Official NFL Discussion Thread

[KingofKings2525]

Originally Posted by TheHutch23

I still contend that the Falcons benefitted from a softer schedule, otherwise it would have taken a season or two to have gotten where they did. But the bottom line is that they got there, and I am glad that it helps them move past Vick that much sooner. Of course, I'm a Saints fan so I'm not TOO happy about them doing better

Good for the Cardinals, but their record playing out east is atrocious. I am certain the Giants would make short work of them, and I don't think their chances against the Panthers would be much better.

Yes, the Falcons are last year's Browns.

[TeeRay]

Picks for next week:

Chargers over Pittsburgh
I think the Chargers are going on a revenge tour that started with Indy and will continue with Pittsburgh. I trust Phillip Rivers more than I trust Big Ben. It'll be low-scoring, but close, just like last time they met.

Baltimore over Tennessee
Can't explain why, but i'm just smelling an upset. Baltimore's defense is scary good.

Eagles over Giants
Eagles are hot, Giants have sputtered lately.

Panthers over Cardinals
I really wanted to pick Cardinals because I think Kurt Warner should win another Super Bowl, but the Panthers are just way better.

As for a predicted Super Bowl match-up:

Chargers vs. Eagles

[Scotch]

Repeating this year folks

[Strider]

The Ravens crushed the Dolphins today. The defense assaulted Chad Pennington, who had a nightmarish game, and Ed Reed was simply terrific. I think the Ravens have a serious shot at beating and upsetting the Titans next weekend. I wouldn't be terribly surprised if they won.

Although Donovan McNabb had a solid game, I'd say the player of the game was none other than David Akers, who kicked for 4 good field goals. The Eagles looked pretty good out there, and their game against the Giants is going to be awesome and exciting. It could go either way.

Strider

[TheHutch23]

Chargers over Pittsburgh
Will the Steelers rush Big Ben back into action too early? Would Leftwich be reliable like he was during the regular season?

Baltimore over Tennessee
A close contest, like back in October, but the Ravens' roll will go through Nashville.

Giants over Eagles
NY want to get back to the show, while the Eagles are notorious for disappointing.

Panthers over Cardinals
Without the safe confines of home, Arizona's season comes to an end.

[RicochetShaw]

My Super Bowl Prediction:


Eagles vs. Ravens

[Cosimo]

ravens look the strongest

[Darth Kenshin]

Originally Posted by La Motta

ravens look the strongest

seriously... Ed Reed is a real-life cheat code.

[Rated R]

Originally Posted by RicochetShaw

My Super Bowl Prediction:


Eagles vs. Ravens

That would be awful...



I will say that I am in no way upset about the Dolphins loss on Sunday. After becoming the only team in history to go from a one-win season to the playoffs, what did I freaking want? A Superbowl win? That would have been unreasonable. Great season, soft schedule yes, but it made being a Dolphins fan fun.

Good article at the Miami Herald website.

[horrorfreak13]

Originally Posted by RicochetShaw

My Super Bowl Prediction:


Eagles vs. Ravens

No offense to both teams I know they are good but if that happens I will so fall asleep if this is the matchup.

I don't see the Eagles beating the Giants and the Ravens I think get there if they can avoid Pittsburgh which I don't think happens.

I say the Super Bowl right now ends up being Pittsburgh vs either Giants/Carolina.

I think Tennessee can be beaten by Baltimore I see that being the only underdog that i think can win.

[franky4fingerz]

Originally Posted by KingofKings2525

Yes, the Falcons are last year's Browns.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! I will remember this post so I can throw it back at you next season. No fuckin way in hell ATL is gonna be bad next year.

[KingofKings2525]

I'm sorry, but they had a pretty cake schedule and nearly every one of their wins was against teams with a losing record.

[KingofKings2525]

Originally Posted by Darth Kenshin

seriously... Ed Reed is a real-life cheat code.

Great quote - I'm going to steal it. He is an f'n machine!

[bigred760]

Originally Posted by KingofKings2525

I'm sorry, but they had a pretty cake schedule and nearly every one of their wins was against teams with a losing record.

Yeah, they had the Lions and the Rams on the schedule. But they also beat the Panthers, the Chargers, the Vikings, and Philadelphia - all playoff teams. Plus they played in the toughest division in the NFL.

[franky4fingerz]

well we lost to philly (thanks refs). I'll give it to you that atl had a few easy games, but the ground that they built this year isn't going away any time soon.

[Darth Kenshin]

Originally Posted by bigred760

Yeah, they had the Lions and the Rams on the schedule. But they also beat the Panthers, the Chargers, the Vikings, and Philadelphia - all playoff teams. Plus they played in the toughest division in the NFL.

important to note that the Chargers and VIkings wins were late in the season, on the road. Cleveland only had 3 road wins in 2007: @ Rams, @ Jets, andd @ Ravens... all teams who were supposed to pick in the top 7 or 8 (Bmore traded... don't remember where they were, but you get the point). Atlanta's running game and clutch play from Ryan will ensure that they're competative for years to come. Are they 11-5 next year? Probably not, but they won't implode like the Browns.

[Nazgul]

Go Giants!!

[BankaiZaraki]

From the Ravens beating the Titans today(YES!) and Cardinals single handily destroying Carolina's morale..I can see this happening

Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh
Arizona vs New York

and NFL Championship

New York vs. Baltimore

[sbunn10]

FUCK

[Darth Kenshin]

wow... what happened to the Carolina Panthers from the regular season? I knew their defense was shaky, but still... wow

[Strider]

Wow.

Calling the Cardinals' upset win over the Panthers "surprising" would be a huge understatement. What a shocking victory. I expected the Panthers to win the game easily. I certainly didn't see the Cardinals beating the Panthers at home (much less blow them out of the water), and neither did the entire sports media. Could the Cardinals get to the Super Bowl? Well, they have a shot. I wouldn't count them out. Nobody expected them to beat the Falcons last week or the Panthers tonight -- look at them now.

I'm not surprised by the Ravens' victory over the Titans. I never bought the Titans as more than just a great regular season team. I never thought they had a chance at reaching the Super Bowl. The Ravens are looking great, and they're pretty fucking scary too. If they win the AFC championship and get to the Super Bowl, I won't be surprised. Defense wins championships, right?

Strider

[bigred760]

You know, I'm not as bummed as I was last week when the Falcons lost to this team. Falcons didn't look as bad as the Panthers . . . they only lost by six on the road.

The Cardinals kept rolling from last week, and it seemed that after Carolina scored on their opening drive, and made it look easy, they thought it was going to be a cake-walk. But then Arizona scored on their next possession, and then the Carolina turnovers started. It was all Arizona from there.

Hell, if the Eagles beat NY, Arizona gets another home game.

[Buck Turgidson]

Watching the Baltimore Raves play football is, as George Carlin would say, like watching old people fuck. Their nearly complete offensive incompetence is just torture to behold. I can't imagine that a PR-savvy guy like Goodell is at all happy at the prospect of this bunch of vicious thugs making it to the Super Bowl, again. If he is, then he's very, very stupid.

My disappointment was somewhat leavened by Carolina biting it, in a big way. The Panthers and the Titans have one major thing in common: they each need an NFL quality QB. Tennessee simply cannot go into next season with that journeyman/neverwas Collins at the helm and I think any chance Delhomme ever had of being more than a flash in the pan from their SB year is well gone, now.

[Nazgul]

Originally Posted by Buck Turgidson

Watching the Baltimore Raves play football is, as George Carlin would say, like watching old people fuck. Their nearly complete offensive incompetence is just torture to behold. I can't imagine that a PR-savvy guy like Goodell is at all happy at the prospect of this bunch of vicious thugs making it to the Super Bowl, again. If he is, then he's very, very stupid.

My disappointment was somewhat leavened by Carolina biting it, in a big way. The Panthers and the Titans have one major thing in common: they each need an NFL quality QB. Tennessee simply cannot go into next season with that journeyman/neverwas Collins at the helm and I think any chance Delhomme ever had of being more than a flash in the pan from their SB year is well gone, now.

Yep, Delhomme looks horrible. 5 INT and 1 FUM? Damn!

[BankaiZaraki]

A friend of mine and I made a bet as to who was going to the Super Bowl and my picks were Atlanta vs. Indianapolis and he picked San Diego vs. Carolina..so I was pretty pissed both my teams lost in the first week of playoffs but I was praying to God that Arizona would beat Carolina and my prayers were answered, now i just need Pittsburgh to beat San Diego and I am set!

[countchocula]

I sincerely hope that Carolina has a real QB next year. I can't believe how badly we played. Five interceptions...five! I would have benched him at the half. That's just inexcusable. The Cardinals deserved to win. I almost wish that we had gone 0-16. This season was a complete waste. I can't blame John Fox. He simply needed a consistent QB. God, what a waste of an AWESOME running game.

[Mr.HyDe807]

We got it Mcnabb, the Giants blew it, no need to be a douche about it.

[lukeisevil]

Originally Posted by Mr.HyDe807

We got it Mcnabb, the Giants blew it, no need to be a douche about it.

I hate that guy. He needs to go back to doing campbell's chunky soup commericals with his mom.

[blankpage]

Originally Posted by Mr.HyDe807

We got it Mcnabb, the Giants blew it, no need to be a douche about it.

I wonder if he was calling Chicago...

[Darth Kenshin]

funny thing is, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE (players, coaches, announcers, whatever) all talk about how classy McNabb is. I don't know what he was thinking with that phone thing. He really is one of the classiest guys in the league. I don't know what he was thinking there.

[Strider]

Originally Posted by Mr.HyDe807

the Giants blew it

They certainly did. The Eagles were in full control throughout the game, and the Giants didn't appear to have an answer for their defense or running game. Not to mention that Eli Manning had a very weak, unproductive day; he wasn't as awful as Jake Delhomme last night, but obviously, he performed in a manner that doesn't win an important game and take your team to a championship game.

I knew the Eagles were going to win this game. Donovan McNabb is playing well (Andy Reid benching him several weeks ago was a smart move, in my opinion), and you can tell he really wants to prove his critics dead wrong. Like the Cardinals, they have suddenly transformed into a completely different team, a team that no one saw coming. The NFC championship is one big "WTF?!" this year.

Three teams have won on the road, so far.

Strider

[JJFlamingo]

Where's ChasingBanky today??

[Kevin Smith fan]

Wait a second here...where the fuck did Arizona find a defense so late in the year?! This is this team that gave up like 2 dozen Brett Favre touchdown passes and here they are dominating the Panthers in Carolina and the running domination of the Falcons?!

I'm really starting to beleive in the Ravens. This team is amazing and the turnaround they've had this year is absolutely astounding. I really don't see either NFC team taking home the trophy this year and right now I have more confidence in Joe Flaaco than Big Ben. But who knows, at the beginning of the season I picked the Cowboys and Jaguars for the big game...

[screamer581]

Steelers and Eagles in the Super Bowl.


Should be a good one.

[KingofKings2525]

Originally Posted by JJFlamingo

Where's ChasingBanky today??

.

[Strider]

Originally Posted by screamer581

Steelers and Eagles in the Super Bowl.

That's my Super Bowl XLIII prediction as well. If our predictions become a reality, the game should be sub-titled "The Battle of Pennsylvania."

I do hope it's Eagles/Steelers for the SB, because out of the four possible games, I think this one would be the best and most thrilling.

According to ESPN, Tony Dungy will announce his retirement today. Any thoughts?

Strider

[Rated R]

I really want the Cardinals to beat the Eagles this weekend. The Eagles are a boring team to watch unless Westbrook goes off and even then it's still a dull team. I'll go on a limb and pick the Cards to win. The Eagles secondary won't keep up.

In the AFC, not sure...coin flip...Steelers.

[Kevin Smith fan]

Originally Posted by Strider

According to ESPN, Tony Dungy will announce his retirement today. Any thoughts?

The one thought I have is "why?" The guy's not that old and he's had an amzing career in Indy, why leave now? He's only been there 7 years and he's going to call it quits? All the Colts need is a run game to become contenders again, I just don't see why this guy is ending his glorious career so early on.

[countchocula]

Maybe he doesn't want to coach anymore? If his heart's not in it, he shouldn't do it. I'm sure he'll come out of retirement at some point like everyone else. Imagine Dungy or Cowher in Carolina...!

[blankpage]

The guy's been apart of the NFL for over 30 years, as a coach and player. That's one helluva run, I'd say. And from what I hear, he has other areas of interest outside of football that he wants to pursue. It's sad to see him go, but he leaves behind one hell of a legacy.

I imagine we'll see him on NFL Network or CBS sometime soon.