The 2010 NFL Thread

[Dan]

Now Raiders, be a good little team and do shit next week.

[Kyle_]

Payton Manning must be so good that all of his WR's can't catch all of his passes so he's got to throw them to the other team. Is that it ?

Ok, I get it. 3 straight bad games means the previous decade (that includes a 2 Super Bowl appearances) didn't happen.

Who said that? He's just proving that when he doesn't have a team around him, he's not as good as we thought

[sahyder1]

Payton Manning must be so good that all of his WR's can't catch all of his passes so he's got to throw them to the other team. Is that it ?

Ok, I get it. 3 straight bad games means the previous decade (that includes a 2 Super Bowl appearances) didn't happen.

Who said that? He's just proving that when he doesn't have a team around him, he's not as good as we thought

He's averaged 11 wins a season (that includes his rookie year where he only had 3 wins) and most of those have been a horrible defense. The rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

[Kyle_]

Payton Manning must be so good that all of his WR's can't catch all of his passes so he's got to throw them to the other team. Is that it ?

Ok, I get it. 3 straight bad games means the previous decade (that includes a 2 Super Bowl appearances) didn't happen.

Who said that? He's just proving that when he doesn't have a team around him, he's not as good as we thought

He's averaged 11 wins a season (that includes his rookie year where he only had 3 wins) and most of those have been a horrible defense. The rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

You aren't getting what I'm saying, I'm not saying he hasn't been great his whole career, just saying he's playing like crap with his weapons gone. And throwing picks has nothing to do with your defense playing crappy

[Szumi]

Big Ben's nose just got FUCKED.

[Jive]

Did anyone else notice Peyton talking to Wayne after Reggie went out with a pull? You could tell after the second pick he was telling Reggie he needed him out there to win the game. Peyton is a great QB, but I found that very interesting.

[livid]

Big Ben's nose just got FUCKED.

I hope it was consensual.

[naiwf]

Big Ben's nose just got FUCKED.

I hope it was consensual.

When any body part of Big Ben's is involved, you don't need consent.

[sahyder1]

wow....Steelers throw away a timeout early in the 3rd on a FG attempt because they only 10 guys on the field

[sahyder1]

How was that not called a penalty? How the hell did Miller walk off the field after that?

[Meacon Keaton]

Man, we stink so bad. We score 33 points last week and lose, we give up 10 points this week and lose. At this point, I wouldn't mind us just rolling over and dying the rest of the year so we get a top-three pick.

On the plus side, we suck so bad, I'm not even aggravated anymore. I've accepted we're just flat out horrible and have actually been enjoying football lately. ^_^

[Evil Chase K]

The Steelers do it again. This season is starting to look like 2008 all over again.

Ben guts it out. Troy gets his first sack since 2006. Flacco shows why he couldn't beat out Tyler Palko at Pitt.

Great game.

As for the Miller hit, I can't believe people are calling that the dirtiest hit they've ever seen. McClain was going to hit Miller in the chest/stomach, then Miller started going to the ground. There was no way McClain could've stopped at that point. This isn't the Matrix.

That said, with this season's rules that should have been flagged. But it wasn't the dirtiest hit ever as some are making it out to be.

[gunnar hendershow]

Tough loss, one big play from Polamalu and 55 minutes of playing the game we needed to play go out the window.

That McClain hit will be fined, should have been flagged but the refs have proven they understand the rules about as well as anyone else this season.

[Meacon Keaton]

Getting a bloody nose and a comeback win? I shudder to think how many girls in Baltimore were violated by the Benjamin last night.

[VerbalPuke]

Man, we stink so bad. We score 33 points last week and lose, we give up 10 points this week and lose. At this point, I wouldn't mind us just rolling over and dying the rest of the year so we get a top-three pick.

On the plus side, we suck so bad, I'm not even aggravated anymore. I've accepted we're just flat out horrible and have actually been enjoying football lately. ^_^

A friend of mine from Chicago says to me "Why is it today your team decided to figure out how to play football?". I told him not to worry, the Lions would blow it in the end, this script has already been written. And I was right. Yet another "moral victory". I've barely watched games since the Jets heart breaker, it's taken a long time but I've finally just given up any hope on this team for this season and for future seasons.

So in short, I sympathize. I've left the frustration at the door because when you know the story is the same, why let it bother you when the expected happens.

[naiwf]

The Steelers would have lost to the Bills last week if God didn't hate Stevie Johnson, and just got smoked by the Pats at home a couple of weeks earlier. Settle down tiger.

[Lint]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Don Meredith, one of the most recognizable figures of the early Dallas Cowboys and an original member of ABC's "Monday Night Football" broadcast team, died Sunday. He was 72.

Meredith's wife, Susan, told The Associated Press on Monday her husband died in Santa Fe after suffering a brain hemorrhage and lapsing into a coma. She and her daughter were at Meredith's side when he died.

"He was the best there was," she said, describing him as kind, warm and funny. "We lost a good one."

She said a private graveside service was being planned and that family members were traveling to Santa Fe.

Meredith played for the Cowboys from 1960-1968, becoming the starting quarterback in 1965. While he never led the Cowboys to the Super Bowl, Meredith was one of the franchise's first stars.

More on Meredith

Don Meredith's professional career included two All-America seasons at SMU, three Pro Bowl seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and a television career that included more than a decade on Monday Night Football. Photo Gallery Photo Gallery

From ESPNDallas.com:

• Remembering Meredith

• Rank the Cowboys' QBs

"Don Meredith was one of the most colorful characters in NFL history. He was star on the field who became an even bigger star on television," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. "He brought joy to football fans, from his play in historic NFL games like the Ice Bowl to his great personality that helped launch the success of Monday Night Football."

Over his nine-year career, Meredith threw for 17,199 yards and 111 touchdowns. He retired unexpectedly before the 1969 season.

Just two years after retiring from football, Meredith joined Keith Jackson and Howard Cosell in the broadcast booth as part of the "Monday Night Football" crew.

He quickly became one of the most popular broadcasters in sports because of his folksy sayings and country humor.

Meredith's signature call was singing the famous Willie Nelson song "Turn Out the Lights" when it appeared a game's outcome had been determined.

Meredith left ABC after the 1973 season for a three-year stint at NBC. He returned to the "MNF" crew in 1977 before retiring in 1984, one year after Cosell left the team.

Before a generation knew Meredith for his colorful broadcasting career, he was one of the most recognizable figures of the early Dallas Cowboys teams.

Meredith was drafted in the third round by the Chicago Bears in 1960 and was traded to the expansion Cowboys franchise for future draft picks.

"Dandy Don", as he was affectionately known, shared time under center with Eddie LeBaron before winning the starting job in 1965.

Meredith led the Cowboys to three straight division titles and to consecutive NFL Championship games in 1966 and 1967. Dallas lost both games though to eventual Super Bowl winners Green Bay.

In 1966, Meredith guided the Cowboys to their first-ever winning season (10-3-1). He was named NFL Player of the Year after throwing a career-high 24 touchdown passes and 2,805 yards.

Don Meredith

AP PhotoDon Meredith, center, was part of a popular Monday Night Football team with Howard Cosell, left, and Frank Gifford.

Meredith was one of nine Dallas players selected to the Pro Bowl that year -- the first of his two Pro Bowl years.

"Don Meredith was a Dallas Cowboys original. His wit, charm, and strength of personality were matched only by his wonderful leadership, toughness and athletic skill," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. "His persona defined the Cowboys of the 1960s and set the course for what the franchise became. Throughout 50 years of history, the Cowboys legacy has been built by dynamic and colorful personalities who could also compete at the highest level. No one fit that description better than Don Meredith."

Although Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman made the Cowboys' quarterback job synonymous with greatness, both credit Meredith for launching that tradition.

"He did it without as much help as some of the other guys had," said Lee Roy Jordan, a former Cowboys linebacker. "Our offensive line was not very good early on. He got beat up pretty bad -- broken noses and collarbones and ribs, everything you can think of, Don had it. But he was one tough individual. He played with many an ailment and injury, and was very, very competitive. He and Bob Hayes really set the standard for the wide-open offense, the motion guys and big plays."

Meredith's last moment in a Cowboys uniform was painful. Meredith threw three interceptions in a 1968 playoff game against the Cleveland Browns and was pulled in favor of Craig Morton.

"I tried to talk him out of it," Dallas head coach Tom Landry said after Meredith announced his retirement. "But when you lose your desire in this game, that's it."

Meredith and Don Perkins were the second and third players inducted to Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1976.

Meredith was one of the first athletes to make the transition from the field to the color analyst -- and the move to calling "Monday Night Football" was an easy one for him.

While on the show, Meredith was part of many memorable moments on ABC's landmark hit.

In 1970, Meredith was in the booth for the St. Louis Cardinals' 38-0 whitewashing of his former team. The Cotton Bowl crowd late in began chanting "We want Meredith!"

Meredith quipped, "No way you're getting me down there."

Another famous Meredith moment occurred in 1974 at the Houston Astrodome. The Oakland Raiders were in the process of beating the Houston Oilers 34-0.

A cameraman had a shot of a disgruntled Oilers fan, who then made an obscene gesture. Meredith said of the fan: "He thinks they're No. 1 in the nation."

In addition to his broadcasting career, Meredith appeared in several TV shows and movies after his playing career ended. He had a recurring role in "Police Story" and was a spokesman for Lipton.

Before his career with the Cowboys, Meredith was a three-year at quarterback for SMU. He was an All-America selection in 1958 and 1959.

Meredith was born and raised in Mount Vernon, Texas -- which is about 100 miles east of Dallas. He never played a home game outside of North Texas.

[mystikz]

wow that Heath Miller hit was nasty, how the hell was no penalty called? I'm no fan of the Steelers, in fact I hate that, but really?

[Jive]

I am obscenely excited for tonight's game.

Obscenely.

[Meacon Keaton]

I hope the Earth opens up and sucks both teams down to the firey pits of Hell.