NFL PLayoff Predictions

[Trippy]

So? Does that mean everyone is out? I don't think anyone picked Ari to advance.

Depends if the points are awarded if you just needed to correctly pick the winner or if you had to get both teams correct.

E.g. I picked Baltimore to win it all but against Carolina

I'm actually doing well this round assuming the Steelers can win it.

[Signe]

Philadelphia is going to win the Superbowl.  You just wait and see! 

[Phildo]

I can't wrap my head around next week's games... Baltimore v. Pittsburgh maybe, but Arizona v. Phillie?  Seriously?  The Cardinals?  It's Bizarro NFC.

[shiznitz]

So? Does that mean everyone is out? I don't think anyone picked Ari to advance.

It is just points. As long as no one picked ARI to win the superbowl, it is still largely open. I will run a tally tomorrow.

[shiznitz]

So? Does that mean everyone is out? I don't think anyone picked Ari to advance.

Depends if the points are awarded if you just needed to correctly pick the winner or if you had to get both teams correct.

E.g. I picked Baltimore to win it all but against Carolina

I'm actually doing well this round assuming the Steelers can win it.

You get points for each correct outcome. If BAL wins the whole thing, then you get the points. The opponent doesn't matter other than the points they could earn for you on their way through.

[Strazos]

Philadelphia is going to win the Superbowl.  You just wait and see! 

Hey, maybe then Eagles fans would S T F U already and stop crying about their team already.

FFS, if it's football season, it's hard to pick up a paper or turn on sports and NOT get swamped in Eagles crap, even in the middle of the week with a BYE coming up.

Bunch of pussy whining bandwagon riders.

[Nevermore]

Isn't Philadelphia winning both the World Series and Super Bowl in the same year one of the signs of the apocalypse?

[Phildo]

No, that would be Pittsburgh.  Fortunately it's decades away from happening.

[Ravandor]

No, that would be Pittsburgh.  Fortunately it's decades away from happening.

Apparently the apocalypse happened in 1979 but no one noticed.

[Trippy]

We. Are. Family!

[stray]

Eagles aren't winning shit.

It's good that they picked off a team that could beat most others though.

[Brogarn]

After yesterday's Eagles - Giants game, all I can say is I'm rooting for Arizona next week.

Also, after seeing Eli's throws and how weak they were, I'm now calling him Eli Pennington.

[HaemishM]

What a brutal fucking weekend. Every pick I made was fucking wrong, and I'm pretty much out of this little competition. Tennessee I could have seen losing. But Carolina? REALLY? And not just losing but being absolutely DICKSTOMPED. Where the hell was this Arizona running game and defense ALL YEAR LONG? I cannot help but think that they are going to pummel Philadelphia. Let's face it, neither the Giants or the Vikings put up any kind of offense against Philly - maybe that was the defense, maybe it was just that the Vikings O sucks and the Eli Manning regressed about 2 years in one game.

Since San Diego shit the bed, I must now root for Arizona to go all the way. Of course, I don't think that offense can beat either the Ravens or the Steelers' D so it will probably be a boring Super Bowl.

As for Philly fans, they will bitch and whine and complain, and if they are smart (which they are not), they won't run McNabb out of town on a rail. That DeSean Jackson kid is the real deal, and I think McNabb can make him a marquee guy. But the Philly fans have tried to get rid of McNabb for two or three years now. It's not that McNabb is Tom Brady/Peyton Manning quality, but if they get rid of him, there's no heir apparent on the bench, no rookie coming up in the draft I'd expect to come in and pick up where he left off, and I'm not sure there's a good free agent choice out there either.

[Nebu]

It's not that McNabb is Tom Brady/Peyton Manning quality, but if they get rid of him, there's no heir apparent on the bench, no rookie coming up in the draft I'd expect to come in and pick up where he left off, and I'm not sure there's a good free agent choice out there either.

Kerry Collins showed me that you can squeeze new life out of an old QB with the right players & system.  There may be a replacement for McNabb, but I agree that running him out of Phili would be a major mistake.

[Rasix]

The problem with McNabb just seems to be 2 fold: he's injury prone and he seems to get in these awful funks where he's chucking every ball into someone's shoelaces.  Both of those problems will really rankle fickle fans like those in Philly.

Personally, I don't want to see the Eagles win and not just because I live in Arizona.  I'm getting a bit sick of this "one city wins multiple championships" crap we've been getting from Boston. Plus, it'd be really hilarious if the Cards made the Super Bowl. 

[WayAbvPar]

Has anyone figured out where Jake Delhomme placed his bets on Arizona before the game? That was fucking clownshoes. And thanks to him, I am probably going to get run down like a dog in my FF league. By my own brother, no less. Bastard.

[Trippy]

As for Philly fans, they will bitch and whine and complain, and if they are smart (which they are not), they won't run McNabb out of town on a rail. That DeSean Jackson kid is the real deal, and I think McNabb can make him a marquee guy. But the Philly fans have tried to get rid of McNabb for two or three years now. It's not that McNabb is Tom Brady/Peyton Manning quality, but if they get rid of him, there's no heir apparent on the bench, no rookie coming up in the draft I'd expect to come in and pick up where he left off, and I'm not sure there's a good free agent choice out there either.

They could try and get Brett Favre

Actually if they were willing to mortage their future they could try and go for Matt Cassel.

[stray]

Reinforce an already good O-line, and watch a bullshit QB become a star -- with significantly less salary.

[shiznitz]

After two rounds (remember this last weekend was 2pts per game):

8 points
Trippy - 3 correct this week for 6 points!

7 points
naum
Rasix

6 points
Ravandor
trotski

5 points
shiznitz

4 points
Zetleft
WayAbvPar

3 points
HaemishM
Murgos

2 points
Nebu
Paelos
Nevermore

Out of the running since none of his teams advanced:
Nebu
Haemish

[Trippy]

I didn't crunch all the numbers but I'm pretty sure there's only 3 possibilities left since none of us picked Philly or Arizona to make it to the Super Bowl (i.e. there are no points up for grabs in the NFC title game or if an NFC team wins the SB).

If Baltimore beats Pittsburgh then I win! cause I have the most points currently of the people who picked Baltimore to make it to the Super Bowl.

If Pittsburgh wins the Super Bowl then naum wins it.

If Pittsburgh loses in the Super Bowl then naum and Rasix tie!

[shiznitz]

I didn't crunch all the numbers but I'm pretty sure there's only 3 possibilities left since none of us picked Philly or Arizona to make it to the Super Bowl (i.e. there are no points up for grabs in the NFC title game or if an NFC team wins the SB).

If Baltimore beats Pittsburgh then I win! cause I have the most points currently of the people who picked Baltimore to make it to the Super Bowl.

If Pittsburgh wins the Super Bowl then naum wins it.

If Pittsburgh loses in the Super Bowl then naum and Rasix tie!

I haven't audited the possibilities but that sounds right.

[Signe]

I don't know what to say.   

[Trippy]

Arizona is going to win the Super Bowl -- it's their destiny

[murdoc]

hahahahah I love it!

[Rasix]

This is great!  I thought they were going to choke it away for sure.

[Strazos]

Well, I would think that this will now allow for more Flyers' coverage....but I'm guessing all we will see in the Philly sports media will be a ton of boohoo'ing over the Eagles until training camp.

They might even sack both Reid and McNabb to placate the fans....and then the Real crying will begin when the team blows ass for the next few years.

5 NFC Championship games, 1 SB appearance, generally good records over 10 years....And the two guys who made it happen may very well get the boot for all that hard work.

I cannot wait to hear all the Eagles' fans cry over this.

[Trippy]

NOOOOO!!!!!!

[Triforcer]

Everyone is going to pick the Steelers in this game, but I don't know.  A couple quick strikes to Fitzgerald would put Pittsburgh in a bad place- its not a team designed to come back from more than 7 or 10 points. 

[Trippy]

Unless they pick off Warner 5 times and return them all back for TDs 

[Phildo]

Wow.  Today was all kinds of awesome.   

[Paelos]

It's time to evaluate which team is playing better. Pittsburgh is playing solid football, while Arizona just won't be denied.

I know I picked Pitt, but I think Arizona is a good money line pick.

[Brogarn]

Buh bye, Eagles! Here's a tissue, McNabb!

HAHAHHAHA! I love it.

Anyways...

The Superbowl... yeesh. My brain says Pittsburgh has the upper hand with a solid D. My heart tells me Arizona has the fire and momentum. Honestly, I'm not sure who is going to win. I want to say Pittsburgh, but there's no way I would bet against Arizona right now. I'm just going to have to watch it and see.

[HaemishM]

I cannot wait to hear all the Eagles' fans cry over this.

Yes, there will be great lamentations of the women. And if Philly fans are stupid enough to shitcan one or both of Reid and McNabb, they will deserve the fate of the Detroit Lions. McNabb isn't great anymore and he's sure as hell prone to sprained vaginas, but he is the best option they've got. Develop that Desean Jackson kid and get a real running game and keep winning.

Both games were awesome. As for the Super Bowl, I'm picking Pittsburgh all the way. Arizona, as well as they've run the ball, will not be able to run against Pittsburgh. That means they will have to pass. Having an extra week off is going to throw the passing game rhythm off something fierce, and if the Cards don't come out and strike early, they are dead. I'm hoping it will be close, but it's only going to take 2 or 3 hard hits on Warner and he will start rushing throws. I'll be rooting for Arizona, but I don't think they can beat either Pittsburgh or Baltimore.

[Bungee]

Been keeping myself out of that discussion for the course of the playoffs, but regarding the Superbowl: I really think it all depends on that ARZ defense. If they can keep up what they began in january and play solid, disciplined football they will be able to keep it close.

If not, as good as the ARZ passing game might be, no-one wins games against the Steelers D playing one-dimensional. As much as I have credit for that Eagle's D and their pass rush- it's just nothing to what PIT has to offer. Warner was very nervous as soon as Philly brought the heat and he'll see a good load more of that in the SB.

Fitzgerald is a nightmare to cover, but it's not as if Pittsburgh hasn't already shut down Andre Johnson, Randy Moss and T.O. during the season. In fact, I think the Steelers secondary matches up pretty nicely with that 6-handed monster that is the Arizona WR corps. They held their own against some very fierce competition when they had to play without 2 starting CBs for some games during the season and ofc there is that defensive genius by the name of Dick LeBeau.

That said: Here we go, Steelers, here we go! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irWFrU7LjWw

[naum]

1. I figured Cardinals would prevail (after inconceivably making it to NFC championship after I pegged them to go down to Carolina) considering that (a) Eagles really didn't handle Giants, Giants melted down and (b) Cardinals enjoy a huge homefield advantage — if you've not experienced a game in that terrarium that resembles a stadium, you have no idea how loud and how it reverberates (the roof is retractable but Whisenhunt will never allow it to open, believing it to be a huge advantage for Cardinals)… …Cardinals will not enjoy a homefield advantage in Tampa and likely it will be a decidedly Steeler fan majority.

2. Still, Eagles had numerous opportunities to claim victory — even after exchanging FG for TD early on. Missed XP, missed FG, other lost opportunities, still they lost by only one score. My assessment is that the Cardinals really didn't outplay Eagles, Eagels kind of beat themselves, although Cardinals made certain they did not give game away and executed in the 4th quarter (namely, the 4th down conversion that sealed the deal).

3. Either Pittsburgh or Baltimore will pulverize the Cardinals. At least 8 or 9 times out of 10 games played. But it's only one game, so it is by no means a certain outcome.

4. Steelers have nobody that can cover Larry Fitzgerald (I don't think there are but a handful of NFL CB/DB who can). If Cardinals can hit some big plays and snooker Steelers with the trick plays (the same ones Cardinal coach used to power Steelers O in their 2005 SB run), they are capable of beating the Steelers.

5. But OTOH, Steelers D is really peaking at what has been a remarkable season. I'm still in state of glazed astonishment about how Polamalu was so gimpy he couldn't even run at half speed (according to CBS Simms/Nance), yet he was all over the field. Pittsburgh got sufficient pressure on Flacco without resorting to many full out blitzes, we shall see how Arizona O-line, much improved and steady, performs against Pittsburgh front 7, which will be a bigger barometer that Fitzgerald and double teams.

6. Steeler special teams are pathetic outside the threat of Holmes to return a TD (though he's a fumble liability too, and why he does not return as many kicks) and Reed reliability on <45 FG attempts. It nearly cost them dearly.

7. The matchup is really personal for Wisenhunt, something that even NFL channel Sanders is already stirring up — he was not happy about not getting the Steeler spot, believed it was his to inherit, and he's really licking his chops and showing his old management what a mistake they made. And he knows the Steeler personnel well, as the Steeler players no doubt are aware of his likes and tendencies.

8. Bill Cowher had lots of success getting to AFC championship game, but little success winning them, especially home games - losses in 94, 97, 01, 04. Won in 95 (lost SB XXX to Cowboys) and finally in 05 won it all as #6 seed. Most of those games are games they should have won where Cowher went too conservative in 2nd half and got outcoached. Tomlin OTOH seems to be better at making 2nd half adjustments, as witnessed by incredible 3rd quarter performance of Steelers in regular season and playoffs.

9. Willie Parker going to have better success against Cardinals than Ravens. He not going to go off either, as Cardinals D play has been fairly good, but I think he tallies a 100 yard game with one big run.