NFL Playoffs

Good luck to everyone's favorite teams.

As long as you aren't a Patriots fan.

As I just posted to MR, this is the most boring wild card weekend I can ever remember. This is usually a weekend where we get great drama and excitement.

But, overall, the NFL seemed down this year... so many incredibly average teams in the mix.

I'm hoping Zona and GB can at least make it 1/4 exciting games for the weekend.

Congrats to your Ravens, though I believe they are a poster child for the average team syndrome that gripped the NFL this year (though not as much as Belicheat's Cheatriots )

Matt, I am pleased.

Ed wrote:Matt, I am pleased.

You should be, especially since you have the Colts coming up. I love me some Peyton but the truth of the matter is that the Colts are VERY beatable, especially with the lineup shifting of their last two weeks. You guys already proved to be a solid matchup with them in the regular season.

Don't get me wrong, I'll be shocked if they can pull it off, but it's certainly not out of the question. Better Indy than SD at this point, imo.

Ehwmatt wrote:
Congrats to your Ravens, though I believe they are a poster child for the average team syndrome that gripped the NFL this year

I thought the Ravens had a brutal schedule and with a few breaks could have ben 12-4 ... but they weren't. Doesn't mean they aren't good. Anytime you have a defense that good you're a contender.

I AM still upset a little about the Packers lost...with Warner having the game of his life, the refs not calling any offensive pass interfernece on Fitzgerald or the missed helmet to helmet call against Rogers in OT... and still the Packers had a chance... ITS why the NFL is the best sports league in town... college bowl games suck compared to this... only other sports close to the NFL playoffs is MARCH madness!!

lights1961 wrote:I AM still upset a little about the Packers lost...with Warner having the game of his life, the refs not calling any offensive pass interfernece on Fitzgerald or the missed helmet to helmet call against Rogers in OT... and still the Packers had a chance... ITS why the NFL is the best sports league in town... college bowl games suck compared to this... only other sports close to the NFL playoffs is MARCH madness!!

I thought Aaron Rodgers really pulled a douchebag move yesterday. He lost focus and got cocky when they won the coin toss. He then proceeded to miss a wide open receiver which could have put an end to the game and then fumbled the game away. What a way to book end an otherwise pretty good day.

I have a lot of friends who are Packers fans. I was pulling for them.

Double post - sorry

Saint John wrote:

Ehwmatt wrote:
Congrats to your Ravens, though I believe they are a poster child for the average team syndrome that gripped the NFL this year

I thought the Ravens had a brutal schedule and with a few breaks could have ben 12-4 ... but they weren't. Doesn't mean they aren't good. Anytime you have a defense that good you're a contender.

Their D isn't that good any more, they are old. They are still solid and you can't discount experience, but they are nothing like they once were.

Go check their schedule. I wouldn't call any schedule where you have Detroit, Browns twice, Oakland, Steelers twice, Chicago, Denver, and KC "brutal" by ANY means. http://www.baltimoreravens.com/Gameday/Schedule.aspx The only teams they really shut down on offense were bad teams, like The Bears, Raiders, Browns, and Lions. The Colts game was an anomaly, imo. Anytime they played a half decent team, they got lit up on the scoreboard. Granted, I'm not taking pick 6s and other defensive scores into account here, but their defense is nothing like it used to be.

In the regular season, they were a painfully average team, top to bottom. The stat showed it, they had like 1 win against playoff-bound teams in the regular season and beat up on all the red-headed stepchildren of the league. The game against the Steelers where Worthlessberger sat and the very green Dennis Dixon filled in said it all, as the Ravens were DAMN lucky to win that one.

With all that said, this is now the playoffs and they are a dangerous dark horse. Flacco doesn't really seem concerned by being young or being in the playoffs for the second straight year, even though he basically did nothing yesterday, he also did nothing to make his team lose either. The D, though not what it used to be, is experienced and playoff-ready. The running game is decent. But, this is a passer's league now. You gotta believe one of the high-octane passing offensive teams will win it all in the end.

Matt, I don't disagree with much of your post except I'd classify the Ravens running game as a little more than decent.

This game as usual will open up old wounds for me, since I grew up a Baltimore Colts fan.

Late 70's photo of me:

Ed wrote:Matt, I don't disagree with much of your post except I'd classify the Ravens running game as a little more than decent.

This game as usual will open up old wounds for me, since I grew up a Baltimore Colts fan.

At least "your" team came back and has been a perennially solid franchise since its inception. My team has resembled the shit I just took after a greasy lunch for 10.5 years now. Come on Holmgren, let's get something decent out there this year (please god)

The thing to watch for against the Colts next weekend is that veteran guys like Ray Lewis have been playing against Peyton their entire careers. Much like the Brady matchup, they are intimately familiar with Peyton... they know what to expect, they know what to do, they'll be able to read his audibles etc. It should be very interesting. I'm expecting a battle, especially with Caldwell's recent foolishness.

Ehwmatt wrote:

Ed wrote:Matt, I don't disagree with much of your post except I'd classify the Ravens running game as a little more than decent.

This game as usual will open up old wounds for me, since I grew up a Baltimore Colts fan.

At least "your" team came back and has been a perennially solid franchise since its inception. My team has resembled the shit I just took after a greasy lunch for 10.5 years now. Come on Holmgren, let's get something decent out there this year (please god)

Still hurts to see that horseshoe as a fan. If they'd have just changed the name and logo after the move I'd be fine with it.

This is from 2 years ago before an agonizing loss to them. States how I feel.

Ehwmatt wrote:The thing to watch for against the Colts next weekend is that veteran guys like Ray Lewis have been playing against Peyton their entire careers. Much like the Brady matchup, they are intimately familiar with Peyton... they know what to expect, they know what to do, they'll be able to read his audibles etc. It should be very interesting. I'm expecting a battle, especially with Caldwell's recent foolishness.

It's not necc about knowing others tendencies, that's what game film is for. I am a firm believer in styles of each team. One being the Colts of beating you with finesse, and the other beating you with slugging it out. More times than one, if the match up is right, the one who out duels the other in being more physical, wins the ball game, period and that's why Peyton hasn't won more championships than what he should of at this point of his career, because in those playoff matches, they simply could never run the ball, fell behind in a slug fest and couldn't stand toe to toe in the trenches. I can see potentially 2 major upsets this week, but the Ravens aren't the demolishing defense team they once were, and I think at this stage of the game, Peyton has the edge.

I might go as far as to say the Jets upset SD this week judging by the way the dark horse's work in the playoffs, it's bound to happen.

YoungJRNY wrote:

Ehwmatt wrote:The thing to watch for against the Colts next weekend is that veteran guys like Ray Lewis have been playing against Peyton their entire careers. Much like the Brady matchup, they are intimately familiar with Peyton... they know what to expect, they know what to do, they'll be able to read his audibles etc. It should be very interesting. I'm expecting a battle, especially with Caldwell's recent foolishness.

It's not necc about knowing others tendencies, that's what game film is for. I am a firm believer in styles of each team. One being the Colts of beating you with finesse, and the other beating you with slugging it out. More times than one, if the match up is right, the one who out duels the other in being more physical, wins the ball game, period and that's why Peyton hasn't won more championships than what he should of at this point of his career, because in those playoff matches, they simply could never run the ball, fell behind in a slug fest and couldn't stand toe to toe in the trenches. I can see potentially 2 major upsets this week, but the Ravens aren't the demolishing defense team they once were, and I think at this stage of the game, Peyton has the edge.

I might go as far as to say the Jets upset SD this week judging by the way the dark horse's work in the playoffs, it's bound to happen.

nice to see you here dude...

I am thinking the same thing... SD playoff history is lousy... I also think Warner will beat the Saints this weekend.... WANTING the COWBOYS to win... but I think Brett will get the W... and Colts to win over Ravens...

lights1961 wrote:

YoungJRNY wrote:

Ehwmatt wrote:The thing to watch for against the Colts next weekend is that veteran guys like Ray Lewis have been playing against Peyton their entire careers. Much like the Brady matchup, they are intimately familiar with Peyton... they know what to expect, they know what to do, they'll be able to read his audibles etc. It should be very interesting. I'm expecting a battle, especially with Caldwell's recent foolishness.

It's not necc about knowing others tendencies, that's what game film is for. I am a firm believer in styles of each team. One being the Colts of beating you with finesse, and the other beating you with slugging it out. More times than one, if the match up is right, the one who out duels the other in being more physical, wins the ball game, period and that's why Peyton hasn't won more championships than what he should of at this point of his career, because in those playoff matches, they simply could never run the ball, fell behind in a slug fest and couldn't stand toe to toe in the trenches. I can see potentially 2 major upsets this week, but the Ravens aren't the demolishing defense team they once were, and I think at this stage of the game, Peyton has the edge.

I might go as far as to say the Jets upset SD this week judging by the way the dark horse's work in the playoffs, it's bound to happen.

nice to see you here dude...

I am thinking the same thing... SD playoff history is lousy... I also think Warner will beat the Saints this weekend.... WANTING the COWBOYS to win... but I think Brett will get the W... and Colts to win over Ravens...

Thanks, man, you too. I completely forgot about this place and thought B shut it down once until he just PM'D me reminding me so this is sweet!

As far as GB, man I felt in the dumps after that one, esp watching AR over throw his wide open receiver BADLY in OT and for it to end on a defensive, freak TD. I was DEF rooting for GB and they were my team I would of loved to see win it.

As far as the Cards, they are just MAD SCARY at their position right now. Even though they are timid on D, and esp in a shootout, this team, LIKE LAST YEAR has the tools to bring down ANYBODY and I wouldn't be shocked to actually see them WIN SB 44. As for the Vikes, as a Steelers fan I'd LOVE to see Favre and the Vikes completley murder the Cowpokes and MAYBE set a stage for the old men, FAVRE vs WARNER to go to the big dance in the NFC champ game. Still, it's hard to go against the Saints, in the dome. It'll be a great weekend of football.

Duplicate post from MR: This guy is my least favorite sports writer for The Cleveland Plain Dealer, but this isn't a bad piece on how commercials are absurd now in NFL telecasts.

http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/index.ssf/2010/01/nfl_on_television_commercial_f.html

Give your thoughts

Got the Jets right... the Saings were good... and the Vikes looked sharp. The Colts, looked okay... and won inspite of themselfs.

This week... The Colts should win the AFC... and I think as of today I am going to pick the Vikes to beat the Saints in the NFC... Should be a Manning/Favre Super Bowl. Which would be a ratings killer!!


But would love to see the Saints spoil the party!!