NFL Football , Americas Best Sport

Well this year did not go as we had hoped . We beat some of the best teams and some of the worst . We beat the Eagles , Redskins and Giants and then the Giants came to Texas and kicked Cowboy butts . Then went and kicked Packers butts . I posted on other threads that the Giants would win the SB by 3 points . I got a little flack over that from the Patriots .lol. But the out come was the Giants winning over the Pats 17-14 . And a sweet victory it was . The NFC beat the AFC ! And they beat an undefeated team . Tom Brady did not play up to par while Eli Manning done a great job in my opinion .

Now we all wait for the 2008 season to begin . Can the Cowboys be as good a team as they were in 2007 ? Better I think . Will Brett Favre return for another season ? If he does I expect the Packers to be as good as they were in 2007 . I also look for the Bengals to be a better team in 2008 . I think the Giants will do very well in the 2008 season also . With the Eagles improving a good bit . I look for the Cardnials to improve to a much better level As I think the Titans will also be a much better team . As I think the Redskins will also improve .

I really look for us to have a new NFL commisioner in 2008 . I beleive he will have to answer for the tapes he destroyed . Things don't look good for him . The NFL stood to make over a billion dollars with the Pats going all the way . No I am not saying the commish did anything wrong . But I do hope there is a full investigation into his doings . We all love football . We all expect it to be run clean and fair . They have cracked down on baseball . Now maybe its time to clean up football . Make sure it stays the way it is meant to be . Where all teams are treated with equal rights to win games and have a chance to be as good as the next .

I am not implying the Pats are not a good team . Because they are a great team . Tom Brady is a darn good quarterback . Its the coach and owners that should answer for their wrong doings , not the players . It was the owners that allowed the coach to get away with his spying . It was the coach that had his team run up high scores over the other teams . Before Bill Belichick came to the Pats , he had done nothing as a coach . He got lucky and got on a team that had some great players . It was him and his staff that spied on other teams , not the players .

All team owners and coaches have the burning desire to be the best , to be the SB champions . But not all of them go to the lengh of spying on other teams to acheive their goals . This year football was marred by the spy gate affair . To say we hate the Patriots team would not be fair . For the players themselves are about as good as they come . I have a lot of friends that are Patriot fans . And they are good people .

So before you blast the Patriots team , think on it . It was not the players that did any wrong . It was the owners and coaches . The players are only victims of the owners and coaches desire to be the very best , regardless of what they have to do to achive that goal . They can't do things in an honest way , so they resort to tactics that have marred football as a whole . They should be held more accountable for their actions . If we hold it against the Patriots players for something they had no control over , then we are no better then the Patriots coaches and staff.

Good luck to all NFL teams in the 2008 season .

This is a quote from excite news

Feb 4, 10:35 PM (ET)

By HOWARD ULMAN

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -The only perfect thing about the Patriots was their record.

Now they don't even have that.

Dominant in the first half of the season, they survived some close calls afterward. But that finally caught up with them in the Super Bowl and left them facing an offseason of what-ifs and what-will-bes.

What if their offensive line studded with three Pro Bowl players had kept the team's most important player from being knocked down time after time in the most important game?

Will Randy Moss and Asante Samuel leave?

Will Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau, the three oldest defensive starters, retire?

And next time, will coach Bill Belichick hang around until the end of the game instead of heading for the locker room with a second left and a security escort Tom Brady would have envied.

The two-time Super Bowl MVP couldn't elude the steamrolling pass rush of the New York Giants the way he does the paparazzi who stalk him on the streets of the city where the new Super Bowl champions will be honored at a victory parade Tuesday.

Brady was sacked five times in Sunday's 17-14 loss, the most in his 92 games since the New York Jets did that in the third game of the 2003 season on Sept. 21, 2003.

So the Patriots finished 18-1 and disappointed, not 19-0 and historic. That left the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who were 17-0, as the only NFL team to go undefeated.

About 200 fans, though, turned out at Gillette Stadium on Monday night to cheer returning players. Belichick spent about three minutes slapping and shaking their hands. At one point, as about a dozen cameramen pressed in on him and blocked his path, Belichick pushed one aside.

"Bill, Bill, Bill," one excited fan yelled.

"Thank you, coach," said another.

Brady, who was not among about 30 players who returned to the stadium, was a near unanimous choice for the league's MVP and was brilliant in the first eight games of the season. He was not as good after that.

His five worst passer ratings came in his last eight games, including the postseason. In the AFC championship game against San Diego, he threw a season-high three interceptions. In the Super Bowl, he was uncharacteristically inaccurate on some passes even when he had time to throw.

"I'm sure we all could have done things better, but it's just part of competition," Brady said of the devastating defeat.

New England won three Super Bowls in four seasons before falling short the next three years - losing to Denver in a divisional playoff game, to Indianapolis in last year's AFC championship game and to New York in the latest disappointment.

After coming so close last season, the Patriots added receivers Moss, Wes Welker and Donte' Stallworth. They signed free agent Adalius Thomas for their aging group of linebackers. And they kept Samuel, designating the star cornerback a franchise player and signing him for one year after he held out for a long-term contract.

The offense set several single-season records: 50 touchdown passes by Brady, 23 scoring catches by Moss and 589 total points.

But the season began with off-field problems.

Harrison, the hard-hitting safety, was suspended for the first four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

After the season-opening 38-14 win over the New York Jets, the NFL fined Belichick $500,000 and the team $250,000 and took away a first-round draft choice as punishment for videotaping Jets' coaches on their sideline.

That only fired up the Patriots. They were accused of running up the score in some of their wins.

But the Patriots shrugged off the criticism and kept focusing on the next opponent. They won each of their first eight games by at least 17 points.

Then the powerhouse that pulled away from opponents began letting them hang around.

In their ninth game, they beat Indianapolis 24-20 on a touchdown with 3:15 left. In their 11th, they scored the go-ahead touchdown with 7:20 to go but needed two interceptions in the last four minutes to clinch the 31-28 win over Philadelphia.

The following week was the greatest of escapes.

They trailed 24-20 at Baltimore and failed twice on fourth down in the last two minutes. But the first play was nullified by a false start penalty against the Patriots and the second by a holding call against the Ravens. On the next play, Brady threw the winning 8-yard scoring pass to Jabar Gaffney with 44 seconds left.

And, in the last regular-season game, the defense struggled in a 38-35 win over the Giants.

But how long could their good fortune hold out?

Not long enough.

With 2:42 left in the Super Bowl, Brady's 6-yard touchdown pass to Moss gave the Patriots a 14-10 lead.

But the defense couldn't hold it. Eli Manning directed an 83-yard drive and hit Plaxico Burress for the decisive 13-yard scoring pass with 35 seconds remaining.

Perfection denied.

"It's not even worth talking about it now because it's over. It didn't happen," Bruschi said. "We can look back on this year with a positive attitude and some of the things we accomplished. But when you don't finish, I mean, that's all we're about."

Belichick didn't finish either.

After Brady's fourth-down desperation pass to Moss fell incomplete, Belichick went on the field for a handshake with Giants coach Tom Coughlin.

There was still 1 second left, but Belichick continued toward the locker room as Manning knelt down on the final play. Moss once left the field with 2 seconds remaining in a regular-season loss to Washington when he was with Minnesota and was criticized for it by his quarterback, Daunte Culpepper.

Belichick, at least, will be back.

Seau, 39, may not be.

"I haven't thought about the future. I am having too much fun," he said. Losing "will not affect my decision."

Harrison, 35, was beset by injuries in 2006 and 2007. Bruschi, 34, suffered a stroke after the Patriots last Super Bowl win but returned midway through the next season in 2005.

"I can't let that loss take away from everything that happened this season," Harrison said.

Moss, who took a pay cut for a shot at the Super Bowl, may not be back for another with the Patriots.

"I would love to be in a New England Patriots uniform," he said, "but, if not, the show must go on."

It will continue with Belichick and Brady, of course, partners in four Super Bowls - all decided by three points.

"We usually are on the better side of those three-point wins," Brady said. "We just have to regroup and come back and try to make it stronger next year."

orangemen90 Reputation: 99 Level: Superstar Since: Dec 23, 2007	Posted on: February 4, 2008 6:26 am Score: 70 Football in 2008 Doubt the Giants will repeat.. The Patriots will need to re-group....Chargers may challenge again....We should expect more out of the Cowboys.... [ Reply to Comment ]
Folgers_Ron Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: Jan 15, 2007	Posted on: February 5, 2008 3:24 am Score: 95 Football in 2008 This is a quote from excite news Feb 4, 10:35 PM (ET) By HOWARD ULMAN FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -The only perfect thing about the Patriots was their record. Now they don't even have that. Dominant in the first half of the season, they survived some close calls afterward. But that finally caught up with them in the Super Bowl and left them facing an offseason of what-ifs and what-will-bes. What if their offensive line studded with three Pro Bowl players had kept the team's most important player from being knocked down time after time in the most important game? Will Randy Moss and Asante Samuel leave? Will Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau, the three oldest defensive starters, retire? And next time, will coach Bill Belichick hang around until the end of the game instead of heading for the locker room with a second left and a security escort Tom Brady would have envied. The two-time Super Bowl MVP couldn't elude the steamrolling pass rush of the New York Giants the way he does the paparazzi who stalk him on the streets of the city where the new Super Bowl champions will be honored at a victory parade Tuesday. Brady was sacked five times in Sunday's 17-14 loss, the most in his 92 games since the New York Jets did that in the third game of the 2003 season on Sept. 21, 2003. So the Patriots finished 18-1 and disappointed, not 19-0 and historic. That left the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who were 17-0, as the only NFL team to go undefeated. About 200 fans, though, turned out at Gillette Stadium on Monday night to cheer returning players. Belichick spent about three minutes slapping and shaking their hands. At one point, as about a dozen cameramen pressed in on him and blocked his path, Belichick pushed one aside. "Bill, Bill, Bill," one excited fan yelled. "Thank you, coach," said another. Brady, who was not among about 30 players who returned to the stadium, was a near unanimous choice for the league's MVP and was brilliant in the first eight games of the season. He was not as good after that. His five worst passer ratings came in his last eight games, including the postseason. In the AFC championship game against San Diego, he threw a season-high three interceptions. In the Super Bowl, he was uncharacteristically inaccurate on some passes even when he had time to throw. "I'm sure we all could have done things better, but it's just part of competition," Brady said of the devastating defeat. New England won three Super Bowls in four seasons before falling short the next three years - losing to Denver in a divisional playoff game, to Indianapolis in last year's AFC championship game and to New York in the latest disappointment. After coming so close last season, the Patriots added receivers Moss, Wes Welker and Donte' Stallworth. They signed free agent Adalius Thomas for their aging group of linebackers. And they kept Samuel, designating the star cornerback a franchise player and signing him for one year after he held out for a long-term contract. The offense set several single-season records: 50 touchdown passes by Brady, 23 scoring catches by Moss and 589 total points. But the season began with off-field problems. Harrison, the hard-hitting safety, was suspended for the first four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy. After the season-opening 38-14 win over the New York Jets, the NFL fined Belichick $500,000 and the team $250,000 and took away a first-round draft choice as punishment for videotaping Jets' coaches on their sideline. That only fired up the Patriots. They were accused of running up the score in some of their wins. But the Patriots shrugged off the criticism and kept focusing on the next opponent. They won each of their first eight games by at least 17 points. Then the powerhouse that pulled away from opponents began letting them hang around. In their ninth game, they beat Indianapolis 24-20 on a touchdown with 3:15 left. In their 11th, they scored the go-ahead touchdown with 7:20 to go but needed two interceptions in the last four minutes to clinch the 31-28 win over Philadelphia. The following week was the greatest of escapes. They trailed 24-20 at Baltimore and failed twice on fourth down in the last two minutes. But the first play was nullified by a false start penalty against the Patriots and the second by a holding call against the Ravens. On the next play, Brady threw the winning 8-yard scoring pass to Jabar Gaffney with 44 seconds left. And, in the last regular-season game, the defense struggled in a 38-35 win over the Giants. But how long could their good fortune hold out? Not long enough. With 2:42 left in the Super Bowl, Brady's 6-yard touchdown pass to Moss gave the Patriots a 14-10 lead. But the defense couldn't hold it. Eli Manning directed an 83-yard drive and hit Plaxico Burress for the decisive 13-yard scoring pass with 35 seconds remaining. Perfection denied. "It's not even worth talking about it now because it's over. It didn't happen," Bruschi said. "We can look back on this year with a positive attitude and some of the things we accomplished. But when you don't finish, I mean, that's all we're about." Belichick didn't finish either. After Brady's fourth-down desperation pass to Moss fell incomplete, Belichick went on the field for a handshake with Giants coach Tom Coughlin. There was still 1 second left, but Belichick continued toward the locker room as Manning knelt down on the final play. Moss once left the field with 2 seconds remaining in a regular-season loss to Washington when he was with Minnesota and was criticized for it by his quarterback, Daunte Culpepper. Belichick, at least, will be back. Seau, 39, may not be. "I haven't thought about the future. I am having too much fun," he said. Losing "will not affect my decision." Harrison, 35, was beset by injuries in 2006 and 2007. Bruschi, 34, suffered a stroke after the Patriots last Super Bowl win but returned midway through the next season in 2005. "I can't let that loss take away from everything that happened this season," Harrison said. Moss, who took a pay cut for a shot at the Super Bowl, may not be back for another with the Patriots. "I would love to be in a New England Patriots uniform," he said, "but, if not, the show must go on." It will continue with Belichick and Brady, of course, partners in four Super Bowls - all decided by three points. "We usually are on the better side of those three-point wins," Brady said. "We just have to regroup and come back and try to make it stronger next year." [ Reply to Comment ]
Bengalsrock Reputation: 99 Level: Superstar Since: Oct 9, 2006	Posted on: March 11, 2008 9:46 am Score: 98 Football in 2008 I think 2008 will be a much better year for my Bengals after a 7-9 season and with a new defensive coordinator I see our defense much improved also. I like the additions of FitzGerald as line backers coach as we should be much more aggesive this year also and I also like the new defensive end from the Titans Antwan Odem who is replacing Justin Smith who in my opionion was over-rated [ Reply to Comment ]
Folgers_Ron Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: Jan 15, 2007	Posted on: June 27, 2008 11:11 pm Score: 93 Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Football in 2008 Been away for a while now ! Just setting around waiting for football season to start back up ! I am a Cowboys fan through and through . I keep up with the Bengals , Steelers , Packers , Titans , Saints , Chargers , Seahawks , Giants , Eagles , Redskins and others . Been a few changes so far . Several players have retired . Some went to other teams . I believe the draft was a fairly good one this year . I am ready for some great football ... [ Reply to Comment ]
Folgers_Ron Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: Jan 15, 2007	Posted on: June 29, 2008 11:44 pm Score: 94 Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Football in 2008 Who will play up to par this year ? Who will not play up to par ? Most of us know that some teams play great 1 year and not so good the next . While other teams play good for 3 , 4 , 5 years before they flounder . Last year the Giants did not look like a very good playoff team . But they went on to beat the undefeated Patriots ! And win the super bowl ! Will they play that good this year ? I have no idea . Maybe so , maybe not . Thats not for me to say . I believe that if they want to win bad enough that they can go to the playoffs again and possibly the super bowl . Can the Patriots have another undefeated season ? Only time will tell . If they have the confidence to do it and go out there and play their game , then yes it is possible ! Nothing is impossible . They have the quarterback and the right team to do it . Brett Favre retired . The Packers was on top . Brett was one of the very best quarterbacks to ever play the game . He played hurt , he played when he did not feel like it . But he played . He played football with his heart in it . He lived and breathed football . It was a very sad day when he left the game he loved so much . But in the peoples hearts , he will still be there rooting for his team to win . The Packers now have a new quarterback . They gave him the job because they believed he could do it . So I will hope that he can . Time will tell . [ Reply to Comment ]
NFL-Solomon Reputation: 97 Level: Superstar Since: Mar 8, 2008	Posted on: July 3, 2008 5:11 pm Score: 94 Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Football in 2008 Well, Mr. Duck, I think that your Boys will do well this year, in the regular season at least. I think Romo and the Boys are due for a playoff win, I mean what has it been, 11 years? But I won't believe it until I see it. My Brain says the Boys win the Division, but my gut says it will be a resurging Eagles team. In any case the Boys should make the post season. I'd have to disagee with you about the Giants, I think they were a fluke and don't even make the playoffs unless both wildcards come from the NFC East. Eli did a great job?!? Are you sure those are Folgers crystals in that cup and not Methamphetamine crystals? Eli Manning is the most overrated QB in football. He is a career mediocre QB who played awful in the entire first half of the SB and had 2 good drives in the second, and they give him the MVP. That's kind of like them giving Jimmy Carter a Nobel peace prize for preventing N Korea from getting nukes, which is exactly what they did. I hate the Patriots, but it has nothing to do with spygate or Belichick . I hate them for the classless way they dealt with Bledsoe. This new stuff is just gravy for my meatloaf of hate for them. I also wouldn't expect too much from the Bengals this year, the best they can hope for is 3rd in the division. The AFC North will be Pgh or Cleveland. I don't see many surprises this upcoming year, look for the usual suspects in the playoffs. [ Reply to Comment ]
Folgers_Ron Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: Jan 15, 2007	Posted on: July 4, 2008 3:35 am Score: 94 Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Football in 2008 I hope my Cowboys friends don't blast me for this one .lol. I been a Cowboys fan all my life . I have seen them in the good times and the bad times . I have seen them with some of the best quarterbacks there was and a few that was not worth their salt . I have seen them beat the best teams and lose to the worst . Tony Romo , could be the best if he wanted to . But so far he has not shown me much when it comes to the playoffs . The last 2 years , after Thanksgiving , he seemed to just blow up . Both the last 2 years , there was a lady he was invovled with around Thanksgiving . After that he seemed like head was still in , mmm , well a place it should not be . Don't get me wrong here , theres nothing wrong with going out and having a fine times with lovely ladies such as Jessica Simpson . Nothing at all . But , When you have a business to run or take care of , then you gotta leave the lady at home , her house , the motel or where ever . And Football is a business . Being a dar

Folgers_Ron

Football in 2008

Football in 2008

Football in 2008

Football in 2008

Football in 2008

Football in 2008

Football in 2008

Football in 2008