Benno's 2009/10 NFL Playoff tracker

[ColeF]

You read that right. Now that all the college hup-dee-doo is over (more or less) it's time for some real football! I will cover all the teams that have a shot in the playoffs over these last four games of the regular season.
Btw, my favorite team is, always was and will be the San Diego Chargers!!!!
I will explain the whole NFL to you ignorant Europeans soon. But any of you Americans who like the NFL can pipe up anytime.

[M. Hazelton]

How bout them Bucs!!!

[ColeF]

Did I read that right??

Sorry man, I don't cover 1-11 teams.

[ColeF]

OK you guys. Quick run over of the NFL. There are 32 teams each from a different city (usually in their name). They are divided into two conferences (AFC and NFC) which are split into four divisions (North, East, South, and West). There are 17 weeks of the regular season. Each team plays sixteen games (one a week with one bye week).

To be continued....

P.S. Check this out: www.nfl.com

[monty]

thanks for telling us what it's about but i'm still a little, nfl
from what i've seen it looks alot like rugby but with armour and helmets

[ColeF]

No problem. Just search "NFL" and read all the wonderful posts by efb. He has some good info mixed in with all his trash talk about this awesome league.

[ColeF]

OK. Tonight's game is the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) at the Cleveland Browns (1-11)!

Pittsburgh needs to win this to get in the playoffs (you have to win at least half of your overall, conference, and division games), but they have been doing very badly lately.

My guess Pitt: 17, Clevland: 14.

[M. Hazelton]

Cole: I know.. some people down here call them the Yucanners. Fitting.


Monty: Are there high school rugby teams over there?

[monty]

yes but its not called high school its called secondary school
and its played in year groups so the year sevens (first years/freshman) have their team and so on and so forth i play for my years team

[Fenton]

Matt The way sport is setup in the UK is different than in the states...In the UK there isnt the High School-College-Proffesional progression

what you would have here is kids playing rugby at school but also probably belonging to a local club side and playing for both, then if they are good enough they would proabably be approached to sign for on of the proffesional clubs...the proffesional clubs would probably have several teams as well all playing in there own leagues ...then if good enough they would play for the top side at the club then hope to get picked for there international side.

[efb]

from what i've seen it looks alot like rugby but with armour and helmets

That's pretty much what it is. There are a few more simple, but profound, differences between the games...and these pretty much neccesitate the wearing of shoulder pads and helmets (so many players were being killed at the turn of the 20th century that if Teddy Roosevelt hadn't intervened the game probably would have been banned).

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QiTwOqReuJQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QiTwOqReuJQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

One is the line of scrimmage...when a player is tackled the game stops and each side (one exclusively dedicated to offense the other to defense) lines up for the next play. In other words possession of the ball is broken up into individual units...plays or downs. You get four plays to gain 10 yards and 4 new downs and so on until you score or turn the ball over....either by turning the ball over or punting the ball away on 4th down.

What the stops do is create space and tension for a giant clash and monster hits on every play. It's like cocking a gun...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_WhYurBrH1E&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_WhYurBrH1E&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

...and pulling the trigger.

Two...the forward pass.

<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0wguMcRQ5nI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0wguMcRQ5nI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>

It's as exciting as anything in sports, but it puts the player waaaay out in space surrounded by headhunters...(as the first clip illustrates).

There's more too it...the strategical and tactical considerations on each play are mind boggling...the mingling of finesse and brute force...it's a great game...and definitely comes off the rugby branch of the football tree, but pretty close to the trunk. College teams have been playing about as long the English Premiere League.

P.S. the NFL sucks....hard.

[efb]

There is American College Football in Britain.

http://www.buafl.net/

It's a small group, but dedicated.

[ColeF]

The Steelers got pounded 13-6. Guess that's the end of their season.

[M. Hazelton]

So monty, what is your teams name? I am homeschooled, but my brother and I play for (American) football for a small private school. I was lucky. I was the only freshman to start! What is your position and what does he do?

[monty]

we are simply called tideway school as in england the teams name is the schools name

[M. Hazelton]

So your not like the Tideway School Tigers or anything? Hmm. interesting. Our team is called the Knights.

[ColeF]

OK. I'm only gonna cover the teams on this:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d ... nfirm=true

All these games are on Sunday. My guess is in [].

New Orleans Saints (12-0) @ Atlanta Falcons (6-6)
[28-17 Saints]

Green Bay Packers (8-4) @ Chicago Bears (5-7)
[21-6 Packers]

Denver Broncos (8-4) @ Indianapolis Colts (12-0)
[27-24 Colts]

Miami Dolphins (6-6) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (7-5)
[17-14 Dolphins]

Cincinnati Bengals (9-3) @ Minnesota Vikings (10-2)
[21-20 Vikes]

Carolina Panthers (5-7) @ New England Patriots (7-5)
[10-7 Pats]

San Diego Chargers (9-3) @ Dallas Cowboys (8-4)
[20-17 Chargers]

Arizona Cardinals (8-4) @ San Francisco 49ers (5-7)
[28-13 Cards]

[efb]

How about the Tieway Keepers...they have a lighthouse on their website (if I've got the right one)...something with some genuine connection...the way nicknames and mascots used to be chosen before marketing experts got involved.

[Fenton]

American football I think originally came from Rugby League..the idea of seperate plays afater each tackle unlike rugby Union where the paly is ongoing, the only difference being the forward pass..In rugby league each side has 6 attempts to score a try then if unsuccesful the ball is turned over to the opposition though usuallyon the last attempt the ball is kicked away downfield, though no specialist teams come on to achieve this

Wasnt the reason that so many people were dying in American Football due the the 'Flying wedge' tactic rather than the hitting though?

Of course the other huge difference is the amount the players get paid An average Rugby League pro would be paid between 30-60,000 GBP a year plus sponsership

[ColeF]

Of course the other huge difference is the amount the players get paid An average Rugby League pro would be paid between 30-60,000 GBP a year plus sponsership

You got that right! Our players would be offended if they got offered that piddly amount.