2014-2015 NFL Thread.

Well, Here we are just three days away from the start of the 2014-2015 NFL season. For all you NFL junkies, you know what it means. And with the lull of the NBA off season it can't start fast enough. The question is, what can we expect this year? The same old round robin between the usual powerhouse teams or will a new Seattle or San Francisco emerge from nowhere like they did a few years ago to upset the status quo? I suspect it will be the former and not the later with the usual suspects making all the waves and have nots still looking in from the outside. There were some interesting off season developments that will effect many of the teams vying for that elusive Superbowl trophy. In the AFC, it was a matter of the strong getting stronger, by that I mean NE and Denver. These two juggernauts only added to their arsenals, especially on the defensive side of the ball, a much needed pancea for both of them. New England brought in free agents Darrelle Revis, perhaps the best shut down CB in the league and physical Brandon Browner from Seattle. No doubt the offense beating they took from Mannings Denver offensive machine finally woke Coach Billicheck up to the fact he cannot hope to do the D with smoke and mirrors as he has been trying to do for many years. The return of Jerard Mayo and defensive lineman Wolfork from injury will also be a boon on that side of the ball. This team finally looks like it can do some damage on defense. The bigger question now is who will Brady throw the ball too? They have not had a standout, great long distance WR since Randy Moss got old and got gone. They still have....

Wow! Not one response... Is this the nfl thread or the dead thread?

After watching Seattle at the start of this season, I was impressed. I love how Seattle uses Wilson and a lot of creative playcalling which is something Darrell Bevell did while he was the OC in Minnesota when he had Favre but ultimately Brad Childress' play not to lose ways trumped Bevell and Favre. I'm glad Bevell has been allowed to do his thing in Seattle and not have to be saddled with the west coast offense that forced upon everybody Childress. I'm not kidding when I say Childress damn near ran the same plays in the game tecmo bowl. He would have a receiver run a go route, the tight end run a crossing route and have the opposite receiver run something like a slant or a button-hook. I'd be surprised if he ever got a coaching job again, he was that bad and just couldn't learn to open up the offense at all and let Bevell do his thing. Speaking of the west coast offense, I really feel that RG3 running that offense is a mistake. Some QB's can run that offense because they have a knack for getting the ball out quickly and some can't. Guys like Newton, RG3, Wilson, Kaepernick and so on just aren't guys I feel you should throw in that old Bill Walsh offense. You need the right receivers in the west coast offense. I remember Minnesota using it and I hated it. It uses the pass like a run and it's great if you have the right players and especially the right QB. Randy Moss in the west coast offense looked totally different than the Moss who was known for the deep threat receiver he was. He racked up over....

It's dead because a lot of Lakers fans are down. They know this upcoming season will be as bad as last season. There are other fans who most likely left the Lakers' bandwagon because they know the Lakers are done and now the fans are looking for another superstar to get behind who can carry a ring back with them. I fully expect LTB to be low in turn-out this season.

Baptist, I guess the most popular sport in America, by far, has few adherents on LTB? Perhaps because many members are from So Cal that has no NFL team? It has always surprised me a little how little comment our NFL thread gets since the sport is so huge. Anyway, it is here for those who are fans and want to read or comment. If there is no response at least I will get some typing practice for winter, something I can always use! Good move by your team to quickly go with Carr. There really is no reason not to. If nothing comes out of this year for your Raiders but to see if he is your future, that is a good thing because you have to know. With your schedule and talent level the Raiders will likely end up with a high pick again next year. Something I don't have to tell you. But if Carr is the real deal and you get those high picks next year and they are used wisely, your biblical 40 years wandering the desert may finally be coming to an end. Gem, I was impressed with Seattle too. They looked like the just picked up from the Superbowl. In fact, I'm sure Denver fans and players watching that game felt they were having an acid flashback to their Superbowl watching that beating Green bay took. Seattle lost some good defensive players in free agency in the off-season but right now seem to still have more than enough on that side of the ball to be the league standard on that side of the ball. Your comments on Wilson and the system they use were very interesting. Also as applied to other QB's you mentioned. There are some QB's who are just so freakish good they can excel....

GeM

LOL, tell me about it.. I too am ''down"... I Have felt this way since early on in the Pygmy season.. I just could not stand him, his attitude, his effort, or his inability to acquire the ability to shoot a basketball with a little touch.. As Randy pointed out, he has/had the touch of a rhinoceros.. It drove me to the point where I just could not watch.. Last season was no different, I viewed less than 10 games, and i swear to this, I've said it several times, from 1996 when I first had Directv installed, I can guarantee I didn't miss 10 games from 96 up until we acquired Howard... IDK...

Randrew

What are you talking about??? The Raiders haven't played a game yet??? Oh, wait... Never mind..

They are absolutely atrocious... Just totally inept in all areas... Not too sure our HC is capable of being a HC.. He is alleged to be some defensive wizard, but I see it not... To be that flat and unprepared in your home opener is inexcusable.. The owner, Mark Davis said he would not stand for any of those types of performances this season.. Well, two weeks and two duds.. The final of the Jets loss was not indicative of how poorly Oakland was on both sides of the ball.. Just a damn embarrassment to the league, the fans, and themselves. It is supposed to get better, they're supposed to get better... However under this regime they're regressing, not progressing.

Here is a nice stat for you, Oakland's two opponents thus far this year have trotted out two below AVG QB's in Geno Smith and The highly intelligent, yet marginal QB Ryan Fitzptrick.. These two future ALL Pros (if the played oak every week I mean), are a combined 37-47 throwing against Oakland's defense.. That is 79%... How can you allow this? I mean can't the defenders at least get close enough to draw a flag instead, Jeeeepers. The rush defense is even worse, yielding over 300+ grounds yards through 2 weeks... Pathetic

SPQR: well, my Vikings won't surprise teams this year like I thought. Adrian Peterson most likely won't play this season. He actually may not play in Minnesota again. After this season he is due something like 13 million, now if Minnesota wins games without him then they may let him go or ask for him to restructure. Personally, I don't see Minnesota winning without Peterson. People will soon see how special a player he is and why defenses had to load up against him. Now teams will look to take Patterson out the game which can be done because he hasn't developed as a receiver just yet. Cassel will have plenty of multiple interception games due to the pressure he will soon receive without the threat of Peterson. The offense that people thought Minnesota would have is officially no more this season. At least we will get a high draft pick at the end of the season and not worry about going 7-9 or 8-8.

I actually enjoyed watching the Lakers last season. Only because Kobe wasn't dominating the ball and the guys moved it around. Too bad the team didn't play any defense. I really enjoyed seeing Meeks improve his game while most lakers fans only talked about Nick Young. Personally I feel Meeks had the better season but Mitch of course went after the guy that the fans coveted. Meeks moved without the ball and this is what the Lakers team lacks and we may actually be worse than last season but people haven't realized it yet. You can't lose guys like Gasol, , Farmar, Meeks and to a lesser degree Bazemore and feel that the additions of Boozer, Lin and broken down Kobe who will play isoball makes us better.

Baptist, Your completion stat on Smith and Fitz is indeed a investigating indictment of Oakland. Those numbers are more indicative of Manning or Brady. On the bright side, this week you play the real Brady so at least if he posts those numbers..... It is kind of ironic that you, me and Gem, the three who post here all have teams that to put it mildly, have some flaws and questions about them, lol. Each team suffering from their own brand of Pygmata, so to speak. We really must be fans of the highest order as we slog through the season with what we have and still are interested enough to write about them. Gem, Tough to absorb the AP loss. He is not only the best offensive player on the team, but the best player, period. It certainly makes defending the Vikes much easier, especially given Cassell's limitations. I guess on the bright side it may bring Teddy in sooner and also get you guys a very high pick in the draft and your team could still use that kind of talent, as could my Steelers and Baptists Raiders. I guess we are kind of like the Lakers in that way!! Last week brought some interesting results. Seattle suffered their first loss of the year on the road against San Diego, a team that seems to be coming on strong. This was certainly a trap game for them. Coming off the emotional blow out of rival Green Bay they hit the road and seemed to get ambushed by a team that certainly viewed them as their own personal super bowl. This game also pointed out the one weak spot in Seattle. They just don't have a high powered offense nor a QB who so far can put up those wild franchise QB type games....

I personally think Cousins is the real deal and he has performed well each game. I'm wondering if the redskins will allow people to come down and swap out their RG3 jerseys like the 7000+fans did when the Ravens allowed them to swap out their Rice jerseys, lol. Cousins drops back, makes quick decisions and seems to be pretty accurate. The RG3 era looks to be over and now Washington can see if they can get a 1st or 2nd rounder for him during the offseason. The team will rally around Cousins and so will the city, there is no swapping him out if he continues to perform like this.

Teddy time in Minnesota. I don't like to see a guy go down with injury but I wanted to see Teddy play, time to see what the potential is. Teddy has a pretty quick release and good velocity on his throws, he also has great poise in the picket and he gives. Vikings fans something to look forward to along with Cordarelle Patterson. Next season I hope Patterson has become a polished route runner because he just isn't right now but he's scary when he gets the ball. Every time teddy threw the all down field I wondered I fig was going to be an interception but it was actually a good pass. Teddy unfortunately has few weapons. Kyle Rudolph is out for six weeks due to a groin injury. So teddy is down to Patterson and Jennings and no running game. The offense will struggle unless AP comes back which isn't likely but I hope Minnesota realizes what type of talent AP is and even though it's a passing league, a missing AP resonates throughout the whole team.

Seattle is on a B-line to home field advantage again and that's scary. I'm still tripping how Carolina just imploded on defense on Sunday. I still had them as the top three along with Seattle and SF but SF ain't looking too hot either.

Gem, The Cousins thing is interesting. Right now he has about five games to audition to take RG3s job before he returns. As you said to me, he looked great in the first half against the Giants and like Matt Cassell in the second half. He gotta learn fast if he wants to supplant RG3 because he doesn't have all year. It is tough to learn that position and excel that fast. Can he do it? Is he even the real deal? He is also auditioning for other teams as well the Skins job. For me it is a good thing that Teddy gets to play, even if the team is weak. My philosophy is, if you think a young QB is good and you don't have standout at the position, you let the kid play and learn. Get him going so that next year he will be even better. Seattle is on a B line to get home field, unless the Cardinals keep up what they are doing. Then it could be a race. If Seattle gets it, hard to see them losing in the playoffs. I had Frisco in my top three as well, but they have too many injuries and suspensions on defense. It is taking a toll. The offense needs to carry this team for the moment but so far they haven't been able to do it. Kaepernick had good stats in the loss to Arizona but yet they still couldn't score enough to win it even after taking an early lead. My Steelers did crush the Panthers on the road in a game that surprised me. Newton was banged up and you could see it. It really hurt their offense. But the Steelers just dominated the Panthers defense which was a shock. My Steelers are now 2-1, looking great in....

Last week brought some very interesting results. Perhaps the most note worthy was the 41-14 thrashing NE received at the hands of the Chiefs. At 2-2 NE sits third in the very weak AFC East. When have they ever looked this bad, this vulnerable? Has the Brady-Billichick machine finally run down? Lots of speculation on what is wrong in the media. I would say the biggest culprit is bad drafting over the last half a decade and NE's strange decision to not surround Tom Brady with top flight offensive talent at the wr position. Brady being 37 doesn't help. Their next game is at home against powerhouse Cincinnati. Only the weak division they play in keeps them in the hunt right now. Several teams are on the upswing right now, Baltimore crushing fading Carolina, Green Bay plastering division rival Chicago, Indy eviscerating Tennessee, Dallas punking the Saints 38-17 and the Giants doing the same to Washington. San Diego keeps on rolling, crushing Jacksonville 33-14. Philly lost their first game of the year in Frisco, 26-21 in what was a must win game for the 49ers. The best games this coming weekend? Baltimore at Indy, Cinci at New England, KC at Frisco and Arizona goes to Denver. A big change continues in my top ten this week as an inveterate years long habitue make an exit. New England follows New Orleans, two perennial contenders usually in the top half of the top ten drop out completely. A momentary blip or the sign of changing times? My top ten this week: Seattle. 2-1. Off the bye week. Cincinnati. 3-0. Going to NE for yet another chance to show they are the AFC's best. Denver. 2-1. Tough Arizona comes to town, but without starting QB Palmer. San Diego. 3-1. No the Bronco's are not the leaders in the AFC west, resurgent San Diego....

No major surprises this week.

The two undefeated teams finally bit the dust. New England, perhaps tired of the endless questions about whether their era of dominance is over crushed formally unbeaten Cinci at home 43-17. Has NE turned it around was it just the perfect storm Cinci met in Foxboro? New England travels to Buffalo next, who upset Detroit. It will be interesting to see how NE plays that one. Will they be the team that destroyed the Bengals or the mediocre squad we saw before that game?

Arizona got spanked in Denver, but with Carson Palmer out and then their backup going out with an injury, no real shock there. You gotta score some to keep Denver honest and if you can't they will eventually pile it on you.

My top ten has a few changes:

1. Seattle. 3-1. Went to Washington and won pretty easy.

2. Denver. 3-1. Beat NFC strong boy Arizona 41-20, aided by the fact the Cardinals have no QB right now.

3. San Diego. 3-1. Crush the Jets 31-0. Is any team playing this consistent right now?

4. Cincinnati. 3-1. First loss a wipe out in New England. Probably was the worst time imaginable to play up there.

5. Philadelphia. 4-1. High scoring struggle against Tampa. What's wrong with Shady McCoy this year?

6. Arizona. 3-1. First loss of the season to Denver. They need Palmer back pronto.

7. Green Bay. 3-1. A bye week.

8. Indianapolis Colts. 4-2. Coming back with wins over Baltimore and division rival Houston in a game that determined the current leader in the AFC South.

9. Dallas. 4-1. Traveling to Seattle for the ultimate mettle test this week.

10. San Francisco. 3-2. Their second nice win in two weeks, this time over KC who was playing good ball coming in.

The big games this week? Dallas at Seattle. When was the last time Dallas was in a big game? The real big show is division show down between Philly and the Giants. Look for the NFC East standing to take a jumble after those two games are done.

Some interesting games last week. One that I think will set the tone for the AFC South was Indy beating Houston 33-28.. This finally propelled Indy to first in the division, a position they are very likely to hold when the season ends. Cincinnati followed up their blow out loss to NE by tying the Panthers 37-37. What has happened to that great Cinci D the last two weeks? In the biggest surprise of the week, Dallas beat Seattle in Seattle, the toughest thing you can do in football. The Cowboys pushed Seattle around to the tune of a 30-23 win. This game may indicate Dallas is indeed for real. It may also show some real chinks in Seattle's armor. They now have two losses early in the year. They have not looked as dominant as last year and the Dallas game once again showed if you lure the Seahawks and QB Russell Wilson into a high scoring game they are not well suited to respond. Interestingly, Seattle responded to this loss by trading their most talented offensive weapon, Percy Harvin to the Jets for a conditional draft pick. There are stories Harvin was fighting with many of the team's veteran leaders and this would almost surely have to be the case. Seattle was also having problems getting Harvin the ball or getting results for him that were in line with his salary. So with the rare home loss and the loss of Harvin, Seattle starts to have some bumps and enter some uncharted territory they did not have last year in their oh so smooth ride to the title. Two huge games this coming weekend: Division leaders Cinci and Indy clash on Sunday and Sunday night Denver goes against San Francisco in Mile High Stadium. This game gives Frisco a real shot at making....

Some interesting results this last week. The biggest of course was St. Louis toppling the Seahawks. This was Seattle's second loss in a row dropping them to 3-3. Seattle's defense this year simply is not as good as last year when it carried this team to a the title and totally dismantled the Bronco's scoring machine in the Super bowl rout. Is Seattle out of it? Of course not. But they are in dire need of turning this around. Sitting third in their division and home field now in danger of drifting away. This team plays much different at home as opposed to being on the road and to do that route may be too much for them to handle. They need to turn this around, as in now, if they want a good shot to get back to the big dance. It has become almost impossible to repeat as champs in the NFL and Seattle seems to be following that path of struggling the year after winning it. San Diego has a bad week, losing to KC then going on the road to get smacked by juggernaut Denver. Denver just reaffirmed their spot at the top of the NFL heap by destroying Frisco and beating up on San Diego. Both games were at home but still, how many teams can just play with quality teams like Frisco and the Chargers back to back? Very impressive. The defensive improvements they made in free agency are showing strong. As did the swap of Eric Decker for Emanuel Sanders at the WR position. Hard to believe, but this team is even stronger than last year. Lots of moment in the top ten. The Bengals drop out after two devastating blowout losses to NE and Baltimore. The defense looks porous and Dalton looks like...well..Dalton. Frisco how had....

Last week my Steelers did a Denver Bronco impersonation by throwing up 51 points against the surging Colts. It was the biggest, most exciting Steeler's win in years because of it's nature and the opponent. Big Ben looked like a monster throwing for over 500 yards, 6 TDs and no picks. He becomes the first QB in NFL history to have two 500 yard games. He also joins Montana, Brady and Bradshaw as the only QB's to win 100 of their first 150 games. A pretty good week for Ben, lol. But while the game was great to watch, this offensive eruption can't be an aberration. For the Steelers to make some real noise, this has to be the start of a new, consistently good high scorning offense in the Denver, Green bay, New England mold. If it is, well, then the Steelers and their fans may finally have something to look forward to after two eight and eight campaigns. Detroit showed some grit, coming from behind to stay atop NFC North and beating Atlanta in the last seconds. Cincinnati also won a huge game, sweeping the Ravens in a home game 27-24...with what looked like some much needed help from the officials. Baltimore's Smith caught what looked like the game winner right at the end but the TD was ruled back on an offensive interference penalty. The call looked shaky and really reconfigured the division stopping Baltimore from taking the lead in the AFC North. This was the best game of the week with never ending shifts of momentum and leads and was only decided right at the end. A classic. Seattle scored in the last seconds to win a close low scoring at Carolina. This win saved their season....for now. But they look bad. Lots of trouble on the field and....

A Couple of big moves made in the AFC this week, by New England and yes, my very own Pittsburgh Steelers who after two bad years seem to be returning to relevance in a very big and for them, an usual way. In the latest version of the Manning Brady saga it was New England who rode home field advantage and their revamped secondary to a spectacular 43-21 hammering of Denver that reset the balance of power atop the AFC and in my top ten rankings. After last year’sblow out loss to Denver in the AFC championship, the Pats rebuilt their secondary to better compete with Manning and company and slow down their passing attack. They accomplished this by bringing in superior corners Revis and Browner from Seattle. For one game at least it worked just as planned. Manning only managed 21 points with two picks and looked somewhat old and rattled during much of the game and their offense hardly looked like the well-oiled machine it has most of the year. In other words, some flashback to last year’s super bowl. Brady on the other hand was spectacular and seemed to grow in stature and ability as the game went on. He finished with 333 yards and 4 tds with one pick. The game and how easily New England won certainly makes them the team to beat in the AFC for now and once again Denver has to have this slight unease in the back of their minds about whether in a huge game, against a formidable foe, they can close the deal. One gets the feeling home field advantage may be the deciding factor between these two teams in a playoff meeting. One bright stop for Denver and some other AFC contenders, New England has a brutal schedule the....

My Steelers went to New Jersey and laid an egg against the putrid Jets. No big surprise, really, considering how often they have lost to the NFL's dregs the last few years. Their offense reverted to the struggling unit it has been. That and four turnovers doomed them to a 20-13 loss. So just as fast they appeared in my top ten, so they once again are consigned to anonymous oblivion outside it. In the biggest news of the week, Arizona lost it's starting QB Carson Palmer for the year with a torn ACL. This really is a shame as Arizona has the best record in the NFC and will make it almost impossible for them to be a legit super bowl contender. I really feel for their team, their coach, Bruce Arians who as done a GREAT job and their fans. It shouldn't happen this way. They deserved better. Another NFC powerhouse, the Eagles also lost their starting QB, Nick Foles for the season. This gives Mark Sanchez, the first round pick who crapped out with the Jets a new chance, with a new coach, with a QB friendly system to revitalize his career. He had a great pre season with Philly, now the games are for real. Detroit kept atop the NFC North with huge win in Miami in the very last seconds. Dallas rebounds with the return of Romo, just in time, to beat Jacksonville 31-17. In the biggest game of the week, San Francisco pulled off a hard trick beating New Orleans down there 27-24 in OT. Frisco really had to win that game to remain viable and they played like it. Their season goes on by the margin of a field goal. Some monster games coming up this weekend as the season moves along quickly: Seattle travels to KC in a big....

A couple interesting developments this past week. The Raiders, the leagues only win less time finally got in the plus column with a win at home over KC. Nice to see the Raiders get that win. It really is tough to watch a team suffer as they have. The Raiders celebrated like mad after the game and that was fun to see as a season of abject frustration came to an end. For KC, it was a big loss. Going into that game they were climbing the AFC playoff ranks and had reached a tie with Denver at the top of the AFC West. If you are trying to contend, losing to Oakland is never good. In Washington the RG3 soap opera continues. After another bad performance in another loss, RG3 seemed to imply that his teammates needed to step up their games. Not really something you want to do when you are playing as abysmal as RG3 is. Coach Gruden took the very unusual and public opportunity to then upbraid RG3 and say he needs to stop worrying about his teammates and worry about all the problems with his own game. RG3 seems very lost right now. I think he was a guy who made it on his supreme natural talent his whole football life, even though his rookie year in the NFL. But things have changed in a big way. His injuries, the end of the pistol offense that he thrived in and the fact that teams now know exactly what he does well and what he doesn't have all conspired to turn him from a star who could do no wrong to a guy who can do no right, on the field or off. He seems to not be able to meet the challenge, the first real challenge of his athletic life....

I don't think I've ever seen anything like the RG3 soap opera. You're right in saying he made it off his natural talent but he lacks a lot of fundamentals. I mean I was watching the game when he dislocated his ankle and that was all him jumping in the air awkward like that. I believe he will be out of there but that all depends on Dan Schneider because I know he loves RG3 but his durability is the question. He has to learn how to fall sword no matter what. That's the price of being the QB no matter who's fault it is.

I'm out here in VA and can attest that these fans do not like RG3 as their quarterback. The guy comes off as arrogant yet he's done nothing. Much of his college success was due to his athleticism and Josh Gordon. Sometimes you need to put your head down and go to work. He's in a contract year so you would assume that mentally he's doing everything he needs to do to be successful but he isn't. I liked him as a college player but I've always said these fast guys need to slide instead of fighting for extra yards... leave that to the running backs. As a GM, Coach, or Player I could do without the distractions since he's not producing on the field.

I know I am getting a little ahead of myself but I want to see what the Patriots and the Broncos do in the AFC championship game. I wouldn't mind KC beating one of those teams but I find that very unlikely. Pats have killer DB's but can they handle Thomas (tight end) as well as Welker and Demarius? Can the defense of Denver account for both the running game as well as Gronk? These two teams in my opinion are the cream of the crop in their league.

R-E-L-A-X! The quarterback I love to hate is playing lights out and I don't see them being stopped unless it's by a team that runs and plays defense well. Does Dallas fit that bill or are the Seahawks better suited to beat the Pack? What about the 49ers? That's a tough one for me so hopefully someone chimes in. I'm not disrespecting the Cardinals but I'm not too sure if they will have enough fire power to keep up with Mr. Discount Double check.

Just my thoughts...

I'm feeling kind of confident in my Cowboys. I can say they shocked me especially the defense somewhat. Their not the best but they seem to hold their own. Adding Rolondo McClain was a big plus and Scandrick has sent Morris Claibourne packing or he will be packing. I'm not going to even talk about the O-line because they have been exceptional. I must say I'm surprised at the losse the Broncos have taken over the past weeks. It seems they have been figured out somewhat. You know Peyton does everything on timing so if you can disrupt that then you have a chance. I'm not sure about the Pats. They are consistently good in the regular season but it seems they run into a hiccup in the playoffs or super bowl. The season is still young. We shall see.

Deez, Pete: Well the RG3 soap opera took another turn now that they have announced Colt McCoy, yes Cleveland reject Colt McCoy will start over RG3. I was listening to a breakdown of RG3's last game on the radio today and the guy said he was horrible. Not seeing open receivers, not making the right decision and throwing bad passes. He said he would not start him after what he saw on film and apparently Gruden felt the same. Based on RG3's past behavior, one suspects he has already contacted his agent with his intentions to move on. Hard to see him taking it any other way. It has not been his style so far. It also may indicated Washington is done with him too. They can re up him in May, if they don't he plays out his last year and becomes a free agent. At this point if I were the Skins I would not throw good money after bad. I would let him play out the last year and see what he does. I say this only from a Skins perspective because I don't believe in him at all. The problem is, where do you find good QBs. The Skins seem right back to square on in that regard. Pete, Dallas in my view is certainly right in the NFC Super Bowl mix. There are no super teams there this year. Frisco and Seattle have taken a huge step back. Green Bay is lights out on offense but with a suspect D. Dallas with their tough running game taking lots of pressure off Romo is right there. The funny thing is, before the season I heard many prognosticators say Dallas would have one of the worst defenses in NFL history this year! Yes, NFL history. That has not eventuated. I do....

Thanksgiving day games came and went and some statements were certainly made. Detroit killed Chicago at home. No surprise there. The Bears coach Marc Trestman is on very thin ice now. The interesting things happened in the other two games as both road teams came through with decisive wins. In the first game, Philly made Dallas look like the team everyone predicted they would be in the preseason, totally dominating them on both sides of the ball for a very easy 33-10 win. They stopped Murray and put pressure on Romo. On defense, Dallas had no answers for Chip Kelly s intuitive, inventive, fast offense. Philly made it clear that they are the team to beat in that division. One really has to respect Kelly, who has brought his philosophy from college to the pros without missing a beat. He is so good at what he does and what he is implimenting on offense that even the great Billichick said he has learned things from watching Kelly's offense. In the second game, Seattle did pretty much the same to San Francisco. It was not even a game. Seattle's defense looked suspiciously like last years version and offense was good enough to pound out a 19-3 win that was even worse than the score. One really has to start questioning Frisco QB Colin Kaepernick. The guy just looks lost out there, not reading defenses and tossing errant passes all over the field, two of which were intercepted by Richard Sherman. I agreed with Coach Harbaugh's decision to move Kaepernick into the starting job over Alex Smith three years ago simply because Smith is so physically limited. And for a couple of years it looked like Kaepernick was headed for stardom with Frisco getting to the NFC title game and barely losing the super bowl to the Ravens,....

Somebody really needs to teach my Cowboys how to be MEN. We got our butts handed to us and instead of taking it on the chin, we pout and try to fight like little kids. I'm so embarrassed to the point it just doesn't make any sense. Embarrassed because of the childish antics by my Cowboys. We really took a step back on Thanksgiving and we really need to learn how to be Pros. That probably won't happen until we get a REAL leader on the team.

I think the Cowboys have taken a step forward this season. They just don't have the talent on the defensive side.

Yes they've surprisingly taken a step forward and the defense has been better than expected but I was speaking more to the mental aspect taking a step backwards. We got our butts handed to us just like we handed the Seahawk's butt to them but I didn't hear those guys in the Seahawks locker room making excuses and pouting. They just took it on the chin and pushed forward. That's what happens in football. You can get beaten at any moment.

Let's hope they come to play and can finally beat the Bears. Haven't done so since 2007.

"Let's hope they come to play and can finally beat the Bears. Haven't done so since 2007." Well, they sure did. Beat the Bears so bad it was like they were making up for all those years. In the marque game of last week, the Packer held on at home to take down the Patriots 26-21. As befitting these two great teams, it was a well fought, close contest all the way. The biggest difference in this one in my view was Rodgers ability to move and get off long, accurate big play throws, right on target, especially down the sideline. Manning and Brady are great, but at this stage, Rodgers can just do more. He can consistently make plays that no other QB can. He is without doubt, the best QB plying his trade in the NFL today. What is crazy about this guy is his TD to interception ratio for his career, is almost double that of any other QB who ever played. And since turnovers are such key factors in the game, boy, is it great to have a guy who can not only make every thrown, but does it without the picks. Rodgers has a chance to end up the greatest QB in NFL history. The Pack won as I thought they would. As I said, the game was set up for them to win, being at home and with NE coming off three great performances against top teams. Does this mean the Pack is better? No. These two teams are very close and under different circumstances NE could turn the trick on them just as well. The loss does give Denver renewed hope of getting the top seed in the AFC, something I think they will need to battle the Pats in the playoffs and come out on top. The Chargers won....

Another week gone. Boy does the NFL season fly by like no other. My Steelers won a huge one in Cinci to take their playoff fate in their own hands. If they win out, they win the North. Which means in all likely hood they will lose to 5-7 Atlanta this week. We make a habit of losing to bad teams. Baltimore also won a big game taking down Miami in Florida. Amazing Arizona beat KC then followed that up by beating red hot Saint Louis 12-6 even with backup QB Stanton going out with an injury. You really have to hand it to them. No grittier, tougher team around. They just don't give up no matter how many injuries to the defense or at QB. This team is a profile a in courage and desire and great, great coaching too. Oakland finished of Frisco and most likely Jim Harbaugh's tenure there with a 24-13 win. Could it have been rookie QB's Derek Carr's coming out party? Teddy Bridgewater had a similar game for the Vikings against the Jets. Both Carr and Bridgewater look like the two best rookie QB's from the draft at this moment. Next up is the long awaited debut of Johny Manziel now that journeyman Brian Hoyer has played his way out of the starting job as had to happen eventually. The media will be all over that one. They have been waiting for Johnny since he was drafted. Let the Tebow-like hype and hysteria begin. We knew Tebow couldn't play, can Johnny??? Seattle looked like last years vicious iteration in pounding Philly 24-14. What was even more impressive was the game was in Philly. Seattle was not even a great road team last year. They are ready to defend their title. New England and Green Bay continue to roll, beating San Diego and....

Let's go Cowboys, you've been road warriors all season. Let's get it done in Philly.

Kennon1,

Yep, Dallas has a chance for redemption against Philly for that earlier loss and to take the division lead. Can't ask for more than that. Should be a very interesting game.

Way to go Cowboys, back in 1st place. Let's keep it rolling! !!

KKennon1, Your Boys showed big this week. They could have folded when Philly charged back but they answered like men, and winners. Job well done there. There were some games this last weekend that had obvious playoff ramifications, but the one that proved the most affecting was one nobody had circled as a game of consequence: Green Bay at Buffalo. But what happened in Buffalo may well have a greater impact on the NFC playoffs than any other game this year. The Pack was supposed to go down and beat up on the sacrificial lambs….but it didn’t happen. Rodgers had his worst day of the year, looking like a rookie and Buffalo came away with one of the biggest upsets of the year and turned the NFC on it’s ear. Green bay looked like it was on the fast track to the number one seed, but now no more. Because of this loss, Seattle, if it wins out, will secure home field advantage through the playoffs due to its win over Green bay. So Green bay goes from the number one seed, home field, where they are almost impossible to beat, to perhaps traveling to Seattle, who have even a greater home field edge than the Pack does. How much can a loss cost you? Just that much and maybe even more. If Detroit and the Pack win this week, they hook up next week for the division title. If Detroit wins that game, then in the span of three weeks Green bay goes from home field and super bowl favorite to a wild card road team. That’s how much they may lose because of what happened in Buffalo. My Steelers won in Atlanta, very lucky Julio Jones was out. But that’s life. If we win at home this week against KC, after a two....

Man I have to get use to posting to this thread. Last time I was hear I was pissed at my BOYS mental aspect but they bounced back with a win against the Bears and a statement game by Dez against Philly. Way to go guys. We need to finish strong.....WE DEM BOYS!!!!!!!

SPQR,

I want to see how Manziel bounces back. I believe he was thrown to the wolves and setup for failure but this kid has been a winner prior to the NFL so I want to see if he's a quick learner. He's got a chance against Carolina. We shall see.

If Murray can't go, I think boys will be okay. Randle and Dunbar are very capable backups. Behind that offensive line almost any backs going to look good. GO COWBOYS.

Philly got beat by the Redskins so my Cowboys can eliminate them from the playoffs with a win against the Colts. Stay focused Cowboys and lets finish the job.

Yes, way to go Cowboys!! NFC EAST Champions.

I know the Cowboys should rest players but I need some get back on the Redskins.

I here you, feel the same way. Go Cowboys! Let's kick some redskin a$$.

Pete, Lol, yep a lot changed with your boys since that last post. For the better in your case. Manziel is done for the year with injury. That's too bad. Although I am highly dubious of his pro ability, I agreed with Cleveland's decision to start him. Hoyer is just a journeyman and not their answer. They need to find out if Johnny is. If he is not, then the search will have to go on for them. They will have to wait now till next year to get a read on him. This was not his year for sure. Well, one week left in the regular season then the big dance starts. Some teams already have invites and some have secured division titles. I'll start with my Steelers, who copped at least a wild card spot by taming the Chiefs, 20-12. After a two year hiatus I get to enjoy a playoff game with my team. It came at the expense of Dan's, known here as LALayp, Chiefs (where has Dan been by the way?) and you know what, too bad Dan, better you than me!! lol. If we win at home against the Bengals Sunday night, we secure the division and the three seed. That game is so big the NFL flex changed it from one in the afternoon to 8:30 prime time and the last game of the regular season. Go Steelers!! Dallas was extremely impressive in bombing out the Colts 42-7. The Boys have come all the way back from that horrific loss to the Eagles, which now seems ages ago. How far have they returned? All the way to winning the division, that's how far. This team is peaking at the right time and has the offensive line, running game and skill position players to make a strong run in....

Damn! How about them Cowboys!!!!

Was worried about Cowboys defense, but they're playing great right now, at right time.

Tuff one coming up against lions, let's go Cowboys, get it done! !

rivers always choked when it matters... its like his habit lol

The 2014 NFL regular season is over. How can something go by that fast? I guess because it is so damn good. We have all our playoff teams and we can now look ahead to the match ups and get into that great human proclivity of making predictions, lol. Who can resist, right? My Steelers finished out the year very well indeed, capping Cinci 27-17 for the second time this year to win the AFC North. Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, this was great year for us coming off two 8-8 seasons, especially considering how shaky they looked over the first third of the year. The turnaround is attributable to many factors. Number one I think was converting the offensive line from a the dismal failure it was the last few years, even when we won our last super bowl, to a strong asset. New line coach Mike Munchak certainly gets the credits for bringing them all together and finally making lots of high picks achieve the performance expected. Antonio Brown went from one of the top wide receivers in the game to the best one in football, bar none. If you don't know why, then you just haven't seen him enough. But barring that, you can still look at his stats, which don't give a glimpse of his incredible, jaw dropping talents and plays, but do show the production on paper. This guy is a freak of the highest order. For those NFL fans who haven't seen him, you don't know what you are missing. Leveon Bell, our second year running back became one of the top five running backs in the league and the best all around running and receiving rb. Like Brown, just another young, transcendent talent who is virtually impossible to shut down. Rookie wr Martavis Bryant was a long....

Have the Cowboys winning if defense can get some takeaways and Cowboys can continue to rush the ball. Almost wish this game was on the road. Cowboys have been road warriors this season. Go Cowboys! !

KKennon1,

I know. You guys are 8-0 on the road this year. Unbelievable. That is HARD to do.