American Sports Thread

[AZOffaly]

Fair play to Manning. 510 TD passes in his career so far, and the new all time Passing TD record holder. He's a machine in the regular season. I'd like to see him win another superbowl before he retires, because his post season record doesn't add up with the rest of his HOF career.

The Cardinals keep on trucking as well, 5-1 on the season now. First time since 1976 I think. Their schedule is going to get tougher from now on, but they've given themselves a chance, with a horrendous injury list all season. The niners and seahawks have both lost 3 games now, so the cards have a good base to build from, but they might do well to win 5 more games out of the last 10.

[magpie seanie]

Well past time for a bit of soul searching in Chicago. How can an offense with Forte, Marshall, Jeffery, Bennett and a pretty good o-line end up with only 14 points? The obvious answer is the QB and while he has his bad moments I think he is more than good enough to run this offense well. I follow them closely and frankly some of the play calling is just bizarre. I think the offensive co-ordinator & head coach are getting way too cute with some of the stuff they're trying. They're either totally predicatable or totally wrong and waaayyy too conservative given the players at their disposal.

The defense is beat up again but just about hanging in there, the re-tooled defensive line largely to thank for that.

Three defeats at home have nearly ended the season already with road games against the Patriots, the fudge and the Lions still to come. So disappointed but things can change quickly in the NFL - look at the Cleveland Browns.

[cadhlancian]

I like Manning , but the staged celebration after the record passing TD was nauseating . Who the f**k rehearses something like that?

[AZOffaly]

Which one, the piggy in the middle thing?

[gallsman]

Which one, the piggy in the middle thing?

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/oct/20/peyton-manning-broncos-keep-away-celebration-record-breaking-touchdown

I didn't find it nauseating, rather quite funny, but agree that practicing a celebration is a bit pathetic. American Football is dreadful for it (although I did love the TO/Emmett Smith/TO trio of celebrations on top of the star in Dallas).

[AZOffaly]

It looked a bit sad to be honest, but he has a history of a bit of a zaney sense of humour and being able to poke fun at himself. Some of the ads he does are quite funny, as is that Peyton Manning speaks Irish thing.

[Hound]

Loved the Rams win over the Seahawks.

The fake punt at the end was incredibly ballsy.

But the fake punt return (for want of a better phrase) earlier on was my highlight of the year so far. Maybe others have done it in the past, but its the first time I've seen anything like it and I thought it was fantastic!

[screenexile]

Loved the Rams win over the Seahawks.

The fake punt at the end was incredibly ballsy.

But the fake punt return (for want of a better phrase) earlier on was my highlight of the year so far. Maybe others have done it in the past, but its the first time I've seen anything like it and I thought it was fantastic!

For the NFL Champions to be caught out by a play like that is incredible. It just shows how programmed the players are that they can't even use their eyes on the field to make an individual decision.

Serious offensive play though and whoever came up with it obviously knew the Seahawks would blindly follow the dummy receiver and where the blockers were going. Fair play to that man!!

[magpie seanie]

Loved the Rams win over the Seahawks.

The fake punt at the end was incredibly ballsy.

But the fake punt return (for want of a better phrase) earlier on was my highlight of the year so far. Maybe others have done it in the past, but its the first time I've seen anything like it and I thought it was fantastic!

For the NFL Champions to be caught out by a play like that is incredible. It just shows how programmed the players are that they can't even use their eyes on the field to make an individual decision.

Serious offensive play though and whoever came up with it obviously knew the Seahawks would blindly follow the dummy receiver and where the blockers were going. Fair play to that man!!

The Bears did it a few years ago - Johnny Knox took it back when everyone was watching Devin Hester pretend he caught the ball. It was called back for a penalty though.

To be fair it would be difficult to follow the flight of a punted ball when you're trying to avoid a blocker and bomb it downfield.

[RealSpiritof98]

I fall in and out of love with baseball. Enjoying this world series, it helps that your kids are sick and I can make an excuse to stay up and watch. Go Giants

[Asal Mor]

Watched a few games this week courtesy of pirate bay.
Dallas v Washington - Not being wise after the event cos I thought it when he was coming back in, but it was crazy to bring Tony Romo back after he got a heavy knock, especially when Weeden had come in and done really well. The team should come before Romo's ego, but it didn't here. Colt McCoy?? did well for Washington after a shaky start. He may be a better option than RG3 (wouldn't be hard) for the rest of the year. He's quick and a decent passer. DeSean Jackson is phenomenal. One of the best WRs around.

Carolina v Seattle - Great to see Sherman getting some comeuppance. He wasn't able for Fredericks, who has it all. Cam is an amazing athlete but he's not the brightest, especially in the red zone. He should probably cut down on celebrating first downs, until he starts winning more games. I think Carolina fans are getting sick of him.

Broncos v Chargers - The Broncos have gotten better and look as unstoppable as the Dubs did before the Donegal game. Even at the really short price of 9/4 for the Superbowl, they look a good bet to me.

[AZOffaly]

No harm Asal, but if you think Colt McCoy is a better bet than a fit RGIII, then I don't know what to say to you. As regards Romo, I don't think it was ego as such, I think it is the whole macho 'I'm a leader of this team and my men need me' type reaction which is drilled into these guys, especially the QBs, since they are kids.

Agree about the Broncos, they look very good, however I'd hold off on going all in on them just yet. Manning's playoff record always sticks in my head, and while Denver will be very hard to beat at home, if they end up not getting homefield, and have to go somewhere like Baltimore or New England, watch out. Their schedule has been very favourable so far. They've played 7 games, and 5 of them have been at home!! They've played, and beaten, the Colts, Chiefs, Cardinals, 49ers and Chargers at him, and they've beaten the Jets away. Their only tough away game, they've lost, in Seattle. It looked like a 'good' loss compared to the Superbowl, Seattle's form since has thrown that into doubt a little bit.

Their remaining schedule is obviously going to be weighted towards away games, and there are some challenging ones for them. They are @ Patriots, @Raiders, @Rams, v Dolphins @ Chiefs, v Bills, @Chargers, @Bengals, v Raiders. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that they end 15-1, but it's also not crazy to suggest they might finish 12-4 or thereabouts. That might not be good enough for homefield all the way through.

[AZOffaly]

On a separate football topic,(NCAA) what do people think of the first rankings out from the new playoff committee? For those that don't know, they are tasked with selecting, at the end of the regular season, the 'ranking' of the teams for the end of season bowls and national championships. The most important are the top 4, who will play the national semi finals and final.

Their first rankings are a little bit meaningless because with so many big games to come, it's going to change as people lose, but I wonder what the thoughts are on the initial rankings? SEC is obviously the best conference, but they will eat themselves, and I'm surprised that Auburn and Ole Miss are in there. Ole Miss especially after losing to LSU in Baton Rouge.

Committee rankings are
1 - Mississippi State
2 - Florida State
3 - Auburn
4 - Ole Miss

My rankings would be
1 - Mississippi State
2 - Florida State
3 - Oregon
4 - Alabama

[Syferus]

Until one of those SEC teams have more loses than Orgeon it'd be insane to put the Ducks ahead of them, AZ. The Pac-12 champions might make the third or fourth spot, but they need a good bit to go right for them too.

For me, the dream is Auburn and Bama going undefeated to the Iron Bowl (last regular season game for both). It might mean Auburn, even if they won, wouldn't get into the SEC championship game (assuming Bama beats Miss State on the way, Miss State would have the tie-breaker over Auburn if they won their other games) but the voters would be hard pressed to ignore Auburn for one of the four spots. Of course if Bama win out they're in the SEC championship game regardless.

The SEC West is murder though - No. 3 Auburn are going to Oxford to play No.4 Ole Miss this weekend. Neither can afford to lose another game if they want to remain in the race.

[AZOffaly]

Oregon's O-Line had a lot of injuries when Arizona beat them, and if Arizona hadn't beaten them they'd be in there no doubt, so I just think they deserve to be. There's no doubt the SEC will beat each other, so if Oregon run the table, they have to be in there. I know you don't think much of the PAC-12, but ASU, UofA, Utah and UCLA are all in the top 25, so if Oregon wins that conference at 11-1 or whatever, I think they have to be there. They beat Michigan State as well.

Georgia might be a dark horse. They should win the SEC East, and if they do, and beat the SEC West team in the SEC game, you'd nearly have to put them in.

I expect Florida State will win out, and be there, unless Louisville trips them up. If they lose, they are gone because the ACC is weak.

Notre Dame will feel hard done by to drop to 10th. They couldn't expect to be in the top 4, but they lost narrowly to #2 and seem to have been punished a lot for that. They're paying for Stanford and Michigan being regarded poorly.