Macca

Packers @ Dallas is my obvious preferred game to watch - I'm never optimistic with these sorts of games though so I'm hoping for a good showing from Green Bay. If Dallas are allowed to score freely we'll struggle. The other games of real interest are Carolina @ Detroit, Seattle @ Rams & KC @ Houston. Here's Bill Simmons latest column ... What Is the Most Bitter Fan Base in the NFL?

Carolina Kansas City Buffalo

Yankees get through in the AL after defeating the Twins today ... next up for New York is Cleveland. My lads (the Redsox) play Houston. Best of 5 in the first phase can be over very quickly if the road team doesn't win 1 of the first 2 games (or vice-versa) Over in the NL the Dodgers await the winner of the other wild-card playoff game (Colorado @ Arizona) In the other DS match-up, its the Cubs @ Washington. I favour the Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees & Boston to get through to the CS. Well, that's my ideal set of match-ups anyway.

This is quite a fascinating journey that you've undertaken DJ. If we can get past Syria we're then up against either Panama, Honduras or the USA (there's an outside chance it might be Costa Rica but they should qualify automatically) That home & away fixture would be held in mid to late November(?) But first things first ... we have to get past Syria and that won't be easy. The pitch over there looks like it could be substandard but I remember reading once that the Socceroos had to play a qualifier in Vietnam during the height of the Vietnam war and the pitch had to be swept for land mines! That would sharpen the senses a tad. Put's a whole new complexion on dribbling the ball hey?

Leaderboard in the comp 3 - JV7 2 - Dappa Dan 1 - Go the Biff, Clintosaurus, Macca 0 - Take a wild guess This week is even harder and we're all playing for 2 points ... best of luck!

There's more than a few niners fans here that wouldn't be too happy haha ... they all post here from time to time and a couple have entered into the tipping comp (both now and previously) And where the hell is @cowboy_from_hell ... he's normally all over this thread. Although, I sometimes take decent breaks from this place (the footy threads) whenever it suits so that's probably all it is.

Quite a good game today ... if Josh Doctson hangs on to that catch with 50 seconds left Washington would have probably won the game. KC's 461 yards of total offense was impressive though. Both QB's were good. Hunt is a real mover - he's got a terrific step that beats defenders.

Arnie must have got them going ...

Yeah, terrific player. At both RB & WR too. Amazing talent. You'd be thinking KC at home but Washington have been decent so far. The Redskins passing yards are up there whilst KC passing defence is allowing 257 yards per game. KC to win but it might be a close one.

New England, Dallas & Atlanta all lose at home after going in as hot favourites. A week is definitely a long time in this sport. Not sure who the biggest winners are this week but the Bills, Rams, Lions, Eagles, Broncos, Steelers & Panthers are all now sitting at 3 & 1 (along with the Falcons, Packers & KC [3-0] ) If I had to pick a team to watch it might be the Panthers ... but the Rams, Eagles, Bills & Lions are all looking good. As for the standout players ... Winston, Watson, Goff, Gurley, Bell & Newton all had big days. Watson is the big story for mine - big numbers and he looks the goods.

Normally that Steelers/Ravens match-up produces fireworks. It's one of the early games tomorrow and it's bound to be close. And a little nasty (hopefully)

We haven't seen the end of these type of incidents though ... but, as previously noted, players aren't used to being ousted for that type of indiscretion so there might be some easing up on field. We'll find out soon enough. The NFL media will probably be on the lookout for anything untoward.

Not sure I picked it Dappa ... but I've given my thoughts previously so I'll leave it there. Your game kicks off at 7am ... you watching live?

Over there, that's seen as a somewhat hefty penalty. So, by their standards, he hasn't gotten off lightly. If we judged things by our standards, we might see it differently. I know I do. But again, I'm not pointing the finger at the player but more so the actual indiscretion and the penalties involved.

Here are the games again for those who still need to do their tipping ... SNF (Colts @ Seattle) is an ordinary match-up with Luck not playing but MNF could be decent (Washington @ KC) Pittsburgh/Baltimore are fierce rivals and Oak/Den, Det/Min & the Rams/Cowboys could all be interesting. But finding 3 road winners? There should be bonus points allocated

Unless Atlanta lose their way, they can wrest control of home field advantage all the way to the SB. They look like men on a mission. They score freely and are strong at QB, WR, RB and their defence is better than decent. They do have to go to New England & Seattle but they've got Dallas at home in the dome. And the SB is being played indoors as well.

Well ... with all due respect to the Bears, I judge this team against the best teams. Losing today's game would have been a diabolical outcome. As it stands, our only real strength is at QB & WR so losing Adams is a blow (I'm assuming that he'll miss a few games at least) We're at Dallas next up and that's a game I would really want to win ... we've already lost to Atlanta so we can't afford to lose too many of those head-to-head tie-break situations. @ Big D is a toughie. Just winning the NFC North is going to be a tough ask though. We're at the Vikings in week 6 after @ Dallas. As for the change needed in the NFL, I'm generally quite happy with how it's all run. Especially with the structures of the divisions, conferences and playoff procedures. The sport itself is very exciting in it's own, unique way.

You're probably right dc But I'm hoping that we'll somehow have the whole PED program exposed for what it was. It's a false hope but you never know.

Change will happen ... litigation might provide the conduit or vehicle for that change. Money talks, BS walks and all that Dappa. And then we'd enter into the 'nanny-state' or 'political-correctness' sphere until the sensible outcomes (if reached) were acknowledged.

I just want to see the whole thing re-surface. I didn't get closure because too many believe that nothing untoward happened - or perhaps that's what they want to believe. And if it does re-surface and we start hearing about what exactly did take place (in great detail) maybe then most will then view it all with the blinkers off.

Yeah, Rodgers missed a few games through concussion in that SB year ... but alliances aside, I'm more viewing this from an overall league point of view. Sometimes there is a catalyst moment and today might have been that moment. He's got full use of all his extremities but what if he'd ended up in a wheelchair? We should never wait for the worst to happen before instigating change. I'm not necessarily pointing the finger at the Bear player either ... what he did doesn't carry enough consequences so like many others, he and they will do whatever it takes. Adjust the consequences and then change happens. Leigh Matthews would have had to have changed the way he played in order to play the modern version of AFL. And of course, he would have done that and still been anointed as a champion player.

Fined or perhaps an 8 game suspension (or a season) I feel the same way in the AFL ... Bugg was lucky to only get 6 weeks. These sports are tough enough to play as it is but where these leagues can get really tough is with violent, illegal hits. Have a zero tolerance and you'll effectively get rid of the problem. The AFL has gotten rid of the thuggery that once permeated the sport and that's a good thing. They've gone too far re the bump because incidental contact to the head is always going to happen. It's a contact sport so therefore there will always be collateral damage. Same deal with the NFL, NRL & Union. The helmet has become a weapon in the NFL and they need to outlaw it's illegal use. Fines won't cut it. Heavy suspensions will. And that's where it is heading especially with the CTE that is now being exposed. If people want to watch mindless violence, go watch cage fighting or UFC. That's not my bag but each to their own.

This time around he will try and follow this through because he has to. But these sorts of things would cost plenty and you'd have to wonder whether he'd have the funds. But there again, there are means. It could get messy especially if the collective lie about what happened at Essendon is exposed. That's something that I would like to see ... full transparency.

I'm not one of those who believes the game is becoming soft ... you could outlaw all the hits that could be classed as illegal and the sport would still be an ultra-violent one. For instance, the knee being targeted by an opposition player leading with their helmet should be outlawed. Just attack the torso - that's enough. In a general sense, those leading with their helmets to an unprotected player should cop hefty suspensions. It's not that way yet but it's heading that way. And I'm in full support of it heading that way.

Those defenceless hits are being outlawed out of the game and not within time. It was unnecessary, crude and shouldn't be happening. If it was a Packer player I'd be saying the same thing ... in fact, I've called out players like Matthews for stupid and unruly acts before. If others get pumped up about stuff like that so be it ... I don't agree and never will.