THE 2008 NFL Thread (All news, stories, updates, and info in here)

[B00STED4V]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I personally can't wait for football season to start.

As the players are starting to report to trainging camp and the final contracts are being signed...

What teams will be surprises this year?

What teams will be flops this year?

Who will make NFL history this season?


Lest keep this thread going and up-to-date with all things NFL this season

[B00STED4V]

Here is the latest news going on with Favre

GM Thompson acknowledges speaking to several teams about Favre

Associated Press

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- With the Brett Favre standoff still simmering, Aaron Rodgers took his place Monday as the Packers' new starting quarterback.
Rodgers is trying to ignore what has become a daily soap opera involving the three-time MVP. Favre is considering filing for reinstatement with the NFL and reporting to camp this week, a move that might pressure Green Bay to release or trade him.

"I feel like this is really between Brett and the organization, and I'm just trying to stay focused on the things I can control," Rodgers said after the team's first practice at camp.
General manager Ted Thompson spoke twice with Favre on Saturday, for about 45 minutes each time. They decided it would be best for Favre to stay away from Green Bay for now.
"We still have not gotten to the point where we agree on what the best option is," Thompson said Monday. "We have sort of agreed to disagree, and at that time he suggested he would probably delay coming to training camp for at least a couple of days to see how things worked out."
The Packers aren't going to allow Favre to play for an NFC North rival and aren't going to trade him without getting value in return. And Favre might not want to play for any of the teams showing interest, a group that includes Tampa Bay and the New York Jets. Thompson acknowledged talking to other teams.
"There have been some 'kicking of tires'-type conversations," he said.
Favre wants to be released, something Thompson opposes. The Packers hold Favre's rights until his contract expires after the 2010 season.
"A release just doesn't make a lot of sense from the Packers' point of view," Thompson said. "I've not heard many people say that's a good option -- even people that would like to hang me in effigy outside."
The Packers have filed tampering charges against Minnesota, suspecting Favre's latest flip-flop on his future was spurred mainly by interest from the Vikings.
Thompson said Favre wanted people to know he doesn't want to become a distraction.
"His reasoning behind that is he cares very much about this team, cares about these players, his former teammates, so he doesn't want to do anything to disrupt from that," Thompson said.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy downplayed that possibility.
"We talked about it as a team yesterday," he said. "I don't foresee Brett Favre coming in here as a problem. Brett Favre is a big part of the Green Bay Packers history, and he may be a part of the future as we move forward, and that's an option that he has if he reinstates."
Thompson reiterated that if Favre were to return to the Packers, it would not be as the starter. Thompson also did not make much of the idea of an open competition with Rodgers.

We have to continue down this path," Thompson said. "Where that leads, I don't know, but I didn't want to be dishonest or disingenuous and say 'OK, we can do this and then change our mind.' I think Brett Favre deserves more than that, so we told him the way we felt."
Veteran offensive tackle Mark Tauscher lauded Rodgers for his handling of an "uncomfortable situation."
"I think he's stepped in and really taken the reins of what we're doing here," Tauscher said. "I think everybody in this locker room has a lot of confidence in what he can do."
Wide receiver Donald Driver spoke to Favre over the weekend.
"He's a legend," Driver said. "It's just like if anybody else walked in here and wanted to come back and play, you have to welcome 'em back in. You take your hat off to him. He's one of the greatest players in Packers history, as well as the NFL."
Rodgers believes he has earned his teammates' respect.
"They've seen the hard work I've put in," Rodgers said. "I think I've earned a lot of respect from the guys playing on the scout team, being here 100 percent the last three offseasons. Obviously they want to see a guy who's consistent on the field on Sundays, and obviously that's going to take a few weeks to prove that to some of the older guys, but I look forward to that challenge."
Monday's practice attracted more national coverage than usual, but it wasn't exactly a media circus.
"I was expecting elephants and different things to kind of be out there," Tauscher said. "There's a lot of media and stuff, but it wasn't a case where there were trapeze artists."
Favre's presence could change that in a hurry.

[B00STED4V]

Looks like Stephen Jackson is holding out for a contract extension too, nothing like trying to get more money for your job... maybe I should try this with my job.

No resolution in sight as Rams' Jackson continues to hold out

Associated Press

MEQUON, Wis. -- Steven Jackson missed his fourth day of St. Louis Rams training camp Monday. The holdout running back is keeping in touch, though.
Coach Scott Linehan hasn't spoken with Jackson since Wednesday, when he was informed there would be an empty seat on the team charter flight north. Instead, he's been text-messaging with a player apparently eager for updates while making a stand for a new contract.

Several teammates also have been in contact, including backup running back Antonio Pittman, who's been getting the bulk of Jackson's carries. Pittman said he's spoken with Jackson, while staying out of the impasse.
"I'm just trying to come out here and set the tone and just let the coaches know that when Steven does come out of the game the level of competition will not fall off, and we can keep it rolling," Pittman said.
Tight end Randy McMichael said he's checked in several times with Jackson.

"He misses it, don't think he doesn't miss this because I know he does," McMichael said. "But this is the business part of the game. He's not the first person to do it and he's not going to be the last person to do it. It's just part of the game."
Jackson, a bruising runner coming off his third consecutive 1,000-yard season despite missing four games last year, is entering the final year of a deal he signed after the Rams took him in the first round of the 2004 draft. He's a key piece of an offense that averaged only 16 points last year while riddled with injuries especially on the line.
"I see how he's doing and what he's doing," Linehan said. "Obviously, we've got to take care of this first, but I just kind of let him know where we're at, and some of the things that are going on.
"He's real focused on what's going on in camp, his head's definitely in the right place."

Linehan said he had "no idea" where Jackson is during the holdout. Second-round pick Donnie Avery, a wide receiver from Houston, stayed in a hotel a few miles from training camp and was able to quickly join the team after getting his contract done on Saturday.
The coach also said Jay Zygmunt, the team's president of football operations, again reported no progress.
"We talk about it all the time, and there's really nothing new to add," Linehan said.

In the meantime, Pittman and Brian Leonard, a second-round pick last year who started seven games at tailback and fullback, are getting long looks. Pittman had 139 yards last season while Leonard had 303 yards. Both averaged less than 4 yards a carry.
Pittman was a fourth-round pick of the Saints last year after leaving Ohio State as a junior and was among that team's final preseason cuts before resurfacing with the Rams. He's one of only five Ohio State backs with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

"We made an investment in our future picking him up last year, knowing he wouldn't be ready and wouldn't know our system," Linehan said. "By the middle of the year we were able to use him, he was able to get a lot of great reps in the offseason, and now he's working with the (first team), so it's night and day for him."

Obvious impact
The Rams fared a lot better on the ground with Steven Jackson in the backfield than they did without him last season:

With Steven Jackson ...

» Games: 12
» Rushing yard avg.: 101
» Rush TDs per game: .42

... without Steven Jackson

» Games: 4
» Rushing yard avg.: 76
» Rush TDs per game: 0

[Cali Korleone]

Rams are screwed without him.

[B00STED4V]

100%

[jdv]

I think the Raider's are going to surprise a lot of people this year, I don't think they're going to be a powerhouse, but I think they're going to break .500 and maybe even go 10-6 with the HUGE improvements they've added on this year and last year.

Russel, McFadden, Walker, Carter, Wilson, Hall all were good additions.

[B00STED4V]

well, there goes the Bucs '08 season. I hope he isn't seriously injured, because we don't have anyone else

Report: Garcia suffers calf injury, Gruden says QB is day-to-day

ESPN.com news services





Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia injured his right calf in non-contact drills on Thursday, the St. Petersburg Times reported.
Bucs coach Jon Gruden said he doesn't think the injury is serious, calling the 38-year-old veteran day-to-day even though Garcia could not put weight on the leg.
"I don't believe it's serious," Gruden told the Times. "We're going to get the information. He might not have much at all. Right now, until we evaluate it further, we really can't say much else.
"I think it was just a freak thing. He was dropping back and took off as he always does, changed directions and felt a little pull in there."
Garcia went to the locker room on a golf cart and had trouble walking 15 feet from the sidewalk to the front door.

[stang_lover69]

so what's goin on with farve now? is he back or no?

[B00STED4V]

Originally Posted by stang_lover69

so what's goin on with farve now? is he back or no?

He's not reinstated and more than likely wount be. The commish is holding out on his reinstatement for 1 more day, meaning he can't get signed any earlier than 4pm today. Favre will most likely take some sort of marketing and merchandiseing deal the packers made up... so he can stay retired and still make monies.

[jdv]

He's in talks with the Packer's still, they've offered him both a long term position outside of playing, but within the organization and $20 million to stay retired. The NFL is waiting on his decision before deciding to reinstate him.

[stang_lover69]

[FreeBird]

Originally Posted by jdv

I think the Raider's are going to surprise a lot of people this year, I don't think they're going to be a powerhouse, but I think they're going to break .500 and maybe even go 10-6 with the HUGE improvements they've added on this year and last year.

Russel, McFadden, Walker, Carter, Wilson, Hall all were good additions.

russel will be a huge wash mcfadden will either be EPIC win or fail no in the middle and it could go either way. but i does heart teh raiders owner for getting the big names

[erlymorninstndpmp]

This Farve thing has really annoyed me. Im sick of his name, sick of his face and sick of his tearful goodbye games.

Take the $20 million and retire damn it...

[FreeBird]

Originally Posted by erlymorninstndpmp

This Farve thing has really annoyed me. Im sick of his name, sick of his face and sick of his tearful goodbye games.

Take the $20 million and retire damn it...

i heart favre... seriously learn to spell it people... but yeah he's about to turn himself into a Joe Montana/warren Moon/Michael Jordan type who kicks ass then goes and spits away his reputation trying to "still compete".


only thing is people still remember all three of them in the good light shortly after thier fleeting final exits...


i do think its funny that out of the past 4 EPIC QB retirements 2 have left in completely good graces and two have left then wished to still compete but couldn't with thier original team because the young back up is almost, if not just as good as they were.

1. Joe Montana left 49ers (reasons dont matter he was old had bad elbow and left) then Young steps in and rocks while Joe boy goes to KC and has mroe elbow issues
2. Dan Marino leave the Dolphins after a record setting, yet ultimately disapointing playoff career. he now makes almost as much each year between brodcast (in miami) and his Auto Way commercials.
3. UBER John Elway leave after back to back superbowls and claiming a few records himself. PR's for denver, and owned a Ford Dealership in the city before selling it to pursue other ventures 4srs its not a healthy one
4. Brett Favre leaves FINALLY only to want to play agian (even though half the teams front office asked him not to retire at some point after the season). im sure that didnt help his decision making in the least but now he still wants to play. if he does and is great it wont matter without a new ring. if he sucks he will have tarnished his rep for a few years but unlike fine metals reptations untarnish with time (SEE PETE ROSE) and he will always be remembered even by most of the GB fans that currently hate him NOW as THE prolific GB Packer QB.

for the record i dont find Troy Aikman and Steve young as epic RETIREMENTS, although both awesome qb's they each had awesome WR TANDEMS at thier disposal, not unlike Peyton Manning, and in youngs case he needed to before he turned into a punch drunk boxer stumbling around pissing himself...
JMNSHO






I HEART JOHN ELWAY!!!!!!


srsyly i need halp

[B00STED4V]

The Hall of Fame game is on right now on NBC!

The 2008 NFL Season has arrived :happytears:

[FreeBird]

watching WOOT!!!!!

[B00STED4V]

Halftime, Colts 13 - Redskins 9

Colt Breannan is warming up for his debut at QB... this should be interesting

[B00STED4V]

DAMN! Mike Hart looks GREAT!

[FreeBird]

holly hell, but he's currently 4th string


and favre is back to compete for starting jop in GB

[B00STED4V]

Originally Posted by FreeBird

holly hell, but he's currently 4th string


and favre is back to compete for starting jop in GB

he's 3rd actually, but he'll be up to 2nd by the start of the season. What a TD from him!


Yeah Favre will be back on the field tuesday