2008 NFL Regular Season Thread.

[Bobblehead]

Ref's union are standing behind their man.

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/s...16.wsptref1609

The NFLRA stands by Ed Hochuli as a 19-year veteran with multiple Super Bowl and countless playoff game experience who has the integrity and character to admit a mistake and accept the criticism that comes with it.

It was a mistake. It happens, it was just this was at a critical juncture.

They aren't going to change this rule, where a QB is involved the ref's whistle will stop the play and nothing can be done about it.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

The thing is he is one of the better refs the NFL has....sad to see him get bumped down like this. But on the other hand, it's great to see refs being held accountable for their mistakes.

Agreed. He's always been my favourite ref, and I think he calls a fair game. But it's good to see that the NFL isn't playing favourites, and just looking at the situation for what it is: a ref made an incorrect call that directly caused a team to lose a game it should have won.

Still, I'm sure Hocheli will work his way back up to where he was, which IMO is as being considered the top referee in the league. He'll just have to get used to getting the McGeough treatment in San Diego the rest of his career.

[Saint Troy]

Originally Posted by Fire

It just shows how bush league the NFL is. I can't wait until the next CFL game so I can watch some real football.

wow.....

I think my mourning period is over, after the ugliness that was the Washington game. Watching the Broncos/Chargers game, and all I could think about was what item would be broken in my house if that call happened to the Saints, unreal. Took some real brass by Shanahan to go for two, that kind of call really galvanizes a team. I think the Saints are in for it on Sunday, hopefully Cutler gets the flu.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I was thinking last night...don't the Chiefs look stupid now for passing over Rodgers in that draft when they had a 35 year old Trent Green and knew they would need another QB one day in the near future. I don't think theres a team in the NFL in worse shape at the QB position than the Chiefs are right now.

Its only been two games but I have to say Rodgers has looked real good so far. I guess this is what the GB coaching staff saw, when they were playing hardball with #4.

Good for him, there were a million opportunities for Rodgers to not handle that situation with class, and he bit his tongue every single time.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Saint Troy

wow.....

I think my mourning period is over, after the ugliness that was the Washington game. Watching the Broncos/Chargers game, and all I could think about was what item would be broken in my house if that call happened to the Saints, unreal. Took some real brass by Shanahan to go for two, that kind of call really galvanizes a team. I think the Saints are in for it on Sunday, hopefully Cutler gets the flu.

ya, way to many injuries on what was already shallow defense to begin with. Tough for anyone to win with that many injuries.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

The thing is he is one of the better refs the NFL has....sad to see him get bumped down like this. But on the other hand, it's great to see refs being held accountable for their mistakes.

Yes, they have a great system in place. I think Hochuli is the second best actually, right behind Mike Carey. Hochuli always goes out of his way to explain the calls he makes. I like that.

He messed up. He obviously thought it was a forward pass initially or he wouldn't have blown the whistle. Once that happened, however, he followed the rulebook to the letter. Now they are talking about eliminating the inadvertant whistle rule....I think that's very dangerous territory.

The purpose of the whistle is to stop play. It's for the safety of the players. A whistle ends the play. If we start having players ignoring whistles people are going to get hurt. On the other side of the coin, if a whistle doesn't necessarily end a play how are they going to ensure that the continuation of the whistled play is equitable? They can't.

I don't think the Chargers can cry too much to be honest. They had 4th down and goal to go and couldn't stop Denver to preserve the win. They they had another chance on the 2 pt conversion to stop them and preserve the win. Couldn't get either done.

I would be bitching if I was a Chargers fan, just like I do when something like this happens to the Broncos or the Flames, but in the end you have to make sure you do enough that something like this is just an afterthought.

For the record, I think the Chargers are good enough to overcome the 0-2 start. They'll be fine. I hate Rivers, but he impressed the hell out of me on Sunday.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

Its only been two games but I have to say Rodgers has looked real good so far. I guess this is what the GB coaching staff saw, when they were playing hardball with #4.

Good for him, there were a million opportunities for Rodgers to not handle that situation with class, and he bit his tongue every single time.

I like to think that he and Favre talk every week and are still good friends. I hope that's the case.

[The Ditch]

Something about the way Rivers throws the ball seems off to me, it's hard to describe, it seems his hands aren't big enough for the ball so he kind of scoops it.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

I like to think that he and Favre talk every week and are still good friends. I hope that's the case.

Originally Posted by Peter King

Rodgers is in a weird spot with Favre. At the end of last season, the formerly chilly relationship got warm, with Rodgers going to Favre's home for dinner. But a frost settled over the friendship in the offseason, when Favre retired and then came back, hopeful of getting his old job back, a job the Packers had given to Rodgers. When they both went to the ESPYs in Los Angeles, they didn't connect, even though they were in the same audience. I asked if the relationship was harmed forever.

"I sure hope not,'' Rodgers said. "I have so much admiration for Brett. I would love for the relationship to go back to what it was.''

From this week's MMQB by Peter King

[Bobblehead]

CBSSportsline rank my Niners 20th!

I don't think there is any reason to believe they are better than the Browns, Vikings, or Redskins. I'd probably put them at 25-28, but heck, for this week I'll take it.


http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10980376/rss

[EldrickOnIce]

Eagles should be way hgigher than 12th.
That is one mother of a tough division. Sucks for any RedSkins fans out there...

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Eagles should be way hgigher than 12th.
That is one mother of a tough division. Sucks for any RedSkins fans out there...

Agreed. Toughest division in the NFL in the last 10 years IMO. Actually, I think the Giants should be ahead of the Cowgirls.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Yes, they have a great system in place. I think Hochuli is the second best actually, right behind Mike Carey. Hochuli always goes out of his way to explain the calls he makes. I like that.

He messed up. He obviously thought it was a forward pass initially or he wouldn't have blown the whistle. Once that happened, however, he followed the rulebook to the letter. Now they are talking about eliminating the inadvertant whistle rule....I think that's very dangerous territory.

The purpose of the whistle is to stop play. It's for the safety of the players. A whistle ends the play. If we start having players ignoring whistles people are going to get hurt. On the other side of the coin, if a whistle doesn't necessarily end a play how are they going to ensure that the continuation of the whistled play is equitable? They can't.

I don't think the Chargers can cry too much to be honest. They had 4th down and goal to go and couldn't stop Denver to preserve the win. They they had another chance on the 2 pt conversion to stop them and preserve the win. Couldn't get either done.

I would be bitching if I was a Chargers fan, just like I do when something like this happens to the Broncos or the Flames, but in the end you have to make sure you do enough that something like this is just an afterthought.

For the record, I think the Chargers are good enough to overcome the 0-2 start. They'll be fine. I hate Rivers, but he impressed the hell out of me on Sunday.

Agree Carey is the best.

It is certainly a slippery slope to say that you can play past a whistle. I think you HAVE to coach players to play hard, then once you hear a whistle, wind it down to a stop. If you don't then some will wind down, some won't and everyone will get injured. It has to be hard wired that whistle equals play over.

One thing they do from time to time is just let the play, play out then sort it out after which is a much better scenario. Although I guess you say that then you never blow the whistle after a play just in case ... then again some will stop some won't.

I think the Chargers have all the right in the world to complain, they got jobbed and earned the W, but this may be one where we except there are is a glitch, because no other scenario is better.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Seahawks acquire Keary Colbert from Denver and signe Koren Robinson. Sounds like Robinson might finally have his head on straight.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

It will be interesting to see what Denver does with that roster spot.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Seahawks acquire Keary Colbert from Denver and signe Koren Robinson. Sounds like Robinson might finally have his head on straight.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

It will be interesting to see what Denver does with that roster spot.

Hmm for a 5th round pick. great trade.

[GirlySports]

I like the new ref Steratore(?). He did the Colts-Vikings game.
His calls are firm and he gives good explanations.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I like the new ref Steratore(?). He did the Colts-Vikings game.
His calls are firm and he gives good explanations.

His crew had a pretty bad game too. Pretty controversial call on the Addai TD which completely changed the complexion of that game.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by rubecube

His crew had a pretty bad game too. Pretty controversial call on the Addai TD which completely changed the complexion of that game.

I thought the ball crossed. We're talking millimeters so it's hard for the ref to overturn the call on the field.

I agree the call before that when they called a TD when Wayne fell short was clearly missed.

NFL is just too fast now, there will be missed calls in every game that hopefully replay will correct.

[browna]

I like Colbert, and thank goodness for bringing him in as well as a bonafide NFL player, because I don't trust Robinson.

He may have his act together, but he very well may not.

SEA GM and ownership resisted bringing him in last week (Holmgren wanted him) mainly thanks to not wanting to deal with all potential the trouble he got into when he was with SEA last (some of it publiced, some of it now...proof was in the pudding as soon as he got pushed out from under the Seahawks blanket. Only out of PURE desperation did they have to be forced to bring him in now after that latest two injuries last week. He's said the right things and done the right things, but I'd be leery that he's going to be around when the top 3 guys get back, probably in 3 weeks after the bye...but they needed warm bodies and he does have an idea of the system.

Related, Seneca Wallace is out for a month...and the creampuff blames him not being in shape for being a WR as the reason for him pulling a calf/straining/tearing it, whatever.

First of all, his only skill that I can see is that he possesses is that he can run, and fast, as a QB. Shouldn't he be ready to be in physical shape to run routes if he's supposedly already in shape to play backup QB? Weak.

But, its good news. It means a better QB in Frye gets to take more reps, and hopefully it means Wallace can fade away into obscurity and off the team.

My disdain for Hasslebeck aside, his best years was when he had a QB who could push him and challenege him and be a threat to take his spot, the guy that did that the best was Trent Dilfer a few years back...with Wallace the last few years, Hasselbeck had no pressue, Wallace had horrible decision making skills, a rainbow for a throw, and realizes that NFL is qucikker then college and he can't run away from trouble like he could in NCAA. Plain and simple, he's a poor backup QB skill wise.
Jeff Garcia, anyone? Not to happen, but that's what Hasselbeck needs to stay on edge..his coach isn't allowed to yell at him for 5 minues after a boneheaded play, so maybe some internal competition will get Hasselbeck back on track and a more focused player that actually has to work for something, not wait for that magic gift to appear.

[Pagal4321]

And let the QB carousel start in Minnesota....

....Childress named Frerotte the starter for the remainder of the season, announcing the decision at his Wednesday media availability....

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. If the team was going to yank the chain so fast on their young QB project, why didn't they just get a veteran QB during the offseason in the first place.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3593304