NFL Regular Season 2018-2019

[walto]

Since I guess pretty much everybody hates football now except me, I'll just mention that the first game of the season, between Atlanta and Philly was kinda fun.

[jon abbey]

the Steelers now 80-0-1 since 2004 when up 14+ in the 4th, that tie is just going to mock them all season long, impossible to forget sticking out at the end of the normal W/L record from week 1.

I was excited to watch Saquon Barkley for the first time and I was underwhelmed for a while, but then he had that superfreak 68 yard run and I was back on board. besides that, though, he had 17 carries for 38 yards, I expected a quicker initial burst than I saw today. that one run, though, he looked special. I will be watching again next week...

[Mo Noyz]

Though there were some minor hiccups throughout, the 49ers/Vikings game was incredibly entertaining. Great way to kick off the new season.

[walto]

Yikes. The first-year head coaches were a combined 0-7 this week.

[walto]

Glad not to be a Giants fan.

[jon abbey]

Vontae Davis just left the Bills game at halftime and ended his career, that is how depressing it is to be on Buffalo currently.

[walto]

Yes. I also feel very bad for their fanbase. Detroit's too.

[Steve Minkin]

Despite the pathetic ending of Sunday's game, Derek Carr was 29-of-32 (90.6 percent), 4th highest % in league history (20 attempts or more), and the highest ever in a loss.

My daughter and her husband have 49er season tix and were at Sunday's game. My football watching's down to recording the games (both teams) and fast-forwarding through them, checking in on them every so often, watching the ends if they matter.

Local high school just gave up their varsity program -- half the team quit after losing the first two games by a combined 96-0 score. The school's gotten smaller, they're in the wrong league.

[walto]

Your high school may have the solution for Buffalo.

[Steve Minkin]

If Healdsburg leaves the SCL, there'll be a spot open. Here's the contact url if the Bills are interested:

http://www.sonomacountyleague.org/

[walto]

[jon abbey]

Gordon is looking very correct by wanting a QB over the sexy choice in Barkley. the Giants' line is terrible (and now they have lost their C for the season), but Manning is also terrible and Barkley hasn't really looked like the generational talent he was touted as. someone said that this was a similar situation to the Colts and the other Manning, they moved him and drafted Luck. the equivalent for them would have been keeping their own Manning and drafting Trent Richardson, yikes.

[Mo Noyz]

Can we let them play a few games first?

A rookie QB would have looked just as bad behind that line, and the Colts gave up a first round draft pick for Richardson, so what’s the difference? Also the “other” Manning legitimately led his new team to a Super Bowl, unlike Luck.

[jon abbey]

Can we let them play a few games first?

A rookie QB would have looked just as bad behind that line, and the Colts gave up a first round draft pick for Richardson, so what’s the difference? Also the “other” Manning legitimately led his new team to a Super Bowl, unlike Luck.

sure, of course, I just expected Barkley to be more impressive, and I don't see this line/QB combo improving much. just two games, that's true.

[Mo Noyz]

I certainly don’t disagree that Barkley hasn’t shown us much so far. I was just telling my buddy at work the other day that Barkley doesn’t seem as fast as he was in college, at this point. His response was apt: he’s playing with faster players now. Point taken. And in fairness, say what you will about the Cowboys defense, but one fact that remains is they are one of the fastest defensive units in the league.

As for the O line, it’s a real conundrum considering it can be an extended process for new lines to gel. But then you add to that an entirely new coaching staff and scheme. In my estimation, that adds even more time.

[Steve Reynolds]

Gordon is correct

Unless Barkley is a modern version of Jim Brown, Gayle Sayers, Walter Payton or Barry Sanders, then it's a big mistake

Maybe even Jamaal Charles

It's early yet but it's very rare that the value of even an elite RB is worth anywhere near a top level QB or even a CHANCE at a top level QB.

Especially when your current QB is an over-the-hill immovable object where the fans/organization/media are still holding on to 2009 & 2011 which is a lifetime ago.

[Mo Noyz]

Thanks for reminding me why I had stopped posting here.

[walto]

The games yesterday reminded me of why I've come to prefer football to basketball over the last couple of years. All the biggest underdogs--the teams given the least chance of winning--won their games relatively easily. Buffalo (which was a 16 point underdog!) and Detroit absolutely dominated their games, and I believe the Giants led their game throughout; I didn't see that one.

That stuff doesn't happen in the NBA except at the end of the season, during garbage time. Maybe it's because there are so many possessions in a basketball game (and so many freaking games) that the better team pretty much always comes out on top (and there's considerably more info about which teams ARE better), or maybe it's because "styles make fights" doesn't mean as much in hoops. But, whatever the reason, while it would be nuts to bet on NFL games, they are soooo fun!

Of course, I also loved seeing the Pats get spanked two consecutive weeks. Sadly, Belichik generally manages to turn things around after bad starts, but........maybe this is the year they just suck! In any case, last night, their D line was awful and Michel didn't show much on the RB front.

[Mo Noyz]

The Patriots D looks like it's even worse than last year, and that was pretty awful. As it was back in the 80's and 90's, defense seems to be the biggest disparity between the conferences. Perennial playoff teams Pittsburgh, New England, and the Chiefs arguably have the three worst defensive units in the NFL currently.

[walto]

My favorite part of the broadcast the other night was when Collinsworth compared the Patriots run defense to pee-wee football and said that you don't see holes like that in the NFL.

I loved that. Would have been great to be there when Kraft, Belichik and the coordinators first heard it.