Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Under Review/Preview- Playoffs



We're back suckers with more NFL questions. Like long time reader Hill says: "You guys love answering questions." We do. This isn't a lie. Enjoy.

Did Indy choke? Or was San Diego better than people realized?



Q: Indy choked. I'm not saying that San Diego is a bad team or that they don't deserve to be playing in the AFC title game. They played well and showed toughness by winning despite major injuries to their three best offensive players. That said, Indy still choked. I don't care that they were also nicked up a bit (Harrison, Sanders, and Addai all missing some time in the game), the fact is that they had the better team and simply couldn't get it done when it mattered. I'm always amazed when a guy like Peyton Manning, a habitual choke artist, has one good playoff run (last year) and all of a sudden everyone thinks that guy isn't supposed to choke anymore. He struggles in big games and he proved it once again.

Dogg: I don’t think Indy choked at all. SD was 14-2 last year and had some new coaches come in this year with new schemes. It usually takes time for these schemes to develop and SD has more talent than most football teams in this league. Their defense might be the most talented group of players I’ve seen in quite some time. They were banged up most of the year and now are at full strength so this team has always been dangerous. Offensively, they have Gates, Chambers and LT, which enough said. Those 3 can make enough plays to keep you in any football game.

Fuzz: San Diego did fly under people’s radar this year, but Indy still pissed it away. Indy was defending Superbowl champs playing on their home turf---no reason you should lose that game. You could play the injury card with Indy with Freeney out for the season and Harrison playing only a couple plays, but San Diego lost LT and Rivers during the game and Gates was playing with four toes. Yet after all that, they still happened to pull off a win in the RCA dome. I understand San Diego is a pretty good team, but Indy is too and they blew it 100%. The question I have is if Tony Dungy retires, do they even need to hire a head coach? Could we see Peyton be the first ever NFL player/head coach? I think they still would win 10 games with this scenario.

Will Dallas ever win a playoff game with Tony Romo? Was Romo the problem again this year? Also, if you were Jerry Jones would you fire Wade Phillips on the basis that you have a hot commodity coordinator (Jason Garrett) in the waiting?



Fuzz: Tony Homo will win a playoff game but he’s doing a good job of increasing the pressure to win one in the future. Botched fumble last year and a last second pick in the end zone to kill off Dallas’ late comeback this year. He needs to win one ASAP or else he’ll get the media pressure that Peyton Manning, Phil Mickelson, and any other star that took a while to achieve greatness. I think the expression is: “he needs to get the monkey off his back.” The Jason Garrett thing is interesting. It’s a little similar to what happen here with Brad Childress & Mike Tomlin. How do you fire a coach you just hired a year ago? Minnesota was in a different scenario than Dallas because Childress was never a head coach before. Wade Phillips has been around the block and is a little older. Can’t you pull what NBC did with Conan & Leno? Leno is our guy but we don’t want to lose Conan so we’ll promise him the main job in five years. Five years is an eternity for the NFL but something like a two-year wait wouldn’t be bad. Dallas is one of the few premier jobs in the league so something like that might be worth waiting for.

Dogg: Dallas will win a playoff game with Tony Romo. It’s tough beating a team 3 times in one year and might’ve been a different story with a healthy T.O. I don’t think Romo is the problem at all. He’s a very good QB that wants to win as badly as any other player. He’s always positive which you need in order to be a successful QB in this league. Jerry Jones is a tool and don’t want to pretend to be him but that the answer is no.


Q: Ok, how about everyone just take a deep breath and calm down with all of the Romo bashing. This was his first full season as a starting quarterback in the NFL. He lead his team to within a chipshot field goal to win a playoff game last year and this year led the 'Boys to the #1 seed in the NFC. Roughly a year and a half and he has those credentials already. I'd say that's pretty good. He'll be fine as will the rest of this Dallas team.

As for Phillips, I don't really know a lot about him as a coach other than he's never won a playoff game. It seems like he did a pretty good job this year and it would be tough to fire a guy after a 13-win season (though that can happen, can't it Marty Schottenheimer?). I know Garrett is going to garner a lot of attention, but this was his first year as a coordinator. I'd say he needs to prove it at least one more year before you just hand him the reigns to the franchise.

Between Seattle and Jacksonville, who has the better year next year? Both were good teams but weren’t quite good enough this season. Do these teams learn from this year and “bring it” next year?


Dogg: I thought Seattle has been going downward for about 4 years but somehow keep winning their poor division. I personally don’t think they’re that great of a team so I’ll take Jacksonville to have a better year. Garrard came into his own this year and think he will be a premiere QB next year. Del Rio is tough and always has a good defense so they will always compete. If Fred Taylor stays healthy, the Jags could be very dangerous again next year. If Seattle wants to do anything, they better get a running game and that isn’t happening with Shaun Alexander.


Q: Easy, Jacksonville. There are two reasons for this: David Garrard and Shaun Alexander. Garrard just finished his first season as a starter and looked very impressive. One could assume that he will continue that level of play and possibly get better next year. If he does continue his development, with the running game and defense that the Jags have, they could be a very dangerous team in 2008. The other reason why Jacksonville is the easy pick is because Seattle still has Alexander, the human tackling dummy, as their feature back. There might not be a worse starting running back in the NFL than that fucking pussy. He might be the easiest person in the league to tackle. And this is the guy you're going to lean on for yet another season? Really? Good luck with all that.

Fuzz: Tough question. Props to the gentleman who asked it...Haha. Anyways, I think Jacksonville is a lot better team than Seattle, but Seattle plays in a far inferior conference & division than Jacksonville does. I don’t see Seattle losing the division crown even next year. San Francisco? Please! They falter every year after people jump on their bandwagon. Same with Arizona. But at least they were .500 this year and think they are Seattle’s toughest divisional opponent.

The Rams almost went winless so I’m not even including them. That puts Seattle at 10+ wins again. Jacksonville on the other hand still has Indy, Tennessee and a plucky Houston team. I like the Jags though and if they don’t f-up this off-season they could be right there again. Plus, the AFC south is matched up the NFC north next year, so the Jags have one loss from the dominant Vikings squad next year. Even after all that, I still like the Jags to have a better year. The better team always prevails in my opinion. Seattle only “brings it” at home but the Jags will go anywhere and beat the shit out of you--- I like the Jags a lot next year.

Any chance the Giants go into Lambeau field and beat Green Bay? What’s the percentage? Secondly, has Eli arrived as a legit quarterback in this league?


Fuzz: Brett Farve. Freezing cold. That freezing cold statistic we all know. Playoff game. Lambeau field---no chance in hell the Giants win this game. I’m not a betting man but I might put some coin on this game. It was only witnessed by a handful of people on Saturday night but I said I like Green Bay going to the Superbowl and it didn’t matter if they played the Cowboys or the Giants. It’s nothing like Dogg backing them for a long time, but I liked them against anyone after their first game. They are a very good team. Then they got a fucking gift-wrapped present when Tony Homo & the boys choked. Even with the Giants current nine-game road-winning streak (ridics), I still say 0% the Giants win. Eli has cemented himself has a top 10 quarterback in this league with his late season run and now winning two big playoff games.

Q: 0% chance the Giants win. Yeah, I said it. It's going to be butt fucking cold in Green Bay this weekend and Elisha has no shot of winning this game. It's going to be a route. The Pack put up 35 points in the middle of a blizzard and won despite spotting Seattle two touchdowns this past weekend. Seriously, you give a playoff opponent a 14-0 lead 5 minutes into the game and then proceed to beat the piss out of them. Who does that? Captain Vicodin and the Fudge Packers, that's who. Don't be surprised when you see the following line in the newspaper on Monday: Packers 38, Giants 17.


No, Elisha is not legit. Just because you win a couple of playoff games doesn't excuse a below average career. Granted, the state of quarterbacks in the NFL right now is not good, but the younger Manning still has a lot to show me before I call him legit.

Dogg: I liked the Packers since day 1 and I’ll stick with them against the Giants. I don’t see GB losing at home this time of year. I think the chances of NY playing well for a 3rd straight game is about 5%. Eli has always been a solid QB and that is still what he is. He isn’t Peyton but he’s no slouch either.

San Diego and New England don’t seem to like each other, what are your overall thoughts on this game? Is it going to be chippy? A blowout? The best game of the year? Give me a little forecasting…



Q: Things could get interesting in the Northeast this weekend. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that San Diego has much of a chance, but the weather reports have the New England area getting as much as 14 inches of snow between now and the game on Sunday. Weather like that can even up the most lopsided of matchups. Of course, if that d-bag Bellichick gives Maroney a bunch of carries, then the Patriots will have their trip to the desert locked up in no time. But we all know that he wants his boyfriend Brady to get his stats and will throw even when it is not advisable. That will keep this game closer than many think. That said, the Patriots still prevail by the count of 24-21.

Dogg: This will all depend on who is playing for San Diego. They are going to be dinged up and the way Tom Brady is throwing the football, it’s just about impossible to pick against New England right now. Merriman will have to cause some serious havoc if San Diego has a chance. I’ve always said that the team to beat New England will have to have a pass rusher who can get to Brady consistently and make big plays. Cause a fumble or pick to the house is what you need against them to have a shot. Merriman is definitely that guy but don’t think they’ll have the firepower to stick with Brady and Co. It will probably get a little chippy just like every other playoff game should.


Fuzz: I was looking forward to another instant classic between the Colts and the Patriots this weekend but that’s obviously not going to happen. I still like this match-up because in last year’s playoffs the Patriots marched into San Diego, won and then did the Shawn Merriam dance in front of all the fans that pretty much said: Fuck you. The players especially LT, were fired up after that game saying the Patriots were classless. Now they get a great opportunity to return the favor. One thing though, New England hasn’t lost a frickin game. This is my dilemma though: I hate the Patriots and I hate Green Bay. I have great respect for both teams but I’m not a fan. The last thing I want is a Green Bay Superbowl. That would be another blow to the Vikings fan base. I also wouldn’t mind seeing the cocky juggernaut that is New England fall either. However, if San Diego wins and Green Bay wins, I like Green Bay’s chances to win another Superbowl. I’m stuck. Yeah, this sucks…

Last question and it’s an easy one: What’s your Superbowl matchup?


Dogg: New England vs. Green Bay……GB becomes SB champs! Lovin it!!!!!

Q: Packers v. Patriots. It's the easiest and most logical choice at this point.

Fuzz: I’m with the other fellas---New England vs. Green Bay. It’s the majority opinion but I don’t see it any other way. And if you guys see Dogg tied to a large oak tree during a lighting storm it's because of his "lovin it" comment above.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Patriots v. Green Bay in the SB.

Pats win 10000-3, thanks to a Mason Crosby field goal late.

Brady is the man!!