THE... OFFICIAL 2015 NFL SEASON Thread

[RVR II]

Well surprise-surprise..

Philadelphia Eagles release QB Tim Tebow

    Around The NFL
    Published: Sept. 5, 2015 at 12:22 p.m.
    Updated: Sept. 5, 2015 at 12:35 p.m.

When the Eagles dealt Matt Barkley on Friday, it looked as though Tim Tebow's path to the 53-man roster was clear.

Unfortunately for him, Chip Kelly only planned on keeping two quarterbacks. Tebow was let go on Saturday during the final hours of roster downsizing, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.
Every game, all season

ESPN first reported the cut.

Tebow's preseason was an interesting one. He showcased a new throwing motion and much improved mechanics, though he still struggled at times with reading defenses. He finished the four-game slate with a completion percentage near 60 with a pair of throwing touchdowns and an interception. He rushed for 82 yards and another score.

Heading into this preseason, he carried the weight of the worst completion percentage in football since 2010 (47.9).

Because of his association with Chip Kelly, many thought there was a larger plan at work. Tebow is more than just a quarterback and Kelly has been open in the past to cross-training players at different positions. At the least, he could have been a weapon on special teams and on two-point conversions.

So it goes for one of the league's most popular players. Though it looks like this could be his last shot -- he came to training camp in Philadelphia after a long break from the game -- Tebow has proven his detractors wrong in the past.

He last stepped on the field in a regular-season game late in the 2012 season with the Jets.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Not really a surprise, after Thursday nights game when the reporters asked Chip if Tebow would make the team he said they would be looking at video, when in the past he was always upbeat about him.

There's really no room for extra baggage on the Eagles team, the pace of play Chip uses they basically need 2 first string guys at every position to rotate in and out or they get worn down.  And they might be close to having that this year.

Just have to hope Bradford stays healthy, he looked really good during the 10 minutes he played in the preseason... 

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Ha, just went to check the traffic for my trip to NJ and The headline on the CBS Philly website is:

Tebow Time Expires

[RVR II]

The Bills release Matt Cassel and then bring him back as No.2 over EJ Manuel

Bills bring back Matt Cassel, make him No. 2 QB ahead of EJ Manuel

CBSSports.com
September 8, 2015 1:05 pm ET

On Saturday, the Bills released veteran quarterback Matt Cassel six months after trading for him. On Tuesday, the Bills re-signed Cassel and installed him as the backup to starter Tyrod Taylor. This only reaffirms what most people suspected in recent weeks: EJ Manuel, the team's 2013 first-round pick, is again the odd man out.

"We said all along we like our three quarterbacks, which is obvious," first-year Bills coach Rex Ryan said, according to the team's website. "For your depth chart purposes Matt will be two, EJ [Manuel] will be three. As I have said from day one we like all three of the guys and we never want to lose anybody obviously."

And now Cassel is back in the fold.

"What was important to me is the entire room. Those three guys, I mean they work in concert with each other that is important I think," Ryan continued. "They push each other, yet they are there for each other, they watch tape together. It is really a unique deal because sometimes when you get competition, especially three guys going, sometimes it is not always like that. But here it is kind of a unique deal."

It's also likely that Cassel returned to Buffalo at a reduced rate. He was set to earn $4.15 million this season, but after the Bills released him they could bring him back for much less than that. And as CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora wrote last week: Assuming the Bills have saved money on Cassel, there's a distinct possibility that some of the savings would be funneled into a long-term deal for star defensive tackle Marcell Dareus.

[RVR II]

ESPN: Source Claims Patriots' Cheated In Super Bowl Game Against Panthers

Story Created: Sep 8, 2015 at 2:06 PM EDT

Story Updated: Sep 8, 2015 at 2:06 PM EDT

BOSTON, M.A. -- A new investigative piece published in ESPN Magazine gives an in depth look into the New England Patriots and 'Spygate'. 

The report claims the Patriots began recording the play callers of opposing teams in 2000, which goes against what NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said publicly.  Goodell claims the tapes, which were destroyed by NFL officials, only went back to 2006.

The tapes and notes were destroyed in a conference room at the Patriots' offices following an order from Goodell.  Therefore, according to the report, no one but Patriots' head coach Bill Belichick truly knows how in depth 'Spygate' really was and what impact it had on the NFL.

The report also says Belichick hired a man who had a photographic memory to analyze all the tapes and sit in the coach's box during games to radio Belichick when he knew what play the defensive coaches signaled into the game.

The report also has quotes from a Carolina Panthers' source saying the Panthers believe the Patriots recorded their practices prior to Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.  The source says, "Our players came in after that first half and said it was like [the Patriots] were in our huddle."  That's when the Panthers allegedly changed their game plan and were able to get more yards the second half but lost 32-29 on a last-second field goal.

The Eagles now also believe the Patriots were able to win Super Bowl XXXIX because of 'Spygate'.  Part of the report says the Patriots looked completely prepared for the rarely used dime defense the Eagles used in the championship game.  Sources from the Eagles think their practices were either filmed or their playbook was stolen.

ESPN interviewed dozens of people for this investigative story, some of the people claimed the Patriots had low level employees sneak into visitors' locker rooms and steal play sheets.  The sources also claim the Patriots would pay former players of opposing teams to review videos they had taken of coaches giving play signals to see if they were correct on their calls. 

The Patriots are my 2nd least favorite football team (the Cowboys are my 1st) and after reading this, they both might be tied at the bottom of my list

[RVR II]

Nice! He deserves it

BREAKING: Luke Kuechly signs five-year extension with Panthers

   24/7 Sports
38 minutes ago


Luke Kuechly is now the highest-paid middle linebacker in the history of the National Football League.

The Carolina Panthers and their star linebacker have agreed to a five-year, $62 million dollar extension, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network. Kuechly will get paid an average of $12.4 million per year.

Kuechly, rated the best middle linebacker in the league by Pro Football Focus, has racked up 473 tackles in his first three years in the NFL. He led the league in tackles two of those years.


The former Boston College star also has the most tackles over the first three seasons of a career since 1994.

Kuechly is expected to meet with the media early this afternoon.

[RVR II]

Well this game was a snooze fest
Steelers @ Patriots and all that pre-game BS with the Patriots showing off their 4 Super Bowl trophies.. 
Had to change the channel till time for kickoff and the Steelers were just disappointing to watch

[RVR II]

Report: Steelers will file complaint with NFL about headset issues vs. Patriots

26m - NFL
    ESPN.com 


The Pittsburgh Steelers say their coach-to-coach communications during Thursday night's season opener in New England were interfered with.

The Patriots say theirs were, too. The NFL took responsibility for the breakdown, saying it controls communications equipment, including headsets, for both teams.


Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said after the game, a 28-21 Patriots victory at Gillette Stadium, that Pittsburgh's coach-to-coach headsets picked up New England's radio broadcast for the majority of the first half, preventing his staff from communicating with each other. Yahoo! Sports, citing an unnamed source, reported that the Steelers will file a complaint with the league about both the equipment failure and officials not turning off headsets on both teams' sidelines.

Friday morning, a report on Steelers.com, the team's official website, said that whenever an NFL representative was on the Patriots' sideline, the Steelers' headsets cleared, but when the representative walked way, the game broadcast returned. ESPN has not been able to independently confirm that report, which was unattributed.

A source with knowledge of the NFL's reaction said Friday morning that when the league determined Pittsburgh's communications were down, it was in the process of shutting down the Patriots' headsets when the problem was resolved. The problem resurfaced briefly, but was then resolved and did not recur.

The NFL released a statement Friday morning explaining that coaches' communications equipment, including the headsets, is provided by the NFL for both teams' use on game day, but that the home team "is responsible for the installation and maintenance of that equipment."

"Every team's game day communications personnel are required to work with the NFL communications consultants to ensure wireless equipment is free and clear of interference and address any problems," Michael Signora, the league's vice president of football communications, said. "Technological and stadium infrastructure issues of this type happen at many stadiums around the league and whenever there are issues of this nature, we do a thorough review."

Signora said Thursday night that the interference in coaches' headsets was caused by a stadium power infrastructure issue in Foxborough.

When pressed after the game, Tomlin said headset issues have occurred repeatedly in New England.

"That's always the case," the Steelers coach said. "Here?" a reporter asked. "Yes, Tomlin answered. When asked if he got a satisfactory resolution, Tomlin said: "Eventually."

Tomlin is a member of the league's competition committee.

Because there wasn't a complete system failure, New England's coaches were not required to shut down their headsets during the repairs. However, the Patriots said they experienced issues as well.

"We had a lot of problems," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Thursday night. "We had to switch headphones a couple of times. The communication system wasn't very good. We deal with that, it seems, weekly.

"They told us they were on the verge of shutting it off, but then I guess they got it working. I don't know, but it was a problem the whole game. We almost had to switch helmets with [Tom] Brady there at the end. Couldn't get the plays in to him. It was a problem all night."

On Friday, Belichick spoke on a conference call and was asked about Tomlin's "that's always the case" in Foxborough remark.

"I'm not going to get into a back and forth on this," Belichick said.

Asked if his team has the same issues on the road with headsets, Belichick said, "Yeah, I'm focused on the game here. I'm not going to keep talking about it. I'm really not."

All of this led to another controversy involving the NFL, the Patriots and Gillette Stadium on the eve of the first full weekend of NFL games.

Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy was asked about the matter Friday and said, "I think anytime you compete in this league long enough there's things that go wrong and you adjust. It's definitely not the first time [headset issues have] happened in a game, and I'm sure it won't be the last."

The Packers played the Patriots in their preseason opener Aug. 13 at Gillette Stadium, the first time longtime assistant coach Tom Clements called the team's plays. After that game, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was asked what he thought about Clements' performance.

"Well, it was a good start for us. Tom was very calm on the headset and he enunciated well," Rodgers said. "We had a headset issue at one point, but that's kind of preseason."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13629657/pittsburgh-steelers-reportedly-file-complaint-nfl-headset-failure-new-england-patriots-game

[RVR II]

Alright It's SUNDAY-SUNDAY-SUNDAY!!!

[RVR II]

WOOT!! Bills and Panthers WIN!!
And Bob's Rams hold off the Seahags in overtime 34-31

[NRRork]

Well, the Lions are more or less drenched from the waist down, having completely and thoroughly whizzed that game down their leg (that's probably my favorite expression that I learned from MST3K/Rifftrax).

They just were awful today. And people around here will always say "It's the Lions, what do you expect?" Well, years of being a Lions fan will do that. . .

But I expect them to NOT SUCK! If they can't manage that, that's on them, because they're NOT supposed to suck. I'm getting tired of it being treated like it's MY fault for wanting to see my team do well. >_<

[RVR II]

'The Herd': Bill Parcells not impressed by Johnny Manziel

FOX Sports
Sep 14, 2015 at 1:53p ET

Bill Parcells calls Johnny Manziel a 'mascot player', examines Marcus Mariota - 'The Herd'

Johnny Manziel may have wowed some folks in his relief appearance against the Jets on Sunday, but legendary coach Bill Parcells wasn't impressed.

"Johnny Manziel is an exception," Parcells said to Colin Cowherd on Monday. "He's a mascot player."

Manziel, who completed 13 of 24 passes for 182 yards with a touchdown and an interception, came in after Josh McCown was knocked out. Manziel's touchdown pass was a thing of beauty, but the Jets still won, 31-10.

Still, Parcells is not impressed, and said despite smaller quarterbacks like Russell Wilson having success, they're the exception, not the rule.

"(Manziel) creates excitement," he said. "He makes the fans happy. They're a very minute percentage group."

[RVR II]

Week 2 is under way

Broncos @ Chiefs and nearly 70% of internet folks polled says the Chiefs could win

[RVR II]

And my Bills are going for the Guinness Book of World Records for the Loudest stadium in the World on Sunday
Just in time for the Patriots to visit

[RVR II]

Well I have to say that was one helluva game at the end
The Broncos got lucky!