Devastated we managed to lose last night at the Eagles, both offensive lines struggled badly to contain the pass rush and to cap our night off another injury to the secondary. Our defence is down to bare bones now and a 2-2 start is not ideal either.
I think the league structures of American Football are really strong. Football was built as a regional sport in the USA, from high school level through to college and then to the NFL. Obviously nowadays everything is national and easily accessible but I still like how the NFL is split into regional divisions and places an emphasis on historic and regional rivalries before they then go into the play offs. Winning the division is still the goal for all teams every year, then they go for the championship.
It's the same in college football, teams aim to win their conference which is built on regional rivalries and traditions, and the best two teams play for the national title. It works really well as it keeps everyone invested in the sport, keeps fans invested but doesn't set the bar too low in terms of making the play offs. 6 teams from 16 in each conference is about spot on, and of course every team knows that they need to win their division if they want to play a home game in the post season.
As you also say, the draft system works well, and the college system in Football ensures that most players have played the game at a reasonably high level before they turn pro, have played in front of big crowds in front of TV audiences, and importantly have had some kind of an education at the same time.
Shameless plug
Luck is a special player
Sure is. Once the Colts get some weapons around him, they are going to be going places.
I really like Tannehill as well. He was great again yesterday, just managed the game against another aggressive defense. I think similar at Miami, they draft well and keep the nucleus of their defense and they'll be going places as well.
They are both potential elite QB's.
Another massively impressive performance from the Giants last night. To go to Candlestick Park and completely brush the 49ers aside was probably our best performance this season and we seem to be getting better and better and I am increasingly hopeful that come playoff time we will be right in the mix for the Superbowl again.
Redskins and the Cowboys in the next 2 weeks will shape our season massively, we need the 2 wins to really stamp our authority on the NFC East
You couldnt make a win like last nights up for the Broncos... once again we dug ourselves the biggest hole ever, but this time we managed to get ourselves out. Even at 17-0 down I still fancied our chances - (I took odds of 11/2 at that time on the In play) the Chargers werent offering a lot offensively, and I knew we always come back strong second half.
That should give us control of the West - and with the bye week next week, lets hope we work on our turnovers!!
Not quite sure how we won it but we're now 5-2 and if we can win in Dallas we would be well on the way to the playoffs.
Washington's offence was excellent today, very impressed but our 2nd half D was top grade again, although some of the 4th quarter play calling was unbelievably suspect
Giants shouldn't have a problem next week. We are so impotent in the red zone you may as well just let us get there and go for three.
I follow the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a great barbie and beer in the carpark and a cracking game against a team in blue whilst on holiday years ago....if only we could have a barbie in the car park at Langtree !!
Learned comment from The Don
What a game, I thought it was going to be a cricket score at 23-0, but credit to the cowboys for the comeback and they were millimetres from a famous win. Giants didn't fire on offence today so mighty relieved to get the win and edge out in front at the top of the division
So, we reach the half way point and so far I've been loving the season generally. I'm still annoyed that my Green Bay Packers are 5-3 when we should be 6-2 (which could end up being huge) but the league in general has provided some great games and some surprising results so far. I would not have predicted that New England and Pittsburgh would have already lost 3 games each at this point, nor would I have believed that Andrew Luck would have Indianapolis at 4-3.
The Giants have done really well to get to 6-2 as well after losing their first game. Their schedule is damn hard and continues to be so (Pitt, GB, Atl, Phi and Balt still to play) but they have control of the NFC East and until someone proves they can beat them in the playoffs they are still the team to beat for me.
I've not quite enjoyed it as much so far! Generally as you say there have been some interesting results and it's hard in many cases to prdict any outcome.
My team though at 1-6 has made for a tough old first half of the season, we're not a million miles away though and 1-6 makes us sound worse I think that we are. There's just one game against the Giants in which we were blown away but other than that we've not lost by more than 6 points in any game - Tampa Bay 6, Falcons 2, Seahawks 4, Cowboys 5 & Bears 1. Given the players placed in IR I think that what we've done has been relatively good it's just the luck and breaks haven't gone our way. Cam Newton is getting majorly scrutinised after every single play and I think that is also having an effect and there's the DeAngelo Williams issue causing a unneeded distraction.
I went to Wembley on Sunday which was great in the sense that it was my first NFL experience and just being a part of it is brilliant, unfortunately the game was a blowout and that did taint it slightly. I did see Sam Bradford out and about in London after the game too - he was a n0b!
Definitely, if you get to 7-3 then you have a great chance. Looking around the AFC right now I reckon 10 wins will give teams a real shot at getting a play off spot. I don't see the South or the West providing a Wild Card team this year. Houston are the class of the South and despite Luck's very good first year I don't see Indy doing better than 8-8. The West I think will end up being a winner takes all between Denver and San Diego, with only the Champion making the play offs.
So the two WC slots for me will come from the East and North. If we presume that Baltimore and Pittsburgh win enough games for one to win the North and the other to get a WC that should leave the last wild card slot open to the likes of Miami (presuming NE win the East) if they can go 10-6 or better. Win the next 3 and you will be in great shape, even win 2 of the 3 and you've got a decent shout.
Denver to finish 12-4? I laughed my backside off at that comment. I then went and looked at your schedule and stopped laughing! You are spot on, you should be favoured in every game bar the road game in Baltimore. I still think the San Diego home game will be tricky as they will know they have to win that game to have any chance of winning the division, but Denver have a very good chance of getting at least a first round bye.
As I said, win 2 of the 3 and you'll be fine. 3 from 3 was always a stretch for an average team really. The next 2 for Miami are now huge games and will really shape the season for you.
Another solid win for my Packers as well. Decimated by injuries at WR but getting the job done. 6-3 (should be 7-2) is looking like a good record and we now look a good bet for the play offs. Chicago will have to mess up not to win the North but if GB can get Jennings, Nelson and co back and firing for the business end then I fancy our chances even from a wild card spot. I fear nobody in the NFC but I am wary of SF and NYG, and last night proved that even the Giants can be pretty crap when they are not on their game.
The Giants offence last night was pathetic. I have every faith they will sort it out though and with our defence we are gonna be a major threat come playoff time
Yeah, no disappointment from me over Sunday's loss. It was really interesting to watch Tannehill v Luck as they could be a real rivalry over the next decade or so. The first half was brilliant viewing, it was like a shoot out. Neither defense could stop the opposing QB, really exciting for the future. I felt our D lost us the game, we simply couldn't stop Luck at all.
It has to be said though, Luck is incredible. What a QB he already is, he could be anything he wants. We had one of the best D's in the league prior to Sunday, he tore us to pieces like Brady usually does.