"NFL Football is Back!" 2011 Season Thread

[Al B. Sure!]

Oh big whoop they lost to the Patriots. Everybody but the Bills, Steelers, and Giants lost to the Patriots. It doesn't mean much when you lose to the Patriots.

[-Jrabbit]

It means you're not elite. Especially considering NE's pathetic excuse for a defense.

[Al B. Sure!]

It means you're not elite. Especially considering NE's pathetic excuse for a defense.

Actually, you may be right. I'm looking at the Patriots' schedule and it was actually pretty easy. They've only beat the Dolphins, Chargers, Raiders, Jets, Cowgirls, Jets again, Chiefs, Eagles, Colts, Redskins. That's not exactly compelling.

Though, to be honest, the whole AFC looks shady this year. I mean Baltimore got their asses kicked by San Diego last night and people were saying they were the AFC's most complete team.


However, NE's defense struggled to stop Denver from getting yards. Pretty crazy that Denver ran for 252 yards on NE without a single 100 yard rusher and lost. They averaged 8.1 yards per rush and 8.8 yards per pass attempt but lost. Turnovers kill you.

“The reality is, we’re not at the stage where we can overcome minus-three turnovers,” Broncos coach John Fox said.

[Al B. Sure!]

Elsewhere in the NFL, John Skelton led the Cardinals to another win off a 300-yard day. He's technically 4-1 as a starter this year but really 5-1 since Kolb threw only one pass in one game. He has 2 300-yard games this season. Will that be it for Kolb?

And like Tebow, John Skelton is a 4th quarter hero.

"As soon as the fourth quarter comes, he takes his cape off," Cardinals star Larry Fitzgerald said. "He comes out there and just gets it going. He makes throws, he scrambles, he does whatever is necessary to get the victory ... There's something special about the guy."

Sports Science covered John Skelton two years ago before he was drafted. Note how superb his measurables are. I posted this video last year:

[Al B. Sure!]

Here's JPP on sports science, by the way:



A guy that size doing those backflips is bananas

[Lord Avalon]

SF Stadium had a power outage

.

[Al B. Sure!]

So how does Big Ben throw for 330 but his offense only puts up a field goal? 389 total yards for PIT and they get 3 points to show for it. Atlanta put up 41 on less yards a few nights ago.

Like I said, the whole AFC is suspect this year.

[-Jrabbit]

Didn't watch, but I'm guessing the 3 INTs had something to do with it.

So the AFC's other "solid" team goes down to the "are they for real?" 49ers. The AFC is a mess.
Who am I forgetting? The Jets? The Chargers? Every team is suspect.

If Schaub had stayed healthy, Texas would have been heavy favorites by now.

[Al B. Sure!]

Didn't watch, but I'm guessing the 3 INTs had something to do with it.

So the AFC's other "solid" team goes down to the "are they for real?" 49ers. The AFC is a mess.
Who am I forgetting? The Jets? The Chargers? Every team is suspect.

If Schaub had stayed healthy, Texas would have been heavy favorites by now.

Umm.. the 49ers play in the NFC, Jrabbit.

[Al B. Sure!]

So we have two games left and these are the only teams eliminated from playoff contention:

AFC eliminations:

• Indianapolis (Week 12), Jacksonville (Week 13), Buffalo (Week 14), Cleveland (Week 14), Miami (Week 14).

NFC eliminations:

• Minnesota (Week 12), St. Louis (Week 12), Carolina (Week 14), Tampa Bay (Week 14), Washington (Week 14).


Yes, 22 teams are still technically in it. 22. With two games left. I could be wrong but that seems high.

Would be pretty crazy if the Eagles, Chiefs, Chargers, Cardinals, or Seahawks make the playoffs.

[Al B. Sure!]

The #1 seed Packers can almost dictate who makes it in the playoffs at this point with first round bye locked down. They play the Bears and Lions which has huge implications for the other NFC teams.

However, they do NOT have the #1 seed locked. If they lose both games and the 49ers win out, they'll have identical records (10-2) vs. NFC opponents. In this hypothetical situation, however, the 49ers will be 5-0 against common opponents while the Packers will be 4-1. In that situation, the 49ers will have the #1 seed.

So, between that and the divisional rivalry, the Packers may decide to play hard. But, if they only have to against the Bears. Once they beat the Bears, they'll have the #1 seed locked and don't have to try against Detroit.

Detroit meanwhile plays San Diego which may be surging now.


Since this is Chicago Bears Civilization site, I thought to tell you all that the outcomes of the Lions' games and the Seahawks' games are going to be big for the Bears unless Atlanta sweeps. If Atlanta wins out, the Bears will have to win out and need help with respect to the Lions and Seahawks.

[rah]

I don't think many Bears fans are thinking playoffs at this point. Even the delusional ones. The only psycho thinking there is still hope is probably Lovie.

[Ming]

Umm.. the 49ers play in the NFC, Jrabbit.

Umm... where did Jr ever say the 49ers were in the AFC. He was just stating that the other "solid" AFC team lost to the 49ers... proving what a mess the AFC is this year.

And yes, I don't know any Bear fans who are still thinking about them making the play offs this year.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Since this is Chicago Bears Civilization site, I thought to tell you all that the outcomes of the Lions' games and the Seahawks' games are going to be big for the Bears unless Atlanta sweeps. If Atlanta wins out, the Bears will have to win out and need help with respect to the Lions and Seahawks.

I don't know if the Falcons can take the Saints. But hopefully!

[Demonbinder]

Even I don't think the Bears have a chance to make the playoffs. And I don't really want them to anyway at this point.