2025-2026 NFL Season Thread

[crystal_sun]

I'm still not a fan of Alex Smith...

But, you have to give him credit for what he did to a NO team that was favorite to be in this year Super Bowl favorite. They knock out the favorite....now, they just need to knock off 1 more team to go to the SB this year.

SF seems to play better when the majority is against them...they get NO respect at all. That's good though...I'm sure they use that to prove the world wrong about them....just like they did yesterday....

Go Giants today. We need someone to knock off the other Super Bowl favorite team

Indeed, Jim H is a special coach...

Originally Posted by Moviefan1203

I just realized yesterday that Alex Smith is only 27. I just assumed he was a couple years older, but he left Utah at age 20 to enter the NFL draft. He also graduated in two years with an Economics degree. That's pretty damn impressive.

Watching him in the fourth quarter yesterday was pretty fun. We saw him evolving between our very eyes. Jim Harbaugh really is a special coach, especially with quarterbacks.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

with that schedule they could still go like, 10-6 or even 12-4. the only really tough / "guaranteed" losses would be (in my book) Packers, Patriots, Giants (maybe) and one or two others.

of course, most teams have that one really loss (i.e. Packers losing to the Chiefs, Patriots losing to Bills, Saints losing to Browns last year) and the 49ers will likely not avoid that as well.

i also worry because it seems like most teams with a first year coach do really well and then fall off the map - Miami Dolphins with Sparano for example one good year and then nothing.

luckily for the 49ers, they have quite a bit of young talent and are in a still pretty weak division (unless the Cardinals change QB's, Bradford and Co. recover and the Seahawks stay strong on defense).

With Marshawn Lynch emerging as a bona fide runningback, I could see the Seahawks giving the 49ers a run for the division for years to come if they can get a decent QB.

[StereoMike]

Originally Posted by Tony208

Guys like Alex Smith has shown nothing but bust for 7 years and hasn't received nearly the amount of criticism Tebow has.

Are you crazy? His own fans booed him, and he got destroyed in the media. You have to be very strong mentally to overcome that.

[StereoMike]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Saints committed no penalties throughout the entire game!

It was by far the best game I have seen this year!

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by dcowboy7

49ers flew under the radar this year....next year wont be so easy.

I never buy the "They flew under the radar" argument.... it's not like teams expect to beat other teams so they don't prepare as much.... If they do, then their entire coaching staff and management needs to be fired.....

I don't think that happens although people like to believe it does I guess.

Originally Posted by Beta Man

NFC:

San Fran 24
N.O. 17

G-Men 27
The Pack 38


AFC:

Houston 14
Baltimore 10

New England 35
Denver 9

I still like my Houston pick, but I'm thinking the G-Men might make it more of a game

Either way, 2-0 going into a very dicey AFC matchup, and an NFC game that has me worried

[Batman1980]

In two games against the Patriots this year, the Broncos were outscored 90-33, doesn't get much more humiliating than that. 9 for 26, Tim Tebow is so awesome!

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

In two games against the Patriots this year, the Broncos were outscored 90-33, doesn't get much more humiliating than that. 9 for 26, Tim Tebow is so awesome!

Is this your way of saying you were wrong about the 49'ers?

Honestly though, they play in a garbage division. I think they have a pretty strong Defense, running game, and Alex Smith manages the game and has "decent" talent around him..... I think they were the obvious favorite in the division, and would have been a fairly week playoff team, but they're just catching fire right now, and a team riding a high like that is tough to beat. It's all just clicking for them

I don't think they would beat the Packers, but certainly don't think they would get blown out... it'd be a good game probably.

If NY beats the Packers (again, I think this is very much a possibility) I think the game vs. the 49'ers could go either way (since you never know what Eli you're gonna get)

This is why I think the G-Men have a good shot at beating the Packers..... if Eli has a good game, it'll be a really good game to watch because the Packer's Def is awful, and lives and dies by how many times they can force turnovers.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Is this your way of saying you were wrong about the 49'ers?

Honestly though, they play in a garbage division. I think they have a pretty strong Defense, running game, and Alex Smith manages the game and has "decent" talent around him..... I think they were the obvious favorite in the division, and would have been a fairly week playoff team, but they're just catching fire right now, and a team riding a high like that is tough to beat. It's all just clicking for them

I don't think they would beat the Packers, but certainly don't think they would get blown out... it'd be a good game probably.

If NY beats the Packers (again, I think this is very much a possibility) I think the game vs. the 49'ers could go either way (since you never know what Eli you're gonna get)

This is why I think the G-Men have a good shot at beating the Packers..... if Eli has a good game, it'll be a really good game to watch because the Packer's Def is awful, and lives and dies by how many times they can force turnovers.

Meh the 49ers are good but not the world beaters everyone's acting like they are because they stunned the Saints at home. Giants barely lost to the 49ers in the regular season, I would give them a very good chance of winning the rematch, Eli is actually quite good in the post-season.

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

Meh the 49ers are good but not the world beaters everyone's acting like they are because they stunned the Saints at home. Giants barely lost to the 49ers in the regular season, I would give them a very good chance of winning the rematch, Eli is actually quite good in the post-season.

It amazes me that someone of Eli Manning's caliber is still regularly underrated (shit, the dude just missed 5000 yards passing himself this season). Sure they have their bad games, but I would never count the G-Men out against anybody.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Is this your way of saying you were wrong about the 49'ers?

Honestly though, they play in a garbage division. I think they have a pretty strong Defense, running game, and Alex Smith manages the game and has "decent" talent around him..... I think they were the obvious favorite in the division, and would have been a fairly week playoff team, but they're just catching fire right now, and a team riding a high like that is tough to beat. It's all just clicking for them

Saints had won 9 games in a row, so they were just as much on fire, if not more so than the 49ers imo 49ers seem to be the real deal as far as tough defense and solid offensive play.

[wilky61]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/74...er-sources-say

The Atlanta Falcons have hired former Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter as their new play caller, replacing Mike Mularkey, who was named the head coach in Jacksonville, league and team sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.

On Wednesday, Koetter had met with Alabama coach Nick Saban about the Crimson Tide's offensive coordinator position.

Koetter worked with Falcons head coach Mike Smith in Jacksonville when Smith was a member of the Jaguars' staff.

Mularkey named former Falcons quarterbacks coach Bob Bratkowski as his offensive coordinator in Jacksonville on Friday.

Oh god, this is atrocious news... and just when I thought we'd jettisoned one of our worst assistant coaches to the Jaguars (Mularkey). The Falcons are never going to be an elite organization with the coaches they seem to collect.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by wilky61

Oh god, this is atrocious news... and just when I thought we'd jettisoned one of our worst assistant coaches to the Jaguars (Mularkey). The Falcons are never going to be an elite organization with the coaches they seem to collect.

Honestly it doesn't help that your best runningback seems to be burned out and your QB is good but not quite elite. Coaching doesn't really help make that situation better, might be time to concede that Matty Ice isn't going to be the QB they thought he'd be when they took him #3 overall in the draft.

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

Honestly it doesn't help that your best runningback seems to be burned out and your QB is good but not quite elite. Coaching doesn't really help make that situation better, might be time to concede that Matty Ice isn't going to be the QB they thought he'd be when they took him #3 overall in the draft.

Michael Turner is probably the slowest running back in the NFL, true, but the tentative play-calling this season was in my eyes the biggest reason why the Falcons regressed from 2010 to 2011. Another big issue I have with the Falcons is their audible system at the line of scrimmage; they always play like shit in away games, and defenses with field marshals like Jonathan Vilma are able to out-audible Matt Ryan.

One of the greatest successes of the 2010 season was the Falcons' ability to end halves by scoring points; that didn't happen at all this year, either. Another difference that I noticed between the 2010 and 2011 seasons was the Falcons' inability to pick up yardage in big chunks this year, despite the acquisition of Julio Jones and the breakout of Harry Douglas.

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by wilky61

It amazes me that someone of Eli Manning's caliber is still regularly underrated (shit, the dude just missed 5000 yards passing himself this season). Sure they have their bad games, but I would never count the G-Men out against anybody.

He is good in the 2 minute offense, but the guy hasn't even had a season with a completion percentage over 63! Lol even Jason Campbell did that (and no I'm not saying Campbell's better). He is above the Trent Dilfers, but it doesn't matter how many 1 handed freak catches, and amazing defenses get him super bowls, he'll always be in tier 2.

And if you compare Romo's numbers to his I'd wager to say if they swapped teams Romo would do much better surrounded by the consistency Manning has been afforded.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by supersix4

He is good in the 2 minute offense, but the guy hasn't even had a season with a completion percentage over 63! Lol even Jason Campbell did that (and no I'm not saying Campbell's better). He is above the Trent Dilfers, but it doesn't matter how many 1 handed freak catches, and amazing defenses get him super bowls, he'll always be in tier 2.

Strong argument to make for someone who feverishly defends Tebow and Colt McCoy

[crystal_sun]

Go Giants!!!!

SF rather play Giants at home than playing at GB...

go Giants!!! Beat the Packers today! Please We need another underdog to win today!

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Strong argument to make for someone who feverishly defends Tebow and Colt McCoy

lol I'm aware of both their short comings , I just like them on a personal level which is where my bias outshines logic

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Strong argument to make for someone who feverishly defends Tebow and Colt McCoy

According to the Kansas City Star, Todd Haley believed his personal cellphone and "many rooms" at Chiefs headquarters were bugged during his tenure as coach.
On the surface, Haley's accusations smack of paranoia from a coach who has never been known as easygoing. In a truly bizarre behind-the-scenes account, however, the Star reports "intimidation and secrecy are among the Chiefs’ principal management styles," and shares a number of strange anecdotes about GM Scott Pioli. It's clearer than ever Haley's fate was sealed long before the Chiefs' dispiriting Week 14 loss to the Jets. Pioli is thought of as an unsavory character in NFL circles. He's lucky in-house candidate Romeo Crennel took the Chiefs' head-coaching job, because it wasn't going to be appealing to hot young assistants.

Source - http://rotoworld.com/player/nfl/1354/chiefs-offense

[wilky61]

Damn, I missed the opening kickoff, but that's not a good sign that the Texans aren't able to convert a 3rd-and-1 with Arian Foster...

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by wilky61

Damn, I missed the opening kickoff, but that's not a good sign that the Texans aren't able to convert a 3rd-and-1 with Arian Foster...

I expect the Texans to do "just enough" on offense, and the Ravens to do "not very much at all" on offense.

It'll probably be low scoring, but the fact that the Texans have points on the board is a good sign for them.


EDIT:

Well that was STUPID by Jacoby Jones.