TEH OFFICIAL 2014 NFL SEASON Thread

[JimJ]

Russel Wilson appears to be a pretty classy dude as well: http://imgur.com/SFvM33m

[k1]

Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and not go to the Patriots parade today.  Between the massive piles of snow & the ungodly traffic (as well as insane public transportation issues the past few days)... I'll just stay home and watch it on tv thanks.

[RVR II]

Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and not go to the Patriots parade today.  Between the massive piles of snow & the ungodly traffic (as well as insane public transportation issues the past few days)... I'll just stay home and watch it on tv thanks.

Or you could have your own snow parade at your home with the family carrying shovels Could make for an entertaining video

[anais.butterfly]

Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and not go to the Patriots parade today.  Between the massive piles of snow & the ungodly traffic (as well as insane public transportation issues the past few days)... I'll just stay home and watch it on tv thanks.

You're missing an opportunity to break Tom Brady's arm! (and be my personal hero!)

[RVR II]

So it's not just the Browns players that are problem-plagued..

Textgate: Browns may lose a draft pick, Ray Farmer may be suspended

February 4, 2015, 12:25 PM EST
AP

Browns General Manager Ray Farmer could get suspended, and the team could lose a draft pick, over the investigation that is becoming known as Textgate.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that multiple league sources say a suspension, a draft pick forfeiture and a fine are all on the table as the NFL investigates whether team executives texted the coaching staff during games to suggest play calls. That would be a violation of league rules, which limit the types of electronic communications that players, coaches and other team officials can use during games.

According to the report, the investigation could be finished as soon as this week.

One of the reasons that offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan left the Browns at the end of the season is apparently that he felt the front office was meddling in decisions that should have been left to the coaching staff. In particular, executives were reportedly texting Shanahan during games to tell him which plays they wanted called.

The Browns have neither confirmed nor denied that executives texted coaches during games. The team says it is cooperating with the NFL's investigation.

The Browns are one of three teams being investigated for allegedly breaking rules during games. The Patriots are also being investigated for Deflategate, while the Falcons are being investigated for Noisegate.

[RVR II]

Somehow I find this un-believable..

Report: Derek Jeter considered purchasing Buffalo Bills

FOX Sports
FEB 04, 2015 2:08p ET
NEW YORK, NY

Derek Jeter reportedly had his eye on ownership of the Buffalo Bills.

Derek Jeter considered going from Bronx Bomber to Buffalo Bill, owner of the NFL team that is, Tim Graham of the Buffalo News reported on Wednesday.

According to the report the now-retired Yankee shortstop was thinking about making a bid for the Bills, who were sold after the death of owner Ralph Wilson.

Graham writes that it is uncertain whether Jeter was looking into being the leader of a group or a minority partner. The sale price of $1.4 billion likely would have put Jeter in the shareholder status category.

The report adds that new owners Terry and Kim Pegula were not aware of Jeter's interest.

Jeter would not have been alone as a celebrity interested in the team. Jon Bon Jovi and Donald Trump also were involved in trying to purchase the team.

And why even bring it up this long after the sale

[RVR II]

Um.. Really

Report: Guard Richie Incognito to visit with Bills this weekend

CBSSports.com
Sat, 07 Feb 2015 12:18 AM ET

Free agent guard Richie Incognito is reportedly set to visit with the Bills this weekend, according to ESPN.com.

Incognito, who last played with the Dolphins in 2013, played for Buffalo briefly in 2009 and is expected to take a physical with the team. Incognito was suspended the final eight games of the 2013 regular season with Miami after being involved in a harassment case of teammate Jonathan Martin. He visited with multiple teams last season, including the Buccaneers and Broncos, but never signed.

[RVR II]

And he's been hired 

Richie Incognito signs deal to join Buffalo Bills
NFL
    Published: Feb. 7, 2015 at 03:29 p.m.
    Updated: Feb. 7, 2015 at 03:41 p.m.

Richie Incognito's NFL career might not be over after more than a one-year hiatus.

NFL Media's Jeff Darlington reported that the offensive lineman has signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills after visiting with and taking a physical for the team on Saturday, per a source close to the player.

Incognito hasn't played a single down in the NFL since the bullying scandal involving former Miami Dolphins teammate Jonathan Martin, which occurred in the middle of 2013. The guard, who will turn 32 in July, was cleared to play last season and several teams showed interest, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos. However, he was never signed.

The Bills need help at guard, where Kraig Urbik, Cyril Richardson and Erik Pears were all in the bottom third in the NFL at the position in 2014, per Pro Football Focus.

New coach Rex Ryan wants to build a tough-minded team with a focus on the ground attack. The Bills will need better guard play to accomplish that. Incognito was an average lineman two seasons ago, but on paper would represent an upgrade for Buffalo. He is a low-risk option, likely to warrant a veteran-minimum salary with a shot at earning a spot on the 53-man roster over the summer.

Darlington also reported that Incognito met with the Bills during the Super Bowl.

Ryan said he wanted to build a bully in Buffalo. Perhaps he was being more literal than we first thought.

[RVR II]

Well that was a costly tag for the Panthers

Report: DE Greg Hardy will not return to Panthers

CBSSports.com
February 8, 2015 10:33 am ET


According to a report from the Charlotte Observer, the Carolina Panthers will not bring defensive end Greg Hardy back to the team next season. Hardy had been seeking a long-term contract with the Panthers around this time last year, but the team elected to place the franchise tag on him instead.

Hardy then played only one game in 2014 before being placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List due to his domestic violence issues. Hardy was found guilty of assaulting and threatening to kill ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder last year. He appealed for a jury trial, which begins next week.

If Hardy is found guilty again, it would likely trigger a minimum six-game suspension under the new personal conduct policy. Whether found guilty or not, Hardy's upcoming free agency will be an interesting case. We've already seen that NFL teams will not shy away from signing players with baggage -- the Bills just signed former Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito, who was at the center of a bullying scandal two years ago -- if they are able to contribute on the field.

And Hardy, when on the field, was wildly productive in 2012 and 2013. He totaled 26 sacks and 141 pressures in those two seasons, making him one of the most productive pass-rushers in the NFL. He also accumulated the fourth-highest run-stop percentage of all 4-3 ends in each of those two years, according to Pro Football Focus. Teams are always in need of pass-rushers, and Hardy is one of the best.

"Hardy's going to get more of the benefit of the doubt just because he's a Pro Bowl-caliber player in his prime," former sports agent Joel Corry recently said. "So that's going to tip the scales for some owners that [think], I know you've got issues, but this guy can really play. If he couldn't really play, he might be out of the league."

[RVR II]

Super Bowl party videos spliced with game footage

[RVR II]

Report: Broncos unsure if they want Manning back in 2015

FEB 10, 2015 2:23p ET
USA TODAY Sports

What's the deal in Denver?

Peyton Manning reportedly wants to play in 2015, but the bigger question might be what the Denver Broncos want.

NFL Media reported Tuesday morning that Manning is gearing up for a return in 2015. However, Bleacher Report's Jason Cole cited sources close to the team who said the Broncos are uncertain whether they want Manning back for another season. Manning has an upcoming physical, and the Broncos could fail the quarterback.

"At this point in his career, the Broncos could fail Peyton Manning for any reason, including the four neck surgeries that he has already had," he said Tuesday in a video on Bleacher Report. "In talking to sources close to the team, there's a big question here about whether the Broncos want to bring him back for one more year. They're going to have to feel very comfortable about this."

There certainly are factors working against Manning. The legendary quarterback turns 39 next month, and it looks like age and the neck injuries are finally catching up with him. Manning had a solid 2014 season, but he started to break down physically toward the end of the season. He reportedly played through a quad injury, but it's unrealistic to think Manning is going to suddenly get hurt less as he ages.

It might seem crazy for the Broncos to move on from a likely Hall of Famer in Manning, but the Broncos are in a state of transition. The team parted ways with head coach John Fox and hired Gary Kubiak.

Despite that, Cole says he "probably" sees Manning in Denver for one more season.

[RVR II]

NFL stadium in L.A. clears hurdle for possible June vote

CBSSports.com
Thu, 12 Feb 2015 10:09 PM ET

Los Angeles County election officials verified 8,500 signatures on a petition supporting a potential NFL stadium, according to a report from the Associated Press.

The move cleared the way for a public vote on plans for an 80,000 seat venue that would be built on a former horse track, 10 miles from downtown Los Angeles. The stadium could eventually house an NFL franchise, allowing the league to return to the city after a more than 20-year absence.

The next step is for the Inglewood City Council to consider a public election. The council will meet in late February, and a public vote could be held as soon as June.

A successful public vote would allow the stadium plan to avoid time-consuming environmental reviews.

The NFL has been absent from Los Angeles since the Rams and Raiders left the city in 1995. Current Rams owner Stan Kroenke controls one of the companies included in the proposed stadium's development group.

[RVR II]

No wonder I don't go to more games..

Panthers Increase Ticket Prices for 2015

For the second consecutive year the Carolina Panthers won the NFC South. If fans hope to see their team go for a third consecutive division title, it is going to cost them more to see them play at Bank of America Stadium in 2015.

The Carolina Panthers announced on Friday that renewal packets will be mailed out in the near future. That is the good news for fans excited about next year. Unfortunately, the bad news is that for the second consecutive year a majority of the ticket prices will be increasing between two to five dollars. Non-premium tickets will range between $43 and $160.

Even though the Panthers will increase their ticket prices, they are still in the lower half of the NFL in terms of average ticket prices. Team Marketing Report before each season breaks down the average ticket price for each team as well as creates a Fan Cost Index (FCI). This index compares the price for what it would cost a family of four to attend the game.

Average NFL Ticket Prices
Year    Avg. Panthers' Ticket Prices    Avg. NFL Ticket Prices    Panthers' Fan Cost Index    NFL Fan Cost Index
2014                $72.44                                  $84.43                        $404.78                               $479.11
2013               $66.84                                  $81.54                         $365.38                               $459.65

*Ticket Prices courtesy of Team Marketing Report 2014 and 2013

In 2013, the Panthers ranked 31st out of 32 teams in the NFL in FCI but the cost jumped almost $40 in 2014. This 11% increase was the third highest in the league. However, Carolina and Bank of America Stadium still ranked as one of the more affordable places to see an NFL game ranking 26th in the FCI.

[RVR II]

*sigh* He's not the answer...

Josh McCown visiting Bills, trying to work out deal

February, 16, 2015
ESPN.com

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh McCown is visiting with the Buffalo Bills and the two sides are attempting to work out a deal Monday, sources told ESPN.

If McCown can't reach a deal with the Bills, he is expected to visit other teams in the next few days, a source said.

McCown, 35, was released by the Buccaneers last week. He started 11 games last season, completing 56.3 percent of his passes for 11 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and a 70.5 quarterback rating.

The Bills are in need of help at quarterback this offseason. With Kyle Orton retiring, only EJ Manuel and Jeff Tuel remain on the Bills' roster at quarterback.

McCown has been with eight teams since entering the NFL in 2002 as a third-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals. His best season came in 2013, when he started five games for the Chicago Bears in place of Jay Cutler, posting 13 touchdowns, one interception and a 109.0 quarterback rating.

[RVR II]

So it's not just the Rams talking about moving to LA..

San Diego mayor responds to potential Raiders, Chargers stadium in L.A.
February 20, 2015, 2:00 AM EST

It's become evident that the Chargers are tiring of waiting for a new stadium in San Diego and are putting pressure on the city to get something done soon or risk losing the franchise. That pressure was increased substantially Thursday night with the revelation that the Chargers and Raiders are working toward a jointly built stadium in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, Calif.

The Chargers applied pressure earlier in the week with a pointed letter directed at the city's stadium task force. That gesture was met with a response from San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer taking issue with the "divisive" tone of the letter and offering a one-on-one meeting to Chargers owner Dean Spanos.

After the breaking news of the Chargers/Raiders plans, Faulconer issued another statement Thursday night.

"It's now abundantly clear that while we have been working here in San Diego to create a plan for a new stadium, the Chargers have for some time been making their own plans for moving to Los Angeles," Faulconer said. "This would amount to abandoning generations of loyal Chargers fans. Despite this news, we are going to continue our efforts to develop a viable stadium solution."

The Chargers have been hoping to replace Qualcomm Stadium for a long time. Without a solution in sight, they clearly have felt the need to apply some urgency to the situation in the joint venture with the Raiders near Los Angeles.