Badmike wrote:I hate the Giants, but it does make my year to see that piece of crap not get another ring....Although I thought he did hug Coughlin at the end?Mike B.
Badmike wrote:I'm torn whether I'd be losing money, or losing a lot of money, or losing all my money if I had the ability to place a legal bet here at any time....
Xaxaxe wrote:Giants by 3. Like Joe Namath, I'll guarantee it.
killjoy32 wrote:best player for me on the field was that defensive guy for the Giants, Shanahan. wow that guy worked his butt off - and at that age too, proved a shining example to pretty much anyone on the field, imho.Al
The Pats looked tired and worn out most the game...I think the pressure of being undefeated finally got to them. In contrast, the Giants seemed to relish in their underdog role, and looked hungry.
Where was Randy Moss during the playoffs? He was awful the last three games, and was nearly invisible in the SB. I know the other team's strategy is to double cover him, but he can't run an out, or any plays across the middle? Waiting for the inevitable meltdown next year....this guy has NOT looked happy all during the playoffs, and with Welker catching more passes...well, Moss has never liked being #2.
The blueprint now is to put Brady on the ground, and he gets rattled. Watch more teams to sell out on the blitz next year (very shocked they didn't do it more this year).
I think we saw the advantage of playing in a tough division (Giants against the Redskins, Cowboys and Eagles) vs a soft divison (Pats playing three of the worst teams in the league twice each). Once football scholars digest this shocking superbowl result, I think there will be a lot more critical assessment of the Pats undefeated season. They beat everyone in the NFC east, and teams like the Colts, Steelers, and Chargers, but I'm sure the infaliable press will find something they don't like about it.
Would you be 100% surprised if the Giants didn't even make the playoffs next year? I wouldn't. I also wouldn't be surprised if Eli doesn't overwhelm in the future, although honestly he never had a lights out game during the playoffs anyway. He seems to be turning into the kind of QB that doesn't necessarily win games, but doesn't make the mistakes that lose games.
I was shocked to see the Pats defense disappear this game..they always seemed to come up with the turnover they needed at the exact right time during the regular season.
Sea-to-sky-games wrote:Quote: Where was Randy Moss during the playoffs? He was awful the last three games, and was nearly invisible in the SB. I know the other team's strategy is to double cover him, but he can't run an out, or any plays across the middle? Waiting for the inevitable meltdown next year....this guy has NOT looked happy all during the playoffs, and with Welker catching more passes...well, Moss has never liked being #2. I think Moss is okay with that so long as the team wins. His attitude after the game was fairly classy. Still, though, you have to think NE has to find ways to get him the ball. I can't believe they don't have an out, or a hook, or an across the middle play for Moss? Every single play to him seems to be a home run ball to gain 50+ yds and/or a TD. Seeing as how he was shut down not once, but for the entire playoffs (he had what, 7 catches in three games?) tells me that teams are conceding passes to Welker (who responded with some monster games) in lieu of having Moss get the home run ball. If you look at Moss's history, he's never been a problem when his team is good...and the Pats were very good this year. Quote: The blueprint now is to put Brady on the ground, and he gets rattled. Watch more teams to sell out on the blitz next year (very shocked they didn't do it more this year). Not sure your point here. Every GM in the league knows that games are won in the trenches and getting a great D-line is obviously key to that. The problem is actually getting that talent. Teams can't blitz effectively against the Pats because Brady is incredibly good at picking it up. Just look at Jacksonville and other great defenses that the Pats shredded trying to do that. The Ravens were the only team that mixed up their blitzes well enough to confuse Brady. As I recall, the Eagles and Giants were effective against the Pats because they could get Brady on the ground or under pressure by only rushing 3 or 4. This in turn allows them to double Moss without getting into too much trouble. Sure, blitzing was used occasionally, but that wasn't the key to their success. Well, the key is to double Moss while also having an effective pass rush. However, the Giants (and to an extent the Ravens) showed that you don't HAVE to double Moss every play if you can get to Brady....because no one can throw a 50 yd bomb when they are backpedaling trying to avoid a sack. In those cases, a quick out or screen is called for, and honestly I rarely saw the Pats use those in the playoffs to anyone but Welker..who killed teams doing this. I think you could go man to man with Moss if you effectively rush. By putting Brady on the ground, I mean just that....making sure you shove, push, run into, or yank Brady to the turf every play. There are some QBs this doesn't seem to work against...Favre is one..but Brady seemed susecptible to being physically manhandled. A lot of time, after plays where he ate dirt, he either rushed the next throw or threw an INT (the Cowboys game is one where this happened...he got flattened before his first INT, then threw a really bad quickie pass the next play). This may be because Brady's physical health was a little more delicate than we were let on about, or that he just get nervous hearing footsteps, but it seemed something I would have tried had I been a team who was a massive underdog (like the Dolphins). Quote: I think we saw the advantage of playing in a tough division (Giants against the Redskins, Cowboys and Eagles) vs a soft divison (Pats playing three of the worst teams in the league twice each). Once football scholars digest this shocking superbowl result, I think there will be a lot more critical assessment of the Pats undefeated season. They beat everyone in the NFC east, and teams like the Colts, Steelers, and Chargers, but I'm sure the infaliable press will find something they don't like about it. I disagree. The Bills, regardless of record, give a tough test week and week out (like the Ravens and Titans, for example). They play hard. That NE blowed them out was a testament to how great the Pats were playing. And sure the Dolphins suck, but overall, the Patriot's schedule was pretty tough. Moreover, it wasn't as if they were narrowly beating teams, they were destroying them (except the Colts). The '72 Dolphins, for example, played only a few teams over .500 and were even a superbowl underdog.
Sea-to-sky-games wrote:Quote: Where was Randy Moss during the playoffs? He was awful the last three games, and was nearly invisible in the SB. I know the other team's strategy is to double cover him, but he can't run an out, or any plays across the middle? Waiting for the inevitable meltdown next year....this guy has NOT looked happy all during the playoffs, and with Welker catching more passes...well, Moss has never liked being #2. I think Moss is okay with that so long as the team wins. His attitude after the game was fairly classy. Still, though, you have to think NE has to find ways to get him the ball.
Quote: The blueprint now is to put Brady on the ground, and he gets rattled. Watch more teams to sell out on the blitz next year (very shocked they didn't do it more this year). Not sure your point here. Every GM in the league knows that games are won in the trenches and getting a great D-line is obviously key to that. The problem is actually getting that talent. Teams can't blitz effectively against the Pats because Brady is incredibly good at picking it up. Just look at Jacksonville and other great defenses that the Pats shredded trying to do that. The Ravens were the only team that mixed up their blitzes well enough to confuse Brady. As I recall, the Eagles and Giants were effective against the Pats because they could get Brady on the ground or under pressure by only rushing 3 or 4. This in turn allows them to double Moss without getting into too much trouble. Sure, blitzing was used occasionally, but that wasn't the key to their success.
Quote: I think we saw the advantage of playing in a tough division (Giants against the Redskins, Cowboys and Eagles) vs a soft divison (Pats playing three of the worst teams in the league twice each). Once football scholars digest this shocking superbowl result, I think there will be a lot more critical assessment of the Pats undefeated season. They beat everyone in the NFC east, and teams like the Colts, Steelers, and Chargers, but I'm sure the infaliable press will find something they don't like about it. I disagree. The Bills, regardless of record, give a tough test week and week out (like the Ravens and Titans, for example). They play hard. That NE blowed them out was a testament to how great the Pats were playing. And sure the Dolphins suck, but overall, the Patriot's schedule was pretty tough. Moreover, it wasn't as if they were narrowly beating teams, they were destroying them (except the Colts). The '72 Dolphins, for example, played only a few teams over .500 and were even a superbowl underdog.
The Pats division was putrid, and no other way to spin it, and that was a guaranteed six games on their road to being undefeated. They remind me of the early to mid 90s 49ers who had a guaranteed 7-8 wins every year facing the likes of the Falcons and other patsies in their division.
By putting Brady on the ground, I mean just that....making sure you shove, push, run into, or yank Brady to the turf every play. There are some QBs this doesn't seem to work against...Favre is one..but Brady seemed susecptible to being physically manhandled. A lot of time, after plays where he ate dirt, he either rushed the next throw or threw an INT (the Cowboys game is one where this happened...he got flattened before his first INT, then threw a really bad quickie pass the next play). This may be because Brady's physical health was a little more delicate than we were let on about, or that he just get nervous hearing footsteps, but it seemed something I would have tried had I been a team who was a massive underdog (like the Dolphins).
Sea-to-sky-games wrote:And Romo looks like a Jedi in the pocket.
Sea-to-sky-games wrote: Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:21 pm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote: The Pats division was putrid, and no other way to spin it, and that was a guaranteed six games on their road to being undefeated. They remind me of the early to mid 90s 49ers who had a guaranteed 7-8 wins every year facing the likes of the Falcons and other patsies in their division. I guess we'll have to disagree. I just can't see their overall schedule as being anything other than tough: A) 2 games against a solid 8-8 Bills team B) They beat every single elite team in the AFC.. Colts, Chargers, Pitt. C) They beat the best team in the entire NFC.. Cowboys. D) They also had to play the Eagles, Ravens and Giants... those aren't easy wins for anybody.. and it showed in the boxscore. The Ravens and Eagles are teams that were only very recently Superbowl contenders, and have a reputation for having a tough D. E) They played a 10-6 Browns team that just missed the #6 seed F) They played a 9-7 Skins team that made the playoffs I count 11 tough games right there. Throw in 4 "easy" divisional games and a game against the Bengals (who happened to beat the #6 Titans). In your view what makes their schedule easy? Just because they played 4 games against bad teams or because they didn't play every single good team in the NFL (which I guess only really leaves out Green Bay, Seattle, Jax and Tenn)?
The three teams in the Pats division were a combined 12-36, including a one win team that may have been the worst in the NFL this year, and the Jets, which were pretty close to the 2nd worst team (although I might rate them ahead of the Chiefs or Raiders)---NONE of which had a winning record (the Bills were actually 7-9). On the flip side, the Giants divisional teams were 30-18, and had THREE playoff teams from their division. The worst team in the division was 8-8 and had been to the superbowl in the last two years. I was talking about divisional schedule, not overall, and by any quantifiable measurement the NFC east was much tougher than the AFC East.