NFL 2012 [American Football Content]

[piebaldpython***]

Iggles just fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo.........who until last year was only a coach on Offense.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?se...all&id=8848986

So, when will the owners make Andy Reid pay for his stupidity in promoting Castillo to DC.....amongst all the other stupid things he does......poor clock management.......questionable strategy and play calling......etc???

[R_of_G]

Iggles just fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo.........who until last year was only a coach on Offense.

Who could have ever predicted this wouldn't work out?

[R_of_G]

Huge game for the Bucs today when they welcome the Saints to town.

The Saints desperately need a win and the Bucs would love to build on last week's drubbing of the Chiefs.

Local tv blackout has been lifted. Bucs to wear the throwback creamsicle uniforms with the Bucco Bruce helmets.

A big win today would go a long way towards righting the (pirate) ship for 2012.

On a general NFL note, I thought some of you guys might appreciate this piece Grantland's Bill Simmons wrote about Commissioner Goodell and the current state of the NFL with respect to player safety. It's a long but good read.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...chy-hypocrites

[sunvalleylaw]

I didn't get to see the end of the Seahawks/49'ers. It was still 6 - 3 Seahawks in the third last time I saw the game. But I heard there was a let down on the Seahawks end, and some dropped passes that would have made a difference. Too bad. But a young team and it is not unpredictable that could happen. Also, the anti Wilson folks are beating their drum again. I can't believe how fickle week to week football fans can be. IF the receivers don't hold on to passes thrown to their hands, you can't blame it on the QB, especially one who seems to be developing over a season into a very good leader and competitor.

[Tig***]

Nice to see the Texans showed up for this game. If they played this way last week, yada, yada...
Matt Schaub didn't pass too well, but his receivers made him look good. He hasn't played near his ability in the last 3 games, actually.

[Tig***]

I feel your pain, R_of_G. We watched most of the game, both the good and bad moments. The bad's were too much to overcome.

[R_of_G]

I feel your pain, R_of_G. We watched most of the game, both the good and bad moments. The bad's were too much to overcome.

The two that stuck with me...

1) The defensive series in the 2nd quarter where they had the Saints backed up well into their own end only to give up a big play to extend the drive which allowed the Saints to erase the early lead the Bucs had established.

2) The Bucs failure to score on four straight tries inside the two. After Blount failed the first two times, I'd have tried Martin on 3rd and kicked a FG on 4th before I tried throwing it or having Freeman run it. Instead they did those two things on 3rd and 4th with progressively worse results.

Make that defensive stop and get some points on that series and they win the game.

Still, overall it was a solid performance from this team and highlighted a lot of what makes me think they're headed in the right direction.

The first three draft picks, S Mark Barron, RB Doug Martin, and LB Lavonte David are all starting and playing very well. The three big free agent pickups WR Vincent Jackson, G Carl Nicks, and TE Dallas Clark are all contributing to the development of the new offensive system. Josh Freeman is looking more and more confident (I'm sure Vincent Jackson helps a lot with that). Another offseason like the last and they will be in good shape.

[Tig***]

I meant the Jets/Pat's game.
I did watch the last quarter of the Saints game.

[R_of_G]

I meant the Jets/Pat's game.
I did watch the last quarter of the Saints game.

I feel no pain from any Jets' game any more. I meant what I said going into this season, to me they're nothing more than one of the other 31 teams that aren't the Bucs.

[piebaldpython***]

The WATCH is underway in Philly. We had a bye week...Reid fired his former offensive coach turned Defensive Coordinator in the interim.......... and this Sunday have a home game against the undefeated Falcons. The IGGLES typically kick-butt after a bye week. The WATCH pertains to Reid and Vick.....as in if the Team and/or Vick don't perform well........Vick could wind up with splinters......and maybe just maybe we get rid of Big Ole Dumb Reid.

[R_of_G]

If I were still a Jets' fan, that would not have been nearly as hilarious a three hours to spend as it was. Blown out at home by the Dolphins going into the bye week with a losing record. Have fun with the press this week Rex.

[piebaldpython***]

Lucky for Rex, the hurricane and massive storm surge is all NYC cares about for the next few days.

[Tig***]

Mrs. T and I have tickets to see the Bill's at Texans this Sunday. This will be her first NFL game in a long time, and my second time to watch the Texans. He doctor has season tickets that wouldn't get used this week.

[R_of_G]

Well the Bucs made that one a little more exciting a win than it needed to be.

At one point in the fourth quarter, the Bucs were up by 18. Not long after, they were up by 3 with under 3:00 to go and the Raiders had the ball. Luckily, Carson Palmer forgot that Ahmad Black plays for the Bucs and not his Raiders. That game-saving INT was one of three key plays Black made yesterday.

I cannot say enough good things about rookie RB Doug Martin. I was thrilled when they drafted him. I've been impressed each week with the improvements he makes. If last week was a "breakout" game for him, yesterday was a "vote for me for rookie of the year" game. What's most impressive about his 251 yards 4 TD performance is that he did it behind a line that was missing All-Pro G Carl Nicks. I was exceptionally pleased with the performance of the Bucs offensive line on both run and pass protection.

Most importantly, the Bucs hit the 8 game mark at 4-4. They now have as many wins as they did all of last season. If they can split the final 8 games like they did the first, I will think this a wildly successful first season under Coach Schiano.

[Tig***]

The Buc's and the Seahawks looked good during the minutes I watched.

[NWBasser]

What a great day for Fretter football.

Victories by the 'Hawks, Texans, and Bucs.

For us, Russell Wilson did an awesome job throughout the game. It was scary though seeing Adrian Peterson run for over 200 yards on our defense. Earl Thomas, as usual, was the bright spot of our D.

For R of G, all I can say is WOW! I saw the highlights of Martin's totally amazing runs. Holy carp that guy can run.

[R_of_G]

For R of G, all I can say is WOW! I saw the highlights of Martin's totally amazing runs. Holy carp that guy can run.

My dad is one of those old-school football fans that gets agitated when people overhype rookies/prospects so I know that on draft night, if he raves about a college football player, that player is going to be the real deal. Draft night he was telling me that Richardson would go first, but when the history books are written, it will be Doug Martin who proves to be the best RB in this draft. When the Bucs moved back into the first round for a second dip and drafted him with that pick, Dad called me thrilled that Martin was coming to one of the teams our family follows.

The past two weeks have allowed the rest of the NFL to see what I had my eyes open to in the pre-season. This kid is the complete package at RB. The last two games say everything needed about his skills as a runner, but what I've also seen is a RB that despite being on the small side, he is willing and able to effectively block on pass protection plays. He can catch the ball both out of the backfield and split out wide.

I'm never a big fan of comparing a young player to established players, but I think the Ray Rice comparisons are apt in this case. Their games are extremely similar, and most promising about that, it was Coach Schiano at Rutgers that molded Rice into the player he is. If he can do the same with Martin, this kid will be a superstar.

[Tig***]

I woke up with a cold Sunday morning, so the whole process of waiting in lines to get to the stadium, to the parking lot, to park, to enter the search section gate, the ticket gate, the lift, the concessions... Well, it wore me out!

The Texans played semi-OK, but will have to play up to their true potential to make it this year. I was not looking at a championship caliber team Sunday.

Nothing beats watching a game at home, in comfortable seats, good food, and all at a tenth of the cost!

[sunvalleylaw]

Seahawks convincingly over the Viks! Gotta like it! They were picked to win this game and "should" have, so I am glad they did. Wilson played a very good game, with few to no mistakes. He is coming into his own it seems. I am glad Jayson was here to inform me about him so I could avoid all the "let's play Flynn" QB controversy that was in the Seahawk's local coverage as Wilson developed. Lynch had a solid game too. I wish the D could have shut down the Viks back a little better, but they played well enough to win handily.