NFL Playoffs

I can't believe what I just saw! It's bedlam in Minnesota right now!

 

In case you were wondering how that last play even happened...divine intervention and a special camera caught the evidence on tape...

 

I had no vested rooting interest in this game, but that was an unlikely ending. I do feel bad for Marcus Williams. Not only did he make the wrong play on the ball and player, he also took out his only teammate in a position to recover and make any play on the receiver (although he was probably too far away to have caught him). Not quite up there with The Immaculate Reception, but pretty darn close.

 

Thank you! And, no, none of those people are me but I'm 100% positive that I looked like most of them when Diggs was running down the sidelines...jumping for joy, high fiving other random Viking fans, etc. It was quite the roller coaster ride!

 

Encore, tell us the level of superstition you're carrying into the weekend; are you planning to watch the game at the same place w/same people? Same gear? Planning to eat the same thing? Considering the Vikes haven't gone to the SB (I'm guessing you weren't born yet) since the 70's it's time for Minnesota to get back, add in the SB is in that beautiful new stadium and the city/state must be electric.

 

I'm carrying massive superstition @SoCalJoe !! Last weekend, my daughter's soccer training was from 4-7:30, during the entire game (and this weekend will be the same), however a few of us parents left practice for the nearest bar to watch the entire second half. I plan on doing the same thing this Sunday, right on down to the same exact seat at the same table we sat at. I will order the same beer and appetizer to boot.

There is a collective buzz around the state right now...it's almost as if the stereotypical Vikings fan (who always knew something bad was about to happen) has been replaced by hope and optimism...it's a really weird feeling.

 

Lots of happy videos from Vikings fans, but has anyone seen any like this?

 

Evan, I remember seeing footage of Miami Heat fans leaving in droves when they were about to lose to the Spurs before Allen hit that miracle shot (sorry for the reminder HD if you read this).

John Malkovich is a national treasure:

 

I was so superstitious that I refused to say anything about the Jaguars in this forum. I was incredibly excited that my team won their division and then kept getting the job done in the playoffs, but I worried I would be punished for my pride if I said anything about it here. For three weeks I would wear my Jaguars t-shirt on Friday. Then on Sunday, I'd put on my teal Jaguars socks and wear them to Church even if they didn't exactly match the rest of my outfit (fortunately my Church is an open and affirming Church and that goes for sock lifestyle choices too). Then I put on the same long-sleeve Jaguars shirt before the game and sat in the same chair to watch it. AND IT ALMOST WORKED! I'm not sure what I messed up to cause the Jags to get that delay of game penalty in the first half (which I think doomed them) but I'll be spending the off-season figuring out where I went wrong. I'm also looking at the possibility that the loss was due to the Patriots being the better team rather than anything I did.

I am exceedingly proud of the Jags - especially since when the season started I wasn't sure if they would even manage to be better than last season. My second favorite team (and my favorite from 1978 to Sept. 3, 1993) is the Eagles. At least now I don't have to worry about having a win/win/lose/lose Super Bowl scenario, but I may have to suffer back-to-back crushing defeats to the Patriots.

Jags, I honor you with your touchdown song, the best touchdown song in all the NFL. Thank you for the great season:

 

I'm quite surprised at how easily the Eagles handled the Vikes today. Honestly didn't see that coming. As for the Pats, well, they're the modern day version of the old Raiders: Just win, baby. I don't see them having any problem beating Philly.

 

Well that all depends on how deeply you believe in the conspiracies that the Patriots are full-time cheaters and/or the NFL and the referees give them preferential treatment.

 

Dang Micah, didn't know you were a Jags fan. I agree on the delay of game penalty, it really hurt. However, The Miles Jack fumble recovery where they blew the whistle when he was going to take it to the house (Jack was also a great running back at Ucla besides a linebacker) was the real killer. The pass interference call at the end of the half was atrocious, was it a conspiracy to get the Pats closer? No, but it was a terrible call. What ultimately cost the Jags the game was the greatness of #12. HD, maybe there are a few haters still left, but to answer your question it's pretty close to unanimous that Brady is the GOAT. His accuracy and ability to process information (the 2 keys that separates the NFL level QBs) is second to none.

 

My feeling is that there were breaks that the Pats got (normal lucky breaks, not a conspiracy theorist here) like the pass interference call and the early whistle on the fumble that could have led the Jags to victory had they gone the other way. However, there were also things the Jags did that inflicted their own damage like the delay of game penalty, the two knees to close the half (look at what the Eagles did in the same situation), the insistence on running up the middle when it just wasn't working, rolling Bortles out of the pocket for two straight incompletions when he had just completed 17 straight passes from the pocket, and the soft coverage from the secondary once they got the lead. The Jaguars had every chance to win in spite of the breaks the Patriots got, but they couldn't close the deal. They left the Patriots a very narrow path to victory, but that is all Brady needs! My aunt who lives in Jacksonville texted me late in the game "Just 10 minutes to go!" to which I replied "Yes, which makes the inevitable Patriots victory even more heartbreaking." They needed to keep scoring, just like they did in Pittsburgh a week earlier, but instead they decided to protect their lead. If they had played with the same approach as against the Steelers they'd be prepping for the Super Bowl this week.

On a side note the Jags lost AT LEAST three defensive touchdowns this season due to early whistles. With instant replay available I wish they would hold on blowing plays dead after a turnover to see what develops. This wasn't just an issue against the Patriots for this ball hungry defense.

 

It's been 3 days and it still stings. Our defense was superb all year and we just laid an egg. It was reminiscent of the playoff blowout to the Giants back in 2001, where nothing went right and we got blown out 41-0. Unbelievable.

Oh well...C'mon you Super Bowl Commercials!!!

 

Very few Arizona players make it to the NFL, so if the Pats had won I would've been happy for Gronk & Marquis Flowers, but I was rooting for Nick Foles. First ever Wildcat to start a SB at QB, he lit it up (threw 3 and even caught a td ) in winning the game MVP. He's a legend in Tucson, and this was a story that came out in the build up about the type of person he was in college.

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