American Sports Thread

[Minder]

After a bit of research it seems MNF is available on the BBC IPlayer, but not on tablet or mobile devices. It is also repeated on Tuesday evening on the red button, there does not seem to be a definitive time.

[AZOffaly]

I signed up for the free trial as well, it looks excellent in fairness, but I'd balk at shelling out €160 or so myself. However, and this is the tempting bit, you can pay in installments of 4 x €40. Damnit.

[Galwaybhoy]

After a bit of research it seems MNF is available on the BBC IPlayer, but not on tablet or mobile devices. It is also repeated on Tuesday evening on the red button, there does not seem to be a definitive time.

BBC IPlayer is no good for us living in the South.

[AZOffaly]

Ah lads. Cardiac Cards again! Tipping along nicely in Foxborough, where they have an appalling record, they were 20 - 9 up in the tail end of the fourth quarter. Then Brady does what he does, and suddenly the Cardinals are only 2 points up, 20-18 after stopping a 2 point conversion with 2:06 left.

Basically, they just need a first down to more or less ice it, giving it back to the Pats with about 10 seconds left, and they go ahead and impressively get that first downon two running plays, forcing the Patriots to burn their time outs. Then with just over a minute left, on third down they just need to run the ball up the gut, run the clock, safely punt it away and the game would just be a Hail Mary away from being over.

Instead they do a toss left to the young running back, who is hammered and coughs up the ball. Fumble. Turnover. Holy f**k, what an implosion. Pats had about 50 seconds, and they ran a play which went all the way to the end zone, but ended up being called back for holding.

Another couple of pass plays and running plays to get position in the middle of the field and Gostkowski had about a 30 yarder for the win with 6 seconds left. The Cardinals have a bit of a reputation for blocking kicks etc, so I wasn't completely without hope, but I couldn't believe it when he just absolutely pulled it wide left.

It says a lot when I was still nervous with 1 second left and only a knee to be taken. I expected Kolb to fumble the snap or something, but fair play, they deserved the win, and they got it. Great stuff, and 2-0 after two weeks, including an away day at 1pm on the East Coast (Arizona Body clocks would be set on 10am for that time.)

Notre Dame were convincing against Michigan State on Saturday too, to go 3-0, so a good weekend of football all around. 

[ONeill]

Chargers going well but Rivers starting to throw the Hail Marys. 17-3 up at HT.

2 TDs for Rosario - not familiar with him.

[AZOffaly]

Chargers going well but Rivers starting to throw the Hail Marys. 17-3 up at HT.

2 TDs for Rosario - not familiar with him.

He's playing because Antonio Gates is out with Ribs. The big sissy.

[ONeill]

Number 3 for Rosario.

[barelegs]

Another couple of pass plays and running plays to get position in the middle of the field and Gostkowski had about a 30 yarder for the win with 6 seconds left. The Cardinals have a bit of a reputation for blocking kicks etc, so I wasn't completely without hope, but I couldn't believe it when he just absolutely pulled it wide left.

It was fairly remarkable but to be fair to Gostkowski it was actually a 42 yarder. It should have been a 32 yarder but there was a false start on the Patriots O-line on the play before. The extra 10 yards didn't help.

As a Dolphins fan this is a rare good day. Big win and the Pats beat. Jets not looking too hot... If only it was like this every week!

[Declan]

God to see the Eagles winning another tight one - Only saw pieces of the games last night but your man Griffin looks to be the real deal from what I saw

[Tony Baloney]

Chargers going well but Rivers starting to throw the Hail Marys. 17-3 up at HT.

2 TDs for Rosario - not familiar with him.

He's playing because Antonio Gates is out with Ribs. The big sissy.

Who is this Ribs chap?

[AZOffaly]

Sorry smartarse. Gates was out with sore ribs. Fecking cost me a ton of points.

[Capt Pat]

The Vikings fairly stunk the place up last night. 2 TDs in the second half of the fourth quarteris not enough. Their efforts had to be questioned. It looks like another top ten pick in the draft for the Vikings is the best they can hope for.

[magpie seanie]

Larry Fitzgerald absolutely killing 2 of my fantasy teams. Was sure he must have got injured or something but apparently not.

My otrher team (the GAABoard one) scored decently but ran into a Ballyhaise juggernaut this weekend. Even though I'm too far behind, I must say Ray Rice finishing on 99 rushing yards didn't leave me too impressed!

[Hound]

Ah lads. Cardiac Cards again! Tipping along nicely in Foxborough, where they have an appalling record, they were 20 - 9 up in the tail end of the fourth quarter. Then Brady does what he does, and suddenly the Cardinals are only 2 points up, 20-18 after stopping a 2 point conversion with 2:06 left.

Basically, they just need a first down to more or less ice it, giving it back to the Pats with about 10 seconds left, and they go ahead and impressively get that first downon two running plays, forcing the Patriots to burn their time outs. Then with just over a minute left, on third down they just need to run the ball up the gut, run the clock, safely punt it away and the game would just be a Hail Mary away from being over.

Instead they do a toss left to the young running back, who is hammered and coughs up the ball. Fumble. Turnover. Holy f**k, what an implosion. Pats had about 50 seconds, and they ran a play which went all the way to the end zone, but ended up being called back for holding.

Another couple of pass plays and running plays to get position in the middle of the field and Gostkowski had about a 30 yarder for the win with 6 seconds left. The Cardinals have a bit of a reputation for blocking kicks etc, so I wasn't completely without hope, but I couldn't believe it when he just absolutely pulled it wide left.

It says a lot when I was still nervous with 1 second left and only a knee to be taken. I expected Kolb to fumble the snap or something, but fair play, they deserved the win, and they got it. Great stuff, and 2-0 after two weeks, including an away day at 1pm on the East Coast (Arizona Body clocks would be set on 10am for that time.)

Watched this with the young lad (in his Larry Fitz jersey) on the Sky Sports Redzone yesterday. You only get to see the exciting bits, which meant feck all coverage early on, but lots toward the end. We'd consigned ourselves to a heavy defeat before it started, but when even Kolb got a TD himself the upset looked really on.

When that fumble happened it was nearly tears. Better losing 40-10 like we'd expected than to come so close then throw it away. The field goal miss then though was all the sweeter, and we were both jumping around the living room floor. Great stuff!

AZ, has the new wide receiver Floyd got any field time? Is there any website that gives starting line-ups and details of all players that see action?

Edit: Seanie, I've only seen bits and pieces of the 2 Cardinals games, but I'd be 99% sure its not Larrys fault he's got no ball. I read an article in the off season where they were ranking the NFL quarterbacks. Kolb and Skelton were something like 38th and 40th. Quite an achievement in a 32 team league!

[AZOffaly]

Ah lads. Cardiac Cards again! Tipping along nicely in Foxborough, where they have an appalling record, they were 20 - 9 up in the tail end of the fourth quarter. Then Brady does what he does, and suddenly the Cardinals are only 2 points up, 20-18 after stopping a 2 point conversion with 2:06 left.

Basically, they just need a first down to more or less ice it, giving it back to the Pats with about 10 seconds left, and they go ahead and impressively get that first downon two running plays, forcing the Patriots to burn their time outs. Then with just over a minute left, on third down they just need to run the ball up the gut, run the clock, safely punt it away and the game would just be a Hail Mary away from being over.

Instead they do a toss left to the young running back, who is hammered and coughs up the ball. Fumble. Turnover. Holy f**k, what an implosion. Pats had about 50 seconds, and they ran a play which went all the way to the end zone, but ended up being called back for holding.

Another couple of pass plays and running plays to get position in the middle of the field and Gostkowski had about a 30 yarder for the win with 6 seconds left. The Cardinals have a bit of a reputation for blocking kicks etc, so I wasn't completely without hope, but I couldn't believe it when he just absolutely pulled it wide left.

It says a lot when I was still nervous with 1 second left and only a knee to be taken. I expected Kolb to fumble the snap or something, but fair play, they deserved the win, and they got it. Great stuff, and 2-0 after two weeks, including an away day at 1pm on the East Coast (Arizona Body clocks would be set on 10am for that time.)

Watched this with the young lad (in his Larry Fitz jersey) on the Sky Sports Redzone yesterday. You only get to see the exciting bits, which meant feck all coverage early on, but lots toward the end. We'd consigned ourselves to a heavy defeat before it started, but when even Kolb got a TD himself the upset looked really on.

When that fumble happened it was nearly tears. Better losing 40-10 like we'd expected than to come so close then throw it away. The field goal miss then though was all the sweeter, and we were both jumping around the living room floor. Great stuff!

AZ, has the new wide receiver Floyd got any field time? Is there any website that gives starting line-ups and details of all players that see action?

Edit: Seanie, I've only seen bits and pieces of the 2 Cardinals games, but I'd be 99% sure its not Larrys fault he's got no ball.

Floyd has gotten some game time alright, but limited enough. The Cardinals have a good corps of receivers with Fitz, Doucet, Roberts and Floyd, not to mention Todd Heap at TE as well. It will take Floyd a while to get in synch.

As regards MacGearailt, it isn't his fault. He's not dropping balls or anything like that, he's just not really being targetted. Two reasons for that are 1, the QB play is still not exactly Brady-esque, but 2, and more importantly, defenses are just keying in on him At times yesterday (I watched on the NFL gamepass free trial) he was bracketed by THREE defenders. Now Kurt Warner would still lob it up and Larry'd go and catch it anyway, but Kolb and Skelton don't have that trust in themselves to do that. They are mortally afraid of picks. However Larry is doing a captains part. He is attracting this attention, and still running his routes, blocking like a divil and essentially being the reason why Doucet, Heap and especially Andre Roberts are getting open. Example is the first TD yesterday, and the winner v Seattle. Inside the 10, Arizona's MO is a back corner fade to Larry to go and get it. Been doing it for years with Warner, and even various other QBs. Now opposition Ds have just bracketed him, and closed that off, but in doing so have left quick passes open to Doucet and Roberts. That = TD time.

I'd expect the double and triple coverage to ease up a little if the run game can continue to improve, and if the other WRs continue to get important catches and scores, at which time Larry will start getting a lot more targets, and a lot more catches.