Kevin's Watch

wayfriend wrote:

SoulBiter wrote:Go Colts!!!

Can we wish for a tie (yeah I know the playoff rules prevent the occurance of one, but jeez, can't stand either team)

Go Seahawks!!!!!!!!!

There won't be a rule change for ineligible players. Just bitching by Harbaugh and Ravens' fans. cail, a script? Puhleaze. Did the NFL force the Ravens to no longer run the ball? Did it force Flacco to throw to the wrong team? Questionable ref calls? That's a wash, and is the case in any game anyway.

Regarding Manning, good article at si. Torn quad, and other leg deep bruise. Too old to overcome those. If he can keep healthy, he'll be fine next year. Just a matter if he wants to bother.

mmqb at si is a decent site btw for football. I don't visit others to compare, but I'm liking it so far this year.

Cybrweez wrote:cail, a script? Puhleaze. Did the NFL force the Ravens to no longer run the ball? Did it force Flacco to throw to the wrong team? Questionable ref calls? That's a wash, and is the case in any game anyway.

I'm not saying there is, just saying that there seems to have been a narrative (for lack of a better term) the last few years.

Stranger things have happened.

I guess that's always hanging around, along w/points shaving for gambling reasons. And these things may happen, or are happening. But until something comes up, taking away from Pats' win b/c of legal moves and a potential script is low. Just comes across as jealousy. I know it happens, whenever a team becomes dynastic (I live in Yankees (who I detest) territory, believe me, I am susceptible to that myself).

So what are your picks for this weekend?

Colts beat Pats 28 - 17
Seahawks beat GB 24 - 21

Superbowl will be Colts and Hawks.

Oh I'm not taking anything away from them.....A win is a win until something is proven otherwise.


But it sure does seem like the Pats are the beneficiaries of weird calls far more often than any other team *cough*tuck rule*cough*.

Taking all emotion out of it though, I do stand by what I've said for years.....The Patriots benefit tremendously from a great late-season home field advantage and a weak division. Put Cleveland in the East and NE in the North, and I think there'd be a very different result.

Cail wrote:The Patriots benefit tremendously from a great late-season home field advantage and a weak division. Put Cleveland in the East and NE in the North, and I think there'd be a very different result.

Hmmm...I'd have to check a lot of past-season stuff to be sure, but that seems very likely just from available memory.

Back a few posts---my first thought when I read your "conspiracy" or "rigged game" thing was that if it was true, and it was proved to peeps, they'd probably be more upset and take more action than they do about things that really matter. Protests, petitions, Congress jumping in to "fix it" in no time at all. Kinda sad.

Closer to on topic, though---apparently the Rams might be trying to go back to LA? I haven't confirmed, but I saw a blurb that owners got land and have made a deal to build a stadium, and they have an escape clause in their agreement with St.L.

The "LA Move" has been a scare tactic that owners have used for a while. Problem is that even though LA is the second largest TV market in the country, they haven't historically supported their teams (Rams or Raiders).

Cail wrote:The "LA Move" has been a scare tactic that owners have used for a while. Problem is that even though LA is the second largest TV market in the country, they haven't historically supported their teams (Rams or Raiders).

Yea, all of that is true...
But there's a lot of money and politics going on...
and the fact that the team owner already owns the LA land [among a pile of other things] makes it possibly different.
"Watch this Space" worthy, at least.

I saw something about San Diego potentially bringing lawsuit against them if they tried.

Hard to win a division what, 12 outta 13 years? Teams have natural ups and downs. Brady and Belichik are the difference (well, probably higher lvls too, in drafting and signing players).

Pats and Hawks meet in super bowl. I just don't think the pats can beat them tho. the only hope i see, their pass rush is so bad (which could be the one thing to cause them to lose to colts), that maybe they'll be able to contain wilson from his runs, which would make it real hard for them to score. Run defense is pretty good, and good corners to shut down their weak receivers. wilson is the difference.

Today is why I don't bet on sports. No way that Seattle should be losing this game, but at this point they look terrible and are diving faster than a broken submarine.

And now that Seattle's leading, I reiterate, this is why I do not bet on football.

Jebus Christmas.....

Heh. Today ended up much as it was expected to, in terms of result. However, the two paths to that result couldn't be much different.

To Cail's point, I congratulate him on his judgement. Despite the pregame prevailing wisdom, far too many gambling-inclined people treated today's NFC championship like an exercise in day-trading...and lost whatever they risked on their short-term expectation. So sad for those of little faith, but We are 12.

On the AFC side, I would have preferred the Colts, just to avoid the same "old-guard vs. new-guard" narrative with the Patriots taking the role the Broncos had last year. Wilson and Luck are from the same year and would have made this year's blather and piffle a trifle more interesting.

Come game time in two weeks, none of that matters...only what happens on the gridiron in AZ. Still, the talking heads *must* fill the next two weeks with incessant dissection. A new set of talking points would make it more interesting for a little while.

When the time comes...Go Hawks!

Sorry, Way, Sarge and Julie. Good fortune to your team, but I have to like my guys for the repeat.

The Seahawks should have lost that game based strictly on game play. Those were some awesome shots at the end of regular plan and again in OT on the Seahawks side, but poor coaching on the GB side propelled the Seahawks into the SB.

Mistakes aside (boggling an onside kick, etc etc) GB played too conservatively. You are already ahead, 4th and 1 and you go for another field goal. Sherman is hurt the entire 4th quarter and you never target him and make him defend with one arm. WTH?????
Its the same mistake Mike Smith made for too many years. Instead of playing to win, you get a lead and start playing to not lose. They thought they would coast the time off the clock and slow the game down and allowed the Seahawks to chip their way back in.

Also I HATE the playoff OT rules. Basically you give a HUGE advantage to whoever wins the coin toss.

Pats dominated the Colts... didnt see that one coming.

Wow. The GB lead just sort of went pooft. Incredibly sad - that one botched kick reception cost the game. I was hoping for the upset.

As for the Patriots, I was relieved that there was less stress in that one.

The Pats won: stay tuned for another cheating scandal.

The last quarter of Seattle vs Green Bay amused me in a way. (Not in another way. Although I really don't care, and barely follow football, I wanted GB.) When it came to crunch time, Seattle's strategy seemed to be: "As many times as we can in the next several minutes, you guys run down the field and get open, I'll throw to you, and you score." And it worked. Reception, reception, reception, score. Win!

So why the heck don't all teams do that all the time? It looked so easy! (Did I mention I'm not much of a football person?)

Anyway, NE is going to win the Superbowl.

SoulBiter wrote: Mistakes aside (boggling an onside kick, etc etc) GB played too conservatively. You are already ahead, 4th and 1 and you go for another field goal. Sherman is hurt the entire 4th quarter and you never target him and make him defend with one arm. WTH?????

Yea...but I think the absolute worst thing, stupidest, and a coaching problem...
The 2nd and 30something, then 3rd and 19 or whatever it was---YOU DON'T PLAY ANY DEFENSE??? Most of the reason you are ahead is your defensive play so far? It was awful, absurd, stupid. A 2-man rush??? Really????

The end result was right, I think, in a way---Seattle is the better team, overall. But on THAT given day, GB gave it away. And I don't like Seattle.

Vraith wrote:

SoulBiter wrote: Mistakes aside (boggling an onside kick, etc etc) GB played too conservatively. You are already ahead, 4th and 1 and you go for another field goal. Sherman is hurt the entire 4th quarter and you never target him and make him defend with one arm. WTH?????

Yea...but I think the absolute worst thing, stupidest, and a coaching problem...
The 2nd and 30something, then 3rd and 19 or whatever it was---YOU DON'T PLAY ANY DEFENSE??? Most of the reason you are ahead is your defensive play so far? It was awful, absurd, stupid. A 2-man rush??? Really????

The end result was right, I think, in a way---Seattle is the better team, overall. But on THAT given day, GB gave it away. And I don't like Seattle.

Yeah, I see teams do that when they are defending a 'Hail Mary' play. They rush 3 and go to "man to man" mixed with "zone" coverage. The problem with that is, the QB can sit in the pocket all day... at some point someone is going to make a mistake and lose their man, and a pass WILL be completed. I don't know why coaches do this. Why not do what you have been doing all game, that was working for ya.

Good call WF, Pats investigated for deflated balls. Seems like Cail could write some of this stuff

Ok, that NFC game was off the hook crazy. That has to be one of the best games I've ever seen. To see the Seahawks play so poorly, Wilson, the defense, even special teams, yet GB unable to score TDs, you had a feeling... Then a fake FG, throwing to a rookie offensive lineman! WTH?? Balls!! GB answers w/FG. Wilson, another pick, w/5 mins to go. Well, that's the game. Then a guy who had 4 picks, under a 100 yds, and couldn't hit a wall from 10yds, starts making a difference. After that pick, I'm at a friend's house who says, I'm just not sure Wilson is that good. We blink, and he's throwing perfect throws downfield and can't be stopped. They take the lead, GB answers to tie, then 2 perfect bombs, I mean beautiful (the TD had great coverage, just amazing catch). What a game, what a storyline. Unbelieve. Wilson had a 0 rating at halftime. Zero! I'm glad I wasn't a fan or didn't really care, I think that helped me enjoy it more. Even when I watched highlights the next day, I was stunned all over again. How did that happen?

SB, I think OT is good now, a FG doesn't win it. Defense wins championships, and if you give up a TD when you need to stop them, you don't deserve the win.

I hope Wilson plays like he did in Super Bowl, will give the Pats a chance. I feel good about their corners keepin Seattle WRs in check, and their run defense is pretty good. How do they contain Wilson? And how do they attack the defense? Seattle short route defense isn't great, and Pats employ that well, so they may be able to move the ball. But they'll have to score TDs, otherwise watch out.

I think this is a big Super Bowl. I hear the Luck/Wilson angle. But if Brady wins, it's number 4, and w/2 losses, 6 Super Bowl trips. He's prolific, and a winner. Has to be considered the best ever. On other side, if Wilson wins, he'll have 2 titles in 3 years, and a great opportunity in his career to take that title. I hope Brady can hold him off 1 more year.