NFL playoffs...

[Knox The Hatter]

Tell ya what, folks...if the Philadelphia Eagles lose today, after having suited up the vendors and the rest room attendants to play the game against Cincinnati, Andy Reid's gonna wish he had never been born.

Only proven winners can get away with something like that. Back in the Punch Imlach era, the Toronto Maple Leafs used to struggle to make that final playoff spot, giving everyone heartburn. They would get that final seed...and three weeks later, there's Bob Pulford and George Armstrong carrying off the Stanley Cup. Happened a lot, this scenario. Why? Because it was a team that knew how to win when it truly mattered. Today, unfortunately, it's the opposite. Leafs get 106 points and a big bagel. That is, when they play hockey. The owners are losing less money by locking everyone out than they would if they played, so...Armpit Licker and the rest of that mob might best learn how to enjoy watching Golf. Sorry, guys. Can you say, "Mulligan"?

The Eagles have proven that they're...well...losers. The last three years have shown this. If they lose today, Andy Reid's gonna wish he was Grady Little.

Of course, if Randy Moss wins, well, that's a whole new societal problem to deal with 😛

 

[ElectricEye72]

The Eagles wont lose today and Randy will be a Raider before all is said and done. The more important issue is that the Jets lost and I blame offensive coordinator Paul Hackett who doesnt believe in vertical passing! If Hackett stays I turn into a Giants fan next year! About hockey... I was a big Ranger fan but this lockout which according to Wayne Gretsky will last 2 YEARS!!! Will make NHL hockey in the USA look like pro-lacrosse. Sorry folks hockey is now a dead sport, I watch pro-wrestling now in its place. Hey its silly and fake but its damn fun and fun is what life should be all about not strikes!

 

[Dave2112]

I still can't believe the Jets missed two potential game-winning field goals! This is what kickers get paid for! I mean, yeah, the first one was 47 yards, not a chip-shot by any stretch of the imagination (the same distance, by the way, that Scott Norwood tried from to lose Super Bowl XXV). But the second attempt was 42 yards with negligible wind, and it wasn't even close!

However, the Jets did show that the Steelers are not unbeatable and that Big Ben is a rookie after all. If Indy gets past New England, they can give Pittsburgh a hell of time. Of course, that depends on if the zebras decide to let the plays decide the game in Gilette and not another fifteen holding penalties curiously restricted to the Pats' red zone only.

I still say the Vikes have a good shot today (although I'll probably be writing a retraction in a few posts once the game is over). Wouldn't it just piss the world off to have 8-8 Minny go to the Super Bowl? 😎

 

[Neutron]

Uh..

The Eagles wont lose today and Randy will be a Raider before all is said and done. The more important issue is that the Jets lost and I blame offensive coordinator Paul Hackett who doesnt believe in vertical passing! If Hackett stays I turn into a Giants fan next year! About hockey... I was a big Ranger fan but this lockout which according to Wayne Gretsky will last 2 YEARS!!! Will make NHL hockey in the USA look like pro-lacrosse. Sorry folks hockey is now a dead sport, I watch pro-wrestling now in its place. Hey its silly and fake but its damn fun and fun is what life should be all about not strikes!

The Jets lost because Hackett WAS trying to establish a vertical passing game. Dierdorf is a fucking idiot. It's the 4th Quarter and he's talking about how the Jets are doing what's right in trying to establish a vertical passing game. EXCUSE ME!!! The fact their QB had thrown for 169 Yards and an INT that late in the game shows they hadn't established it, and they weren't about to do so. They blew it in that Martin was starting to move some people, they should have stuck with it. It was assisnine in OT to have Martine gain 12 yeards on 1st and 15, then throw deep. Had they stuck with Martin until Pittsburgh had stopped him they might have gone on in the playoffs, then again had the kicker DONE HIS JOB it would have been a moot point. Sad thing is, the Jets called the best play of the playoffs when they ran that short delay screen to Martin that set up the second missed field goal. They took advantage of the Steelers aggressiveness at the very moment they knew they'd be most aggressive.
Too bad the next play they called the dumbest play of the playoffs when they had Pennington kneel on a snap. I guess they'd never seen the Joe Psicsarsyk (may have spelled that wrong) game when the Giants took one too many snaps and lost a game because of a fumble. Rule of thumb, trust your defense and special teams before you trust the most risky moment in football, that being the snap.

The Raiders ain't about to sign Moss. They'll draft a receiver first.

Tron

 

[Dave2112]

Totally on the same page as Tron here. Doug Brien missed the field goals, but as was the case in my above mentioned Scott Norwood reference, the team did little to put him in a better position. I completely agree that the ground game was seriously getting to the Steelers late in the game and overtime, and trying to force a vertical game wasn't the best idea. And that kneel-down? Please. (I remember that Giants game...what a stupid way to lose a game!)

However, I still say the Jets played a relatively good game against a superior Pittsburgh team at home. Especially the defense and special teams, who provided 14 of thier 17 points.

As far as Randy Moss goes, I don't see him going to the Raiders, or anyone else for that matter. The Vikings have him in a contract that would cost more in salary-cap hits to let him go than to keep him. Way too much bonus money that would have to be paid and would count against the cap, which is pretty tight to begin with. Add to that the fact that Red McCombs is trying to sell the team, and they'll save every cap cent they can. (I still can't get used to the possibility of rooting for the Los Angeles Vikings...)

 

[desdemona]

Originally posted by Dave2112:

(I still can't get used to the possibility of rooting for the Los Angeles Vikings...)

🙁 Which is one of the reasons I don't watch anymore. I remember when it was the Baltimore Colts, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis didn't have a team, the original Cleveland Browns, and the Bengals weren't an embarassment. Which is why I now stick to college football - and Big Ten at that (I already know what you think of it Tron, so hold your acid tongue 😛). BTW...one of the reasons I hate visiting Gatlinburg (which I do once a year on a group trip) is seeing all that orange...hope you get used to it, friend!

 

[TickledToDeath]

Possible SB match-ups

Eagles v Colts---good game
Eagles v Pats--good game but I am tired of New England.
Eagles v Steelers--Damn good game but we would never hear the end of it from the Pa. fans. That would be like the Jets and Giants being in the SB.
Minnesota v Colts---a so so game. Colts would probably blow them off the field.
Vikings v Pats---another so so game. Probably too one sided but then again, stranger things have happened.
Vikings v Steelers---real good game but the Steelers would/should dominate.

Atlanta v Colts---Friggin Damn good game! Anything could happen! In my opinion the BEST match up.

Atlanta v Steelers---Another Damn friggin good game. An equally great match-up.

Atlanta v Pats---see ya New England. Atlanta wins big time.

So far to this date and time....16 Jan 2005 1318(118pm)
Steelers,Atlanta did their job.
Today ?
Should be Eagles and Colts.

Championship games? Atlanta v Eagles
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Steelers v Colts

Superbowl?
Atlanta v Colts I kinda don't think the Steelers can protect against Manning and his passing game.

I could be wrong.🙄 😉 😛

TTD

 

[Neutron]

Oh I Do Agree Dave..

The Jets played an outstanding game against a very physical team, in fact two physical teams over the last 2 weeks.

If they hadn't played an outstanding game we wouldn't be discussing what they should have done 🙂 I happen to like Herm Edwards as a coach, and a man. He displays a lot of class but that kneel down was STILL plain DUMB!!!

My hat goes off to the Jets because I feel in many ways they played the best game of the playoffs and showed why we bother with playoff games at all.

Tron

 

[ElectricEye72]

Trust Paul!!

LA is getting an expansion team and Commisioner Tagliabue stopped the Bengals from moving and strongly discourages teams from "team free agency". This problem was highlighted during the Browns move but the Browns became the Ravens and Cleveland STILL has their Browns (God help them!). Tagliabue is a commisioner who gets things done and one of the things he wanted done is to stop teams from moving from town to town and he stopped the Bengals and the Raiders who that nutcase Al Davis wanted to put BACK in LA. Just trust in the Commisoner folks, hell make things right in the end!

 

[Neutron]

Wrong..

Davis got what he wanted out of Oakland, and the Bengals got what they wanted out of Cincy, ie tax incentives.

Legally it's already been established the NFL can't stop a team from moving. They're considered an open business in that regard.

All the NFL can do is charge an assessment fee for the move. Tagliabu had nothing to do with it.

Tron

 

[Knox The Hatter]

Well, Eagles won. They have to win next week, pure and simple. They can. Whether they will or not, well...we've seen the Eagles.

Boy, New England really closed them down, didn't they? Whether you like 'em or not, New England's a tough team. They will grind you into sawdust. This just might happen to the Steelers.

I'd love to see Herman and Hackett rode out of town on a rail, already. I'm sick and tired of Hackett's 1959 offense, and Herman's not seeing anything wrong with it. I'm also tired of Herman's horseshit press conferences where he's constantly apologizing for people and making excuses. It's like Joe fucking Walton's here again...

 

[toyou444]

The Steelers dominated on all but two plays. Ben threw two bad passes and took full blame (something a quarterback hasn't done around here since Bubby Brister!) They deserved to win based on their offensive production and defensive play...and still got lucky.

Do you think ANYONE on the Jets team knew that no one has ever kicked a 50 yard field goal at Heinz Field? Or that kickers are something like 13 for 50 in the 40+ range? Then they kneel to take two more second off the clock and loose another couple yards?

The Steelers are having the kind of season where all the balls bounce their way. This game they did not and they still won. Hopefully they can give New England a game. I'm tired of hearing how wonderful they are. Brady is pain in the butt who never makes a mistake...its always the receiver or his lineman. There were a minimum of 5 holding penalties not called on the Patriots, including one that even Phil Simms saw! If the Patriots played in a tougher division and lost a few games you would all see the real Brady and Patriots. But they got a cushy schedule (even as the Champs). I won't take away the two super bowl wins...it takes something to do that. But I don't think they are a dynasty. I think they are an above average team who is getting all the breaks right now. I hope that ends in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

~ toyou