NFL 2011

[Jon Brakel]

I would pay Forte but I wouldn't over pay him. I agree with getting rid of Angelo. I wouldn't disagree with getting rid of anyone on the coaching staff.

I thought that Cutler played a great game against the Lions. He was doing all the things in his power to play effectively given the personnel and plays called. Speaking of plays called...Forte off tackle to the right was working all night because the Lions DE was lining up so wide. Why not run that play until the Lions adjust? If that DE moves in then run to the outside and try to win the edge. If the Lions DE moves in it will also help the passing game. Nothing else was working. Sometimes you just have to go with what works. And also why aren't they getting Barber in more plays? If he's still nursing his injury I guess I understand but he's only gotten a couple of touches in the last two games.

I think most of the Bears WRs could be part of a team. Like the 3rd WR on a team. A team with 2 really good receivers would work well with any one of the Bears receivers because they wouldn't be up against the other teams best DBs. I understand why they have Hester on the team but they really need at least two GOOD receivers. Not college good but NFL good!

I have no idea what's happened to the defense. Were they just running on fumes the last couple of years and we didn't notice?

It's going to be a long season!!!

[CEValkyrie]

After watching the Colts, Jags, & Ravens I feel pretty good about the offense.

[Dan Michler]

After watching the Colts, Jags, & Ravens I feel pretty good about the offense.

How about the Browns/Seahawks 6-3 final too?  And the Broncos/Dolphins?  And OAK got shutout by the CHIEFS 28-0?  There are some bad offenses out there!

Do you think Angelo is secretly hating all these monster games by Forte?  I don't think he wants to swallow his pride and pay the man at this point.  He's 2nd in the NFL in rushing, I'm not sure what other choice he has right now.  You've got to pay him.

And if I'm a Lions fans right now I'd be out on the ledge.  They are on the verge of returning to 'the same old Lions'.

Aaron Rodgers just about has the MVP award wrapped up after Week 7.

[CEValkyrie]

They should of signed him before the season. The MNF crew was talking about him last night. They said behind AP he's the best overall back right now. He can run, block and catch. He's on pace for career high in yards rushing and receiving. I checked out his stats and he has 14 rush/rec of 20+ yards. Pretty impressive. Open up the playbook Chicago. He's the best running back and receiver on this team.

[tacimala]

And if I'm a Lions fans right now I'd be out on the ledge.  They are on the verge of returning to 'the same old Lions'.

I think the Lions definitely started out better than most fans would have expected. I figured they would go about 9-7 and have a shot at a wild card spot this year, but with still a lot of growing to do. At this point they have exceeded initial expectations, but they also have had several key injuries obviously starting back in preseason with Leshoure and Fairley and are still/have always been a weak O line. They will still finish second in the division I do believe and the bye week can't come fast enough.

[Jon Brakel]

Chris Harris sure went from regular starter to not needed anymore faster than anyone without an injury that I can remember.

[pdga#7648]

Doug- you can have one or the other this year- only one. Steelers Superbowl or Cardinals World Series? Which would it be?

ok. I guess I can face it!  not the year for the Steelers. I already got my World Series win this year! 

[Dan Michler]

Chris Harris sure went from regular starter to not needed anymore faster than anyone without an injury that I can remember.

Thats funny Jon, I was thinking the same thing.  I cancelled my Sirius and have been listening to alot of sports radio lately and all I heard early in the season was how the Bears defense is missing Chris Harris so badly and people underestimated how important Chris Harris is to this team...etc, etc..  They were even having him on as a weekly guest on some of the shows.

Then, the Lions game happened, and more specifically the play where he was burned by Calvin Johnson, and the story was immediatley 'Chris Harris has lost a step and is worthless', then 'Chris Harris is no longer starting', then 'Chris Harris demands a trade' then 'Chris Harris has been cut'.  That was all within 3 weeks.

[Jon Brakel]

Chris Harris sure went from regular starter to not needed anymore faster than anyone without an injury that I can remember.

Thats funny Jon, I was thinking the same thing.  I cancelled my Sirius and have been listening to alot of sports radio lately and all I heard early in the season was how the Bears defense is missing Chris Harris so badly and people underestimated how important Chris Harris is to this team...etc, etc..  They were even having him on as a weekly guest on some of the shows.

Then, the Lions game happened, and more specifically the play where he was burned by Calvin Johnson, and the story was immediatley 'Chris Harris has lost a step and is worthless', then 'Chris Harris is no longer starting', then 'Chris Harris demands a trade' then 'Chris Harris has been cut'.  That was all within 3 weeks.

It makes you think that it might have been something personal. Like when he publicly asked to be traded that he said something privately to someone that sealed his fate.

I don't know how you can listen to sports talk radio. Its not so much the hosts and guests but the callers that they put on the air. I really enjoy Steve Dahl's weekly sports guests on his show but that's as close as I get to sports talk radio.

[Tom McManus]

With the NFL season about half over, there have been a lot of crazy things this year.  I can't remember so many teams coming back from being double digits down in a game. I can't believe that St. Louis beat New Orleans yesterday. Or that San Francisco is 6-1 and earlier in the year absolutely demolished Tampa Bay. Buffalo in first place? Hard to believe. I am not surprised that after the Eagles win last night, that they are now anointed as going deep into the playoffs. I think the NFL East receives more undue praise than any other division. It is a joke. At the midway point there is only one undefeated team and one one-loss team. That is pretty surprising.

I would like to see some of the rules changed more in favor of the defense, the new numbers that the quarterbacks are putting up are ridiculous.

[Dan Michler]

I would like to see some of the rules changed more in favor of the defense, the new numbers that the quarterbacks are putting up are ridiculous.

I think the NFL strongly disagrees with you.  The explosion of the passing game has allowed for many of the crazy comebacks you were just referring to.

Bottom line:  there is 1 elite team in the NFL.  The Packers.  Barring an injury to Aaron Rodgers, we should just anoint them Super Bowl champions right now.  I said that after last season, I said it before this season, and it gets more true every day.  You can still get almost 3:1 on your money, so place your futures bets now.

[pdga#7648]

I put the chances at 50% that the Steelers make the playoffs this year.  The rapist is going to get killed out there. Their offensive line is under siege.

still feel that way Tom? They are now 6-2 and just beat the best team in the AFC in mosts eyes! And after they beat a piss poor Baltimore team this week(lost to Jax and was down 24-3 to Arizona before coming back) they will probably just lose 1 more game to finish 13-3.  you just better hope Rodgers stays healthy!!

[Dan Michler]

I put the chances at 50% that the Steelers make the playoffs this year.  The rapist is going to get killed out there. Their offensive line is under siege.

still feel that way Tom? They are now 6-2 and just beat the best team in the AFC in mosts eyes! And after they beat a piss poor Baltimore team this week(lost to Jax and was down 24-3 to Arizona before coming back) they will probably just lose 1 more game to finish 13-3.  you just better hope Rodgers stays healthy!!

Doug, if you've learned anything recently in the NFL it should have been to not get ahead of yourself.  I agreed with your original prediction of 11 wins for the Steelers and I still do.  But don't suddenly think the Steelers are an elite team.  It was a nice win at home over the Pats.  Their other wins were against SEA, IND, TEN, JAX, and ARZ.  Those teams are a combined 9-28.  And Pitt hasn't exactly been blowing all these teams out.  Everybody loves to overreact to 1 game in the NFL.

I like the Steelers, Pats, Ravens, Texans, Chargers, and Bills as the AFC playoff teams this year.  And honestly I think any of those teams could come out of the AFC.  Nobody has separated themselves as elite.

In the NFC I'd take the Packers, Giants, Saints, 49ers, Lions, and some miscelaneous team (Eagles, Cowboys, Bears, Bucs, Falcons?  I guess the Eagles are the most dangerous of those teams if they start to peak heading into the playoffs) to make the playoffs.  The Packers with home-field advantage are the only sane choice out of this whole mess.

[pdga#7648]

but even you have to admit, the Steelers O-Line is protecting Ben. and if he has time to throw, he is usually winiing those games.
I can't help it they have an easy schedule. they still have to win the games on the schedule, no matter how weak it is. I'm not over reacting. I knew the Steelers would come around, and they have. If they beat Balt at home this weekend, no team remaining on the schedule has a winning record but the Bengals. and we will beat that rookie QB, gauranteed!
Just remember though, once in the playoffs, Ben knows how to win!

[pdga#7648]

but your NFC teams, I see the Bears mentioned. didn't you just right them off 2 weeks ago?     LOL

[Tom McManus]

I put the chances at 50% that the Steelers make the playoffs this year.  The rapist is going to get killed out there. Their offensive line is under siege.

still feel that way Tom? They are now 6-2 and just beat the best team in the AFC in mosts eyes! And after they beat a piss poor Baltimore team this week(lost to Jax and was down 24-3 to Arizona before coming back) they will probably just lose 1 more game to finish 13-3.  you just better hope Rodgers stays healthy!!

Doug, if you've learned anything recently in the NFL it should have been to not get ahead of yourself.  I agreed with your original prediction of 11 wins for the Steelers and I still do.  But don't suddenly think the Steelers are an elite team.  It was a nice win at home over the Pats.  Their other wins were against SEA, IND, TEN, JAX, and ARZ.  Those teams are a combined 9-28.  And Pitt hasn't exactly been blowing all these teams out.  Everybody loves to overreact to 1 game in the NFL.

I like the Steelers, Pats, Ravens, Texans, Chargers, and Bills as the AFC playoff teams this year.  And honestly I think any of those teams could come out of the AFC.  Nobody has separated themselves as elite.

In the NFC I'd take the Packers, Giants, Saints, 49ers, Lions, and some miscelaneous team (Eagles, Cowboys, Bears, Bucs, Falcons?  I guess the Eagles are the most dangerous of those teams if they start to peak heading into the playoffs) to make the playoffs.  The Packers with home-field advantage are the only sane choice out of this whole mess.

I think it is still too early to make any predictions about the AFC side of the  playoffs. I like your picks, but I wouldn't count out Kansas City or Oakland. I don't have much faith in San Diego.  I wouldn't count out the Jets either, although it doesn't look good for them right now. I agree with you about the NFC, there about six teams that can be eliminated from contention right now, the rest of the teams have at least an outside shot at making the playoffs.

[Tom McManus]

I put the chances at 50% that the Steelers make the playoffs this year.  The rapist is going to get killed out there. Their offensive line is under siege.

still feel that way Tom? They are now 6-2 and just beat the best team in the AFC in mosts eyes! And after they beat a piss poor Baltimore team this week(lost to Jax and was down 24-3 to Arizona before coming back) they will probably just lose 1 more game to finish 13-3.  you just better hope Rodgers stays healthy!!

Yes I do Doug.

[Dan Michler]

The throws Rodgers was making yesterday were ridiculous.  How many P.I. penalties has Charles Woodson committed this year?

So Doug, your team is 1-3 against above .500 teams this year.  Tell us all again why we are supposed to believe they are so awesome!  The Steelers proved again they are just another team in the big jumble that is the AFC.  Anybody could come out of that conference this year between the Texans, Jets, Steelers, Pats, Ravens, Bengals, Bills and Chargers.

Bears/Eagles game tonight is impossible to predict.  First, you have no idea what Bears team will show up.  Coming out of the bye you'd hope for a solid effort, but this is the Bears so who knows.  Second, you have no idea what Eagles team will show up.  They are 3-4 for a reason.

For the Wild Card chances, the game is huge.  Right now for the 2 spots you have Atlanta (5-3) Bears (4-3) Dallas (4-4) Tampa (4-4) Philly (3-4).  If Philly loses they'll be a full 2 games out and they'll lose the tiebreaker to the Bears and Falcons.  Thats just about dead.
After this the Bears have:  Lions, SD, @Oak, KC, @Den, Sea, @GB, @MN.  A lot of very winnable games.

[Tom McManus]

Both the NFC and AFC are wide open regarding playoff spots. I don't see how teams can be so good one week and so bad the next.  If the Bears can win tonight I would agree with Dan that Philly has about zero percent chance of making the playoffs. The AFC west stinks, and the NFC west isn't much better besides the 49ers.

The Packers defense needs to toughen up. The amount of passing yards they are giving up is crazy.

[pdga#7648]

The throws Rodgers was making yesterday were ridiculous.  How many P.I. penalties has Charles Woodson committed this year?

So Doug, your team is 1-3 against above .500 teams this year.  Tell us all again why we are supposed to believe they are so awesome!  The Steelers proved again they are just another team in the big jumble that is the AFC.  Anybody could come out of that conference this year between the Texans, Jets, Steelers, Pats, Ravens, Bengals, Bills and Chargers.

Bears/Eagles game tonight is impossible to predict.  First, you have no idea what Bears team will show up.  Coming out of the bye you'd hope for a solid effort, but this is the Bears so who knows.  Second, you have no idea what Eagles team will show up.  They are 3-4 for a reason.

For the Wild Card chances, the game is huge.  Right now for the 2 spots you have Atlanta (5-3) Bears (4-3) Dallas (4-4) Tampa (4-4) Philly (3-4).  If Philly loses they'll be a full 2 games out and they'll lose the tiebreaker to the Bears and Falcons.  Thats just about dead.
After this the Bears have:  Lions, SD, @Oak, KC, @Den, Sea, @GB, @MN.  A lot of very winnable games.

Talk to me in January!
remember, 1 game doesn't make the season! as you said last week!

but I will say that prevent defense only prevents you from holding onto the lead. stupid