The OFFICIAL NFL 2012 Thread

[Gritt23]

Howdy. This is the first time I've ventured onto an NFL thread as I, as of this season, am a new FALCONS fan.

Basically my gf's cousin now lives in Atlanta and I've been bombarded with Falcons and Georgia Bulldogs merchandise/clothes so I thought it would only be polite to follow them now.

It seems I've brought good luck to the Falcons! Can someone tell me me whether they are always this good or if something dramatic has changed to allow them to be 6 without loss?

I understand the RULES and enjoy watching it but have NO previous knowledge of players/history of the game. Really trying to get a better knowledge.

Falcons : Not usually THIS good, as I believe it's the first time ever (or at least in a very long time) they have opened up 6-0, but, and it is a significant but, they have regularly looked good getting through the season only to run out of steam in the play-offs. While the Saints with Drew Brees have been the more succesful team in the play-offs, the Falcons seem to have often won the division with a 13-3 record (or similar) and then just blown up in post-season.

Last season, I think they were a wild card team, and got completely done by the Giants, which despite the Giants going on to win the SB, it was a surprise at teh time, as the Giants struggled to make post-season.

I think it was the season before that they stormed the season, and then got torn apart by the Packers. Again, they went on to win teh SB, so maybe the Falcons just get unlucky in who they come up against in post-season.

This is all in the Matt Ryan era of course, I'm not sure anyone talks about the Michael Vick days anymore. Their history books probably jump straight back to Jerry Glanvile leaving tickets on the gate for Elvis, and Prime Time dashing from the baseball field to set pulses racing at CB.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Thanks Gritt. That's a brilliant piece of info! So I will not get my hopes up too much until post-season time.

I feel completely out of touch watching it but love the actual sport (The first 5 games of so that I've watched) so I suppose that's the most important thing. Sky's coverage certainly helps.

 

[Stat Brother]

Sorry, that was just lazy of me .... I've looked it up. The Vikings "home" games next season (excl. divisional games, which we WON'T get) are:
Eagles
Redskins
Browns
Steelers
and whichever NFC South team finishes in the same position as the Vikings do in the North. Can't be this game, as the opponent won't have a chance to agree until the end of the regular season.

A tiny piece of me could be interested in seeing Bob3, as The Packers will never come.

But other than that, I'd still give it a miss, who'd wanna see the Viqueens.

 

[Gritt23]

Thanks Gritt. That's a brilliant piece of info! So I will not get my hopes up too much until post-season time.

I feel completely out of touch watching it but love the actual sport (The first 5 games of so that I've watched) so I suppose that's the most important thing. Sky's coverage certainly helps.

Forget hopes, and forget the post season, just enjoy the regular season because the Falcons will tear it up.

Saints - chaos. Scandal hit and their Head Coach is banned for the season. Vilma is also banned for the season, and they just look a franchise in turmoil to me.
Panthers - growing pains. I don't want to tempt fate too much or they will stuff my Cowboys in week 7, but they look like a team that still have some way to go. A lot rests on Cam Newton, and in truth, his numbers tailed off quite a bit in the 2nd half of last season. Teams have taken away his best throws, and he needs to expand his game accoprdingly (IMHO).

Buc - no! After the Wembley game loss to the Bears last year they completely collapsed, and although they've steadied themselves a bit, they aren't good yet.

So, it's the Falcons division without a doubt for me. But they need to reverse recent history to go far in the post-season.


You'll get into it very quickly, it's such a great game, and such a brilliantly level playing field that throws up surprises every single week, let alone every single season. Just take a look at the play-off teams the last 4-5 years and you'll see the changing of the guard is constant and that keeps the game so incredibly fresh.

 

[Gritt23]

A tiny piece of me could be interested in seeing Bob3, as The Packers will never come.

But other than that, I'd still give it a miss, who'd wanna see the Viqueens.

I would ... just to see AP play live. He is quite possibly my favourite player over the last 5 years.

I also like the look of all 4 of those opponents. While teh Browns would be the least celebrated opponent, I would love it, as they are my AFC team (albeit some considerable distance behind how closely I follow the Cowboys!) and I'd love to be there in my #45 Davis jersey.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Thanks Gritt. That's a brilliant piece of info! So I will not get my hopes up too much until post-season time.

I feel completely out of touch watching it but love the actual sport (The first 5 games of so that I've watched) so I suppose that's the most important thing. Sky's coverage certainly helps.

You should have fun watching the Falcons this year. Good offence and close games make for attractive viewing. As for the Bulldogs they were meant to be good until they got creamed by South Carolina, i could not believe how uncompetitive they were in that game. Check out Espn America for your college coverage it's normally a lot of fun to watch.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Sorry, that was just lazy of me .... I've looked it up. The Vikings "home" games next season (excl. divisional games, which we WON'T get) are:
Eagles
Redskins
Browns
Steelers
and whichever NFC South team finishes in the same position as the Vikings do in the North. Can't be this game, as the opponent won't have a chance to agree until the end of the regular season.

That is an appetising line-up (even the Browns have players worth watching), but please let it be the Redskins!

 

[Stat Brother]

I would ... just to see AP play live. He is quite possibly my favourite player over the last 5 years.

I also like the look of all 4 of those opponents. While teh Browns would be the least celebrated opponent, I would love it, as they are my AFC team (albeit some considerable distance behind how closely I follow the Cowboys!) and I'd love to be there in my #45 Davis jersey.

Bloody Fantasy, I scored the second highest points in the league, and still lost.

Typical Packers season.

 

[Brovion]

Howdy. This is the first time I've ventured onto an NFL thread as I, as of this season, am a new FALCONS fan.

Basically my gf's cousin now lives in Atlanta and I've been bombarded with Falcons and Georgia Bulldogs merchandise/clothes so I thought it would only be polite to follow them now.

It seems I've brought good luck to the Falcons! Can someone tell me me whether they are always this good or if something dramatic has changed to allow them to be 6 without loss?

I understand the RULES and enjoy watching it but have NO previous knowledge of players/history of the game. Really trying to get a better knowledge.

Falcons? You're lucky. I've been following the Cleveland Browns since 1983 and they've ALWAYS been shit - apart from the time when they didn't actually exist as the franchise moved to Baltimore. We did win the old AFC Central with an 8-8 record once and nearly beat the Dolphins in the play-offs.

Browns at Wembley? *crosses fingers*

 

[Gritt23]

Bloody Fantasy, I scored the second highest points in the league, and still lost.

Typical Packers season.

That's just how it goes sometimes. There was a guy in my Keeper League, who won his first game of the season, despite getting just 82 pts this week. He scored more than that in 4 of his 5 losses this season, including twice scoring over 100 and losing. That's just the way of it.

I feel sorry for anyone who got shredded by Shonn Greene this week!

 

[Hotchilidog]

That's just how it goes sometimes. There was a guy in my Keeper League, who won his first game of the season, despite getting just 82 pts this week. He scored more than that in 4 of his 5 losses this season, including twice scoring over 100 and losing. That's just the way of it.

I feel sorry for anyone who got shredded by Shonn Greene this week!

I've been lucky in my league, I've not scored particularly highly but just seem to have the right match up every week. 6-0 so far and waiting for the bubble to burst

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

I've been following the Cleveland Browns since 1983 and they've ALWAYS been shit - apart from the time when they didn't actually exist as the franchise moved to Baltimore. We did win the old AFC Central with an 8-8 record once and nearly beat the Dolphins in the play-offs.

Browns at Wembley? *crosses fingers*

so the 12-4 season in 1986 was a figment of my imagination then? And the following couple of winning seasons?....what about the 11-5 record the penultimate season before Modell took them East?? They may be shit now but to say they always have been...no way.

 

[Eggman]

so the 12-4 season in 1986 was a figment of my imagination then? And the following couple of winning seasons?....what about the 11-5 record the penultimate season before Modell took them East?? They may be shit now but to say they always have been...no way.

Are the Browns the only team without a SB appearance or have I made that up?

 

[Brovion]

so the 12-4 season in 1986 was a figment of my imagination then? And the following couple of winning seasons?....what about the 11-5 record the penultimate season before Modell took them East?? They may be shit now but to say they always have been...no way.

You're correct of course; the years of losing seasons (and the fact we're one of I think only four teams who haven't been to a Superbowl) have prejudiced me! Plus I've been trying to blank John Elway and 'that drive' out of my mind ...

 

[Eggman]

Ah ha. One of four. The other three?

Jaguars are one I would imagine...

 

[Brovion]

Ah ha. One of four. The other three?

Jaguars are one I would imagine...

I think the other three are the Texans, Jaguars and Lions.

 

[Bladders]

Texans, Lions, Jags and the Clowns have never been to the Super Bowl

 

[Bladders]

I'm really hoping its the Browns or Steelers who play the Vikes.

Bout time the AFC North was over here, plus I need someone to boo.

 

[Eggman]

I think the other three are the Texans, Jaguars and Lions.

Texans of course.

So Browns and Lions the only OLD franchises never to make it.

 

[Gritt23]

Texans of course.

So Browns and Lions the only OLD franchises never to make it.

Well, to be pedantic, I think the current Browns are technically an expansion franchise, as the original "OLD" franchise moved to the Baltimore, and changed the name to the Ravens.

But obviously it's true that a franchise called the "Browns" have never played in a SB despite many many years of trying.