2011 NFL Season

[mystikz]

only team that can score enough points to keep up with the Saints is obviously the Packers. Alex Smith is not going to win a QB duel with Drew Brees. possibly the Giants but not likely.

[Meacon Keaton]

49ers may not have to try to outshoot the Saints though. San Fran has a defense.

[gunnar hendershow]

If the Saints come out in the first half against SF like they did tonight the Niners have a great shot at winning. Lions lost because they didn't take advantage early, and their defense sucks. Sign some free agents at key positions and draft OL and LB in the first 2 rounds and you can find some anchors at 2 very important positions for the next decade if you're lucky.

[sahyder1]

49ers may not have to try to outshoot the Saints though. San Fran has a defense.

As a 49ers fan I am not optimistic going into next week but someone did post earlier on twitter that Brees had a 34/6 TD/INT ratio inside a dome and 12/8 outside of it. Does that mean that Brees won't go on to have a big game next week? No, but the game being in San Francisco does offer a glare of hope. They held the Lions to 19 points earlier in the season.

[Meacon Keaton]

That's why I think San Fran can win. I won't take anything away from Brees, but he's a completely different player outside.

[livid]

Not to mention that he'll be playing an actual defense and not whatever the Lions were playing today.

[Maxx]

McDaniels has gone crawling back to the Patriots and will be their Offensive Coordinator next season.

[Lint]

So after watching a bit of Any Given Sunday tonight I have this feeling that the 2011 Broncos season might be gearing up for the final, emotional, dramatic scene where Tebow crosses the goal line against a hobbled Steelers defense in the final minute to win the game. Or at least beat the spread.

Not going to predict it, but the whole script of Denver's season follows 95% of sports movies ever made. Assuming the final scene is the Pittsburgh game.

And, if they lose, it'll freeze frame in black and white. Dustin Hoffman, who could, with a little bit of makeup, pass decently for John Fox, says "The Broncos might have lost that game, but in the end, they were winners"

[mystikz]

so does Brees have a chance at MVP or does Rodgers have it locked down? both have legit claims honestly

[Dan]

I think the NFC championship game (if everything pans out like it probably will) will decide the league MVP in all honesty.

[GhostMachine]

so does Brees have a chance at MVP or does Rodgers have it locked down? both have legit claims honestly

Proving once again that they're the "Lets Blow Tom Brady Network", on ESPN's First Take a few days ago, they had 3 people arguing who the MVP should be during 1st and 10: Brees, Rodgers or Brady....and two picked Brady.

(I can see the Flynn thing hurting Rodgers, but....BRADY?! HELL NO!)

[Lint]

so does Brees have a chance at MVP or does Rodgers have it locked down? both have legit claims honestly

Proving once again that they're the "Lets Blow Tom Brady Network", on ESPN's First Take a few days ago, they had 3 people arguing who the MVP should be during 1st and 10: Brees, Rodgers or Brady....and two picked Brady.

(I can see the Flynn thing hurting Rodgers, but....BRADY?! HELL NO!)

Doesn't that show have the talking joke Skip Bayless?

[mystikz]

so does Brees have a chance at MVP or does Rodgers have it locked down? both have legit claims honestly

Proving once again that they're the "Lets Blow Tom Brady Network", on ESPN's First Take a few days ago, they had 3 people arguing who the MVP should be during 1st and 10: Brees, Rodgers or Brady....and two picked Brady.

(I can see the Flynn thing hurting Rodgers, but....BRADY?! HELL NO!)

honestly Flynn playing so well should be a boost to Rodgers. he only played so well because Rodgers was shouting in his ears during the game and ran through what to do during practice. Rodgers pretty much coached him all week.

[sahyder1]

I think the NFC championship game (if everything pans out like it probably will) will decide the league MVP in all honesty.

I'm pretty sure that the AP voters have to turn in ballot before the start of the playoffs.

[naiwf]

so does Brees have a chance at MVP or does Rodgers have it locked down? both have legit claims honestly

Rodgers should have it locked down. Best record in the league with the worst defense, didn't pad his stats and everybody loves him because he's not Brett Favre.

[gunnar hendershow]

I do agree Brees' numbers outside of a dome aren't on the same level as his numbers in a dome. I believe NO is 3-2 outside a dome (with reduced offensive numbers) and 11-1 inside any dome. So it will be interesting to see what happens outside against the frst elite defense NO has seen all year.

[jase12881]

Christ, I know the Saints are a great team, but christ do I hate to see us let them set post season records.

Either way, I like our future. I think the offense can compete with anybody though the running game needs work, and we could use a new body or two on the offensive line. On the other hand, the defense needs a whole lot of help. The secondary is really bad, the linebackers with the exception of Tulloch can't tackle, and the D-Line is completely overrated. Not only that, it's probably time to let Gunther Cunningham go and get a different scheme in town. They really need to emphasize defense this off-season (gee, don't I sound like a broken record?).

Could be worse though, having Stafford and Calvin should keep us in games for years to come. Just need to figure out how to not let teams run up hundreds of yards on us.

Agreed. I think the biggest lesson here is with how far we've come, how far we still have to go if we want to make a Super Bowl at some point. The mountain is a lot higher than it looks from the bottom. It's a lesson that good-but-not-good-enough teams like Atlanta have already learned the past few years but that doesn't make climbing it any easier.

I think Stafford will become an elite QB. That being said though, it's the Lions so I wouldn't be surprised if he completely regressed next year. And for God's sake get us some damn defense! I know the Saints Offense is just that good, but it would be nice if the Defense didn't completely suck ass. Get some pressure from the front four and a secondary that could cover, and we might have had a little chance. Oh well. Good season. I definitely like finishing 10-6 much better than 6-10,2-14, or 0-16.

[naiwf]

This Falcons/Giants game is off to a horrendous start offensively.

[gunnar hendershow]

That whole sequence belongs high on the list of "things that only happen to the Giants."

[Dan]

Neither of these teams are doing to win the Superbowl, just feels so pointless.