NFL: Offseason Discussion Thread

[No More Sorrow]

Yeah Ray Lewis plays intense, but he doesn't play dirty. He's not going around kicking people and stuff.

 

[No More Sorrow]

Just a bunch of random news and notes from ESPN and NFL.com

The Houston Texans might be without quarterback Matt Schaub for the rest of the season, but it's likely they'll get back the services of two key players for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars as wideout Andre Johnson and defensive back Danieal Manning are probable for the game. This week was Johnson's first as a full participant in practice since he injured his hamstring Oct. 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. One of the most dynamic wideouts in the NFL, Johnson has missed six games this year -- the most he's missed in a season since 2007.

NFL.com

Good for The Texans to have him back, without Schaub he's pretty much the leader of the offense.

Injured Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis carried the ball in practice Friday for the first time since Nov. 4, and coach Pat Shurmur said, via The Plain-Dealer, that Hillis will be a game-time decision for this weekend's tussle against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hillis told the Plain-Dealer his injured hamstring feels "100 percent," attributing his hastened recover to a platelet rich plasma injection he received over two weeks ago.

Hillis has missed six consecutive games with a strained hamstring he first injured on Oct. 16 in Oakland. He was poised to return three weeks ago, but aggravated the hamstring during practice Nov. 4. Earlier this week, Browns coach Pat Shurmur ruled Hillis out for this Sunday's game at Cincinnati, but the bruising back's status has since been upgraded to questionable.

During the portion of practice open to reporters, Hillis participated in team drills, taking at least one handoff.

ESPN.com

Never really been a fan of the guy, likely won't be on the Browns next season.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Erik Walden was arrested Friday on suspicion of felony domestic violence/substantial battery and will remain in the Brown County Jail until at least Monday.

Walden allegedly assaulted his live-in girlfriend at the couple's apartment in Lawrence, just outside of Green Bay. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Brown County Court is closed for the weekend, so while Walden's teammates have the next three days off following the team's 27-15 Thanksgiving Day victory at Detroit, Walden will remain in jail. The Packers issued a statement Friday saying, "The Packers organization is aware of the situation involving Erik Walden. We are in the process of gathering more information and will refrain from making any further comment."

Hobart-Lawrence police chief Randy Bani told the Green Bay Press-Gazette the incident took place about 2:30 a.m. and the woman involved called authorities about 6:10 a.m. The woman was treated at a local hospital, and Walden was arrested and booked around 8 a.m., Bani told the Press-Gazette.

The 26-year-old Walden joined the Packers midway through last season and played in 12 games (five starts) in the regular season and playoffs. He has started all 11 games this season and played in Thursday's victory over the Lions. The team flew back from Detroit after the game and players were home by Thursday evening.

Bani said before the woman called police, she was treated for a cut and bump on her head, along with an injured right hand, at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay.

NFL.com

" He was lucky I wasn't on the field. Lucky. I'm a New York guy. I don't go for that stuff. It was very unnecessary. I can understand you might get in a scuffle, but you never stomp on a guy. That's like hitting a guy when he's down. You don't do things like that. I was this close to running on the field."

- Packers TE Andrew Quarless

NFL.com

 

[PHX]

Two words to explain what happened to Hillis. Madden Curse

 

[No More Sorrow]

Pretty much, haha. Luckily somebody who actually matters in the NFL wasn't put on the cover of the game.

 

[PHX]

The runner up to the poll to decide who was on the cover got the curse too in Mike Vick lol.

 

[No More Sorrow]

Lmao. Yeah, Vick just idk. Not even him really just the whole Eagles team has been so shitty all year long.

 

[MrMister]

It was highly doubtful Vick could repeat what he did last year. Turnovers are why the Eagles have sucked. When they take care of the ball, they're pretty tough to beat. They don't have the defense though to stop teams with extra possessions and short fields.

As for Suh, total fucking nutcase. I can forgive and forget if he can get his shit together. I actually really like his intense physical fury, but only during plays. When the play is over, bring it down a notch and get ready to rev it up again.

 

[PHX]

I think Deion brought up a great point when talking about Suh about maybe this guy has some kind of legit anger issue when he gets out there on the field that just makes him tick because off the field the guy seems pretty cool.

 

[No More Sorrow]

It's possible, he's going to have to control his shit unless he wants to go broke real quick.

 

[MrMister]

Oh yeah, holy shit the Ravens D looked scary as hell Thursday. They're one of the few teams that could give the Packers some problems. They can't turn the ball over and Cam Cameron has to keep the offense balanced, but the Ravens could possibly blow up the Packers O-line often like they did to the Niners without having to blitz.

 

[PHX]

Give Ray Rice the ball 30 times between catches and runs and they match up well against the Packers. As I said before think it takes ball control to beat the Packers cause the longer you keep the pressure on the Packers D and A-Rog off the field the better. Ravens wouldn't be able to fuck with them if it came down to Flacco vs Rodgers tho.

 

[MrMister]

Well take heart that no team has a chance when it's Rodgers vs opposing QB. Ravens or anyone has to play a near flawless game. Little to no penalties and absolutely no turnovers. Definitely have to ball control and you have to get pressure with minimal blitzing. Blitzing Rodgers seems extremely risky because of his mobility. Plays need to be made with special teams too.

 

[Killswitch]

As for Suh, total fucking nutcase. I can forgive and forget if he can get his shit together. I actually really like his intense physical fury, but only during plays. When the play is over, bring it down a notch and get ready to rev it up again.

The more I watch the Suh ejection the more I appreciate him as a player. He is a throwback. A savage. He plays with raw emotion and the game lacks his kind of commitment. It was unprofessional, deliberate, and malicious but it was honest above all. To me it was a thing of beauty.

It didn't help the cause but it happened in the heat of the moment. Ray Lewis is another pure emotion athlete. Kinetic. Infectious. He murdered a man and got off.... I have the same admiration for a player like that. Grant it the murder wasn't on the field but still....the mindset is the same.

 

[No More Sorrow]

The one thing that annoyed me the most about it was that he was denying it afterwards saying he was just trying to get up. If he never tried lying about it i MIGHT feel differently.

I get that he plays with pure emotion, and that's alright but when you're the best player on a teams defense and you're playing the Superbowl champions you need to channel your emotion into trying to get the win instead of picking fights with people on the field.

 

[We Are Legion]

I've never liked dirty players. There is no excuse for stomping someone like a coward. If you're out to hurt someone, get it done during the play, then I have no problem with it. But bullshit like that is uncalled for. And it's stupid considering you arent helping your team doing something like that. Getting thrown out of the game and taking 15-yard personal fouls makes it pretty hard for your team to win.