2014 NFL Season - It's Back Again - Pigskin Play.

[sawzalot]

It's back again just a couple of weeks to go, September 7th is the first Sunday action, the 2014 season kicks off with a bang, new rules , young blood and plenty of action for all to enjoy. I think this will be one of the highest scoring seasons by far and look forward to every crunching jaw dropping play.

I hope all the fan's chime in here and let us know what your thoughts and expectations are in regards to your favorite team.

Go Eagles

NFL in High Def Rocks !

 

[herbu]

new rules

What new rules this year?
I'm not a big fan of some of the rule changes. You can't block the way we were taught 45 years ago. It used to be if you had possesion of the ball when it crossed the plane of the goal, it was a touchdown. Now the ground can cause a fumble. I don't see how some of the new rules improve the game.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

Fly Eagles Fly!

 

[sawzalot]

What new rules this year?
I'm not a big fan of some of the rule changes. You can't block the way we were taught 45 years ago. It used to be if you had possesion of the ball when it crossed the plane of the goal, it was a touchdown. Now the ground can cause a fumble. I don't see how some of the new rules improve the game.

herbu you ask "what new rules" then say your not a fan of them , so basically you already knew but here they are anywho , and I did not infer that they would make the game better , but safer for long term careers by players is not a terrible thing either.

4. Extend the uprights to make them five feet taller. PASSED

8. Protect players from getting the sides of their legs rolled up on — the rule already says a blocker can’t hit an opponent in the back of the legs, this proposal will add “or side” to the rule. PASSED

9. Allow the referee to consult with members of the NFL officiating department during replay reviews. The referee would be able to speak with the command center in New York to help in reviewing a play. PASSED

10. Re-organize the rules about what can be reviewed and what cannot be reviewed, including making the recovery of a loose ball in the field of play reviewable. (This is referred to as the NaVorro Bowman rule, after a controversial call in the NFC Championship Game.) PASSED

11. Don’t stop the clock on a sack. PASSED

13. Enforce defensive fouls behind the line of scrimmage from the previous spot, rather than from the end of the run or from the spot of the foul. PASSED

 

[sawzalot]

If a player has possession when crossing the goal it is a touchdown , no ifs and or butts ! When a receiver catches the ball in the end zone and maintains possession throughout it is a TD if he loses control and or the ground knocks it lose it is no good since he did not maintain Possession , makes sense.

 

[herbu]

if he loses control and or the ground knocks it lose it is no good since he did not maintain Possession

Thanks, sawzalot. I didn't know the new rules this year, and was making a general reference to the evolution of rules. The one above particularly gets my goat as it depends on something happening AFTER the player has possesion in the endzone. I think it's a touchdown the instant a player has possession in the endzone. After that instant, it doesn't matter if he loses control, or the ground knocks it loose, or he trips or has a stroke or anything. Just my .02

 

[MidnightSensi2]

YAY! THE WORLD CUP IS OVER AND NFL RETURNS!

Benefits:
1. Don't have to watch two countries I've never heard of battle it out for a 0-0 tie.
2. People won't be pretending to like soccer (er, football) to look more cultured.
3. Germany can't win... which, means they're less likely to get into a nationalistic frenzy (what could go wrong with that?! lol)

 

[darien87]

My Bolts A-Team looked pretty good against the 9'ers yesterday. I feel pretty good about the offense. The defense still drives me nuts. Sometimes they look great, (they got all kinds of pressure on Kaepernick yesterday), and sometimes they can't tackle for crap. We'll see.

 

[sawzalot]

YAY! THE WORLD CUP IS OVER AND NFL RETURNS!

Benefits:
1. Don't have to watch two countries I've never heard of battle it out for a 0-0 tie.
2. People won't be pretending to like soccer (er, football) to look more cultured.
3. Germany can't win... which, means they're less likely to get into a nationalistic frenzy (what could go wrong with that?! lol)

You forgot two more:
4.Brasil will not riot, loot, and kill one another.
5.No star players will be killed by rock throwing fans.

 

[sawzalot]

Here we go Phanatics, just about kick off to the brand new season.
Should be a very good game but I think the revenge factor comes in to play here and Green Bay takes care of business , R U Ready for some Football !!

 

[Ponzio]

Everyone in Birdland is excited as a squeamish schoolgirl asked to the senior prom by the quiet dashing young quarterback this year. It could be a dream come true or she could be getting punk’d by his mates to win a bet. Life is cruel that way. Hopefully the Chipah is the real deal and St. Nick is Tom Brady Lite, as I like to refer to him. I really shouldn’t be commenting on football matters, not after my last 2 predictions. To recap, I thought Chip would go 6-10 and I mocked his genius label last year.


And then to top it off I picked Frankie the Choker to win the Super Bowl … thanks JD.

So I’m hedging my bets this year and come up with some reasons for and against the team going 10-6.

For:
Nick Foles truly is the future of the franchise. Probably not since Donovan McNabb have the Eagles had a quarterback with such promise. I can still remember St. Nick’s first pre-season game under Cap’n Andy and thinking to myself that we might have Tom Brady Lite here. He could slide in the pocket enough to give him time to avoid the rush and find a receiver downfield and he seems to make the intelligent decision without panicking most of the time. But alas, he doesn’t have Tom Terrific’s gun of an arm or Gisele Bündchen for that matter but nonetheless. Even when he took over for Vick in 2012 for the last 6 games of the season with a decimated OL he showed promise while only winning one of those games. Handles adversity well and shows the ability to bounce back like a jihadi suicide bomber instructor. His ego is in check and just seems to thrive on just winning, happily deferring to his mates. Simple concept but hard to carry out with all the distractions that today’s NFL offers. He’s in a contract year with a new blushing bride … does it get any better in life?
Against:
Remember Bobby Hoying … ‘nuff said.

For:
The offensive line plays like it did toward the end of last year with Pro Bowlers Peters, Mathis & Kelce along with a rejuvenated Todd Herremans and a competent Alan Barbre. The second unit played lights out for Mark Sanchez & Matt Barkley in the pre-season and seems to be a vast improvement over what they had the last 3 years.
Against:
This line ain’t getting any younger. Lane Johnson is suspended for the first 4 games … moron … and his replacement, Alan Barbre, is a 30 year old journeyman tackle on his third team. The depth on the OL is questionable and un-tested. An injury to either Kelce or Peters could sink their battleship quicker than the Japanese air force did at Pearl Harbor.

For:
They jettisoned DeSean Jackson, wanna-be thug and team cancer. For all his great physical attributes and stats, MeSean had a way of disappearing in big games and physical corners could make him shrink even more so that his listed height. Getting rid of DeSean was a message to the team to let everyone know who was in charge of the insane asylum, both rookies and established veterans alike.
Against:
How do you replace the speed and the fear that DeSean bought to the table, forcing the free safety to shade to his side on passing plays; obviously not with the existing WR corps.

For:
The D with another year under its belt in Bill Davis’s system and improved depth becomes a top 15 barrier to opposing teams scoring at will on 3rd down and can hold a lead at the end of the game.
Against:
The NFL’s new emphasis on pass interference dooms the physically aggressive Williams-Fletcher duo and Malcom Jenkins is exposed as a player that couldn’t play corner, for which he was drafted by NO or as a marshmallow enforcer at safety, which led NO to let him go seek employment elsewhere.

For:
LeSean McCoy, the emergence of Zach Ertz, that Maclin can stay upright for at least for 10 games, Vinny Curry is finally unleashed, faster up-tempo game plans combined with offensive unpredictability, weak division.
Against:
Rookie kicker, injuries, suspect defensive depth.

The variables for and against are endless, so I’ll just stop torturing you and myself and accept our fate. Like my theme song for this year’s season says, “the future is uncertain and the end is always near”.

Let us pray!!!

For you other heathens who cheer for our enemies, like the Washington American Indians, Dallas Cowgirls & the NY Gint's, I wish you nothing but misery in the upcoming season. What? You thought I was going to be magnanimous? Silly rabbit.

Enjoy the season guys/gals.

 

[sawzalot]

Nice post Ponzz , I do like your theme song it brings back memories of many different times and places , all good memories as well.

LETS GO BIRDS !!!!

 

[sawzalot]

I will comment more and make some of my own as well but I need to get off to work a while so I'll give it a go later on.


FLY EAGLES FLY ON THE ROAD TO VICTORY !!

 

[herbu]

Question: I've noticed the last couple years that the ball carrier, after he's down, makes a particular effort to give the ball to an official. It used to be that he just left the ball on the ground and let the ref go get it. Is this a new rule, or just part of the hurry-up offense so many teams seem to favor now?

 

[Ponzio]

Question: I've noticed the last couple years that the ball carrier, after he's down, makes a particular effort to give the ball to an official. It used to be that he just left the ball on the ground and let the ref go get it. Is this a new rule, or just part of the hurry-up offense so many teams seem to favor now?

it's part of the hurry-up offence to place the ball at the line of scrimage, so a new play can proceed.

 

[Swerd]

The Washington Deadskins have ended their typically over-hyped preseason as early as possible by loosing to Houston, the only team with a record worse than their own 3-13 last year .

They looked inept, with an offense clearly unprepared to play in the NFL. Robert Griffin is in his third season as quarterback, and this is widely perceived around town as a make or break season for him. He's gone from RGIII to RG3.0, and may go to RG3 and done.

You may think I have cleverly avoided using the name Redskins, but that would be wrong. I'm using the name they deserve .

 

[billy p]

Yup...running the Baylor offence in the Big12 is not the NFL. With Kirk Cousins leaning over his shoulder who IMO is better suited for NFL. It won't be to long before RG3 sits because the NFL is a all about "wins" and Jay Gruden know who runs the team and how he chews up & spits out coaches.

 

[Ponzio]

The Washington Deadskins have ended their typically over-hyped preseason as early as possible by loosing to Houston, the only team with a record worse than their own 3-13 last year .

They looked inept, with an offense clearly unprepared to play in the NFL. Robert Griffin is in his third season as quarterback, and this is widely perceived around town as a make or break season for him. He's gone from RGIII to RG3.0, and may go to RG3 and done.

You may think I have cleverly avoided using the name Redskins, but that would be wrong. I'm using the name they deserve .

It was all fine and well to pick up DeSean Jackson but they would of been better off improving the OL and a good quarterbacks coach. He has a lot of natural talent but still too raw. I recommend they trade him to Philly for Mark Sanchez, where he can get a proper education with Chip Kelly, Pat Shurmur & Bill Musgrave. I'm just trying to help you out.

 

[billy p]

Ha...you Eagles fans might might as well start feeling good. Looks like you'll win that division by default alone...we'll see tonight how much the G-Men suck ...because both Dallas & Wash....oy!!

 

[Ponzio]

well to tell you the truth I'm not feeling too good about losing 2 starting OL but it's a long season and anything can happen. Go Lions!!!