from outdoor fields.

Special rates for our Videography Course, but you must buy your own camera!

Loyalty Behaviors are explained, but there is no requirement for this seminar!

Listen to a special Grocery Buying Lecture by Bill Parcells, though we cannot teach you how to prepare them!

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http://bleacherreport.com/articles/110372-belichick-technical-institute-school-for-coaches-from-our-new-england-patriots

[Blaupanzer]

They didn't beat the Titans; the Titans beat themselves. Tennessee moved the ball at will against the vaunted Ravens' D and only Tennessee's own screwups prevented the game from being a blowout in the Titans' favor by the fourth quarter. Heck, even the Ravens' only TD was not a great offensive play but rather a boneheaded mistake by the Titans' D.

If the same Ravens team that showed up for the Titans shows up again next week, they're going to get annihilated.

Great defenses cause this effect. The offensive team, otherwise solid and intelligent throughout the season, suddenly seem to come apart in the presence of a great defense. The general opinion of the watcher's is "they beat themselves. However, if 5 or 6 teams play this defense and beat themselves, one may begin to suspect maybe the defense rattled them. Maybe the defense led them to pull the trigger too late or too early or caused them to attempt plays that had no chance to succeed based on how the offense read the defense vice what the defense actually did.

[Ben Kenobi]

I think the Titans are a better team than the Chargers. I rank the Ravens and the Steelers as a very close 1-2, and while the Titans lost barely to the Ravens (at the last second, and largely due to their best offensive player being injured), the Chargers got solidly smashed by the Steelers.

Solidly smashed? We lost Jammer in the 3rd, which means we had no experience in our secondary. Yes, the Chargers got exposed, but Jammer is the heart and soul of our secondary. I'm not surprised we fell apart, and the commentators didn't mention Jammer being out, which would have been rather important information.

Indy, is the biggest common opponent between the Titans and the Chargers. Chargers lost once with a last second FG, and won in OT. The Titans won one and got destroyed in their last game against Indy. 4 games, very different results. I don't see the Titans performing as well against Indy as the Chargers have, and the Bolts have not lost to the Titans in some time. We'll see if the Titans are for real, winning their division from a 3rd place schedule.

The Chargers for all the slander against their 9-7 schedule, faced the second or third most difficult schedule behind only the Steelers and the Ravens.

I think the Titans would win the Ravens-Titans game around half the time (pre-playoffs, I rank the three very tightly, and then the other three much further down), while the Steelers would beat the Chargers around 75%.

They went 3/3 for challenges, while Norv went 0/2 resulting in a swing of 7 Pittsburgh points, and the loss of 6 Charger points, for 13 points in total. The Chargers got quite a few bad breaks in the game, which is unfortunate. I don't think it would have been enough to overcome the Steelers, but it would have made for a closer game.

The reason I think the Titans would beat the Chargers head up is simple: defense. The Titans have one. The Chargers D played better at the end of the year, but then an offense not much more capable than the Titans (the Steelers) carved them up like a thanksgiving turkey this weekend.

They were gifted seven by the referees on the PI call, they were gifted another 7 from the freak punt bounce off Weddle. They got another 7 off the kick return. I'd say their offense earned them 14 points (the drives to finish the second, and the start of the third. The rest they were fortunate to get, as we've not given up a kickoff return for TD until this game. I'd hold the defense responsible for 14 points that game.

It was the special teams that killed them 14 points given up.

Chargers O managed to score 24 points on the top ranked defense. Should have been enough to win had the ST played the way that they normally do.

Their D is not consistent - they are capable of being decent, and they are capable of sucking, equally on any given week - and thus they rank lower than the Titans, whose defense is quite consistent. I'd say the Titans beat the Chargers around 65-35 (that is, percent of games won, not score).

The same D that gave up 10 points to manning? If you have Jammer healthy, then yes I think they can beat the Titans. Jammer injured means they lose to anyone and everyone. That's how much Quentin Jammer means to this team.

[snoopy369]

The commentators mentioned Jammer being out at least once. The first time I recall they mentioned him being out and his replacement (#24, don't recall the name, i'm terrible with names), he (#24) immediately got a foul called on him for late hit out of bounds. Perhaps they decided to stop jinxing him...

Yes, their D can be good. Their D is not CONSISTENT. You know what that word means, right? They gave up nearly 40 points to Denver in a game where their D didn't show up AT ALL, they gave up plenty of points to PIT (and if one player is THAT important to your D, it isn't exactly much to begin with), and halfway through the season they were ranked something like 29th in the league. They improved that with some better games, but still... they were not consistent on either side of the ball, and particularly not on defense.

They COULD beat the Titans, same as the Bengals c... well, maybe I shouldn't go that far. I think that the Titans would win 65 of 100 matchups, though, Jammer being healthy (at the start) and Chris Johnson/etc. being healthy (at the start). Most of the games would be something like 21 to 17, probably, neither super high scoring nor super low.

And please stop whining about calls. I think that game was called fine, in the scheme of things (and that PI call was fine); and freak punt bounces are part of the game. PIT was able to drive basically at will against that defense, completing 3rd and long after 3rd and long with no difficulty. If you can't lose with grace and admit your team was beaten by a better team, you really shouldn't post here. It's utterly embarrassing and childish.

Also, i'd really love to see what evidence you have of the Chargers having the 2nd or 3rd most difficult schedule. That's hilarious. Football Outsiders lists SD as having the 23rd most difficult schedule in the league (1.6% easier than average). PIT and BAL had the 4th and 6th most difficult (DESPITE being in the same division as CLE and CIN, mind you).

Most difficult?

CIN, CLE, DET.

Interesting, isn't it.

[Supr49er]

You can't expect a real fan to be objective about their team.

[Lord Avalon]

If you want to make your argument, best to get the facts right, no?

The Chargers for all the slander against their 9-7 schedule...

FACT: The Chargers finished 8-8.

Or do you subscribe to the belief that lies become truth the more you tell them?

[Ben Kenobi]

The commentators mentioned Jammer being out at least once. The first time I recall they mentioned him being out and his replacement (#24, don't recall the name, i'm terrible with names), he (#24) immediately got a foul called on him for late hit out of bounds. Perhaps they decided to stop jinxing him...

Gordon, Cletis Gordon, who's a rookie. That left:

Gordon/Cromartie/Cason Weddle/Hart

Cason and Gordon are true rookies. Weddle and Cromartie are in their first year starting. Hart is the only vet, and he's always been a liability.

Yes, their D can be good. Their D is not CONSISTENT. You know what that word means, right? They gave up nearly 40 points to Denver in a game where their D didn't show up AT ALL, they gave up plenty of points to PIT (and if one player is THAT important to your D, it isn't exactly much to begin with), and halfway through the season they were ranked something like 29th in the league.

They finished the season ranked 14th in overall defense, 10th best on the run and 31st on the pass. This is despite the fact that they fired their defensive co-ordinator in the middle of the season prior to the run.

If Polomalu goes down, who do the Steelers have for DBs? Injuries to your best coverage man are brutal. Granted, the Chargers DBs have been a big liability, but with Jammer they could cover up for them. I hadn't realised Jammer went down, which is a real blow.

And please stop whining about calls. I think that game was called fine, in the scheme of things (and that PI call was fine); and freak punt bounces are part of the game. PIT was able to drive basically at will against that defense, completing 3rd and long after 3rd and long with no difficulty. If you can't lose with grace and admit your team was beaten by a better team, you really shouldn't post here. It's utterly embarrassing and childish.

I've already said, and I quote, that the Steelers were the better team. The poor ref calls ruined an otherwise good game.

Do you know how frusterating it is to have a solid goal-line stand to keep the game close, only to have the very next series that the Steelers have on O go to a PI call putting them back on the 1? It's disgusting. The ball bounced off the hands of the receiver in the end-zone. He had an opportunity to make the play, and failed.

Also, i'd really love to see what evidence you have of the Chargers having the 2nd or 3rd most difficult schedule. That's hilarious. Football Outsiders lists SD as having the 23rd most difficult schedule in the league (1.6% easier than average).

Based on last years schedule, which is a joke.

They played Indy, Miami, Pit, Carolina, Atlanta; 5 playoff teams. They played the Jets, Patriots, Tampa, and Denver 2x who missed the playoffs by a game. That's 10 teams right there.

The easy part of their schedule had Oakland 2x, KC 2x, and Buffalo, who still finished 6-7.

Their schedule was more difficult then the Titans, Indy, and Miami, which is all I said. Of the playoff teams, only Pit and Bal had more difficult schedules.

Most difficult?

CIN, CLE, DET.

Interesting, isn't it.

Which is why you have to adjust according to the team. SOS is a good way to compare similar teams but fails with very different ones.

[Ben Kenobi]

FACT: The Chargers finished 8-8.

Or do you subscribe to the belief that lies become truth the more you tell them?

Hochuli admitted he blew the call, and robbed the Chargers out of a win that they earned.

Why is it so difficult for you to admit the truth?

[Lord Avalon]

Do you know how frusterating it is to have a solid goal-line stand to keep the game close, only to have the very next series that the Steelers have on O go to a PI call putting them back on the 1? It's disgusting. The ball bounced off the hands of the receiver in the end-zone. He had an opportunity to make the play, and failed.

Actually, the ball bounced off his hand, as his other arm was pulled down by the defender before the ball got there. PASS INTERFERENCE.

[snoopy369]

No, FO lists strength of schedule based on THIS SEASON. Read the page ... and how does BUF finish 6-7? This isn't a strike year ...

And at the start of that post you're admitting that the Chargers' D is crap. Thanks for the admission. They finished 31st against the pass, WITH Jammer, which should tell you something...

[Lord Avalon]

Why is it so difficult for you to admit the truth?

Oh, that's ****ing rich, coming from you. The truth is that the Chargers finished 8-8. Doesn't matter what Hochuli did, they don't change the result.

[Ming]

Zebras have been making mistakes that have cost teams games since the very beginning. They don't go back and change the results. Just because a ref actually admited he made a mistake, doesn't change the result of the game. Last time I looked, and the time before that, and the time before that, the Chargers were 8 - 8 this year in the regular season.

If the Chargers defense had been worth a damn, Denver would never have been in a position to win that game... which they did!

[Imran Siddiqui]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3830515

Looks like Pioli to the Chiefs is very close to happening. And that seems to mean that Herm is gone.

[Ben Kenobi]

Actually, the ball bounced off his hand, as his other arm was pulled down by the defender before the ball got there. PASS INTERFERENCE.

Yet a beautiful shoe string picture perfect catch, was ruled incomplete.

Oh, right, that's because it was caught by a Charger.

It would have been a heck of a catch by the Steelers, but it wasn't PI. He had a chance to get the ball and make the play and failed.

He was lucky to get a hand on the ball as the ball was overthrown.

[Ben Kenobi]

and how does BUF finish 6-7? This isn't a strike year ...

Don't know why I put 6-7. That should be 7-9.