2013 NFL regular season thread

[transplant99]

Thought it time to retire the other thread since things start for real on Thursday night.

One thing that hasn't been talked about a bunch that i have seen is that the NFL has declared run/option QB's as fair game once they start to run and are no longer considered anything but a running back at that point. After Kaepernick annihilated the Pack last playoffs with it, I had wondered how Capers would scheme to stop it moving forward.

Clay Matthews was on the radio this morning and here is how they are now approaching it.

“One of the things that the referees have told us is that when these quarterbacks carry out the fakes, they lose their right as a quarterback, a pocket-passing quarterback, the protection of a quarterback,” Matthews said on Mike & Mike. “So with that, you do have to take your shots on the quarterback, and obviously they’re too important to their offense. If that means they pull them out of that type of offense and make them run a traditional, drop-back, pocket-style offense, I think that’s exactly what we’re going for. So you want to put hits as early and often on the quarterback and make them uncomfortable.”

“I can tell you right now, we started from Day 1 in OTAs when we came back in the offseason working on this read-option, pistol, fake offense for lack of a better term,” Matthews said. “We’ve definitely been working on it. You see this trend with quarterbacks you mentioned, Kaepernick, RGIII, (Seattle’s Russell) Wilson, so it’s around the league now. It’s definitely a part of offenses, so it’s something to have in our defensive game plan, something to game plan for. We’ve been working on it, especially after what we saw last year in the playoffs specifically and then opening up the season with two of these quarterbacks. We’re ready. We feel good about it.”

[DropIt]

the last 4 weeks have absolutely dragged by, can't wait for thursday night and the season to kick off.

Go bears

[Sylvanfan]

Will be interesting to see what happens. I thought Wilson was pretty smart about protecting himself last year, but he still got nailed a couple of times. Cam Newton is a big strong guy who can withstand a few blows but still taking too many can do in any QB. Kaepernick has decent size, but I still think he's a bit like RG3 where he could take an off set hit that causes a joint injury.

I expect most of these guys to be a bit more conventional this year as their teams don't want them being open to hits on every play. They all have strong arms, and RG3 and Wilson were pretty good touch passers last year. They have had an extra year to learn their teams systems as well.

Should be an interesting year. Minnesota and Indy both surprised most everyone to make the playoffs last year. Certainly there will be a surprise team or two this year. Really in the NFC the only team I can't picture being in the playoffs is Arizona....every other team someone can make a case for why things could happen in a way where that team makes the playoffs.

[JD]

Just a question I've been wanting to ask for years, but is it possible we could have a new thread for each week rather than one giant un-navigable thread?

[transplant99]

ESPN Power rankings for week 1

http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2013/week/1

TSN

http://www.tsn.ca/fantasy_news/rankings/nfl/

Fox Sports

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings

SI

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...enver-broncos/

CBS Sports

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/powerrankings



A bit scattered at the top, but overall a pretty good consensus on the top 10 or so.

[Cheese]

^^Billick from Fox Sports looks close to me....but anything can happen in a long campaign.

[troutman]

NFL Eve!

[troutman]

Originally Posted by JD

Just a question I've been wanting to ask for years, but is it possible we could have a new thread for each week rather than one giant un-navigable thread?

Creating separate Packer, Bronco and Seahawk threads would solve that problem.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by troutman

Creating separate Packer, Bronco and Seahawk threads would solve that problem.

I think there are more Pats, Chiefs, and Eagles fans than Packer fans on here.

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by troutman

Creating separate Packer, Bronco and Seahawk threads would solve that problem.

You tried that with a Broncos thread last year, didn't exactly work out. These aren't anything close to a mega thread, a new one for each week seems like overkill.

[Pagal4321]

We could make a Vikings thread where me and SportsJunkies could chat and maybe hit 2 whole pages for the entire season?! That would clear up some clutter....

/sarcasm

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I think there are more Pats, Chiefs, and Eagles fans than Packer fans on here.

Easily.

Add in Broncos and Seahawks and you would cover about 90% of those who post here.

[nik-]

A lot of people don't like Thursday Night Football.

I love Thursday Night Football.

I'd also like to announce that I have chosen the Seahawks as my secondary team, for proximity, ease of watching games as a result of being in their TV market, and to ease the pain of being a Bills fan.

[Galakanokis]

Hadn't heard about the rule change on hitting option QB's. What's the distinction between running and scrambling or is it at any point a QB runs? If a safety or LB is in coverage with their back turned how are they suppose to know?

I don't mind Thursday football, the more games on tv the better. Can't possibly watch them all on Sunday. Gives exposure to teams I noramly wouldn't watch.

Early start Monday for the Eagles-Redskins game.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Galakanokis

Hadn't heard about the rule change on hitting option QB's. What's the distinction between running and scrambling or is it at any point a QB runs? If a safety or LB is in coverage with their back turned how are they suppose to know?

I don't mind Thursday football, the more games on tv the better. Can't possibly watch them all on Sunday. Gives exposure to teams I noramly wouldn't watch.

Early start Monday for the Eagles-Redskins game.

It's not a rule "change" per se, more an adendum on how they will call it.

Once the QB has started to run with it, he no longer is a QB but considered a RB. So when the option starts and the QB is showing no intention of throwing while leaving the pocket, he is now fair game like anyone else. At least that's how I understand it.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by nik-

A lot of people don't like Thursday Night Football.

Who are these people?

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by troutman

Who are these people?

Not a fan of it but i'll get over it

[SuperMatt18]

Could see fans of the teams playing in Thursday night games not liking them, especially ticket holders.

Having the game on a Sunday is almost tradition for these hardcore fans, especially with the tailgating atmosphere.

For example if I was a Chiefs fan with season tickets I would be kinda sad to see a Thursday night home game because that meant not as much time for tailgating at the game, etc.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Thursday Night games mostly suck. They go contrary to the NFL's attempt at improving player safety and the games were generally crap last year. Indeed, a whopping 4 out of 14 games were decided by a TD or less...one fewer than the number of games decided by 17 or more. Its nothing but a cashgrab by the NFL and it effects the quality of the product. 3 day turnarounds usually don't work well, thats why Thanksgiving week was the only week that did so for 40+ years.

[trackercowe]

Is there a Thursday night game every week this season? Sportsnet's advertising makes it seem there is. Sort of indifferent to them, at first they're great, as every team is essentially a contender for the first few weeks (so every matchup has some intrigue). But later in the season seemingly the games become worse and worse, and both Thursday and often Monday night games become almost meaningless. Nothing is worse than watching two 4-10 teams in November playing out the string in prime time.

You can avoid those games on Sunday's when many other games are going on at the same time, but they stand out like a sore thumb when they are the only games on that day.