**OFFICIAL 2015 NFL SEASON THREAD**

[cajuncocoa]

2015 NFL Hall of Fame Ceremony will be televised TODAY on ESPN @ 7pmET/6pmCT for those interested....enshrinees: Charles Haley, Mick Tingelhoff, Will Shields, Bill Polian, Tim Brown, Junior Seau and Jerome Bettis.

2015 NFL Hall of Fame Game between Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers will be shown on NBC TOMORROW at 8pmET/7pmCT.

Of course, the real thing opens with the Pittsburgh Steelers visiting the Brady-less Patriots on September 10.

[asurfaholic]

Panthers will be ready

[JK/SEA]

getting my boxes of Seahawk decorations out of the closet this week.

ITS TIME.....

[euphemia]

Marcus Mariota has been looking wonderful in practice. Watch out, folks, I might become a Titans fan.

[JK/SEA]

Superbowl odds...

http://www.betvega.com/super-bowl-odds/

Titans have a big hill to climb...

[CPUd]

I was not sold on them picking Mariota until maybe a few weeks after the draft when he came to town for rookie minicamp. Mainly because:

- I like Mettenberger, he's a big guy with a big arm who got some real game experience last year.
- It doesn't matter who they put back there, even if it was Phillip Rivers. Without an O Line to block, QBs are not going to be able to start more than 4 or 5 games without getting hurt.
- they hired a coach who got fired from his last HC job for burning through too many QBs. Drafting a new one now buys the coach and GM 2 more years, because if he underperforms this year, they can chalk it up to lack of experience.


And because there have been other serious issues with the team that drafting a QB won't fix:
- Problems with the O Line that stem from taking probably the best O Line coach in the NFL and making him head coach, then a year later watch many of the talented players and ejected staff go to the Rams. Then giving massive contracts to veterans who can't stay healthy.
- WTF on letting decent backup QBs go and sign with teams in the same division.
- Having owners/CEOs who don't want to be there.

So far, it looks like those issues have been addressed. And seeing Mariota in OTAs, training camp, how he has presented himself around Nashville, he's going to bring the professionalism that Jake Locker did, plus the passing accuracy they've not had since moving to Nashville. He is also very fast for a QB.



Playoffs this year? Probably not. I'd settle for them going 1-1 against each team in the division and 7-9 overall if they have a shot at making the playoffs going into week 17.

[TommyJeff]

Colts win the Super Bowl.
Eagles, ravens, falcons and dolphins will all make the playoffs.


That's what my crystal ball says

[euphemia]

Countdown to the debut of Marcus Mariota: K(ickoff) -4

[asurfaholic]

Panthers take the division for the 3rd time in a row, this time with a winning record.

[thoughtomator]

Jets...

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/fo...icle-1.2321826

[acptulsa]

The Chiefs signed Justin Houston back up. So the Houston-Hali juggernaught will return.

Now if they can just break with Chiefs tradition and get a red jersey on a hot wide receiver...

[JK/SEA]

Jets...

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/fo...icle-1.2321826

Patriots will pick him up. Should fit right in.

[CPUd]

Jets...

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/fo...icle-1.2321826

That unknown practice teamer did them a favor.

[devil21]

Colts win the Super Bowl.
Eagles, ravens, falcons and dolphins will all make the playoffs.


That's what my crystal ball says

All 4 teams are good bets. Add in BUF, CLE, CIN, IND, SEA, GB, STL, DAL. Follow the money.

eta: I'll go on a limb and put CIN in place of DEN. Peyton is due for some neck pain.

[euphemia]

Playoffs this year? Probably not. I'd settle for them going 1-1 against each team in the division and 7-9 overall if they have a shot at making the playoffs going into week 17.

That would play well in Nashville, because it would be five more games than they won all last year.

I'm not typically a pro football fan. We have been to one Titans game since they came to town, and that was only because someone had tickets to sell and it was our anniversary. But I like Marcus Mariota. When he won the Hiesman, I dug around to see what dirt I could find. This guy is the real deal. When I run into Oregon fans, I ask them what they think. They all think he is a stand up guy. That's way better than what we have had to deal with so far. We need someone who is willing to lead, and be led, and not turn up dead in an apartment with his girlfriend, you know?

[cajuncocoa]

Jets...

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/fo...icle-1.2321826

Wow.

[Jan2017]

hut hut . . .

[CPUd]

That would play well in Nashville, because it would be five more games than they won all last year.

I'm not typically a pro football fan. We have been to one Titans game since they came to town, and that was only because someone had tickets to sell and it was our anniversary. But I like Marcus Mariota. When he won the Hiesman, I dug around to see what dirt I could find. This guy is the real deal. When I run into Oregon fans, I ask them what they think. They all think he is a stand up guy. That's way better than what we have had to deal with so far. We need someone who is willing to lead, and be led, and not turn up dead in an apartment with his girlfriend, you know?

Steve McNair is still considered a hero in Nashville; he did not have much of a life after football, what messed up life he did have finally caught up to him.

I used to go to every game when they first moved and I lived a bit closer to Nashville. It was a very intimidating place to play for the visiting team, and you could count on 3 or 4 Sunday/Monday night games every year. I still remember the first game they lost there, it was the second year, I was sitting in the lower bowl when they employed their customary "4th quarter down by 2 run out the clock and kick the winning FG" strategy against the Ravens. It worked out well, when he kicked everyone down around me cheered until we saw the officials signal no good, and we confirmed from the replay at another angle. Then everyone got real quiet and walked out.

I went to the Colts game last year, it was very depressing. Scalpers on the street offering people money to take their tickets, walked right in, no line for the bathrooms, 40,000 empty seats, so you could sit wherever you wanted. People on the streets were exclusively selling Colts gear, something that would have gotten their ass kicked 10 years ago (the fake Terrible Towel guy once found himself in a predicament, but was saved by the mounties). The worst part, everyone was cheering the score updates from the Bucs game because they were winning most of the game while the Titans sent in Jordan Palmer at QB- brother of Carson Palmer, but a guy they literally pulled off the street a few days before.

We still have original PSLs (for those unfamiliar- you get the same seats every year, but you have to buy season tickets every year or you will lose the PSL), but let the parking passes go a few years ago. A new trend brought on by the NFL-sanctioned aftermarket for tickets- if the team sucks, the home crowd (who are committed to buying season tickets) does not go to the game, they put up their tickets on the NFL site to get bought up by the opposing crowd. The venue sells out either way, but one of those ways is devastating for morale.

People from Houston constantly reminded us how much hate they had for Bud Adams, we caught a taste of that before his passing. He rarely came to Nashville, and let his long-time executive VPs and management run the team. Except for the time he had them draft Vince Young, and start him before he was ready. And the time he had them drop everything and try to sign Peyton Manning (even offering him ownership stake after retirement) while all the other quality free agents signed with other teams.

The end result- the Titans have never had any real super star players since Steve McNair, Eddie George and the super bowl team left. This is what the fans are really wanting more than anything. Bud Adams left the team to his daughters, son-in-law and one of his grandsons (possible future CEO) has a role with the team. Last year, son-in-law pretty much said he didn't want it, as everyone suspected, because he also CEOs at KSA Energy and rarely comes to Nashville. The daughters don't even want to give interviews or be public at all, except to emphasize that they do not want to sell the team. They did bring in someone with history to run the team this year, who will stay in Nashville. One thing of note- last year, the Titans wore white jerseys for almost all of their games, including home games in winter. The reasoning behind this is someone in the ownership group didn't like the columbia blue being the main color, and they will rebrand (AKA going back to the navy blue) for 2015. No matter how much they deny it, I'm inclined to believe around Week 12 last year, they started talking about 2015 with Mariota in mind, and tanked to make sure they were in the top 3 or 4 for the draft.

[Bastiat's The Law]

Marcus Mariota has been looking wonderful in practice. Watch out, folks, I might become a Titans fan.

He could be surprisingly good.

[Zippyjuan]

hut hut . . .

OMAHA! It will be interesting to see what happens with Denver this year. Payton doesn't have too many years left to play and bringing a new coaching staff can set a team back two or three years (to get back to where they were with the last coach- if they do). Probably still win the Division but not sure at this point how far they may get in the playoffs (not expecting a Super Bowl victory but hopefull!)

For those into the New Stadium Conspiracies (teams with or about to get a new stadium get help from the refs and have a good year), the Chargers and Raiders bear watching. I don't see the Chargers moving to the LA area (one proposal is a joint stadium in Carson shared with the Raiders). People up there don't like the Chargers so their fan base would be smaller even though it is a bigger television market. The team owners have not said or done much- letting pressure build on the local government to make them a "deal they can't refuse". Latest numbers have local government (city and county taxpayers) picking up about a third of the $billion plus it will cost.

[Brian4Liberty]

Who will be the Quarterback for the Jets?

[Bastiat's The Law]

Who will be the Quarterback for the Jets?

Whoever it is will be an upgrade.

[Zippyjuan]

Vinnie Testeverde?

[CPUd]

Who will be the Quarterback for the Jets?

Ryan Fitzpatrick, an upgrade if he can limit his picks to times when the game is not on the line. He's not afraid of getting intercepted when he throws, which can be a good thing sometimes.

[devil21]

OMAHA! It will be interesting to see what happens with Denver this year. Payton doesn't have too many years left to play and bringing a new coaching staff can set a team back two or three years (to get back to where they were with the last coach- if they do). Probably still win the Division but not sure at this point how far they may get in the playoffs (not expecting a Super Bowl victory but hopefull!)

For those into the New Stadium Conspiracies (teams with or about to get a new stadium get help from the refs and have a good year), the Chargers and Raiders bear watching. I don't see the Chargers moving to the LA area (one proposal is a joint stadium in Carson shared with the Raiders). People up there don't like the Chargers so their fan base would be smaller even though it is a bigger television market. The team owners have not said or done much- letting pressure build on the local government to make them a "deal they can't refuse". Latest numbers have local government (city and county taxpayers) picking up about a third of the $billion plus it will cost.

The vote on the taxpayer largesse for SD's stadium isn't until January. The trend shows only teams with big taxpayer money deals signed BEFORE the season get the breaks. I could easily see CIN replacing DEN this coming season as a playoff team. Wouldn't it be a shame if Peyton's neck started hurting again?

And to the owners, it's just business as usual. It's only a 'conspiracy' to the little people.

[Bastiat's The Law]

Ryan Fitzpatrick, an upgrade if he can limit his picks to times when the game is not on the line. He's not afraid of getting intercepted when he throws, which can be a good thing sometimes.

He's better than Geno.

[thoughtomator]

Zippy needs to join our fantasy league so I can have the pleasure of trouncing him badly.

[CPUd]

He's better than Geno.

We had him in TN for a year and mostly liked him. He can do sneaks or other plays where he isn't expected to run, he gets low when he runs and is hard for linemen to tackle.

[euphemia]

Payton

Geez dude, do I have to do everything for you? It's Peyton.

[devil21]

Geez dude, do I have to do everything for you? It's Peyton.

It's always funny watching Zippy post on the NFL threads. Did you see in last season's thread where Zippy thought two AFC teams would play each other in the Super Bowl? lol