NFL 2009/10

I don't mind which team wins on Sunday because they've both played some excellent football this season, remember they were both 13-0. Howver, I'm picking the Colts (34-24) simply because they've not lost a game in which they've actually played all their starters all of the time. The Saints rather limped into the playoffs and won their home games in the playoffs but they're always dangerous on offense. However, their defense will give up big plays because Greg Williams will call too many blitzes to try and put pressure on Manning and they'll be burned by the pass. Should be a very good game and cement Manning's legacy as a great QB.

(09-01-2010 00:59 )Doctoratthedock Wrote:  Fair point about Al Davis - the Raiders are a joke and not very funny either. How the Steelers lost at home to those bums is beyond me...

Hiya Doc,guess who'll be coming back to Heinz Field in 2010......hmmmm let me guess,oh yeah The Raiders.I can't wait for 'those bums' to show up and win AGAIN!!!!

Just a little reminder of what 'those bums' can do.

The Raiders are a pale shadow of what they once were as an NFL franchise. Cable did well to get 5 wins out of them, including that game in Pittsburgh, although I don't know that he'll be coaching them next season.
I was referring to the Raiders in the way that the Brooklyn Dodgers were referred to as 'dem bums' but at least they were lovable losers were as there is very little to love about the Raiders these days. They are a joke who will probably remain so while Al Davis is in charge without a GM or a head coach of any great stature. I'm really a bit sad that a franchise that was great has fallen so far.
The Steelers lost several games that they should have won last season - Chicago, KC, Cleveland and the Raiders spring to mind - but I reckon that we'll be fine next year. A down year for the defense but I'd expect that to be fixed, offense has great skill position players (Big Ben, Mendenhall, Ward, Holmes, Miller with Wallace to get better) but the O-line is still the question mark.
I didn't think the schedule was out until later in the off season but I'll take the Steelers over the Raiders on any given Sunday. Of course nothing can be taken for granted in the NFL - that's why they play the game! - but the Steelers should bounce back (only 9 wins when it should have been 12) whereas the Raiders last had a winning season...in 2003?
Hope the Raiders have a better season but I don't Russell leading them to the playoffs, do you?

The Raiders aren't as bad as everyone thinks,there's a lot of young talent on the roster but they lack leadership,on the field,in the locker-room and to an extent on the sideline.
The improvement in the offense after Russell got pulled showed that we are competetive when our QB isn't shooting us in the foot,although Al isn't ready to give up on Russell yet,Russell will be on a short leash next year, if he stinks in pre-season and at the start of the season he'll be pulled for good.
The main areas of concern for The Raiders are the O-line,a dire need for a run-stuffing nose tackle on the D,an upgrade at linebacker and a veteran No 1 wide receiver (T.O?).
I stated on page 2 of this thread http://www.babeshows.co.uk/showthread.ph...189&page=2 that The Raiders were 2 years away for competing for a play off place and i stand by that.

The Raiders have got some talent - Nande is a shut down corner and if McFadden can stay fit he's got a shot, Seymour has a big reputation... I've not seen the Raiders play a game but from the coverage I've seen and the reports on him, Russell is not an NFL QB. Great arm but not a hard worker off the field, Gradkowski was ok but playoff calibre...not quite. The Chargers aren't going to disintegrate post-Tomlinson, the Broncos are decent(ish) and the Chiefs...well ok, who knows. Maybe the Raiders will rise up the AFC west, there is still broad parity across the NFL with the current CBA...the prospect of an uncapped year ... but I wouldn't put any money on it.

I think after the great hurricane anyone not affiliated with the Colts would want the saints to win. I think it would be great for the city and for the people of New Orleans if they were to pull it off.

(06-02-2010 23:41 )setter1000 Wrote:  I think after the great hurricane anyone not affiliated with the Colts would want the saints to win. I think it would be great for the city and for the people of New Orleans if they were to pull it off.

I appreciate the sentiment of picking the Saints because of Katrina but for me the tragedy of those events was the wholly inadequate response of the authorities (state and federal) to predictable natural disaster. Furthermore, it was the differential impact it had and has had on New Orleans that bothers me. Who were the people left stranded in the Superdome? They were usually the poor, the elderly and infirm who couldn't leave the city. Most comfortably off/rich, able bodied and white people were able to get out safely with some treating it as a holiday while fellow human beings/citizens of New Orleans were rather helpless victims.
Fair play to Tom Benson for not moving the Saints and I'm pleased that they've made it to the Super Bowl but they got there through playing good football. I curse whenever a professional athlete thanks god for helping their team win a game - was the Devil working with their opponents? Given that there probably isn't a god - I liked Dawkins bus adverts last year - but open to the possibilty that there might be I wish soething could be done for the people of Haiti, maybe they could win the World Cup in 2014.
Setter, sorry if this seems like a bit of a random rant against your post. Not my intention at all - just airing some views! Go Saints tomorrow but I'm going with the Colts.

half time indianapolis 10-6 new orelans. indianapolis were better first quarter and the saints were better 2nd quarter

Superbowl V Hazel in shower, its a bugger

stayed up for the whole game and thought it was good. wont reveal the result fot those who went to bed