[JerryM]

Yeah, I guess it was a right angle hit after all.  You got me.  I modified my previous post to include a message to you.

 

I'd love to hang out with you in NO, but I live in So Cal.   Make sure to stop by Pat O'Briens on Bourbon Street for a Hurricane!

[jackman]

I recall the hit on Warner, too. You are correct that it was brutal and intentional. It was also perfectly legal. In what league would a lineman not block a quarterback, once that quarterback has become a defensive tackle?? 

As for Cutler, are you referring to the game where he was sacked six times?   The only penalty against the Saint's D in that game was later ruled by the league as incorrect. If I remember correctly, nobody even knew Cutler had been hit in the throat until he used that as an excuse for his piss poor performance. 

I'm looking forward to a great new season.

Have fun,

Jerry

Jerry,
Maybe the six sacks and ten hits Cutler sustained had something to do with his performance.  The Bears O line was letting Saint defenders get to the QB untouched.  As I recall, he only mentioned his throat when people asked why he had no voice.  A Saint defender stepped on his throat in the third quarter.  Probably just an accident, right?

I'm not the biggest cutler fan but the guy has taken a real physical beating over the past few years and he's never had any good receivers until they picked up Marshall last year.  Also, he's not a guy who makes excuses, even when he plays poorly. 

Is there a successful QB in the league with no offensive line and no good receivers?  Brady looked like crap yesterday against the lowly Lions because his line couldn't block and he's lost his best targets. His stats weren't bad but I'd like to see him play in a washed up Martz offense with no line, no receivers and seven step drops every other play.  Martz's offense only works when you have all pro players and several HOF'ers at every offensive skill position. 

Go Bears!

Jack

[JLM]

True.  Nearly any NFL quarterback can look good (not great) with time to throw and receivers/backs that can catch the ball.

[jimdgoulding]

I'd love to hang out with you in NO, but I live in So Cal.   Make sure to stop by Pat O'Briens on Bourbon Street for a Hurricane!

Oh.  Well, I wish you lived in New Orleans. 

[jackman]

For the record, I really like New Orleans, the city.  Great food, cool bars, cool traditions (beads for boobs!), and cool people...not including the ones who harassed and tried to rob me a few years ago.  I love the history and historic neighborhoods but don't go venturing around if you don't know where you are going because there are some really crappy areas packed with total scum.  Thankfully, the French quarter and garden district are cool.

[JerryM]

A Saint defender stepped on his throat in the third quarter.  Probably just an accident, right?

It's more probable that he was hoarse because he had just seriously choked. 

[roscoeiii]

It's more probable that he was hoarse because he had just seriously choked. 

As if he didn't get beat up enough on the field...

[JLM]

Now Ryan put Sanchez in at the end to "try to win the game" and as a result got a shoulder injury.  Not sure how much of a loss that is to the team, but who is the backup (after they wasted Tebow).

[macrojack]

Tebow could be available soon. Granted taking him back now could be embarrassing but Ryan has pretty well immunized theJets against embarrassment by now. He;s got them leading the league in laughingstock.

Did anyone see Osweiler play last night?

[jackman]

I know it's preseason and he was playing against second stringers but did anyone see Vince Young playing for the Packers this weekend?  Granted, he's not in the same universe as Rodgers but he is way better than either of those two guys wearing the Jets jersey.   

Why didn't the Jets give Young a chance?  I'm sure he would have rather gone to a place where he has a good chance if staring. Young looked really fit and sharp. He is a large man and can still move very well.  Rex Ryan is a boob and the Jets are going to suck this year.

Tony Romo looked really sharp yesterday, although I'm reminded he always looks great early in the season (but not usually in preseason).  Maybe this is the year he puts it together.

JerryM - I'm not the biggest Cutler fan but its completely unfair and in accurate to say he choked in that game.  Either way, it's great to be arguing about football again!  I'm looking forward to the real games.

Cheers

Jack

[DS-21]

As a Redskins fan, I hope Tony Romo stays QB of the 'pokes for ever and ever. Rob Jackson's glorious 4th quarter Romoception in the Week 17 "NFC Beast Championship" last year was my favorite play of the season even over RG3's superhuman feats.

Also, I expect RG3 to be better, given the increased cohesion and health (Garcon's toe, Morgan's foot, Davis's achilles) of the receiving corps, as well as perhaps later on some flashes from the 3d round TE whose name currently escapes me.

As for other QBs, I'll just say that if RG3 weren't at the helm of the Redskins, I'd like Brady, either Manning, Luck, Rodgers, Ryan, or...Newton. Cousins, let's hope his foot heals. I like him, and I think Redskins fans will be sad when he leaves for a 1st rounder in a season because some other team will really enjoy having him start for a while. Though I think the Skins have better depth at QB than anyone. Sure it's Wrecks Grossman, but who else has a Super Bowl starter at 3d string?

I also think Russell Wilson is Doug Flutie 2.0. Nice guy, lotsa heart, but...with an offseason to gameplan for him, not much there. Will be a standout backup later in his career, lighting up teams who don't gameplan for him. Kap, not sure about because I didn't watch a lot of 49ers games.

For some reason I have a hunch that Newton's going to be very good this year. I wouldn't be surprised if Bradford (good QB, great coach who's putting a real team together in STL) and Smith might be making real noise late in the season, too.

[James Romeyn]

Here's the play. It's clearly a great block by Bobby MCcray.

Thanks for posting the link.  After the interception the Saints defense now plays offense, their ball now moving from viewer's R to L.  QB Warner is now a defensive tackle running from viewer's L to R attempting to tackle the Saints ball carrier.  I viewed McCray's  trajectory toward Warner several times.  It looks to me like McCray's path toward Warner is diagonal, from viewers L to R, from behind Warner.  I thought tackling from the rear is illegal.  Is tackling from rear diagonal legal?  Sorry, I must miss something obvious in this particular video.

Back to the QB ratings...I'm reminded of pre-season 2003.  NFLN asked all their top on-camera talent to predict the coming season's league MVP.  Warner (purely coincidental to the above question) had won the SB four seasons prior, set many records, then suffered a finger (hand?) injury, then was reportedly fully healed and ready to own the league (again).  IIRC every on-screen talent said Warner was back, fully healed, and picked him to win MVP. 

Then they asked someone very familiar with the vagaries of the game, SB-winning QB Phil Simms.  Simms expressed outrage at the stupidity of picking an MVP prior to the start of the season.  Simms picked nobody.  I love Phil Simms.  He picks every word perfectly and everything he says has some value. 

Opening day game vs. the G-men (Simms' team), Warner, picked for league MVP, fumbles six time, is benched, then traded, then fades away to oblivion. 

Warner's now a great on-camera talent on NFLN.

One particular NFLN analyst did an article on CK.  In one TD run 6-4 CK took 15 steps to cover X yards.  It took the 6-1 Pro Bowl defender chasing CK 20 steps to cover the same X yards. 

One of my favorite plays last season is Clay Mathews' head swiveling like the girl in The Exorcist, looking for the ball carrier, as CK scampered for a TD on way to setting the league's all time QB rushing record (smashing the old record by about 100 yards).   

[JerryM]

Sorry, I must miss something obvious in this particular video.

Blocking in the back is illegal. Watch the video again, especially at 0:54; McCray never touches Warner's back. 

[James Romeyn]

Blocking in the back is illegal. Watch the video again, especially at 0:54; McCray never touches Warner's back. 

OK, will do, thanks. 

If I understand correctly then, an offensive blocker (McCray) can legally approach a defender (Warner) from the rear, as long as McCray's point of physical contact with Warner is on Warner's side or forward of Warner's side.   

Conversely, if McCray's point of contact was Warner's back, it would be illegal.  Is this correct?

As the announcer states in the video, kudos to Warner for making serious attack on the ball carrier.   

[JerryM]

OK, will do, thanks. 

If I understand correctly then, an offensive blocker (McCray) can legally approach a defender (Warner) from the rear, as long as McCray's point of physical contact with Warner is on Warner's side or forward of Warner's side.   

Conversely, if McCray's point of contact was Warner's back, it would be illegal.  Is this correct?

Yes, that is correct. 

[James Romeyn]

Yes, that is correct. 

Now it's more clear.  Warner runs (apparently) 100% lateral, directly toward the camera/viewer, not L vs. R as I wrote above.  McCray approaches from behind diagonal, opposite direction of Warner's lateral movement, smashing Warner's leading right shoulder. 

Was that Warner's last football play? 

[geowak]

These threads take a left turn, off topic, so easy..... I still like B. Weeden. Yes the Browns did not show up this weekend.

[JerryM]

Was that Warner's last football play?

For all intents and purposes, yes. He tried to come back in the fourth quarter, but was obviously pretty darn sore and couldn't continue.

To get back on topic, how about Alex Smith? I think he's going to have one hell of a great season in his new digs at Kansas City. 

[jimdgoulding]

Look how long coach Jimmy Jones lasted under that wanker, and he won him an SB.

Er, I believe I meant Jimmy Johnson .  I didn't know Alex Smith wound up in KC.  Well wishes for that team this season.

[geowak]

This could be interesting. Another KW comeback kid?
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/matt-leinart-now-buffalo-bill-e-j-manuel-213052564.html