NFL Sunday Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 08:31:58 AM EST
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Amato (J) and Armando (A) Show NFL picks (disagreements in bold): Miami Dolphins -3(J, A) over Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams -11½ (J, A) over Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions +7 (J,A) over Green Bay Packers, New York Jets +10 (A), Atlanta Falcons (-10) ((J), Arizona Cardinals +1½ (A), Carolina Panthers -11/2 (J), Oakland Raiders +5 (A), San Diego Chargers -5 (J), Tennessee Titans +3 (A), Kansas City Chiefs -3 (J), Denver Broncos -8 over Dallas Cowboys (J, A), Indianapolis Colts +3 (A), Seattle Seahawks -3 (J), Chicago Bears +1 (A), New Orleans Saints -1 (J),San Francisco 49ers -7 (J, A) over Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles +3 (J, A) over New York Giants.

The video of an embattled Amato and Armando Show recorded October 5, I was in a hotel in Burlington Vermont so not our best effort:

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NFL Sunday Open Thread | 39 comments (39 topical)

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The Texans and Shaub can bite me (none / 0) (#1)
by Dadler on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 10:48:46 AM EST

After they blew that game to the Seahawks last week, I hope they get embarrassed today. Schaub's pick six to Richard Sherman was one of the worst picks I've ever seen from a supposed veteran.

Richard Sherman (none / 0) (#2)
by MKS on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 11:29:03 AM EST

is perhaps the best Corner in the league and he plays with a massive chip on his shoulder that drives him to excel.


: Believe me, I know he's top notch (none / 0) (#3)
by Dadler on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 11:43:47 AM EST

He beat the sh*t out of Anquan Boldin at the line of scrimmage to the point that Boldin was useless. Literally useless. Sherman is a great cornerback, is arguably the best corner in the league, but to me it's not a chip on his shoulder he's playing with, it is a uniquely classless confidence. But the act works for him, to say the least. You'd think he actually owned a championship ring or something. And, to be frank, stats bear out the current truth that the Seahawks are literally two different teams: the dominant team they are in that ungodly noise box of a home stadium they play in; and the very average and not at all dominant team they are on the road. No other team in the NFL gets such a boost from their home stadium/crowd. Whoever designed that place was a genius, and every team shoulda hired him to give them the same effect.

How about that "Mr. October" duel ... (none / 0) (#6)
by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 07:28:39 PM EST

... between Peyton Manning's Broncos and Tony Romo's Cowboys today? Helluva game, wasn't it?

Just wait 'til December and January!


Nope (none / 0) (#8)
by MKS on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 09:04:48 PM EST

I just hated to see Tony lose it for the Cowboys after such a great game.....Much better if Manning had won it or if Dez had fumbled again.

Bad luck, cursed or whatever.....the anti-Staubach touch.


Only Romo... (none / 0) (#29)
by ScottW714 on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 09:40:58 AM EST

...could lose a game with 48 points on the board. But that is Romo's MO, it started years ago when he fumbled a hold on a field goal attempt in Seattle that cost the Cowgirls a playoff victory. No bigger omen in the history of the NFL.

The guy is a good QB, but the worse pressure QB I can remember, which is pretty damn cool for us folks that can't stand the Cowgirls. It's a real treat watching Romo throw away a lead...


: Romo reminds me of (none / 0) (#39)
by MKS on Tue Oct 08, 2013 at 08:21:56 AM EST

Don Meredith. Both started out happy-go-lucky. Both had immense talent. Both would play hurt and take a tremendous beating. Both would lose last second games.
As someone who watched the Ice Bowl live with Pops, and the Catch, and the Jimmy O'Brien (sans buckled chinstrap) field goal and the Bob Lilly reaction toss, and the Leon Lett miscues, I can sense when it is going to happen....
But then there is Roger Staubach and Emmitt....

To quote Yogi Berra: (none / 0) (#7)
by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 07:38:03 PM EST

"It's déjà vu all over again." Schaub throws another pick-six on his first play of the game, and this one looked even worse.


: They Were Calling for His Head... (none / 0) (#30)
by ScottW714 on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 10:13:14 AM EST

...last week.
This week I don't know what will happen. But throwing a pick 6 in the first quarter is infinitely better than throwing one near the end of the game.
That was Favre's trademark at the end in GB, throwing an interception at the worse possible moment. But he had so many good throws before that, all was forgiven.
Not Schaub. IMO he got injured last year around week 10, that is when he stopped being accurate with the deep ball and the zing on the ball was lost. Non of it was public, and of course it's only my opinion, but since then the Texans have seriously struggled, most of it due to Schaub's inability to get the ball the his receivers.
Let's not forget, the Texans were 11-1 last year and totally collapsed the last four games, and in the playoff game. Since then they are 3-7 if you include the playoff game. That is one hell of a swing considering their roster hasn't changed, if anything it's gotten better.

And in non sports news, have any of you gone to (none / 0) (#4)
by oculus on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 02:40:40 PM EST

thenOregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland? Excellent theatre and a beautiful venue.

It's on my "Things to Do" list. (none / 0) (#5)
by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 07:23:54 PM EST

I've been to Ashland, which is a beautiful place -- just not during the Shakespeare Festival. Are you there right now? I'm in Guam for work, and can't even watch the Dodgers' playoff game, because it's 10:20 a.m. Monday morning out here, and I have my first meeting in 50 minutes.


Got home early this a.m. Usual delays (none / 0) (#14)
by oculus on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 11:54:01 PM EST

at SFO. This time the reason was b/c the plane due to take us to San Diego did not arrive on time. Saw three Shakespeare plays and a new musical called "The Unfortunates." My favorites were "Cymbeline" and "King Lear."

This has been on mym"to do" list sincenI moved to CA. Now I can't wait to go again.


SFO always seems (none / 0) (#19)
by MKS on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 12:42:35 AM EST

to have delays.

Oakland much better imo. Actually easier to get to from Market Street and Financial District.


A cab driver informed us (none / 0) (#21)
by oculus on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 01:17:04 AM EST

BART will soon go directly to airport in Oakland.


The Holy Grail (5.00 / 1) (#26)
by MKS on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 08:03:53 AM EST

of a BART station at the Oakland Airport. I'll believe it when I see it.


: Apparenlty, there will (none / 0) (#27)
by MKS on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 08:12:59 AM EST

be a people mover built.....Not true, blue BART but not the Air Shuttle either.
You will still have to get off the people mover at the Coliseum station to transfer over to the real BART.....That platform is not so nice and not recommended for the ladies--at least at night.

I've been to the OSF a few times (none / 0) (#10)
by shoephone on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 09:53:41 PM EST

It's been hit and miss for me, but I love going to southern Oregon. And the Ashland Elizabethan Theater is very beautiful. The best play I saw at the festival was not even Shakespeare, and not in the main theater section, but a really powerful production of "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" at a small equity waver theater overlooking the river.

Are you there now? I'll be in southern Oregon briefly later this week, and will likely stop in Ashland for late breakfast on Thursday morn.


"Beauty Queen" socked me in the gut. (none / 0) (#15)
by oculus on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 11:55:16 PM EST

Very powerful play.


: Me too (none / 0) (#16)
by shoephone on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 12:02:03 AM EST

And the actress who played the mother scared the living daylights outta me!

I have been to the Shakespeare festival. (none / 0) (#22)
by caseyOR on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 01:25:52 AM EST

Ashland is a beautiful town. As to the Festival- I saw an amazing production of Streetcar Named Desire there many years ago.


Armando (none / 0) (#9)
by MKS on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 09:06:13 PM EST

How 'bout them Giants?

Still can't believe it....Have they just quit?

49ers (none / 0) (#11)
by cpresley on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 10:14:24 PM EST

Are beating Houston bad. 34 to 3 with 4:30 mins. to go.


Maybe KC can (none / 0) (#12)
by MKS on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 10:18:33 PM EST

stop Manning.


I'd just be happy if the Simms/Nantz (none / 0) (#13)
by Anne on Sun Oct 06, 2013 at 10:32:10 PM EST

broadcast team didn't spend three hours positively gushing over Manning...it was cringe-worthy at times. And sometimes, they were so busy finding new ways to compliment Peyton that they actually missed some of the action on the field. That really bugs me when that happens.

Cold weather will expose the chinks in Manning's armor...either in the regular season, or in the post-season.

Houston has to be one of the biggest disappointments this season, don't you think? Everyone - and I do mean everyone - had them going to the post-season, if not all the way to the Super Bowl.


It's still early, Anne. (none / 0) (#18)
by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 12:33:47 AM EST

But that said, the Texans have got a lot of bugs to work out if they're going to entertain hopes of turning it around.


Ah (none / 0) (#24)
by jbindc on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 07:25:46 AM EST

Someone still a little upset that the Ravens got destroyed by Peyton...? :)

I don't like the Broncos, but I do love watching Peyton Manning play. And I disagree that the cold weather will hurt him. He hasn't been good in cold weather, but he is running like a MACHINE this year, and the offense is clicking on all levels. I mean, the Broncos didn't even punt yesterday! I don't think anything, barring injury, is going to stop him this year.


There's a reason why they call (5.00 / 1) (#28)
by Anne on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 09:24:22 AM EST

Peyton "noodle-arm" once the weather gets cold, and it isn't because he "destroyed" the Ravens in Week One. He didn't exactly "destroy" them in last season's divisional round, now, did he?

Here's the thing about Manning: he tends to be a "machine" in the regular season, but can't seem to get it done in the post-season. It's the same knock Matt Ryan has suffered from: athletic brilliance in the regular season, then blows up in the post-season. Some would use the word "choke" to describe what happens.

And let's look at strength of schedule, too. The Denver Broncos have the easiest schedule of any of the 32 teams in the league.

Hey, if he was on my team, I'd probably love the guy, but that wasn't really my point. I've been on the record since before the season started that my expectations for the Ravens were low, that I thought they were going to struggle with new personnel and the fact that everyone - most especially the Denver Broncos - was going to have it out for them this year.

My point about the Broncos and Manning isn't that they're winning, it's the way the announcers gush over Peyton, sometimes so caught up in their adoration that they're missing other things that are happening on the field. The way they were talking about him yesterday, I said to my husband that I didn't know why Peyton bothered to have 10 other players on the field with him - that he could probably snap the ball to himself, throw it downfield and be there to catch it AND score a touchdown, all by himself.

We've heard many times that "nothing could stop" Peyton, and then something did: another team. Here's his post-season record - lotta "Ls" there for someone so brilliant, don't you think?

He's a great QB, but he's not a god, for heaven's sake!


I hate strength of schedule argument... (5.00 / 1) (#33)
by magster on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 12:30:29 PM EST

If Denver was 0-5, they'd have played two 3-2 teams, and one 4-1 team and have had a much more difficult "strength of schedule". The big reason Denver's strength of schedule is # 32 is because Denver is beating the teams they have played against.


Maybe I'm not understanding your (none / 0) (#35)
by Anne on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 12:41:42 PM EST

argument, but the strength of schedule comes out before the season even starts, and is based on, I believe, the W/L record of its upcoming opponents.

Maybe you're saying the same thing, and I'm just not reading it right.

On the other hand, any team that has the NFC East on its schedule this year is having a decidedly easier time of it than was probably predicted when the 2013 SOS came out, don't you think? Did anyone think the Giants would be 0-5? I sure didn't.


The strength of schedule argument... (none / 0) (#37)
by magster on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 12:46:01 PM EST

being used against Denver now is based on this season. Looking at the schedule from the perspective of last season's results make Denver beating the SB champ Ravens and 3 of the 4 vaunted NFC East teams pretty impressive. Nobody knew how bad the NFC East would be this year.


: Strength of Schedule (5.00 / 1) (#38)
by ScottW714 on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 01:44:08 PM EST

The new paradigm first has divisional games, a random random division, this year the Broncos' AFC West is playing the AFC South. Then meeting the same seed in the opposite conference, two random games so each team with play each other every 4 years. So I guess you can consider some of those strength of schedule, but it's really trying to match up like teams to make the schedules more even.
The Broncos have had an easy schedule in the past because their division sucked. Now the division has two 5-0 teams. And since I can remember, every team w/i the division plays twice, each getting a home field. So this year who ever has the NFC East is getting a easier schedule than the division playing the NFC West. But that is determined years in advance and has nothing to do with with their record.
The NFL schedule is so mathematical, sans two or three games, one can look to see who is playing who for 5 years out. The dates and which city is determined like a month before the season at which time the networks pick and choose which games they want.
Not sure how preseason is determined, but it seems like they try and match team close in proximity but not in the same division. I would guess to and boost attendance. Just a guess as Houston plays New Orleans almost every preseason.

Go Broncos! (none / 0) (#34)
by christinep on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 12:31:05 PM EST

Having watched the Broncos since when the franchise started in my childhood days, this season is one of those seasons to behold. With the exception of Comeback Specialist John Elway, the quarterback reality was usually--uh--disappointing. At one point after that d*#n Superbowl with Dallas in the later '70s, my Dad (who had alternately been hopeful or grousing about Craig Morton at the time) gave up his Bronco's tickets in a huff. So, watching methodical Manning this season has more than allure for a bunch of us in Denver.

The Broncos needed yesterday ... it was messy, the defense mostly stunk (when they were even there), and it could serve as a reminder. Yet, the other shoe must be ready to drop soon ... as a I told a neighbor clad in orange yesterday a.m. as he walked his little puppy also clad in orange dogshirt with numerals 00. Meanwhile, the spontaneous gatherings on Sundays are increasing; the snacks are good; and, the run is enjoyable.


: I know I'm a Denver homer.... (none / 0) (#36)
by magster on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 12:43:32 PM EST

... but I think I can objectively assert that this is the best offense ever in the NFL. The Broncos getting Welker as a free agent should have been illegal.

Yes... (none / 0) (#31)
by ScottW714 on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 10:33:41 AM EST

...and the runner up would be Green Bay. My two teams have fallen pretty flat.

Last year, near the end of the season, between the two teams I had maybe 4 losses. The year before, same, that is the year the Pack had one loss.

Between the two, I always got a win.

This year I have gotten 2 in a weekend. And I can't remember the last time the Pack wasn't in first in the division or tied for it. I am too lazy to find out, but it's been a damn long time, I would guess it's over a decade.

It especially sucks in that I got the NFL Sunday Ticket and Sunday I have been moving my bedroom TV out to the living room so I can multiple games. So this year I have been treat to simultaneous losses or a loss and crappy win in OT.

The good news is the Bears always have their flicker of hope in a season, but Cutler will smash those hopes soon enough and the rest of the division, the Loins and Vikings are no threat.

Not true of the Texans, Indy was always the thorn. So when Payton left, that meant two more win in a season, hopefully. They went to the playoffs right when Manning left. But now Indy looks damn tough and the Titans aren't half bad. If the Texans fall behind, they can't catch up in the division like the Pack can.


Maybe whoever's in the playoffs ... (none / 0) (#17)
by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 12:31:24 AM EST

... can stop Peyton Manning. With one exception, it's happened every year so far.

;-D


: Did he not throw the pick-six (none / 0) (#20)
by MKS on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 12:46:26 AM EST

in the Super Bowl that New Orleans won?

The Biggest Play of the weekend (none / 0) (#23)
by jbindc on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 07:18:23 AM EST

that did not affect the outcome of the game

Quotes like this (none / 0) (#25)
by CoralGables on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 07:37:36 AM EST

According to RJ Bell of Pregame.com, 80% of the money bet on this game backed the Buckeyes - meaning OSU's lucky cover was a big win for bettors and big loss for bookies.

always make me shake my head. The world's two biggest lies: the check's in the mail and the bookies took a bath.

By kickoff the money bet on each team was very close to 50%. It always is. That's the way the game works and the bookies cash for their 10% profit whether Ohio State scores or not.


: 100% Agreed (none / 0) (#32)
by ScottW714 on Mon Oct 07, 2013 at 10:41:24 AM EST

It what sets the line.
If that number, $100M is accurate, the bookies paid $50M to the winners and took in $60M from the losers regardless of that play, or the outcome.