NFL, Week 7, Comments

[jdcord]

Ok, here we go.


1.  The Patriots, and the whole "running up the score" nonsense.

The first thing that should be noted is that I am a die-hard Redskins fan; the very team that the Patriots demolished last Sunday, and "ran up the score" on.

What is a team supposed to do when it is up by 38 points early in the 4th quarter?  Should they bench all of their starters, send in the scrubs, and have the scrub QB kneel down on every single offensive play?  Maybe they should forego offensive plays altogether, and just punt the ball on every first down?  Should their defense cease all attempts to pressure the opposing offense?  Should they go into a "Prevent", and not even rush the passer?  Well, if that's the case, then the NFL should pass some kind of a "Mercy" rule wherein if a team is behind by 38 or more points at a certain time in the game (say, with 10 minutes to go?), then the refs will invoke the rule and the game will end right there.  Because, for so called "decency's sake", asking that the team with the lead essentially stop playing is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of.

And by the way, one of the biggest critics I heard over the weekend on this subject was Steve Young, formerly of the 49ers - claiming that once a team is up by 38 points as the Patriots were, that they should take their foot off the gas.  I only have one thing to say to Steve in rebuttal:  55-10, Steve!  Remember that?  (Please note that the 49ers were already up by a score of 41-10 entering the 4th quarter).  ..... Enough said.


"The Patriots shouldn't have had Tom Brady still in the game when they were up 38-0, and they certainly shouldn't have had him trying to get another score."

Really?  Did anyone actually register what happened in the Tennessee vs. Houston game just one weekend before last?  Not only that, but the Redskins especially, of all teams, should know that it is very possible for a team to put up at least  5 touchdowns in a single quarter.  Sorry, but in today's NFL, not even a 38 point lead is full-proof.  You simply can't allow the other team to get up off the canvas, or you may very well find yourself on the losing end of the next "greatest comeback in NFL history".  If you can score more points, do so, because you may just wind up needing them.

Also, please note that after going up 45-0 that the Patriots did indeed send in the scrubs, .......... who proceeded to go straight down the field and score.     


"On two drives in the 4th quarter the Patriots went for it on fourth down, when they could have just settled for a field goal each time."

Yes, and everyone would've complained that kicking the field goals was "running up the score", because they shouldn't have been trying to drive down the field anyway - or some other such nonsense.

Defensive players get paid - and paid quite handsomely, I might add - to play defense for the full 60 minutes of each game.  They do not get paid to have the other team's offense "take it easy" on them in the fourth quarter, just because they have failed miserably to do their jobs in the previous 3 quarters.  If you don't like the other team supposedly "running up the score" on you, then do something about it!  Stop them!  Do what you get paid to do!  But please, stop whining about it like a bunch of crybabies.  It's unbecoming.


2.  Concerning the upcoming, "Super Bowl before  the actual Super Bowl" game:

The game is being played in Indy, but the Patriots have the better offense and the better defense.  Plus, as has been pointed out by many pundits in the last few days, the "Cover 2" (the primary defensive scheme of the Colts) has always had one glaring weakness - it leaves the coverage of the "Slot Receiver" up to one of the linebackers.  That's great if you happen to have an athletic, "freak of nature" playing linebacker - or if the other team's "Slot Receiver" isn't all that hard to cover.  But the Patriots have the speedy and hard to cover Wes Welker playing the "Slot Receiver" position, and the Colts have no athletic, "freak of nature" at linebacker to counter that.  This is going to create serious "match-up" issues for the Colts' defense.  Either that, or they'll have to change their entire defensive scheme for just this one game - something that the Colts are not accustomed to doing (but which the Patriots are quite adept at doing).  Also, the Cover 2 is possibly the best scheme for handling a receiver like Randy Moss, so if the Colts abandon it for something else, that may just turn into a case of the cure being worse than the disease.

In other words, the "match-up" issues in this game tend to weigh heavily in favor of the Patriots.

 

[Scott]

Ok, here we go.


1.  The Patriots, and the whole "running up the score" nonsense.

The first thing that should be noted is that I am a die-hard Redskins fan; the very team that the Patriots demolished last Sunday, and "ran up the score" on.

Niiiice wasn't it. Vrabel killing that poor QB, that was almost assault with attempt to kill

What is a team supposed to do when it is up by 38 points early in the 4th quarter?  Should they bench all of their starters, send in the scrubs, and have the scrub QB kneel down on every single offensive play? 

Do like Nebraska, run up the score, set records......

Maybe they should forego offensive plays altogether, and just punt the ball on every first down?  Should their defense cease all attempts to pressure the opposing offense?  Should they go into a "Prevent", and not even rush the passer?  Well, if that's the case, then the NFL should pass some kind of a "Mercy" rule wherein if a team is behind by 38 or more points at a certain time in the game (say, with 10 minutes to go?), then the refs will invoke the rule and the game will end right there.  Because, for so called "decency's sake", asking that the team with the lead essentially stop playing is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of.

*tweeeeet*

*flag on the play*

40 yard penalty, defensive team. Their offense ran up the score by 38 points.

Saftey

Free Kick

*tweeet*

And by the way, one of the biggest critics I heard over the weekend on this subject was Steve Young, formerly of the 49ers - claiming that once a team is up by 38 points as the Patriots were, that they should take their foot off the gas.  I only have one thing to say to Steve in rebuttal:  55-10, Steve!  Remember that?  (Please note that the 49ers were already up by a score of 41-10 entering the 4th quarter).  ..... Enough said.

Yeah, but he is STEVE YOUNG former 49er QB

C'mon JD.....

"The Patriots shouldn't have had Tom Brady still in the game when they were up 38-0, and they certainly shouldn't have had him trying to get another score."

Really?  Did anyone actually register what happened in the Tennessee vs. Houston game just one weekend before last?  Not only that, but the Redskins especially, of all teams, should know that it is very possible for a team to put up at least  5 touchdowns in a single quarter.  Sorry, but in today's NFL, not even a 38 point lead is full-proof.  You simply can't allow the other team to get up off the canvas, or you may very well find yourself on the losing end of the next "greatest comeback in NFL history".  If you can score more points, do so, because you may just wind up needing them.

Pull Tom Brady?

Dude...

he is safer in that backfield than Bush is with the secret service.

I am positive I saw a lineman grilling burgers at one point....

Also, please note that after going up 45-0 that the Patriots did indeed send in the scrubs, .......... who proceeded to go straight down the field and score.     

Practice makes perfect

"On two drives in the 4th quarter the Patriots went for it on fourth down, when they could have just settled for a field goal each time."

Yes, and everyone would've complained that kicking the field goals was "running up the score", because they shouldn't have been trying to drive down the field anyway - or some other such nonsense.

Practice makes perfect

Defensive players get paid - and paid quite handsomely, I might add - to play defense for the full 60 minutes of each game.  They do not get paid to have the other team's offense "take it easy" on them in the fourth quarter, just because they have failed miserably to do their jobs in the previous 3 quarters.  If you don't like the other team supposedly "running up the score" on you, then do something about it!  Stop them!  Do what you get paid to do!  But please, stop whining about it like a bunch of crybabies.  It's unbecoming.

POP goes the QB

2.  Concerning the upcoming, "Super Bowl before  the actual Super Bowl" game:

The game is being played in Indy, but the Patriots have the better offense and the better defense.  Plus, as has been pointed out by many pundits in the last few days, the "Cover 2" (the primary defensive scheme of the Colts) has always had one glaring weakness - it leaves the coverage of the "Slot Receiver" up to one of the linebackers. 

Two words

Dante Stallworth!

ok

two more

Wes Welker!

Line them up on your fantasy teams boys....

That's great if you happen to have an athletic, "freak of nature" playing linebacker -

Like Vrabel or Bruschki?

or if the other team's "Slot Receiver" isn't all that hard to cover.  But the Patriots have the speedy and hard to cover Wes Welker playing the "Slot Receiver" position, and the Colts have no athletic, "freak of nature" at linebacker to counter that.  This is going to create serious "match-up" issues for the Colts' defense.  Either that, or they'll have to change their entire defensive scheme for just this one game - something that the Colts are not accustomed to doing (but which the Patriots are quite adept at doing).  Also, the Cover 2 is possibly the best scheme for handling a receiver like Randy Moss, so if the Colts abandon it for something else, that may just turn into a case of the cure being worse than the disease.

Short passes the 3 or 4 RB's on their team with great hands...

[jdcord]

Niiiice wasn't it. Vrabel killing that poor QB, that was almost assault with attempt to kill

The Redskins' O-line has been suspect all year - mostly due to injuries, which in reality just means that they have no depth at those positions.  The Patriots knew about that weakness going in, and they took full advantage of it.  ............ but hey!  Since apparently everybody's supposed to "play nice" in the NFL these days, maybe the Patriots should also be maligned for having the nerve to exploit such an obvious weakness.  I mean, really - what are they, Bullies, or something?

*L*

*tweeeeet*

*flag on the play*

40 yard penalty, defensive team. Their offense ran up the score by 38 points.

Saftey

Free Kick

*tweeet*

*L*

I agree.  Superior teams should be penalized for their superiority.  To make things more "fair", the inferior teams should be awarded free points during the game.

Yeah, but he is STEVE YOUNG former 49er QB

C'mon JD.....

Whoops.  Sorry.  I forgot.  My apologies, Steve.  I will never again point out any obvious hypocrisies on your part.  ... Here, let me gravel at your feet like everyone else.   

There.  Is that better.

*L*

Practice makes perfect

Hey, you can't send in the scrubs and then tell them to not even try.  That's inhumane.

That's great if you happen to have an athletic, "freak of nature" playing linebacker -

Like Vrabel or Bruschki?

No (although Vrable's not bad).  But Adalius Thomas will do nicely.         6' 2", 270 lbs, and runs a 4.53 40 yd dash?  Yeah.  I'd say that qualifies as "freakish".  *L*

[jdcord]

Defensive players get paid - and paid quite handsomely, I might add - to play defense for the full 60 minutes of each game.  They do not get paid to have the other team's offense "take it easy" on them in the fourth quarter, just because they have failed miserably to do their jobs in the previous 3 quarters.  If you don't like the other team supposedly "running up the score" on you, then do something about it!  Stop them!  Do what you get paid to do!  But please, stop whining about it like a bunch of crybabies.  It's unbecoming.

POP goes the QB

Hey now!  This is a "family friendly" forum.  We don't advocate violence here.  ................. errrrrrrrrrrr, ............... at least, .... not in sports, anyway.  *gulp*

:grin: