NFL 2012-2013

Glad to see Russell WIlson is starting to get the pub RG3 and Andrew Luck have been getting, huge clutch performance in Chicago last week, and had little to do in today 58-0 thrashing of the Cards. I picked Atlanta to go to the SB before the year, but not buying their defense. Which team in the NFC will get hot (and healthy) at the right time, I'm going to say Sulley's team that resides in Lambeau. The MNF showdown between New England and Houston could be a preview of the AFC title game in Jan.

 

How in the hell does Carolina beat the Dirty Birds? I'll never understand this league.

 

It's such a fine line, but it's impossible to play your best for 16 weeks in the NFL, even the worst teams are loaded with players. The Carolina game was semi-predictable; division rival (the Panther gagged the game in Atlanta earlier), Cam Newton playing much better the last few weeks, and with Atlanta needing probably one more win to tie up home-field thru out playoffs coming in flat. The bigger head-shaker was San Diego going into Pittsburgh and taking apart the Steelers, who needed the game, while the Chargers are playing out the string with a coach that everyone knows will be shown the door the second the season is over. My wife is a huge Steelers fan and she said in the first quarter that the team looked flat, which spells doom for any team.

 

Yes you did. I was lucky enough to be there. I expected the game to be a lot closer then that. It looked like at some point in the third Houston went into survival mode and their goal was not to get hurt.

 

:banana-dance: The Seahawks roll into DC and get it done. Have been a critic of Carroll, but :bow-yellow: when it comes to his talent evaluating. That defense flies around and his decision to start Russell Wilson from the beginning of the season was huge. Would pick them to beat Atlanta immediately, but not sure how flying to DC back to Seattle back to Atlanta is going to affect them. Throw Chris Clemons (if he played in New York, he'd be a superstar) getting hurt yesterday and it's going to be a tall order.

Green Bay at San Francisco. These two have had more than one NFL Playoff classic and this should be a good one. The Pack's OLine doesn't protect Aaron Rodgers well enough at times. However, if he gets his hands on the ball with a chance to win in the 4th quarter, look out. The Niners will be feeding Frank Gore the ball a ton, and the week off should be enough to advance.

Baltimore at Denver. Broncos should win the game, but if Flacco can play like he did in the second half yesterday it might get a little dicey.

Houston at New England. Pats destroyed them a month ago which usually means the rematch will be much closer, but can't see the Texans going up there and winning. Every executive at the network that covers the AFC is praying for a Brady v Manning matchup which would generate ridiculous ratings.

 

Many years this weekend's 'Divisional' playoffs will have the best game of the season. Denver-Baltimore tied up at 14 after the first quarter. The Packers-Niners have all the makings of another great chapter in their long playoff rivalry. Can't wait for the Seahawks game in Atlanta, and no one is giving Houston a chance which means they will probably give the Pats all they want tomorrow.

 

The Ravens...WOW!!! :shock: No doubt, that Denver safety lost that game, but still, what a game. As a Balmer fan, I was thrilled.

Watching Kaepernick in the 49'ers game felt like watching Johnny Football and A&M. Crazy.

 

A lot of the Nevada-Reno games are shown here in Sacramento, so I saw a fair amount of Kaepernick when he was in college. I thought the NFL might be a possibility with his size and the combination of his arm and his running but, still ....... WOW.

 

What a great weekend of games. Totally crushed by Atlanta beating my Seahawks. The sting doesn't last very long when you get beat by a better team or are outplayed on the day, but to lose in the second round against a team you are clearly better than, the disappointment lingers. Blew chance after chance in the first half, came roaring back in the 4th quarter to take the lead w/30 seconds left only to lose on a last second field goal :angry-banghead:

Speaking of 30 seconds left. Denver has 2 timeouts w/Peyton Manning and John Fox goes conservative and plays for OT. Further mistake by Fox was the Broncos electing to run it 3 times to use up the Ravens timeouts/and the 2 minute warning when one play action pass by one of the best QB's ever to play ends the game..double :angry-banghead: That said the 2 Broncos DBs getting beat on that play goes down in the history of bonehead plays. Feel bad for Moore (the safety who just flailed at it), the kid played at UCLA and I've heard him interviewed a few times, and he does a lot for the community off the field. Have to credit the Ravens going in there and getting it done, their special teams gave up two TDs and they kept coming back. Joe Flacco plays his best in the playoffs.'

Matt Schuab is done as a franchise QB. He simply isn't good enough on the biggest stage. In the first half, when it mattered there were a bunch of plays to be had for his team, and he couldn't make the throw needed. The Pats got it going and coasted..BUT losing Gronk for the rest of the postseason is a big loss.

Sulley is the resident Packer fan and could speak to this more, but Green Bay is sorely lacking in talent. Maybe that second half beatdown is enough for them to address the gaping holes they have on the O-Line and all over the D. Aaron Rodgers' talent has been glossing over the personnel problems, but management better have a good draft to go back to really challenging for the title.

AFC: Baltimore at Pats' After a game like that the Ravens will believe they are going in to Foxboro and win again. Going to go down to the fourth quarter again. I'll take Brady at home, but losing Gronk could be the difference in seeing an all-Harbaugh Super Bowl matchup.

NFC: San Francisco at Atlanta. Honestly don't think the Falcons can hang with the Niners. Maybe Atlanta after hearing all this week that they have no chance, will play much looser now that the monkey is off their back (they were gripping in the second half), and use the home field advantage (Falcon fans better show up and lift the team, the Georgia Dome can be a library at times). Not going to lie, the Niners are my least favorite team in the NFL and it's painful to say they are the best team left.

 

Some riveting, intense games over the weekend, for sure. Ravens-Broncs was one of the best I've seen in recent years, although I don't know how you get that open at the end of the game like that. I guess the old cliche' is true...all the prevent defense does is prevent you from winning. Except that was incredibly poor execution by Denver at the end of regulation. Then Peyton throws the pick, and it's over.
Seahawks-Falcons was very good as well. Tough one to lose for either team. Wilson may be season's biggest surprise, unless Kaepernick leads 'Niners to the Lombardi Trophy...which he very well may. Frisco has impressed me the most of the teams remaining, but you just don't count out guys like Belichick, Brady and Ray Lewis. Still think it'll be SF at the end. Conference championships are gonna have to go a ways to beat the stuff we just saw, though.

 

:flags-usa: A true American holiday w/BBQ, beer, fireworks, music superstar performances, funny commercials (**fingers crossed since there hasn't been too many good ones the last 2-3 years), ooohh and there actually will be some football mixed in.

As for the game, hard to get too fired up since the Whiners are right at the top of my least favorite teams list (this goes back to my days as a season ticket holder of the LA Rams) and being married to a die-hard Steelers fan whose arch rival is the Ravens, it sucks not to have even a marginal rooting interest (if forced to chose it's Baltimore by default). However, will pull out the stops in the appetizer contest at my buddy's pad, which will consist of everyone wearing 49er red, having a few frosties, and having a good time.

Prediction; As painful as this is, gotta go with the NoCals 31-20. A close game that San Francisco takes control of in the 4th. For Baltimore to have a chance they must not deviate from getting Ray Rice the ball 20-25 times, he's their best player on offence, but sometimes they lose sight of that and have Flacco throw it too much.

Anyone hosting?

 

Truly bizarre turn of events with the power outage. Have to give props to Joe Flacco for making me change my mind about his ability, because he was outstanding like he has been the entire postseason. Watching the game w/all Niner fans was strange (I was grinning ear to ear on the inside). They weren't that mad about the non defensive holding call, but were livid over the obvious offside missed on the 2 pointer the series before (convert that and they would have only been down 3 at the end). Credit it Baltimore for being the better team on the day.

 

just glad it's over and hopefully never have to hear the name Ray Lewis again unless it's because his suit was found! Still can't believe Flacco. Still can't believe the broncos blew the game to them. at least it's over for a few months and i can focus all my positive energy towards FFC.

 

That was the first time in a long time I had a rooting interest in the Super Bowl. It wound up a lot tighter than I'd have liked, especially after opening up a 22 pt lead. However it was kind of fitting that, while the Ravens are better on offense than defense these days, the defense saved the win with a goal line stand.

The best part though? Baltimore now has more SB wins than the Indianapolis version of the team that that bastard Irsay snuck out of town with. And no, Indy shouldn't get credit for Super Bowl V. Say what you want about Baltimore stealing the Browns, but at least they left the name and history to the rightful city. Sorry, I was 12 when that happened and am still bitter. Probably always will be.

Back on topic though, great game, even if it was weird with the power outtage. Happy to see Lewis go out a champion but understand how people probably tired of him during these playoffs. Glad to see Flacco have such a strong playoffs. One of my best friends is a Delaware grad, so that's been fun b/c they don't get claims to fame often (although they do have a surprisingly good record of sending qb's to the pros).