NFL - Week 3: Comments and Observations

[jdcord]

1.    Errrrrrrrrrr, ........ well, then, ....... like I was saying, the Patriots' season is basically shot with Matt Cassell at quarterback.  *L*  ....... Well, ok, I don't really believe that, but boy did they look bad against the Dolphins.  They couldn't run the ball, and they couldn't stop the run either:  and at any level of football, that generally tends to be a very bad combo.  I can only remember one time that a team got absolutely clobbered in both of those categories yet still managed to win the game (and pretty convincingly, at that):  on December 8th, 2002 the Houston Texans went up to Pittsburgh and managed to win 24-6, despite only managing 47 yards of total offense (10 yards passing, and 37 yards rushing - compared to Pittsburgh's 294 yards passing, and 128 yards rushing).  The Texans scored 3 touchdowns:  on a 40 yard fumble return, a 70 yard INT return, and a 65 yard INT return.  ... But other than that one, fluke-ish, one in a trillion chance, anomaly - when a team can't run, and also cannot stop the run, they are a virtual "stone cold, lock" to lose (in humiliating fashion, usually).

It's interesting to note, though, that in their last 23 regular season games, respectively, the Dolphins have only won 3 games, while the Patriots have only lost two - both of which, oddly enough, have come at the hands of those same Miami Dolphins.  So apparently the Dolphins have a good handle on how to play the Patriots very tough, and actually beat them.  ............ it's just the other 30 teams in the League they can't seem to figure out.  *L*


2.    Ok, so maybe the Browns really are that bad.  Wow!  What a difference a year makes, eh?


3.    Although the Cowboys seem to be the best team in the NFL at this point, it cannot be overstated that this has been their standard modus operandi  since the start of the 2006 season, and the beginning of the Tony Romo "era":  an absolute juggernaut for the first 3 months of the season, followed by an enigmatic and precipitous fall back to the ranks of mediocrity, always starting in early December and continuing through January (and an early exit from the playoffs).  So I simply don't trust this whole "Cowboys as the #1 team" thing - not until I see them actually keep the juggernaut rolling through December and January, that is.  Otherwise it's just the same ole Cowboys story we've seen before:  they may look great right now, but later ....... ehhhhhhh, .... not so much.


4.    Alright!  Let's give it up for the NFC BEast!  Clearly, and without question, the best division in the NFL this season. 

I mean, did you see even a little bit of the absolute beating that the Eagles defense put on the very best that the AFC North has to offer (the mighty Steelers")??  It was brutal! - almost horrifyingly so.  .... a "cover your children's eyes" kind of brutal.  Seriously, ... I half expected Mike Tomlin to throw in the white towel at any moment - to try and save his bruised, battered, broken and bloodied quarterback any more suffering from the relentless, vicious attack he was being mauled by on pretty much every single play.  ............ and the Eagles are only the THIRD best team in NFC East!    Yikes!

[newkris]

so what do you think about aaron rodgers?   i keep forgetting how young he is and i think he's doing great for his age, but i don't think he can go on long haul without geting hurt.  he doesn't appear to have the stamina that favre had.

time will tell.

what do you think? 

and as for brett, what do you think of the big switch?

[Scott]

I feel a disturbance in the force!

[Scott]

by the way Kris... is it true that Brett left the packers because Rodgers was going to ''out'' him?

[jdcord]

So what do you think about Aaron Rodgers?

I think that the Packer's management team knew exactly what they were doing when they let Brett Favre go.  Rodgers is a stud, and will probably win a Super Bowl or two along the way (with one or two League MVP awards thrown in for good measure).  "A-Rod" is definitely the real deal.

I keep forgetting how young he is and I think he's doing great for his age, but I don't think he can go on long haul without getting hurt.

Few people can.  But as long as he can avoid any career-altering, or career-ending injuries, then he has a very bright and successful future in the NFL ahead of him.

He doesn't appear to have the stamina that Favre had.

Does anyone? 

First of all, the guy practically doubled the previous record for consecutive starts in the NFL - and he's a quarterback, for cryin' out loud!  And besides that, when Tom Brady gets knocked out for a season (and he's Mr. "Textbook" when it comes to footwork in the pocket, and avoiding many sacks thereby), then what hope does any QB have of even getting close to Favre's nigh-on "unbreakable" record?

And don't bring up Peyton Manning and his consecutive starts streak, because after the changes to his O-line this past off-season (which I mentioned in my Week 1 thread), it's pretty evident that he's going to be "touched" a lot more often now than he ever was in the past - and that doesn't bode well for the chances of his streak continuing for too much longer, either.

And as for Brett, what do you think of the big switch?

As great a player as Favre has been, I think that he alone was to blame for last off-season's whole retirement-"waffling" fiasco.  And I think that, under the circumstances, the Packers' management went "above and beyond" all reasonable efforts to be as thoughtful and considerate as possible.  Favre turned the tables on them, yet they never ripped him for it nor in any other way tried to tarnish his reputation (by claiming any willful deceit or impure motives on his part) - which is a lot more than can be said of how Favre himself treated them.  They were clearly the ones who acted like conscientious and considerate "grown ups" during the whole scenario, while Favre just as clearly acted like a spoiled, unreasonable, and obstinate child.   

As for Favre's ability to still play in the NFL at a high level:  he still looks like he can do so - for one more season, anyway.  But honestly I'm not so sure his level of play won't start to diminish during the course of this season, much more carry over to another season.  And while it's certainly possible that he could play at a high level even deep into the next season, that would be surprising, IMO.  Call me crazy, but I just can't see him playing at a high level at age FORTY.  ..... but maybe that's just me.

[jdcord]

I feel a disturbance in the force!

Yes.    Brett Favre's current condition has progressed  to "Gang Green".      It's very disturbing.         

by the way Kris... is it true that Brett left the packers because Rodgers was going to ''out'' him?

Didn't he kind of "out" him already?    Right outta Green Bay, in fact?           *L*


...........  Oh, wait.  ......... that would be "oust", wouldn't it.  ..........  My bad.        *cough*