Playoffs...

Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Saturday;

Bengals at Texans; Two teams that lost yesterday. The no momentum bowl? My reaction is the home team in their first playoff experience, at home. However, I can't just dismiss Cinncy though that is my first inclination.

Detroit v Saints; should be an score fest, really exciting offensive game. Might the Lions pull it off???? Last team with the ball wins? Or, Lions choke?


Sunday;

Eli and the Ant's v. Falcons; might be another really good game. This should be a classic brute force game. In the end, I think it's Eli.

Pittsburgh at Denver; The Steelers come not to praise St. Timothy but, to bury him. This won't be pretty. Denver may not score. Hell, they may not get past the 50. Best case, the Steelers play horrible. And win going away.

:popcorn:
 
Rommey

Rommey

Well-Known Member
Well, three of the four games are indoor, so weather is not going to be a factor. And in Denver it's going to be good football weather (42° with only a small chance of rain).

I think the Texans hang on and beat the Bengals again. Houston beat Cincinnati in Cincinnati Dec 11.
I think the Saints will march all over the Lions. Just because the Lions lit up the back-up Packers, doesn't mean much...and the Lions already lost to the Saints in New Orleans on Dec 4.
Giants beat the Falcons? No way. Need I say more than the G-men lost TWICE to the Redskins? I think this is a rout for the Falcons.
And Larry is pretty much correct about Denver/Pittsburgh...it ain't gona be pretty. Denver went 3-5 at home this year and those three wins were by a combined 9 points, so home field doesn't appear to be much of an advantage for Denver.
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Rommey said:
I think the Texans hang on and beat the Bengals again. Houston beat Cincinnati in Cincinnati Dec 11. Nothing to argue there other than the 'any given Sunday' reality of the NFL. Or Saturday, as the case may be. :lol:

I think the Saints will march all over the Lions. Just because the Lions lit up the back-up Packers, doesn't mean much...and the Lions already lost to the Saints in New Orleans on Dec 4. That would be the reasonable view. It is also why I think, if not win, the Lions will put up a hell of a fight.

Giants beat the Falcons? No way. Need I say more than the G-men lost TWICE to the Redskins? I think this is a rout for the Falcons. Again, like the Lions game, in the NFL, recent history isn't always indicative. Yeah, they lost to us but, they also have a good bit more upside than we ever did. I'd be very surprised if it is a Falcon route. Add to it how weak the Giants seemed heading into the playoffs January of '08. If anything, they have a better offense than then, certainly more seasoned Eli and, if not a comparable D, one that can still stop the run and get after the QB.


And Larry is pretty much correct about Denver/Pittsburgh...it ain't gona be pretty. Denver went 3-5 at home this year and those three wins were by a combined 9 points, so home field doesn't appear to be much of an advantage for Denver.
Click to expand...

As for Denver, there is no way I could bet on them even if Pitt was laying 21.
However, we play 'em for a reason, right? This, of the four, would be the biggest upset, agreed? As such, and because it is the NFL, it could be the most compelling game!

:popcorn:
 
Otter

Otter

Nothing to see here
Bengals beat the Texans
Falcons beat the Giants in a blowout
Steelers in a romp (where's Dennis Green talking about Tebow...'he is what we thought he was'
Saints crush Lions

:shrug: not a good game among em.
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
otter said:
Bengals beat the Texans
Falcons beat the Giants in a blowout
Steelers in a romp (where's Dennis Green talking about Tebow...'he is what we thought he was'
Saints crush Lions

:shrug: not a good game among em.
Click to expand...

"Hi, Mr otter? Roger Goodell here. We've been looking for ways to pump up the interest a little for this weekends first round and we'd heard that you were a man to be respected in that regard. What we have in mind is a TV special and get your thoughts on the match-ups and have some fun with it so..."
 
Otter

Otter

Nothing to see here
Larry Gude said:
"Hi, Mr otter? Roger Goodell here. We've been looking for ways to pump up the interest a little for this weekends first round and we'd heard that you were a man to be respected in that regard. What we have in mind is a TV special and get your thoughts on the match-ups and have some fun with it so..."
Click to expand...

:lol: I am so off in all my predictions this year, you thinking of a comedy show?
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Rommey said:
You're right...I thought the game was in Atlanta... D'oh!

Still it looks like the weather will be fairly good: Temp around 50°, small chance of rain.
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I am a HUGE opponent of automatic home field for division winners. It should be based on record. That Seattle got home last year was a travesty. Worse, they won. Denver, in the Little Sisters of the Poor division, should be playing in Pittsburgh. If winning is all that matters in the NFL, and it is, then, there is no way an 8-8 team should be hosting 10-6 or even 9-7.

:tantrum:
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
otter said:
:lol: I am so off in all my predictions this year, you thinking of a comedy show?
Click to expand...

I would enjoy a show, sports and political, where each week the revisited previous predictions. Except for mine. Ron Jaworski, as knowledgeable as anyone about the NFL, famously gets whipped by Tony Kornheisers monkey on a regular basis.

:buddies:
 
donbarzini

donbarzini

Well-Known Member
Larry Gude said:
I would enjoy a show, sports and political, where each week the revisited previous predictions. Except for mine. Ron Jaworski, as knowledgeable as anyone about the NFL, famously gets whipped by Tony Kornheisers monkey on a regular basis.

:buddies:
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This year Nigel's monkey kicked his a$$. Last year Jaws whipped the banana sh*t out of that monkey.
 
JoeR

JoeR

New Member
Larry Gude said:
I am a HUGE opponent of automatic home field for division winners. It should be based on record. That Seattle got home last year was a travesty. Worse, they won. Denver, in the Little Sisters of the Poor division, should be playing in Pittsburgh. If winning is all that matters in the NFL, and it is, then, there is no way an 8-8 team should be hosting 10-6 or even 9-7.

:tantrum:
Click to expand...

Sounds good to me. I remember Pat Kirwin talking about a change that would create that. The idea would eliminate the divisions completely and it would be just 2 16 team conferences. For a 16 game season you would play each team in your division once each year and 1 out of conference game each year. Though I doubt anyone would go for it, since you would lose division rivals playing 2 times each year.
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
JoeR said:
Sounds good to me. I remember Pat Kirwin talking about a change that would create that. The idea would eliminate the divisions completely and it would be just 2 16 team conferences. For a 16 game season you would play each team in your division once each year and 1 out of conference game each year. Though I doubt anyone would go for it, since you would lose division rivals playing 2 times each year.
Click to expand...

Nah, the division format is fine. It is symmetrically, if not exactly geographically, sound. 4 teams makes worst to first so much more possible which helps interest fans of every team. It is just dumb to make division winners automatic home team over an opponent with a better record.

And you can't go to 16 teams, I think. Bad enough with 12. 16 means more crap teams have a chance which hurts the regular season importance and a game like last night, Dallas v. Giants is meaningless. Limiting the supply makes a good thing better in this case which is why I am totally against an 18 game season.

The NFL has a great model right now and the owners are trying, desperately, to mess it up. Right now, most baseball teams have zero reason to be excited about next year. Same with basketball. In the NHL, every team looks forward to the playoffs so, there is that plus but, the regular season is nearly meaningless; just make the playoffs. The NFL model says that each and every team is excited about next season and most teams have a solid reason to believe they can make the playoffs and that every regular season game matters deep into the schedule.

The one major flaw is Denver hosting the Steeler's.

:buddies:
 
JoeR

JoeR

New Member
And you can't go to 16 teams, I think. Bad enough with 12. 16 means more crap teams have a chance which hurts the regular season importance and a game like last night, Dallas v. Giants is meaningless. Limiting the supply makes a good thing better in this case which is why I am totally against an 18 game season.

The same number of teams would make the playoffs. Just would be the top 6 in each conference. Everything else would stay the same.
 
Rommey

Rommey

Well-Known Member
I also think that a 12-4 team has to be on the road at an 8-8 team is just wrong. The AFC North has three teams in the playoffs, the AFC West has three 8-8 teams. Hardly worthy of being granted a home game in the playoffs. Even the NHL and NBA don't give division winners the higher seed.

They should really seed all the teams 1-6 and 1 & 2 get the first round bye and the 3-6 and 4-5 teams play at the higher seed. I would make the first tiebreaker be division winner getting home field over a wildcard with the same record. For instance, if Denver and Pittsburgh had the same record, then the game should be at Denver even if all the other traditional tiebreakers (i.e., head-to-head) might be the other way around. That at least gives some advantage to winning your division.
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Ok, because I did so bad in the wild car round, I endeavored to just enjoy the divisional round but, if I had picked I would have said;

Saints over 49ers
Pats in a close one
Ravens over Texans
and
Packers over Giants.

1-4 :tantrum:

So, now, the championship games;

Harbaugh has just made his guys scrappy, never say die types who actually have some very good talent to boot. However, it is just too east to see the Giants D and Eli repeating their run to Superbowl 42 and, they may have more talent on offense this time.

Giants in a great game.

Ravens and Pats. As much as I would like to see the Ravens win, I just can't see it. I don't see Flacco getting it done when he has to but, I also see him like I saw Eli in 2007; just not quite good enough so, maybe this is Joe's big moment? And, with Reed healthy, it's tough to even slow down Brady and company. With him hurt or out (haven't heard how bad he is hurt) not looking good.

So, 49'ers and Ravens fans, take heart! I picked against you so, you should be good to go!

:buddies:
 
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