On 02/12/2013 at 08:17, Macca said:

My conflict was not picking Jacksonville instead of Arizona - I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I'll never learn

Chicago go for the field goal to win the game on 2nd down? You could understand 3rd down but that decision could come back to haunt them. They are now effectively 2 games behind Detroit - although the Lions can't be trusted - can they?

AP had a big game for your blokes.

It was a weird game. We had the winning field goal but the play was flagged. A viking was ejected. Ponder can't play after a concussion and Cassel plays well and his best play came after being picked off. He mad a game saving tackle. We kick the ball to Devon Hester for some reason and our kicker makes a game saving tackle. Then Chicago go for the game winner on 2nd and 7. Their coach said he was afraid of turning the ball over or losing yards. That's a odd call to make on 2nd and 7 and having to kick from 47 yards. Well we win and it means pretty much nothing,

  On 02/12/2013 at 08:22, cowboy_from_hell said:

Do you think your boys can go places in the playoffs? Dalton's TD was lucky. No one bothered to cover AJ at all.

Short answer...no. Not unless Andy really picks it up. He has only had two games this season where he hasn't thrown an interception. Even when he was hot and won the AFC offensive player of the month he still threw picks in all but one of those games. At some stage a good team is going to exploit the weakness in our pass coverage and Andy isn't playing well enough at the moment to pass us to a win. Unfortunately with Andy right now we are losing because of him and winning despite him. Our likely matchups, if we make the playoffs, (still not a certainty) all have decent defences, and a good secondary will eat him alive. He struggled, especially early today, against a poor chargers secondary.

Just on the touchdown, I'm not sure it was lucky as such, although it did end up a very easy throw. It was a nicely designed play that totally confused the Chargers, which was made possible by how well we were running the ball, ss they still had to cover that possibility. You really don't want a linebacker covering AJ, but they all bit on Greshams route anyway, which led to the easy touchdown.

  On 02/12/2013 at 08:28, cowboy_from_hell said:

It was a weird game. We had the winning field goal but the play was flagged. A viking was ejected. Ponder can't play after a concussion and Cassel plays well and his best play came after being picked off. He mad a game saving tackle. We kick the ball to Devon Hester for some reason and our kicker makes a game saving tackle. Then Chicago go for the game winner on 2nd and 7. Their coach said he was afraid of turning the ball over or losing yards. That's a odd call to make on 2nd and 7 and having to kick from 47 yards. Well we win and it means pretty much nothing,

The Bears coach has made some strange calls this season. Still a good win for your guys

  On 02/12/2013 at 08:17, Macca said:

Big win for the Bengals and you've kept that 2 game buffer. That match up with KC in the playoffs looks like it might happen after today. If you get to 10 wins I reckon you win the division. That week 17 game against the Ravens may or may not mean anything in terms of winning the Division. But I'm just speculating!

We aren't playing playing well enough to think of anything but one week at a time

Hopefully Gates having a fumble and being intercepted,will discourage what I think is our major weakness in pass coverage. That is tightends over the middle. Our linebackers just aren't great in pass coverage and you can't always get your dime and nickel packages on to the field.

  On 02/12/2013 at 11:34, Strafford said:

The Bears coach has made some strange calls this season. Still a good win for your guys

And most of them have either been right or worked out right. But that was a head scratcher although Gould is one of the best kickers of all time so it's a huge surprise we missed it. Season is over now for the Bears but with our defense it's been over in reality since very early.

Tough decisions coming up on Cutler, Melton, Peppers, Tilman and many others for the bears.

  On 02/12/2013 at 23:59, the master said:

And most of them have either been right or worked out right. But that was a head scratcher although Gould is one of the best kickers of all time so it's a huge surprise we missed it. Season is over now for the Bears but with our defense it's been over in reality since very early.

Tough decisions coming up on Cutler, Melton, Peppers, Tilman and many others for the bears.

The first 8 games last year the bears defense was unstoppable. What's happened since then? From what I read the new coach is more of a QB coach and your offence has been pretty good.

  On 02/12/2013 at 23:59, the master said:

And most of them have either been right or worked out right. But that was a head scratcher although Gould is one of the best kickers of all time so it's a huge surprise we missed it. Season is over now for the Bears but with our defense it's been over in reality since very early.

Tough decisions coming up on Cutler, Melton, Peppers, Tilman and many others for the bears.

Although he did give a detailed explanation post game, it could be as simple as under the stress of the moment he went back to what he was used to calling in Canada. They play three downs, rather than the four that the NFL do, so in that situation in Canada you would call on the field goal unit.

They will be tough decisions. If the Bears are considering a scheme change on defence, now is probably the time if you are having a changing of the guard. Although any scheme change is always fraught with danger, because some guys are just more suited to one or another of the main schemes.

The Seahawks are the one team that I have seen that I just can't see the Bengals beating. I'm not suggesting Seattle are unbeatable, as other teams are a better matchup than Cinncy, but man they are pretty good, especially at home. The top teams in the NFC seem to be a bit better balanced than those in the AFC, who at this stage have major flaws.

  On 03/12/2013 at 08:57, Strafford said:

The Seahawks are the one team that I have seen that I just can't see the Bengals beating. I'm not suggesting Seattle are unbeatable, as other teams are a better matchup than Cinncy, but man they are pretty good, especially at home. The top teams in the NFC seem to be a bit better balanced than those in the AFC, who at this stage have major flaws.

Yep, they're a top notch team with a huge home field advantage, Strafford. Another big win yesterday. 2 home wins and they're in the Super Bowl. It's not done yet of course, but they're going to be hard to toss.

You've hit the front in the comp! Just 4 weeks left but don't forget, 3 points are on offer in week 17. The road team wins are there but it's a matter of deciphering which ones!

The points tally ...

6 - Strafford

5 - cowboy from hell

4 - pantaloons

3 - Macca

1 - DemonDave, Gorgoroth

0 - 45HG, Norm Smith's Curse, Arrow, bananas

... week 14 games ... The BS Report

Edited December 3, 201311 yr by Macca

Seattle... Wow, just wow.

I still hate the niners!

  On 03/12/2013 at 22:59, Gorgoroth said:

Seattle... Wow, just wow.

I still hate the niners!

Don't understand this. San Francisco is the home of peace and love and friendly people with flowers in their hair.

This week is stinking tough...

KC

Seattle, despite my hatred of picking against good teams

Detroit

  On 04/12/2013 at 02:31, Whispering_Jack said:

Don't understand this. San Francisco is the home of peace and love and friendly people with flowers in their hair.

Sorry Jack, I'm with Gorgoroth...the Niners are evil.

  On 03/12/2013 at 09:24, Macca said:

Yep, they're a top notch team with a huge home field advantage, Strafford. Another big win yesterday. 2 home wins and they're in the Super Bowl. It's not done yet of course, but they're going to be hard to toss.

You've hit the front in the comp! Just 4 weeks left but don't forget, 3 points are on offer in week 17. The road team wins are there but it's a matter of deciphering which ones!

... week 14 games ... The BS Report

The pressure. I'm not sure I can cope....eeeek

  On 04/12/2013 at 10:10, Strafford said:

The pressure. I'm not sure I can cope....eeeek

The Bengals are 2 games clear in your division, you're leading the comp and Roosey has come to save us!

What more could you possibly want?

Vin Diesel isn't too happy.

http://youtu.be/vWBm23WNUvs

  On 04/12/2013 at 19:59, cowboy_from_hell said:

Vin Diesel isn't too happy.

http://youtu.be/vWBm23WNUvs

Ha...as if being a Jets fan wasn't bad enough, then you sit next to this guy

  On 04/12/2013 at 11:03, Macca said:

The Bengals are 2 games clear in your division, you're leading the comp and Roosey has come to save us!

What more could you possibly want?

The same things to be true when week 17 is completed. Until then I will do my best chicken little impersonation.

TV games ...

Friday

12.30pm Houston at Jacksonville (ESPN only)

Monday

5.00am Kansas City at Washington (OneHD)

5.00am Indianapolis at Cincinnati (Fox2)

8.05am Tennessee at Denver (Fox2)

8.25am Seattle at San Francisco (OneHD)

12.30pm Carolina at New Orleans (OneHD & ESPN)

Tuesday

12.30pm Dallas at Chicago (ESPN)

... all the other week 14 games

Tips ...

KC

Oakland

Giants

Bad news for those searching for a QB in the upcoming draft, with Mariota deciding to finish his degree. Due to injuries and a loss of form by a few guys this QB class isn't looking quite as strong anymore.

Johnny "Football" Manziel is the fascinating one. To me he is the classic boom or bust guy. He just continues to make plays, but and there are a number of buts.

He isn't very big, although he does have the big hands you would prefer your QB to have. Due to his style of play, will he get smashed in the NFL? He is a party boy and he will attract a media circus, much the same as Tebow did/does, but for different reasons. A lot of his success actually comes from broken plays, so does he have the discipline to knuckle down and live and breathe a playbook? That is the beauty of Wilson who is a smaller QB, he just works so hard in the film room and also has a better arm. Manziel comes from a fairly rich family and has been very good at any sport he has tried his hand at, things have been pretty easy for him. Will he cope with the hardships the NFL will throw at him? He probably also needs a system that uses the read option a bit. I think someone like a Chip Kelly would give him his best chance to succeed.

Having said all that. He can play and some of the greatest players in sport have had their heads so far up their proverbial that they honestly believed that their own, expletive deleted, didn't stink. Sometimes that cast iron, even slightly delusional belief in your own abilities can work for some guys.

  On 04/12/2013 at 09:56, pantaloons said:

This week is stinking tough...

KC

Seattle, despite my hatred of picking against good teams

Detroit

Isn't it just. I'm already second guessing myself...

  On 05/12/2013 at 09:33, Strafford said:

The same things to be true when week 17 is completed. Until then I will do my best chicken little impersonation.

Ha! As we all know, Strafford, a lot of things can change in the NFL in just one week ... and this week is no different. Some great match-ups and it's a tipsters nightmare (and that's just trying to find some straight winners - home or away!)

I could only come up with 2 (Denver and the Pats) Every other game could go either way (IMO)

With absolutely no conviction I tip.

Seattle

Carolina

Dallas

Tough week this week!

Detroit

Kansas City

NY Giants

Miami

Kansas

Dallas