NFL 2011

[GeauxSioux]

I watched the Saints/Raiders pre-season game last night and got my first look at Taiwan Jones from Eastern Washington. One of the commentators said that they had never seen anyone that fast. He wasn't lying. He had a great game running the ball against the Saints and is a fun kid to watch. The only negative I saw from him last night was pass protection. That Saints blitzed and Casillas ran right over and through him and sacked the Oakland QB. Jones had 81 yards on 13 carries.

[Big A HG]

Go Pack Go

or should I say, Geaux Pack Geaux?

[redwing77]

This just in:

Tavaris Jackson has found his niche!

TJack, known to some as TSuck, has found his home in Seattle.

His role? Helping Seattle get the first pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

Seattle isn't the only team with QB issues so it will be a struggle. Their chief rivals include Miami, San Francisco, Washington, and perhaps Cincinatti and even Carolina!

Don't worry. Vikings fans know, when TJack really pushes himself hard, he can be as mediocre as the best of them!

Go TSuck Go. Suck like you've never sucked before (that'll be something!)

[GeauxSioux]

Go Pack Go

or should I say, Geaux Pack Geaux?

Good luck to the Packers.

Geaux Saints!!

[GeauxSioux]

Packers up 28-17 at the half. Pack looks good.

[GeauxSioux]

Rats!

[Big A HG]

Sorry bud.

[GeauxSioux]

Sorry bud.

I quite honestly wouldn't have felt right if the Saints had tied it up at the end, as I didn't agree with the pass interference call in the end zone. Both teams will be playing deep into the playoffs, I feel.

Great game.

[Big A HG]

I quite honestly wouldn't have felt right if the Saints had tied it up at the end, as I didn't agree with the pass interference call in the end zone. Both teams will be playing deep into the playoffs, I feel.

Great game.

I see the Saints as a 10-6 team and the Packers at an 11-5 team. Where that puts them in the playoffs, I'm not sure. I actually had the 11-5 prediction before today's game, and had predicted the Pack to lose, so I guess you could bump that up to 12-4, but that's a lot of wins. The Packers will lose a couple to some good teams, and a couple to some not so good teams...it just happens.

The Packers didn't seem to have a sense of urgency or a lot of energy on defense. They got a bit complacent, and Brees almost made them pay. If Tramon Williams is out for a length of time, it will be tough for the Packers.

I'm just glad this one is over and the Packers came out with a W.

[jodcon]

Fun to watch two teams with prolific offenses march up and down the field, like them or not you have to admire a team like GB with Rodgers and all those weapons. Every once in while a team comes along that is almost unstoppable offensively...72 Dolphins, Chargers with Fouts and Winslow, Montana/Rice/Craig, Rams 'Greatest Show on Turf', Vikings when Moss was a rookie, Colts with Manning/Edge/Harrison...I think this years Pack squad could be like that if they stay healthy, Rodgers has so many targets which should open enough running room for the two backs also, they could hang 30+ on a lot of teams this year. Of course their defense will have to play a little better than they did last night, the Saints must have had about 500 yards offense.

[GeauxSioux]

I have a prediction for Jay Cutler next week against the Packers..... Pain.

The Saints sacked Cutler 6 times yesterday and crushed the entire offense, except Forte. The only TD Chicago scored was mostly due a a roughing the passer call against the Saints, which even the announcers said wasn't a penalty.

I would love for the Saints to have another crack at the Packers in the playoffs.

[Big A HG]

I'm not too confident about the Packers playing the Bears in Chicago. The Packers pass rush hasn't exactly been very good, which has allowed Newton and Brees too much time to pick apart a depleted secondary...hence the reason the Saints and Panthers both passed for over 400 so far. It's about the pass rush. Yes, Carimi is injured now, and the Bears o-line was already bad, but both the Saints and Panthers effectively countered the Packers rush.

The Packers will get to Cutler a few times, but I think the Bears are going to come out blazing thanks to last year. The Packers offense was a bit sluggish against the Panthers as well. If they balance the attack with more running, I see more success for Green Bay. The Pack has always struggled against Chicago's Tampa-2 Zone defense, so if the run game is working good it will open up that passing more. That was something that was missing until the playoffs last year, so the Bears just sat back in coverage knowing Brandon Jackson couldn't do anything. Now with Starks running great and Grant back to boot, it will be a stiffer challenge.

27-23 Bears

[The Sicatoka]

I have a prediction for Jay Cutler next week against the Packers..... Pain.

So you're saying David Gerrard might finally land somewhere.

[redwing77]

I'm not too confident about the Packers playing the Bears in Chicago. The Packers pass rush hasn't exactly been very good, which has allowed Newton and Brees too much time to pick apart a depleted secondary...hence the reason the Saints and Panthers both passed for over 400 so far. It's about the pass rush. Yes, Carimi is injured now, and the Bears o-line was already bad, but both the Saints and Panthers effectively countered the Packers rush.

The Packers will get to Cutler a few times, but I think the Bears are going to come out blazing thanks to last year. The Packers offense was a bit sluggish against the Panthers as well. If they balance the attack with more running, I see more success for Green Bay. The Pack has always struggled against Chicago's Tampa-2 Zone defense, so if the run game is working good it will open up that passing more. That was something that was missing until the playoffs last year, so the Bears just sat back in coverage knowing Brandon Jackson couldn't do anything. Now with Starks running great and Grant back to boot, it will be a stiffer challenge.

27-23 Bears

Their pass rush has been a bit suspect. The flip side is... their pass coverage has been... no wait...

What's saved the Pack this year thus far has been turnovers and red zone defense.

The problem for the Pack has been.... they basically let the team move the ball almost at will until they reach the red zone.

Starks had a good season at RB.... until he faced the Bears. Grant has been a nonfactor most of the season.

The Packers are trying to run the ball more even when passing seems to work. They are finally getting the ball to Finley which will help Jennings and Nelson as well.

On offense, their weakness is penalties and most of those come off of the offensive line being only slightly above average (which is the lowest ranking their offense has).

They're still the team to beat in the NFC Central.

In other news:

Holy Crap... are we sure that San Francisco is 2-1, Detroit and Washington are UNDEFEATED, Tom Brady threw FOUR INT's, and the "Dream Team" (I vomited a little) is at the bottom of their conference?

Early though the season is, there's a helluva lot of storylines developing.

[jodcon]

Well...3 weeks...3 Viking choke jobs. I expected them to struggle this year but they legitimately had all 3 teams on the ropes and let them off the hook, this is going to be a long frickin year.

Hey how about that Patriot/Eagle Super Bowl all the 'experts' were on board for? Eat crow boys.

[redwing77]

Well...3 weeks...3 Viking choke jobs. I expected them to struggle this year but they legitimately had all 3 teams on the ropes and let them off the hook, this is going to be a long frickin year.

Hey how about that Patriot/Eagle Super Bowl all the 'experts' were on board for? Eat crow boys.

First off, The Vikings look sad. It's almost like they're only conditioned to play until Halftime. They come out of the second half and their entire secondary simply stops playing. I'm not impressed at all with the Vikings as much as I'm unimpressed at how poor the entire NFL is at pass D.

Secondly, Tom Brady threw 4 INT's.... and just missed 400 yds passing. IIRC, he's already over 1000 yards passing despite this week. Marino might indeed see his record broken. The problem is, the Patriot Defense is atrocious. They have a Super Bowl caliber offense. No one can stop Brady (he stopped himself with 2 of those INT's. The others were simply lucky ricochets), Gonkowski (or however you spell their TE's name) is simply a machine. Welker is playing 5 years younger than he is.

I still dislike BenJarvus Green-Ellis. My irrational rule of "anyone who has four names cannot be likeable" is in full swing there.

Thirdly, the Eagles got bitten by the big mouth of a player who has a history of having a big mouth: Vince Young. Believe it or not, Young wasn't chased out of Tennessee because of his rather average play. He was run out of town because his mouth and his attitude were detrimental to the team. It cost people their jobs until their owner, a tried and true UTexas fan, finally said "enough is enough."

They were never the dream team in truth. They made a big splash with signing those corners, but they neglected their linebackers. Seriously, they're inverse of the Vikings defense. Put the Vikings linebackers with the Eagles secondary, and the Eagles aren't 1-2. Ok ok, and add to the fact that the Eagles offensive line is about as effective as the Bears' O-Line and you have your problems.

The Eagles aren't a Super Bowl team. Sorry Philly fans. Not at this point anyways. And to make matters worse, they're killing my fantasy football team. I have Vick and the Eagles' D. I wish I had McCoy and Detroit or Houston's D (even though New Orleans destroyed them).

Lastly: Who does everyone think is, after Week 3, the best situated to draft Andrew Luck:

Cincinnati

Seattle

Kansas City

Indianapolis

St. Louis

Minnesota

someone else?

P.S. Add to my list Buffalo and Oakland as being WTF teams this year.

[jodcon]

Lastly: Who does everyone think is, after Week 3, the best situated to draft Andrew Luck:

Cincinnati

Seattle

Kansas City

Indianapolis

St. Louis

Minnesota

someone else?

I've been saying all fall that Seattle is the worst team, but KC without Charles has looked terrible and they have no defense whatsoever so until they can stop somebody they might be the worst team. St. Louis, Minnesota, Indy, and Cincy should win enough games to stay out of the 'Luck Bowl' although if Jackson keeps getting hurt Bradford might not be able to keep the Rams afloat alone.

[redwing77]

I've been saying all fall that Seattle is the worst team, but KC without Charles has looked terrible and they have no defense whatsoever so until they can stop somebody they might be the worst team. St. Louis, Minnesota, Indy, and Cincy should win enough games to stay out of the 'Luck Bowl' although if Jackson keeps getting hurt Bradford might not be able to keep the Rams afloat alone.

I couldn't agree more, but each of the teams I mentioned have weird circumstances.

Indy: Peyton Manning is this team. The last time I saw a team like this was the Steve Young-led 49ers. When Young went away... uh... anyone see San Fran around?

Cincy: Stupid owner. Almost giving Al Davis a run for his money.

STL: Got their QB and are finally using their RBs like they should. No pass catchers. Very young. Getting better though. Hard to be excited for them when they are in the worst division in probably the entire realm of professional sports and cannot put together a winning record.

KC: No coaching. Wies coaches offense last year and they cannot be beat. He's gone and their defense is exposed. This isn't a personnel problem (on offense anyways). You don't have the same personnel go from great to suck like this.

Minnesota: They lost Sidney Rice to free agency. They don't give a damn about Percy Harvin and barely care about Adrian Peterson. They are two players away from being contenders basically but they're getting out drafted by Detroit and out talented by Green Bay. McNabb is the right choice to start at QB unless you want to get Luck...which you start Ponder. Sorry guys. i watched Ponder at FSU and he was alright. He's not top 15. That being said, I can't believe that Locker went as high as he did either.

Seattle: Wow. I don't think you can make up as bad a QB tandem as Seattle has. TSuck isn't an NFL QB and Whitehurst is a career backup. If you are going to be this shoddy at that position you should have kept Seneca Wallace.

If Seattle doesn't get Andrew Luck, they'll get Landry Jones.

[Big A HG]

Just to correct on you Brady's INT's. Only one of them was a real bad break, and that was the ball batted at the line of scrimmage. Two of the others were good, clean picks. The other one that bounced off hands was poorly thrown and off-target. The intended receiver still managed to get his paws on it, but deflected it in the air unintentionally. I'd put that one on Brady as well.

It's funny, when Brady was winning Super Bowls, he actually wasn't that great of a QB (Mark Sanchez-esque), but he won. Then he became one of the best QB's in the league, and hasn't won jack since.

[Oxbow6]

Packers go to 4-0 today. Vikings go to 0-4 today.

[Shawn-O]

Rodgers was available at #11 pick in my fantasy league. Boy I am glad I've got that guy...

[redwing77]

Rodgers was available at #11 pick in my fantasy league. Boy I am glad I've got that guy...

He went #3 in my league.

[dakotadan]

So does the Pack go 16-0 this season?

[Big A HG]

So does the Pack go 16-0 this season?

Don't be jinxing us now.