***the Official N F L 11/12 Season Thread***

[Hoff 7]

Yeah it's been pretty wild to say the least. The one downside of that is I don't think the quality of play has been that high this year. A lot of teams are having to do the QB shuffle and everytime a team starts to look like a contender, some spare team beats them- see Dallas beating the Giants or the Browns beating the Pats a few weeks ago.

Last year we had the Colts and Saints off to great starts, with the Vikings not too far behind. I can't really say for certain who I think the best team in the league is

I havw to agree but part of me is quite pleased about it because being unpredictable does make everything more exciting and that is 1 of the reasons why the hawks are still in contention, the overall quality from the top teams not being what it was a year ago.

iI am still enjoying this season though, I think there have been a lot more high scoring and ciompetitive games this year which makes for good tv.

[Lando 249]

Northwestern, Illinois will play one-way offenses tomorrow at Wrigley Field.

CHICAGO (AP)—The friendly confines of Wrigley Field are a little too tight for the Big Ten.

The league announced Friday that Illinois and Northwestern had agreed to some drastic and unusual changes for Saturday’s game at the historic home of the Chicago Cubs—including running all offensive plays toward the end zone that doesn’t happen to come within a foot or so of a padded brick wall.

That change, prompted by safety concerns, was approved along with a few others by the NCAA. And if the move sounds like a last-minute surprise, well, the Cubs thought so, too.

Northwestern head football coach Pat Fitzgerald listens at left to athletic director Jim Phillips speak at a news conference in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 19, 2010. The league announced Friday that Illinois and Northwestern had agreed to some drastic and unusual changes for Saturday's NCAA college football game at the historic home of the Chicago Cubs _ including running all offensive plays toward the end zone that doesn't happen to come within a foot or so of a padded brick wall.

“The field dimension layout was delivered to the Big Ten approximately eight months ago and was approved by the conference,” Cubs President Crane Kenney said. “Last month, the field was built exactly to the dimensions previously approved by the Big Ten. Last week, a Big Ten official performed an onsite visit at Wrigley Field, participated in a field walk-thru and raised no issue with the field dimensions, painted lines and boundaries previously approved by the Big Ten.”

Kenney even noted that Saturday’s game between Army and Notre Dame would be played at Yankee Stadium on a reconfigured field and that one didn’t require any rule changes. Not that the $1.5 billion showplace of the Yankees is much like the second-oldest ballpark in the majors.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany released a statement that credited both schools with doing “significant” due diligence over the past 18 months. But he said the actual layout prompted the change to keep the players safe.

The problem is that the east end zone nearly abuts the right field wall, which has been heavily padded. The field is laid out east-west for the first football game at Wrigley since the Bears left for Soldier Field in 1970; back then, Bears games were played north-south, but there wasn’t much room then, either, and everyone decided the east-west layout was the way to go for Saturday’s in-state showdown.

The Illini (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) need a win against Northwestern (7-3, 3-3) this week or next week against Fresno State to become eligible for a bowl game. The Wildcats are already planning a postseason trip, hoping to win a bowl for the first time since the 1949 Rose Bowl.

They’d better plan on getting familiar with the west end zone.

The Illini and Wildcats will run their offenses toward the dugout on the third base side. All kickoffs will go the other way and after a change in possession, referees will reposition the ball to point offenses to the west. The only time a player would end up in the east end zone would be after a turnover.

“I know that the brick wall and whatever is right there,” Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase said before the rules were changed. “You’ve definitely got to be aware of that. You don’t want to have anybody smacking into a wall after they catch it.”

Earlier this week, Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald told ESPN Radio in Chicago that certain plays would be “a recipe for disaster” and that the layout could affect play calling.

“It was all vetted out. We thought that it would be safe,” he said Friday. “We’re going to do what’s right. All the other things are irrelevant.”

Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips was asked why the decision came so late.

“We had a chance to walk the field the first time earlier this week, over the weekend,” said Phillips, whose campus is eight miles from the ballpark. “The more we looked at it, the more we dug into it and talking to the conference and everyone involved, we just felt that maybe it didn’t come out exactly the way we thought it potentially would. … The timing isn’t ideal. I don’t dismiss that at all.”

Phillips said risk managers, safety engineers and others approved the east-west layout, which gives the most space for a football game.

“I don’t think there’s any remorse. We’re still excited about playing. It’s a fantastic venue,” he said.

Illinois sports information director Kent Brown said concerns arose last week about “the tightness” of the right field end zone.

“Any institution that plays there in the future wouldn’t want to be in this situation we’re in,” he said. Asked if it might have been better handled earlier: “I think everybody would agree with that, yes.”

The home of the Chicago Bears for a half century, Wrigley has hosted concerts and the NHL’s Winter Classic in recent years but no football games since the Bears left for Soldier Field after the 1970 season.

The most recent college game? That was the 1938 clash between DePaul and St. Louis. Illinois and Northwestern last met at Wrigley Field in 1923, when the Cubs’ championship drought was a mere 15 years.

The latest game was announced with fanfare in August, with sponsor Allstate Insurance Co. proudly backing the first Wrigleyville Classic. The famed marquee has been painted purple, flags with the letter “N” line the rooftop and one goalpost is mounted on the right-field wall, though it won’t be used now.

Beyond the controversy and novelty, this is an important game for both teams.

Illinois coach Ron Zook was under an improve-or-else mandate from athletic director Ron Guenther following a 3-9 season that led to much of the staff being fired. Until recently, it looked like the Illini had done just that.

Two straight losses after a 5-3 start have erased much of the goodwill. As if a 67-65 triple-overtime loss to Michigan wasn’t disappointing enough, Illinois fell 38-34 to lowly Minnesota last week.

“For the first eight games of the season we’ve tackled as well as anybody I’ve ever been around, and the last two weeks we haven’t,” Zook said.

At least they’ll be facing an untested quarterback. Wildcats freshman Evan Watkins will make his first start after Dan Persa ruptured his right Achilles tendon on the go-ahead touchdown pass against Iowa last week. Watkins, a 6-6 freshman, has played sparingly.

“I’m pretty excited about the opportunity ahead of me so I’ve got a lot of energy and I can’t stop thinking about it,” he said. “I’m going to be excited but you just need to stay focused and prevent any distractions you can, keep your mind on winning and what you have to do.”

Watkins—and everyone else—will certainly be sharing the spotlight with the venue.

Gone are the pitchers mound and home plate, and the infield and warning track are covered by a thick layer of turf. One goalpost is in front of the third-base dugout, the other on top of that wall in right field with no net— but no chance now of fans scrambling for footballs in the seats or out on Sheffield Avenue.

Fitzgerald said he didn’t think the unique rules would change much for his team, though he knows it will be a memorable game no matter the final score.

“You want to talk about to talk about 30 years from now maybe the most unique game maybe in college football ever, we’ve got it right here,” he said. “It’s going to be a 100-yard field. It’s going to be played with the same rules as it would be; we’re just heading west. So you recover a fumble, you pick off a ball, you go score in the east end zone—we’re going to celebrate in that east end zone.

“Then we’re going to kick the extra point the other way.”

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-illinois-northwestern

My reaction: I do wonder how they would work in TV timeouts, etc. Both teams better hustle.

[brissyger 8]

Good to see the 49ers get a couple of wins under their belt. Troy Smith sounds like he's doing quite well. As I said a few weeks ago 49ers have quite an easy run in all things considered so there's still a decent shot at the playoffs.

[gordo7 147]

Watched the Jets v Texans, Jets win it win with late touchdown. Texans secondary blew it big time.

[TexasGers 96]

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl dark-horses

[TexasGers 96]

How many short, white skill position players do the Pats have? They look like guys on my high school team

[Lando 249]

Whew! The Colts would have won the game, but Manning threw his third interception of the game resulting in the Pats escaping with a 31-28 win.

[cstamomusa 3,811]

Whew! The Colts would have won the game, but Manning threw his third interception of the game resulting in the Pats escaping with a 31-28 win.

That was a really good game to watch Lando, glad the Pats held on to win. This time I get the bragging rights over Disgruntled Bear.

As the commentators said these two teams will probably meet again later in the season. :cheerleader: :cheerleader: :cheerleader:

[delparlane 5,754]

Whew! The Colts would have won the game, but Manning threw his third interception of the game resulting in the Pats escaping with a 31-28 win.

Disappointing result, to say the least.

[delparlane 5,754]

Botched shovel pass at the end against the Falcons when we could have taken the lead with a TD. Sigh. Sometimes I think this team is cursed...

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Disappointed with the loss, but I'm proud how we never gave up and kept on pushing after so many injuries.

Don't blame Manning one bit, as Nick said on Sky Sports any other QB and the Colts wouldn't have even been in the game. They were a good case for pass interference but it will balance itself out later on in the season.

As for our playoff chances, think if we get anymore injuries, we wont be going to the playoffs.

[TexasGers 96]

Botched shovel pass at the end against the Falcons when we could have taken the lead with a TD. Sigh. Sometimes I think this team is cursed...

They'll get there, it's really a night and day difference with the Rams as opposed to the last few years. They've been competitive in just about every game this year. I was skeptical about Bradford, but I think he's gonna be a star

[ClintonGrey 365]

Very happy with our demolition of the panthers, we needed it. Not as happy that the raiders totally capitulated to the Steelers however.

[TexasGers 96]

Brad Childress has apparently been fired as Vikings coach, DC Leslie Frazier takes over

He was one of the worst game managers I've seen in the NFL, and all the players hated him to

[Lando 249]

Brad Childress has apparently been fired as Vikings coach, DC Leslie Frazier takes over

He was one of the worst game managers I've seen in the NFL, and all the players hated him to

That is not a surprise. Yeah, it is very obvious that Childress can't really manage a team well.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=As1aFCzusQ0QPZ211Nwj0AtDubYF?slug=ap-vikings-childressfired

With a short practice week, there will be three NFL games this Thursday, November 25.

* New England Patriots at the Detroit Lions - 12:30 p.m. EST on CBShttp://www.nfl.com/schedules/interactive#/week=1211

* New Orleans Saints at the Dallas Cowboys - 4:15 p.m. EST on FOXhttp://www.nfl.com/schedules/interactive#/week=1212

* Cincinnati Bengals at the New York Jets - 8:20 p.m. EST on NFL Networkhttp://www.nfl.com/schedules/interactive#/week=1213

The New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys game will be a hotly contested match. Last year, the Saints were winning with no loss until the Cowboys defeated them at the Superdome.

[delparlane 5,754]

Disappointed with the loss, but I'm proud how we never gave up and kept on pushing after so many injuries.

Don't blame Manning one bit, as Nick said on Sky Sports any other QB and the Colts wouldn't have even been in the game. They were a good case for pass interference but it will balance itself out later on in the season.

As for our playoff chances, think if we get anymore injuries, we wont be going to the playoffs.

I thought as much too - first thing I said while watching the replay of that INT was that Garcon was being held by McCourty.

[delparlane 5,754]

They'll get there, it's really a night and day difference with the Rams as opposed to the last few years. They've been competitive in just about every game this year. I was skeptical about Bradford, but I think he's gonna be a star

Agreed, TG, they are miles above the level of the last few years (which admittedly isn't that difficult). Even though Atlanta deserved to win yesterday, the game was still in very much in doubt until that INT in the last three minutes. Sick to my back teeth of these tail-end losses, though - three at least so far this year! :-(

[Lando 249]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/A-demonstration-of-NFL-parity-in-one-handy-circ?urn=nfl-288589

The link above shows a demonstration of NFL parity in one handy, circular graphic which was done by a person.

You will need to look at the graphic in a clockwise direction starting with the Pittsburgh Steelers then the Atlanta Falcons, etc.

[Lando 249]

New England came away with a win over the Detroit Lions, 45-24 after both were deadlocked at 24-24 at the start of the second half of the game. Tom Brady was 21 for 27 for 341 yards and 4 TDs with a QB rating of 158.3.

I know cstamomusa is :cheerleader:

[Hoff 7]

early season cowboys so far!! takig a pumping in the opening quarter from the saints

[cstamomusa 3,811]

New England came away with a win over the Detroit Lions, 45-24 after both were deadlocked at 24-24 at the start of the second half of the game. Tom Brady was 21 for 27 for 341 yards and 4 TDs with a QB rating of 158.3.

I know cstamomusa is :cheerleader:

I sure am, another great game to watch. :cheerleader: :cheerleader: :cheerleader:

[Lando 249]

I sure am, another great game to watch. :cheerleader: :cheerleader: :cheerleader:

I missed the first half, but it was a great second half. The Pats and the Jets play on December 6, so that will be even a great game. Divisionally, the Jets are 3-0 and the Pats are 2-1, so a lot of stake going on at that game.

[ClintonGrey 365]

Totally different Cowboys in the 2nd half, 23-20 Saints.

Oh and happy Thanksgiving to our American friends!

[Lando 249]

Totally different Cowboys in the 2nd half, 23-20 Saints.

Oh and happy Thanksgiving to our American friends!

Thanks, CG.

I was just off Facebook when someone mentioned that the Cowboys just made a TD making themselves 3 points behind the Saints.

[brissyger 8]

Decent comeback from the Cowboys. That was a mighty effort from Buehler for the 59 yard FG attempt. I re4ally don't understand why they didn't try a draw or something on 3rd down just to pick up a few yards to make it easier on him.