2007 NFL Playoffs

[Slayer 0]

10 pages of terrible attempts at humor

Hey now

Well, if we keep snuffbox contained, that should cut it to only 4 pages

[Cartman 0]

I can't wait til Grossman dismantles the Saints! Bears 27-13

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

I don't think Grossman will have to do with the dismantling if that happens.

 

A question posed 'round my neck of the woods: if the Saints winning is going to revitalize and rebuild New Orleans, what happens if they lose? Do we have to reflood it or something? "Sorry, Reggie and Drew: your job was to rebuild this city's ravaged infrastructure by playing football! You have failed and you must pay!"

[snuffbox 0]

10 pages of terrible attempts at humor

Hey now

Well, if we keep snuffbox contained, that should cut it to only 4 pages

 

This hurts me.

[KingPK 0]

(C&Ped from "the other place")

 

Ok, my picks and rationale:

 

Saints/Bears - You know, I want to just pick with my heart like everyone else seems to be doing, but I didn't with my AFC pick, so I'm not doing it here. We've got a dome team coming outdoors in bad weather against a team with a good (but a bit depleted) defense and an offense that hinges on which Rex Grossman decides to show up. Seeing Shaun Alexander able to bust plays right up the middle would be kind of worrying if I was a Bears fan, but I think the passing game will probably end up being a wash because Rex loves throwing it long and the Saints are a bit susceptible to that (the Eagles game). Regardless of the weather, I think Brees and Rex both have pretty decent games. This one will come down to who can run the ball better on a slowed track; Reggie Bush will probably come into play on a couple swing pass plays, but Deuce will probably end up carrying most of the running load. This is actually a pretty tough game to decide and will probably end up being the better of the two games....so maybe I'll go with my heart after all.

 

Saints 26, Bears 21

 

Patriots/Colts - I came across an interesting blog entry that looked at teams with below average defenses during the season that won it's first two playoff games with defense. In the third, they all reverted back to the norm. I'm not sold on this sudden Colts defensive "resurgence", I'm just not. Kansas City and Baltimore decided on a game plan, saw that it wasn't quite getting it done....and kept to it anyway. It wasn't the Colts rush defense that beat Baltimore; the Ravens averaged 4.2 yards per rush in that game, it was most likely the Colts not respecting Steve McNair's or his receivers' ability to make plays, putting a ton of pressure on him, and just waiting for him to fold like a cheap tent. As we saw last week in San Diego, in an atmosphere that was just as hostile and loud as the one they'll face in Indy on Sunday, Tom Brady had probably the worst three and a half quarters of his postseason career, but, partly thanks to Troy Brown taking advantage of another instance of Charger stupidity, sucked it up and make the plays when he absolutely had to. New England is not afraid of going on the road; they actually have a BETTER road record (8-1) than home (6-3) this year and knocked off the #1 team in the AFC (and, arguably, the NFL) on the road. If Manning plays like he did in their regular season matchup and they are able to force more turnovers than they give up, the Colts will have a great shot at winning this game. If New England can hold on to the ball, mix in runs and play-action pass to keep Bob Sanders guessing when he should sprint in to stop the run or stay back and play coverage, the "demons" will continue to haunt #18 another offseason.

 

Patriots 30, Colts 20

[HarleyQuinn 0]

I'm curious to see if Manning and Brady continue to make the 'uncharacteristic' errors that we have seen both making in the playoffs.

 

Manning = 1 TD vs. 5 INT (3 against KC, 2 against Baltimore)

Brady = 4 TD vs. 3 INT (all against the Chargers)

[Slayer 0]

Vinny has accounted for 26 of the Colts' 38 points this postseason

 

Ponder that one

[snuffbox 0]

Looks like the espn experts are going with the Saints. Bears fans should be feeling more comfortable with that.

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

Colts win and the Saints win.

[Boon 0]

If the Colts quarterback is to shed his label as a player who can't deliver in the clutch, routinely shrinks from pressure and chokes like Aurora Snow, he will have to overcome the Byzantine and baffling game plans of Bill Belichick.

Yikes.

[Cartman 0]

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

Funnier the first time when they did that with Donovan McNabb.

[alfdogg 0]

And PK wonders why we bash Patriot fans.

[Boon 0]

Hey man, I didn't write it.

[alfdogg 0]

Actually I was referring to Cartman's knee-slapper up there. I shouldn't have been so general, I guess.

[bob_barron 0]

It'll be funnier when the Colts are beating the Pats and he goes: yep, season over

[Hawk 34 0]

Not since the 1996 season have we seen two home teams sweep the championship weekend (GB/NE) and not since the next year after that have the two road teams swept (GB/Denver). From 1998 to 2005, we’ve seen a split between the road and home teams. Keep in mind that during the Brady/Belichick era, they have reached the Super Bowl as a road team in all three previous attempts including a trip to Indianapolis. The last time Chicago hosted the NFC Championship game, they got waxed by San Francisco.

 

The modern history suggests that we’re getting New England Vs Chicago for the Super Bowl, which is probably the least appealing game in terms of hype and for the game itself after seeing the ugly performance between these two earlier this season. With all this said, I’ll finally call my shot and probably be completely off.

 

New England @ Indianapolis

-These teams are hardly strangers to each other. The Manning-Brady war is reaching the 9th installment (Brady leads 6-2). The past two meetings would suggest that Indy has figured out how to tame their nemesis but keep in mind they still haven’t gotten the job done in the postseason where it really matters. The focus of this game as always is between the two Quarterbacks. Each are without question, the faces of the NFL and this meeting is as big as it can get given the circumstances and the history between these two teams. Peyton and Brady haven’t had the best post-season thus far and have depended on their defense to bail them out. That’s expected from NE but surprising for Indianapolis.

 

As for the game itself, it’s going to come down to one of the biggest clichés of them all “whoever makes the fewest mistakes”. That usually gives New England that edge but we’ve seen Indy take advantage lately and given Peyton Manning isn’t going to continue his trend of poor playing but Tom Brady is far more likely to keep coughing up interceptions, that sword swings back to Indianapolis.

 

You can’t mention New England and the playoffs without talking about Adam Vinatieri. The biggest piece of the puzzle to New England’s three championships. He’s on the other side right now where he is perfect at the RCA dome. I hope it doesn’t come down to him because the irony would be far too great. If I hated Indianapolis and was a blind fan, I’d hope to see Adam shank a GW FG and usher New England back to the SB on his leg once again. That won’t happen because the situation will not arrive for that. Indy will win in a total blowout at 28-20.

 

New Orleans @ Chicago

-While Reggie Bush is reviving the Chocolate City, Rex Grossman is currently setting Chicago on Fire because he’s the worst Quarterback to ever Quarterback or something. I don’t know, that’s just what all these “experts” over the radio, networks (not just ESPN but feel free to do another hackneyed rant if you wish) and the people with their blogs.

People want to focus on Rex Grossman’s inconsistency but the true factor for the Bears rests in that defense. The defense has been rattled with injuries and it’s affected their play. Last week, Alexander carved through them and McAllister isn’t a easy stop either. The defense will need to be on its best level to hang with the explosive N.O offense. Grossman will need another solid performance if not a great one but at least needs to avoid making mistakes early. New Orleans offense can be shut down even if Drew Brees is going nuts. That’s what the Chicago defense needs to do. Keep them from the end-zone because Brees will find a way to amass many yards.

The sad thing about Chicago winning this game will be that it’s going to be more about the ‘85 Bears then the ‘06 Bears. Especially if NE manages to join them. However, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about seeing The Fridge all over our television the next two weeks because I think New Orleans will capitalize here with that offense and exploit the Chicago defense. In fact, I’ll call for TSM’s favorite son, Reggie Bush to hammer the final nail and score the GW touchdown at the closing minute of the game. New Orleans 30 Chicago 26

[Matt Young 0]

It is still totally surreal knowing that either the Bears or the Saints will be playing in the Super Bowl. But since I like New Orleans and hate hate HATE Chicago, I will be rooting for the Saints.

[Cartman 0]

I saw that on another board and thought it was funny, thats it. Geez.

 

It's either going to be a Colt win by blowout or a close Pats win.

[Boon 0]

...given Peyton Manning isn’t going to continue his trend of poor playing but Tom Brady is far more likely to keep coughing up interceptions, that sword swings back to Indianapolis.

It's a given that one QB will suddenly play better when the other one won't.

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

It is still totally surreal knowing that either the Bears or the Saints will be playing in the Super Bowl. But since I like New Orleans and hate hate HATE Chicago, I will be rooting for the Saints.

How can you like the Sox and Bulls yet hate the Bears? You're sports retarded.

[Matt Young 0]

It is still totally surreal knowing that either the Bears or the Saints will be playing in the Super Bowl. But since I like New Orleans and hate hate HATE Chicago, I will be rooting for the Saints.

How can you like the Sox and Bulls yet hate the Bears? You're sports retarded.

 

Because I have good taste. And technically, I was closer to St. Louis than Chicago despite being in Illinois, so by proximity I should bea Rams fan. But...... eewwwwwwwwwwwww.

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

I hate the whole notion of cherry-picking your teams, but then again, it's easy for me to go straight-ticket. I just think if you root for the Cubs in the summer, you should be rooting for the Bears, Bulls, and Hawks in the winter, and so on. Why love one team and hate another?

[Brett Favre 0]

I agree. What the hell is that?

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

I guess some people can justify why, which may be okay, but liking the Packers and a Chicago team is pretty loathesome.

[Matt Young 0]

I used to watch only the Super Bowl. My first non-SB game was the NFC Championship between Dallas and Green bay. From that day on, I was a Packers fan. That's it.

[snuffbox 0]

I remember the referees having fattened pockets that day.

[Slayer 0]

Keep in mind that during the Brady/Belichick era, they have reached the Super Bowl as a road team in all three previous attempts including a trip to Indianapolis.

In '01 and '04 the Pats went to Pittsbugh for the AFC title game, but in '03 Indy came to Foxboro

[Hawk 34 0]

I guess some people can justify why, which may be okay, but liking the Packers and a Chicago team is pretty loathesome.

 

Having no local NBA or NHL teams, I just took a liking to whichever team generally were more fun to watch. I have no allegiance. Im supposed to like Columbus and Indianapolis/Cleveland via proximity. I never got that. Why should I cheer for the next town over? That's the one thing I hate when people assume I should be a Ohio State fan because I live in the state of Ohio. Toledo is in Ohio, why can't I cheer for them? Same retarded reasoning for liking THE Ohio State University.

 

If you want to be a bandwagon fan, that's cool but don't justify with a "I saw them on TV alot". I see Denver every week but I'm no Bronco fan. It works for Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves fans since those franchises had national televised networks pushing them and for people in areas of no local team, that's all they could get but that doesn't fly today's media empire.

[Hawk 34 0]

Keep in mind that during the Brady/Belichick era, they have reached the Super Bowl as a road team in all three previous attempts including a trip to Indianapolis.

In '01 and '04 the Pats went to Pittsbugh for the AFC title game, but in '03 Indy came to Foxboro

 

Correct. The reference site had their regular season lost that season which occured in RCA Dome right above the 2003 play off game and I misread it. Still stands though that NE is unbeaten in the AFC Championship game (during the SB era) home or away.