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[Raoul F. Duke]

Attention Commonwealth types: The subject of this on-topic thread is National Football League American-style football. We are aware that many of you enjoy soccer, and that, in your quaint regional dialects, you tend to mislabel it as "football." And we couldn't possibly care less, even under torture. Now, please go enjoy some Spotted Dick while we talk us a little football.

OK. The NFL opened its season tonight with a matchup between defending Super Bowl champions the Green Bay Packers, against the very respectable New Orleans Saints.

Oh my, was this one a hed-nokka! A high-scoring duel with one of the most exciting finishes I've EVER seen. Both Rodgers and Brees were just on fire  tonight. Green Bay came out on top, 42-34.

On their final kickoff of the game, the Packers managed to kill the ball on literally the Saints' 3-inch line. Almost exactly one minute left in the game. The Saints had no time-outs left. But between a poorly-timed penalty by the Pack, and Brees just throwing flaming lasers down the field, Naw'lins fought back to Green Bay's 1-yard line! With exactly one play left, the Packers' defense held the line.

Both teams played well. Really REALLY well.
From the looks of things, with a little more tuning on their defense the Saints are in for a great season.
But Green Bay was definitely Open For Business. While New Orleans had lots of brilliant inspired moments, the Pack was just relentless. Very few mistakes, and for much of the second half seemingly able to move the ball at will.
If they keep playing like this, they lookin' good to repeat the championship.
Thank God...it's football season again!

[jpd01]

I have a couple of friends from new orleans here in CQ that made me watch a few games last year whenever new orleans was on at the irish pub. Can't say I hated it, plus the drinking seemed about right for watching a sports game so I approved.
Actually I like NFL, on the gold coast we played a little in an amateur league that died after a couple of years because of the lack of players. Plus we never used safety gear so it was maybe more like rugby than NFL, the yanks that ran it were pretty happy with it so I guess it wasn't so far off from being semi-genuine.
I didn't catch this game as my mates didn't have a chance to get over and watch it (they live in the boonies outside town)
Also WTF is a spotted dick?? If anyone's dick has spots on it they need to go to the doctor ASAP or at the very least reconsider their recreational activities  

Oh and also soccer is a sport for seemingly broken people that enjoy watching nothing for an extended period of time.   

[Raoul F. Duke]

Friends can play a perfectly fine game of football amongst themselves with no equipment and have no problems.
Pro games feature 300+ pound high-speed angry raging psychopaths more conveniently referred to as "linebackers." Since their aim is to hit you as hard as humanly possible and weld yo' ball-carryin' ass to the ground, THEY make pads and helmets a great idea.

Spotted Dick is an old-school Pommy dessert. And I am hoping they aren't using the term "dessert" euphemistically.

[Nolefan]

yup, that time of the year again! Both NFL and NCAA on the menu.

I pretty much forgot that the opening game was last night  must be all the brain cells that toxic water is destroying. Sounds like the Pack and the Saints played a good fun game to watch!

With the Manning news, this is gonna be an interesting season... The colts ain't been whipped in a long time, this year might change things.  and say what you will, I'm not sold on the Eagles taking the big one yet.... too much hype.

[Raoul F. Duke]

Yeah, looks like Manning could be out for the season...and the Colts will probably implode. They got roughed up pretty well last year anyway; Manning was already getting out of sync.

Philadelphia...damn hard to call. With Vick at the helm, I've seen the Eagles play like a well-oiled machine...and I've seen 'em play like badly-addled little girls. Wonder how they did in the draft/free agency?

I think several teams will be interesting to watch in the early weeks of the season...
- The NY Jets are mouthing off a lot about Super Bowl. I'll believe it when I see it.
- After last year's SB loss, the Steelers must be hungry. And they a good team.
- Can't ever count out the Patriots. I keep thinking we'll see Brady start to slip; ain't happened yet.
- Have to wonder what the Vikings will field after being such a laughing-stock last year.
- In the same vein, the sports guys here are scratching their heads over Dallas. Don't care, as long as they keep losing.
- I wonder about last year's almost-there teams, like the Bears and the Ravens. Did they pull it together, or more of the same?

[Nolefan]

I love you brutha... but sometimes, your allegiances make me scratch my head!!!!

Let's Go 'BOYS.... 

[Ghostface]

I didn't think my first post on this forum would be about football, but apparently it is.

I was lounging with a ladyfriend in my shoebox in Seoul, had just watched the GB vs NO highlights, and couldn't help myself, especially after reading the not so subtle awesome introductory post. When gridiron time rolls around, it's difficult to not be excited, and equally tough to be away. This might help and hurt at the same time, but I highly recommend it:

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/3424769 (Autumn Thunder, 40 years of NFL Films Music if posting a pirate link isn't welcome, sorry if so.) Football war music.

Anyway, from the highlights, damn, what an opener. The time change is brutal, especially if you participate in fantasy leagues. But the NFL combats the dreariness of the upcoming winter as well as any other supplemental option: soup, heavy coat, long johns, whatever. I went to the same HS as Brees... so if you know what state that's in, then you'll know why I'm fearing a Northeast Asian winter... and also why I grew up a 'Boys fan, sorry Raoul. However, my primary allegiance will always be directed towards the silver and black. Don't discount them to give San Diego a run for their money (I predict McFadden entering full beast-mode this year), but KC could be in it too.

It will be a good season, nonetheless. And I look forward to conversing on the board here, as I'm planning a move to Xiamen soon. Take care.

[Raoul F. Duke]

I love you brutha... but sometimes, your allegiances make me scratch my head!!!!

Let's Go 'BOYS.... 

Oh, trust me, same here.   Although I don't necessarily like all the teams I mentioned above...
I do like GB, Naw'lins, Baltimore, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. I've given up on the Vikings...life is full enough of pain and disappointment without them.

Florida State I can handle. Dallas...NFW.
Maybe if you'd lived as close to Texas as I have for long, you'd feel the same way.

[Sam Smith]

Yes --- thank God football (the real 'football') season is upon us!

Go Steelers!   

Go Noles!       

[Jedi Smurf]

Yes, what a great way to open the season after a torturous offseason. Indy will be a laughing stock this year, but it may serve them very well with a little Luck in the draft next year. Chicago=meh, Steelers=will be in it again. Eagles=WAY overrated, looking to make some great coin fading them this year. Jets=playoffs yes, Super Bowl, HAH! Patriots are my early Super Bowl pick. Look for them to absolutely destroy teams, starting this Monday with Miami. A team under the radar to look out for is Houston. They have a new 3-4 defensive scheme that has that freak of nature Mario Williams playing linebacker now. They are in a very weak division that is theirs for the taking with Peyton sidelined. Also, as funny as it is to say it; watch out for the Lions. They will surprise teams as well. AND YES, thank God for football!

[Crippler]

GO Big D an Go the Real UT. That be Tennessee!

[Jedi Smurf]

Steelers and Ravens kick off in less than 10 minutes. Should be a great one! 

[Sam Smith]

The 1st quarter of the Steelers/Ravens game was good then it was all downhill from there for my Steelers --- got their lunch handed to them by the Ravens 35 - 7.  My voice is still horse from screaming at the t.v. --- I think I made up some new swear words today.   

At least my Seminoles won yesterday.

[Raoul F. Duke]

Well, well, well.

The evening game- Dallas Cowboys vs the New York Jets- concluded not too long ago.
I'm happy to report that there is some justice and goodness in the world after all: Dallas LOST.

It ended up being a pretty exciting game. For much of the game it looked like a total disaster...Dallas was WAY up on the Jets until late in the game.
But team traditions prevailed. The Cowboys were handed another excruciating late loss. The Jets pulled out another apparent loser, coming up with what they needed to do late in the game.

In reality, neither team looked uniformly good. Much of the game seemed to focus on showing which team was capable of being more inept.  A lot of the points came from capitalizing on the other team's mistakes, not any particular greatness by either offense. Again, it was only late in the game that the Jets started looking like a team that could win. They only managed to tie the game with 5 minutes left, and a field goal inside the final minute won the game.

Anyway, I'm happy. DALLAS LOST.

The Ravens-Steelers game was indeed a shocker. I like both teams, but if push comes to shove I gotta go with my Ravies. (I didn't just once live near Baltimore, I worked for their Tourism Bureau. ) I dare to hope we may even see Super Bowl contention again.

The big shock of the day, though, may have been the Kansas City-Buffalo game played in KC.
The ever-pathetic Buffalo Bills didn't just win, they mopped the field  with the Chiefs.

It looks like we're in for another wild-ass season.

[Raoul F. Duke]

Monday Night Football started the season tonight with a double-header. Some history was made in BOTH games.

The New England Patriots rolled over the Miami Dolphins for the first game. Miami put up more fight than you might expect, but like Dallas last night ( ) they eventually tired out and showed some depth problems.

Tom Brady's scary ability to thread the needle and put the ball on his receivers' hands even through double coverage has not diminished. In fact, he may be better than ever. In tonight's game he threw for 517 yards...a record for the Pats despite their history of great quarterbacks, a record for MNF, and the 5th highest passing yards in NFL history.

He also threw from behind his own 1-yard line and connected with Welker for a 99-yard TD...tying the all-time NFL record.

Brady did throw one interception, though...his first in 358 pass attempts.

The second game was the Oakland Raiders squeaking past the Denver Broncos. Neither team looked particularly strong on offense, although Oakland's running game looked better. It was a messy, dirty, ugly game...I was wondering if they were in some kind of misguided 9/11 patriotism fit: seems like the flags were flying on every play.   Well over 20 penalties in the game, and a lot of near-fights throughout.

However, Oakland's kicker managed to get off a 63-yard field goal, tying the standing NFL distance record.