NFL

[Ed209]

He only threw 1 interception

He had a dodgy opening but he really grew into the game. He was actually put under quite a lot of pressure last night and proved he has really great feet to get out of a couple of sticky situation. 307yrds and 3 TD passes. Not a bad evenings work against the current superbowl champions.

NFC East is a close one. Its perfectly possible for Giants and Cowboys to be taking the bottom two spots this year though

[worm]

Seahawks for the NFC West. Pissed all of the pre-season games by a wide margin and Wilson looks outstanding at QB. At last Carrol has his young, versatile team full of future stars. The Hawks are going to be the entertainers once more.

I'm hopeful and can't wait.

[worm]

Do you think the Redskins and Eagles have improved enough ?

The Eagles already had a stellar side last year, but they carried injuries. They are heavily fancied this year. And the Redskins have traded very well and improved massively over the off-season, according to pundits. Both are heavily fancied, but I can see misfortune hitting them as per usual.

[worm]

I'm going....

NFC

West

Seahawks

49ers

East

Cowboys

North

Bears

Packers

South

Saints

Not so up on the AFC, but the Patriots and Steelers will figure as ever I'm sure.

[worm]

If we was to lose to anyone I would it rather be the Redskins... Deep dislike for Cowboys and Eagles

Redskins are my second team. Despise the Cowboys, much like everyone else who isn't a fan. Oh, and the Saints are another back up team on account of my Dad being a big fan of some 30 years.

Edited September 7, 2012 by worm

[eFestivals]

my Dad being a big fan of some 30 years.

can I ask how?

As far as i'm aware, the only way it would have been possible to follow yank soccer 30 years ago from the UK would be with the very sparse newspaper reporting there was back then.

[Gre]

can I ask how?

As far as i'm aware, the only way it would have been possible to follow yank soccer 30 years ago from the UK would be with the very sparse newspaper reporting there was back then.

Channel 4 started showing the NFL in 1982.

Just in case anyone doesn't know yet, the TV coverage this year is Sky showing the usual Sunday/Thursday/Playoff games, Channel 4 Sunday night, and the BBC is showing the Monday Night Football on the red button. Great news, if a little bizarre.

[eFestivals]

Channel 4 started showing the NFL in 1982.

ah yeah, I'd forgotten about that. Thanks.

[Ed209]

Got a big weekend of football ahead of me,

Going to see Highland Park play tonight (Matt Stafford's high school programme amongst numerous other NFL players), then off to see TCU vs Grambling State at TCUs first game in their new stadium. Then NFL season starting up in full on sunday. Looking forward to it

[Ed209]

Channel 4 started showing the NFL in 1982.

Just in case anyone doesn't know yet, the TV coverage this year is Sky showing the usual Sunday/Thursday/Playoff games, Channel 4 Sunday night, and the BBC is showing the Monday Night Football on the red button. Great news, if a little bizarre.

That is great news. Except how does watching Red Button feeds work if wanting to watch at a later time? Not sure if they can be DVR'd/Sky+'d? Will they go on iPlayer?

[Gre]

That is great news. Except how does watching Red Button feeds work if wanting to watch at a later time? Not sure if they can be DVR'd/Sky+'d? Will they go on iPlayer?

Its no problem on Freeview because you just record Channel 301 (and Channel 304 will have it in HD allegedly, I won't hold my breath on that though.)

I've don't really know about Sky/Virgin, I seem to recall you can't use any Sky+ features on Sky's red button? Which is a bit rubbish. I also don't know why they don't just stick it on one of the 4 proper channels (5 if you count BBC HD), most of the time one of them seems to just pointlessly showing News 24 all night.

[Gre]

Right... well it appears during the adverts the BBC are going to be showing slides of team & player facts, and division tables (with a 'net points' column for some reason ), while playing god awful dance muzak... but the game is on! Seems to be the full ESPN USA game coverage.

[Ed209]

Thats a lot of god awful dance music. Still, probably better than endless adverts. They just showing the early game or do they have the SD - OAK game later?

[Gre]

Double header tonight

Half-way through the first quarter and they're onto player-highlight packages in the adverts. Its a shame that there's no studio, but its a lot better than nothing. Hopefully there will be a non-advert version on iplayer.

edit; People are complaining on the NFL UK forum that the quality is awful, skipping etc - Its not HD by any means, but it looks absolutely fine to me on freeview & the bbc website through virgin internet.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Gre

[Gre]

" NFL and players reach '$765m concussion settlement' "

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23885571

The NFL are paying out $765, yet "will not admit liability or admit the players' injuries were caused by football and will likely not have to disclose internal files that could show what it knew about concussion-linked brain problems and when."

I will never understand the legal system.

[LondonTom]

" NFL and players reach '$765m concussion settlement' "

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23885571

The NFL are paying out $765, yet "will not admit liability or admit the players' injuries were caused by football and will likely not have to disclose internal files that could show what it knew about concussion-linked brain problems and when."

I will never understand the legal system.

I think it stops them from being pursued by others if they was officially rule on for liability and allows a cheaper settlement.

Tbh though, banging your head repeatedly....did no one think this might do damage?

[minute5072]

Had a wee go on gamepass tonight (free using the Netherlands vpn trick). So much better than the coverage we get for any sport over here.

Going to the Dolphins Falcons game in 2 weeks so more excited than usual about this season!

[TheJackson]

New to this forum but as someone mentioned in another thread there was a few NFL fans at an efests meet at glasto?

Just wondering how many people are still interested, as none of my friends are (apart from 2, but ones in canada at the moment and the other isn't that interested, I've just managed to get him to come to an international series game with me in september!) and it bugs the life out of me that I have no-one to talk to about it.

In particular, interested to know if anyone pays any attention to the off-season?

[TheJackson]

Even the draft? Training camp? I must admit the (small) gaps between the superbowl-combine, combine-free agency, free agency-draft etc. nothing much really happens. But seeing prospects like Manziel. Bridgewater and Clowney work their way up and seeing where they go and how they do is exciting stuff!

[LondonTom]

I am fairly new to NFL, having gradually got more and more into it. (Last season was the first time I followed it all the way through, having started with just watching Superbowls and vagualy following what ever team I supported that year through the next season. I then got invited by Chazeboy (doesn't post that much anymore sadly) off here to a fantasy league which is really where my intrest got going and I started following the Patriots properly all season the season before last.

I find the off season a bit dull to, it's all a bit like the transfer window in "proper" , dull to everyone whose not a sports presenter looking for the next big news (Draft weekend is quite fun for the first few picks though!)

Which Wembley game have gone for? I've gone for the Jags again this season, should hopefully be closer than the 49ers game last season

[TheJackson]

Dolphins - Raiders (Dolphins fan) and I'm really looking forward to it!

The thing about going to see it in the states is... well its not that easy I would love to, but I've only ever been over once and it was during off-season, however I am going again, but again, literally come back a week before pre-season starts. Lucky for getting to go to the Metlife though, bet it was amazing.

To be honest, I don't think there have been that many franchise QB prospects in recent years (despite being 3 or 4 this year), there's only really been RGIII and Tebow that I can remember. People like Wilson, Kaepernick, Tannehill and Newton all came out of no-where really. Can't remember there being big headlines for them like there are for the players this year.

Did no-one find it a bit weird that Bridgewater did next to nothing at the combine?

[ThomThomDrum]

10 days to go to the draft. Looks as if Clowney will defo be first at this stage. Really interested to see who picks Johnny Manziel and if he can actually cut it in the NFL

[Bobs]

Much more of a baseball follower. Although I much prefer to watch NFL, interesting moves by the Jets this season, if Johnson can thrive in the attention hell get from New York Press, he could be an absolute steal for the Jets.

As for Vick, well, we all know my saying 'ABG' anyone but Geno, he sucks. Vick and Decker could be a great partnership.

No more has beens in Holmes and Cro, times to move the gang green forward, although our schedule is wretched!

[mrtourette]

10 days to go to the draft. Looks as if Clowney will defo be first at this stage. Really interested to see who picks Johnny Manziel and if he can actually cut it in the NFL

He certainly is a unique case, pitting together the extremes that at one end scouts use to convince themselves that player isn't good enough (small size, got drunk at college) and at the other what they obsess over to wildly over-value prospects (spirit, leadership, etc.) It's hard to get a gauge on how good he will be at actually playing the game as scouts and analysts tend to be concentrate those extremes. He'll go in the first round, at the latest to Cleveland at #26, but I think there are too many other good players this year that will prevent a team in the top 5 making a dumb move and drafting him there.

[ThomThomDrum]

The problem with him (Johnny Manziel) is the hype, and man can he blow is own trumpet!

Also, some of the teams at the top of the draft are really are desperate to find that QB. (with the exception of the Lions and the Falcons in the top 10). And some of these teams have GMs that have made crazy 1st draft decisions in the recent past

A lot of draftniks reckon he will go in the top 10 and some even have him as high as 2/3, which I think is crazy.

On another note the Texans with Clowney and JJ Watt will be a pass rush no QB will want to face next year.