NFL Playoffs: Divisional round

[Nathanial K'cansce]

Saturday
Indianapolis @ Baltimore
Philadelphia @ New Orleans

Sunday
Seattle @ Chicago
New England @ San Diego

[Jedi Master Carr]

Baltimore
New England
Philadelphia
Chicago

[jjwr]

Baltimore
New England
New Orleans
Chicago

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Saturday
Indianapolis (WIN) @ Baltimore
Philadelphia @ New Orleans (WIN)

Sunday
Seattle @ Chicago (WIN)
New England (WIN) @ San Diego

[Rutabaga]

Saturday
Indianapolis @ Baltimore (W)
Philadelphia @ New Orleans (W)

Sunday
Seattle @ Chicago (W)
New England @ San Diego (W)

[sirdizzy]

I am tempted to just take the home teams
Baltimore
Philadelphia
Chicago
San Diego

[Ryan Pode]

Baltimore
Chicago
New England
Saints

My whole family has the "Beat Indy" shirts. It's neat.

[Miranda Tarkin]

Chicago and the Seahawks? :)

[Ryan Pode]

Um... you must be illiterate, because I clearly said Saints.


...

[Miranda Tarkin]

heee :D

For fun, eventhough I haven't done this all season, but I will next year ...

Baltimore - I want the Colts to loose too
Chicago :D
New Orleans
New England

[Nathanial K'cansce]

Baltimore
New Orleans
Chicago
New England

[Liam Jinn]

Saturday
Indianapolis @ Baltimore (w)
Philadelphia @ New Orleans (w)

Sunday
Seattle @ Chicago (w)
New England @ San Diego (w)

[Yog]

Saturday
Indianapolis (W) @ Baltimore
Philadelphia @ New Orleans (W)

Sunday
Seattle @ Chicago (W)
New England @ San Diego (W)

[Jedieb]

Indy
NO

Chi
SD


The AFC match ups should be the best of the week and Indy @ Balt is a great way to kick off the weekend. Which Manning are we going to see? Regular season Manning or January Manning? Manning has an obscene QB rating of over 120 against the blitz, but we saw what happened to the Colts when the Steelers blitzed them in the playoffs last year. Baltimore is fast and athletic, but I think they'll make a mistake if they blitz. They should drop back and force Manning to take some chances. I'd feel so much better about Indy's chances if Boller was under center. Even if Indy gets an early lead, putting the game on McNair's shoulders isn't the worst thing that could happen to the Ravens.

The Saints could easily blow out the Eagles. This game could be over by halftime.

Which Rex Grossman is going to show up tomorrow? Sexy Rexy or the interception prone doofus who doesn"t study the game plan? Smith is going to have a quick hook tomorrow, but if Chicago fans are waiting for Griese to be their savior they may want to ask Denver fans how well that dream went for them.

Pats vs. LT, what a way to end the weekend. If there's any coach on the planet that could find a way to stop LT, it's the Devil Belichick. The best thing that's happened to the Bolts is that Marty has let his O cooridinator the freedom to call the game. If both of these teams play their best ball, the Chargers should win. But if Martyball returns, NE heads to another conference championship game.

[Miranda Tarkin]

Damn Ravens!! And damn game for being all FG's!

[JMK]

Well January Manning showed up, but again, like last week it was more than enough. the Colts defense have been hiding something up their sleeve for the playoffs.

What a stinging loss for the Ravens. Of all teams to lose to...ouch. Especially when Manning didn't throw a TD and had 2 INT's. It was there for the taking, but McNair wasn't his clutch self today either, and that's got to hurt him and the fans.

....and let's all take a moment to thank the maker that Vinatieri is playing the role of MVP for someone other than the Pats. Good lord is that guy money in the bank. His kicks are never in doubt. Incredible.

[Ryan Pode]

I want to say a four letter word followed by Brian Billick.

[Jedieb]

That was a pretty impressive performance by the Colts defense. For the first 3 quarters they were lights out on 3rd down. The turnovers they forced erased the mistakes that Manning kept making. When they had to, Indy ran the ball down the throats of that vaunted Ravens defense late in the 4th quarter. Manning was pedestrian at best, but that key 3rd down to Clark was his best pass of the game and it came when the team needed it the most. What else can you say about Vineteri? Anyone who thinks this kicker isn't headed to the HOF needs to have his head examined.

Ryan's certainly a bigger Ravens fan than I am a Colts fan so I feel for him. Tough game Ryan, sorry your team went down.

[Nathanial K'cansce]

Um.... wow. Manning best be thanking his defense has stepped up and he has someone who should change his name to "Money" as a kicker. ... 39 Passer rating? Still getting a win?

...Well, I'm stunned.

oh, and BTW - I dunno if anyone else had done this, or was going to do it, but I'm trying to get the final records for the pickem this year.

[jjwr]

If Manning was going to be a SB maybe this is the way it has to happen. Average games at best, lots of turnovers but the D steps up and wins the games. Crazy.

Colts just became Pats fans, they want the game at home.

Vinatieri belongs in the Hall of Fame, doesn't have the numbers of some others but he is the best kicker ever.

[Ryan Pode]

Colts will lose next week. Both Pat's and Chargers will stick to the run.

[jjwr]

What gets me is the Ravens kept throwing short of the 1st down and the Cover 2 of Indy ate them alive each time. Why not try to change things up?

They won't get that kind of stubborn coaching against the Pats & Chargers.

[Ryan Pode]

Why not run the ball more, when it worked?

[Nathanial K'cansce]

Regular Season Final Standings:

(name, final record, week 13, week 14, week 15, week 16, week 17)


Jinn Fizz 160 - 94 (6-10, 11-5, 11-5, 9-7, 9-7)
jjrw 160 - 94 (9-7, 8-8, 12-4, 8-8, 11-5)

Liam Jinn 154 - 100 (8-8, 8-8, 10-6, 19-6, 6-10)
Jedi Master Carr 154 - 100 (7-9, 8-8, 9-7, 11-5, 10-6)
Nathanial K'cansce 154 - 100 (7-9, 12-4, 12-4, 7-9, 11-5)

Yog 153 - 101 (8-8, 8-8, 8-8, 7-9, 10-6)
Ryan Pode 153 - 101 (9-7, 9-7, 9-7, 9-7, 9-7)

sirdizzy 151 - 103 (8-8, 6-10, 8-8, 9-7, 10-6)
Blade Ice 151 - 103 (9-7, 10-6, 8-8, 12-4, 9-7) <---picked all away games

Ambrose Braeden 149 - 105 (10-6, 9-7, 13-3, 11-5, 10-6)
Figrin D'an 149 - 105 (9-7, 10-6, 8-8, 12-4, 9-7) <---picked all away games

Jedieb 147 - 107 (8-8, 8-8, 12-4, 8-8, 7-9)

Tannis V'larr 144-110 (9-7, 10-6, 8-8, 12-4, 9-7) <---picked all away games

JMK 142 - 112 (9-7, 6-10, 7-9, 8-8, 4-12)

Lilaena De'Ville 138 - 116 (5-11, 8-8, 10-6, 6-10, 10-6)

notes: JMK should not go for broke as he did towards the end of the season in his picks. :P

Also, in week 14, LD posted 10 or so minutes after game time for the Pittsburgh game on a Saturday. To make sure that everyone came out with the same total for the final, I counted her pick as was, since it was only "10 minutes" into the game (probably one or two game time minutes), which ended up as a win for her. If you think it should count as late and thus a pick for the away team, then it will count as a loss for her, and her record will go to 137-117.

The reason I bring this up is jjrw also put in the same game pick late, but by an hour and a half. Since it was well into the game by then, I counted that as an away pick for him, which tallied up as a loss. Should I give him the same lee-way as I did with LD, even though of the time discrepencies? If so, then his record will go to 161-93, putting him in first.

Oh the controversy!

Which brings me to my next point... we have a tie for first place as is!! They can either share, or see who comes out with the better record in the playoffs! >D

[Ryan Pode]

I think next year we should do it via yahoo or some other third party that automatically scores it.

[jjwr]

Yeah Yahoo or something would be best, much easier to track the weekly picks. We can still have our thread for discussion but they will do all the work for us.

As for my late Steelers pick, whatever people want to do is fine, it was a late pick so counting it as a loss is fine by me.

[Ryan Pode]

Let the playoffs decide jjwr's fate. The playoffs.

[jjwr]

Odd that hail mary at the end wasn't challenged, he came down with the ball, hit the ground and had posession before it was ripped out. As he was already on the ground shouldn't it have been a TD?

The Playoffs work for me.

First round I had

Pats over Jets
Colts over Chiefs
Cowboys over Seahawks
Eagles over Giants

So 3-1

Jinn had

Kansas City at Indianapolis (W)
Dallas at Seattle (W)

Sunday
New York Jets at New England (W)
New York Giants at Philadelphia (W)

So 4-0

Uh oh!

This week our picks are the same but the Pats vs Chargers pick.

[Rutabaga]

Yowza! I'm willing to share, but *ahem* let's see how things go after the season is over :cool. Hey, I'm just surprised I did that well, most of the time I put little to no thought into my picks :lol.

Thanks for taking the time to do the tallying, Nathanial :).

I'm actually kind of surprised that the Colts won today...I still have no faith in them being able to follow through during the playoffs. But in a way the Ravens rolled over and played dead, that was a pretty awful game for them. Towards the end of the first half, it felt like McNair had given up.

[Jedi Master Carr]

If the Saints get the Bears their season is over. They can't win in the cold and snow (and from the forecast it will be both there next sunday) The only chance they have at the SB is for Seattle to win tomorrow. I think the Chargers or Pats will beat the Colts. Although right now I think it will be the Pats.

[Rutabaga]

My cable it ou!!!! :shakefist

Probably because it was unseasonably cold last night, it was 25 degrees when I got up this morning, that's almost unheard of for this part of California. I just hope they get it fixed within the next, oh, hour and a half :shakefist.

EDIT: Well, I'm already resigned to not seeing any football--or ANYTHING--today. Spent 2 HOURS on hold for Comcast, then tried the live chat on the website. Tech sent signal to reset digital converter, which hasn't done a darn thing, and said there was no info re: a general outage in the area, sorry,check with neighbors, we'll send a tech out if resetting the box doesn't work, yadda yadda yadda. Big help. I did check with a neighbor, both her cable and her internet are out and she said Comcast couldn't send anybody out to look at her internet until THURSDAY. She said she works from home, so that just won't fly. But at least this told me I'm not the only one being screwed by Comcast today. I swear, if my apartment complex wasn't providing and paying for the basic cable, meaning I only have to pay for the digital upgrade, I'd get a dish so fast it would make Comcast's collective head spin :p.

[jjwr]

Ouch, that bites!

Seahawks are hanging in with the Bears, Manning just saved the Bears by getting that INT back. Should be a great finish.

[Ryan Pode]

Can we agree the Bears defense isn't an elite defense anymore? They're good, but elite defenses don't let up 20+ points 4 weeks in a row.

[Yog]

Bears getting into field goal range in OT..

And its in! 49 yeard field goal from Goulds. Seahawks are defeated.

[Miranda Tarkin]

:rollin :crack :rollin

[Jedieb]

Only Brady escapes a certain INT like that. Lord how I HATE the Golden Boy and the Pats. Please Marty, let LT and the boys crush them!!!!! :shootin

[Rutabaga]

I'm having football withdrawal :cry

More neighbors without cable, so it's not isolated to me and the one other neighbor, c'mon, Comcast, fix it, fix it! :cry

[Nathanial K'cansce]

LT is a monster. Not even a cage can stop his big play ability. Pats are going to need a miracle if they want to win, methinks.

[Jedieb]

If the Chargers keep dropping dropping passes the Pats will eventually make them pay.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Somehow I don't think anyone cares about that one pick I mde ten minutes late, because... I'm in last place either way. ;)

[Jedieb]

One stupid mistake after another by the Chargers. They've dominated most of this game and find themselves tied with 4 minutes to go. Unbelievable.

[Liam Jinn]

Somehow I don't think anyone cares about that one pick I mde ten minutes late, because... I'm in last place either way. ;)

I think you should be flogged. :)

[Jedieb]

If the Chargers lose this one, it's not on Marty. He's not calling the plays anymore. Hell, if anything, the Chargers have been aggressive with their play calling. It's been stupid mistakes by the PLAYERS. Dropped passes, stupid penalties, boneheaded fumbles. Here comes a big 3rd down for the Pats. Ughh, I can see the first down coming.

[Jedieb]

Told ya. Marty must be dying inside.

[Jedieb]

I can't believe I missed the beginning of 24 for this. I knew that kick was doomed from the start. Lucky, lucky, lucky Pats. Unfrickin' believable. Lord how I hate this team.

[CMJ]

As they used to say on the old NFL Films about the Steelers of the 70's(then the 49ers of the 80's and Cowboys of the 90's)...great teams aren't always great. They're just great when they have to be.

[JMK]

God proves once again that he's a Pats fans. Those miraculous turnovers always go the way of the Patriots. Ridiculous. Now we are stuck with another week of Manning vs Brady hype. So needless to say, the Pats are going to Miami for the Superbowl and will once again hoist the frickin Lombardi trophy on my team's home field.

I want to puke right now.

[Nathanial K'cansce]

Wow.

And Manning is sitting at home saying "...again?" At least the Colts have Mr. Money on their side this time around.

[jjwr]

Whooooo...Go Pats! Very tough San Diego team, Pats hung in till the end and won it late. Typical Pats game.

Incredible break on the 3rd INT, thats Patriots magic right there!

Bring on Manning!!

[Rutabaga]

Cable is still out...perhaps it's best I didn't get to see the game. I was dying enough just watching the score on NFL.com. Seeing it live, I probably would've had a stroke. :cry

Comcast must've had some kind of catastrophic problem, or just lots of outages due to the cold weather. Neighbors and the complex manager called them, they said sorry, we're on the list, they're going as fast as they can, etc. *sigh*

Well, my Chargers are gone, so who's left to root for? Unlike a lot of other people here, I like the Colts and I like Peyton Manning, so technically I'll be rooting for them. Although I'll also be rooting for the sweetheart team, the Saints. But overall, a lot of my interest in the Super Bowl has kinda gone down the tubes now.

At least Prince will be the halftime show :cool.

[Jedieb]

I'll definitely be rooting for the Colts. Manning and the Colts have beaten NE the last 2 times they've played, they've even gone into Foxboro and won. I actually think the Colts match up better against the Pats than they would have the Chargers. We'll just have to see if the Patriots will get another batch of miracles like they did today. That game was ridiculous. Despite dominating much of the game, the Chargers made some incredibly idiotic mistakes. Marty is going to take the brunt of the blame and that's unfair.

[Nathanial K'cansce]

I would love to see Colts -v- Saints in the big game.

[Miranda Tarkin]

I would love to see Colts -v- Saints in the big game.

No Pats vs Bears! :lol it'll be like deja vu!

[jjwr]

I hate the Colts...though I must admit it would be fitting if the Colts finally beat the Pats to get to the big game.

[Jedieb]

Both NFC teams have some serious flaws. The Bears never know which Grossman is going to show up and they've suffered so many injuries on defense that they're no longing dominant on that side of the ball. The Saints also have some problems on defense. They give up way too many big plays on defense.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Poor Marty :p I saw this coming I sat through two of his teams laying eggs in the playoffs. The Pats will be tough that Colt-Pat game will probably be a heck of a game. I am sure CBS is glad it is in prime time. As for the NFC I agree both NFC teams have flaws. I would only go with the Bears because the game is in Chicago. The last couple of years the team with the HOF advatage has won the NFC. Also Dome teams don't play very well outdoors in the cold.

[Yog]

Good grief how I hate the Pats. I am not sure how they do it. Every frickin playoff, they have someone slipping on a banana peel. What a tragi comical sortie for the Chargers.

[Ryan Pode]

Pats v. Saints. The clock strikes midnight on the Colt's defense and the Bears defense can't contain the uber-explosive Saints offense.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I am saying Pats-Bears right now. Now I have to admit I am waiting for Grossman to implode next sunday.

[Jedieb]

One thing to consider, the Pats haven't beaten Manning and the Colts since 2004. Yes, they've owned them in the playoffs, but this Pats team isn't as talented, and the game is at the RCA Dome. Not only have the Colts beaten NE the last 2 times they've played, but both those wins were AT Gillete. Manning knows he can beat this team. The question is, can he finally get over his playoff anxiety and win the big one?

[Jedi Master Carr]

I still am not conviced that the Colts defense is any good. The Chiefs had some bad play calling and their offense line couldn't stop 120 pound girl from getting to the QB. The Ravens made some awful playing calling to and their offense looked completely inept the other day. I think the Colts defense will return for the Championship game. No team who finishes last in rushing defense will win the SB.

[jjwr]

Pats actually have a passing offense, if the Colts stack the line like they did the last 2 lines than Brady will make them pay.

[jjwr]

I went 3-1 this week, Jinn went 2-2, that ties us through 2 weeks at 6-2. With only a few weeks to go this could easily end in a tie...

[Jedi Master Carr]

Pats actually have a passing offense, if the Colts stack the line like they did the last 2 lines than Brady will make them pay.
I agree with that, KC passing attack had done nothing the last two months. The Ravens had been very inconsistent in the passing game. I really don't know why with Mcnair.