CRASHER Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 No write-ups on the AFC Championships games this weekend? Crasher are you still eating lunch??? Steelers/Ravens & Jets/Pats are both going to be better than this year's Superbowl. It's in production now I rushed last week and I wasn't pleased with the effort.... so I wanted to be more on my schedule with it...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) And the road to the NFL's Final Four begins on Saturday! Eight teams, all are worthy (yes even you Seattle...and maybe the Jets too, I'll get to them later )....lots to talk about, and with just four games to ramble about, so let's get to it!!!! Saturday, January 15th: 4:30 pm: Ravens at Steelers: Break out the ice packs, the medkits and the body bags! This one is ALWAYS a slobberknocker (though it sucks that this got the worst time-slot of the weekend, hell its probably the best game and most intense rivalry of the weekend we got too!), just a shame the NFL screwed up and didn't put the Seattle/Bears game here...oh well.....not like you won't be watching this "not for the faint at heart" competition anyway! How they got there: The Steelers got here pretty simple, defense...timely offense....Mendenhall and the un-sack-ability of Rothelsberger (any normal QB would have went down a hundred times behind that sh!t o-line in da 'Burgh!), the Steelers D boasts playmakers like no other team and there's talk of Aaron Smith coming back too which makes that defense even better...the Ravens got here by being one step behind the Steelers and then pounding like veal a "not ready for prime time" Chief team, and exposing Matt Cassel for the piece of football AIDS I knew he was!! How the Ravens can win: Well they did win once, and almost won the second game too, the Ravens should be able to get a pass rush on Ben, but he's used to that...keeping Mike Wallace and Mendenhall in check will help too...this is a big game for Joe Flacco too, does he step up and take the next step to where the Big Boys play (and no I don't mean WCW), or does he not get it done and show he's still a step behind the elite QBs (and give the U-Del nation another reason to cry after they blew it in the one true college football title game)....controlling the game with the running backs and converting 3rd downs....jesus I'm turning hockey cliches into football ones here! So just to break the cliche I give the coaching edge to Harbaugh over Tomlin (he gets too conservative at times) How the Steelers can win: They are the better team...they are home, they have the better QB, and I like the Steelers pass rush and with Smith and Polamalu coming back and a week off to relax and get ready, that's a big advantage, more so with the Ravens all beat up even...and I am aware the difference isn't that big...and the coaching edge to the Ravens can negate that, but the Steelers have been there enough with this team and always seem to find a way to pull it out..... What will happen: The better teams do tend to win this time of year, and the Steelers are a better team... they have just that much more of a playmaking offense and more guys who can do it on defense.... this will be no bore or blowout and you may need a band-aid or two for just WATCHING it... but somehow... like that always seem to.... whip out the Horrible hankies... they live on one more week! 8pm: Green Bay at Atlanta: Well the night game this week is a DAMN good one....these two teams met up about six weeks ago and it was as good and well-contested a game as you were gonna see this year... add in the Packers have a running game and maybe the Saints took some of the aura out of the Georgia Dome by beating them in week 17 (hey at least you get Wrestlemania in Atlanta this year!)....this one promises to be just as good! How they got there: The Packers got here thanks to a timely Jay Cutler interception (and ensuing Chris McCabe Giant fan meltdown, as we joyously invited the Giants to the "no playoffs couch of shame"... and that Eli jersey was never the same since!) and then a solid job of keeping Mike Vick in the kennel, and when you don't let the dog run loose, you're in control! (as good as that was I didn't need to hear Clay Matthews saying he sacked Vick for dog lovers everywhere, you did it cause it's your fvcking JOB you turd!!)....and Atlanta got here through a balanced offense, home field dominance an MVP-type season from Matt Ryan, and a more-physical defense then you'd think! How the Packers can win: No defense in the NFL is designed to make more plays and go for six with them then the Packers do (shut up Steeler fans, they do it better).... no QB is better in football, and more so on the run, then A-Rod is and out of NOWHERE last week the Packers found a running game, welcome to the spotlight James Starks! With a good running game the Packers may be the one team left that has no weaknesses.....this is also Atlanta's first "pressure game" under this current group... how will they respond to the pressure... will the city of Atlanta care? Will Ted Turner nap in the front row?? Oh questions (and the Georgia Dome isn't exactly one of the NFL's feared stadiums to play in) How the Falcons can win: 20-2 in the dome is Matt Ryan.... and a lot of this is gonna be ON HIM, can he and Roddy White and Gonzo make enough plays without making the critical mistake.... can the Atlanta defense get to A-Rod, and is this running game a one game wonder? It could be (though the Eagles are good defensively).... Atlanta was 7-1 at home for a REASON after all.... What will happen I like the Falcons...a LOT... I really do, I think they're a VERY good football team that made the big jump from "okay" to "contender" and this core is young enough outside of a few that they should be back for a few years.... but I really felt that if the Packers got in, they are good enough to go all the way....so let me use a TNA phrase in the land of WCW..."sorry 'bout yo' DAMN LUCK"....A-Rod finds a way late to lead the Packers to one game from the BIG one...... Sunday January 17th: 1pm: Seattle at Chicago: And now we shift gears to Sunday... and maybe the LEAST likely playoff game ever.... well for this week.....the Cinderella Seahawks try to keep the glass slippers on and hope they can dig into the icy turf of Chicago!!! How they got there: The Bears took as strange a path as any team ever to a bye week....good defense and passing the ball left, right and sideways tend to NOT mix in the NFL, more so when you look at the sub-par receivers they have in Chicago.... having an all-purpose back like Matt Forte helps, and the defense stayed healthy and was able to cover up for a few Cutler/Martz mistakes... and not to mention Special Teams play that was truly capable of breaking ANY game open.... and I think we all know how the 7-9 Seahawks got past the Saints by winning the "first to tackle Marshawn Lynch" match... sadly, the Saints are still trying too....... How Seattle can win: They DID win in Chicago once before this year.... (go figure their only legit road win of the season), when Hasselbeck's on he's better then Jay Cutler.... the Bears WILL tackle Lynch a few times so it won't be as easy, but the Seahawks do boast a defense that can make plays too.... pity this game wasn't on Saturday... word is that Pete Carrol is good with high-priced athletes in big games on Saturdays (yes I stole the line, eat me )... but this team is obviously better then their record, and they better milk this run NOW, they're gonna pay for it next year.....a Jay Cutler implosion in his first playoff game with the city of Chicago on his ass.... is VERY likely How Chicago can win: The better team, at home in the nasty weather(22 is the high, geesh it's like that HERE...oi), the Bears will play better... ok.... ACTUAL.... defense on the Seahawks, the special teams can and will make plays... maybe not touchdowns but a short field is still a big plus... and how often does Cinderella have two lightning bolts to toss at opponents?? And not to mention the Bears won't be caught off-guard (I don't think the Saints were, I think they were just flawed and got chewed out for it) And I need to add the best line of the week from Scott Wedsel on Maddog Radio: "It rains there too much, their uniforms are ugly and Marshawn Lynch is a jerk, I hate Seattle!!" What will happen: I'm a sick and evil and twisted human being... and "all of this has happened before....all of it will happen again", the Seahawks will walk into the windy city with NOTHING to lose, play loose and free, not make any mistakes and the pressure's gonna get to Jay Cutler... and he's gonna fold... which means Mike Martz won't run the ball even more.... like I said, it's a twisted feeling.... but I'd have considered it more LAST week if I didn't rush and write the damn thing before Thomas and Ivory got dropped on IR.....least the Blackhawks won 4:30pm: Jets at Patriots: The game I need to say the LEAST about... the two teams did it all for me, be it Rex's normal bullsh!t each and every week... Wes Welker's foot-a-palooza comments (sponsored by Dr. Freud himself!)... the whole Hard Knocks stuff and all the crap all year long.... need I say more?? Y'all know the drill and I wanna go get a fvckING SNACK! How they got there: The Patriots got here through balance on offense, growth and maturity on defense from the young players, the best coach and QB combo in the league, and just being able to spread you out and beat you at whatever you can't stop them from doing! The Jets got here through (least to me) the strangest of formulas.... they don't have anything I consider a big time team to need.... no big-time pass rusher... no big-time QB, yes they run the ball and they stop the run like no other... yes the secondary is good... but a secondary's only supposed to be as good as your pass rush... it's all madness I tell ya! (and I think Holmes and Edwards are overrated WRs), but yet... here they are... it kinda makes sense... I lived my life being the exception to every rule, why not be haunted by on that IS? How the Jets can win: Ball control.... the best way to stop Brady is deny him the football.... you can brag all you want about the corners on the WRs all day, but the Patriot backs and tight ends will crucify the jets... getting a little pressure on Brady won't hurt either... and slowing down the running game of Green-Ellis and Joe Theismann's cock-tease won't hurt either! If they can keep it close, the Jets have a sick habit of pulling out games they don't deserve to be in, that can serve them well here.....maybe another gift from Cromartie on special teams too..... How the Patriots can win: SLAP THEM IN THE FACE WITH THEIR WOODCOCK!!! (ok, I'm done now I swear!), they have the better QB, they don't lose at home... the better coach, a rested team.... and like I said, the RB-TE dominance over the Jets in the middle should be more a factor then it was last week (the Pats are better in all those spots then the Colts), the Jet offense doesn't seem capable of putting out 60 minute efforts at all this year... cash in and make a play when they're not clicking.... plus isn't Tomlinson due some annual toenail injury about now??? Be the better team which they are and use their own short game to control the clock and not let the Jets be able to stroll down the field in 8-10 minute chunks by owning the ball yourself! What will happen: I think I kinda made my case already... like with the Packers I think no one's stopping New England in the AFC, and it just happens to be the Jets turn on the rotisserie grill.....too good, too deep, and no big weakness that the Jets can cash in on....and add the mutual hatred here and there will be no quarter given! Edited January 14, 2011 by CRASHER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 ...note to self... never use facebook as the typing and format editor... IT BLOWS!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted January 16, 2011 Author Share Posted January 16, 2011 All I gotta say about this 3rd Quarter.....WOW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted January 16, 2011 Author Share Posted January 16, 2011 So let's see..... the Packers came out and destroyed the Falcons like it was a Madden '11 game.... And oh let's talk a little Baltimore Ravens football shall we Key drops by the possession receivers of DOOM in the 2nd half, and the Steeler WR's made some HUGE plays (Sanders and Wallace are underrated playmakers) Ray Rice.... from RUTGERS.... the big fumble that really turned the game around....oh boy! Flacco a terrible INT in the 3rd..... and the Steelers LIT UP the "Vaunted" Ravens defense in the 2nd Half Hey at least Billy Cundiff made all his kicks!!! ...... say something funny Manta!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overtime98 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Falcons did not show up yesterday. lets go patriots and bears today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted January 16, 2011 Author Share Posted January 16, 2011 Falcons did not show up yesterday. Untrue, Green Bay is really THAT good....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerrydevil Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 That's an extremely disappointing performance by the Ravens, from their point of view. All the things Crasher mentioned, plus letting a receiver get past the safeties for a bomb on third-and-19. Awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 That's an extremely disappointing performance by the Ravens, from their point of view. All the things Crasher mentioned, plus letting a receiver get past the safeties for a bomb on third-and-19. Awful. I'm not shocked about the third-and-19 play. The Ravens D has been susceptible to the big play all year. Just watch week 17 when Carson Palmer's dead carcass drove the Bengals down the field with no timeouts to the 2 in 30 seconds or the MNF game where the Texans made big play after big play to send the game to OT. What bugged me was the Steelers weren't coming back in this game unless the Ravens gave it to them, and they did. Good on that Steeler for causing the Rice fumble, but that just shouldn't happen. The Steelers were having trouble getting a first down and they gave a dead team the ball inside the 30. You could feel the Steelers and the crowd get confidence in .5 seconds. Then add the terrible Flacco throw and a botched Center-QB exchange...brutal. Steelers took the lead without having to drive for a TD. I will say this though...the holding call on the punt return TD was a weak-as-sh!t call. I loved watching the replay twice as dierdorf tried to find the penalty. The Steelers defender fell down to try and get a call and got one. Ravens still had their chances after that including a 1st and goal. Question. And I know you can easily blame TJ, but did anyone think for a second Flacco had a chance at driving for the game tying score against the Steelers D? The Ravens get incredible field position thanks to an awful squib kick (can any team figure out how to properly kick a ball late in the game where it doesn't have a chance at a giant return like Cromartie last week, but also not like the one the Steelers did or how the Saints were kicking to Washington either?). First Flacco misses a wide open Heap for 20 yards by a mile then throws an even worse deep sideline pass where Mason has to make an amazing play for it not to be an INT. He did throw a great pass on 4th down though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Untrue, Green Bay is really THAT good....... We'll find out next week...they had all they could handle in Lambeau against a Bears team at 90% intentsity just a couple weeks ago, assuming lightning doesn't strike twice they'll have to play them at Soldier Field with all the marbles on the line. Of course part of me wants to see another upset just for the absurdity of a 9-9 Seahawks team hosting the NFC Championship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 [quote name='CRASHER' timestamp='1295187622' post='980932' ...... say something funny Manta!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Two #1s bite the dust. Just goes to show that playoff seedings are meaning less and less in the NFL...we're approaching NHL status in terms of seeding significance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Great job Bill. Way to have your guys prepared. Embarrassed twice in a row at home in the playoffs. And if hear one more word about Brady's unbeaten streak at home...0-2 at home in his last two in the playoffs. How about that streak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 I really have to sit here and wonder why in the blue hell did the Patriots try to become a ground n pound team today.... ran the ball WAY too much... it almost felt like they overrated the film from the Colts last week and thought they had something there..... Least I'm back in the top 3 in my picks pool again...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Oh NOW you jizzbuckets score. Way to be clutch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 That was definitely the worst-coached game I've ever seen from BB...that fake punt before the first half, really? And I almost thought they were getting cocky in the fourth quarter, taking their time driving the field on that 14-play drive like they were up ten instead of down ten. They ran the clock out better than we did Of course I thought we were doomed beyond belief when we choked away points after that INT by Harris in the first quarter I really thought not getting a TD would be huge - of course I never imagined we'd hold NE to 14 for like 59 minutes of the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) After watching all the games in the playoffs and watching as many games every Sunday, I definitely think Aaron Rodgers needs to be put in the Brady/Manning/Brees top QB tier. Rodgers looks every bit as impressive as those guys and might have more natural ability. He has an absolute gun of an arm. I think he could sling one in there better than those guys. The key difference between Rodgers and those guys is he can run the ball as well as anyone not named Vick. He becomes so dangerous with his feet. You'll never see any of those other guys take off, but the Packers can go 5 wide and Rodgers can pick up a big 3rd down with his legs all day. No way the Jets could shutdown Rodgers like they did Manning last week and Brady this week. We'll see what happens in the next few weeks. But I think Rodgers is pretty much there. His performance on Saturday was as good of a playoff performance as you'll ever see. That was definitely the worst-coached game I've ever seen from BB...that fake punt before the first half, really? And I almost thought they were getting cocky in the fourth quarter, taking their time driving the field on that 14-play drive like they were up ten instead of down ten. They ran the clock out better than we did Of course I thought we were doomed beyond belief when we choked away points after that INT by Harris in the first quarter I really thought not getting a TD would be huge - of course I never imagined we'd hold NE to 14 for like 59 minutes of the game. Never read these comments, but I said pretty much the exact same thing in the Jets thread. Edited January 17, 2011 by devilsrule33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Well we did hold Rodgers and the Packers to 9 points when they came up here, and three of them were a gimme late when we had to go for it on fourth down in our territory and crapped out. What doesn't get talked about with the Packers is their defense and the D saved their bacon against the Bears that last game of the season when the offense did nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) Interesting quotes coming from New England: "We trust the decision Patrick makes," Mesko told a small group of reporters, including Jeff Howe of NESN.com. "It just didn’t work out in that particular occasion. That’s why the coaches trust him to run it, and that's why they give him the green light, if he has it."The Jets stopped Chung and four plays later scored a touchdown to go up 14-3. It was one of the turning points of the game. "We just made a bad mistake," coach Bill Belichick said, declining to elaborate further. http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4691965/botched-fake-punt-hurts-pats I guess Chung saw something he really liked on that play, but just couldn't catch the damn snap. Still don't think on your own side of the field in the first half is the right time to do it. Edited January 17, 2011 by devilsrule33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravisZajac Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Hey Manta was a great game, even though the Steelers kind of dominated the Ravens 126 total offense lol I gotta ask how Boldin and Housha made such an huge impact compared to last years..I mean, both dropped important passes and they got outplayted by rookies o.o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 That was definitely the worst-coached game I've ever seen from BB...that fake punt before the first half, really? And I almost thought they were getting cocky in the fourth quarter, taking their time driving the field on that 14-play drive like they were up ten instead of down ten. They ran the clock out better than we did Of course I thought we were doomed beyond belief when we choked away points after that INT by Harris in the first quarter I really thought not getting a TD would be huge - of course I never imagined we'd hold NE to 14 for like 59 minutes of the game. Brady and BB (as the Patriot HC) are 14-5 in the playoffs, but both really have to look at themselves in the mirror after this one...especially BB. This is three straight playoffs losses now. Two of them were at home (both seasons saw the Pats go undefeated at home in the regular season). And in two of them, the Pats were considered heavy favorites. And in all three losses, the Pats had faced their opponent during the regular season, so it wasn't like BB wasn't familiar with what he was up against. I don't want to take a thing away from the Giants, Ravens, or Jets, but this is the third straight playoff game where he was clearly outcoached, and where the other team seemed to want it more than his own. In a way the Pats probably weren't as good as their 14-2 record suggested, because they had a lot of breaks go their way in the regular season. What's scary is the Jets really didn't execute as well as they could have, especially on offense...Sanchez had guys open that he missed. What I really hated about the whole missed fake punt thing was the message I thought it sent to the Jets...hey, we don't think we're good enough to beat you, so even though we're only down by four points we're going to rely on gimmicks now. One thing that's gone now from Patriotland is the magic, the mojo. They'll still likely finish with 11 or so wins next season, and Brady will put up gaudy numbers, but no one fears them anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 What I really hated about the whole missed fake punt thing was the message I thought it sent to the Jets...hey, we don't think we're good enough to beat you, so even though we're only down by four points we're going to rely on gimmicks now. I started thinking that even MORE when they pulled that dopey gimmicky reverse to Edelmann on the series after.... to start going THAT deep into the bag of tricks was reeking of desperation in a time it was NOT called for ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I started thinking that even MORE when they pulled that dopey gimmicky reverse to Edelmann on the series after.... to start going THAT deep into the bag of tricks was reeking of desperation in a time it was NOT called for ...... Again, from the quotes it is looking like BB didn't make that call. Chung has a green light if he sees something he likes from the Jets punt-return formation, and he fvcked up. I thought the reverse was good play and it worked. They weren't executing with anything else they were running all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOTCB Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 If the Jets win 2 more games....two things will happen for sure: 1. 2012 IS a reality: bunker down and take cover 2. I am a full fledged CFL fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losdiablos103 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 If the Jets win 2 more games....two things will happen for sure: 1. 2012 IS a reality: bunker down and take cover 2. I am a full fledged CFL fan And you can go fvck yourself in between.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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