The season opener pits the Broncos against the Superbowl winner, Baltimore Ravens. Peyton Manning's boys are red-hot favourites.
For me, this season will be much more enjoyable. Last year, although some games were broadcast on OneHD (as they will be this year too), problems with reception meant I had to try various ways of putting tension on the antenna cable to get things working, and often I'd have to give up altogether when the scores were tight at the end of the game. This year, I have Fox and I can IQ ESPN.
One tip I picked up from a US sports journo is that you have to temper your enthusiasm for sides with 2nd-year QBs such as Colin Kapernick, Andrew Luck and RG3. He pointed out that Cam Newton had a great first year, but he didn't follow it up well. The reasons behind this US version of 2nd-year blues are:
Coaches tend to keep things very simple for 1st-year QBs, but then they tend to throw the whole playbook at them in the offseason and they find it difficult to cope.
Opponents have seen much more of these rookies and know what they want to do on big plays, meaning they're much better at negating them.
He did, however, suggest that Andrew Luck is a football genius and isn't likely to be overawed.
This guy also suggested that there's a strong trend to do away with huddles after each play and the hurry-up offence is more common, meaning more plays throughout the game.
Further to the above, there is new rule changes that will likely restrict RG3 and Capernick...and Wilson for that matter. Mainly QBs who use the 'read-option' playbook.
The new rule is that once a QB hands of the ball he is no longer protected as a QB, he is a regular player. As such, he can be hit by the defense...unless he makes it clear he is no longer in the play - takes backwards steps to avoid contact.
So what is happening already (i've watched 4 pre-season games) is that defenses are continuing to hunt the QB after he gives off the ball using the read option and ensuring they hit him. It is specifically targetting the read option rather than your traditional handoffs because they are judging the play on what the defense gives them once the play starts and its not entirely clear if the QB is still in the play or not compared to a clear handoff from snap.
Short version is, QBs running the read-option may be forced to abandon it at the request of their coach/team as they will be taking a lot more hits and risk injury in doing so.
Raven, you and me are gong to have some fun. Im a Bears man.
It will be cracking division this season, the NFC North. Even the Lions may bear some teeth.
I am frothing.
Now how's this would be a great road trip. A CSC Super Bowl Tour.
Who can hook up a leave pass?
Just to add a bit more excitement, i'm a diehard vikings fan!
I was over in the US (on my honeymoon) last year and was lucky enough to convince the wife to take in 2 NFL matches while there.
Saw Vikings @ Seattle (loss) and Vikings vs Detroit (win)
Watching the vikings on their home turf (albeit their second last season there before they start their move) and witness my main man Adrian Peterson run riot and get the win was awesome. Loved every second of it. Having the almighty megatron displaying his skills on the opposition was also a joy to watch.
In 1 match i saw both the rushing yards (and MVP) and receiving yards winners. Spoiled.
There was an article about Kane (and someone else from NB which i forget) about this time last year about how they are being looked at by a few clubs for the draft. Neither got drafted.
Quality players, both of them, but looked like they didn't fill a big need for any teams in the end.
Thats how i feel about Kane now....what could he do for us? Some people liken him to Ellard which is funny as i've always questioned his place on our list and in our side. He is not better than our small forwards. Not effective enough as a mid.
I hope Kane gets picked up. I'd prefer it to be by someone else.
I can't help but think these comments will come back to bite scotland on the butt when it becomes clear that he may no longer be in the clubs future plans.
If it was me, i'd keep him on next year. Not sure the club believes the same thing, but got nothing to go on other than a hunch.
He's 22 years old and some Indigenous players do tend to take a little time and a little nurturing. Given the right development he would be well worth it.
What about Wingard, Prestia, Omera, Cameron.
Your missing the point and failing to accept his application is all wrong regardless of liking the coach or not.
No you're missing the point. Yarran needs to be nurtured, I'm happy for him not to be but taking it to the other extreme and using him as a public scapegoat? Sheer lunacy.
Fev needed to be nurtured.
We turned a blind eye to his antics as he was a special talent. He never grew up, and in the end the club suffered from this.
Yarran needs to speed up his (off-field) development and realise that an AFL career is far too short to be pissing away seasons. In the end, nobody else is to blame.
Apparently was supposed to attend the game the week before, was a no show and his excuse was he rocked up to the ground, couldn't find a park and went home. LOL.*
*According to Damian Barrett on TFS.
But Mick only plays favourites and only disciplines Yarran.
He wouldn't discipline someone like Garlett who is his new favourite.... Oh wait.
I've got no problem with the way Mick has ruled the roost and trying to get our rabble of a club focused on the end game. Taking no crap on and off the field sets the right example.
I said to a mate before the game started that we are horribly out of form, lost a lot of players through injury, including JUDD and the tiggers are essentially the opposite - in form, fit and firing. As a result there is absolutely no logical reason why we should even come close to them.....and thats why i tipped us.
It makes no sense, yet perfect sense. Expect the unexpected with us.
Bombers are are going into an irrecoverable nose dive and we have turned things around playing the best game for the year. All signs look good for us....so we will probably lose. ::
That being said, we were great yesterday and had very few passengers on the day. Everyone put in and worked well as a TEAM. If we continue to do that, then we will embarrass quite a few supposed quality teams.
Special mention to Curnow who will mostly go unnoticed for his terrific efforts on Cotchin. Flogged him. Plenty of other winners across the board, but think it started with him.
On Triple M a few weeks ago they had former Australian Cricket Captain Ian Chappell on and he was talking about development of the Australian Cricket team. What he said was rather generic and could certainly be applied to any sporting organisation out there. Specifically ones struggling with development.
Now i was only half listening but one thing that he said stood out, and it stood out because it reminded me of Mick Malthouse and how he goes about picking the sides.
When it comes to developing the kids and bringing in a succession plan for players who may be getting on a bit he said you must... "Pick 'em before you need 'em"
Players need to know what they will be getting themselves into. They need to have an idea of what the step up in class is, so they can work towards it in their training and mental preperation. I subscribe to this theory. I think Geelong and Collingwood have done this brilliantly over the years.
Now I was a fan of giving players like McInness, Casboult, McCarthy and Mitchell a game early in their career to give them a taste. Many argue that they didn't DESERVE a game, and this is true, but this is about development and sometimes 'gifting' players a game is the best thing for them.
So, this leads me to everyones favourite whipping boy of late. Josh Bootsma.
I think this is clearly a case of 'pick em before you need em.' Physically, he is not ready. Still too skinny. That will come. Mentally, he is getting there, but confidence is a fickle thing.
Yes, he was getting towelled up by Riewoldt early yesterday. Mick recognised this, made the change, we got the win, no damage done. Bootsma got some experience, we got a win. WIN-WIN.
Everyone is critical of Mick for picking Bootsma, but i think this is crucial to his development. He is an incredibly good spoiler of the ball and has a terrific left hoof on him. There are signs there that he should be persisted with.
By picking him before we need him, we are fast tracking his development. So when a player like Jamison, McInness, White, Watson goes down, we have someone who knows exactly what to expect at AFL level and will be focussed on doing his job, rather than being a deer in headlights because its his first game.
Mick has been chastised for a lot of his selections this year. Going by this theory though, he is advancing the list and its development quicker than most, a trait his former side in Colingwood was given kudos for. Mick has now played 37 players from our list and debuted the likes of Cachia, Buckley, Menzel and Graham along the way.
I hope we continue to pick em before we need em and in doing so become a solid list of 35+ players who are AFL ready and ready to go at the drop of a hat. Bootsma included.
I agree re Dinger but give Graham a full game FFS. Really looking forward to seeing this kid play we haven't had an exciting debutante for quite some time.
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