2015 NFL Season

[JAEBALL]

BTW as much as I tire of all the stuff with the Pats like every other non Pat fan...

I have nothing but admiration for Belichick... after all... he helped the Giants win two super bowls... it;s where he started, and he always speaks about the Giant organization with a great deal of respect.

He does speak glowingly about his time with the Giants, quite a bit in fact. I don't know if you've ever seen "A Football Life" on Bill, but they did a whole thing with his time with the Giants and his return to the Meadowlands. He was quite emotional walking through the halls and around the stadium. I just hope Coughlin doesn't leave or get fired, because I fear Bill might want to bolt and finish up where he began.

And as much as I'd love to beat the Giants in a Super Bowl once and for all, I honestly want no part of them until they're back on the schedule in 4 more years. As exciting as the games are, they take years off my life. I didn't expect the game on Sunday to be all that close, but of course it was as close as it could get. If they do meet again, I won't make that mistake the next time.

Yes I have seen it, I like the part when hes walking thru the old racquetball courts.

I don't think he'd ever be foolish enough to leave Brady behind, he would have to retire first for me to see Bill coach elsewhere.

John Mara will find every excuse possible to keep Coughlin for as long as possible... if they win the East, no matter the record... he will be back next year. They adore him, rightfully so and he was Wellington Mara's choice as head coach, that means something to John Mara.

I agree on both counts. Question is, who retires first, Brady or Bill? Do they go out together? And do they both end in New England. The Pats have shown they will cut ties when the time is right. If Brady's play slips, do they move on? Montana, Favre, Rice, Emmitt Smith, and a host of others didn't retire with their quintessential teams. I hate to think of that possibility, but the day may come. In fact last season I would've bet the house on it. Now that he seems to be playing better than ever, I'd scale back that wager just a bit.

As for Coughlin. I think he's a damn good coach. But he always seems to be in way more hot water than he should be. Whether it's a slow start or losing games they should win, his job always seems to be on the line every few years or so. If they somehow go 7-9 this year and miss the playoffs again, is his job secure? I'd like to think that the highs outweigh the lows, but I'm not so sure.

7-9 with a devastating home loss week 17 vs the Eagles in a winner take all?

No... that will get him fired.

He's been the coach a LONG time... and was almost ousted a couple times... so no matter what... its been an incredible run. I love the guy. It will be hard to replace him. Jerry Reese is really the guy who should go... other than some first round studs (JPP, OBJ, Flowers)... his drafts have produced very little in the way talent.

As for Brady... like you said...his level of play is so above and beyond... i don't see the great fall coming any time soon barring a big injury. I think Bill will coach after him, because hes such a football lifer/junkie... and he's not built for a tv gig.

So if Brady retires in a couple of seasons... I could see Bill taking another job, but not until after Brady hangs em up.

[C0ma]

Patriots got beyond lucky last night. That game should've ended on that 4th and 10 they had. You gotta stop a team when you have them at 4th and 10 no excuses.

Is it lucky that every team the Pats play seem to forget how to manage a game and throw up all over themselves at the end? All the Giants needed to do when they got down inside the 10 was run three times killing all of the Pats TO's and running the clock down under a minute then kicking the field goal. That would have forced the Pats to drive 80 yards in less than half the time they wound up having.

What drives me crazy is the play Devin McCourty made on the OBJ TD... that is the same play he made (or didn't make) against Green Bay last year on the Jordy Nelson TD at the end of the first half. He over played the route to the sideline and gave them the cut back into the center of the field. Outside of that play Butler shut down OBJ all afternoon. OBJ had 4 catches on 12 targets for 104... 87 of that on the one play... the remaining 3 catches for 5.5 yards, not too bad for an undrafted free agent CB.

In what universe could have the Giants killed the clock in that game ?

Belichick used his timeouts perfectly, but there was absolutely nothing the Giants could have done differently to kill the clock in that game once Harris made the catch to put them in the redzone.

1st and goal at the 5 (2:06 to play) Giants pass (broken up) clock at 2:01 Pats don't need to use a time out and get the 2 minute warning)...
2nd and goal at the 5 (2:01 to play) incomplete pass - Two minute warning Pats still hold a time out. Should have run the ball, Pats would have either used their only TO to stop the clock or it would have run down to 1:20.
3rd and goal (1:56 to play) sack - time out... Pats shouldn't have been able to stop the clock here before the kick which would have gotten them down under 80 seconds with no time outs.

The Giants gave them about 40 extra seconds and a free stoppage of the clock in those three plays. Pats kicked with 6 seconds to play so that could have been all the difference they needed get get an extra play or two off to get in FG range.

[JAEBALL]

No ... second down at 2:01 the clock is going to stop no matter what ... You can run whatever play you want.

[C0ma]

No ... second down at 2:01 the clock is going to stop no matter what ... You can run whatever play you want.

You obviously don't follow. If they ran and didn't pass on the first play it either would have run to the 2:00 warning OR the Pats use a time out, BUT the Giants threw an incomplete pass stopping the clock at 2:01 giving the Pats a second free stoppage of the clock leaving them with a TO which they got to use on third. The Patriots shouldn't have been able to stop the clock after the 3rd down sack which would have run it down under 90 seconds (closer to 1:20) instead the Pats started their last drive with 1:46 after the kick off... and needed the extra 20-30 seconds to get close enough for the kick.

The Giants never should have thrown the ball from inside the 5.

[JAEBALL]

The Giants can't run the ball... They don't have the personnel . They are trying to score a touchdown and the air was their best option based on the goaline dense the pats came out in.

Beckam holds on to the ball 99 out of 100 times there, easy to say afterwards they should have run the ball.

Ask any NFL coach or GM they are not playing for three there , no matter what the pats get the ball back, they could not kill the clock.

[JAEBALL]

If the field goal makes you go up three then it's different.

[C0ma]

The Giants can't run the ball... They don't have the personnel . They are trying to score a touchdown and the air was their best option based on the goaline dense the pats came out in.

Beckam holds on to the ball 99 out of 100 times there, easy to say afterwards they should have run the ball.

Ask any NFL coach or GM they are not playing for three there , no matter what the pats get the ball back, they could not kill the clock.

If he catches it, you are giving Brady the ball with more than 2 minutes, the two minute warning, and a timeout down 5. They needed to bleed clock...

BUT if my aunt had a dick she'd be my uncle... it went down the way it went down... NYG ran three straight pass plays, and with 7 minutes left the Pats committed a bone head penalty on the touchdown that would have put them up 8. Mistakes on both sides, big plays on both sides... Giants played 58 great minutes, but in the end the better team (overall, not necessarily on Sunday) won.

[JAEBALL]

The Giants can't run the ball... They don't have the personnel . They are trying to score a touchdown and the air was their best option based on the goaline dense the pats came out in.

Beckam holds on to the ball 99 out of 100 times there, easy to say afterwards they should have run the ball.

Ask any NFL coach or GM they are not playing for three there , no matter what the pats get the ball back, they could not kill the clock.

If he catches it, you are giving Brady the ball with more than 2 minutes, the two minute warning, and a timeout down 5. They needed to bleed clock...

BUT if my aunt had a dick she'd be my uncle... it went down the way it went down... NYG ran three straight pass plays, and with 7 minutes left the Pats committed a bone head penalty on the touchdown that would have put them up 8. Mistakes on both sides, big plays on both sides... Giants played 58 great minutes, but in the end the better team (overall, not necessarily on Sunday) won.

Well they could have made it 7 with the two point conversion .

It was a great game .. Could have gone either way .. Just like every other Brady Eli game over the years.

[JAEBALL]

Great week for the GMEN as they took a load off.

Thank you Tampa and Carolina.

[faldor]

Great week for the GMEN as they took a load off.

Thank you Tampa and Carolina.

The Eagles have unofficially quit on their coach and inevitably their season. There would appear to be no turning back now. And with the Cowboys losing the game and Romo today, you can count them out for sure. Big game between the Skins and Giants. Washington does have a fairly easy schedule remaining. I think the Giants are a far better team, but it could be interesting.

[tim_m]

Pats perfect season and maybe their entire season just went up in smoke if Gronk is done. Costly game for New England.

[C0ma]

Pats perfect season and maybe their entire season just went up in smoke if Gronk is done. Costly game for New England.

They are reporting that it is not a ligament injury, he isn't lost. I do have to say though, I thought last Monday night was one of the worst officiated games I've ever watched, tonight was otherworldly... Denver owes that entire game to the refs. The Gronk OPI, the Patrick Chung PI in the Endzone, the missed running into the kicker, The go ahead and game winning TD's each had blatant uncalled penalties...

When a bad or missed call goes each way thats one thing... these penalties were the only thing that kept Denver in the game.

[tim_m]

Yeah it was pretty bad. Brady was losing his mine on that one PI call.

[kaasupoltin]

Vikes looking pretty good, eh?  

[JAEBALL]

Giants ... there are no words ... that kid Odell has a future tho....

Vikings... looked good...but Atlanta is a fraud team.. I have doubts teddy is good enough to get them real deep.

Pats... I always say if you have Brady... then they can beat anybody... but if they don't have Edelman AND Gronk... that will be very hard to overcome.

Steelers/ hawks was a fun game to watch.

[JAEBALL]

Sounds like Gronk avoided disaster.

[faldor]

Pats perfect season and maybe their entire season just went up in smoke if Gronk is done. Costly game for New England.

They are reporting that it is not a ligament injury, he isn't lost. I do have to say though, I thought last Monday night was one of the worst officiated games I've ever watched, tonight was otherworldly... Denver owes that entire game to the refs. The Gronk OPI, the Patrick Chung PI in the Endzone, the missed running into the kicker, The go ahead and game winning TD's each had blatant uncalled penalties...

When a bad or missed call goes each way thats one thing... these penalties were the only thing that kept Denver in the game.

yeah, I hate blaming officials for a loss, but they certainly didn't do the Patriots any favors. There's always going to be bad calls. That's just the way it is. The refs just aren't very good. But usually the bad calls even out. It's rare that a vast majority of the bad calls go against one team. That's what happened Sunday night. The refs all of a sudden tightened up and became whistle happy in the 4th quarter. I had actually commented earlier in the game about how they were doing a nice job by letting them play. The Patriots only had 1 accepted penalty against them heading into the 4th. Then all of a sudden, every ticky tack away from the ball foul was called on them, and there were never any makeup calls to even things out.

I don't think the NFL and the refs on that night wanted the Patriots to lose and that's why they made those suspect calls. I'm not willing to go that far. I think it more has to do with refs being afraid to make tough calls against the home team, and in turn give them the benefit of the doubt on anything remotely close, especially how that game was playing out. I think they probably got swept up in the emotions of Denver's big comeback.

With all that being said though. The Patriots should've won that game regardless of the refs if Chris Harper doesn't muff that punt return. He was promptly cut the next day. That one play completely changed the momentum. They had Denver dead to rights, up 21-7 and getting the ball back. Instead they gave them a short field and Denver promptly scored a TD.

Tough loss, no doubt. It happens. Luckily it does look like they dodged a bullet with both Gronkowski and Hightower. By the way, Denver did next to nothing on offense before Hightower went out. That was a huge loss. Collins and Amendola could be back this week, though I'm not sure they need them against the lowly Eagles at home. Gronk could be back the next week, but again I'd be careful there. And Hightower should be back in a few weeks. And Edelman will hopefully be able to return for the playoffs. As long as they can get all those guys on the field again, they'll be fine. At least some of them. There's not a lot of good teams in the NFL this year. At full strength, the Patriots were far and away the best in the AFC. One major injury per game over the last 6 weeks or so has brought them back to the pack. But still, despite all those injuries, they lost a game in a very tough place to play that the refs screwed them over on a few crucial calls.

I wouldn't count them out all of a sudden, which it appears ESPN has already done, no big surprise there. On the post game show last night Trent Dilfer picked the Broncos to win the AFC, citing their toughness. Ray Lewis said if the Bengals get hot, they'll be tough to beat. Genius take Ray. And Steve Young said he thinks it's setup for Peyton Manning to come back and have a magical run for the Broncos. We'll see about all that.

[kaasupoltin]

Howbad can these referees be...

[AxlsMainMan]

Steelers look awesome while the Cheatriots look like warmed over garbage

[faldor]

Steelers look awesome while the Cheatriots look like warmed over garbage

The NFL is such a reactionary league, week to week. Enjoy it while it lasts.

With that being said, I'll be pulling for the Steelers the next few weeks to beat the Broncos and the Bengals. Then they can lose the rest of their games.