2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread

[brandx]

Herm Edwards disagrees with you.

http://espn.go.com/blog/tampa-bay-buccaneers/post/_/id/4729/edwards-bucs-are-super-bowl-bound

So Herman was better as a coach than he is as a prognosticator....

[JWags85]

yep...

Watching McCown looking miserable has made me wonder just how good Trestman is with QB's.  He made McCown look like a top 10 QB last year...now?  Josh looks like a joke.

One of my friends who is a huge Bears fan, was a VERY vocal McCown supporter and Cutler-hater.  He threw a fit when McCown was allowed to walk and thought we should have parted with Cutler cause McCown was the better QB and option last year.

Naturally, I gave him some grief last night after the first half, and he came back with a litany of excuses about how its not McCown's fault and he would still be EXCELLING in Chicago

[CreightonWarrior]

So Herman was better as a coach than he is as a prognosticator....

Not a banner year for that man

[jesmu84]

Surprise! Goodell said nothing and got owned by TMZ

[nyg]

Surprise! Goodell said nothing and got owned by TMZ

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/11551518/how-ray-rice-scandal-unfolded-baltimore-ravens-roger-goodell-nfl

And ESPN, wow a good read. 

[jesmu84]

Thoughts as I read:

1. Scumbag owners and scumbag Goodell/NFL.
2. Good on Harbaugh and whomever else within the Ravens wanted Rice out immediately.
3. How, after reading this, can anyone actually believe that this "independent" investigation will actually be independent, unbiased and not influenced by the NFL, the owners, the Ravens organization or anyone associated with those groups?
4. Remember all the bullshit "what if Janay hit Ray and then he hit her in defense" and other similar arguments in the Rice thread? While we, the public, could very well accept those as possible truths, the NFL, the owners, and nearly everyone involved knew the real truth. So all those hypotheticals? Completely asinine and irrelevant.
5. It's clear that the only reason that action was taken after the second video was because with only verbal allegations/narratives and the first video in the public eye, there wasn't enough of a PR problem for the sponsors to pull out and the big boys to lose money. When the second video came out, and sponsorship dollars were threatened due to the PR problem, the Ravens and NFL decided that whatever Rice brought to the team/league was enough to lost compared to the possible sponsor loss.
5. Just like the sad reality of life outside the NFL, people with money and high social status get favors and wield behind-the-scenes power to influence proceedings in whatever where benefits them. It's sickening.

[tower912]

Sunday prediction, GB 35-Det 21.   Discount double check goes for 400 yards against the Lions secondary. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Thoughts as I read:

1. Scumbag owners and scumbag Goodell/NFL.
2. Good on Harbaugh and whomever else within the Ravens wanted Rice out immediately.
3. How, after reading this, can anyone actually believe that this "independent" investigation will actually be independent, unbiased and not influenced by the NFL, the owners, the Ravens organization or anyone associated with those groups?
4. Remember all the bullcrap "what if Janay hit Ray and then he hit her in defense" and other similar arguments in the Rice thread? While we, the public, could very well accept those as possible truths, the NFL, the owners, and nearly everyone involved knew the real truth. So all those hypotheticals? Completely asinine and irrelevant.
5. It's clear that the only reason that action was taken after the second video was because with only verbal allegations/narratives and the first video in the public eye, there wasn't enough of a PR problem for the sponsors to pull out and the big boys to lose money. When the second video came out, and sponsorship dollars were threatened due to the PR problem, the Ravens and NFL decided that whatever Rice brought to the team/league was enough to lost compared to the possible sponsor loss.
5. Just like the sad reality of life outside the NFL, people with money and high social status get favors and wield behind-the-scenes power to influence proceedings in whatever where benefits them. It's sickening.

Let it play out.  Seems like you are judge and jury before the investigation is complete.  Don't you find it odd that the only other time a third party was called in that the NFL came out not looking good, including Goodell?  Bountygate.  It was independent then, so why can't it be independent now with the result?  Will the report be "wrong" if it doesn't come across as 100% to your liking? I'm just curious.  Personally, I think the investigation will prove Goodell did not lie, he didn't see the video.  It will also condemn the league in many ways.  That won't be good enough for some people.

Goodell has already admitted wrong doing several times now, going back to before the video even came out.  Way too many people here buried Harbaugh a few weeks ago.  Oh, and ESPN OTL has been wrong before....doesn't mean they are this time, but let it play out.  Plenty more to come on this.

[jesmu84]

And now FSU has upped Winston's suspension to the full game. What in the hell is going on? Are entities using primary punishments, see how the public view the primary then reacting to any outcry with a secondary punishment?

Yes, I know this isn't NFL. My apologies. But it's a related social topic. I think....

[brandx]

And now FSU has upped Winston's suspension to the full game. What in the hell is going on? Are entities using primary punishments, see how the public view the primary then reacting to any outcry with a secondary punishment?

Yes, I know this isn't NFL. My apologies. But it's a related social topic. I think....

Yes, they will get away with what they can. It is only when there is an outcry or perceived loss of sponsor revenue that actions will be taken.

Same with the NFL. When did Goodell, the Ravens, the Vikings, the Panthers, the Cardinals take action? Only after there was a threatened loss of revenue. The NFL absolutely knew that Rice punched his wife in the face until she was unconscious and they knew it the day after it happened. There is overwhelming evidence to that fact. There is also overwhelming evidence that they didn't care.

Add up the new allegations against the Ravens today with the "independent" prosecutor who is from the same law firm as the Ravens owner and who will be overseen by old guard Goodell supporters...... 1+1 = 2  It was simply CYA by Goodell today. Goodell is done.

[jesmu84]

Yes, they will get away with what they can. It is only when there is an outcry or perceived loss of sponsor revenue that actions will be taken.

Same with the NFL. When did Goodell, the Ravens, the Vikings, the Panthers, the Cardinals take action? Only after there was a threatened loss of revenue. The NFL absolutely knew that Rice punched his wife in the face until she was unconscious and they knew it the day after it happened. There is overwhelming evidence to that fact. There is also overwhelming evidence that they didn't care.

Add up the new allegations against the Ravens today with the "independent" prosecutor who is from the same law firm as the Ravens owner and who will be overseen by old guard Goodell supporters...... 1+1 = 2  It was simply CYA by Goodell today. Goodell is done.

I wish I could make poor decisions at my job, then when there was fallout from those decisions, get a do-over. And still keep my job.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Maybe people will think twice before acting if their careers and pocketbooks are on the line.  Seems like these stories are a weekly occurance

[brandx]

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/11551518/how-ray-rice-scandal-unfolded-baltimore-ravens-roger-goodell-nfl

Goodell is a liar and needs to go now.

[forgetful]

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/11551518/how-ray-rice-scandal-unfolded-baltimore-ravens-roger-goodell-nfl

Goodell is a liar and needs to go now.

This article paints a really awful picture on the Ravens and the NFL.  Heck, Bisciotti needs to be investigated by the federal government...seems like a lot of effort was made ($$$$?) to make sure that Rice got special treatment by the law. 

What Bisciotti did and Goodell seems complicit in, in many ways is worse than Donald Sterling's actions.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I wish I could make poor decisions at my job, then when there was fallout from those decisions, get a do-over. And still keep my job.

You should get into politics...if you're in a safe district you can steal stuff, snort cocaine on video, embezzle, not pay taxes, do all kinds of stuff....keep your job a long time as you keep getting voted in over and over again because you have the correct letter next to your name.

[jesmu84]

You should get into politics...if you're in a safe district you can steal stuff, snort cocaine on video, embezzle, not pay taxes, do all kinds of stuff....keep your job a long time as you keep getting voted in over and over again because you have the correct letter next to your name enough money.

FTFY and 100% agreed. I suppose the NFL is just a microcosm for what goes on normally anyway.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Let the story play out, OTL has already had to issue a major correction back tracking in the last 24 hours.  They originally said the Ravens had a copy of the video via cell phone.  Now they have issued a retraction. 

"We want to correct an earlier report. The Ravens at no point had a cell phone video of that incident, but they had a detailed account."


Let the story play out....lots of people here buried Harbaugh 2 weeks ago because they don't like him or he's the bro-in-law of someone or whatever.  Lots of people insinuating Goodell lied, they don't know that.  Let it play out.

[brandx]

This article paints a really awful picture on the Ravens and the NFL.  Heck, Bisciotti needs to be investigated by the federal government...seems like a lot of effort was made ($$$$?) to make sure that Rice got special treatment by the law. 

What Bisciotti did and Goodell seems complicit in, in many ways is worse than Donald Sterling's actions.

Not only Sterling - but worse than Rice.

[ChicosBailBonds]

FTFY and 100% agreed. I suppose the NFL is just a microcosm for what goes on normally anyway.

Money is part of it, but in some districts you get elected for one reason and one reason only, the letter next to your name.  You are virtually guaranteed a job and if you lose it, you do to another person with the same letter next to their name.

[jesmu84]

Is ESPN serious? Is Ray Lewis serious?

"There's some things you can cover up and some things you can't cover up"

Go to 1:45
http://www.youtube.com/v/i2in0IDymBA?hl=en_US&version=3

[wadesworld]

New week, same story.  Packers just killing themselves.  9 points allowed, 0 by the defense.  Will give up 7 here, but that's bound to happen when you have to punt from the 20 following a safety.

McCarthy can keep talking the talk.  Until something changes, you can call me a pessimist or whatever.  He develops offensive players and creates a great offensive playbook, but he has no idea how to call it coming out of the gates.  When is the last time the Packers have come out strong to start a game with McCarthy as the coach, particularly against a team who has any sort of pulse as a team?  I truly cannot remember the last time it's happened.  The only time the offense starts to look good is when McCarthy finally decides, "Alright, well, a balanced offense isn't working, so Aaron, just take this game over."  Is that good coaching, or is that just finally realizing, "Hey, my gameplan once again is failing, so let me finally decide the best player in the NFL should get the ball?"  I think he is the most overrated (not worst, just saying all this praise he gets, I just don't get it) coach in the NFL.

[wadesworld]

Are you freaking kidding me?  McCarthy is a complete joke.  The Lions have 3rd and short with 25 seconds left in the half trying to take it to halftime.  What in the world makes you decide to take a timeout there?!  You get the ball down by 5 to start the 2nd half.  What good can come of taking a timeout?  Oh I get it, our special teams are so good we'd probably just house the punt.  Wait, no, the only thing that would happen is we fumble it and give up points.  So let's just give them a free play with 25 seconds left, and, SHOCKING!  They get a big gain to put them into field goal range.  Good thing the Lions are awful and their kicker can't even make a chip shot so it didn't hurt, but what in the world are you thinking?!  I've never played football (competitively) in my life and even I know there is NO reason to take a timeout there.  What a complete joke.

[Dish]

So remember when I said Jags were my surprise team this year...yeah, me neither.

[jesmu84]

So remember when I said Jags were my surprise team this year...yeah, me neither.

Bortles looks good so far.

[wadesworld]

So remember when I said Jags were my surprise team this year...yeah, me neither.

I remember saying they were awful. But then I said the Bills would be one of the worst in the league.