2014 NFL Season

[pfrduke]

We can use this as a general discussion thread for the season.

The "illegal contact" penalties are going to frustrate a whole lot of people this year. There were two in the 49ers-Cowboys game that were absolutely ridiculous. It's getting close to where if a defensive player touches an offensive player other than to tackle him, it will be a foul.

[wilson]

I was wondering when this thread might get started.
I caught a lucky invite to the Falcons-Saints game down at the soon-to-be-needlessly-replaced Georgia Dome, and boy, what a game. It's always intense between those two teams (and fanbases), and today was no exception. A shootout all the way, and one of the most fun, entertaining games I've ever been to. I did not expect the Falcons to win today, but I kind of felt like they really needed to if they ever wanted to generate any positive momentum for the season. I still think the Birds' defense is highly suspect, particularly the line, and the power game on offense looks problematic too...little push up front a lot of the time, and Steven Jackson is pretty much a cadaver at this point.
But man, the Falcons can score points. As I noted in the Survivor pool thread, my general interest in the NFL is down considerably, but this oughtta be a very fun team to watch. There figure to be a lot of 35-31 type score lines involving the Falcons this year.

[YmoBeThere]

Intense and fan base in the same sentence regarding an Atlanta based team? Is such a thing possible?

[wilson]

Intense and fan base in the same sentence regarding an Atlanta based team? Is such a thing possible?

I went to the game with friends today, getting there and back via the subway. My wife picked me up from the train station, we made a quick grocery run, and then we went back to the train station to pick up a friend who was returning home from the airport. She got in the car and said, "Wow...the train was crazy today. I saw a fight!"
"A Falcons fan and a Saints fan?" I asked.
"Yeah," she replied, "those girls were really beating the [crap] out of each other. How'd you know?"

So, to answer your question, yes.

[bjornolf]

In the Washington Houston game, I saw two personal fouls for roughing the passer, one on each team, that were complete bupkis. They also missed an embarrassing number of holding calls on punts on both teams. On one, a guy had his jersey grabbed from behind and it was stretched out at least a foot.

[toughbuff1]

Has anyone seen the full Ray Rice video? As a Ravens fan, I must admit I had been giving him the benefit of the doubt, and hoping that all wasn't as appeared in the first video. But having seen the full video, I am absolutely disgusted, and I sincerely hope they cut him from the roster (though I doubt they will). I don't know how I could root for that guy ever again.

[Blue in the Face]

Has anyone seen the full Ray Rice video? As a Ravens fan, I must admit I had been giving him the benefit of the doubt, and hoping that all wasn't as appeared in the first video. But having seen the full video, I am absolutely disgusted, and I sincerely hope they cut him from the roster (though I doubt they will). I don't know how I could root for that guy ever again.

It's certainly not pretty. Seems weird that the video hadn't been made available to the league previously, though the discipline seemed very inadequate to me even without it.

[DUKIECB]

It's certainly not pretty. Seems weird that the video hadn't been made available to the league previously, though the discipline seemed very inadequate to me even without it.

I wonder if the league can or will put pressure on the team to take further action in light of the new video being released. What the video shows is absolutely deplorable.

[Reisen]

So, I listened to all the commentary on Mike & Mike, and the one thing I agree is, what does this change? Everyone knew he knocked her out in the elevator. Sincere question, but has anyone (including Rice) claimed / thought she slipped or something and he was just trying to help?

So, I guess, yeah, I'm outraged. But I was outraged before that he beat his wife unconscious and only received a 2 game suspension.

[Blue in the Face]

I wonder if the league can or will put pressure on the team to take further action in light of the new video being released. What the video shows is absolutely deplorable.

I don't know, but someone might want to let the Ravens know there's a "delete" button on twitter.


https://twitter.com/Ravens/status/469918292061061120

[DUKIECB]

I don't know, but someone might want to let the Ravens know there's a "delete" button on twitter.


https://twitter.com/Ravens/status/469918292061061120

WOW! Shaking my head in disbelief.

I guess my question is moot because even if the league pushed them to take action we can see what their stance is. That tweet makes it pretty clear.

[toughbuff1]

So, I listened to all the commentary on Mike & Mike, and the one thing I agree is, what does this change? Everyone knew he knocked her out in the elevator. Sincere question, but has anyone (including Rice) claimed / thought she slipped or something and he was just trying to help?

So, I guess, yeah, I'm outraged. But I was outraged before that he beat his wife unconscious and only received a 2 game suspension.

The local sports talk radio guys were saying that we shouldn't rush to judgement. That she was initially arrested, so she probably attacked him, and he was just defending himself. Maybe he pushed her away and she hit her head, and it knocked her out. Obviously, after watching the video, that isn't what happened. I've talked to a few other Ravens fans this morning, including a female co-worker who wore a Rice jersey to the game yesterday, and not one person is defending this guy. They need to get rid of him pronto. I know that it's said everyone deserves a second chance, but he can get his second chance somewhere else as far as I'm concerned.

[bjornolf]

So, I listened to all the commentary on Mike & Mike, and the one thing I agree is, what does this change? Everyone knew he knocked her out in the elevator. Sincere question, but has anyone (including Rice) claimed / thought she slipped or something and he was just trying to help?

So, I guess, yeah, I'm outraged. But I was outraged before that he beat his wife unconscious and only received a 2 game suspension.

Well, as they said on the radio here in DC today, a picture's worth a thousand words. I'd add that a video is worth a thousand pictures. We all knew what happened, but there are a million ways it could have happened. To see it on video makes it more real.

[PSurprise]

In this day and age, do organizations still not realize that posting something on Twitter, Facebook, etc. is basically the exact same thing as hosting a new conference or sending out a press release? Bah! It boggles my mind!

[Duvall]

In this day and age, do organizations still not realize that posting something on Twitter, Facebook, etc. is basically the exact same thing as hosting a new conference or sending out a press release? Bah! It boggles my mind!

I think that was a quote from the press conference, not a statement by the team. In any case, the Ravens have terminated Rice's contract.

It will be interesting to find out the real story of when the Ravens and the NFL saw today's video.

[moonpie23]

If Roger "Milhous" Goodell saw that video before he handed that suspension out, he needs to step down...

[bjornolf]

I think it looks bad that they waited to release him until after the backlash after the video was released. They should have released him weeks ago. Now it just looks like a PR move.

[subzero02]

The video is bad... If the NFL had this video when they suspended Rice for 2 games they have a disaster on their hands.

[subzero02]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/09/09..._r=0&referrer=

The NFL has suspended Rice indefinitely...I am guessing he won't play again this year

[weezie]

I think Roger Goodell is a ham-handed piker idiot.
How does this nitwit keep that job? Pick Condoleeza Rice already. You can be she wouldn't have dragged her can for what, three months now? What a shameful spectacle of Goodell's ineptitude.
Dawdling around, can't find his rear end with his own two hands, staring off into the distance with that dumb squinty look on his face...
Oh, and I saw his mansion up in Maine at Prout's Neck (albeit from a peasant distance), he's one lucky, dopey ridiculous man.