Originally Posted by
Tig
+1 to all the above! Freeman already is incredible. The Lions are finally back.
I liked Sanchez when he first opened for the Jets because you could see his potential. He still has potential, but needs to mature into a leader and improve his real time thinking on the field.
The issue I have with him is that it's now year three and he hasn't shown any improvement in his thinking. He still makes the exact same bad throws he did two seasons ago. He still can't figure out how to throw it out of bounds or just take a sack.
He's got all the physical tools, he just lacks the mental capacity and if he hasn't shown any learning by now I fear he never will.
Originally Posted by
Tig
If Schaub gains the same high level of professionalism, drive, and quick thinking of guys like Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Brady or (I know you hate him, but he is/was the best at real time, heads up modern QB'ing) Payton Manning, he could take the Texans to the top.
Hate him or not, there's no denying Manning's achievements. He's the best I've seen play the position in my football-watching lifetime.
Originally Posted by
Tig
While Houston is my home team, I love to watch and root the Eagles, Saints, and Jets.
The Jets and Bucs are my home teams but I also root for Houston and Chicago as the home teams of my siblings, both of whom will always be Jets' fans but like me have adopted the home teams of their cities as well.
Originally Posted by
piebaldpython
Not that it matters.....but "how many steps..." is not the issue. A "head shot" or leading with the head-to-the-head should be penalized irregardless of "how many steps" are taken.
Here's a question that came up during yesterday's Bucs' game.
According to analyst and former coach Brian Billick, head shots are only illegal on a QB behind the line of scrimmage or a "defenseless receiver." On anyone else he claims they're fair game.
It came up when Josh Freeman ran with the ball and was hit by a Falcons' defender with an obvious helmet-to-helmet shot. The home crowd went nuts wondering where the flag was.
Billick claims that once Freeman crossed the line of scrimmage he was essentially a RB and it's ok to hit RBs head to head like that.
I had a hard time believing this could be true. If the league is serious about preventing head injuries how can they limit the protection to only certain players at certain times? Why is it ok to attempt to cripple a RB but not a WR?
The "defenseless receiver" thing is a joke too. Anybody see the New England/Buffalo game? Wes Welker caught a pass and began running. He was then crushed with a head-to-head shot for which a penalty was called on the Buffalo defender. According to Billick's explanation this was the wrong call. He ceased being defenseless once he started running.
The overall point is that until the league is consistent with its officials about what the rules really are we will see the same thing week in and week out, wrong calls and missed calls.
Originally Posted by
piebaldpython
Re the refs.......aren't the NFL refs just part-time employees? Don't they have regular jobs during the week? I'm pretty sure they are "different" than MLB, NBA and NHL refs/lineman, who are full-time employees of their league, or at least during the regular/playoff season.
I don't think they have day jobs during the season, but yes, unlike the other professional sports leagues where the officials are full time employees, in the NFL they are contract workers for the season only.
"I happen to have perfect situational awareness, Lana. Which cannot be taught, by the way. Like a poet's ... mind for ... to make the perfect words." - Sterling Archer