Sunday, January 15, 2006

NFL Playoff Thoughts: Round 2

Patriots/Broncos
I’m usually not this excited about being wrong. The Broncos made my year. It’s really pathetic that I get as pumped about a team losing (even one I hate) ---as I do my own favorite team winning. Such is the extent of my Patriot animosity. I still think the Pats are a great team and if they get their secondary healthy and run the ball better they’ll be dangerous again next year. However, I clearly built these guys up to be better than they were this year. In my defense I previously had picked against New England for 4 straight years and they had pissed me off enough times that I had lost the ability to be rational about their team or their quarterback. I’m convinced Brady is still the best QB in the game but I guess this proves he’s mortal and not a servant of Satan (although let’s not rule out the possibility that the guy with the horns and cheesy goatee had some money on the Broncos). The Broncos look tough, Mike' Shanahan's eyes still creep me out, and to Jake Plummer's credit he didn’t implode this season, as many predicted (including myself at the beginning of the season). Sure the Patriots helped Denver out by not securing the ball better, but isn’t that how New England won some games in the past?

Colts/Steelers
I’m officially never picking the Colts in the postseason again. They choke in big games, and by they, I mean Manning. This guy is going to go down as the biggest choke job in the history of the NFL. So he was pressured a bit. Big deal. He still looked like crap on many plays where he had some time. It’s not even a question now; Manning plays tight when the stakes are high. His college career should have taught us that. The Steelers played great for a half. The Colt secondary got their jockstraps handed to them. But let’s be clear about this, the great QBs find a way to make it happen even when they are playing against a good defensive scheme. What really gets me is Manning then tells the press after the game that he doesn’t want to point fingers because he’s a good teammate buuutttt…..his protection broke down. He could have stopped after saying that or even included himself in the criticism but he chose to spell it out a second time for the press and again blamed his protection. Way to take responsibility. What a retard. If I was an offensive lineman for the Colts I’d let a really “good teammate” like Payton get a nice big dose of broken protection in the first game next season. Anyway, Manning's a whiner and a pussy and probably can't even spell the word "clutch".
Oh and this ought to answer the question of whether or not it’s a wise choice to rest an offense for a month when they depend on timing and rhythm.

Seahawks/Redskins
I’m impressed with Hasselbeck. He’s growing on me. He didn’t dazzle but he played well and held his crew together even with Alexander going down. The Redskins have a nice defense and an offense that sucks. So Seattle scored just enough and didn’t give up points they shouldn’t have. The Colts, Bears, and Pats wish they could say the same thing. That's what the playoffs are about. This was the game I cared the least about so I don't have much more to offer other than I'm very sad to see the Clinton Portis sideshow end.

Bears/Panthers
Woops. My bad. I had the Bears defense down as being really great. I’m thinking that a great defense doesn’t let the Panther's main and sometimes only offensive weapon torch them seemingly every play. Maybe Steve Smith is just that awesome. He’s destroyed just about everybody else this year, so why not Urlacher and Co.? Still it was a good season for Chicago. Nothing to be ashamed of . Except for Kyle Orton's beard.

8 comments:

Jesse Petersen (CF Fatboy) said...

Yay Broncos!
I've been waiting since Elway left for another shot at the big game. It has finally come, and they only have to take down the #6 seed in their undefeated house.
Boo yeah!

Cutthroat Pirates said...

WOW what a weekend of football. I was hoping this might be Dungy's year. As a Buccaneer fan, I was pulling for Dungy, but man they got their buts kicked.

The Bears played a better offensive game then I thought they would. However in the end it was the Panthers who took the win, but I don't see how they can beat the Seahawks.

I think it will be Seahawks and Bronocos in the Super Bowl.

Todd said...

If the Panthers can score 29 points on the league's 2nd best defense and shut the league's 4th best offense, I see no reason they can't beat the Seahawks. The Seahawks defense is far from solid and their secondary is shaky.

Buster said...

I have now posted I like your colts Stleelers post.

Buster said...

I have now posted I like your colts Stleelers post.

twins15 said...

No no no, it was Manning's fault. He's a great teammate, the line just struggled. I mean, just ask him, it's not his fault, it's everyone else's!! ;)

Ian C. said...

Clearly, the Bears underestimated the power that beards hold in this season's NFL. They had a beard (less-than-great, but beard, nonetheless) on the bench in Kyle Orton. But since they didn't play him, the Bears lost. Coincidence?

mhofeld said...

Manning was abused all day long by the Steelers defense. You really can't blame him for what he said about the line. He was speaking out of frustration. They will work it all out.