NFL Season coming more in focus

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think now we can start figuring out which teams have the best chance of making it to New Orleans. The Rams dominated the 49ers (sorry Jon) guarenting a NFC West division title just about, GB beat Chicago to give them a shot of claiming the NFC central title, Pittsburg beat the Jets without Jerome Betis to go to 10-2 (is there any doubt that Cowher is coach of the year) another surprise team won New England to go 8-5 keeping there chance for an AFC East title alive. The Raiders barly beat the Chiefs and will win the AFC west but they look like a lousy team and will probably get beat early. If I had to guess how the rest of the season will go here is my predictions by divisions
AFC East -Patriots(they have been playing great all year and I think they will sneak past Miami)
AFC central- Pittsburg (probably the best team in the AFC)
AFC West-Oakland
Wild Cards: Miami, Baltimore, Seattle
NFC East Philidelphia
NFC Central Green Bay
NFC West Rams
Wild Cards Chicago, S.F, N.O

Here is how I think the playoffs might go
AFC Championship Game NE vs Pitt
NFC Championship Game Rams vs GB
Super Bowl Pitt vs Rams and I think the Steelers will surprise the Rams and beat them I just have a feeling with the way Betis is playing and there defense is just amazing and that is the way to win a superbow with a great defense and a running game.

[JonathanLB]

Niners just had an off day offensively. I thought they did a fine job on defense. You cannot beat the Rams unless you score 30+ points, sorry it's not going to happen. Any time you can hold them to 27 and have an offense as powerful as the Niners, you should win.

I have really not ever seen them play that bad this season. It's ok, though, they are still improving and it was just one of those off days.

I still think the Niners can beat the Rams if they are playing at playoff level and also, there is no way GB is even close to as good as the Niners. Just isn't a reality.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I disagree, to beat the rams you have to hold there offense in check and not try to outscore them unless your offense is better and no offense I don't think the 49ers offense is better than the Rams, actually no ones is sure there have been offensives in the past the 89 49ers come to mind believe me if that team played the Rams they would kill them with Montana at the helm, but there is no team today that can do it. The best teams are Pittsburgh and Chicago because they have great defensives and can slow down their offense, Pittsburg to me has the best chance because they have the Bus and they can do the best thing that you can do keep Warner and his guys on the sidelines and that is why I like Pittsuburg this year, it just seems like they have perfect combination, Bettis is having a great year the Defense is subperb and Stewart is finally showing that he can be a good QB, plus Cowher is a great coach one of the best in the league and because of those reasons I think they will win it all.

[Jedieb]

The Rams offense is the best offense the NFL has seen since the Chargers of the early 80's. As great as the 80's and 90's Niners teams were, none of them could stand up to today's Rams offense. What makes this Rams team better than that old Chargers team is that they've been able to secure home field advantage in the playoffs and their defense is better. I'm all over the NFL on Sundays thanks to DirecTV and NO ONE moves the ball like the Rams. I think they chew up yards even better than Air Coriel did with Fouts, Winslow, Joyner, and company. I give the Rams the edge because of Faulk. He's the difference maker. Remember, the year the Rams won the Superbowl they won TWO defensive battles to win their championship. That's why the Rams lost last year. They had absolutely NO defense whatsoever. Yet they still came within one possesion of beating New Orleans last year. There's only 1 team that can beat the Rams, and that's the Rams themselves. How the hell do you almost win a game in which you turn the ball over 8 times? The Rams have only had 2 turnovers in the last two weeks and they MANHANDLED both their opponents. That game against the Niners yesterday wasn't even CLOSE. The Rams were on cruise control in the second half and were running out the clock. If they'd used that approach against the Saints they would have beaten them handily. With a top 10 defense the rest of the league is pretty much playng catch up to the Rams.

I love the Bucs, but they're just going to dissapoint me again come January. They'll probably make it to the playoffs, but they don't have enough offense to get the job done. They match up well against the Rams, but all the Rams have to do is watch out for turnovers and the Bucs won't be able to keep up with them. The Bucs probably won't get past their first wild card game if it's a road game in Chicago or N.O.

The AFC will probably lose this year. The Ravens have injuries on defense and their offense is as inept as last year. The most balanced team in the AFC is the Steelers. I've watched a lot of their games and Stewart is having his best season by FAR. He's actually throwing the ball down the field accurately and Ward and Plexico B. have developed into a strong duo. Throw in Bettis and Fu*&%&%*^^ and you have a bruising running game that can take huge chunks of time off the clock. The defense is solid as well, in fact it's probably a better unit. The Steelers main weakness is their inability to get into the end zone. Kris Brown is having major problems (He missed 2 field goals yesterday) and you need solid special teams in the playoffs. The Steelers could easily lose a close game in the playoffs if Brown chokes it for them. Just look at what happened to Tenn. and Del Greco last year. The Raiders are a good team, but they can't stop the run. If you can't stop the run you're dead in the playoffs. Teams like Pittsburgh would crush them.

My Predictions?

Championship Games
Rams V. Packers
Steelers V. Jets (Oh how I hate the Ravens!)

Superbowl
Rams V. Steelers

Winner?
The Rams are the easy choice, but without a Neil O'Donnel brain cramp the Steelers would have beaten my Cowboys in Superbowl 30. Cowher knows how to coach in big games. He could very well put together a game plan that could beat the Rams. It should be close but I think the Rams will still win. A Steeler victory wouldn't suprise me and I'd be happy for Cowher, the guy's a great coach and Bettis is awesome. They deserve a ring.

[CMJ]

To early for me to picking the SuperBowl champion...:) I will say that in the AFC I REALLY like New England right now...especially if they steal the division and aren't a wild card.

[JonathanLB]

The Niners defense played a great game to let up only 27 points, that is what I am telling you. They DID stop the Rams. Did you watch? 6 points in the 2nd half is NOT a dominating performance by the Rams and the Niners offense had every chance to beat them. 27 points is just 4 TD's and the Niners must be able to do that against a team like the Rams, which is not impressive defensively.

Also, Chicago is just lucky, not good. Sorry but that is not a quality team. It's just a lucky team. Their luck finally ended this last week.

And about the Rams, they are not the best offensive team since the 1980's or whatever. The best offensive team in the 1990's was the Minnesota Vikings when they went 15-1 and scored the most points in the history of the NFL. THAT is the best offense ever seen recently, or probably ever. No team has ever been so dominating on offense. The Rams sustained more than just one season of great offense, though, so if you mean consistently the best team on offense then the Rams are quite impressive indeed.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I still think the 49ers of the late 80's was by far the best ever maybe the Steelers of the late 70's are right there but that it. This Ram team could not beat a Joe Montana led 49er team they were just too good when he was in his prime and were nearly unbeatable when he was healthy. I also think New England is a an interesting team they have three games left and only one game against an above .500 team, Miami, I think they will win the division and maybe surprise the Raiders in the playoffs, I don't think they will make it to the Super Bowl, I am not sold on their QB. I think Bledsoe is a lot better than Brady and I think that will cost them from getting past the Steelers. Also watch out for Green Bay if anybody can beat the Rams in the NFC its them, they have one interegretant that will help them Farve, the best QB in the league, but the game will have to be close for him to make a difference.

[Jedieb]

Sorry jon, but the RAMS dominated that game offensively and defensively. They went into cruise control in the second half. They could have easily scored 1 or 2 more touchdowns if they wanted to. They CHOSE to pull the reins back. Even the Niners themselves admitted they were badly outplayed. Are you paying attentions to what the Niners have been saying about THEMSELVES? That game could have easily been 35-7. The Niners got DOMINATED, period! They know, the Rams know it, and the rest of the league knows it. Too bad you don't. As for best offenses, the 83 Skins, Vikings, and Rams were all within 15 points of each other. That's not a big enough difference to put one above the other. In fact, most fans would elevate Fouts's Chargers teams above that Redskin team.

Now if we're talking about complete teams then I would give some of those 80's Niners teams the advantage over the Rams. But the Rams aren't done yet. They may rattle off a few more championships before they're done. As for those Niners teams being unbeatable, they use to get beat by NFC teams like the Bears, Giants, and Redskins all the time. It was beatings from the Giants that helped give Montana his back problems in the first place. And they could have very easily lost one of their Superbowls against the Bengals if it hadn't of been for that devastating injury that the Bengals offensive line suffered early in the game.(I thinkit was Crumrie who broke his leg.) He was their BEST offensive lineman and the Bengals could have dominated the line of scrimmage with him. Throw in Sam W.'s brilliant decision to use a prevent defense and down go the Bungles. In the 90's the Jimmy Johnson led Cowboys DOMINATED the Niners. Then Green Bay took over after Jimmy Johnson left the Cowboys. That's why both of those teams had more Superbowl appearances than the Niners in the 90's.

All time teams are hard to judge but I have to go with the Steelers. Believe me, it PAINS me to do so. 4 championships in 6 years speaks for itself. If not for injuries to Franco Harris and Rocky Blier in a playoff game against the Raiders, the Steelers could easily have won 5 in 6 years. The Niners realy won their 5 with 3 different teams and the Cowboys won their 5 with 2 different teams. If Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson could have controlled their egos then I think that the Cowboys 90's team could have elevated themselves above all the rest. They won that 3rd Superbowl with a coach that had no business being in the NFL. Switzer won with Johnson's left overs. That's how good that Cowboys team was, they could win with a dolt for a head coach. You also have to throw in Lombardi's Packers. It's not called Titletown for nothing. But since that team dominated before our time I don't think any of us appreciate just how impressive those Packer teams were.

There's one thing we should ALL agree on. The Bills suck and don't deserve to be compared with ANY of these teams. :lol:lol

[CMJ]

Grrrr Jedieb...whenever ppl trash teams that make the Superbowl as losers it really bruns me up. Bite your tongue man...:)

[JMK]

AFC East -Patriots(they have been playing great all year and I think they will sneak past Miami)

NEVER!!!!!!

[Jedieb]

But the Bills DESERVE to be ragged on! If they'd won at least one of those games I'd hold my tongue, but ALL of them! The 90's Bills are no different than the 90's Chiefs. They made the playoffs years after year but NEITHER won the biggest game of the year. They were both GOOD teams, but not GREAT! If you want to be considered GREAT then you have to win a ring. Honestly, in 3 of the 4 years of their run the Bills weren't even the SECOND best team in the league. The Niners could make that claim for 2 of those seasons, maybe even 3. Some of those seasons Green Bay had a better team than the Bills. The Bills weren't GREAT, they were a product of a WEAK conference. That's why 3 of their losses were lopsided EMBARRASMENTS. As a result, they should be mocked whenever possible. ;)

Here are some neat defensive rankings:

Team A Team B
#4 #19 Scoring
#7 #22 Passing Yards
#4 #11 Rushing Yards
#2 #21 Total Defense

Guess which defense belongs to the Niners and which one belongs to the Rams?:smokin

Dolphins & Pats
The Pats were horrid at the beginning of the year (0-2), but they've rebounded nicely. We'll see if Miami begins their traditional December swan song tonight against the Colts. The Patriots could very well pull out the division. But I just don't see them going that deep in the AFC. I certainly can't envision them beating the Steelers or Ravens. Well, maybe the Ravens, but not the Steelers.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I disagree about the reason why 49ers won Superbowl 23 over the Bengals, I think it was two reasons, one Jerry Rice had a huge game and second Montana was brilliant on that last drive, he drove his team 90 yards in about 2 minutes to win it, sure the Bengals may have played prevent but Montana was masterful in that drive and all the credit belongs to him. Also nobody thought he was every going to be in another Super Bowl going into that year, most thought he was done but he was such a terrific player that he came back and won two more SBs. I think easily Montana was the best QB ever IMO and the 49er team of 89 is one of the best if not the best (to me it is between the 89 49er team and 78 Steeler team they both were incredible)
Now you mentioned the Chiefs as a Chief fan I must admit they had a good to very good team most of those years, but to me they only had one shot to win it all in the 90's and that was when Montana was there in 93, I think if they had beaten the Bills they would have won it all. Montana was on a different level in SBs look at his numbers they are unbelievable and none of them will probably ever be broken especially his QB rating its like 140 or something (probably because he had like 20TD to 0 INT) he was just perfect in the big game probably why he was the best. Unfortuntely for him the Chiefs were short on Recievers, they had the defense (their defense was great in the early 90's with Derrick Thomas and Neil Smith) but lack weapons which hurt their chances of even getting to the super bowl. The other chief teams had mostly bad QBs: Steve Bono, DeBerg, and Grbac, the reason why the Ravens will not win a SB this year.

[Jedieb]

Yes, Montana was brilliant in that drive. So were Rice, Taylor, and Craig. But the Bengals defense did a great job on the 49 offense for most of the game. Wyche (sp?) should have let his defense finish the game the way they started. I'd rather lose blitzing like a maniac then with a cushy prevent defense. When the Broncos beat the Packers Shanahan had the GUTS to let his defensive coordinator finish the game the way they started it, by attacking Favre and blitzing. If the Broncos had gone into a prevent defense then Favre would have eaten them up and marched right down the field. Instead they kept the pressure on and the Packers turned it over on downs. But still, Crumrie breaking his leg was a devastating loss. Think of what that meant to the Bengals rushing attack and pass protection schemes. I think that game would have been very different if not for that injury.

Remember that game against the Chiefs and Dolphins when Montana and Marino put togther one of the best first halves of quaterbacking ever seen? That was simply amazing. I'm pretty sure the Dolphins went on to win, but both of them lit it up that day.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I would have to watch the game again about that injury I was only a kid at the time, I know in the highlights they almost never mention it they mostly focus on Montana and Rice and the "Drive to Glory" I think they called it that. I do remember that Miami game, the Chiefs had a bad defense that year (I think Thomas and Smith were hurt just about all season) I think Montana threw an INT late in the game that basically ended it. The game that I really remember was Elway vs Montana in 94 on Monday Night in Mile High that was has to be the best Monday night game ever, if not the best game ever. Of course the Chiefs won which helps for me.

[CMJ]

I disagree Jedieb...th Bills were the 2nd best team in the league in '90..and '91. Hell I'm still convinced they should hav won Superbowl XXV. The 2 losses to Dallas were pretty bad...but not as bad as ppl think. Would you like me to go into a summary of the games so I can prove my point. Remember I'm a sports historian. :)

[Jedieb]

The first Bills Cowboys Superbowl was a laugher. The Cowboys routed them and the game was a joke in the second half. The Niners were much tougher in the NFC championship game that year. I know the Bills led at halftime in their second meeting, but in the span of a couple of minutes they imploded in true Bills Superbowl fashion. By the fourth quarter the game was over and the Cowboys were opening champagne in the locker room. In both those years the Niners and Packers were tougher opponents. Look at it this way, throw the Bills in the NFC and they don't make it to a SINGLE Superbowl. That's suppose to be greatness?

The year the Bills were humiliated by that Redskins second quarter of greatness, I can't honestly remember how good the Niners were. But the Bills had started sliding IMO. By the time they were playing the Cowboys they were a shell of the team that humiliated the Raiders in the AFC championship a couple of years earlier. They NEVER should have made it past Houston that one year. That miraculous comeback doomed the rest of us to another lopsided Superbowl. How Warren Moon and Co. allowed that to happen is still beyond me. The Bills should have rolled over and spared us all the misery of watching them in a Superbowl.

[JMK]

Ha! Dolphins December swan dive my left a$$ cheek! Now they got Fiedler scoring TD's! 20-0 (blocked extra point). How are the pats chances at 1st now?

[CMJ]

Yeah Jedieb...you can't remember how good the 49ers were in '91 because they didn't make the playoffs. :) The 1st Bills/Cowboys Superbowl...hmmm. The 2 goal line stands in the 2nd quarter changed momentum totally...if the Bills had punched those in I think they might've pulled the game out. Even so the game was 31-17 going into the 4th quarter. Bruce Smith caused and Emmitt Smith fumble early in the 4th...IF Buffalo had been able to recover I think they might've siezed the game(down a touchdown..nearly a WHOLE quarter to go). Just a minute or so later Aikman hit harper and the route was on...but the game was VERY close to swinging the Bills way.

As for the next year...yes Buffalo was leading at halftime...and were pretty much dominating Dallas. The Thurman Thomas fumble really destroyed them. The subsequent touchdown...and defensive stand swung the tide. BUT going into the 4th I believe it was still only a 20-13 game. Buffalo was not out of it till early in the 4th when Dallas went up by 2 scores.

I know you seem to detest the Bills...but they were really in all of the Superbowls they lost. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. ;)

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Pats chances are still good, they play terrible Buffalo and even worse Carolina and play Miami in Foxboro in December where it will be really cold I beat. Still they need a little help from one team with the best bet coming from S.F where Miami will have to travel too next weekend and that won't be easy. If Miami loses that game N.E should win the East because it will be hard for Miami to win in NE in december. They usually lose in foxboro in December games because of the weather.

[JMK]

Quit bringin me down JMC!!! ;)

[Jedi Master Carr]

I'm not trying to bring you down:D If your boys beat S.F you have nothing to worry about.

[Jedieb]

I know you seem to detest the Bills...but they were really in all of the Superbowls they lost. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

So they were in the Washington Superbowl? At halftime they were losing 17-0. The closest they got was 17-10 and then Washington built up a 37-10 lead before giving up 2 4th quarter charity touchdowns. That's a close game?! Here are great Superbowl numbers to smoke in one's pipe:

Total Points
Bills 73 Opponents 139
Average
Bills 18.25 Opponents 34.75

Take out the only decent game they played and it's much worse
Average
Bills 18 Opponents 39.67

Superloser QB's The Winnahs
Kelley 7 Int. 2 TD 2 Int. 7 TD
Reich 2 Int. 1 TD
Total 9 Int. 3 TD

Yeah the Bills were in those last 3 games. And the Braves really were the team of the decade in the 90's. Pity those Superloser Bills. How do you insult a pro franchise? Call them Buffalo _______. :lol

The dolphins were most impressive last night. But they really do have a poor December history. Hopefully they'll turn it around and make a strong run this year. They probably locked up the division last night. They may have a shot at the #2 slot in the playoffs if Oakland trips up.

[CMJ]

Grrr Jedieb. Now you're moving on to another franchise...in a different sport. The braves actually did win 1 too. And you said you'd put away the knives if a franchise had won....:)

(By the way Bills got as close as 24-10...not 17-10. At 24-10 it actually appeared they had momentum on there side...but Washington had like an 80 yard drive that sealed the game)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Just curious who was worse Minnesota or Buffalo, I know the Vikings got killed a couple times by Pittsburg and Kansas City, I am not sure about the other two times. Really until they finally won I thought the Broncos were the worse SB team after getting demolised 4 times.

[CMJ]

Minnesota got beat once by KC...once by Miami...once by Oakland...and once by Pittsburgh.

[Jedieb]

The Braves never should have had the nerve to put "Team of the Decade" on their rings. Plus, they've got more losses than the Bills so they still deserve my wrath! The Broncos and Elway redeemed themselves thanks to Tyrell Davis, but until then they were as bad as the Vikings even though they had 1 less Superbowl defeat. The Vikings had their losses a few years apart and with different QB's. The same Bills squad kept coming back for one beating after another. That's just sad!

Sorry to be such a pain CMJ. But I love to rag on the Bills. I was merciless to my roommate in college. He still has nightmares about all the dishes he had to do as a result of our superbowl bets. :lol