The NFL Thread - Root for your favorite team (or laugh at the Browns, whichever's easier)

[Americunt]

Kinda related to that guy's question, but does anyone here watch college ball, and if so how do you pick a team? My school didn't have a football program (well it did, but we sucked and a lawsuit over a kid getting paralyzed basically ended it), and there's no schools around where I live now that have a D1 program either, so I don't feel any particular loyalty to any team. I kind of find it hard to get invested if I don't have some kind of connection with one like I do with my Eagles, but I also want to be able to watch it just to understand the conversations around the draft a little better. Anyone have any advice?

 

[FootballBuff]

So it sounds like the thread is split between "Yes you can change teams as long as it's for a good reason and not band wagoning" and "No and I have Stockholm Syndrome"

People call it stockholm syndrome but honestly I felt more like a battered house wife as a Lions fan. Especially the last few offseasons. Ive been going around to anyone who will listen saying "no you dont understand, they've changed, theyre finally good this year! I can feel it! Its different this time! They promised to stop hurting me! I really do think they've changed I just know it!"

Honestly Im kind of jealous of people who can be so flippant with their fandom. I WISH I could just switch to cheering for whatever team I wanted. But alas Im cursed. I have to enter the jungle that is Detroit, Michigan, anytime I want to watch my favorite team lose in person.

 

[blahblahblah678]

It's a similar feeling for me with baseball. I've been a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan along with being a Chicago Bears fan, so there is a bit of Stockholm Syndrome. As I've gotten older, real life takes over and I'm not nearly as life or death with sports. I won't willingly subject myself to watching every single snap, it saves myself a lot of needless aggravation.

 

[Shirō Ishii]

I have my favorite team then teams which I root for. Right now, Pittsburgh's offense has been hard to watch the past couple of years. I have a dual monitor system set up so I have redzone on one monitor and the Steeler game on the other

 

[FootballBuff]

Kinda related to that guy's question, but does anyone here watch college ball, and if so how do you pick a team? My school didn't have a football program (well it did, but we sucked and a lawsuit over a kid getting paralyzed basically ended it), and there's no schools around where I live now that have a D1 program either, so I don't feel any particular loyalty to any team. I kind of find it hard to get invested if I don't have some kind of connection with one like I do with my Eagles, but I also want to be able to watch it just to understand the conversations around the draft a little better. Anyone have any advice?

Its hard to talk about college football fandom without soft doxxing yourself. Because usually its (your fandom) the closest big university or where you went to school. I wish I had gone to Michigan, I wasnt smart or liberal enough though. There is a College football thread on here. Tbh you should just watch the rivalry games and the playoffs/bowl games, those ones are the best games. The early games are whats known as tune up games and what basically keeps smaller programs/confrences afloat financially. Very rarely do you get a Upset like Northern Illinois vs Notre Dame this year or Appalachia State Vs. Michigan in years past.

 

[Squanto Airi]

Kinda related to that guy's question, but does anyone here watch college ball, and if so how do you pick a team? My school didn't have a football program (well it did, but we sucked and a lawsuit over a kid getting paralyzed basically ended it), and there's no schools around where I live now that have a D1 program either, so I don't feel any particular loyalty to any team. I kind of find it hard to get invested if I don't have some kind of connection with one like I do with my Eagles, but I also want to be able to watch it just to understand the conversations around the draft a little better. Anyone have any advice?

Similar boat, college I went to only had basketball, volleyball, and soccer. Am a fan of both UGA and Georgia Southern for reasons. Though I will say FCS (the division below the big boy schools) can be entertaining. The lower divisions I haven't watched too much of.

Its hard to talk about college football fandom without soft doxxing yourself.

Pretty much.

 

[InteracialBowelSyndrome]

I have my favorite team then teams which I root for. Right now, Pittsburgh's offense has been hard to watch the past couple of years. I have a dual monitor system set up so I have redzone on one monitor and the Steeler game on the other

Redzone is fantastic if your team isn't currently playing or is getting blown out and you need to look away. The idea of it is just amazing. "Ok, so it's just a constant stream of highlights, some even up to the minute. Oh, and we'll get one of the most likeable guys in sports media to narrate it."

I do wonder just when the hell Scott Hansen finds time to drop a clogger, though.

 

[Drama Fan]

People call it stockholm syndrome but honestly I felt more like a battered house wife as a Lions fan. Especially the last few offseasons. Ive been going around to anyone who will listen saying "no you dont understand, they've changed, theyre finally good this year! I can feel it! Its different this time! They promised to stop hurting me! I really do think they've changed I just know it!"

Honestly Im kind of jealous of people who can be so flippant with their fandom. I WISH I could just switch to cheering for whatever team I wanted. But alas Im cursed. I have to enter the jungle that is Detroit, Michigan, anytime I want to watch my favorite team lose in person.

I feel like you should be pretty happy for the moment. Going to the NFC Championship is hardly a bad thing (we were so close to a Packers @ Lions championship too which would have been sweet), and the NFC North is probably still yours to lose again this year. The suffering of the bad years should make the good ones sweeter.
IMO, Lions have been the divisional punching bag for so long, I can't even get mad when they succeed, I'm actively cheering for you guys especially if it's vs the 9'ers or Goff spite winning against Stafford and the Rams. It's also just hard not to love Dan Campbell.

 

[FootballBuff]

I feel like you should be pretty happy for the moment. Going to the NFC Championship is hardly a bad thing (we were so close to a Packers @ Lions championship too which would have been sweet), and the NFC North is probably still yours to lose again this year. The suffering of the bad years should make the good ones sweeter.
IMO, Lions have been the divisional punching bag for so long, I can't even get mad when they succeed, I'm actively cheering for you guys especially if it's vs the 9'ers or Goff spite winning against Stafford and the Rams. It's also just hard not to love Dan Campbell.

Like I said, battered house wife. I feel like the other shoe is about to drop any week now. This recent loss plus Goffs struggles have me nervous as all hell. Especially since our schedule is fucking brutal. The teams I thought would be pushovers arent as bad as they looked in the offseason namely the Cardinals, Vikings and Bears.

 

[Squid Diddler]

do wonder just when the hell Scott Hansen finds time to drop a clogger, though.

Sometimes he won’t talk for a few minutes and just lets the commentators come through, I always assumed that’s when he does the dirty deed. The silence always goes on for just a little too long.

 

[Drama Fan]

Like I said, battered house wife. I feel like the other shoe is about to drop any week now. This recent loss plus Goffs struggles have me nervous as all hell. Especially since our schedule is fucking brutal. The teams I thought would be pushovers arent as bad as they looked in the offseason namely the Cardinals, Vikings and Bears.

Cards, Vikings, and Saints kinda came out of nowhere looking good (given it's only 2 games). IDK about the Bears though; their defense looks good, but their entire offense looked like a bad joke, especially their O-line. At least the division shouldn't be boring.

 

[FootballBuff]

IDK about the Bears though; their defense looks good,

Theyre not going to the playoffs or anything but their defense is going to keep them a threat to win any given week. And with our offense/goff struggling early thats a problem. Also we play them on Thanksgiving.

 

[Americunt]

Cards, Vikings, and Saints kinda came out of nowhere looking good (given it's only 2 games). IDK about the Bears though; their defense looks good, but their entire offense looked like a bad joke, especially their O-line. At least the division shouldn't be boring.

Cards and Saints might be the real deal this year...somehow, idk how you turn Derek Carr in to prime Drew Brees, and I'm really not looking forward to our game with them this week But I don't care what anyone says, the Vikings are a mirage. 49ers upset was impressive, but they didn't have CMC, and a few other key players out on IR. Week 1 usually doesn't count for shit anyway, but a win against the Giants especially doesn't count.

Maybe I'm wrong and Sam Darnold has a Mayfield level comeback this season that gets him signed as a starter somewhere, but I really doubt it.

 

[Drama Fan]

Also we play them on Thanksgiving

Good luck there. I'm still mad Jordan Love didn't get his Turkey leg.

Cards and Saints might be the real deal this year...somehow, idk how you turn Derek Carr in to prime Drew Brees, and I'm really not looking forward to our game with them this week But I don't care what anyone says, the Vikings are a mirage. 49ers upset was impressive, but they didn't have CMC, and a few other key players out on IR. Week 1 usually doesn't count for shit anyway, but a win against the Giants especially doesn't count.

Maybe I'm wrong and Sam Darnold has a Mayfield level comeback this season that gets him signed as a starter somewhere, but I really doubt it.

Giants and Panthers should be a gimme for any serious team this year, but I'm still spooked by both the Vikes and Saints solid performance vs SF and Dallas respectively. I don't respect Dallas as much after GB blew out the Cowboys so bad that we were putting in backups for a few drives in the wildcard, but they still are supposed to be one of the gatekeeper NFC teams with the Eagles, 9'ers, and Detroit. I made a huge error and didn't watch the SF @ MN game and instead watched boring games. 49'ers chalking up that loss to injuries really doesn't satisfy me as an excuse because 1. I'm used to the Packer's IR list being a CVS receipt in length nearly every game and if your whole team crumbles when you lose 1 or 2 of your 7 pro-bowlers I'm really not sympathetic to that, 2. They were also playing a backup QB and I don't think Justin Jefferson lasted all game. 3. I'm superstitious (Prime time Kirk also made the Eagles D look like a joke in a 2 minute drill that took 1:20 with no time outs), and I secretly hope that this is a sign of the NFC powers that be are slowly crumbling and new blood is rising.
I am also very shit at predictions so I'm okay when this all ends up being horribly wrong and Andy Dalton leads the Panthers to a Super Bowl Ring.

 

[Squanto Airi]

I do wonder just when the hell Scott Hansen finds time to drop a clogger, though.

I think in this video, he says he doesn't eat or drink too much so he doesn't go to the bathroom too often.

 

[Americunt]

I secretly hope that this is a sign of the NFC powers that be are slowly crumbling and new blood is rising.

On the one hand, I hope you're wrong because goddamnit Philly was just starting to get competitive again and be serious contenders before we fired our coordinators that apparently were doing all the actual work Sirriani took credit for in that Superbowl season.

On the other hand, I'd live for a revival of the Eli and Brady, David/Goliath style matchup where some subpar team comes out of nowhere and kicks Mahomes teeth in. Then again, I'd take anyone being able to do it other than the 9ers at this point.

Edit: Also as an aside, I know it's way too early in the season to actually call it, but my totally schizo theory is KC bumbles and doesn't get the threepeat this year. Their injuries are stacking up and they haven't really faced a decent defense yet, Kelce's barley got the ball this season, and even if I'm wrong on either of those, I think the pressure is too high for them not to choke, and their self-confidence in themselves is too high to see it coming. quote this post in February to call me a retard or a genius.

 

[1Tonka_Truck]

before we fired our coordinators that apparently were doing all the actual work Sirriani took credit for in that Superbowl season.

Fired? Dude they all got better jobs. Steichen is the Colts HC, Gannon is the Cardinals HC, and Johnson is the Commanders assistant OC.

 

[Americunt]

Fired? Dude they all got better jobs. Steichen is the Colts HC, Gannon is the Cardinals HC, and Johnson is the Commanders assistant OC.

And not a day goes by I don't miss them.

 

[Drama Fan]

On the one hand, I hope you're wrong because goddamnit Philly was just starting to get competitive again and be serious contenders before we fired our coordinators that apparently were doing all the actual work Sirriani took credit for in that Superbowl season.

On the other hand, I'd live for a revival of the Eli and Brady, David/Goliath style matchup where some subpar team comes out of nowhere and kicks Mahomes teeth in. Then again, I'd take anyone being able to do it other than the 9ers at this point.

Edit: Also as an aside, I know it's way too early in the season to actually call it, but my totally schizo theory is KC bumbles and doesn't get the threepeat this year. Their injuries are stacking up and they haven't really faced a decent defense yet, Kelce's barley got the ball this season, and even if I'm wrong on either of those, I think the pressure is too high for them not to choke, and their self-confidence in themselves is too high to see it coming. quote this post in February to call me a retard or a genius.

Between you and me, I do wish we had a GB vs Philly opener on a non-retarded field, because that should have been a better game than a bunch of missed passes/blown coverages/retarded blocking for runs/fumbled opportunities because somebody slipped on some shit soccer turf. Inshallah our teams will meet in the postseason.
Back to the point, dynasties are boring and gay unless they are my team in which case God himself has ordained it.
I'd hate KC less if their current 4 of 5 last super bowl appearances run didn't seem so propped up by all too convenient late 4th quarter calls, because they've been a really great team for the last 5 years and they are fun to watch. I just don't believe they were THAT good, and I'm getting a little sick of every other Mahomes INT getting called back after the interception was made.

 

[Americunt]

Between you and me, I do wish we had a GB vs Philly opener on a non-retarded field, because that should have been a better game than a bunch of missed passes/blown coverages/retarded blocking for runs/fumbled opportunities because somebody slipped on some shit soccer turf. Inshallah our teams will meet in the postseason.
Back to the point, dynasties are boring and gay unless they are my team in which case God himself has ordained it.
I'd hate KC less if their current 4 of 5 last super bowl appearances run didn't seem so propped up by all too convenient late 4th quarter calls, because they've been a really great team for the last 5 years and they are fun to watch. I just don't believe they were THAT good, and I'm getting a little sick of every other Mahomes INT getting called back after the interception was made.

Absolutely, I don't understand how an exhibition in some country that could give a flying fuck about gridiron football, "grows the game", other than it growing the amount of money the league can scalp from fans to go watch their team's "home opener" in some third world shit hole (Then again, it was technically a Philly home game so maybe that's appropriate).

I think you'd be delusional if you don't think it's a little fishy how "lucky" the chiefs are with calls. I mean I get it, dynasties sell tickets, merch, bring in new fans etc. But could the league make it a little more interesting every once in awhile if they're going to put their finger on the scale like this? At least flag a franchise that's never even made it to the Superbowl to job to the chiefs, that's a story line, not watching Shanahan live in a groundhog day nightmare of losing the big game. Actually nevermind, that is really funny, I almost hope the 9ers make it so that happens again and he commits seppuku in the endzone to preserve the honor of his family's SB winning name.