NFL Week 1 Thread

[Syt]

In Germany, Premiere (now Sky) pay tv used to show football games, but they completely stopped that. Austrian ORF shows the occasional game (usually starting in play offs). Other than that I'm at the mercy of ESPN America, though their coverage is pretty ok, with additional background shows and live games re-run next day. It's not in HD; but as I don't have an HD tv I don't mind. They also cover live College Football, MLB, NHL and college Basketball, plus a few other things during "dry times" (e.g. Lacrosse). They don't show NBA live, but I don't care for that, anyways.

[CountDeMoney]

It's refreshing to see some of you Euros start to get interested in American football. 
Perhaps there is hope for us to bridge our cultural gaps after all, except for maybe that whole Jewkilling thing.

[katmai]

Here are my totally unbiased picks:


49ers @ Cardinals - God's own chosen warrior, Kurt Warner, strikes down gay america's team.

That's the Cowboys you retard.

[Syt]

It's refreshing to see some of you Euros start to get interested in American football. 
Perhaps there is hope for us to bridge our cultural gaps after all, except for maybe that whole Jewkilling thing.

Well, I did grow up in a town with a small American base, and me and a friend spent plenty time with a couple American kids, esp. two Rican brothers. We played baseball on the large place behind my school, traded soccer stickers vs. NFL Topps cards and played on C64 and NES. I had 4th & Inches, Super Sunday, Championship Baseball, Microleague Baseball and Street Sports Baseball. My brother in law caused me to root for Pittsburgh in sports. Problem was coverage, usually. I don't follow much a sport I can't catch on TV. Watching highlights or reading scores and recaps on the net isn't the same.

[Neil]

That's the Cowboys you retard.

Not even gays like the Cowboys.

[CountDeMoney]

My brother in law caused me to root for Pittsburgh in sports.

Well, I see we still have some work to do.

[CountDeMoney]

lol, even the Chiefs beat writers have a sense of forboding...

Haley and Pioli talk tough; Ravens play too tough

You ever write a check your rear end couldn't cash?

If so, you know how Todd Haley is going to feel at noon today when he and the Chiefs square off against Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens.

The check was written months ago, when Haley told Kansas City's best player that 22 guys off the street could win two games. The check grew larger from there, each time first-time general manager Scott Ego-li treated a Kansas City Chiefs employee like football was invented in New England.

There's nothing wrong with writing a big check. You have to in Haley and Ego-li's line of work. You bet big to win big.

But you also need the resources to back up your tough talk or risk looking like a fool.

Today is our first real opportunity to look beyond the bluster. Haley and Ego-li spent the offseason bullying everyone at Arrowhead Stadium and acting like they knew more about winning football than Vince Lombardi, Tom Landry and Chuck Noll combined.

If Haley and Ego-li couldn't intimidate you, they demoted or eliminated you from the organization. In pursuit of changing a culture of mediocrity, thus far Haley and Ego-li have replaced it with a culture of fear.

Fear, some coaches say, is the ultimate motivator. Confidence, all coaches agree, is the key to establishing consistent, high-level performance. Can fear and confidence coexist?

Kansas City's 2009 season will serve as a test of this question.

There's little reason to expect a positive answer today. Drawing Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and the Baltimore defense as a first test is extreme bad luck.

My wish for today is that Haley has the discipline to put his ego away and feed Brodie Croyle to the Ravens defense. M&T Bank Stadium is not the location to unveil a half-healthy Sixty Million Dollar Man.

If Matt Cassel and his injured knee are under center this afternoon, then you know ego has trumped common sense along the Kansas City sideline.

I know. Everyone thought the Chiefs were going to get thumped in their season opener last season at New England. I know. The NFL is the most unpredictable league in all of sports. I know. You never go into a game planning on losing.

There are few certainties in life or sports. Ray Lewis and the Baltimore defense showing up salty on opening day can officially be added to death and taxes.

Given the sorry state of the right side of Kansas City's offensive line and the mediocrity of KC's receiving corps, I feel confident at least one Chiefs quarterback will be helped from the field today.

Lewis and Reed can do whatever they want today. They can leave the corners on an island to play man to man and attack the quarterback with blitzes. They can rush four and drop seven in coverage. Right now, Kansas City's offense is an all-you-can-eat buffet, and Lewis just needs to decide if he's going to pig out on crab legs or chicken wings.

Last year, the Chiefs played New England close simply because Bernard Pollard delivered a lucky shot to Tom Brady's knee, ending the season of the league's top player before the first quarter expired. The Patriots had to regroup emotionally and strategically.

Short of Baltimore defenders showing up for the game drunk, I can't envision a scenario in which things go well for the Chiefs.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope the Chiefs shock the world, win today and 10 more.

But the goal this afternoon should be survival and leaving Avon Barksdale's city with the tools required to beat Oakland next weekend inside Arrowhead Stadium.

There's too much risk and not enough reward for putting Cassel in harm's way at Baltimore. Can the Chiefs upset the Ravens with Cassel at quarterback? No. The Ravens, 11-5 last year, are two-touchdown favorites and an ascending team.

The confident move would be to sit Cassel. If Haley is scared, he'll foolishly rush his franchise quarterback onto the field in a transparent bid to show he's as fearless (and dumb) as his offseason tough talk.

[jimmy olsen]

Pioli is a genius and will turn the Chiefs around in a couple of years.

[Neil]

The NFL Network has a new show about great 4th quarters.  I saw some of it last night.  They had Jeff George playing for the Falcons.  He didn't look good.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Doh.  Kevin Walter is inactive for today's game.  Not that having Walter out there would do much to keep Dirty Sanchez and the Jets (it's like a weird band name) from rolling up and down the field all day.

[jimmy olsen]

That's good for me LFFL wise.

[Neil]

Doh.  Kevin Walter is inactive for today's game.  Not that having Walter out there would do much to keep Dirty Sanchez and the Jets (it's like a weird band name) from rolling up and down the field all day.

I wouldn't worry.  Sanchez has 'bust' written all over him.  Remember when the media was trying to convince us that Brady Quinn was a good QB?  It had the same feel as Sanchezmania.  Every time a good-looking guy gets drafted in the first round at QB, it's media frenzy time.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Oh wow.  There was just a commercial for the local CBS news show (specifically the sports section), and their new guy is apparently Priest Holmes.  Yeah, the dude is from here, but still...that's a pretty big drop off: Pro Bowl RB -> Shitty Local Sports Show.

I wouldn't worry.  Sanchez has 'bust' written all over him.  Remember when the media was trying to convince us that Brady Quinn was a good QB?  It had the same feel as Sanchezmania.  Every time a good-looking guy gets drafted in the first round at QB, it's media frenzy time.

This would make me feel better if the Texans didn't have a history of making crappy QBs look like the second coming of Joe Montana or Elway or whoever.

[Vince]

Oh wow.  There was just a commercial for the local CBS news show (specifically the sports section), and their new guy is apparently Priest Holmes.  Yeah, the dude is from here, but still...that's a pretty big drop off: Pro Bowl RB -> Shitty Local Sports Show.

I wouldn't worry.  Sanchez has 'bust' written all over him.  Remember when the media was trying to convince us that Brady Quinn was a good QB?  It had the same feel as Sanchezmania.  Every time a good-looking guy gets drafted in the first round at QB, it's media frenzy time.

This would make me feel better if the Texans didn't have a history of making crappy QBs look like the second coming of Joe Montana or Elway or whoever.

Don't expect Sanchez to light things up in a road game of his rookie debut. 

[Barrister]

Hmmm... viewing options are:

Broncos v Bengals
Vikings V Browns
Lions v Alouettes

I wonder which I'll go with...