NFL 2014

[Fenway Frank]

Out of interest, how easy would it be to get tickets for an NFL game if I was going to the states this time next year ? I could get in some baseball and nfl at the same time.

 

[Lone Star Canary]

Depends on the team, but it's not terribly difficult.  StubHub has tickets on the secondary market for most everything.

 

[splutcho]

As stated before, I'm kind of a novice to this, but doesn't the whole concept of "taking a knee" (if that's right) totally stink? Total anticlimax of a finish. Seems pretty cheap.

 

[flashdown]

It is kind of an anticlimax finish, but it almost perfectly ensures that the team who is leading will not make a mistake like fumble a snap or a handoff that would give the other team a chance to come back.  It also comes from the mindset of "We have the lead, why do anything stupid to make us lose?".

I guess you could kind of relate it to taking the ball to the corner flag and just standing there as long as possible to waste time.

 

[Keckers]

Seriously disappointed with that comment BB!!

Dolphins all the way (since 1986 when I started watching). Never been anyone else, through all the hard times lol.

I reckon we've still got an outside chance of play offs this year. One of the best defensive ends with a really high number of sacks in Cameron Wake. some really talented players in a variety of positions, but Tannehill's decision making is not great, and he persistently fails to put the ball in front of the man, killing yards.

Doubt we will make the POs. I reckon 6-10.

 

[The Ghost of Michael Theo]

As stated before, I'm kind of a novice to this, but doesn't the whole concept of "taking a knee" (if that's right) totally stink? Total anticlimax of a finish. Seems pretty cheap.

I know what you mean. The only way I can explain it is this; In American Football, more than any other sport I know of, time is a commodity that needs to be managed, specifically by the offense. It will be managed differently depending on the situation of the game.

The rules state that the clock stops when the ball goes dead. So, if a pass is incomplete, or a player runs out, then the clock will stop. However, if a player runs / catches a pass and is tackled, then the clock runs to the next play. The offense will use this (along with timeouts and the 2 min warning, which also stop the clock) to manage time in a way that gets them to the finish line ahead of the team they're playing. For example, if a team is ahead by 8, and gets the ball early in the 4th quarter, their whole goal of the drive may not specifically be to score a TD. It may be to eat the clock on offense to make sure the other team doesn't have enough time to make 2 scoring drives. The longer they have the ball, the less time the oppo will have on offense to score points.

Managing the clock is a huge tactical part of American Football. Don't think of it as 'the time it takes to play the game'. It's way more complex than that.

 

[Lone Star Canary]

College rules are slightly different in that the clock stops on every first down.  NFL games are a lot shorter as a result, because a college game between two passing teams can easily run 4 to 4.5 hours.  Incomplete pass?  Stop the clock.  Complete pass for a first down?  Stop the clock...

You can also take a knee to keep from totally humiliating your opponent by scoring again... except that usually just embarrasses them more.  This happened in 2003 when Texas A&M came to Norman to visit my Sooners.  The Sooners were up 77-0 had emptied their bench and were playing 3rd/4th stringers after halftime.  They threw the ball just three times in the second half and after a long, clock eating drive were first and goal. The quarterback took a knee on first down.  After deciding that was the wrong thing to do they ran three plays up the middle at about half speed and gave the ball up on downs.

Here's the entire game... fast forward to 2:12:20 for the sequence.  The commentators are well aware of the quandary as it unfolds.  We hung 49 on the Aggies by halftime and could have scored 100 on them that day.  This was against a team that had upset us the year before...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XcTjX2p1N8

 

[splutcho]

I know what you mean. The only way I can explain it is this; In American Football, more than any other sport I know of, time is a commodity that needs to be managed, specifically by the offense. It will be managed differently depending on the situation of the game.

The rules state that the clock stops when the ball goes dead. So, if a pass is incomplete, or a player runs out, then the clock will stop. However, if a player runs / catches a pass and is tackled, then the clock runs to the next play. The offense will use this (along with timeouts and the 2 min warning, which also stop the clock) to manage time in a way that gets them to the finish line ahead of the team they're playing. For example, if a team is ahead by 8, and gets the ball early in the 4th quarter, their whole goal of the drive may not specifically be to score a TD. It may be to eat the clock on offense to make sure the other team doesn't have enough time to make 2 scoring drives. The longer they have the ball, the less time the oppo will have on offense to score points.

Managing the clock is a huge tactical part of American Football. Don't think of it as 'the time it takes to play the game'. It's way more complex than that.

That makes sense. Thanks.

 

[Leedscanary]

Anyone going to Wembley then on Sunday for the Dolphins @ Raiders game?

Will be my first live NFL game, can't wait

 

[Keckers]

Just back from Wembley and what a game!!!

 

[Lone Star Canary]

Cowboys (of which I'm not a fan, just happen to live here) finally discovered that when you have a running game and no defense the best way to keep your defense off the field is to eat clock with the running game.  Amazing.  Only took them a year to figure this out.

That's okay.  They'll come back to Earth soon.  The three teams they've beaten are a combined 3-8 this season.  Everyone here is absolutely giddy, but I can see them going 8-8 yet again...

 

[The Ghost of Michael Theo]

Lone Star Canary - What a result last night!!! I couldn't manage to stay up to the early hours to watch it. but, it looks like an amazing performance, to shut them out for the first half. Also great to have Charles back firing! What made it all the sweeter for me, is that I needed KC to restrict Tom Brady to less than 9 points for me to win my fantasy football match. He got 6!

Switching codes to the other side of the car park (or 'parking lot' I guess),massive game tonight! I must say I find something a little odd, but very compelling the baseball wildcard situation now, where we have a 162 game season down to one game! Good game to be at home! Best of luck to the Royals. Would be great for KC to see them back in a post-season series.

 

[Lone Star Canary]

I missed the whole game due to other commitments (Monday nights are always Boy Scouts),but I have it recorded on the DVR.  Monday Night games at Arrowhead are always a spectacle.  It's a 40 year old stadium with some recent upgrades and easily the best tailgating venue in the NFL.  Chiefs fans are raucous and red, and LOVE night games putting them on national TV.

God I love those two stadiums.  Of all the facilities built in that 1960-1988 (or thereabouts) window, these two are just about the only ones left standing, because they did it right.  The only thing they didn't do with the recent renovations was approve the rolling roof.  The complex 40 years ago was originally supposed to have a roof on rails that could slide between the two venues, but they stopped that during construction.  As a kid I could remember stepping over the rails embedded in the pavement and wondering "WTF?!???"  Had the roof been added for the renovation, KC would have been guaranteed to host a Super Bowl.  Fortunately, now that NYC hosted a cold-weather SB this year, I think they'll finally give one to KC out of respect to the fans and Hunt family.

It's been 29 years since my Royals have seen the postseason.  Oakland has been slumping of months and the Royals went 5-3 against them this year.  I like our chances tonight.  Home field isn't all it's cracked up to be though.  KC actually had a better record on the road and the second best road record in the Majors behind the Dodgers.  Additionally, the team always seemed to fall flat at home when they had their biggest crowds this season.

 

[Paul Handscombe]

As I was banned I couldn't post but I went to Wembley for the game with my dad and son all raiders fans.

My son an I went to regents street the day before as well.

As for the result being crap lol, the game was great as was the atmosphere.

 

[Leedscanary]

Took to my seat in the Jarrold yesterday, proudly wearing my new Bears cap. My next door neighbour then proceeded to tell me he is a Packers fan! D'oh, have to put up with him gushing about how good the packers are now for the rest of Kingdom come! The saving grace is he is a nice bloke!

 

[Lone Star Canary]

Cowboys fans here are going nuts... Dallas is 4-1 after taking out Houston in overtime.  Funny thing is that there were so many visiting Houston fans in Jerry's Death Star yesterday the Cowboys had to go to a silent count when on offense... silent counts in their own freakin' stadium!!!

My Chiefs lost to the Niners in front of a lot more empty seats in Santa Clara than I would have expected, considering the Chiefs aren't half bad, the Niners are probably playoff-bound, and it was Alex Smith's return after leaving the Niners for the Chiefs.

 

[Keckers]

Dolphins shutout the Chargers to go 5-3 with a 3 win streak. Happy Dolphin tonight.

Fins Up!!!

 

[Lone Star Canary]

Chiefs are starting to roll... but they are out of easy non-conf games... really all they have  left among the cupcakes are the pair against the Raiders.

Cowboys are in London to face the Fulham Jacksonville Jaguars.  The local sports morning radio guys I listen to are being hosted out of the TalkSport studios and seem to be having fun.

 

[Lone Star Canary]

Solid win by the Chiefs this week in Buffalo... takes them to 6-3.  Not bad after an 0-2 start.  Cowboys rolled the Jags, but no one was surprised by that.

Looks like the Chiefs will play the Detroit Lions in London next season.

 

[Lone Star Canary]

BTW, what's the deal with y'all not being able to turf a field that can stand up to American football?  Our fields perform in hot/cold/wet/dry climates and situations just fine.  I understand there are field differences, such as the lower cut height and lack of a crown, but these things can be overcome.  Man, George Toma spoiled me growing up.  He could solve this in no time.