― aidsy (aidsy), Thursday, 7 December 2006 00:38 (seventeen years ago) link
I think a big reason Tennessee's defense is looking better is that their offense is not constantly going three and out like they did with Collins at the beginning of the year. The Titans looked like the worse team in football back in September. I'd like to see what their defensive stats would rank in the last six games or so. Overall for the season they are still at the bottom of the pack, but they got absolutely destroyed by Dallas (w/Bledsoe) and the Chargers in the first month.
I kind of feel for Lovie Smith, either way he goes unless they get a Superbowl birth it will be bad. As bad as Grossman has played, the Bears are still 4th in the NFL in total scoring. I'd have to stay put, as the Bears have been playing pretty good defensive clubs for the last few weeks. They have already clinched the division and have a couple of gomer games with the Rams and Bucs. I'd let it ride for another game and a 1/2 before making that call. Of course, going to a vet like Griese is not quite the same as the Broncos going with Cutler. I'd hope that Griese would be ready to go. I think anything less than a Superbowl birth is going to be a let down for Chicago.
― earlnash (earlnash), Thursday, 7 December 2006 01:25 (seventeen years ago) link
― forksclovetofu (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 7 December 2006 01:46 (seventeen years ago) link
you aren't? are you a colts fan?? how can you not be delighted by this underdog success story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! tho i wouldn't be shocked if they got killed by the texans next week. but yeah, having a miserable offense does a lot to make life harder for your defense, especially since you often end up giving them bad field position to work with. this is where it becomes apparent how terrifyingly good Chicago's special teams are - if something happened to the defense, I think their STs would be good enough to win them a couple games by itself. anyway i'm not a big football outsiders fan, but they had some interesting stuff on how TEN killed the colts this week:
"The Colts are disadvantaged in their quest to blow teams out because of tempo. Our main statistics, DVOA and DPAR, are based on measuring each individual play compared to the league average. Plays are successful or not based on advancing toward a first down or touchdown. By that measure, the Colts rank first in the league in offense. Conventional statistics, both yards and points, rank the Colts third.
A reason for the mild discrepancy is that the Colts simply do not have the ball as often as other teams. Going into last week’s games, the Colts had eleven fewer possessions than any other team, the equivalent of a full game’s worth of opportunities. On a per possession basis, the Colts average the most yards, the most points, and the fewest punts. The difference in yards between them and second place New Orleans was larger than the difference between New Orleans and 12th place Denver.
Indianapolis gets fewer possessions in part because of their defense’s design. The Colts are built to get the opposition into obvious passing downs. Ideally, this happens when the Colts grab a big lead, as was the case last year. In close games, they rely on making a big play on first or second down and getting the team into third-and-long. The defense focuses on keeping most plays in front of them, requiring their opposition to put together a string of successful plays. Inevitably, a run defense even as bad as the Colts’ will make a stop for no gain.
Also, the more plays the opposition runs, the higher the chances for a turnover. The Colts rank 10th overall in turnovers created, but they rank third in turnovers created per opponents drive.
The Colts would prefer to score quickly, but opposing defenses have adopted the same strategy as the Indianapolis defense. If your personnel are overmatched, prevent the big play and hope to make one big play yourself. The Titans were not perfect at this, giving up two big completions to Marvin Harrison, but they were good enough.
This resulting combination of offensive efficiency, a bend but don’t break defensive philosophy, poor rushing defense, and cautious opposition dramatically limits possessions. The Colts have the longest average drives in terms of plays and time of possession on both offense and defense. Fewer possessions magnify any offensive mistake the Colts make.
A week ago, Philadelphia took this strategy to the extreme by playing exclusively a nickel defense. The Colts responded by gashing them with Joseph Addai. This week, the Titans adopted a cautious defense, but thanks to their athletic linebackers, they were able to play most downs in a base 4-3 defense.
The Colts tried to run through this defense as well, but the Titans were able to control the Indianapolis ground game. Addai and Dominic Rhodes were limited to 95 yards on 28 carries. The Tennessee run defense stiffened considerably in the second half when it allowed 12 yards on 10 running back carries. Peyton Manning is oft criticized for padding his own stats, but at least on Sunday, he should have thrown the ball more often.
The defensive line did its job by preventing the Colts linemen from getting to the second level, but the plays were made by the linebackers. Keith Bulluck, Peter Sirmon, and David Thornton were all over the field. The play of Thornton, in particular, was noteworthy since he left Indianapolis as a free agent. Thornton was never made an offer by the Colts, so he must be pleased on some level to see the run defense struggling without him.
The linebackers were able to stay on the field to stop the run because they excel in pass defense. They played in coverage on a number of plays, and only once, on a pass to Bryan Fletcher, did they give up a big play. Meanwhile, Manning’s first interception came when Thornton whacked Marvin Harrison, forcing the ball loose and into the hands of Sirmon. The second interception came on a great individual play by Bulluck, who read Manning the whole way and made a perfect play on a pass intended for Fletcher."
― aidsy (aidsy), Thursday, 7 December 2006 02:43 (seventeen years ago) link
Reading the paper today, where every move kosar makes is recorded, koachar wants U of M to create a special position for him to oversee the football program. The dude has been insane now for several years. We are seeing the results.
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Thursday, 7 December 2006 14:22 (seventeen years ago) link
Also, I predict a mention of Derek Andersons big feet within three minutes of cleveland having the ball.
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Thursday, 7 December 2006 14:26 (seventeen years ago) link
* this is my approximation of how Adam Schefter inappropriately SHOUTS the subjects of his statements.
― Allyzay is cool: with Blue n White, with Eli Manning, with NY Giants (Allyzay Ei, Thursday, 7 December 2006 15:39 (seventeen years ago) link
― Allyzay is cool: with Blue n White, with Eli Manning, with NY Giants (Allyzay Ei, Thursday, 7 December 2006 15:40 (seventeen years ago) link
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Thursday, 7 December 2006 16:43 (seventeen years ago) link
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Thursday, 7 December 2006 16:48 (seventeen years ago) link
― Allyzay is cool: with Blue n White, with Eli Manning, with NY Giants (Allyzay Ei, Thursday, 7 December 2006 16:56 (seventeen years ago) link
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Thursday, 7 December 2006 17:01 (seventeen years ago) link
― Allyzay is cool: with Blue n White, with Eli Manning, with NY Giants (Allyzay Ei, Thursday, 7 December 2006 17:04 (seventeen years ago) link
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Thursday, 7 December 2006 17:06 (seventeen years ago) link
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Thursday, 7 December 2006 17:09 (seventeen years ago) link
― Allyzay is cool: with Blue n White, with Eli Manning, with NY Giants (Allyzay Ei, Thursday, 7 December 2006 17:11 (seventeen years ago) link
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Thursday, 7 December 2006 17:20 (seventeen years ago) link
― Allyzay is cool: with Blue n White, with Eli Manning, with NY Giants (Allyzay Ei, Thursday, 7 December 2006 17:22 (seventeen years ago) link
― Eisbär (Eisbär), Thursday, 7 December 2006 17:29 (seventeen years ago) link
― Eisbär (Eisbär), Thursday, 7 December 2006 17:30 (seventeen years ago) link
― David RER (Frank Fiore), Thursday, 7 December 2006 18:09 (seventeen years ago) link
― Allyzay is cool: with Blue n White, with Eli Manning, with NY Giants (Allyzay Ei, Thursday, 7 December 2006 21:35 (seventeen years ago) link
The Colts defense is soooo poor. They don't give up the big plays like they were prone to under Mora, but teams complete like 60% of their passes and run rampent over them. They are not getting the turnovers or sacks like they did the past couple of years. That speed and agression is also being used against them as teams will kill them sometimes on trap plays.
― earlnash (earlnash), Friday, 8 December 2006 00:47 (seventeen years ago) link
Bernie's sounding more and more like some shopping bag lady.
― Ice Ice Cream Baby (The Dirty Vicar), Friday, 8 December 2006 00:48 (seventeen years ago) link
― I Am Curious (George) (Slight Return) (Rock Hardy), Friday, 8 December 2006 02:31 (seventeen years ago) link
pathetic.
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Friday, 8 December 2006 14:00 (seventeen years ago) link
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Friday, 8 December 2006 14:03 (seventeen years ago) link
― Eisbär (Eisbär), Friday, 8 December 2006 16:06 (seventeen years ago) link
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Friday, 8 December 2006 17:09 (seventeen years ago) link
On top of that the Browns need an o-line (LeCharles Bentley looks to be gone for next season as well) and some sort of pass rush.
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Friday, 8 December 2006 17:24 (seventeen years ago) link
― clevo lk (clevo lk), Friday, 8 December 2006 17:32 (seventeen years ago) link
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Friday, 8 December 2006 17:56 (seventeen years ago) link
I wonder how that 5-7 back Garrett Wolfe from Northern Illinois will do in the pros. Joe Morris did pretty good for the Giants back in the 80s. I've seen Parcells say that Morris' size was actually a benefit as he would get "lost" behind the linemen and then was a hard target to hit as his center of gravity was so low.
I like the games on the NFL network. At least they are only trying to sell me on watching more football instead of some crap show Fox has the announcers hawking every two downs. Collinsworth is much better at working a game than being one of those guys in a studio. Collinsworth does actually pick up some pretty good game situation obervations. Anything is better than that MNF abomination crew, if you listen to them, you won't even know they are watching a football game.
― earlnash (earlnash), Saturday, 9 December 2006 00:25 (seventeen years ago) link
― PPlains (PPlains), Saturday, 9 December 2006 00:44 (seventeen years ago) link
― grbchv! (gbx), Saturday, 9 December 2006 01:30 (seventeen years ago) link
as i've said a zillion other times, i knew rick proehl (from the st. louis rams) from my high school days.
― Eisbär (Eisbär), Saturday, 9 December 2006 01:38 (seventeen years ago) link
― Ice Ice Cream Baby (The Dirty Vicar), Saturday, 9 December 2006 02:18 (seventeen years ago) link
DUDE... how old are you??
― aidsy (aidsy), Saturday, 9 December 2006 02:51 (seventeen years ago) link
whoa when was this announced?
I didn't really watch the game, but in the one snippet I caught collinsworth was talking up ted washington and how he's ALL THE BROWNS NEED for run defense. i thought that was funny in light of FWP's 9,000 yards or whatever. also lol @ K2's cheapshot.
― aidsy (aidsy), Saturday, 9 December 2006 02:55 (seventeen years ago) link
And yes, the Browns still suck. How the hell did they beat the Chiefs last week?
Why the hell would the Browns draft a running back when they don't even have an offensive line? I don't care how good a running back you are. If you don't have a line, you're nothing (adieu, Edgerrin James).
― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Saturday, 9 December 2006 03:36 (seventeen years ago) link
― Eisbär (Eisbär), Saturday, 9 December 2006 04:28 (seventeen years ago) link
http://www.carsonpalmer9.com/img/cornhole_classic.jpg
― aidsy (aidsy), Sunday, 10 December 2006 18:22 (seventeen years ago) link
― Ms Misery (MsMisery), Sunday, 10 December 2006 21:26 (seventeen years ago) link
― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Monday, 11 December 2006 01:34 (seventeen years ago) link
― horseshoe (horseshoe), Monday, 11 December 2006 02:57 (seventeen years ago) link
also: lol @ Al Michaels reading NFL teams the riot act for game-break pryo
― David RER (Frank Fiore), Monday, 11 December 2006 03:21 (seventeen years ago) link
― Name Not Found (rogermexico), Monday, 11 December 2006 03:24 (seventeen years ago) link
― horseshoe (horseshoe), Monday, 11 December 2006 03:36 (seventeen years ago) link
― horseshoe (horseshoe), Monday, 11 December 2006 03:40 (seventeen years ago) link
You got to love the Saints.
― debito (debito), Monday, 11 December 2006 03:41 (seventeen years ago) link