The NFL Thread

[Carrotdude]

Steelers at home against the Ravens at 1am UK time.

Make or break for the Ravens

Expecting a steelers win but no Bell for them will make it closer

 

[James]

Expecting a steelers win but no Bell for them will make it closer

Flacco was in top form and it was a good victory in the end.

At the patriots next saturday for the Ravens.

 

[Toon Wolf]

Panthers shooting themselves in the foot so far, down 14-10 thanks to an interception and messed up punt catch. Cardinals have only gone about 70 yards total

I know it was with a 4th string QB, but that Cardinals team was the worst team I have ever seen in the playoffs. It was painful watching them be so God awful.

 

[The Bear]

It's telling that they said on comms that Larry Fitzgerald is one of the best ever WRs in Cardinals History. He's not even that good.

 

[Alan]

Larry Fitzgerald has been one of the best WRs in NFL history, much less Arizona history.

 

[Toon Wolf]

Key words there, Alan: has been...

 

[The Bear]

I've only seen him this season. Hasn't really done much other than link up well with Palmer so I guess he's suffered from him being injured a lot.

 

[Alan]

I've only seen him this season. Hasn't really done much other than link up well with Palmer so I guess he's suffered from him being injured a lot.

Aye, that's the truth of things. He's been absolutely exceptional throughout his career. He isn't as physically spectacular as a Calvin Johnson but he's every bit as good, IMO.

 

[Johnny75]

Aye, that's the truth of things. He's been absolutely exceptional throughout his career. He isn't as physically spectacular as a Calvin Johnson but he's every bit as good, IMO.

Absolutely Alan, Fitzgerald's still a beast now, one of the best I've ever seen. Fitzgerald and Boldin are one of the best WR sets I've seen too.

Johnson is a different class of player, a true one off.

 

[Alan]

I remember seeing that live and thinking myself, "he's going to be a hall of famer".

 

[Toon Wolf]

Early this week the NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino is videoed out on a party bus with Dallas Cowboys owner's son Stephen Jones. Fast forward to tonight and the Cowboys are beneficiaries of one of the most blatantly wrong officiating calls I've ever witnessed. I'm sorry, there is just no way that looks good for the integrity of the NFL. I am willing to bet now that when the Patriots play the Ravens next weekend there is at least 1 very dubious and game changing officiating call that goes in favour of New England. Wait and see.

Did you know that the NFL license is not a license for a sports business by the way, it is a license for an entertainment business, the exact same type of license that the WWE has? Funny that...

 

[Alan]

That party bus incident happened before the season started, IIRC.

 

[Toon Wolf]

That party bus incident happened before the season started, IIRC.

Sorry you're right. I read a report that began "Earlier this week..." but hadn't spotted that the report was dated August. Nonetheless it still does not look good for the integrity of the NFL does it, especially when the organisation the leagues head of officiating with are the beneficiaries of one of the most blatantly terrible calls in NFL history.

I love watching the NFL, but I am not under any illusions that what I am watching is a completely fair, open and honest brand of sport. The NFL is fairly blatant about the fact that these are not 32 separate sporting organisations but 32 branches of the same ENTERTAINMENT business, and what is best for the NFL is what matters most. And what is best for the NFL is the large market teams like Dallas, New England, New York etc being successful. They NEED one or two of the biggest market teams to be progressing into the latter stages of the playoffs, especially the ones with the owners who are the wealthiest ie Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones. IMO it is no coincidence that Robert Kraft is the owner behind the most recent deal with the officials and the Patriots getting some very dubious officiating calls go their way. The NFL for all its claims of parity, which is an admirable goal, is not a level playing field.

If you think that terrible, and game changing, call was an honest officiating mistake, fair enough. I personally do not. I think it was something far more sinister at work. How did the official who ushered Dez Bryant off the field not throw a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct against him? Entering the field of play, especially without your helmet on, is an automatic 15 yard penalty, but not a thing. The Lions got jobbed on that whole incident, it took points off the board for them and the Cowboys followed it up with a TD drive that gave them a momentum in the game that totally changed the outcome. That officiating was beyond awful, it was corrupt. IMO.

 

[Alan]

I choose to remain ignorant. What else can we do? If the game is a fraud then what enjoyment can be had?

 

[Johnny75]

Tin hat stuff at it's best Toon. Crackers but an enjoyable conspiracy nonetheless.

I don't think it's corrupt and American sport in general takes a pretty dim view of match fixing as far back as the 'Black Sox' debacle of the 20's.

 

[Toon Wolf]

Tin hat stuff at it's best Toon. Crackers but an enjoyable conspiracy nonetheless.

I don't think it's corrupt and American sport in general takes a pretty dim view of match fixing as far back as the 'Black Sox' debacle of the 20's.

Maybe, but do you honestly believe that there is absolutely no connection between the leagues head of officiating partying with the owners of the Cowboys and their team subsequently getting the benefit of an absolutely terrible officiating call? Can you say hand on heart that it doesn't appear at best lacking in integrity or at worst outright corrupt? Can you say hand on heart that the link between Kraft negotiating the pay agreement between the league and the officials and the Patriots seemingly getting a huge amount of dubious calls doesn't sit somewhat uncomfortably? It shouldn't and won't prevent me from continuing to watch the NFL and support the Bills, but everytime a truly terrible call occurs like the one the Lions fans suffered yesterday, a small, cynical part of me will wonder why it happened. And you're a Ravens fan, so enjoy the game against the Patriots this coming weekend, because I reckon the Ravens will have to play the Patriots plus at least 1 terrible, terrible officiating decision that could alter the course of the game should it be a close game.

 

[Alan]

Keep in mind, this ref team had never worked together before. That's a huge confounding variable.

 

[Toon Wolf]

Keep in mind, this ref team had never worked together before. That's a huge confounding variable.

They didn't need to have worked together before to know that was pass interference. My dead cat knew it was pass interference. It was as blatant as it gets. Sorry, that gets called 999 times out of 1000. There was absolutely no reason to pick that flag up, none whatsoever, unless of course they received 'advice' in their earpiece otherwise...

 

[Alan]

There are quite a few former players and coaches in the media over here who disagree with you. I don't, but I'm just pointing out.

 

[Johnny75]

They didn't need to have worked together before to know that was pass interference. My dead cat knew it was pass interference. It was as blatant as it gets. Sorry, that gets called 999 times out of 1000. There was absolutely no reason to pick that flag up, none whatsoever, unless of course they received 'advice' in their earpiece otherwise...

It was a terrible call I agree with that. I don't think there's any pressure from anybody though. Just my opinion of course.

I'm a Saints fan Toon and my lot got caught with their pants down royally when they were being naughty. Belicek was also pretty heavily dealt with when he was caught too.