Game Preview: Bye Week

by John Gennaro on Oct 9, 2009 8:38 AM PDT

This community is not just for fans of the San Diego Chargers. It is for football fans. Some bye weeks are relaxing and fun. You can find a few games to get into, with your rooting interest based on Chargers competition or random teams/players you hate the most. Some bye weeks test your football fandom. This will be one of those bye weeks.

After the jump, we'll go over which games you should pray you get at each timeslot and I'll tell you the secret to enjoying non-Chargers football.

1pm EST Games

I was going to try to rank these games from best to worst, but there is no best (except MAYBE the Bengals/Ravens game) and there is no worse. They're all terrible. Here's the rundown.

Guh. Can you realistically predict any of those games to be watchable? They're all either going to be blowouts or out-and-out ugly. Terrible.

4pm EST Games

The Jags/Seahawks game aside, those are some awesome games. The Falcons/49ers game will result in at least one person being carted off the field. Patriots/Broncos will just be an awesome matchup, and a Broncos loss would make it even sweeter. Texans/Cardinals has the potential for a 70-68 final score.

So here's your quick guide for surviving the bye week. It's called the Red Zone Channel. DirecTV has one and cable companies have another, but they're roughly the same thing. If there's something interesting going on in the NFL, that's what they put on. Throw that channel on and plan a BBQ. Glance over at the TV every now and then, just to make sure nothing of interest in happening before 1pm PST. Eat early, give yourself time for a mid-day drunken, "I couldn't eat another bite" nap. Wake up in time to see Belichick psyching out Kyle Orton from across the field.

Oh, but keep the Red Zone Channel on. You know why? Because only suckers watch commercials. The only time I ever deal with commercials is when I'm watching the Chargers, or the SNF/MNF games.

For those thinking this is a sell-out post, it's not. BFTB is not sponsored by either Red Zone Channel (although it may be in the future). I'm just letting you guys know that, as somebody who has swore by it for the past two seasons, it's the best way to enjoy the upcoming bye week. Or I guess you could skip football this weekend and do something more productive.

Tweet Comment 28 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

All of our divisional opponents

Have to be underdogs right?

by Dude52089 on Oct 9, 2009 10:17 AM PDT reply actions

Big time

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John Gennaro on Oct 9, 2009 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions

GO PATRIOTS!

Only for this weekend…. for the RedZone how much more does it cost to have that channel for DTV? This is gonna be a long weekend…

The Official WITCH of the SAN DIEGO CHARGERS!

by ChargersWitch on Oct 9, 2009 10:42 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

From what I can find online

it appears to be $50 for the season. I’d pay the hell out of that if I had cable. Being able to watch 6+ hours of football without commercials is magical.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John Gennaro on Oct 9, 2009 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions

thank you sunday ticket

i grew up in escondido but now i live in chief country…it’s f’in horrible…thank god for modern technology

"that wasn't a very good start to us getting our lives together. i didn't even go to work today."

...ya'll are brutalizing me... ronnie dobbs

by notorioushbi on Oct 9, 2009 10:52 AM PDT reply actions

I'd be lost without NFL Game Pass

by gman87 on Oct 9, 2009 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions

Ditto

I could never become an Eagles fan.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John Gennaro on Oct 9, 2009 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions

exactly

i like other players but i can’t really see myself going full fledged fan of their teams…i just love watching football, college and pro…maybe it’s just because i used to play and i get into the matchups and watching certain positions…but if you’re stuck watching rams and chiefs games every week you don’t usually see anything but horrible football

"that wasn't a very good start to us getting our lives together. i didn't even go to work today."

...ya'll are brutalizing me... ronnie dobbs

by notorioushbi on Oct 9, 2009 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions

Don't taunt us

local San Diego Padres fans who need cable and can’t get the NFL package without having both cable and satellite.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Oct 9, 2009 11:28 AM PDT reply actions

I know

Sucks liking two sports here :-p

by Dude52089 on Oct 9, 2009 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions

Actually

Padres fans and Phillies fans are in the same boat on that one. Same situation, with Comcast having exclusive rights over most Phillies games.

I’d still say get the Red Zone Channel from Cox if they offer it.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John Gennaro on Oct 9, 2009 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't have Cox

And I’m pretty sure the NFL packages are exclusive to satellite, no?

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Oct 9, 2009 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, whatever

Time Warner doesn’t offer it. And, I don’t usually spend Sundays at my house anyway. And, if I do, I rarely am disappointed by just watching what Fox or CBS shows (they mainly show AFC West games on CBS anyways and they like to show the Saints on Fox here)

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Oct 9, 2009 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions

NFL Sunday Ticket is exclusive to satellite

but you can get Red Zone via some of the cable channels. I believe Cox offers NFL Network and Red Zone, whereas Time Warner offers neither. I have ATT, where I get NFLN, but I’d have to pay an extra $5 a month for the sports tier to get RZ.

Greg Maddux for manager.

by Zach (maestro876) on Oct 9, 2009 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Looks like....

Time Warner is the only one not offer the Red Zone Channel.

http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/09/11/nfl-network-to-offer-its-own-redzone-channel/

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John Gennaro on Oct 9, 2009 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Time Warner and the NFL are having a spat.

The NFL wants TW to offer NFLN with its basic cable package, whereas TW wants to put it on a premium tier so customers have to pay extra to get it. As a result, nobody gets it. They’ve been arguing about this for years now.

Greg Maddux for manager.

by Zach (maestro876) on Oct 9, 2009 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Right when Eli goes down

the Raiders come to town. Dang it they are gonna get off light.

by Trendsearcher on Oct 9, 2009 12:21 PM PDT reply actions

The Giants are more than just Manning

The defense and the running game are quite good. Their pass defense is very good. It’s going to be a tough day for Russell and he’d have a tough day against a bad pass defense. This may be historically bad.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Oct 9, 2009 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed, but I want 'em to get the full ride

by Trendsearcher on Oct 9, 2009 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions

I just wish the Giants game was in San Diego

That game was amazing— the fans were rowdy, the team was on, and the air was electric (pun intended). I was hearing “ELI SUCKS!” for the next three or four days.

"Everything I say, is calculated, appropriated, written and arranged in Feng Shui."

--Gnarls Barkley, "Feng Shui"

Firmly of the "Go Cesaire-- And Take Chambers With You" camp.

Can we PLEASE draft Ali Villanueva of Army this year??? I'd mortgage a kidney for a tackle/wideout hybrid.

by StrangeBroP25 on Oct 10, 2009 4:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Is it next week yet?

A kid who has a unicorn ranch in his room cannot call other people weird. Yes, we know about "Rancho Unicorno."

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Oct 10, 2009 5:21 PM PDT reply actions

We need this bye to sort out our endless problems

Time to get back on our feet and bolster our defense.

A much needed bye week; and two whole weeks to focus the inner hatred of UW even moreso than normal.

Locker...Welcome to my profile, You will be formally introduced by Juju at a later date, 10/23 to be more specific!

by CaDuck on Oct 10, 2009 6:18 PM PDT reply actions

Nice opening to the second half today, followed by the pick six.

"Get on board early," Black said, alluding to, what he feels, is a crop of up-and-coming players.

"I would tell those fans that we're going to play good baseball. We're going to play hard. We're going to have exciting young players..." -Bud Black

by The Kipper on Oct 10, 2009 8:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Yep, Kenjon brought that kick to the house!

That really jump started us! Then Talmadge with the pick six really solidified our “mo”.

That first half was a little ugly, LaMichael James was running mad as usual…But Costa couldn’t read the offense as well as Masoli can…

But We are 5-1 now, Whoooooo!

A much needed bye week; and two whole weeks to focus the inner hatred of UW even moreso than normal.

Locker...Welcome to my profile, You will be formally introduced by Juju at a later date, 10/23 to be more specific!

by CaDuck on Oct 10, 2009 8:54 PM PDT up reply actions

I didn't get to see it

but I listened on the radio. Since Boise St, things have been looking real good. But, I suppose if I’m going to comment on the game I should sign up for Addicted to Quack…

"Get on board early," Black said, alluding to, what he feels, is a crop of up-and-coming players.

"I would tell those fans that we're going to play good baseball. We're going to play hard. We're going to have exciting young players..." -Bud Black

by The Kipper on Oct 10, 2009 9:15 PM PDT up reply actions

I would advise signing up for ATQ, a real good place for info and commentary!

Much like BFTB is.

I just hope we can keep our momentum going through this bye week

A much needed bye week; and two whole weeks to focus the inner hatred of UW even moreso than normal.

Locker...Welcome to my profile, You will be formally introduced by Juju at a later date, 10/23 to be more specific!

by CaDuck on Oct 10, 2009 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions

I love a good car accident

which is what OAK/NYG is going to be … Red Asphalt, but on turf … I want to watch CIN/BAL just to see how ‘for real’ the Bengals really are. 1pm I’m all about JAX/SEA.
As always, it’s all about that (those?) fantasy football team(s)…

by Lancers46 on Oct 10, 2009 11:12 PM PDT reply actions