NFL - Are You Ready For Some Football?! - 2009 Regular Season

[Ben Kenobi]

Cincy also just signed Larry Johnson, who might change his name to Larry Dos Siete.

Even better than Houston!

Awesome! Welcome back Larry Johnson.

[Zopperoni]

It wasn't a terrible call to go on 4th and 1. Certainly not a safe call, but not as awful as it has been portrayed. They had a chance to put the game away. It was a gamble that I've made several times playing NCAA College Football 09.

I don't think the spot was bad, however--the ref's call was spot-on, based on what I saw. He didn't have control of the ball until he had been pushed back across the first down marker.

Perhaps after the turnover, it would have been smarter to let the Colts score right away and use the remaining ~2 minutes to try and get in field goal range. But that would have been a double insult to the Pats' defense, I suppose.

The wasted time outs were the biggest blunders, IMO.

It was 4th-and-2, but that's not the point. The largest blunders weren't the time-outs either.

I agree that it wasn't a bad decision, simply for the fact that it would've been a great decision if it worked out.

The real bad decision was the play call. You do not go empty on 4th-and-2 against the Colts. By going empty, you're inviting a 6-man rush with man on the outside where they can even gamble on inside leverage. I couldn't believe they came out in an empty set after they had pressure from Mathis twice just the few plays before that.
If I was the play caller, I would have approached it like a 2-point conversion (similar down and distance type situation) and called a max-protect (212 or 113 with overload on one side) play-action bootleg.
Brady didn't really have an option because the line was left susceptible to a 6-man rush by design. Shame really

[Ming]

I tend to agree with Zopp... If the play had worked out, some people would be calling him a genius.
It was indeed a bad play call. If you are going to gamble like that, at least put in a better play. That's where I think the biggest mistake was. However, the time outs wasted, and the fact he went for it were also mistakes.

[SlowwHand]

He shouldn't have done it with Goodell in his box.

Goodell fines Titans owner $250,000 for gesture (AP) - 56 minutes ago

AP - The NFL has fined Titans owner Bud Adams $250,000 for making an obscene gesture at Buffalo fans while celebrating Tennessee's victory over the Bills.

[MOBIUS]

I tend to agree with Zopp... If the play had worked out, some people would be calling him a genius.
It was indeed a bad play call. If you are going to gamble like that, at least put in a better play. That's where I think the biggest mistake was. However, the time outs wasted, and the fact he went for it were also mistakes.

Talking of mistakes, I think the 31yd pass interference call Collie got against Butler was a big mistake by the refs. It might not have prevented an Indy score, but it would have cost them precious time to make up those 31yds - also failure to score a TD makes it a whole different, er, ballgame...

Personally I think Belichick was trying to make a point to Indy by trying for another score, but it totally backfired.

[-Jrabbit]

The wasted timeouts are a big part of what made this such a bad call. And it was 4th-and-2, not 1. These were critical mitigating factors that Belichick's ego demanded he overlook.

I'm confident that Belichick believes he was right and will almost certainly do it again. But, based on the game situation (6-pt lead) down/distance, game clock and time outs, I maintain it was pure hubris and not smart strategy. There are a million ways for Indy not to score 7 if NE punts. But he went all-in instead of playing out the string. Result? A million ways to lose.

Negative reaction? Sure, there has been some, but there are plenty of Coach Bill defenders as well, doubtless based on his lovely collection of SB rings.

Here's the acid test: What would the reaction be in any other NFL town? In most, there would be crowds with pitchforks and torches demanding the bastard coach's head on a pike.

I'm very amused that the best defense of Belichick seems to be, "But he's Bill Belichick!" Like the guy can't pull a boner now and then. Does anyone remember his sub-.500 coaching in Cleveland? No one was calling him a genius then. Had this reckless gamble happened during that tenure, angry villagers would have gathered.

And rightfully so.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

I'm very amused that the best defense of Belichick seems to be, "But he's Bill Belichick!"

Oh, there are much better defenses of him than that:

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=4671

There are a lot of those stats-based arguments floating around. I thought it was a good call when they were lining up to go for it. It just didn't work (well, according to the ref that counted, at least...the other one gave it to him at the 31.)

I also agree that going for it was the right call, but the specific play called wasn't great. I'll be happy when the Pats get back Taylor and Morris so they actually try out this whole power running concept every once in a while. I've heard it can be useful in 3rd or 4th and short situations. Though I don't know if that would have been much better with NE's injured o-line.

[Ben Kenobi]

Superbowl rings make coaches immortal to complaints. Exhibit - Shanahan.

If Norv Turner were to bring a superbowl to the Chargers, he'd have a job for life. Guaranteed.

[Boris Godunov]

Oh Browns...

[SlowwHand]

Go Ricky Williams!

Foot injury likely to sideline Dolphins' Brown vs. Panthers

Associated Press

DAVIE, Fla. -- Ronnie Brown stuck his head through the entrance of the Miami Dolphins dressing room Monday, tossed a pair of shoes toward his locker and disappeared.

His arm is fine. His foot, not so good.

The Dolphins' leading rusher and wildcat triggerman remained on crutches 24 hours after hurting his right foot during the Dolphins' 25-23 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. He's unlikely to play Thursday at Charlotte and could be sidelined much longer.

"I can only tell you I'm still in the middle of gathering information," coach Tony Sparano said. "We've got to prepare for all the scenarios."

The most likely scenario is that Brown will be replaced in the starting lineup in Charlotte by Ricky Williams, who came off the bench against the Buccaneers for his first 100-yard rushing game this season.

The Dolphins initially said Brown hurt his ankle but listed the injury Monday as being to his foot. Either way it's a big loss - Brown is the Dolphins' leading rusher with 648 yards and eight touchdowns, and he takes the snap on most of the team's wildcat plays.

However, even at age 32, Williams is no ordinary backup. The 1998 Heisman Trophy winner and 2002 NFL rushing champion has run for 558 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

He ran for 102 yards against the Bucs, extending his franchise record to 21 games with at least 100 yards.

"I'm completely comfortable with Ricky getting a bigger load, if that's what has to happen," Sparano said. "I know the shape he is in and the way he takes care of his body."

Williams has taken some snaps in the wildcat, and the Dolphins will still run the package if Brown's out, Sparano said.

"There are going to be some other people, if Ronnie's not able to be out there, that would come into play," Sparano said.

Miami's third-string running back is 2008 sixth-round draft pick Lex Hilliard, who has yet to carry the ball in the NFL.

[-Jrabbit]

Superbowl rings make coaches immortal to complaints. Exhibit - Shanahan.

If Norv Turner were to bring a superbowl to the Chargers, he'd have a job for life. Guaranteed.

Ben, I think you meant "immune."

And I live in Chicago. Believe me, we know about this phenomenon.

[Lord Avalon]

Oh Browns...

Hey, they held the Ravens to 16 pts and are still in the hunt for #1.

So, Browns at Lolcats - ends in a tie?

[OzzyKP]

Go Ricky Williams!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Biggest game of the year this week: Lions vs. Browns!

[Zopperoni]

Are you sure? Browns vs. Raiders is on Dec 27