The NFL 2011 Thread

Zuwadza · 2011-12-31T08:54:32.000Z

Apparently the Raiders only need 4 more penalties for 11 yards to beat the all-time penalty record held by the '98 Chiefs.

Go Raiders!

Lorini · 2011-12-31T09:05:16.000Z

Fairly sure they’ll get them <sigh>. Wonder what they will look like next year? They straight up lost the Denver game solely on penalties. Just a bunch of guys who too often play just for themselves and don’t seem to care about team or winning. When they play as a team and care about the other players they are a solid team. Maybe not a SB team, but a really good team. But when some knucklehead decides to hit a guy way out of bounds on a play that should leave the opposition at 4th and 20 and instead gives the team a first down, then they lose games.

I really don’t know what to expect tomorrow. I think KC can beat Denver if they don’t do the stupid things at the end of games that other teams have done. Whether or not the Raiders will beat SD remains to be seen. Probably depends on how much the SD players want Norv to stay/leave.

Zuwadza · 2011-12-31T09:29:08.000Z

I love the Raiders as long as they aren’t winning. I consider them my “second” team. The Saints play in Oakland next season and I’m hoping to get out to that game.

Sarkus · 2011-12-31T12:30:27.000Z

The story that Munchak might walk away from the Titans to take over at Penn State isn’t going away. Sounds like PSU is doing the full “you can save us” press. That would suck for the Titans, though.

Shadarr · 2011-12-31T12:55:06.000Z

Sarkus:

Looks like Garret can be taken off the hot seat list - JJ seems pretty adamant he’s coming back next year no matter what happens on Sunday. So those Fisher/Norv Turner rumors can stop.

There were rumours about Norv Turner going to the Cowboys? As a head coach? What the hell is wrong with people?

Sarkus · 2011-12-31T13:43:04.000Z

Shadarr:

There were rumours about Norv Turner going to the Cowboys? As a head coach? What the hell is wrong with people?

No, the rumor was that the Cowboys would hire Fisher as head coach and Norv as offensive coordinator, which was the position he had with the Cowboys years ago under Jimmy Johnson.

Shadarr · 2011-12-31T13:55:39.000Z

That makes a little more sense, but just sounds like wishful thinking from fans. Generally, the head coach hires his staff. I guess Jerry Jones has shown a willingness to force an OC on a coach in the past, but that was Wade Philips. I don’t think Fisher would put up with it.

Chris · 2011-12-31T15:12:51.000Z

Well Jerry did hire Garret as the Offensive Coordinator before he hired Wade Phillips as coach.I would like to see Norv back under Garret as OC but that won’t happen.

Shadarr · 2011-12-31T17:01:52.000Z

Right, but that’s Wade Phillips. He not only got forced to take Garrett as OC, it also wasn’t much of a secret that Garrett would be taking over as HC in the not-so-distant future. Jeff Fisher is way too good of a coach to come into a situation like that. He is far more likely to ask for the kind of control Bill Parcells had.

Lorini · 2011-12-31T18:57:27.000Z

Shadarr:

Right, but that’s Wade Phillips. He not only got forced to take Garrett as OC, it also wasn’t much of a secret that Garrett would be taking over as HC in the not-so-distant future. Jeff Fisher is way too good of a coach to come into a situation like that. He is far more likely to ask for the kind of control Bill Parcells had.

I doubt he’d get it. How many Superbowls has Jeff Fisher won with all of his years with the Titans. Zero. Parcells had experience plus credibility. Fisher has experience. I wouldn’t necessarily give Fisher the kind of control Parcells had, he hasn’t proven himself a coach that can win the Superbowl.

Lorini · 2012-01-01T08:13:22.000Z

Excellent article describing today’s games. I can’t wait! Unfortunately I’ll only be able to watch the afternoon games (afternoon in my time zone I mean) but the Raiders are playing the most important game they’ve played in 10 years. We’ll see how they do.

Brandon_Clements · 2012-01-01T08:49:28.000Z

Shadarr:

Right, but that’s Wade Phillips. He not only got forced to take Garrett as OC, it also wasn’t much of a secret that Garrett would be taking over as HC in the not-so-distant future.

Jerreh absoultly does not want a repeat of the Sean Peyton situtation happening again. Firing Wade when he did was a pretty harsh decision, but it was going to happen a some point in the near future (IIRC, Garrett was the highest paid OC in the league at the time Wade was fired).

Jeff Fisher is way too good of a coach to come into a situation like that. He is far more likely to ask for the kind of control Bill Parcells had.

I think Parcells time in Dallas is vastly overrated, and because of that experience Jerreh is unlikely to give that kind of control over to anyone in the near future (barring illness or injury). That does rule out a lot of good head coaches, but do they fix any of the problems Dallas has? I don’t think it was likely that Garrett or Fat Lebowski were going to get fired after their first full year (and having to deal with a lockout as well); Jerreh isn’t that ruthless.

Mightynute · 2012-01-01T10:06:31.000Z

I’m amazed that the story of the season has gone uncommented: Wes Welker’s $10K fine.

I don’t know what’s funnier, Welker being (according to Ochocinco) the first white WR to be fined by the NFL, or his morning tweet before the Buffalo game:

Get Up, eat some breakfast, drive to stadium. Be the first one there. So I can be the first one to use the restroom multiple x’s. Beat Bills

Sarkus · 2012-01-01T10:21:19.000Z

Lorini:

I doubt he’d get it. How many Superbowls has Jeff Fisher won with all of his years with the Titans. Zero. Parcells had experience plus credibility. Fisher has experience. I wouldn’t necessarily give Fisher the kind of control Parcells had, he hasn’t proven himself a coach that can win the Superbowl.

I disagree with Shadarr’s premise. There’s no reason to think Fisher will demand much control in his next job, wherever that is. He never was in charge with the Titans - they always had GMs above him and a somewhat involved owner.

Sarkus · 2012-01-01T10:29:10.000Z

Poor Texans. Delhomme is in the game. Its sad when bad things happen to good fans.

Mr.GRIM · 2012-01-01T10:41:14.000Z

Wow the patriots defense is terrible. I’m not so sure they will be able to win a single playoff game.

Chris · 2012-01-01T11:56:56.000Z

Brandon Clements:

I think Parcells time in Dallas is vastly overrated, and because of that experience Jerreh is unlikely to give that kind of control over to anyone in the near future (barring illness or injury).

Parcells vastly improved the talent on the Cowboys so that alone made his hiring worthwhile. It also allowed Jerry to show that he was willing to hire a coach that was not an obvious puppet, unlike all his previous hires after Jimmy Johnson left. He still managed to force Terrell Owens on Parcells though.

sluggo · 2012-01-01T12:51:01.000Z

As a Dolphins fan, does it ever get better than knocking the Jets out of the playoffs?

NO SIR IT DOES NOT

Sarkus · 2012-01-01T13:04:53.000Z

Looks like the Titans might have just blown their weak playoff chances. Up by a TD, deep in their own territory, about a minute and a half left, they fumbled the ball. Houston now has is first and goal needing a TD to tie (or go ahead with a 2pt conversion).

Edit: And Houston just scored. Now they go for two with nothing to gain or lose. And after a penalty a bad snap, so the Titans will win the game and still have playoff hopes. While the Texans limp into the playoffs knowing they will host somebody next week. Crazy.

divorced · 2012-01-01T13:05:08.000Z

Who dat say they gonna beat them Saints??