Monday, October 8, 2018

NFL72 Update

Here are the NFL72 standings going into the games of Sunday, Oct. 8:

AFC East
Miami 3-0
New York 2-1
New England 2-1
Baltimore 1-2
Buffalo 1-2

AFC Central
Cleveland 2-1
Cincinnati 2-1
Pittsburgh 2-1
Houston 1-2

NFC West
Kansas City 2-1
Oakland 1-1-1
San Diego 1-1-1
Denver 1-2

NFC East
Washington 2-1
Dallas 2-1
New York 1-2
St. Louis 1-2
Philadelphia 0-3

NFC Central
Detroit 2-1
Green Bay 2-1
Minnesota 1-2
Chicago 0-2-1

NFC West
Atlanta 2-1
San Francisco 2-1
Los Angeles 1-1-1
New Orleans 0-3

Here's the Week 4 schedule:

— Miami is favored at Jets
— Giants are favored at home against New Orleans
— Washington is favored at home against Philadelphia
— New England is favored at Buffalo
— Kansas City is favored at Cleveland
— Detroit is favored at Atlanta
— Cincinnati is favored at home against Denver
— Baltimore is favored at home against San Diego
— Minnestota is favored at home against St. Louis
— Dallas is favored at home against Pittsburgh
— Green Bay is favored at home against Chicago
— San Francisco is favored at Los Angeles
— Oakland is favored at Houston on Monday night

And here are some great commercials from the Oct. 9 telecast of NFL Monday Night Football:



30 comments:

  1. This Oilers-Raiders Monday-night game in Houston is pretty interesting.

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  2. Houston is coming off a big upset of the Jets, after two losses under its new coach, Bill Peterson, a former Florida State and Rice coach who, Don Meredith told us at the outset of the telecast, wants his players to have fun.

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  3. The Oilers are so infrequently on national TV, Howard Cosell noted, that ABC is using this show as an opportunity to introduce us to a number of their players whom most of the viewers are likely unaware. Safety Ken Houston, wide receiver Charlie Joiner, defensive end Pat Holmes, running back Willie Rodgers, fullback Hoyle Granger, tight end Alvin Reed, outside linebacker George Webster, middle linebacker Ron Pritchard and especially defensive end Elvin Bethea (one of the best in the NFL at his position, Cosell says) make Houston an "interesting" team. They are not expected to beat the Raiders, but the Oilers have impressive pockets of talent, he says.

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  4. About midway through the second quarter, it is 3-0, Raiders. Houston has come up empty after three straight possessions that advanced inside Oakland's 30. It had appeared the Oilers had taken the lead when Rodgers (a Kentucky State product) caught a bobbled punt catch by George Atkinson and raced all the way to the end zone. But the play was called back because, by rule, recovered punt "muffs" are dead at the spot of the recovery (is that still the rule?).

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  5. So Houston instead took over at about midfield, and the Oilers advanced to about the 20 before the drive stalled. On a third-down pass, Phil Villapiano clearly yanked Reed to the ground, just before Dan Pastorini's pass zinged into the secondary. Skip Butler lined up for field-goal attempt, but the play was ruled dead because of illegal procedure. Butler then tried the five-yards-longer-field-goal try, and this time it appeared the kick was good. But, alas, the officials had whistled the play dead before the snap because of Oakland offsides. This time, the Oilers faked the field goal and instead tried to throw for the first down, and the attempt failed.

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  6. On the next possession, Houston blocked an Oakland punt and recovered at the Raider 3. On first down, Pastorini rolled right. Despite wide receiver Kenny Burrough leaping over and over again, wide open in the back right corner of the end zone, Pastorini elected to run--only to be turned onto his head by Villapiano for a couple-yards loss. On second down, Gus Otto threw Pastorini for a loss of 12 or 15 yards, and then Pastorini overthrew the third-down pass. Butler came on for another field-goal attempt, and the Raiders blocked it. (Cosell had told us on the previous possession that the rap on Butler is that he kicks the ball so low that he is prone to being blocked.)

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  7. On Oakland's next possession, Ken Houston intercepted Darryle Lamonica and returned to the Raider 25 or so. Then Pastorini threw an interception.

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  8. So ... three deep penetrations into Oakland territory and zero points for the Oilers. With about two minutes to go in the first half, Pastorini, the second-year Houston quarterback, has completed one of nine passes. He's also the punter, and he just sent a kick to midfield, where Oakland has taken over with its 3-0 lead still holding.

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  9. Houston again stuff Oakland, but, when the Oilers took back over, Pastorini, failing to see Burrorugh again running wide open down the right sideline, was intercepted by Villapiano. On the following play, Lamonica arched a deep completion to Fred Biletnikoff for a score.

    The Raiders are going to go on to win this thing, 34-0. It's the famous game where ABC is filming a sleeping or yawning Houston fan who ends up flashing a middle finger at the camera. The Oilers are going to go on to finish 1-13 on the season.

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  10. OK, time for the Week 4 NFL72 halftime highlights with Howard Cosell!

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  11. (Note to self: See if YouTube has the Don Rickles episode of The Julie Andrews Hour.)

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  12. Hmmm ... what is the best way to comment on these? I hate to spoil the watching. Well, I guess it doesn't much matter to anyone else.

    OK, Detroit comes from behind in the final seconds to win at Atlanta, 26-23, and Steve Owens and Altie Taylor really do just look all broad-shouldered and fantastic. Cosell says they've combined to "form one of the best 1-2 running tandems in the NFL." That's fun to think about.

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  13. Dad thought Scott Hunter was going to be a huge NFL star.

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  14. My oldest brother, meanwhile, says Bobby Douglass was the worst NFL quarterback he ever saw.

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  15. Chester Marcol's last-second field goal wins it for the Packers, 20-17. It's 3-1 Green Bay vs. 3-1 Detroit next NFL Monday Night Football! Is the Pack really back?

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  16. Wow! The Vikings are 1-3, losing 19-17 as Fred Cox misses a short field goal.

    The Cardinals are quarterbacked, by the way, by former Viking (and Colt and Saint) Gary Cuozzo. I don't know what's up with Jim Hart.

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  17. And now a word about Arrow Knit Scrambler shirts, featuring Fran Tarkenton, Jim Marshall and some other Vikings.

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  18. I just put in an offer for an Arrow Knit Scrambler shirt on eBay! THIS COULD BE HUGE! THIS COULD BE HUGE!!!

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  19. Dolphins at Jets ... Now, look, I don't even have to wait for Howard Cosell to tell me who won this game, because I know it had to be the Miami Dolphins! Here's how this is all going to come out in NFL72: The Dolphins are going to WIN ALL 14 OF THEIR REGULAR-SEASON GAMES, and then they are going to WIN ALL THREE OF THEIR PLAYOFF GAMES, including the SUPER BOWL! Miami is on its way to putting together the perfect season--the ONLY PERFECT SEASON in NFL history, even to this day in 2018.

    So, obviously, the Dolphins are going to beat the Jets here ...

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  20. Even with the 3-1 Jets jumping ahead, 7-0, at Shea, I'm still not worried.

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  21. Hurrah! See? I was correct not to worry: Dolphins 27, Jets 17. Miami is 4-0 (and on its way to 14-0 and Super Bowl champions!).

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  22. New York opens a 31-0 lead in the first half (with fullback Charlie Evans scoring three times!) and cruises, 45-21.

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  23. Cosell, with Houston trailing, 30-0, in the second half: "I think if (Oilers coach Bill) Peterson gets his shot over a matter of years, you'll see results."

    Peterson's Oilers followed their 1-13 NFL72 season with a 1-13 NFL73 season, and that was it for Coach Bill in Houston. He has the NFL's all-time-low winning percentage among coaches of more than 14 games. He is not forgotten ...

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  24. And Martin D. Tullai in the Nov. 27, 1994, Baltimore Sun:

    Undoubtedly best known for his malapropisms was Bill Peterson, former coach of the Florida State Seminoles. Those who observed him in action feel his classic statements came in stressful or excited situations. Some of his most memorable are:

    * On his relationship with players:

    "I've always had great repertoire with my players."

    * Reminding those around him who was in charge:

    "I'm the football coach around here and don't you remember it!"

    * On favorable crowd reaction to his speech:

    "They gave me a standing observation."

    * On the talent of one of his players:

    "Fred Biletnikoff's limitations are limitless. He's footsure and fancy free."

    * Discussing a meeting between his team and a key rival:

    "It'll be like two ships that crash in the night."

    * On playing style:

    "We're going to throw the football, come hell or high water.

    We're not gonna be any Martin D. Tullai is chairman of the history department at St. Paul's School in Brooklandville.

    three clouds and a yard of dust kind of team."

    * About a coming opponent:

    "We can beat this team. All we have to do is capitalize on our mistakes."

    * Asked if he thought it would rain:

    "What do you think I am -- a geologist?"

    * Giving instructions on the field:

    "You guys pair off in groups of threes, then line up in a circle."

    * Summing up a close, winning game:

    "Whew, this was a cliff dweller to end all cliff dwellers."

    L * To one of his players, an aspiring minister, after a game:

    "Lead us in a few words of silent prayer."

    * Helping a photographer on press day:

    "You guys line up alphabetically by height."

    * After a gallant but losing effort:

    "I used to have this slight speech implement."

    * Remarking on an improvement:

    "I couldn't remember things before I took that Sam Carnegie Course."

    * On being honored:

    "The greatest thing just happened. I got indicted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame."



    * Waxing patriotic:

    "This is the greatest country in America."

    * Painting a glowing picture to his not-very-enthusiastic team before the 1966 Sun Bowl in El Paso -- near the Mexican border and attractions in Juarez:

    "Each of you will receive a nice piece of Seminite luggage. We're going to have a grand time, but I don't want any of you players getting in trouble over there in Warsaw."

    * Trying to fire up his team by citing a historic precedent before a big game:

    "Just remember the words of Henry Patrick -- 'Kill me or let me live.' "

    * On being together:

    "We're all in this together, and don't you remember it."

    * To his Houston Oilers team:

    "Men, I want you thinking of just one word all season. One word and only one word -- Super Bowl."

    * After a tough game:

    "Don't you guys think for a minute that I'm going to take this loss standing down."

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