|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 7:35 pm
what team would you say surprised you the most?
Or maybe some of the most surprising plays, or players?
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:13 pm
When it comes to suprises, you really can't look farther than the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons. The Dolphins with their 1-15 record last year, and the Falcons with the Michael Vick drama, and a head coach that abandoned them, both of these teams were far from anyones expectations to make it to the playoffs, or just have a winning season. Andy anyone who tries telling me they picked the Dolphins and/or the Falcons to have a winning season and go to the playoffs, I would call either insane, or a liar.
As far as players. How about Chad Pennington. Left for dead by the Jets, who thought he would rebound and come back with a vengance the way he did this year? And I got to give props to the Rookie QB's Joe Flacco, who is aiming to be the first Rookie QB to win two playoff games his rookie season, and Matt Ryan who led a sinking ship into a Cinderella season, minus an early exit from the playoffs. And finally Aaron Rodgers. Under heavy scrutiny and doubt by the fans and media as to whether he could truly be Bretts replacement and sucsessor in Green Bay, he out performed pretty much anyone's expectations they had for him. Even though the Pack finished with a loosing record, The Defense was to blame for their fall, not Rodgers or their offense.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:35 pm
...Many surprises this season.
Rise of the Dolphins, Falcons, Titans, and Ravens
Fall of the Packers, Browns, Seahawks, Jaguars, Cowboys.
The Lions going 0-16.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:27 pm
The Dolpins and Falcons suprised you guys? Have you not heard of what the Panthers have been doing this Season?! DeAngelo Williams, probably the best runner in the League this Season with 18 TD's! That is phenomenal. And Steve Smith being I think 3rd or 4th best Receiver in the League with over 10 TD's and over 1400 Total Yrds. Plus Jake Delhomme coming abck from an injury that should have kept him out for good. The Panthers are the Team that has suprised my most this Season and I aint saying that since there my Favorite Team cause I personally thought they were gonna suck really badly this year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 10:26 pm
Itachi-Uchiha-Sama00 The Dolpins and Falcons suprised you guys? Have you not heard of what the Panthers have been doing this Season?! DeAngelo Williams, probably the best runner in the League this Season with 18 TD's! That is phenomenal. And Steve Smith being I think 3rd or 4th best Receiver in the League with over 10 TD's and over 1400 Total Yrds. Plus Jake Delhomme coming abck from an injury that should have kept him out for good. The Panthers are the Team that has suprised my most this Season and I aint saying that since there my Favorite Team cause I personally thought they were gonna suck really badly this year. The Panthers becoming the number two seed in the NFC was pretty surprising, but not shockingly surprising... Delhomme was coming back from an injury. They also added a few players from free agency, and had a good draft. ...How is this team a bigger story than a Dolphins team that went from 1-15 to 11-5, as well as winning the AFC East over teams like the Patriots and Jets?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:27 pm
it is not really a regular suprise, it is more like a pleasant suprise. Brian Dawkins. He has re-emerged as one of the best safeties in the league, and close to if not the best Free Safety once again. Now how long he will be able to keep it up is beyond me, but hey it was great. And then there is DeSean Jackson. he has gone and become a real threat in only his first season in the pro's, but who knows how it will go. Will he continue to build off of it and be better nest year, or will he just be a one hit wonder.
Another suprise is the emergance of first year coach John Harbaugh. He has done a good job with the Ravens and looks like he may do good things in the future as well. And last but not least, the Minny Vikings. They have come a long way and if they had not faced Philly, may have gone the distance into the SB. Who knows how well they will be in the near future, but if they stay the course and make wise decisions, then the Vikings will be a force to be rekonded with over the next few years.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:33 pm
Dude-LAP Itachi-Uchiha-Sama00 The Dolpins and Falcons suprised you guys? Have you not heard of what the Panthers have been doing this Season?! DeAngelo Williams, probably the best runner in the League this Season with 18 TD's! That is phenomenal. And Steve Smith being I think 3rd or 4th best Receiver in the League with over 10 TD's and over 1400 Total Yrds. Plus Jake Delhomme coming abck from an injury that should have kept him out for good. The Panthers are the Team that has suprised my most this Season and I aint saying that since there my Favorite Team cause I personally thought they were gonna suck really badly this year. The Panthers becoming the number two seed in the NFC was pretty surprising, but not shockingly surprising... Delhomme was coming back from an injury. They also added a few players from free agency, and had a good draft. ...How is this team a bigger story than a Dolphins team that went from 1-15 to 11-5, as well as winning the AFC East over teams like the Patriots and Jets? I agree. I will admit the Panthers played better than I had expected them to this season, but I've always held them up as one of the playoff caliber teams of the NFL. I wouldn't have been suprised if they didn't make the playoffs, but going into the year I expected them to sneak in as possibly the #6 seed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:45 pm
vegito61283 it is not really a regular suprise, it is more like a pleasant suprise. Brian Dawkins. He has re-emerged as one of the best safeties in the league, and close to if not the best Free Safety once again. Now how long he will be able to keep it up is beyond me, but hey it was great. And then there is DeSean Jackson. he has gone and become a real threat in only his first season in the pro's, but who knows how it will go. Will he continue to build off of it and be better nest year, or will he just be a one hit wonder. Another suprise is the emergance of first year coach John Harbaugh. He has done a good job with the Ravens and looks like he may do good things in the future as well. And last but not least, the Minny Vikings. They have come a long way and if they had not faced Philly, may have gone the distance into the SB. Who knows how well they will be in the near future, but if they stay the course and make wise decisions, then the Vikings will be a force to be rekonded with over the next few years. Well to be honest, the Eagles were a bit overrated going into the season. If I remember correctly, Sports Illustrated had them winning the NFC East, followed by the Cowboys (2), then the Giants (3), then the Redskins (4). But they are still a very good team. And I don't know how much of the Ravens' success came through Harbaugh. The Ravens already had an elite defense, and struggled last year mostly because of injury. Then they found a receiver to complement Mason, added Flacco and Rice, and got McClain to be a beast.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 12:00 am
Dude-LAP vegito61283 it is not really a regular suprise, it is more like a pleasant suprise. Brian Dawkins. He has re-emerged as one of the best safeties in the league, and close to if not the best Free Safety once again. Now how long he will be able to keep it up is beyond me, but hey it was great. And then there is DeSean Jackson. he has gone and become a real threat in only his first season in the pro's, but who knows how it will go. Will he continue to build off of it and be better nest year, or will he just be a one hit wonder. Another suprise is the emergance of first year coach John Harbaugh. He has done a good job with the Ravens and looks like he may do good things in the future as well. And last but not least, the Minny Vikings. They have come a long way and if they had not faced Philly, may have gone the distance into the SB. Who knows how well they will be in the near future, but if they stay the course and make wise decisions, then the Vikings will be a force to be rekonded with over the next few years. Well to be honest, the Eagles were a bit overrated going into the season. If I remember correctly, Sports Illustrated had them winning the NFC East, followed by the Cowboys (2), then the Giants (3), then the Redskins (4). But they are still a very good team. And I don't know how much of the Ravens' success came through Harbaugh. The Ravens already had an elite defense, and struggled last year mostly because of injury. Then they found a receiver to complement Mason, added Flacco and Rice, and got McClain to be a beast. I wasnt talking about them in the whole, I was just talking about a couple players. And are you sure about where they had them placed? I remember seeing that they were placed as a wildcard and lose in the wildcard round.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 12:21 am
vegito61283 Dude-LAP vegito61283 it is not really a regular suprise, it is more like a pleasant suprise. Brian Dawkins. He has re-emerged as one of the best safeties in the league, and close to if not the best Free Safety once again. Now how long he will be able to keep it up is beyond me, but hey it was great. And then there is DeSean Jackson. he has gone and become a real threat in only his first season in the pro's, but who knows how it will go. Will he continue to build off of it and be better nest year, or will he just be a one hit wonder. Another suprise is the emergance of first year coach John Harbaugh. He has done a good job with the Ravens and looks like he may do good things in the future as well. And last but not least, the Minny Vikings. They have come a long way and if they had not faced Philly, may have gone the distance into the SB. Who knows how well they will be in the near future, but if they stay the course and make wise decisions, then the Vikings will be a force to be rekonded with over the next few years. Well to be honest, the Eagles were a bit overrated going into the season. If I remember correctly, Sports Illustrated had them winning the NFC East, followed by the Cowboys (2), then the Giants (3), then the Redskins (4). But they are still a very good team. And I don't know how much of the Ravens' success came through Harbaugh. The Ravens already had an elite defense, and struggled last year mostly because of injury. Then they found a receiver to complement Mason, added Flacco and Rice, and got McClain to be a beast. I wasnt talking about them in the whole, I was just talking about a couple players. And are you sure about where they had them placed? I remember seeing that they were placed as a wildcard and lose in the wildcard round. I'll see if I can dig up that issue. It was somewhere in August. Pretty sure that Sports Illustrated had them at projected first for the NFC East, but it could have been Sporting News, which I also get...And I think they Also had the Jaguars in the AFC Championship game or something.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:55 am
that would have been sporting news then. Because I dont remember the Jags mentioned but in the wildcard.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 12:58 pm
vegito61283 that would have been sporting news then. Because I dont remember the Jags mentioned but in the wildcard. Nope, it was Sports Illustrated that projected the Eagles to win the NFC East. They actually had them going to the Super Bowl too. I can't find the magazine, but here is the page from their website: Sports Illustrated 2008 NFL preview
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:43 pm
Hm. Well if you think about it, Philly went 9-6-1. They lost to the Giants the first time due to 2 fumbles, one of which was returned deep to give an easy score. They lost to the Cowboys because of 2 fumbles as well. Even deep into Cowboy territory on the last drive. They lost to Chicago because of a last second deep "lucky" TD catch. They lost to the Bengals because they were afraid to run the ball. All 4 of those were entirely the Eagles fault and not because the other team did better. I am sure you could agree with that. If they had just bucked it up and played like they have after the Ravens game, then they would most likely be 13-3. So the SI was not that far off then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:56 pm
vegito61283 Hm. Well if you think about it, Philly went 9-6-1. They lost to the Giants the first time due to 2 fumbles, one of which was returned deep to give an easy score. They lost to the Cowboys because of 2 fumbles as well. Even deep into Cowboy territory on the last drive. They lost to Chicago because of a last second deep "lucky" TD catch. They lost to the Bengals because they were afraid to run the ball. All 4 of those were entirely the Eagles fault and not because the other team did better. I am sure you could agree with that. If they had just bucked it up and played like they have after the Ravens game, then they would most likely be 13-3. So the SI was not that far off then. The first time against the Giants, I think New York had over 200 yards rushing, and many good TD passes, as well as still turning over the ball as much as Philly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:57 pm
I think the Cardinals have surprised me the most this season. Last season, I didn't even consider the Cardinals as playoff material, and here they are, one step away from going to the Superbowl.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
