2015-16 NFC North/NFL thread

[real chili 83]

THE CONSENSUS rolls into first place! SKOL VIKINGS!

Let's hope Teddy is OK.

Are you alive?

[naginiF]

I super love when a poster is universally panned yet continues to support their position.  Great entertainment especially when the position is that the only leadership quality i can recognize is the one i see on TV (btw - life long Vikes fan and proud that we can say 1st place!).  I hate Rogers and all he is but his record stands for himself.

My favorite non 'in your face' QB leader story is the winning drive of the 49ers over the Bengals in Super Bowl whatever.  San Fran gets the ball, Montana huddles up, and says "hey, did you see John Candy on the sideline?" everyone relaxes and they win.  Now that wasn't shown on TV so i'm sure it was just the talent around him.

[wadesworld]

Every time you use 'fire' your perceived IQ drops by 5 points.

Worst, well documented sports cliche ever.

No one has ever 'fired' a professional team up with 'passion' through a speech or other motivational tactics. It's all bullcrap, if you believe otherwise, you're likely a Neanderthal.

You must never have heard Chuck speak.

http://www.packers.com/media-center/videos/Woodsons-NFC-Championship-Speech-at-Bears/1b68dc25-edd8-4769-bf2f-f4c79e31502e

By the way, the guy is leading the NFL in interceptions at 39 years old.  Absurd.

[🏀]

You must never have heard Chuck speak.

http://www.packers.com/media-center/videos/Woodsons-NFC-Championship-Speech-at-Bears/1b68dc25-edd8-4769-bf2f-f4c79e31502e

By the way, the guy is leading the NFL in interceptions at 39 years old.  Absurd.

Do you think that made the players transcend their talent to overcome any odds?

Noooooooope

[wadesworld]

Do you think that made the players transcend their talent to overcome any odds?

Noooooooope

My comment was tongue in cheek. That speech still kicks ass though.

[🏀]

My comment was tongue in cheek. That speech still kicks ass though.

Gotcha, I agree with the speech though.

[MU82]

I think the Packers are a better team? I don't get what's hard to understand about that. They didn't play up to their potential for most of the game but when they did in the 4th quarter you saw what happened. If they had played that well all game I believe the Packers would have won.

You said the fourth quarter "proved" they were better. That's your opinion, and a dopey one.

The final score PROVED the Panthers were the better team. The final score is a fact.

Maybe the Packers couldn't prove they were the better team in the fourth quarter because the Panthers threw Rodgers around like he was a rag doll and repeatedly burned the Pack defense in the first 3+ quarters.

You know, back in the 1990s, the Bulls whipped the Knicks in the playoffs year after year after year. And after every series loss, Patrick Ewing would tell reporters that he didn't care what the results said because he knew the Knicks were the better team.

[MU B2002]

This is a parody, right?

username just needs to be JSComments.  (One of my favorite Twitter follows.)

[MerrittsMustache]

I think the Packers are a better team? I don't get what's hard to understand about that. They didn't play up to their potential for most of the game but when they did in the 4th quarter you saw what happened. If they had played that well all game I believe the Packers would have won.

You seem to be overlooking the fact that if the Rodgers' "incompletion" was called correctly on the field, it's a 44-14 game, or if replay had righted the real-time wrong, Carolina would have taken over at about the GB 20. Instead, the Packers went down and made it a one possession game. Also, the "interception" (which was a terrible play call by Carolina) being upheld gave GB great field position instead of giving Carolina 2nd and 10 with under 4 to play. In other words, it took some poor officiating to even keep GB in the game.

[JWags85]

Every time you use 'fire' your perceived IQ drops by 5 points.

Worst, well documented sports cliche ever.

No one has ever 'fired' a professional team up with 'passion' through a speech or other motivational tactics. It's all bullcrap, if you believe otherwise, you're likely a Neanderthal.

Hey, it kept Tebow in the league for a few years...

[mu03eng]

You seem to be overlooking the fact that if the Rodgers' "incompletion" was called correctly on the field, it's a 44-14 game, or if replay had righted the real-time wrong, Carolina would have taken over at about the GB 20. Instead, the Packers went down and made it a one possession game. Also, the "interception" (which was a terrible play call by Carolina) being upheld gave GB great field position instead of giving Carolina 2nd and 10 with under 4 to play. In other words, it took some poor officiating to even keep GB in the game.

Hey let's play the game where we nit pick calls that are arguably incorrect but not definitively so and ignore other such calls that went against GB that were arguably incorrect as well(like no calls on PI/holding of Adams, etc).  That's always a fun game where every one wins!

[MU82]

Hey let's play the game where we nit pick calls that are arguably incorrect but not definitively so and ignore other such calls that went against GB that were arguably incorrect as well(like no calls on PI/holding of Adams, etc).  That's always a fun game where every one wins!

Pass interference is the worst-officiated call in the league, which is a shame because it often is the biggest game-changer due to the yardage involved.

On Funchess' long catch, the Packers' DB was draped all over him long before the ball got there, pinning Funchess' arms to his sides. Given the blatant interference, it was a near-miraculous catch, and Aikman was amazed he made it. Later on, when the Panthers were desperately trying to hold off the Packers' rally, the same DB did the same thing to Funchess on a crossing route -- except it was even more egregious. This time, his arms completely pinned at his side by the DB, Funchess couldn't quite make the catch and the Panthers had to punt.

Both calls should have been obvious. As a Panthers fan, I'm proud of my lads for overcoming such awful officiating. That the Packers couldn't overcome a couple of similar non-calls goes in the "oh well" file.

What's more tragicomic -- not in this game, but generally -- is some of the interference calls the refs make, where the DB barely breathes on the receiver. They let a mugging go but call the ticky-tack crap.

And none of them are subject to replay.

I am not a conspiracy theorist and have never suggested an NFL game has been fixed. But if I were trying to fix a game, I'd pay off a back judge to make a couple of well-timed interference calls (or to ignore a couple of obvious interference calls). It's such a judgment call, the league office never seems to question it.

[MU82]

Wide receivers are just not talented enough.

Cobb can't be the guy. Adams is trying. 12 can't turn water into wine.

The Panthers are 8-0 (and just put up 37 on the Packers) despite this receiving corps:

Ted Ginn Jr ... Philly Brown ... Jericho Cotchery ... Devin Funchess.

Any of the Packers' top 3 receivers would be the Panthers' No. 1 receiver. I'm still pissed the Panthers didn't try for Jones when he was available.

Like Jordy Nelson, the Panthers' No. 1 receiver (Kelvin Benjamin) will not have played a single down this season due to injury.

The Panthers do have an elite TE, though. Thank goodness.

[MerrittsMustache]

Hey let's play the game where we nit pick calls that are arguably incorrect but not definitively so and ignore other such calls that went against GB that were arguably incorrect as well(like no calls on PI/holding of Adams, etc).  That's always a fun game where every one wins!

They were definitive to everyone who wasn't rooting for the Packers.

My point was that the Packers were fortunate to even be in position to tie the game so it's even harder to claim that they were the better team because of their comeback.

[JWags85]

The Panthers do have an elite TE, though. Thank goodness.

Thank god the Bears got rid of him.  He's so marginal that he only fits into a few select schemes...

[MU82]

Thank god the Bears got rid of him.  He's so marginal that he only fits into a few select schemes...

Olsen is the gift that keeps on giving. Thanks, Bears!

My wife, son and I went to the Bears-Panthers game last season here in Charlotte. Bears took a big lead but the Panthers rallied to win thanks in great part to 2 TD catches by Olsen (as well as a fumble by Forte and an INT by Cutler).

Some 20-30% of the fans were Bears fans - no surprise there; they travel well. The guy sitting right in front of us was wearing his Bears Olsen jersey.

I thought it was hilarious that a Bears showed up in Charlotte wearing a jersey that basically said, "You're welcome!"

Anyway, it was great fun trash-talking with him and the many other Bears fans around us.

My son, who still lives in Chicago and is a huge Bears fan (also Bulls, Hawks and Cubbies), lost the bet so he had to wear my Panthers jersey the whole next day! Sure am glad I didn't have to wear his Bears shirt!!!

[wadesworld]

Thank god the Bears got rid of him.  He's so marginal that he only fits into a few select schemes...

Tight end really is pretty far down on the list of the Bears' issues.

[JWags85]

Tight end really is pretty far down on the list of the Bears' issues.

Yes, but the point is he is a top tier TE, who was a top tier TE with the Bears too, who was traded away simply because of an OC's stubborn preferred scheme.  Martz was dismissive of him when he was the best receiver the Bears had at the time.  The only reason his production didn't fall off even more that season was his relationship with Cutler.

The personnel decisions made in this time period are part of the reason the Bears are a mess right now.  I think the 3rd rounder ended up being part of the Brandon Marshall trade.  So you can reason that how you like, but trading away stars for dumb reasons is never a great plan.  He was, and still is, in his prime and its not like he had a bloated contract.  It was stupid.

[wadesworld]

Yes, but the point is he is a top tier TE, who was a top tier TE with the Bears too, who was traded away simply because of an OC's stubborn preferred scheme.  Martz was dismissive of him when he was the best receiver the Bears had at the time.  The only reason his production didn't fall off even more that season was his relationship with Cutler.

The personnel decisions made in this time period are part of the reason the Bears are a mess right now.  I think the 3rd rounder ended up being part of the Brandon Marshall trade.  So you can reason that how you like, but trading away stars for dumb reasons is never a great plan.  He was, and still is, in his prime and its not like he had a bloated contract.  It was stupid.

I don't follow the Bears closely enough to pretend to know the timing of the trade, contract situation, role in the offense, roster makeup, etc.  But I do know that Martellus Bennett is a damn good TE himself.

[🏀]

I don't follow the Bears closely enough to pretend to know the timing of the trade, contract situation, role in the offense, roster makeup, etc.  But I do know that Martellus Bennett is a damn good TE himself.

Martz is an idiot, refused to play a non-existent blocking TE. There's a reason why he's no longer in football.

[GGGG]

All that is wrong with the Bears' quarterbacking history in one tweet:

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk  3m3 minutes ago
Jay Cutler passes Sid Luckman as Bears' all-time TD pass leader

[JWags85]

Tough tough comeback by the Bears.  After that bad INT in the first half, Cutler was VERY steady.  His season/career in a microcosm.  He was fantastic in the 4th quarter.  INCREDIBLE catch by Miller, wow.

Also, love Gase.  His playcall immediately after the pick-6 to go long was ballsy and I loved it.  Just when you get down on this team, they bring you right back in.  At least it's interesting.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Cutler sucks.

[4everwarriors]

Crean sucks

[MerrittsMustache]

Tough tough comeback by the Bears.  After that bad INT in the first half, Cutler was VERY steady.  His season/career in a microcosm.  He was fantastic in the 4th quarter.  INCREDIBLE catch by Miller, wow.

Also, love Gase.  His playcall immediately after the pick-6 to go long was ballsy and I loved it.  Just when you get down on this team, they bring you right back in.  At least it's interesting.

The fumble was more unacceptable than the INT. When the pocket was collapsing, he needed to cover up that ball. On the INT, it looked like Verrett just ran a better route than Alshon. Cutler needs to recognize that sooner but it happens. Agree on the playcall right after though. Verrett was still winded and likely feeling pretty good about himself and then BOOM! He gets beat deep. Jeffrey owned him from that point on.

Cutler has been very good this season. He still makes his Cutler-esque mistakes but he's carrying a bad team right now. I've said it before but...Cutler has never been as bad as the fans/media often make him out to be, but he's still not living up to his enormous talent.

For the first time in a long time, I feel very positive about the Bears' future. John Fox and his staff are excellent.