NFL Divisional Playoffs

Heartbreaker with the Jets.

Good show from the Falcons, very unexpected.

The Falcons will be in the Superbowl.

–Dave

That’s the story of the Falcons. They beat teams you expect them to lose to (like, any team with a winning record) and struggle against teams they should be good against (KC, Tampa, Arizona).

Yeah, they looked good, but I don’t think that Rams run defense was typical of what they will face next week.

Vick still isn’t a very good passing QB, but man he’s such a huge threat to run that he puts a different kind of pressure on the defense.

Still, solid run attack and good defense is a good formula for success in the playoffs.

Going out on a limb here I see. ;-)
Actually things look very good for the Falcons. The only teams remaining that have a solid run defense are the Patriots and Steelers (and Curtis poked enough holes in the Steelers D to make them nervous). Both of which Atlanta won’t have to face until the Superbowl, assuming they get there.

Also, much respect to the Jets. They played with a hell of a lot of heart but, as TMQ might say, the Football gods chortled.

“We will let them advance despite a bone-headed roughing the passer penalty by making the San Diego kicker choke. Then we will toy with them by having their kicker miss, get another chance on an INT, and then miss again!”

Culpepper is throwing this game away for the Vikings. They were putting together two good drives in the 3rd only to have him throw two interceptions.

I don’t think you can consider the Falcons run attack to be great. Take away Vick’s 60 yards a game and it’s very ordinary. Vick is trading passing yardage for rushing yardage.

The Falcon’s were 20th in offense. Their offense looked great against the Rams, but I don’t think you can count on that kind of performance to continue. They did not have that kind of offense throughout the season.

The Birds looked a lot better today than I ever thought they would. I’m almost tempted to rescind my comment above but I still won’t believe they can get to the Superbowl until they’re there. I still think all their receivers are junk except for Owens.

–Dave

But why would you? Isn’t that sort of like saying that you don’t consider the Colts’ passing attack to be that great, since after all, if you take away Peyton’s 49 TDs, it’s quite bad.

Wow, the Colts are getting their asses handed to them AGAIN by Belichik.

3 points…THREE points.

:shock:

How Harrison,Bruschi and Vrabel are not Pro Bowl first teamers I don’t know.

C’mon guys, how much football do you watch? All you had to do was turn it on and see the snow and right there you knew the Colts were going to have a miserable game. They can’t play in bad weather, period. That’s especially true against a team built to play in ANY weather.

–Dave

Having a track meet team is fine and dandy if you can guarantee home field. If this had been at the RCA Dome, there might have been a game. But a good, all-weather team like Green Bay, New England, or Pittsburgh will almost always have an advantage in inclement weather against a dome team, and especially a “finesse” team.

I highly doubt that the Rams would have gone to either Super Bowl if they had had to get there by way of Lambeau.

This is another argument why defense wins championships – when you HAVE to win games, you need to be able to play regardless of conditions.

Damn shame, I would have loved to see an Indy/Pittsburgh game. I’m pretty bored of the Pats going to the Super Bowl, whatever. Now, a Pittsburgh/Atlanta Super Bowl, how’s THAT for one that no one would have expected?

But why would you? Isn’t that sort of like saying that you don’t consider the Colts’ passing attack to be that great, since after all, if you take away Peyton’s 49 TDs, it’s quite bad.[/quote]

It’s a little bit different when you count rushing yards that result from scrambles. It’s not as if that makes the defense play the run in the way a defense reacts to a smashmouth running attack.

It’s like shuttle passes. They’re passes, but they’re really runs. A Vick scramble out of the pocket is rushing yards gained on a passing play. It’s not going to bring the safeties up to stop the run. It’ll do something to a defense, but it won’t make them stack the line to stop the run.

Except a lot of Vick’s runs are clearly designed plays.

Meh… we’re doing better receiver-wise this year than we did last year and the year before, even without T.O. Freddie Mitchell can really pull off some stuff these days, and Greg Lewis is shaping up nicely. Plus, we have Westbrook to pick up the slack, and that guy is just stunning. Pinkston, though, remains awful as always.

But yeah, there was an awful lot of doubt going into this game, what with not having T.O. and giving our main guys all that time off, but we went out there and ripped the Vikings’ heads off. I know that history is stacked against us, but I really, really, really think we can win next week, even without Owens.

So I’m picking the Eagles for our game, and the Steelers for the other one, though I could go either way there.

Except a lot of Vick’s runs are clearly designed plays.[/quote]

Maybe, but I think the majority of his rushing yards come on scrambles.

Anyway, even with his runs Atlanta’s offense was average. They were a bit below average in total yards (20th) and average in points scored (16th).

What is great about the Atl offense, it is the first offense I can remember in the NFL in a long time that can run triple option running plays- and make them work. i want Philly to win, but I’m picking Atlanta. They looked tight, and Philly looked sloppy.

Bacon-Bored of the Pats in the SB? Shame on you:) Were you bored of SF’s run or the 'boys? Just curious. Bacon, enjoy the show, this is the best damn team in the NFL in 10 years. Watch them, watch the X and O’s it is unlike any team in the NFL. Think about it, Minn tried the kicker TD throw, screwed it up. Indy tried the direct snap screwed it up. Right out of the Pats playbook. It is the coaches, but the kool-aid factor on the pats is what makes them great. It is like watching one single beast on the field eating up 11 smaller creatures.

NE has been snickering all week. Ty Law Ty Law. Screw Ty Law. Hasn’t played in 11 weeks or something like that. Seymour Syemour. Well, J. Green could start on any other team in the NFL, and he is a backup here.

Indy fans- 3 points. I’m shocked, Still. I woke up in the middle of the night with a smile still on my face, tapped my wife and said’3 points’ . We laughed and laughed…

Let’s just get one thing straight. Payton didn’t loose the game. Indy got beat. plain and simple.

Yes. I have this strange thing where I’m not a fan of a single team, I’m mostly a fan of players and coaches. The ONLY reason I’d want the Pats to win is so that Dillon can get a ring – he’s probably one of the most underrated players of the past 10 years.

Just curious. Bacon, enjoy the show, this is the best damn team in the NFL in 10 years.

I disagree. I think the 1999 Rams were a clearly better team (indoors =) ). I think the 2000 Titans were probably a better overall team. I think the 2002 Bucs were a better team.

The thing about the Pats that has bothered me vis a vis their dominance is, well, they’re not dominant. They “win”, but they have one of the smallest margins of victories of any “good” team. They always win, but they often do it just barely. That to me is a good thing, and demonstrates strong team character, but it also shows me a lack of dominance.

Think about it, Minn tried the kicker TD throw, screwed it up. Indy tried the direct snap screwed it up. Right out of the Pats playbook.

You think the Pats have some monopoly on the trick play?!

It is the coaches, but the kool-aid factor on the pats is what makes them great. It is like watching one single beast on the field eating up 11 smaller creatures.

Absolutely. It will be interesting to see how good they are next year with Weis gone and (probably) with Crennel gone.

NE has been snickering all week. Ty Law Ty Law. Screw Ty Law. Hasn’t played in 11 weeks or something like that. Seymour Syemour. Well, J. Green could start on any other team in the NFL, and he is a backup here.

There is no doubt that Belichick is capable of covering up personnel deficiencies and, more importantly, that the Pats have monstrous depth at every position except RB. Pioli gets a lot of credit for that as well.

They are a GREAT team, I’m not saying otherrwise, I’m just saying that I prefer seeing different teams in the Super Bowl. I want Cowher to get a ring (finally), I want Bettis to get a ring (finally), I want Manning to get one (eventually) so we can stop hearing about his “Big game” performances and the comparisons to Marino.

I want Philly to get past the championship to lose in the SB, just because I really dislike Reid =)

Let’s just get one thing straight. Payton didn’t loose the game. Indy got beat. plain and simple.

No doubt about that. Peyton’s receivers and OL sure weren’t helping his cause either. Edgerrin is also notoriously a bad big game player. Massive rushing yards, but in tough situations never seems to eke it out (same with Shaun Alexander). Part of that is the undersized Indy OL that has a hard time getting push.

Well, I doubt it, but I’ll make sure to try counting them, next time.