NFL is back!!

[bhaexpress]

Not in any way condoning Georgia's most famous purveyor of dog fights but I did think the reaction was a little skewed in comparison to the antics of Adam "Pacman" Jones who beat up a woman as well as one of his associates paralysing a club doorman who had the temerity to kick them out of a nightclub for said altercation. Doubtless this was in some way a "diss" and Adam's posse were left with no alternative but to return armed to the teeth and exact the due retribution.

Should acknowledge the Broncos unexpected win over the Jets at this point since I did predict a heavy defeat for them and the Donkey Centre Half will get offended if I don't.

Go Gators. Seminoles join the ranks of teams humiliated by Florida's finest with only Bama and Oklahoma to go now.

Granted Pacman was scum but in the grand scheme of things Vick was the franchise player, a future hall of famer and capable of leading the Falcs to their first ever Superbowl win. Not to mention the many millions he lost and will never see again.

And also, as a dog lover I hope he's getting gang raped on a daily basis. Oh, I am a Falcons fan BTW.

 

[Starry]

Can see your point, but it is slightly a different culture I guess, and selfishly I won't be complaining!

Regarding tickets, I think the Ballot system 2 years ago was crap - I was lucky enough to get tickets first time round from a friend who got through, but it seemed like they just allocated them to people who claimed to be Dolphins fans.

This time it seemed like more or less everyone got through - which I think is fairer as if you put them on sale at a certain time on a certain date, the people who REALLY want them will get them (or at least stand a good chance), as opposed to people who aren't that fussed and sign up on the off chance...

yep, the first year ballot seemed to have a lot of flaws. sounds like they are using the same (or very similar) ticket selling set up as last year. first wave of tickets on sale in January 09. you can register your interest from a week monday though.

NFLUK.com - International Series - Ticketing Information

i agree about vick as well, bhaexpress. i did read a while ago that he has been in some special unit for celebrity type prisoners so that nothing unfortunate can happen to him, which is a shame if you ask me.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

no kidding.

i wonder if they will stick with the ticket ballot thing. i am never sure how fair that is and like you say, will be a mad scramble for tickets this time around.

Quote from the e-mail I received earlier from NFL UK:

"Tickets for the game will be available for sale in mid-January 2009 – unlike other years in which the first wave of seats have been sold in April. Prior to that a Registry of Interest will be made available to people interested in purchasing tickets. All those that apply for tickets via the Registry of Interest will be given priority in purchasing tickets before seats go on sale to the general public. Click here for more information on ticketing for the 2009 International Series game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots. NFLUK.com - International Series - Ticketing Information "

Thanks to Billy Mays for highlighting my Broncos unexpected but totally deserved victory over the Jets last night. I'll repay this by wishing the Jags well in their MNF appearance against Houston this evening.

 

[Skint Gull]

That'll do nicely. I was rather selfishly hoping some of the rumours about the Steelers coming might be true but I'll certainly settle for this one.

I think there will be more demand for tickets this year but I still don't think people who want to go will struggle. The past 2 years people could've got tix off others who'd been let down by mates for about half face value if they'd needed so should be straight forward enough (although now I've said that i'll probably be begging for a place in your Club Wembley area the week before Paddy!)

 

[Billy Mays]

I'm reasonably neutral about the Falcons which is odd given my abiding hatred of all things Georgian! As a proud Floridian Georgia represents the US equivalent of Hampshire to me! The Bulldogs are reserved for especial contempt. Toothless inbreds with a ridiculous accent.

 

[Starry]

watched the gators at the weekend with my brother, some awesome football going on. nasn were back to top form with their games this weekend, none of this putting bloody hockey on every ten minutes. hopefully they will pick well with their bowl games.

tebow was cracking, pass perfect just about everytime.

sam bradford at the sooners is on fire as well. i see he just had thumb surgery on sunday so wonder what impact that might have. it is not his throwing hand so hopefully he'll be back on form. we're mizzou fans and the sooners romped all over us 62-21, bit embarrassing really but they are a league above us.

should be a cracking bcs game though, the sooners defence is a bit wobbly but then there is no one like bradford in the sec.

back to the nfl - could have done with a minnesota defeat for the sake of my chicago. we've done much better than i thought we would this year so will be happy regardless, still quite close for that wildcard spot. minnesota are at arizona, then host atlanta and the giants. some tough games there. chicago have new orleans then green bay at home then finish up at houston. so all hope is not lost, yet!

 

[Skint Gull]

back to the nfl - could have done with a minnesota defeat for the sake of my chicago. we've done much better than i thought we would this year so will be happy regardless, still quite close for that wildcard spot. minnesota are at arizona, then host atlanta and the giants. some tough games there. chicago have new orleans then green bay at home then finish up at houston. so all hope is not lost, yet!

To be honest I expect Tampa + one of the teams from East to take the wildcard spots in the NFC so if you're gonna get in I think you need to finish ahead of the Vikings. Of the remaining fixtures I'd expect you to win 2 and them to probably only get 1 puting you on the same %. Does it then go by net points or head to head?

My Steelers are on a bit of a roll, massively due to our D again on Sunday night. Can't quite shake Baltimore so far but I think this weeks meeting should do it, I'd be amazed if we didn't get at least 2 or 3 turnovers against the rookie QB.

Trouble is with the NFL season it's just too short, it's almost over before you feel it's started!

 

[Billy Mays]

The Gators game was great on Saturday. I actually felt nervous before the start. Reminded me of what watching the Albion used to feel like! After recent blow out games it was nice to see them actually in a game for a change with the lead changing hands 4 times but all came right in the end.
National Championship game should be outstanding. Hoping that playing in Miami should give the Gators an advantage. Most people where I live are Gator fans. You did see the odd Seminole fan but they are to be pitied.

No comment on the NFL. Didn't even bother putting the telly on for the Jags latest no show. Can't quite work out what has happened there. Should congratulate Starry on a win for the Bears though even if playing Jacksonville is the equivalent of a bye that you get a win for!

 

[Starry]

yes, i agree about the wildcard skint gull. but it is mathematically certain we'll keep hoping. i can see us winning two and them losing one as well. yes the first way to break the tie between us and them should it happen will be the head to head - which is also a tie we both won once. then it comes down to your divisional standing and we can't catch them there i don't think - regardless of what happens in the last few games.

it was a great game on saturday, billy mays. we enjoyed it. i am fairly sure we'll get to see the bcs championship game on tv here but i would like to see a few of the other bowl games as well and nasn have a habit of picking the most bizarre fixtures.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Another Broncos win and I broke my duck with the Game Pass subscriptions as it's the first game we've won when I've paid to download it. If only we could get through a match without losing more players. Hillis' injury makes him our sixth running back to get a long term injury this season. We're now reliant on Tatum Bell who was selling mobile phones from a cart in a Denver shopping Mall until a few weeks ago.

 

[Starry]

new orleans 24 chicago 27

we won that in overtime. i stayed up to watch on the game pass, wasn't the best of games but a win is a win. hopefully arizona will do us a favour and beat minnesota.

 

[Skint Gull]

new orleans 24 chicago 27

we won that in overtime. i stayed up to watch on the game pass, wasn't the best of games but a win is a win. hopefully arizona will do us a favour and beat minnesota.

Rather you than me! Good result though, although i'm sure i'm not alone in expecting more from the Saints this season. Granted it has been a very tough division

 

[Skint Gull]

If ever game centre stats don't tell the whole story this is it. Just watched the highlights on NFL.com and before they started saw 226 total offensive yards for the Bears and i'm thinkin 'how can you possibly win a game with such dreadful offensive stats?'

Watch the highlights and see a KO return for nearly 100 yards and 2 massive PI calls for nearly 80 yards and all of a sudden it makes sense! Hester's definately making an impact on offense now but your defence is not as good as it was in the Superbowl year so even if you make it to the Playoff I can't see you really making an impact

 

[Starry]

that game pass kills me when there is a good game (or chicago!) on a thursday/monday night or the late game on sunday because i always think i will watch the first half and catch the rest tomorrow but then things are interesting and i can't pull myself away. it was 5am this morning i think when chicago finished up.

yes hester can do the business on that side of things, but the defence has been weak all season and is definitely not as good as the superbowl year. olsen is also pretty good, but when i saw the stats the two of them together had something like 80 yards then colston on his own for the saints had the same with two others on 50 ish yards. i think chicago have become full of avarage players.

steelers on tv this weekend, am hoping to cadge an invite to my brothers to watch. should be a good derby that. the minnesota game is on the red button at the same time so plenty of interest there for me.

 

[Skint Gull]

steelers on tv this weekend, am hoping to cadge an invite to my brothers to watch. should be a good derby that

Yeah and i'm going to a bloody wedding so will have to Sky plus it and watch it when i get in! I fancy our Defence to destroy Placco, just a case of can Big Ben get the offence going for the first time in a while!

 

[Skint Gull]

I fancy our Defence to destroy Placco,

Well that lad did pretty well but to keep a QB to 115 passing yards and 2 picks is still bloody good defence

just a case of can Big Ben get the offence going for the first time in a while!

Once again, no he can't until 5 minutes to go! Gotta say I don't think many teams will want to play us in the Playoffs because we just seem to be finding a way to win every week even without the offence doing much.

Surely we can't do this every week though, my nerves will be shot to shit of we do!

 

[Billy Mays]

Amongst all this play off talk can I just take a moment to say that after a miserable few weeks watching the Jags win this afternoon made me very happy. MJD is the best player in the league and you can call me Susan if it isn't so!

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Giants and the Cowboys just kicked off. Key game for the ‘Boys as they are desperate to make the playoffs. They’ve got Tony Romo back this time - he was injured for the first game when the Giants defense had one of its best games in a 35-14 victory. Their defense has lost some of its sharpness - so should be an interesting game in the offing.

Tony Romo - mmm……..baby back ribs in barbeque sauce.

 

[Starry]

cowboys did it then, lyndhurst. stats suggest romo did ok, didn't get to see any of that game.

well the cardinals did the bears no favours with that vikings win. we have to win two from two and hope the vikings get beat both times. probably a step too far but would be nice to have a little interest in the post season.

managed to watch most of the sky games last night - enjoyed seeing the buccs fall over themselves to lose that falcons game, went to overtime but they should have been kicked off the pitch all those penalties against them. every time it was off side, false start. was a good game. have been surprised by the falcons. ryan was a good pick from the draft, i read that his playbook from the ncaa was a quarter the size of the one he memorises now so he's done well.

i see sam bradford won the heisman this year. it should be a good title game. i am hoping nasn will show it. they don't put the schedule up until two weeks before so will keep checking.

 

[Da Man Clay]

managed to watch most of the sky games last night - enjoyed seeing the buccs fall over themselves to lose that falcons game, went to overtime but they should have been kicked off the pitch all those penalties against them. every time it was off side, false start. was a good game. have been surprised by the falcons. ryan was a good pick from the draft, i read that his playbook from the ncaa was a quarter the size of the one he memorises now so he's done well.
.

I think the lack of Garcia killed the Bucs last night - Griese, whilst not doing a bad job, just doesn't make things happen like Garcia does. A top quality defensive performance for the Bucs last night though, would expect we still make the play-offs but wont go much further than the wildcard game.

Ryan really is top class - as mentioned last night, he'll be setting the standards for QBs in three years time.