What are your favorite NFL storylines thru week 8

[Recon_Hawk]

Player, team, coach, situation, whatever. They can be positive or negative. Here's some of mine.

Denard Robinson: The ex-michigan QB went through the draft process as questionable prospect. Would he play at WR, RB, CB, KR/PR? After replacing Toby Gerhart as the starting running back, the year 2 "offensive weapon" has over 100 yard rushing per game and added a spark to the Jaguars running game.

The Washington Redskins QB circus: Sometimes an opposing fans misery is a funny thing to witness. First it was "RG3 is back and ready to join the elite young QB club again...oh wait he's hurt again." Then it was "Kirk Cousins just had a 3 TD game! We've got a legit starter here!..oh wait he just threw 4 Ints." Then, "Colt McCoy to the rescue!..oh wait RG3 is back"

Dallas' running game: I'm not a fan of the Cowboys, but I have to admire the direction that club is taking by committing to Demarco Murray and the running game through its investment of the offensive line. It feels like half the country is finally learning there's formula for winning other than throwing 40+ times a game.

Golden Tate: As it stands, Tate is currently #3 in receiving yards and the Lions are 6-2. Not even Lion fans realized the play maker they were getting when they signed him. I always felt Tate could make it big in a system that put the ball in the air a ton. I'm happy to see him breakout the way he has.

The rookie wide receiver class: The 2014 class provided threads and threads on receivers and, so far, if you had a fan favorite you could easily make a case for why you were right to fight for him. My favorite part might be the wide variety of style that these guys play with, from the little guys in Brandin Cooks and John Brown, the monsters in Kelvin Benjamin and Mike Evans, to the all-around football players in Sammy Watkins, Allen Robinson, Jordan Matthews, and Davante Adams.

So what stands out to you?

 

[byau]

After the last few weeks, I'm intrigued by the quarterback positions and battles in the AFC

Manning and Brady, with both of them seriously rolling the last few weeks, the game this weekend I'm hoping will be a real battle to watch

Also, second tier: interested to see how Luck and Roethlisberger do considering the battle his past week they had, I'm curious to see how Luck continues to perform as he's had close to 30 point games the last few weeks. And for the Steelers, Big Ben built up to that 50+ game against the Colts (unexpected). So curious to see how both Luck and Roethlisberger do in the coming few weeks.

 

[Largent80]

Actually...None.

The refs are killing the game for me. Making it so I can hardly stand to watch it anymore outside of the Hawks.

Every stinking game I have turned on so far has had refs muck it up, combine that with the rule changes like the 35 yard line kickoff have turned into a formality, and it SUCKS.

 

[pehawk]

Good post, thanks!

The big one to me is the talk of putting a team in LA.

Whether its the Raiders or the Rams it will change the landscape of football.

For whatever reason, the Rams haven't really worked in Stl. Louis. Yes, they caught lightening in a bottle with Warner and Vermiel, but it just doesn't work. It's a depressing dome with horrific lighting. The only thing gloomier than the RCA Dome's lighting, is the cloud seemingly hanging over that franchise. It's always a bad decision, a rash of injuries, and poof their a patsy every year by week 9.

The NFL seemingly enjoys screwing with the Raiders. Why else would they allow a team to play in such circumstances? The Raiders situation is an embarrassment to the entire NFL. The NFL wants parity, but, not if that means anyone named Davis gets achieving even a respectable level.

Whomever it is, or maybe even both, the franchise will be revitalized and become relevant, quickly.

Officiating and Scheduling

I don't buy into the fact the NFL controls the outcomes of games with officiating. But, I do believe the implementation of judgment rules "enforcements" gives the league opportunities to steer preferred matchups.

The NFL also seemingly did Denver and Dallas favors by scheduling most of their 1st 8 games at home. Momentum is a underrated factor in todays NFL. Teams just play different if they start 6-1 instead of 3-3. It's not "luck" that Denver and the Cowboys got that benefit.

 

[Marvin49]

Actually...None.

The refs are killing the game for me. Making it so I can hardly stand to watch it anymore outside of the Hawks.

Every stinking game I have turned on so far has had refs muck it up, combine that with the rule changes like the 35 yard line kickoff have turned into a formality, and it SUCKS.

I don't mind the 35 yard line kickoff because that's where it was when I started watching football.

I didn't like it when they moved it to the 30.

I think peeps (me included) don't like it when the game changes from what it was when you first became a fan. My guess is peeps who become fans of the game today will be the same and see the rules the way many of us learned them as archaic...just as we view the days before the forward pass.

 

[Largent80]

Kickoff runbacks are usually exciting, so lets just remove them.... :roll:

They call all these ridiculous "holding" calls where a player is simply touching another player, while on the lines there are very obvious holding calls that are let go.

It is killing it for me personally. I just am not watching many games at all and I have sunday ticket (last time for that).

 

[Marvin49]

Kickoff runbacks are usually exciting, so lets just remove them.... :roll:

They call all these ridiculous "holding" calls where a player is simply touching another player, while on the lines there are very obvious holding calls that are let go.

It is killing it for me personally. I just am not watching many games at all and I have sunday ticket (last time for that).

Like I said...the 35 yard line thing was where they were for a long, long time.

What I really don't like is it appears refs throw flags now at BIG hits, not ILLEGAL hits. If a guy gets hit hard, flag comes out. No replay to challenge...just 15 yards and a first down. That's some BS particularly if you are a fan of a team with a good, physical defense.

 

[chris98251]

How long Goodell lasts as Commish!!!!

 

[byau]

Kickoff runbacks are usually exciting, so lets just remove them.... :roll:

They call all these ridiculous "holding" calls where a player is simply touching another player, while on the lines there are very obvious holding calls that are let go.

It is killing it for me personally. I just am not watching many games at all and I have sunday ticket (last time for that).

Like I said...the 35 yard line thing was where they were for a long, long time.

What I really don't like is it appears refs throw flags now at BIG hits, not ILLEGAL hits. If a guy gets hit hard, flag comes out. No replay to challenge...just 15 yards and a first down. That's some BS particularly if you are a fan of a team with a good, physical defense.

Nice one.

*BIG* vs *ILLEGAL* hits

That is a very good point, something that was bothering me but I couldn't put my finger on it.

 

[lvnginhwktwn]

Kickoff runbacks are usually exciting, so lets just remove them.... :roll:

They call all these ridiculous "holding" calls where a player is simply touching another player, while on the lines there are very obvious holding calls that are let go.

It is killing it for me personally. I just am not watching many games at all and I have sunday ticket (last time for that).

Oh my god, did hell freeze over? We actually agree on something. I'm marking it on my calendar right now.

 

[Recon_Hawk]

Good post, thanks!

The big one to me is the talk of putting a team in LA.

Whether its the Raiders or the Rams it will change the landscape of football.

For whatever reason, the Rams haven't really worked in Stl. Louis. Yes, they caught lightening in a bottle with Warner and Vermiel, but it just doesn't work. It's a depressing dome with horrific lighting. The only thing gloomier than the RCA Dome's lighting, is the cloud seemingly hanging over that franchise. It's always a bad decision, a rash of injuries, and poof their a patsy every year by week 9.

The NFL seemingly enjoys screwing with the Raiders. Why else would they allow a team to play in such circumstances? The Raiders situation is an embarrassment to the entire NFL. The NFL wants parity, but, not if that means anyone named Davis gets achieving even a respectable level.

Whomever it is, or maybe even both, the franchise will be revitalized and become relevant, quickly.

Officiating and Scheduling

I don't buy into the fact the NFL controls the outcomes of games with officiating. But, I do believe the implementation of judgment rules "enforcements" gives the league opportunities to steer preferred matchups.

The NFL also seemingly did Denver and Dallas favors by scheduling most of their 1st 8 games at home. Momentum is a underrated factor in todays NFL. Teams just play different if they start 6-1 instead of 3-3. It's not "luck" that Denver and the Cowboys got that benefit.

The moving of a team to LA completely slipped my mind, but that is a great one.

This will be the first movement of a team since I've been watching football and honestly it's hard to grasp the idea that an owner can just screw over a city and fanbase like that. I'm more oldschool thinking in that a team and its fans are tied together through thick and thin, but that's probably cause I don't have the understanding of the business side of the NFL like some of the longer term fans.

 

[Recon_Hawk]

After the last few weeks, I'm intrigued by the quarterback positions and battles in the AFC

Manning and Brady, with both of them seriously rolling the last few weeks, the game this weekend I'm hoping will be a real battle to watch

Also, second tier: interested to see how Luck and Roethlisberger do considering the battle his past week they had, I'm curious to see how Luck continues to perform as he's had close to 30 point games the last few weeks. And for the Steelers, Big Ben built up to that 50+ game against the Colts (unexpected). So curious to see how both Luck and Roethlisberger do in the coming few weeks.

The Brady/Manning storyline might be my favorite of the past 10 years. It's a shame Wilson and Luck are in difference conferences cause I think that could have been the best QB rivalry of the next 10 years.

 

[byau]

The Brady/Manning storyline might be my favorite of the past 10 years. It's a shame Wilson and Luck are in difference conferences cause I think that could have been the best QB rivalry of the next 10 years.

I think Kaep vs Wilson has a lot of potential. Kaep got paid last summer. Wilson hopefully gets paid this summer. And two heated rivals lock up two very good young quarterbacks for years to come on the two teams that were considered the best in the NFL last year.

Potentially a very good storyline for years to come.

Unfortunate both teams started slow this year. ..

 

[Recon_Hawk]

The Brady/Manning storyline might be my favorite of the past 10 years. It's a shame Wilson and Luck are in difference conferences cause I think that could have been the best QB rivalry of the next 10 years.

I think Kaep vs Wilson has a lot of potential. Kaep got paid last summer. Wilson hopefully gets paid this summer. And two heated rivals lock up two very good young quarterbacks for years to come on the two teams that were considered the best in the NFL last year.

Potentially a very good storyline for years to come.

Unfortunate both teams started slow this year. ..

Good point. I agree that will be a good QB rivalry for years to come. I don't think it will ever compare to the overall Team rivalry of Seattle and San Fran cause when they play each other there's just so much else besides the QB that matters that it will always be bigger than just those two guys, but still that will be a great match up of two QBs.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

IMO this is the best week of games so far this year, lots of great matchups

Steelers/Ravens
Fins/Bolts
Pats/Donks
Cowboys/Cards

I loathe the Cowboys, but holy moly do we need them to beat the Cards

 

[byau]

The Brady/Manning storyline might be my favorite of the past 10 years. It's a shame Wilson and Luck are in difference conferences cause I think that could have been the best QB rivalry of the next 10 years.

I think Kaep vs Wilson has a lot of potential. Kaep got paid last summer. Wilson hopefully gets paid this summer. And two heated rivals lock up two very good young quarterbacks for years to come on the two teams that were considered the best in the NFL last year.

Potentially a very good storyline for years to come.

Unfortunate both teams started slow this year. ..

Good point. I agree that will be a good QB rivalry for years to come. I don't think it will ever compare to the overall Team rivalry of Seattle and San Fran cause when they play each other there's just so much else besides the QB that matters that it will always be bigger than just those two guys, but still that will be a great match up of two QBs.

It's just too bad we couldn't post Kaep vs Wilson as a storyline for an interesting week 8 storyline (per your original topic) :/

Sluggish 4-3 starts for both doesn't merit a lot of interest. Maybe as we get closer to Thanksgiving.