Running NFL Divisional Weekend thread

It has nothing to do with the higher seed. It is the up to the network and the Steelers are the bigger draw.

 

No telling. All I know is a kind, kind colleague was willing to swap so I could see the game and not drive most of my department up the wall. Any other time slot would have worked better.

But except for perhaps college basketball (i.e., the Atlantic Coast Conference), the networks will pick NYC Metro over Charlotte Metro anytime and three times on Sunday.

 

Charger Vincent Jackson arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence ...

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jan/06/chargers-jackson-arrested-dui/?chargers

 

For which I'm sure he will be punished next fall.

 

He'll be forced to sit out the final three quarters of the first exhibition game.

 

Probably sooner. Maybe after the Chargers get pasted by the Steelers this weekend. Both Gates and LT are hobbled going into a road match up in Pittsburgh?

That's asking a lot.

 

I thought Nashville was a slightly bigger market.

Not like people in Chicago and Los Angeles are re-arranging schedules to watch either.

 

Even if Nashville's a bigger market, you have to consider fan bases. Think about who you see at sports bars -- are they packed with Steelers fans or Titans fans? I'm sure the networks have all the numbers on what rating each team typically draws.

 

The game I'm most looking forward to is Titans-Ravens. It's going to be a slugfest. The Ravens' defense is silly, but Tennessee's D is solid as well. I'll be interested to see how Flacco does against the big front four of Tennessee. 16-9 Baltimore with the only TD being defensive.

I also like the Giants (in a really close game), Pittsburgh (my most confident pick) and....the Cardinals. Not even sure why, but I like the Cards.

 

Steelers are a ranking national team. To argue otherwise is absurd.

 

Exactly. Also see buckweaver and Ben_Hecht's posts. Pittsburgh may be a small market, but the Steelers are a big draw nationally, certainly much moreso than a team that has been in its current home market a relatively short time.

 

Clark Judge with the sort of intellectually dishonest column that drives me bonkers.

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/11234791

First, he defends an awfully flawed system for deciding games that are tied after 60 minutes. He's as big an holier-than-thou apologist as many of the baseball sycophants on this board.

Then, he rails on and on about how the college system has no place in the NFL.

Well ... no shit!

What he NEVER mentions is the alteration that makes the most sense and is extremely simple.

The only way a team should be able to win in overtime without the other team getting the ball is with a touchdown.

First, field-goal kickers have gotten too fucking good. Second, it would make teams driving with that first drive think twice about putting the drive in neutral in the red zone.

If you allow a touchdown, fuck you. Don't deserve the ball.