Official NFL 2006-2007 Thread

[Magpel]

Originally posted by Silver Dragon Sound:

But you root for the Lackers which negates the Saints team adoption

I'm afraid he's right, B. We thought you would have learned this lesson after that Vassar Women's Field Hockey debacle. Or the Croatian National aquatic dance team embarrassment (well, admittedly, Miro Milenkovic is the Michael Jordair of is chosen sport). Or--I know I'm not even supposed to mention this--your Kansas City Royals phase...

[Magpel]

I really want to see the Bears prevail and kind of justify their excellent season as kings of a terrible conference...

 

But I see three problems:

 

They're not a great running team

Rex is worse than Eli

The D is down several of their best players--still good, but not the dominant D they were.

 

The good news is that Seattle sucks. Barely a .500 team in a historically bad division and here today only because of a slippery ball, a ridiculous fumble and a home-cooking favor by the referee (the mark overturn) that was clearly compensation for a few bad calls in last year's SB.

 

So the Chicago fans alone should be enough to carry the Bears to the conference chmapionship game.

 

Next week, however, could prove problematic.

 

And while the AFC is an utterly dominant conference, there is, IMO, no single dominant team. The NFC represenmtstive in the SB will be the underdog but will have a definite shot.

 

And I know it's hardly a minority opinion, but a Saints-Chargers SB could be about as fun as fun can get.

 

Originally posted by jackpine:

I was going to just sit at home and watch my Bears play the Seahawks seeing as how I have a bigger TV than my local watering hole. Well my Packer friends were so insistent on me coming to the pub, they're putting up a video projector with ten foot screen in the dance hall.....

 

Could be a beer soaked day for me and my Bears.

[SilverDragonSoun]

Near Freezing temps in Chicago. While Seattle plays in a somehwat solder climate, will this effect them? They also installed a new sod in Soldier field which DaBears say is very slippery. Of course the sleet probably doesn't help either, meanwhile.....

 

A mild 57 in San Diego for todays game. Does the not so cold weather affect the Pats who are a cold weather team So many things with this game, should be a great one and it will also set up a great AFC Championship game. Finally to Magpel know your a Pats fan so in KC sportsmanship, while I root for the Chargers, I wish your team well and no injuries. Should be a great game!

[antimatter]

The Saints are a really fun team to watch. That 5 yard run by Deuce McAllister, with 10 guys on his back, was classic.

 

How did the Indy D turn it around like they did? I tip my hat (an imaginary one...I don't wear hats) to Dungy, Ron Meeks and whatever motivated the players to play like their playing.

 

I hope todays games are as good as yesterdays.

[Geoff Grace]

Originally posted by Magpel:

And I know it's hardly a minority opinion, but a Saints-Chargers SB could be about as fun as fun can get.

Agreed!

 

Originally posted on 12-31-2006 09:25 PM by Geoff Grace:

I'm rooting for a Chargers/Saints Super Bowl.

Best,

 

Geoff

[ProfD]

Originally posted by antimatter:

The Saints are a really fun team to watch.

Agreed. They do play very well together in all phases of the game. The defense needs to clamp down on the big plays.

 

Sean Payton deserves that Coach of the Year title. He coaches his a** off (except for that pitch call).

 

I also like the fact that he is not afraid to get in the face of his superstar players either.

 

I hope the frustration Reggie Bush showed after the missed pitch was his competitive nature i.e. wanting to get back in the game to make it right and not that of a hot head.

 

The Saints will rep the NFC in the SB. Their offense is too explosive for either the Seahawks or Bears defense IMO.

 

Right now, I'm at 1-1 with my weekend playoff predictions. Go Chargers and Seahawks!

[Dave Bryce]

San Diego should've run one more play. With :08, they had time to try a quick short pass to the sidelines.

 

Of course, if Marty hadn't made that stupid challenge, they'd have had one more time out...

 

Martyball.

 

dB

[Bridog6996]

Don't be too hard on Marty. After all, they were facing the Patriots during playoff time. There's not a more sure bet in football. Did the Chargers really stand a chance?

 

All gloating aside, I was pretty worried. It was kind of an ugly game for Brady up until about 4-5 minutes left. I love that Brady can dig down and come back late in games time after time, but my lord, I sure wouldn't mind seeing the Pats, just once, take the lead early, hold the lead, and win the game comfortably.

[antimatter]

Really, what was he looking at? (the challenge on Troy Brown's strip)

 

I went into the game without really rooting for either team, but somehow Marty got me to root for the Pats.

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by Bridog6996:

Did the Chargers really stand a chance?

Yes. They totally screwed up the last 60 seconds of that game. They could have given themselves a much better chance.

 

dB

[Magpel]

Congratulations to daBowsa and Griffinator, and respects to the good Governor. I'm a second-team Chargers fan, and I burn over this one. Can't imagine, or, rather, I know precisely, how you feel, Governor.

 

Pats? Lottsa breaks + the best QB of this generation, maybe the best late-game playoff throwmaker I've ever seen. The case is becoming compelling.

 

Of all the SD mistakes, only one infurtiates me and that was the unnecessary roughness. Talk about giving the game's best QB too many chances. Chargers were running the ball very effectively. Pats needed every chance they had. Good show.

 

Exceptionally great football weekend. Difficult conclusion for me.

[Magpel]

BTW...

 

4th and 11 from the 30 was the weirdest freaking call I've see in ages, and accounts for 3 and possibly six points difference. Inexplicabe.

[SilverDragonSoun]

Jinx defined - A sort of curse placed on a person that makes them prey to large numbers of minor misfortunes and other forms of bad luck; A person afflicted with a similar curse, who, while not directly subject to a series of misfortunes, seems to attract them to any pick he makes during the NFL Playoffs.

 

 

First The Sports Illustrated Jinx, then the

 

The Electronic Arts Madden Series Jinx

 

and now the newest phenomenon to hit the scene;

 

The Silver Dragon Sound Jinx

 

 

If you want your team to win, contact me immediately so I can assure the pick of the other team.

[Magpel]

Silver D, sorry I forget to number you among the SD fans now suffering more than I am. I think it is "Silver" issue...

 

But, as Mr. Griffinator would remind, I am assuredly not a Patriots fan, though you can't help but being an embittered admirer. Esp. of the QB.

[Geoff Grace]

The Chargers/Patriots game could have gone either way if any one of a number of pivotal plays had turned out differently. What a well matched game! Like John, I wish the outcome had turned out differently, but I'm happy for daBowsa and Scott who yet again get to watch their team play in the AFC Championship game.

 

Competitive game or not, playoff experience won over better regular season records in the AFC this weekend.

 

My condolences to Governor Silver. Better luck next year.

 

Originally posted by Magpel:

Pats? Lottsa breaks + the best QB of this generation, maybe the best late-game playoff throwmaker I've ever seen. The case is becoming compelling.

Maybe it's the west coaster in me who sat in the stands and saw Joe Montana dismantle my Rams far too many times, but it's hard to think of anyone else in the "best late-game playoff throwmaker" role. Then again, Montana had Jerry Rice to throw to for much of his career. As good as the Pats receivers have been, there's only been one Jerry Rice. So, Montana may have looked a little better than he was. Bill Walsh's West Coast offense didn't hurt Montana's reputation either, but then again neither has Bill Belichick's coaching hurt Brady.

 

John Elway had some great late-game playoff drives as well; but of course, not even Elway could save those early Broncos Super Bowl teams. In my opinion, none of those early Broncos teams deserved to go to the Super Bowl. It was as if Elway simply willed them there.

 

Last but not least, as good as Tom Brady is, for my money Payton Manning is the best quarterback of their generation. Granted, he hasn't fared as well in the playoffs.

 

He's got another chance next week though...

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[MidLifeCrisis]

Originally posted by Silver Dragon Sound:

and now the newest phenomenon to hit the scene;

The Silver Dragon Sound Jinx

Patrior fans all over the country are forever in your debt. Thank you.

 

What a weird bunch of games over the weekend. Even though the Pats won, that is the worst I have ever seen Brady play. At first he was over throwing everybody. Then he was short arming everything. I couldn't believe it when he missed Watson wide open for a TD. But he was Tom Terrific when it counted and he won. Peyton looked awful as well this weekend.

 

One thing that surprised me is that AFC was supposed to have the high powered offenses and the NFC was supposed to be the black and blue conference. But the Colts and Pats games were some of the most ferocious games I have seen. Those games were wars. Everyone left everything they had on the field. Great football!

[ProfD]

Well, I went 1-3 this weekend, yet, all of the games were very good and could have gone either way.

 

Since SD is my 2nd favorite NFL team and completed my SB prediction, their loss was the bitter pill.

 

SDS, don't put that kinda pressure on yourself. Unless you want to consider the whole reverse psychology thing the jinx in itself.

[MidLifeCrisis]

Originally posted by Dave Bryce:

[QB] Martyball.

/QB]

I think the 4th and 11 from the 30 was a direct result of this. Marty purposely did not want to be his conservative old self so he went for it.

But in reality he really just re-established himself as not doing what it takes for his team to win.

As far as challenging the fumble call after the interception. During the post game conference he said that the lack of timeouts were irrelevant and had no effect on the outcome.

 

How can he say that. One more timeout to run 1 more play and gain 6 or 7 yards would have been huge. But in typical coaching fashion he put the blame on his players and not on himself.

[MidLifeCrisis]

Sorry for so many posts in a row here.

Did anyone see LT after the game and at the press conference? He was looking for a fight after the game because the Pats did the Merriman dance after the missed field goal. He would not shake hands afterwards as well. Then in the press conference he calls the Patrios classless and says it all stems from their head coach

 

Come on LT. Bill is a class guy with 3 rings. What have you won besides personal awards? I used to admire LT but now I have to consider him just one of the classless whiners who had previously hid his true colors. IMHO it was a truely selfish losers gutless attack. It will reflect poorly on him and his team for a while. It certainly tarnishes his MVP season.

[GovernorSilver]

As a Charger fan, I am truly embarassed for the showing our team gave the nation. A straight-up loss, by simply being out-schemed and/or outplayed by the Patriots would have been more acceptable than this sloppy performance. We shot ourselves in the foot in so many different ways:

 

- All the penalties (unnecessary roughness, holding, etc.)

 

- Receivers dropping balls

 

- Philip's one pick (should have tucked it in and ran, Philip), though that by itself didn't cost the game.

 

- Parker's muffed punt

 

- Going for it on 4th and 11

 

- Calling timeout immediately after an injury timeout

 

- Wasted challenge call which also cost a timeout.

 

- FS McCree's fumble after a pick, which set up a Patriot score.

 

Aside from the one mistake and a couple of off-target throws, Philip Rivers came ready to play, as did the the backs and most of the OL. ORT Olivea hurt us by allowing a couple of sacks and drawing an untimely flag to kill a potential scoring drive. Gates struggled at times and the WRs were an embarrasment with their lack of focus.

 

I give the Patriots credit for doing what they had to do to win. We helped them, yes, but they had t o take advantage of this help, and they did.

 

Thanks to those of you who offered support to the Chargers!

 

Marty is going to be fired. Not because I want him to be fired, but our GM, AJ Smith, has always had a frosty relationship with Marty. This would be the perfect excuse for AJ to fire Marty and hire a new head coach.

[GovernorSilver]

Originally posted by MidLifeCrisis:

Sorry for so many posts in a row here.

Did anyone see LT after the game and at the press conference? He was looking for a fight after the game because the Pats did the Merriman dance after the missed field goal. He would not shake hands afterwards as well. Then in the press conference he calls the Patrios classless and says it all stems from their head coach

 

Come on LT. Bill is a class guy with 3 rings. What have you won besides personal awards? I used to admire LT but now I have to consider him just one of the classless whiners who had previously hid his true colors. IMHO it was a truely selfish losers gutless attack. It will reflect poorly on him and his team for a while. It certainly tarnishes his MVP season.

Having followed LT every week since he was drafted, it would take a lot to really set him off. As frustrated as I was, I can only imagine how he feels, having worked so hard for that ultimate goal, and played his heart out, only to be betrayed by the mental breakdowns of his teammates.

 

I'm not trying to excuse LT, but I think we should stay off his back for a bit - he's a human being after all, not some mythical saintly figure. Tom Brady refused to shake hands with the Chargers last year after the Patriots lost to them - did he also deserve scorn from the football world?

[GovernorSilver]

BTW, Midlife, dancing on the team logo of the opponent you just defeated - its against NFL culture - just like TO danced on the Cowboys' star as a Niner. LT says the Pats were dancing on the Charger helmet - that is simply not acceptable in the culture.

 

It's like showing up the pitcher after you hit a home run.

[Griffinator]

Originally posted by GovernorSilver:

BTW, Midlife, dancing on the team logo of the opponent you just defeated - its against NFL culture - just like TO danced on the Cowboys' star as a Niner. LT says the Pats were dancing on the Charger helmet - that is simply not acceptable in the culture.

My Pats bias aside, I think LT should have swatted Shawne Merriman upside the head for mouthing off in the press conferences leading up to the game. Notice the Pats were doing the "Merriman dance" at the end of the game - that's the only person they were showing up, the guy who shot his mouth off and disrespected them as a team.

 

Tom Brady gave the Chargers nothing but props in his press conferences last week, as did Belichick, as did everyone else who got a mic stuck in front of them in NE. They respected the Chargers. Merriman, meanwhile, gave a bunch of lip, promising a shutout ("one point and we win" was the quote) and disrespecting the Pats.

 

So LT, AFAIC, earned himself a nomination for Mike & Mike in the Morning's "Just Shut Up" award for that little tantrum after the game, because his teammate earned the Pats' postgame display with his mouth.

 

Now, as to the game...

 

Props to Phillip Rivers - he was not responsible for the Chargers losing that game. He played his young heart out. His receivers failed him, his coach failed him, but he played like a champ in the making. Look for this team to be back next year, and take it to the bank they won't blow it next time.

 

The Pats? Well, what else can you say? They're like Rocky Balboa - no matter how much of a beating you put on them, no matter how many times you knock them down, no matter how bad you make them look, at the end of the game, somehow or another, they took everything you had and you're the one lying on the canvas for the 10-count. It was ugly out there, but they took everything the Chargers gave them, and hung around long enough to knock them out.

[shniggens]

Go Colts!!!!

 

(Anyone but the freaking Patriots!!)

[MidLifeCrisis]

I probably over-reacted about the LT statement but a couple of things come to mind today after things settled down.

1) There is one sure way to stop taunting - win!

2) Why is ok for Merriman to celebrate with his dance after every time he does what he is paid to do? Guess he can taunt whenever he wants but you cant taunt him back.

3) Still dont know why LT brought Bill into it.

 

Go Pats!

[meccajay]

Ahh that cool refreshing breeze that is the playoffs! What I saw:

 

- I was quite surprized at how much sloppy QB play there was all weekend. It seemed to affect every game except for the Saints game. I expect next weekend to be much different.

 

-I my view, the NFC games were far better than the AFC games. They were back and forth, and tense thoughout. The 4th quarter of the Chargers/Pats was hella good also!

 

-I also saw as an Eagles fan, that the Saints were just plain...better this year. I'm super proud of my Iggles. Every playoff game we got was a gift!

 

-I really enjoyed the whole Rex Grossman lovefest that came about yesterday. He deserved as much.

 

Onto the games-

 

Colts/Ravens- I gotta say hats off to coach Dungy on that amazing playoff defense in the last 2 weeks. I guess we can't always go by the reg season huh? Ok, I love Mac9, but hey if you realize by the 4th quarter that your recievers are blanketed and there's nothing you can do about that, then just pull it down and run it Steve...Just 8 rushing attempts could have been the difference. Why he never tried is beyond me. Telling point in tht game, Ravens get the ball back with 1:30 on the clock before half...and don't try to score.

 

Eagles/Saints- Duuuuuuuce!!! McAllister was just beastly! What can I say, I'm happy for the Saints. They're America's team, there fun to watch and I love the way they play. As for my Iggles, I still wanna be Brian Westbrook when I grow up!

 

Seahawks/Bears- I knew the Chicago D would be tired because there's no Tommie Harris, but they played big in spots and on offense Berrian was huge! It was a hell of a game, and The Saints.Bears matchup we all thought would be great will be! Cannot wait!

 

Chargers/Pats- I mentioned us underestimating Brady & the Pats a couple weeks ago. Then there the subsaquent arguments and stats going back and forth on here. The bottom line is this; The Pats were 10-1 in the playoff before this game. The Pats are beatable, but if you're going to beat them, you'd better beat the hell out of them. If you don't, Tom Brady will walk you down in the 4th quarter. He did just that! When the game was 14-3 early, then 21-10 in the 4th.. I kept saying to myself.. Not enough, just not enough points to beat the Pats. I bet you were all thinking the very same thing.

[MikeT156]

The Chargers kept missing opportunites, stupid penalties, dropped balls by receivers as well as a key interception, and a few possible interceptions that they didn't hang onto.

 

In the 4th quarter I kept thinking "The Chargers are letting the Pats hang around". They needed to go for the win, and I didn't see them putting enough points on the board. Brady kept on being rushed, and didn't have his best day throwing. Their ground game was pitiful, but they managed to win. Too bad for the Chargers, but there's a reason the Pats won 3 SB's.

 

Mike T.

[daBowsa]

Thanks Mags and Geoff!

 

Man that was a tough game to watch! Chargers dominated the field position battle, especially early. Pats offence never seemed to get in rhythm.

 

I agree that SD blew their time outs and should have run another pass to the sideline with :08 remaining. They weren't even running to the line - I can't understand why so many teams are so bad at clock management.

 

Pats made one more play than the Chargers and stole that game. I'll take it! On to Indy - go Pats!!!

[jackpine]

Oooooo my aching head.

[Magpel]

Geoff, to be clear, Joe Montanna is still gotta be the #1 late-game playoff game winner, though I think Tom's surpassed everyone else. I was specifically commenting on the degree of difficulty of the passes he makes down the stretch, those long outs that about 10% of NFL QBs can even attempt.

 

Brady has one of hell of an arm, and one hell of a head, and thanks, apparently to one "innocent phone call" with Greg Anderson , a hell of a body to boot. I bristle when people suggest he's all head.

 

Mike Francessa in NY--who venerates Brady, as everyone should--is fond of calling him this generation's Bart Starr.

 

He wasn't great yesterday. Chargers let him off the hook repeatedly and he made them pay. That's even more testament to his greatness, that his worst day ends in heroic victory.