Football Season

[Lethe200]

I've often said to friends that it isn't always the best team that makes it into the Super Bowl. It's the two that have had the least critical injuries over the season. And that is strictly luck - bad for some teams, good for others.

In 55+ yrs of watching football I have to say the 2019 Niners are a mostly young team, led by a newbie coach (only 3 yrs experience as HC, all with the Niners). They are turning themselves around in commendable fashion after extraordinarily poor front office mgmt devastated the team for the better part of 20 yrs.

Over 80% of the Niners players in 2019 were not on the team in 2018. Plus, Shanahan runs a very complex offense. He is not yet at the point - and neither are his players - to where they can make seamless adjustments when things do not go well....such as players going down. As I mentioned, SF lacks depth.

John Lynch (who went into the HoF this year) was a risky choice as GM (also 3 yrs w/Niners, NO front office experience at all) but he and Shanahan have drafted very well and wisely. It takes time to rebuild a team from the disaster it was in 2016:
2016: 2-16, dead last in division
2017: 6-10, still last! But Jimmy G. came on-board and won the last 4 games, so there was hope.
2018: 4-12 (this was when JG went down on 9/23 and had surgery, ending his season), ended in 3rd when AZ was even worse and took last place in 4th.

Consider that even if they only split their remaining 6 games in 2019, they will end up 11-5. This is WAY beyond what anyone who follows the team and is not blind to their faults, would have expected. Even if they don't win the division, they have developed a solid basis for 2020 that is necessary for getting to the next level.

On the boards, most of us fans were forecasting 2019 to be maybe 8-8, if we were lucky 9-7 or 10-6.

Re the Monday night game:
Even with the Niners D understrength, Wilson had his lowest totals this season. If Kittle and Sanders had played, I feel the Niners would have won. Jimmy G's rapport with those two receivers is unreal. Sanders is new, but Kittle and JG have been solid ever since their first game together. In 2019 JG's passer rating with Sanders AND Kittle is.....perfect. Yup, a solid 158 rating.

Even one of them playing would have helped. The Niners second-string receivers are an inconsistent and poor bunch, except for Deebo Samuels. Samuels is a promising rookie, however, and given some serious work could turn into a solid second-stringer.

Because of the Niners overachieving in 2019, even if they win the division I would not expect them to advance past the first round. They are still raw around the edges, but I think they will be a more solid contender in 2020.
***

Re the Seahawks: I've watched Wilson ever since he broke in. Although overall the team is flawed compared to previous years, Wilson's 2019 performance is absolutely the best it has ever been. I think he is proving to everyone that multiple Lombardi Trophies or not, he deserves first ballot vote-in to the HoF as soon as he's eligible.

It was clear on Monday Night the pick-up of Jadeveon Clowney was what the Seattle D needed. He is the Charles Haley / Deion Sanders of this generation when he is on fire - the only negative being he has not shown himself to be consistent in every game.

I think if Seattle had not gotten Clowney, they would not have advanced through the playoffs. With him, I think they have a much better chance. I reiterate, it is not offense that wins in the playoffs and championship - it is defense. This is why the Patriots are more vulnerable this year, and why if the Ravens stay healthy they may very well get back into the SB.

 

[JustBonee]

It was clear on Monday Night the pick-up of Jadeveon Clowney was what the Seattle D needed. He is the Charles Haley / Deion Sanders of this generation when he is on fire - the only negative being he has not shown himself to be consistent in every game.

I think if Seattle had not gotten Clowney, they would not have advanced through the playoffs. With him, I think they have a much better chance..

Clowney is a total mystery. ...Nothing consistent about him at all ..
While with the Texans, he would have a great game every now and then, and be all in, and then the next game, his head was in the clouds somewhere. ..
He drove the coaches crazy with his erratic play, so they got rid of him.
They pretty much gave him away.

 

[Kaila]

@Bonnie
I rooted for Houston today, for YOU, but it wasn't enough to pull them to a victory.

@Lethe200
You were correct that Arizona pushed the 49ers to the brink, and were able to lead for a while,
but well, as many teams today, they couldn't sustain it to the end.

Even Phil Eagles were ahead of Pats, but defenses on both sides ran the game, and Pats pulled that one out.

Minn almost blew that game, but as you predicted, the Colts won their game with Jaguars.

And we will not need to discuss the Jets/ Wash game, that you didnt care to predict either way.

Is Cinn Bengals now tanking for Burrows?

 

[JustBonee]

I'm planning on seeing the Ravens in the Super Bowl this year. Both the Pats and Ravens should win the rest of their regular season games.
As for the NFC, I don't see many of their games, so not too clear on that picture. ... I'm thinking Packers or Vikings for their top spot.

.... just my 2 cents worth at this point.

 

[jerry old]

I've hand written a note to myself of who's who on this post and what teams
they cheer for. It is a bit late in the season to post it, so we muddle on.

Kaila and Lethe 200 are our professors that keep the rest of us informed of who
is playing who this week, very useful.

Only two games of importance Sunday: Ravens squashed Texans-Texans not
that bad, but they were terrible last Sunday. Looks like Ravens are world beaters, but they play in a tough division-Steelers and it looks like Browns are on the move? Bengals remain a mystery team.
Pats and Eagles-Eagles missing so of their good players, but when you play
the Pats you best have a game play, perhaps several game plans.

Niners are a shoo-in, except, except for Russell Wilson. Their 2nd meeting
should be a 'good'un.'
Rams-what happened? The Worle beaters have lost their way

 

[Lethe200]

What We Learned in NFL Week 11
NY Times by Benjamin Hoffman, Nov. 18, 2019 (Annotated by Lethe200, in italics)

No lead is safe against Kirk Cousins. The Vikings trailed the Broncos, 20-0, at halftime on Sunday and were down by 23-7 at the start of the fourth quarter. They proceeded to win, 27-23.

The Ravens have the best offense in the NFL. After bullying their way to 41 points in a blowout win over Houston, Baltimore is averaging 34.1 points a game. No other team is averaging even 30. When you consider how much the Ravens’ defense dominated Deshaun Watson and the Texans, it is time to wonder if this team is a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

I'm surprised at Hoffman's wondering. I've watched three of the Ravens' string of six wins and it was clear they were getting better every week. They look like the Saints looked in 2018 – a true SB contender, playing in sync on both sides of the ball. Let's hope the officials don't end up taking that momentum away from them, à la the Saints vs Rams 2018 playoff debacle.

Lamar Jackson is an MVP candidate. Baltimore's Jackson threw four touchdown passes on Sunday — his second game this season with four or more — and is up to 19 for the season. While he trails Russell Wilson, who has 23 (and is a strong MVP candidate, as well) among others, no one can match Jackson’s combination of 2,258 passing yards and 788 rushing yards. In Sunday’s win he lit up the highlight reel once again with a 39-yard run like something out of a video game.

The 49ers and the Patriots aren’t invincible, but they’re awfully good. Both were coming off their first losses of the season, and both made things interesting by getting into early trouble this week. SF was down by 16-0 before beating the Cardinals, 36-26, and NE was down by 10-0 before beating the Eagles, 17-10. It was enough to give the teams a decent scare, but order at the top of the NFL was restored by games' end.

It was a good week to be a NY quarterback. Josh Allen of the Bills has been known to occasionally joke about being the only NFL quarterback who actually plays in New York. Allen threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in a blowout over Miami; Sam Darnold of the Jets threw four touchdowns in a blowout over Washington; and Daniel Jones of the Giants was on a bye week, so he did not extend his six-game losing streak.

There is no quit in the Falcons. Atlanta fell to 1-7 ahead of their bye in Week 9. The bye week came at the right time. QB Matt Ryan got himself back on the field, the team’s defense found some confidence, and Atlanta has reeled off consecutive road upsets against division rivals, first in New Orleans and this week in Carolina. In those two games combined, the once-hapless Falcons outscored the Saints and Panthers by 55-12. With 311 passing yards in Sunday’s win, Ryan passed Warren Moon on the career list and is now 10th in NFL history at 49,383 yards. He was supported by a defense that intercepted four passes thrown by Carolina’s Kyle Allen.

The Bears would like to redo the 2017 draft. Chicago traded up that year to secure the No. 2 pick, fearing that Mitchell Trubisky would be off the board if they did not. Trubisky has only shown flashes of ability and was seemingly benched during Sunday’s loss to the Rams (the team said it was a hip injury). The next two QBs drafted that year have done better: Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs (10th pick) and Deshaun Watson of the Texans (12th).

One* Sentence About Sunday’s Games *Except when it takes more.

Patriots 17, Eagles 10 Philadelphia had greatly limited Tom Brady throughout the game, and was leading by 10-9 in the third quarter when NE pulled out one of its favorite old tricks: Julian Edelman, a wide receiver (and former college quarterback) threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Phillip Dorsett that put the Patriots on top for good.

49ers 36, Cardinals 26 A week after he looked shaky in an overtime loss, Jimmy Garoppolo was asked to step up for SF in a game in which his team’s running backs could find no traction. The young quarterback delivered, throwing for a career-best 424 yards and four touchdowns.

This sentence makes the win sound easier than it was. The Cardinals absolutely dominated on both sides of the ball for the better part of three quarters. After the first qtr, time of possession was only 3 min for the Niners! It didn't get any better in Q2. Not until midway Q3, facing a 16-0 deficit, did the Niners wake up. With Breida and Kittle still out and Juszczyk rusty, the Niners running game went nowhere, hence JG's 426 yds passing. AZ is dead last in passing yds allowed for 2019, which helped SF.

Jimmy G threw two interceptions (again), right to Card defenders, both near the red zone that killed promising drives. The first set up a field goal to put Arizona up 19-17. The second came with SF trailing by three late in the fourth quarter, AZ 26 – SF 23.

The critical difference was the receiving corps. Jimmy G was better than against the Seahawks last week, but WR Emmanuel Sanders got into the game sporadically despite sore ribs, making a couple of important first-down catches.

The other receivers, who against the Seahawks made a record as the NFL best-of-all-teams-for-2019 with EIGHT DROPPED PASSES in a single game, managed to get past the Cardinals with only three dropped passes this time. FB Kyle Juszczyk, who was out for a full month, still seems rusty and out of synch with JG (he is normally one of JG's favorite targets).

The Niners D stepped up late in the game to sack Murray and Jimmy G threw for the go-ahead TD to RB Jeff Wilson. SF's final 6 pts came from when the Cards' botched lateral was recovered by Niners D.J. Reed, who ran 10 yds into the endzone on the final play while time ran out on the clock.

Interestingly, all four 49ers touchdown catches came from undrafted players. Backup TE Ross Dwelley had two playing for the injured George Kittle, Kendrick Bourne added one in the fourth quarter and Wilson had the game-winner. It was only the 10th time since the NFL/AFL merger that a team got four TD catches from undrafted players in one game.

Ravens 41, Texans 7 The Ravens have won 6 straight. The Chiefs, Niners, Vikings, Patriots and Cowboys can score in several different ways, but there is no team that has been racking up yards and points quite like Baltimore.

More importantly, the Ravens D is improving every week. As of 11/18 they are 16th in passing yds allowed, but over the last 3 games they would actually rank 3rd behind SF #1 and NE #2. Adding in QB LJ's impressive stats, if they can avoid the injury bug they are likely SB-bound. The Steelers (5-5) are chasing the Ravens and have the easier schedule, with the defining match-up of Ravens vs Steelers in the last regular game Dec. 29th, at Baltimore.

If the Ravens meet the Patriots for the AFC Championship, it should be a heck of a game! During their only 2019 mtg week 9, Ravens upset the Patriots 37-20.

Cowboys 35, Lions 27 Ezekiel Elliott was almost an afterthought, as Dallas’ offensive line gave Dak Prescott a ton of time to work, and the young quarterback absolutely shredded Detroit’s defense.

Vikings 27, Broncos 23 Denver became the first team since 2014 to blow a lead of 20 or more points at halftime, breaking a streak of 99 straight games where teams in that situation went on to win. The Vikings have won six of their last seven games.

Saints 34, Buccaneers 17 A week after getting embarrassed at home, New Orleans dominated on both sides of the ball in Tampa Bay, with the Saints’ defense generating four interceptions, including a pick-6.

Colts 33, Jaguars 13 The return of Nick Foles from injury was fairly quiet, but it’s hard to get much going on offense when your team’s defense allows 264 rushing yards.

Raiders 17, Bengals 10 Josh Jacobs broke 100 rushing yards for the fourth time in six games, and in one of the two games where he didn’t get there, he ran in the game-winning touchdown.

The Raiders may give their Oakland fans a wild-card playoff game to root for, but they're not good enough to go further than the second round, at best. They're not likely to win against Kansas City or Baltimore, so if they're lucky they'll end up 10-6 for 2019 – a big improvement from 2018's 4-12 record.

Falcons 29, Panthers 3 The wheels are starting to come off in Carolina. In the team’s third loss in four games, QB Kyle Allen was horrible, throwing four interceptions. They may need Cam Newton back, after all.

Bills 37, Dolphins 20 With another win against an awful team, Buffalo is likely headed for the playoffs. But it’s hard to imagine them doing any damage when they get there.

Rams 17, Bears 7 LA was far from impressive, but things certainly seemed cheerier for the Rams than they did for the Bears, who removed Mitchell Trubisky toward the end of the game. The team said Trubisky had a hip injury, but it looked an awful lot like a starting QB being benched.

Jets 34, Redskins 17 Getting blown out at home by the lowly Jets had to be demoralizing, but for one shining play — a 45-yard touchdown pass from Dwayne Haskins to Derrius Guice — the Redskins glimpsed a slightly brighter future.

 

[Kaila]

I agree with both of you, Bonnie and Lethe, that Baltimore is looking like a Superbowl team, this year.

Is that what I guessed, last time, Jerry, or did I say something else?
I can't remember myself, but maybe you wrote that in your notes.


On the other side, my guess is that Minn will not make it, and tht Packers or Saints or Seattle, will be the Superbowl opponent.
How much longer do I have, to decide, Jerry?

 

[jerry old]

Yep, Ravens looking good, but, we all forget about those Saints. Poor guys never get any press. Also Ravens have a new crop of players, not used to all the hoopla, that occurs in playoffs, tend to go with experience-but who?

List world beaters: Playoffs, not super bowl
Ravens-don't think they can make it through playoffs-too young
SF or Seattle? A dogfight
Don't forget Chiefs, if Mahomes can return to form.
Buffalo?, but there in Pats division
Never count out those raggedy, nasty Steelers, but not this year
Packers- don't see anyone beating them in playoffs.
Vikes might make playoffs
Cowboys and Eagles in playoffs?

I have to go with those damned Packers
The Patriots have nothing, but they keep winning-how?

Cannot remember who picked what-no matter, the teams won't do as we think they should. Okay, start over:
Looks like Saints or Packers will be in the big one.
Pats to make things interesting, would like someone to dethrone them,
this should be the year.
It is darn confusing!
'Boys in playoffs, watch them do their annual dive

 

[jerry old]

I agree with both of you, Bonnie and Lethe, that Baltimore is looking like a Superbowl team, this year.

Is that what I guessed, last time, Jerry, or did I say something else?
I can't remember myself, but maybe you wrote that in your notes.


On the other side, my guess is that Minn will not make it, and tht Packers or Saints or Seattle, will be the Superbowl opponent.
How much longer do I have, to decide, Jerry?

Sand bagging is legal; it better be the way one team can jump up and beat
the favored team. Where were the Raven's hiding?

 

[Lethe200]

Of the remaining games:

1. NE has the easiest schedule.
2. Packers have the next easiest schedule.
3. Vikings face teams that are up one week and down the next; outcome uncertain. The big test for BOTH Vikes and Seahawks is Dec 2nd when they meet each other in Seattle. Cousins vs Wilson, might be a must-watch game.
4. Ravens only have 2 toughies: Niners visit Dec 1st, then that matchup with the Steelers for division title Dec 29th.

 

[Kaila]

I've wondered why it comes out calculated, that NE Patriots ' schedule is "easy" ...

Next up: Dallas, Houston, KC …..
Doesn't seem easy to me,
But I know they figure it out in some way and all agree on it, so they must be right, I guess.

Patriots have no tight ends, no fullbacks, lots of players out on offense line, and not a strong great running back, or stand-out receivers group, so the offense is not "easy" either,
it seems to me,
but they do have good defense and coaching, and a very experienced QB, whats-his-name.

 

[jerry old]

NFC Saints, Seahawks Packers, 'Boys

Two wildcards SF, Vikes (Eagles do not make playoffs)
SF has int, Russell does not= Seahawks
(Have to go with 'boys, else how would they perform their annual high-dive?)


Will go with Pats, Ravens, Chiefs, Texans
Make playoffs Colts, Buffalo(?)
That's 12,

 

[JustBonee]

NFC Saints, Seahawks Packers, 'Boys

Two wildcards SF, Vikes (Eagles do not make playoffs)
(Have to go with 'boys, else how else they perform their annual high-dive?)


Will go with Pats, Ravens, Chiefs, Texans Sf has int, Russel does not
Make playoffs Colts, Buffalo(?)
That's 12,

In AFC ... I expect Pats and Ravens to be there at the end. .. and it seems like the Pats are doing some sputtering lately .. the Ravens are turning it up at a crucial time. Chiefs are hurting, so I don't think of them in it now.
And earlier I thought the Colts were headed to the end, but not sure what is going on with them.

NFC ... Packers, Saints or maybe Seahawks? .. i don't know the 'health' of these teams ... and I still like the Vikings.

IF the Seahawks were to get to the end with Clowney, I can almost guarantee there will be a coach firing in Houston! That will be the last straw in Bill O'Brian's resume. ... lol

 

[Kaila]

I agree mostly with Jerry's guesses....

Though, in AFC,
Colts might pounce and take that Division, if Houston falters more.
If so, then Houston might get a Wild card.

And Oakland Raiders might get the Wild card away from either Bills or Houston/Colts, if any of them falter,
and if Raiders dont flop, also.


Poor Bill O'Brian,
has gotten more than he bargained for, while he's trying to hang onto that job, right Bonnie ?
with the string of QB's and all of the Pats cast-offs, he's had, but team still repeatedly faltering.

Jerry, that's funny about the Cowboys... if they climb a bit higher and finally get back into Playoff's, they'd have climbed higher, so they can then fall harder and farther. Their annual dive, as you called it.

I also agree with Bonnie, though KC Chiefs seem to be resuming their stride, after just a wee break,
and if Pats falter, then Balt and KC might be the ones who battle each other, for who will go to Super bowl for the AFC.
To go against Seattle or Saints or perhaps, Packers, or 49ers.
I am not too committal, am I?

 

[jerry old]

Ravens just doing too good, what if something happens to QB?
Mr. Brady still has it, though it is almost ghostly, of course, he has BB

Really want to see Pats vs Ravens. If Ravens have their key players, look
for them to eat pats up-wonder if BB will suit up and show them:
This is how you do your job.
(Trying real hard not to write ugly about Mr. Jason Garrett-his meeting with 'boys after they defeated lions was, "That's how it done."

I've gotten involved in this thread, it's fun.

(Bonnie are you the person that posted something about Nolan Ryan?)
Off topic: do not attempt to sign Collin Kaepernick- do not! He is trouble...
Do not try to sign Antonio Brown, great receiver yes, but he is trouble...
All it takes is one disgruntled player to destroy the chemistry within the clubhouse.
Mr. Jerry Jones lusted after Terrell Owens, who was a butt-home.
He thinks he can apply the Jerry Jones salve and make them 'all better.'
Actually, he did with Charles Haley, after he had destroyed Niners.
Jerry's hugs and kisses made Haley returned Haley to his super star status.

Jerry Jones told Randy Moss the 'boys would draft him.
There is a documentary of Randy Moss and the slanderous behavior he endured in his home town.
West Virginia decided Moss was going to play for their team.
Moss went to Marshall.
The manipulation from the 'big boys' in West Virginia, forced him to enroll in
West Virginia.
This kid had more natural talent than any receiver I have ever seen, being very
fast and 6'4, didn't hurt.
The point is, the kid got into trouble as a teen, he was railroaded by the 'white folks.' He wanted no part of playing for West Virginia.
However, his problems made other teams leery of him.
He was the best, I wonder how could he could have been if he had not been handicapped with bitterness.

 

[Lethe200]

Actually, he did with Charles Haley, after he had destroyed Niners.
Jerry's hugs and kisses made Haley returned Haley to his super star status.

Not quite "destroyed", although he was indeed disruptive. Ronnie Lott of the Niners was his best friend and widely considered the only person who was "safe" from Haley's temper tantrums. When Lott was cut and signed with the Raiders, Haley acted out like a spoilt teenager in a major snit over the next year. It culminated in a fit of rage so great in 1991, when the Niners lost to the Raiders, that Niners players ran over to the visiting Raiders locker room to grab Lott and plead with him to come and calm Haley down (he threw his helmet at, and narrowly missed, hitting owner Eddie DeBartolo who had just walked into the locker room): How Lott's Departure Hurt Haley.

Haley actually suffered from mental illness. There were no 'hugs and kisses' that made Haley behave. He was happy to be away from SF (he blamed mgmt for not keeping Lott) but he continued to have massive rage attacks. In 1993 he slammed his helmet through a locker room wall because he was angry at mgmt for not paying RB Emmitt Smith who was holding out. His wife was on the point of leaving because his children were becoming afraid of him.

He was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has had both therapy and takes medication for it. Although the Niners have been criticized - one writer claimed "if they had bothered to understand [Haley] they would have won another couple of Super Bowls" - Haley himself admits publicly that even though the Niners suspected he suffered from mental illness, he was not at a point in time where he would have believed that was his real problem.

Haley now speaks honestly about mental illness and how to get help, especially for young people. “I’ve got love in my life,” Haley said Monday morning while taking part in a panel discussion on mental illness before the UCSF Health Celebrity Golf Classic at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. “I can cry if I want to now. I’ve never done that before. Alcoholism, drugs — the moment I took care of my mental illness, everything else (that was self-destructive) in my life disappeared.”

 

[Kaila]

Interesting about Randy Moss, Jerry.

And wow, Lethe, that's some story, too.

In addition, tht was a good comment, Jerry , about the Balt Ravens. They do seem very dependent on that single member of their team, their impressive QB.

 

[DaveA]

As soon as the Pats are mentioned everyone thinks "powerhouse". In actuality, It's Brady to Edelman and that's about it. Everything else about their offense is second rate, including their offensive line. Only their defense and the Belechik-Daniels brain trust has kept them going.

Their record looks good but they're actually (IMHO) a second rate team.

 

[Kaila]

Do you like any of the other teams, then, Dave?

 

[jerry old]

But DaveA they keep winning, be it with a 'hank of hair and a piece of bone.'
Hold on Dave, I got you on my list as a Pat fan, true, false, wavering.
They will be in playoffs this year, next year...I don't even know who #2 qb is...

Lethe200- I know he was a terror, Boy's were very careful on how they approached him. Was not aware of mental problems, though 'boys said 'he's
crazy.'
Lott: wonder what that relationship was like.
Haley was the missing piece that brought the 'boys their super bowls.
Maybe, you have to be crazy to bash each other all afternoon. Good Stuff! 200

Randy White was our bad boy; once he injured his arm he was virtually a one-armed lineman, playing on his reputation for two more years.

Kaila: I have you on my list of one of the professors, you have a team?

 

[JustBonee]

As soon as the Pats are mentioned everyone thinks "powerhouse". In actuality, It's Brady to Edelman and that's about it. Everything else about their offense is second rate, including their offensive line. Only their defense and the Belechik-Daniels brain trust has kept them going.

Their record looks good but they're actually (IMHO) a second rate team.

Gosh, no one stays on top forever ... And they've had a fantastic run, going back to 2000... " Brady/Belichick dynasty era "

..... and who's to say that they won't be in the Super Bowl in Feb.

 

[Kaila]

I am in New England, so I follow the Pats, and generally root for the Boston teams (Red Sox and Celtics, too)

But I am NOT overly avid or competitive, by nature.
I am more interested in the topics, as an interest,
and in learning about how things work, and in remaining interested in whatever I am able to, as distractions and hobbies, and in being supportive to others' interests, as well. And with their favorite teams. And strengths and weaknesses of each team. And strategies.

It sure was fun to root for the locally considered "home teams" these past years, (with a few World Series Baseball appearances, too)

and back when Pats rivals were Peyton Manning with the Colts, Or rivals Giants (with Eli Manning at the time) or Jets, or Balt or Denver.....

and it was fun to see both, the wins and losses.... such as, The season where the Pats won ALL the games, then lost the Superbowl, to Giants, (Eli's only ring?)
and the other Superbowl close wins and losses,

and back when Brady would throw accurately for a 50 or 60 yard pass, with a magically ready Randy Moss, somehow Moss had already gotten to the touchdown line,
where he would use his long arms and hands, to secure a catch, with 2 defenders trying to stop him.

They made it look easy and fun, back then.

Now I have learned how hard it really is, to win in any professional sports, consistently.

So the Pats can't stay on top forever, as Bonnie said, which is okay with me,
and who says they can't do it again, as she also said. They aren't as good as they were, which is what Dave says, but they might do it, anyway.
I did NOT think they could or would do it, last year! But they did.

I don't mind when it is some other team's turn to win games, and Superbowls, either though
even though it was a lot of fun, to see those many trips to the Playoffs and Super bowls, of the team I am most familiar with.

There are other teams that are interesting to me, as well... I do personally, have a need to have things to watch and to interact about.
There is not much left of my health or my family, so keeping up interests is important for my daily living.

 

[jerry old]

Kaila:
What happened?
Twenty years ago, watched football game on Sunday's; some discussion of it at work on Mondays, then on to more important things.
Football was a small part of my life: wife, kids, work was where my time was spent. Their gone now, wife's been dead for almost five years, kids in their forties
Lost contact with my friends and acquaintances when I moved to the rural,
and driving anywhere has become a dangerous endeavor.
I woke up one morning to find I was an old man without the ability to do
the things I had done all my life-What Happened?
There was always football and baseball.

As you pointed out, why do teams rise and fall?
Green Bay, nothing fancy-block and tackle-Green Bay Sweep
Kansas City-Hank Stram (sp) with his whirling offense
Tom Landry with his flex defense
Steelers with their receivers and their impulsive QB & their man-eating defense
Bears with their 'eight in the box' defense
Niners with Walsh, dink, dat and score
BB and Brady-remain a mystery, every week: what are they doing and how?
Saints, don't watch them, so used to them losing it is difficult to realize their
consistently in the hunt-Why are they on TV so seldom?

Other teams, monitor, study and counter these 'new things.'
The world beaters slid back into the middle of the pack, due to other teams
countermeasures and their players age.

The draft is supposed to assure dominate teams do not remain dominate
In theory it should work, but dominate teams have great front office personal,
scouts. It does not appear to have worked.

Mediocre teams stay mediocre, they rise up on occasion, then fall back.
Mediocre teams make mistakes in scouting, front office decisions and the 'biggie' are the general managers who are the coaches boss and the owners who know little or nothing about football, but want to be involved.

I do not understand the lack of respect for teams that make the playoffs,
just getting there is the crux of football.
The Super Bowl is an addendum to spark the interest of the casual fan who has not followed 'their team.' A spectacle for entertainment value; interesting- yes, but there are too many events not concerning the actual game itself.

 

[jerry old]

Kaila:
The Red Sox national following is a results of their getting their hinnies beat every year by those 'Damn Yankees.'
Their encounters with those Damn Yankees have become a 'must watch' event.
When the Sox beat the Yanks, I get a feeling of satisfaction, 'well good.'

The Dodgers also owe their popularity to the 'Yankees.'
The Yankees would spank their hinnies every year in the World Series.
'Wait'a next year,' was the Dodger's fans cry for years.
Then they moved to LA, where Mr. Koufax and Drysdale rebuilt their fan base.

 

[Ladybj]

I live in the Cleveland area and we have the Browns for a team. I have not watched football because I really haven't understood the game but I figure if I watch I may discover what they are doing and why... I don't know if we have a good team this year or not but will see.

What is your team and do you watch them?
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My hubby is a HUGE Redskins football fan.. He gave me a lesson of how the game is played.. I understand it now.