Friend said the rule changes might prevent Seattle from cheating this year; any feeling about that?

How did Seattle cheat?

I really, really, REALLY hate that team--in the way you're supposed to hate a great rival--but they played and won fair and square, I thought.

No, they definitely got away with illegal contact all season that no other team did.

Come on, man, pay attention.

Eh, people always say that about the team that wins...

I think they got away with some hits, yeah, but the Niners have gotten away with shit in the past...

'98, The Catch II vs. the Pack, BUT it doesn't happen if the refs call a Jerry Rice fumble...

'02, Niners come back from 24 down to beat the Giants on a botched FG snap on the last play, BUT it might not have happened if they'd correctly called a Niner for illegal contact down field.

The Giants and Packers got away with calls in both those games too, though, so that's just how it goes...

Unless it's a call that 100% blows the outcome of a game--like, say, the Fail Mary--or something like that...it's football. That happens.

MAN it's been a hell of a few seasons for the Niners, lol...

Watching America's Game, and thinking about it--

Historic wins the last few years...

Beating the Saints on The Catch III thriller in the 2011 Wild Card...
Coming back from 17 down to beat the Falcons in the 2012 NFC Championship...
Beating the Packers on that last-second FG in sub-zero temps in 2013's Wild Card...

But ALL THREE TIMES there were memorable, epic losses to end the season!

Losing to the Giants on Kyle Williams' 2 fumbles in the OT thriller in 2011...
Losing to the Ravens when the comeback fell just short in 2012's Super Bowl...
Losing to the Seahawks on Sherman's tipped pass away from Crabtree in 2013...

A LOT of memorable games the last few seasons that'll get replayed forever...

But damn it, can't we just blow them out and win it all for a change?! xD

AFC
1. Broncos
2. Colts
3. Ravens
4. Patriots
5. Steelers
6. Chargers

Wild Card:
Ravens over Chargers
Patriots over Steelers

Divisional:
Ravens over Colts
Broncos over Patriots

Conference:
Ravens over Broncos
(Yes, very biased)

NFC
1. Seahawks
2. Saints
3. Packers
4. Giants (barely)
5. Bears
6. Niners

Wild Card:

Niners over Packers
Bears over Giants

Divisional:
Saints over Bears
Niners over Seahawks

Conference:
Saints over Niners

Super Bowl:
Ravens over Saints (I know, I'm even more biased than obi)

Only one thing matters:

Super Bowl: Seahawks

AFC:

1.) Patriots - as much as I love Peyton and always will, Brady somehow has the upper hand every year when it comes to wins and losses. It's like Belichick and the Pats front office are brilliant or something.. who knew?
2.) Broncos - yup.
3.) Colts - Andrew Luck is going to be the best quarterback in the league within 4 seasons and may end up better than Peyton was. His improvement in his ability to run a game since he's gotten here is unbelievable (7 fourth quarter comebacks last year, including one of the most brilliant and absurdly patient plays I've ever seen to beat the Lions as time expired), and he was already a top 5 quarterback in terms of fundamental arm and athleticism coming out of college.
4.) Bengals - I buy Andy Dalton in the regular season any day. He's one of the top QBs around when he plays well. He needs to be consistent and with the studded defense he has as well as AJ Green and Giovanni Bernard, I think he can.
5.) Chiefs - have you all forgotten about Jamaal Charles? They'll be in the postseason.
6.) Chargers - for some reason, I just believe this season is going to work out. They always come so close and they could make it this year as long as they don't blow it to the Raiders or something.

Wild Card:
Colts over Chargers - you don't beat us at home.
Chiefs over Bengals - as long as Jamaal Charles doesn't get hurt in the first quarter this year and the Chiefs don't blow a massive halftime lead. If those both happen again, I get a mulligan.

Divisional:
Patriots over Chiefs - stunner?
Colts over Broncos - stunner!

Conference:
Colts over Patriots - I'M NOT BIASED AT ALL! You'd think someone with my username would be a Pats fan but noo......

NFC:

1.) Seahawks - duh.
2.) Saints - bigger duh.
3.) Bears - yup, I said it. Bears win the division, not the Packers. Jay Cutler is my fantasy quarterback against my will so I gotta believe.
4.) Eagles - Nick Foles will love Darren Sproles and DeSean Jackson will hardly be missed with the short and speedy kid running around the backfield.
5.) 49ers - fuck Aldon Smith, they'll still be here, and with the second-best record in the NFC under this bullshit playoff system.
6.) Packers - Eddie Lacy runs it in from 5 yards out with a minute to go against the Lions in week 17 to send the Packers to Chicago, where they..........

Wild Card:
Bears over Packers - ........get completely fucked up by Jay Cutler! Yeah, go fantasy team! Tootsie Sproles for life! (Even though it doesn't matter anymore at this point.)
49ers over Eagles - did I say DeSean Jackson wouldn't be missed? Yeah, I lied.

Conference:
Bears over Saints - WOAH! Kenny Vacarro takes off Brandon Marshall's head and Mike Ditka charges the field, plows him, knocks him out of the game, and Bears fans rejoice.
Seahawks over 49ers - Sorry Obi.

------------

SUPER BOWL:
Colts over Seahawks, 43-8!

Ha, just kidding.

Seahawks over Colts. By a lot.

NFC East
1. Philadelphia
2. New York
3. Dallas
4. Washington

NFC North
1. Green Bay
2. Detroit
3. Chicago
4. Minnesota

NFC South
1. New Orleans
2. Carolina
3. Tampa Bay
4. Atlanta

NFC West
1. Seattle
2. Arizona
3. San Francisco
4. St. Louis

1. Seattle
2. New Orleans
3. Green Bay
4. Philadelphia
5. Arizona
6. Carolina

AFC East
1. New England
2. Miami
3. Buffalo
4. New York

AFC North
1. Pittsburgh
2. Baltimore
3. Cincinnati
4. Cleveland

AFC South
1. Indianapolis
2. Tennessee
3. Houston
4. Jacksonville

AFC West
1. Denver
2. San Diego
3. Kansas City
4. Oakland

1. Denver
2. New England
3. Indianapolis
4. Pittsburgh
5. Baltimore
6. San Diego

I would HAPPILY put money with anyone on The bengals making the playoffs

Oh, Eden has my Niners out...and the Cardinals in?

I know they won 10 games last year, but still...the year before that, they started something like 3-0 and then lost 9 of 10 or so.

Plus, my Niners are only *starting* the season shorthanded...

Aldon Smith, Navarro Bowman, and now probably Ray McDonald, all suspended/injured, but will be back by the second half of the season...so the 49ers will get stronger as the season goes on, not weaker...

And Kaepernick will, for the first time, start a season with Boldin, Crabtree, and Vernon Davis all healthy and starting at the same time, with Frank Gore still right behind him and their other WRs and backs as well...

GOTTA think San Fran will at least oust Arizona for #2 in the division, and win the Wild Card.

I was 10/12 on playoff teams last year, missing the Chargers and the Chiefs.

NFC
1. Seattle
2. New Orleans
3. Philadelphia
4. Green Bay
5. Atlanta
6. Minnesota

AFC
1. New England
2. Denver
3. Indianapolis
4. Baltimore
5. Kansas City
6. Houston

I share those sentiments that the 49's will be on a hot streak going into December, but it's really not that out of the question for the 49's to miss the playoffs if say... Gore strains a hammy, or Crabtree gets hurt... again.

Meanwhile, I think Arizona will still at LEAST be .500 again this season. (For the record, obi, I think they went 4-0, then 0-12 to end 4-12 two years ago. I found that hilarious and sad because I feel for a guy like Larry Fitzgerald. HoF caliber on a mediocre team his whole career.)
They're really riding on Patrick Peterson (love his special teams prowess) and Andre Ellington this year.

@Kallen
Wow. I really can't see Minnesota or Houston making it this year. Not when both have suspect QB play.
Minnesota in my opinion is more talented (I love Patterson, AP, Jennings) but it's so tough considering that they play in the NFC with talented teams like the Niners, Bears (Yeah, I do like them this year), and Cardinals that you say will miss the playoffs.
As for Houston, I just think that 8-8 will be their goal. I think that Dalton could lead Cincy to another playoff spot.

I think everyone is forgetting that Brady no longer has Welker, and his WR's aren't top notch. Gronkowski is still not 100%, and they traded away Logan Mankins. I think the Patriots will make it, but not as the #1 seed.

Houston as a wild card? Damn. Minnesota could if things go crazy, but Houston? #1 pick to 6-seed? Nah.

I actually couldn't disagree more, bo. While I do think that Minnesota is more talent loaded, I feel that the weak AFC gives Houston a better chance than Minnesota. Both do have unproven QB, or at least weak QB play, a star RB (AP and Arian Foster), and a good wideout (Andre Johnson and I'm counting Corradarelle Patterson), but I'm giving Minnesota the edge on talent.

Yes, and the Texans have an incredibly easy schedule. However, they're just as weak if not weaker than the rest of the AFC, and unless Ryan Fitzpatrick has a huge year like he did with the Bills, they're not going to win 8 games.

Houston in the AFC over Pittsburgh, San Diego, or even the Jets?

And in the NFC...Minnesota?! O.o

Even leaving aside the fact that my Niners will apparently go from 3 straight NFC Championship appearances to not even making the dance--Minnesota??? With Matt Cassel or even a rookie Teddy Bridgewater at QB...Adrian Peterson...and who else, in a division ruled by the Packers and Bears, with the Lions a possibility if they could just find consistency and quit committing stupid penalties and bad chokes?

I don't think Atlanta's making it, either, they've missed their window, the Saints and Panthers are far better, and some are even pegging the Bucs' win total to rise.

I strongly disagree with all 3 of those Wild Card picks.

"I share those sentiments that the 49's will be on a hot streak going into December, but it's really not that out of the question for the 49's to miss the playoffs if say... Gore strains a hammy, or Crabtree gets hurt... again."

There I disagree because of the Niner's great DEPTH--

Carlos Hyde behind Gore has looked great this presesaon...and they'be been without Crabtree or Vernon Davis for stretches and still got in...even with the suspensions/injuries, they're loaded on defense, and they'll only get stronger as the year goes on because the cavalry will be coming back, Aldon Smith, Navarro Bowman, potentially Ray McDonald if and when he gets suspended, etc.

The ONLY way I see the 49ers missing the playoffs is is Kaepernick goes down with an injury that causes him to miss a good few games. None of the backups looked even passable in preseason--Gabbert in particular really attracted ire from Niners fans--so if Kaep goes down, then yeah...San Fran's probably screwed.

Barring that, I think they get the 11+ wins necessary to make the playoffs.

Cinci, wins their division.

In the first half of their schedule, the only games that really worry me are against Philly (their fast-paced offense might wind a slightly-depleted San Fran D towards the end), the Broncos, and the Saints (always a tough game.)

I've already said I think they could've beaten Denver in the playoffs...

If they beat them this time, and beat either Philly or NO, I think they'll be in good shape going into the second half of the season.

Lol...

After 3 years of winning with defense...it might be time to win "the 49er Way" again--with OFFENSE.

They still have Kaep, Gore, Hyde, Crabtree, Davis, Vance McDonald, Stevie Johnson and others...that unit's gotten better...

They're going to have to carry the load until the defense can get its barrings again.

I do have to say that the SF WR group got better. I'm excited to see Boldin, Crabtree, and Stevie Johnson all work there at the same time.

Really, I'm just worried about the defense. As you said, obi, SF has survived losing many offensive players before - Crabtree, Gore, etc. But with three major players out for the SF defense, I'm concerned about that.

Speaking of depth, I'm really concerned about depth at almost anywhere for the Ravens right now. What will my poor Ravens do if they lose another important player? :(

Lose, like usual. You already got a break because the commish is a horrible human being, so take what you can get.

Honestly, get over it. Rice admitted he was wrong, made a public apology, and apparently made up with his wife. He WAS a player at the forefront of taking on bullying, so he isn't a fully horrible person.

The commissioner already admitted that they made a mistake on that suspension as well. Sometimes there are bad calls. Either way, it's not like we know the full situation. Anyone besides Rice, his wife, and anyone else intimate with the matter saying that they do is lying.

My concern was greater at CB and DE/NT more than anywhere else, actually.

Why would anyone just get over it? Do you have any clue what kind of message that suspension sends? Josh Gordon does a harmless drug recreationally, like a huge percentage of the population, and he's suspended for a year. The penalty for marijuana usage ought to be 2 games. The penalty for assault, on a man or a woman, on someone you know or a stranger in a bar or wherever, ought to be a year. I don't give a shit that he apologized and it doesn't matter that he's always stood against bullying, all to his credit, but you CANNOT do what he did. You just can't. I don't care if we don't know the full situation. It doesn't matter. You can't beat your girlfriend, you can't beat a guy in a bar, and you can't beat your wife. So no, I'm not just going to get over it.

As for the commissioner making a "mistake," no, I don't buy it. Not a mistake, just a complete failure to do his job. He failed to understand what Ray Rice did, he didn't get the advice that he should have, and he made a quick decision without actually considering all the evidence at hand, and all you need to know in order to believe that that's true is that Ray Rice will be back in a few weeks. He didn't make a "mistake," he absolutely fucked up and he created one of the biggest PR debacles for the NFL offices in recent memory. And, of course, he showed himself to have absolutely no understanding or desire to understand the prevalence of domestic violence.

So, once again, no. I'm not just going to "get over it" and I'll be damned if the Baltimore fans of the world are going to be morally despicable and defend Ray Rice, excuse the commissioner's stupidity, and act like it's no big deal.

being forced to like a comment by bo...

Resist the urge. Bad people occasionally say good things.

Seahawks will take the Super Bowl again. Best team in the LEAGUE.

I have nothing else to say.

You try the Seahawks with a sorry team like anyone who isn't the Seahawks and you better know what you're gonna get.

Aha +1 to ghug too, even if i did +1 bo

Careful ghug, you might slip and blame the victim again.

Whatever helps you sleep at night, bo.

Seriously, I expect more professionalism from a mod.

ugh who the fuck cares about "professionalism from the mods" lol, they aren't professionals, so whatever.

everyone on this site needs to lighten the fuck up

That was not a serious criticism, but bo is now attacking me in multiple threads for an offense he has manufactured, so I'd look at that instead if I were you.

I'm not condoning what Rice did. By no means am I doing so. Nor am I saying that Josh Gordon should be suspended the whole season. A man made a mistake, and he apologized. That is all I am saying. So I am willing to start looking past it. The event took place in February. It is September. I don't understand what people want Rice to do. He did what all humiliated celebrities do. Apologize.

Yeah, I think that Rice deserves more punishment. I do think that the commissioner made a mistake. But you really need to check your facts again if you think he rushed with a decision. He really didn't at all. Waiting for legal action outside of the league made the wait long, and he enforced a suspension after the legal outcome. I just don't like it when people complain about a punishment when the law enforces that punishment. Should the man go to jail? I do think so, and I loved Ray before this incident. But even the legal system is at fault, if you want someone to blame. Because the man is not in jail, and he got off with a light punishment.

Go ahead. Hate me. I'm still a Baltimore fan and I will stand by what I say whether other Baltimore fans do or don't (many have just about disowned Rice, calling for his release), and whether or not you think I'm "morally despicable".

Cage Match: no and ghug fight fight fight fight fight

Whos no is he knew

it refers to no_sox userID=696969