NFL Discussion - 2008-09 Playoffs

[Captain Craig]

I'm actually thinking all the visiting teams win this weekend.

Nah. I'm sure there is a stat somewhere that says how often that happens and I bet its low when placed in perspective of the Wildcard era.

I'll say I can see 3 of them winning. Most likely only 2 road teams win though.
I see Miami(home) beating the Ravens.
I think the Colts beat the Chargers.

I think the Cardinals vs Falcons is almost a toss up. I go Cardinals based on QB experience.
I see the Eagles beating the Vikings.

 

[Neroon]

The Cardinals and Falcons is a very tough call, but what keeps me from going with Arizona is their rather ineffectual running game (32nd in the league) coupled with a very average defense. Granted Atlanta's defense is a bit worse in terms of yardage given up, but it's much better in points allowed.

Philly/Minnesota - I am just not convinced Tavaris Jackson is a NFL-caliber quarterback, certainly not yet. Philly seems to have better experience in the most important places. The key question is can their defense keep Peterson from breaking off those long runs.

Colts/Chargers - a much better game than I think most will allow. The Bolts have been VERY tough on teh Colts, winning 2 of the last 3 with all three games by close margins.

MiAMI/Baltimore - again a tough call but I feel most confident in taking the Ravens in this game of the four.

 

[JM1776]

The Cardinals and Falcons is a very tough call, but what keeps me from going with Arizona is their rather ineffectual running game (32nd in the league) coupled with a very average defense.

The Cardinals have a big-play defense—big screw-ups included. I'd rather that than a pedestrian, boring group.

As to the running game ... they just had a 100-yard rusher on Sunday, didn't they?

Besides ... you don't need a running game when you've got Boldin, Breaston and Fitzgerald!

Kidding aside ... those are all valid concerns. I just think the Cardinals will be clicking on Saturday ... and if both teams bring their best game, Arizona wins going away.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

I'm not really surprised, considering what the Broncos have accomplished playoff wise with quarterbacks named other than Elway.

These are the talking points that morons on talk radio spew out. One team wins the Super Bowl every year. That's one out of thirty-two. Firing a coach because he hasn't won a championship in 10 years, even if he's a perennial playoff contender, is the definition of short-sighted. There are teams that have never won a championship, and many (very good) coaches who have never won a championship.

If you're satisfied with just reaching the playoffs, fine. But if the goal is to win in the playoffs and you consistently fall short each year, after a while changes need to be made

7 playoff appearances in 14 years, and during the other 7 years it looks like the Broncos were in the playoff race. A .616 winning percentage. That is top-tier coaching, and it's impossible that Shanahan has been lucking out his entire tenure with Denver. He's doing at the least something right, and most likely many things right.

This is a terrible move by Denver, and some other lucky team is going to reap the rewards.

As a coach, I'd agree that Shanahan is one of the best. As a talent evaluator he falls short. Especially on the defensive side of the ball. How many defensive coordinators have the Broncos fired recently? At some point, it's not the system or scheme, it's the talent or lack of talent.

Who had the final say on the talent? Shanahan.

 

[Timby]

If you're satisfied with just reaching the playoffs, fine. But if the goal is to win in the playoffs and you consistently fall short each year, after a while changes need to be made

That's the same philosophy that led to the retarded decision of firing Marty Schottenheimer and replacing him with Norv Turner. Would you have fired Marv Levy after failing to win those Super Bowls?

It's easy to sit there as an armchair quarterback and say, "Yeah, that Shanahan, he's garbage, he never wins in the playoffs." But there is an incredible amount of luck involved in even getting to the playoffs, much less winning in them.

I won't argue that Shanahan proved himself to be a largely ineffective GM, and his loyalty to his coaching staff was misguided. But you can't fire one of the top coaches in the league, and then go out to the press and say that it was a "gut instinct," as Pat Bowlen did today.

 

[archeryguy1701]

The playoff set up: I am in favor of the playoffs staying the way they are. The divisional playoffs give a consistancy of schedule for teams competing for the same spot, which provides a consistant measuring stick. Sure, low records could mean that weak divisions and weak teams are getting walk-on playoff berths, but at the same time, it could just indicate a very tough schedule (though I will concede that the AFC West was overall crap, with the Chargers being the only ones who looked consistantly good for any stretch of time, which, luckily for them, was the very end).

I will have to try and find the article on this, but a situation like this year where a good record misses out and a poor record gets in is pretty rare. Also, there have been votes on changing the setup, and they always fail including one as recently as this year. Again, I will try to find the article, but it was a Yahoo article by (I think) Silver.

Shanahan: I was mad when I first heard it because I think cutting Shanny lose was a mistake. I'm now pissed because Bowlen's top reason (that he admitted to) was basically, "He's been around for a really long time.". You don't cut a guy who has consistantly done pretty good for sticking with the same time for a long time. You cut him for not doing well. And 3 mediocre years in a row (including one with a winning record and another one with an injury epidemic for the ages) doesn't constitute panic time or time to jump ship. Denver was close to doing something neat if they could get their defense in order. Shanny will be missed.

The playoffs: I never thought I would say this, but this weekend I am a Colts fan. I am sure it will be a good game because the Chargers are coming into their own finally, but I want them out. Immediately. Overall, I want a Steeler/ Panthers bowl. This weekend, I see:
Colts over Chargers
Dolphins over Baltimore
Cards over Falcons
Eagles over Vikings

 

[Timby]

Kidding aside ... those are all valid concerns. I just think the Cardinals will be clicking on Saturday ... and if both teams bring their best game, Arizona wins going away.

Arizona's run defense is better than a lot of people think; the team allowed only three 100-yard rushers against them this year (DeAngelo Williams, Adrian Peterson, Brian Westbrook). New England shredded them, but given the snow and everything else, that was just an ugly game all around.

Michael Turner is good, but I do not see him getting 100 yards during te game unless he gets 40+ carries -- and if Atlanta is giving Turner the ball 40 times, I think the Falcons will lose the game. Its defense isn't all that great, and I think the secondary will have a tough time keeping up with Arizona's weapons. Arizona was 7-1 at home this year, while Atlanta was 4-4 on the road.

 

[JM1776]

New England shredded them, but ... that was just an ugly game all around.

Quite right. They were miserable in the cold and snow, New England had to win, the Cardinals were already division champions and it was an East Coast trip. No one in their right mind expected Arizona to even play well, let alone win. Look at it this way: I'm a huge Cards fan, and I didn't even turn on the game: I knew a meaningless bitch-slap was in the offing.

[Atlanta's] defense isn't all that great, and I think the secondary will have a tough time keeping up with Arizona's weapons.

I'll be stunned if Warner doesn't eviscerate them.

Arizona was 7-1 at home this year...

I think they were actually 6-2, having lost to the Giants and (in a game that was essentially of no importance to them) Minnesota. Still, having lost only to the defending champions and a desperate team after they'd already clinched their division ... your point is well taken.

 

[1001001]

Both Arizona (for a second time) and Minnesota have been granted deadline extensions by the NFL to try and avoid local blackouts for the first round of the playoffs....

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...bYF?slug=ap-vikings-tickets&prov=ap&type=lgns

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...?slug=ap-cardinals-blackout&prov=ap&type=lgns

Arizona has 3,700 unsold tickets, and Minnesota has 8,000. I'm guessing this will get taken care of, but they're cutting it pretty close.

I know things are tough these days, but a blackout of a playoff game?

Yikes...

 

[SmoothieX]

New England shredded them, but ... that was just an ugly game all around.

Quite right. They were miserable in the cold and snow, New England had to win, the Cardinals were already division champions and it was an East Coast trip. No one in their right mind expected Arizona to even play well, let alone win. Look at it this way: I'm a huge Cards fan, and I didn't even turn on the game: I knew a meaningless bitch-slap was in the offing.

I was at the Pats-Cards game. That was about as one sided a matchup as you'll ever see. They aboslutely destroyed them by halftime. As a Pats fan, and someone who has always wanted to go to a snow game, I loved it.

I'm pissed that New England is at home while the Cards get to host a playoff game. But that's the system in place and its fair/unfair to everyone equally. It's flawed in the sense that it doesn't take divisional strength into consideration, but there's no way to do that heading into a season. It's the same in baseball.

The AFC and NFC West both sucked donkey shit all year while on the other hand the East divisions were both very strong. I wish the Pats were in the playoffs because I think they could make some noise. But, given all their injuries to key players, I'm happy that they were still relevant and in contention all year.

 

[1001001]

After giving it some thought, here are my picks for the wildcard weekend:

Colts over Chargers
Ravens over Dolphins
Falcons over Cardinals
Eagles over Vikings

 

[tomalak301]

Might as well give my picks as well:

Colts Over the Chargers
Dolphins in the upset of the week over Baltimore
Falcons over the Cards
Eagles over the Vikings

I just hope it's good football.

 

[Pegaritaville]

Both Arizona (for a second time) and Minnesota have been granted deadline extensions by the NFL to try and avoid local blackouts for the first round of the playoffs....

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...bYF?slug=ap-vikings-tickets&prov=ap&type=lgns

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...?slug=ap-cardinals-blackout&prov=ap&type=lgns

Arizona has 3,700 unsold tickets, and Minnesota has 8,000. I'm guessing this will get taken care of, but they're cutting it pretty close.

I know things are tough these days, but a blackout of a playoff game?

Yikes...

Looks like Minnesota will need a second extension. It's kind of sad that both teams are having such a tough time selling out a playoff game.

I really don't feel like driving to the Duluth area to watch the game, but if it comes down to either going to the game or driving a few hours to see it on tv, we'll drive.

 

[JM1776]

As a Pats fan, and someone who has always wanted to go to a snow game, I loved it.

That must have been a lot of fun. The atmosphere, I imagine, was terrific.

I'm pissed that New England is at home while the Cards get to host a playoff game. But that's the system in place...

Funny how no one's pissed when their own team slips into the playoffs having dominated a weak division.

Even if Atlanta wins 70–0 this weekend, I'll still be happy.

The Cardinals won their division.

Let me repeat that.

The Cardinals won their division.

 

[MIB]

And to make things all the sweeter in the desert, they just won their first playoff game too!

 

[JM1776]

And to make things all the sweeter in the desert, they just won their first playoff game too!

As I expected. They have now completely fulfilled my expectations for them this year. Let's see:

• Winning record? Check
• Division title? Check
• Playoff win? Check
• Acknowledgment as possessed of the best receiving corps in football? Check

Anything else is gravy.

 

[Thurisaz]

I know Manning is great, but why is everyone so quick to pick the colts over SD? Keep in mind I was raised a Baltimore Colt fan, so I always root against them, which is hard to do because I like Manning.

 

[Sheep]

I know Manning is great, but why is everyone so quick to pick the colts over SD? Keep in mind I was raised a Baltimore Colt fan, so I always root against them, which is hard to do because I like Manning.

In this case, it's not the Colts--it's SD being horribly inconsistent.

 

[nevermore]

Here we go into overtime and SD has the ball. GO CHARGERS!!!

 

[1001001]

Overtime in San Diego!

Congrats to the Cardinals. It looked for a second like they were going to try to give it away late in the game. Atlanta's defense on 3-16 needs some serious work....




I think Arizona won the game on the line of scrimmage today. Solid running game, kept time of possession in their favor, and they protected Warner. On defense, they stiffled Turner and pressured Ryan into a lot of weak throws.

Nicely done.