2012 NFL Season Thread

[transplant99]

Seattle Seahawks starting cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner are facing four-game suspensions for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, according to league sources.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/86...nsions-sources

[Drake]

I don't see anyway Norv Turner keeps his job as they are likely outta of the playoff picture with their 7th loss today in OT. But I could care less about that as Baltimore strengths their lead in the AFC North which looked like it wasn't gonna to happen at times in that game.

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by Drake

I don't see anyway Norv Turner keeps his job as they are likely outta of the playoff picture with their 7th loss today in OT. But I could care less about that as Baltimore strengths their lead in the AFC North which looked like it wasn't gonna to happen at times in that game.

i agree about turner but it isnt him missing tackles on a 4th and 29... the chargers continue to find ways to lose... just call them the western Dallas Cowboys. pathetic

[Sylvanfan]

Hmm..I guess all the Giants needed was a bye week. They took the Packers out behind the wood shed and whipped them good tonight.

Denver pretty much clinches the AFC West with their win today. I guess they need one more win to make it official, but they should have it next week. Pittsburgh might be in trouble if Ben can't get back here quick. They face Baltimore on the road next week, likely without him, so they could be down to 6-6 and fall a game back of Cincinatti. The Colts look to be in good shape for a playoff spot too as they only need to win 2 of their 5 remaining games to get in. Even 1 could be enough as the AFC continues to be pretty unimpressive outside of the top 3-4 teams.

San Francisco is certainly the real deal, and Atlanta despite their flaws still have a great W-L record. The Giants at times look like they could be the best team of the group. So it should be an interesting finish. The final playoff spot could get interesting if the Seahawks are without both corners for a 4 game stretch.

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Hmm..I guess all the Giants needed was a bye week. They took the Packers out behind the wood shed and whipped them good tonight.

Denver pretty much clinches the AFC West with their win today. I guess they need one more win to make it official, but they should have it next week. Pittsburgh might be in trouble if Ben can't get back here quick. They face Baltimore on the road next week, likely without him, so they could be down to 6-6 and fall a game back of Cincinatti. The Colts look to be in good shape for a playoff spot too as they only need to win 2 of their 5 remaining games to get in. Even 1 could be enough as the AFC continues to be pretty unimpressive outside of the top 3-4 teams.

San Francisco is certainly the real deal, and Atlanta despite their flaws still have a great W-L record. The Giants at times look like they could be the best team of the group. So it should be an interesting finish. The final playoff spot could get interesting if the Seahawks are without both corners for a 4 game stretch.

If you had told me at the start of the year that the Colts would make the playoffs I would have called you insane. It's amazing what a QB and cupcake schedule can do. If the first round playoff game was played at LOS I could see the Colts having a chance, but they'll be blown out by any of the 4 division winners on the road. For the other wildcard spot I can see Big Ben coming back earlier than expected and playing through the pain because he is a tough SOB and leading the Steelers to the playoffs.

Atlanta is probably the least scary 10-1 team in recent memory. I could see them losing to any of San Francisco, NYG, Green Bay or Chicago in the first playoffs easily.

If Sherman and Browner's 4 game suspension is upheld I think the Seahawks will completely drop out of the wildcard race leaving it to GB/Chi for spot #1 and then between NO/TB/Min/Dal. I think Washington is going to drop out of the race. Out of those 4 teams I hope the Saints would get the Wildcard.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

The problem with that is that the top 4 teams in the AFC might be the top 4 teams in the league.

One could make the argument.

I don't think that's remotely true. The four best teams in the AFC are Houston, Denver, New England, and Baltimore. New England has lost to every NFC team they've played, except the Rams. Baltimore lost to a terrible Eagles team. Houston got smoked by the Packers, and Denver looked less than impressive against Atlanta.

[DropIt]

About as good of a weekend as you can ask for from a Chicago perspective. Every NFC North team lost this week except for them, distancing themselves one more game from everyone, which is especially big against the Packers.

Nice to see that Cutler's return gave the team their life back, hopefully they can protect him from here on out.

[Drake]

Ray to Lewis to start practicing Thursday, back be for the Denver game?

A source close to Lewis said the 37-year-old linebacker has been aggressively treating his triceps injury with a variation of the platelet-rich plasma therapy that helped injured Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Hines Ward return from a knee sprain to play in the team's Super Bowl XLIII victory.

The source said Lewis could practice as soon as this Thursday — the day he's eligible to do so after having been placed on the "injured reserve designated to return" list six weeks earlier — and almost certainly will return sometime in the next month. Depending upon the way his arm responds, Lewis could be activated to face the Broncos (the first game for which he'd be eligible), or for the following week's home game against the New York Giants — or, if a more conservative approach is favored, Baltimore's playoff opener. "He might not be back until we really need him," Ayanbadejo said. "Pittsburgh losing probably gives us more time."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--mo...104935310.html

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I don't think that's remotely true. The four best teams in the AFC are Houston, Denver, New England, and Baltimore. New England has lost to every NFC team they've played, except the Rams. Baltimore lost to a terrible Eagles team. Houston got smoked by the Packers, and Denver looked less than impressive against Atlanta.

The Ravens almost lost to the Chiefs.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I don't think that's remotely true. The four best teams in the AFC are Houston, Denver, New England, and Baltimore. New England has lost to every NFC team they've played, except the Rams. Baltimore lost to a terrible Eagles team. Houston got smoked by the Packers, and Denver looked less than impressive against Atlanta.

NE was unlucky not to beat AZ and SEA. The defence is better since then too.

Who will be peaking after Xmas?

We talk and talk and talk about teams, and in the end it is pretty much the usual suspects in the final four.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

The Ravens almost lost to the Chiefs.

That's a terrible arguement though...

The Steelers and Bronco's also barely beat the Chiefs and the Saints lost to them. Does that mean those three teams are also no good? Every single NFL team has a game where you can say, well they didn't beat this team so they must suck....the Packers blew a lead against Indy, the Niners tied the Rams at home, the Patriots lost to the Cardinals, the Texans needed OT at home to beat Jacksonville etc....

Baltimore is a much better team at home than they are on the road, so for them the key is to keep themselves in position where they would get a first round bye and hold home field for the second round of the playoffs.

It will be interesting to watch because the 4 Division leaders all have pretty big leads and will have their Divisions wrapped up with at least 3 weeks to go in the season. I expect they'll all play hard trying to earn higher seeding positions for the playoffs. But I'd be pretty surprised if it's not two of those 4 teams in the title game.

In the NFC it looks like there will be one Division battle in the North. Maybe in the East if the Giants start playing inconsistant. Maybe one of the Wild Card teams can get hot there and make a playoff run.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

It will be interesting to watch because the 4 Division leaders all have pretty big leads and will have their Divisions wrapped up with at least 3 weeks to go in the season. I expect they'll all play hard trying to earn higher seeding positions for the playoffs. But I'd be pretty surprised if it's not two of those 4 teams in the title game.
.

Three AFC divisions can be locked up on the weekend, as can one in the NFC. The scenarios to clinch a division/playoff berth are:

New England clinches the AFC East with a win at Miami next weekend.

Baltimore clinches the AFC North with, Baltimore win (vs Pittsburgh) + Cincinnati loss (at San Diego).

Baltimore clinches a playoff berth with, Baltimore win, or, Baltimore tie + Cincinnati lose.

Denver clinches the AFC West with, Denver win (vs Tampa Bay), or, San Diego loss, or, Denver tie + San Diego tie.

Houston clinches a playoff berth with, Houston win (@ Tennessee), or, Miami loss/tie + Cincinnati lose/tie, or, Miami loss/tie + Pittsburgh loss/tie, or, Cincinnati loss + Pittsburgh loss.

Did you all get that how Houston can clinch a playoff berth? I didn't think so.

Atlanta can clinch the NFC South with, Atlanta win (vs. New Orleans) + Tampa Bay loss/tie, or, Atlanta tie + Tampa Bay loss.

[troutman]

Peter King predicts wild card games:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...&sct=hp_t12_a0

So here's how I see the Wild Card round on the first weekend of January:

NFC (Byes: Atlanta and San Francisco): Green Bay at the Giants (Saturday night, NBC), Washington at Chicago (early Sunday, FOX).

AFC (Byes: Houston and New England):Cincinnati at Baltimore (Saturday afternoon, NBC), Indianapolis at Denver (late Sunday, CBS).

I repeat: Andrew Luck at Peyton Manning. The Irsay Bowl.

[KelVarnsen]

King Dunlap is just terrible.

[transplant99]

Eagles are in a complete meltdown...unreal.

[GirlySports]

That looks like me defending out there! Can they fire Reid mid-game?

[CaramonLS]

I don't understand how you can have one of the best 1-2 combos for CBs in the NFL and get shredded like that.

[KelVarnsen]

Is Reid fired yet?

[transplant99]

LOL eagles....holy crap can they find ANYONE who will protect the football?

Just...mind bottling.

[Five-hole]

Newton is fun to watch.