NFL Football - 2012 Season Thread

[Donegeal]

I was wondering how long it would take for that word to come out.

[-Jrabbit]

It's a little dance. I like to watch.

[SlowwHand]

The thing is, I like Imran. If I didn't like him I would ignore him. That's my ultimate show of disdain, ignoring. I hate being ignored.

[Sparrowhawk]

The thing is, I like Imran. If I didn't like him I would ignore him. That's my ultimate show of disdain, ignoring. I hate being ignored.

You only like him because he's a slut.

[Sparrowhawk]

Interesting start to the Bears/Texans game. I think the defenses should be a wash, both are very good but Houston's offense I think is considerably better than Chicago's. I'm excited about the game however, should be good to see how it plays out.

[-Jrabbit]

It's been pretty boring overall. Very sloppy first half for both teams - but mostly the Bears.
It'll be interesting to see if Campbell can step up in the 4th quarter. Not feeling good about it...

[DaShi]

The thing is, I like Imran. If I didn't like him I would ignore him. That's my ultimate show of disdain, ignoring. I hate being ignored.

You like me too!

[SlowwHand]

Yeah.

[Jaguar]

Here's a post I wrote at another site on why the Houston defensive ends scare the bejeezus out of me.

Texans DE JJ Watt will be the defensive player of the year. He will break the all-time blocked passes record for a lineman, and he leads the NFL with 10.5 sacks. He is without doubt the best pass defender in the game.

A seasoned football fan knows, though, that defending the pass isn't even Watt's primary job. The Texans field a 3-4 defense, meaning that Watt is one of only three down linemen available to clog running lanes. Miami's Cameron Wake, also a great pass rusher, is one of four. The other three men combine for 952 lbs and hold the line, leaving Wake free to focus on the QB.

The Texans, though, rely on only three down linemen to contain the run, even though Watt aggressively rushes the passer, and even though they don't have an ideal-size NT. So let's talk about those run defense responsibilities.

Watt and Smith typically line up over the offensive tackle, or towards his outside shoulder - what Bear Bryant called the "5-technique" slot. You'll also sometimes hear them called "two-gap" linemen. That's because they are responsible for two gaps in the running game. The first is the C-gap, outside the tackle. The second is the B-gap, between tackle and guard.

So how have they done at those responsibilities this season? At their primary responsibility, I would say they've done the best job of defending the C-gap I've ever seen. And I can show you with the numbers.

Last night, Matt Forte ran outside (marked as "left end" or "right end" in the play-by-play) five times. Five times for two yards. Every time, he would head towards the tackle, find the lane completely blocked, try to awkwardly bounce outside even farther, and get stopped for no gain.

This would be stunning if it weren't so utterly predictable; the Texans DEs have been doing this for two years.

Opposing running backs have 18 runs around end this season with the Texans starting DEs on the field. They've combined for 37 yards, no touchdowns, and only two first downs. Those two runs are the only bright spot. CJ Spiller broke containment once for 22 yards, and MJD did it once for 14. They made the most of an incredibly rare opportunity to get into the secondary.

On the other 16 carries, the opposing running backs have combined for 1 yard. The message is clear: don't even try.

Over the last two seasons, opponents got the message. They've given up. I've never seen anything like it. Last year they ran outside 3 times per game. This year they do it twice a game. Against the Texans, the C-gap might as well not exist.

Taking runs head-on, the Houston DEs have been exceptional as well. Over 9 games, they've allowed 42 carries marked "right tackle" or "left tackle" for 142 yards and 0 TDs.

Only about 32% of runs against the Texans are marked "tackle" or "end", an all time low matched by only a handful of other teams, including the 2011 Texans. Consider it a statistical representation of how Watt and Smith have literally narrowed their opponent's options in the running game.

Back in 2003-2004, Richard Seymour was the best defensive lineman in football. As a Colts fan, I hated and feared him, maybe even more than (at the time) Tom Brady. JJ Watt is Richard Seymour all over again, but faster, smarter, and more disciplined. Oh yeah, and he's in our division now, too. God help us all.

[-Jrabbit]

Last night's game was one of the most boring I've ever seen between two consensus playoff teams. I love watching great defense, but both teams were extremely conservative in the second half -- the Texans protecting a lead, the Bears protecting a shaky QB2 in Campbell.

It was nice to watch Arrian Foster go against a defensive front seven that I know. The Bears D keyed on him all night and he still got his 100+TD. He is definitely, as Brian Urlacher said in a post-game interview, a badass.

[Jaguar]

Arian Foster has a magical ability to see several seconds into the future. He's like the Peyton Manning of running backs.

[Donegeal]

8 Rookie QBs starting in week 12!

Miami - Tannehill
Cleveland - Weedon
Indianapolis - Luck
Tennessee - Locker
Philadelphia - Foles
Washington - Griffin
Arizona - Lindley
Seattle - Wilson

[Al B. Sure!]

Lots of second year QB's, too: Newton, Dalton, Ponder, Locker, maybe Kaepernick, but no Gabbert. Youth movement.

[-Jrabbit]

Headline: Harbaugh, Kaepernick expose Bears defense as total fraud.

[Sava]

Headline: Harbaugh, Kaepernick expose Bears defense as total fraud.

The 49ers gameplan was a textbook example of how to expose the weaknesses of the Bears D. They just executed well and didn't make any stupid mistakes. 49ers offense matches up very well against what the Bears like to do.

Bears D wants to sit in their zone. 49ers forced them into man coverage with multiple tight end sets, delay runs, draws and play action.

Bears D isn't a fraud. It is what the 49ers thought it was.