It's Football Time
The NFL season starts tonight - which means a classic Simmons NFL column and me doing some last-minute fantasy drafts because I love managing fantasy teams. Who you got in tonight's Titans-Steelers game?
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I'm taking the Titans for what is apparently an upset based on the lines. Like their team this year.
ReplyDeletePS - I spent longer looking for the photo for this post than actually writing it. My favorite LT image ever.
Other candidates included this vicious stiff arm takedown, an aerial LT maneuver, and a gratuitous cheerleader shot (channeling Gregg Easterbrook).
NFL players are big dudes, and their appetites don't lie - check out the bill they ran up at a team dinner on the dime of first-round pick Larry English. Ouch!
ReplyDeleteWhy are the links in your post linked to the post itself?
ReplyDeleteSteelers win 24 - 13. Collins will throw 2 picks tonight at horrible times.
Or, the Steelers health issues will finally end them, and the Steelers will win a somewhat ugly battle, in which there will be no "winners"; not the Titans, not the Steelers, not the NFL.
Good call on the links - I set up the syntax but screwed up the link addresses. Should be edited now.
ReplyDeleteSomething about the Steelers makes me have no faith in them, not sure what it is. I also kind of like the Titans rushing attack and defense, although apparently losing Albert Haynesworth was big. Aaron what's your take on the D without big Al?
I agree with Scotty on tonight's outcome, but I wouldn't sleep on the Titans this season. They have been the most underrated team of the last 10 years (ironically, since their first and only Super Bowl appearance). They have hungry, ferocious defense and a solid run game - which should make up for any drop-off from Kerry Collins at QB.
ReplyDeleteThey lost Haynesworth - that's bigger than you think
ReplyDeleteI was going to add to this, only to realize that by the time I got to it, the game started an hour and 15 minutes ago. But if you believe me that I haven't looked at it yet, then here goes.
ReplyDeleteRoyce, you should at least remember the last time the Steelers won the Super Bowl and hosted the Miami Dolphins, he picked the Dolphins to win that opening game, leading the the exchange between Bill Simmons (BS) and the Sports Gal (SG):
SG: Who did you pick to win?
BS: The Dolphins because they should be really good.
SG: Didn't the Steelers win the Super Bowl?
BS: Yeah.
SG: And they're playing in Pittsburgh?
BS: Yeah.
SG: So won't the fans be all excited because this is the first game since they won the Super Bowl?
BS: See you don't understand...
SG: You're an idiot, no wonder your picks always suck.
This great exchange led to the Sports Gal beating in Simmons in picking NFL games that year.
Anyways, the Steelers will be incredibly pumped up for this game more than any others (except for maybe the Ravens) and the Titans will have to cope with losing Albert Haynesworth. The Titans may get there, but not tonight. The Steelers look like champions, running the ball, throwing, and getting in Kerry Collins head. The Titans will look average trying to stop the run and pass and Kerry Collins will end up with something like 150 yards, 1 TD, 1-2 Int. Not exactly a bad game, just average. Unfortunately the Titans biggest strength, their running game, goes up against one of the better run defenses.
The Steelers win by 10...something like 21-10 or 24-14.
Now I will go find the Simmons article from the archive and update on the score as of 6:22pm PDT.
Here's the Simmons column
ReplyDeleteAnd apparently the game is tied 0-0, and according to the stats, both QBs look average.
Ok, I was mostly wrong on my prediction... but got me thinking about the Sports Guy writing his weekly NFL picks column...
ReplyDeleteI feel like this particular column is so in his wheelhouse that it's like the Home Run Derby or batting practice. He gets in a groove and keeps knocking them out of the park. Does that make it any less special? I say no. I look forward to Fridays more for his column than it being Friday. Just like people will still be fighting in the stands for every batting practice home run.
Aaron not even a comment about the amazing LT stiff arm picture?
ReplyDeleteScott was the winner of this prediction - there were no real winners in this ugly game... not the Steelers, not the Titans, not the NFL, and definitely not the fans.
But, um, at least football is back! Yay? Anyway great point about his NFL columns being Simmons' batting practice. To reward your keen insight, I will allow you to post his column when it comes out next week and preface it with the insight you just made.
I agree - the column is so setup now (whether it's always been that way, or it's just gotten easier over time, I'm not sure) that if it's anything less than hilarious, I get upset at him for not writing a good NFL picks column. There were 4 legitimate comments/notes in his column yesterday that made me stop reading to laugh, and then stop laughing to note that I couldn't think of another columnist who could write that same comment.
ReplyDeleteI think it's awesome that it's this easy for him - as long as he doesn't go Ryan Leaf on us and start mailing it in, I'll be excited for it every week.
I'm also ecstatic I made both Aaron and Royce get angry for 5 minutes with my Ryan Leaf comment. I think there's a Ryan Leaf post in my future.
ReplyDeleteThinking about Leaf and hearing new stories just becomes depressing... oh, other Cougar players didn't like Leaf? Washington State coaches, players, and fans were glad to be rid of him? How did the Chargers not hear any of this? Did they know all this and still decide to draft him? AARRRGGGHHHHHH.... I need to go watch some Tomlinson highlights.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I feel like Tomlinson's greatness doesn't need my additional comment. That being said, there are so many great stiff arm pictures, my favorite memory was him juking Ty Law...I can't find a video, only this picture.
ReplyDeleteWow those Tomlinson highlights calmed me down after the Ryan Leaf talk... my hand is still kind of trembling but I think it will go away
ReplyDeleteReal quick back to Simmons - his take on Skip Bayless vs Ochocinco had me in stitches:
"In other news, it's time for Abe Lincoln and Stephen Douglas to make room for Chad Ochocinco and Skip Bayless, who made history by having an actual "why I hate you/why you shouldn't hate me" debate on ESPN's "First Take." The good news: At least we finally have an explanation for the girl who cries blood."
Hit the actual column for links to the Skip/Chad debate and the girl who cries blood. Oh man