NFL updates/news

[Badpaladin]

I suppose it's a game Hank Williams II could sing the opening for.

[Pendulous]

I really shouldn't read Yahoo Sports anymore, because everything is this stupid.

Talk about one-game excessive reactions. Jay Cutler for MVP because his backup sucks. That's pretty much the gist of this article.

[Vetali]

I really shouldn't read Yahoo Sports anymore, because everything is this stupid.

Talk about one-game excessive reactions. Jay Cutler for MVP because his backup sucks. That's pretty much the gist of this article.

Haha, I saw that linked earlier somewhere.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...drugs/1726181/

Full article on Browner and Sherman's suspensions. Basically its Adderal, they plan to appeal it.

[Deleted]

K.

You just described every position. No difference between the left tackle and the kicker.

Not at all. In every other position there is going to be some variety between plays, requiring more than a little awareness and tactical knowledge. Assuming everybody else does their job the only thing that changes for the kicker is the distance. As a kicker you're there to get the ball between the uprights, don't do that and it's time to find a new career.

[Pendulous]

Not at all. In every other position there is going to be some variety between plays, requiring more than a little awareness and tactical knowledge. Assuming everybody else does their job the only thing that changes for the kicker is the distance. As a kicker you're there to get the ball between the uprights, don't do that and it's time to find a new career.

You can make every position sound simple. Offensive lineman have to "keep the bad guys off the good guys". Defensive lineman have to "knock the crap out of the other guys". Kicking is more complicated than that. And everybody has slumps. But after a couple games of bad kicking, it's "oh my god, why is this guy even playing football". No other position gets that kind of flak.

[obdigore]

You can make every position sound simple. Offensive lineman have to "keep the bad guys off the good guys". Defensive lineman have to "knock the crap out of the other guys". Kicking is more complicated than that. And everybody has slumps. But after a couple games of bad kicking, it's "oh my god, why is this guy even playing football". No other position gets that kind of flak.

You are both right. Kickers generally need to know less than any other position. Your offensive linemen example is good, because they need to know who they are lined up against, what their 'moves' are, what kind of stunts the D line likes to throw at them, watch for a blitz, and they need to know what play the offense is running in case they have to stunt, block to form a hole, or move out for a screen pass.

Meanwhile Kickers need to know wind conditions (in some places) and where the uprights are. But a kicker going like 30/40 on the season is a terrible kicker. A QB going 30/40 in a game is a great rating.

[buck008]

So this is the point in the season where the Giants remind everyone that they are still a good team. They win the next two before going to Atlanta and losing a close one, then they get smoked at Baltimore. Then they win the last one to finish 10-6, win the division, and slide into the playoffs with no fanfare.

Possible alternative: they lose badly next week at Washington, but win at Atlanta. Either way they go 3-2. If I wasn't poor, I'd put money on it.

[obdigore]

So this is the point in the season where the Giants remind everyone that they are still a good team. They win the next two before going to Atlanta and losing a close one, then they get smoked at Baltimore. Then they win the last one to finish 10-6, win the division, and slide into the playoffs with no fanfare.

Possible alternative: they lose badly next week at Washington, but win at Atlanta. Either way they go 3-2. If I wasn't poor, I'd put money on it.

I have doubts that Baltimore can win against the Giants if the Giants play like they did tonight. Bawlimore's D is going downhill and their offense is very hit or miss this year. When it is on, it is great, but when it isn't, they are really bad.

[draynay]

I really shouldn't read Yahoo Sports anymore, because everything is this stupid.

Talk about one-game excessive reactions. Jay Cutler for MVP because his backup sucks. That's pretty much the gist of this article.

and I thought Ashley Fox's articles were lousy

[Vetali]

https://twitter.com/Softykjr/status/272943055089315840

Well that is an interesting stat. I say I hate not being able to win on a road this year but it seems to be a trend I push out of my mind.

[Deleted]

You can make every position sound simple. Offensive lineman have to "keep the bad guys off the good guys". Defensive lineman have to "knock the crap out of the other guys". Kicking is more complicated than that. And everybody has slumps. But after a couple games of bad kicking, it's "oh my god, why is this guy even playing football". No other position gets that kind of flak.

Ah, clearly you played kicker.
There's a reason they get flak, and there's a reason kickers are so easily replaced - because the consensus is that kicking is relatively simple. You can try to talk it up but there really is only one purpose for them, if they're no good at it it's time to go.

[Pendulous]

and I thought Ashley Fox's articles were lousy

Don't forget Chris Chase.

[Jibjabb]

I really shouldn't read Yahoo Sports anymore, because everything is this stupid.

Talk about one-game excessive reactions. Jay Cutler for MVP because his backup sucks. That's pretty much the gist of this article.

I think hes using the argument that people used for Peyton Manning last year on the world most "valuable" player. Clearly he isnt the MVP in the real sense.

The point its trying to make is Cutler takes a lot of uneeded crap (Ex: Tom Jackson ripped him for walking past Bears staff without saying Hello, really?) when in reality hes a good quarterback that is absolutely necessary for the Bears to win. With him they are good team, without him they are garbage. Its easy to look at his stats and see something like 227 Yards 1 TD 1 INT and think he played mediocre but if you watch the games themselves the throws he has to make, the escaping defenders rushing in his face, he really makes impactful plays that dont always show in the stat sheet. Hes not an MVP, he probably isnt even the best player on the team, he is however incredibly important to their success just like the high caliber QBs are to theirs. This isnt the 49ers where everything else around the QB is pretty good so its a easy chance to succeed.

The Giants win was absolutely huge for the Bears. Before that game we wouldve been the 5th seed having to face the Packers opening game of the playoffs on the road, thats like everybody's nightmare here. Winning the division was never more important than it is now.

Its kinda of odd that even how strong the NFC is there looks to be at least 1 mediocre team making the playoffs this season. Seattle, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Minnesota, Washington, and Dallas. One of them are getting in and none of them would I call good. Maybe if Seattle was guaranteed to be at home each game with replacement referees.

---------- Post added 2012-11-26 at 07:59 AM ----------

Mad props to the Colts cheerleaders who shaved their heads for Pagano. Its one thing for guys to do it, but for women whose entire jobs is based on good looks, that is way tougher.

Wow really? That takes balls. Or in their case ovaries

[Pendulous]

Here you go Conscript, and anyone else who wants to see the sprinkler delay http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-sh...7388--nfl.html

[Irony]

Ah, clearly you played kicker.
There's a reason they get flak, and there's a reason kickers are so easily replaced - because the consensus is that kicking is relatively simple. You can try to talk it up but there really is only one purpose for them, if they're no good at it it's time to go.

Yes... Kicking an oval 40 yards + in the wind with 11 men trying to murder/block your kick is very simple.

[Vetali]

https://twitter.com/TBBuccaneers/sta...59889663184896

NFL must suddenly hate corners.

[conscript]

There's a reason they get flak, and there's a reason kickers are so easily replaced - because the consensus is that kicking is relatively simple.

That is completely wrong. The reason that kickers are let go so quickly is because every single kicker in the league is replaceable with the exception of 3-4 guys. It isn't at all something anyone considers easy. Its just that pretty much any kicker will have almost identical percentages over a long period of time within their range. Its why you don't give kickers large contracts after high percentage years as they will always regress to the mean. It isn't an easy skill by any means. It is however a skill that 50-60 players can do at an almost identical level which is why there is such large turnover among kickers.

---------- Post added 2012-11-26 at 03:37 PM ----------

https://twitter.com/TBBuccaneers/sta...59889663184896

NFL must suddenly hate corners.

Yikes. I imagine it is for Adderall just like Browner and Sherman's suspensions were.

[draynay]

yea, the difference between the worst kicker in the league and the best is one good/bad game

and there's less concern about a FA kicker having to get into football shape than there would be signing somebody off the street at another position

[conscript]

Tack the Pats DE Jermaine Cunningham on the 4 game suspension for PED list.

[Jibjabb]

Id say its mostly mathematical. There are 32 teams and each team only wants 1 Kicker. Even Quarterbacks people still get jobs as backups. Kicker you are pretty much the main kicker on the team or you arent employed. Teams feel they can always replace a kicker as there is a ton of guys out there with talent still needing a job.