"NFL Football is Back!" 2011 Season Thread

[Al B. Sure!]

13, 13, 10, 24, (45), 15

And yet Orton was 4-18 in last 22 starts with this same freaking team!

The defense didn't get better. The difference, as far as I can tell, is that the offense is not turning the ball over. Orton threw 7 picks in 5 games. Tebow has only thrown 1 in 6 games.

You always ask your QB to just not turn the ball over and that's exactly what Tebow is doing. That's why they're winning.

[Al B. Sure!]

Anyone know where to get the stats for average starting field position? It seems like Denver opponents start every drive deep. By not turning the ball over, Denver is winning the battle of field position and that is why they're winning.

[Al B. Sure!]

Which is also why all you Bears fans better not put any money on Chicago at Mile High in two weeks. Not with the way Hanie turns the ball over

[Demonbinder]

Let's see what he does next week. Yes, he did turn the ball over three times, but it was in the first half. If you saw the game when he was in similar situations in the second half he threw the ball away or where only his receiver could get it. So we will see what happens in two weeks.

[Al B. Sure!]

Let's see what he does next week. Yes, he did turn the ball over three times, but it was in the first half. If you saw the game when he was in similar situations in the second half he threw the ball away or where only his receiver could get it. So we will see what happens in two weeks.

He can run, though, I'll give that to him. 5 carries for 50 yards. 7.1 yards per attempt passing, too. He'd be pretty good if he didn't throw picks.

I didn't see the game but why did Forte only get 12 carries?

Honestly, if Chicago played Denver-style offense, they'd probably have beat Oakland. Let Hanie run, have him throw less, and give Forte/Barber 40+ carries combined.


As an aside, from my understanding, though, Hanie threw his picks when targeting Forte. That's odd.

[Demonbinder]

The play calling was at fault. They didn't use the running game enough and when Hanie threw the INT's, Forte was the player who was "open", at least in Hanie's eyes (except for the last one, I belive). But he never should have thrown those balls. Especially on the last one, they were in FG position and why they called a pass, I have no idea. But that is the OC for you. They should have just run the ball and if you don't make it, take the three points. Everything else going the same way, that was difference in the game.

[Al B. Sure!]

The play calling was at fault. They didn't use the running game enough and when Hanie threw the INT's, Forte was the player who was "open", at least in Hanie's eyes (except for the last one, I belive). But he never should have thrown those balls. Especially on the last one, they were in FG position and why they called a pass, I have no idea. But that is the OC for you. They should have just run the ball and if you don't make it, take the three points. Everything else going the same way, that was difference in the game.

Oh I forgot who the OC is. Mike Martz would never call 40+ runs

[Al B. Sure!]

By the way, look what happens when Polamalu meets a Temple Owl:

http://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-city-chiefs/2011/11/27/2590965/video-troy-polamalu-injury-comes-when-tackling-chiefs-steve-maneri

He got knocked out the game.

Hope Polamalu's okay, though.

[H Tower]

That's why I told him it wasn't a factor

I just didn't like H Tower's response to me. To be honest, it is Apolyton getting to me (let you and H Tower have a similar discussion with someone like KrazyHorse, Kuci, or drake ). I apologize for the hostility.

I'll stick to arguing sports instead of politics, religion, economics or anything else serious. Thanks

[Al B. Sure!]

Tebow's 22 rushing attempts were the most by a QB since at least 1950. I assume that means there's no accurate stats ever for a QB in the modern sense rushing that many times.

Bobby Douglass' highest single game total was 19. I assume that's the closest.

[SlowwHand]

And I assume that you think that's a good thing.

[Al B. Sure!]

And I assume that you think that's a good thing.

He's 5-1 as a starter this year so it apparently IS a good thing.

[Al B. Sure!]

So a lot of talk in Philly about Andy Reid should get fired at the end of this season. More than the usual weekly 'fire Andy Reid' stuff. Thoughts?

The Patriots game was an odd one. The Eagles jumped up 10-0 but ended up getting blown out. The play-calling? 48 pass attempts with Vince freaking Young and 10 rushes with the NFL leading rusher. How was that a gameplan?


With that said, Vince Young threw for 400 yards. That's got to be his career first, right?

[H Tower]

I didn't see the game, but I would imagine most of the passes came once the Eagles fell behind big. The Eagles adopted the "go big or go home" strategy in the off season with all of the free agent signing. If the Eagles don't make the playoffs, I could see the Andy Reid era ending. I'll throw a caveat in there that he must know where the bodies are buried to have already survived this many seasons with the Eagles.

[Al B. Sure!]

I didn't see the game, but I would imagine most of the passes came once the Eagles fell behind big.

You'd think that. But McCoy only had 6 carries in the first half.

Check the Eagles' drives in the 1st and 2nd quarters:
Pass, pass, pass, run, run (TD)
Pass, pass, run, pass, pass, pass, FG
Pass, sack, QB scramble, punt
Pass intercepted
Run, run, pass, punt
Pass, pass, run, pass, run, pass, sack, QB scramble, pass, FG
QB scramble, pass, pass, punt

Look at that! That's an 18% RB run percentage on offensive snaps. And they have the league's leading rusher! While using Vince Young like he's Peyton Manning without the benefit of Maclin.

A reporter asked if Reid was considering a more plodding, ball-control approach to his offense this week to keep Tom Brady off the field.

The head coach began to answer the question, then just broke down in laughter.

The reporter reset and tried to further explain the question, that he was talking about “the best defense is a good offense” theory.

“We try to do that all the time,” said Reid, a big smile still across his face. “That’s the reason I’m laughing; that’s the objective to keep the ball as long as you can and score touchdowns.

“This isn’t like basketball — there’s no four corners’ stall and all that stuff; that’s not how football works. I’m OK any way we can get it in the end zone. It’s too tough in this league to say, well we’re going to do this and that.”

Using that rationale, it is easy to justify the fact that the Eagles threw the ball 48 times and ran it just 17 in a 38-20 drubbing at the hands of the Patriots.

“The teams that we saw that had success against them obviously threw the football,” Reid said afterwards. “They were stout against the run, and you play into their strength with that.”

The gameplan was to pass.