2017 NFL thread v. Patriots Dynasty

[mike099]

Can the road teams win today and make it 4 - 0 in the wildcard games?  Do the AFC wildcard winners have a legitimate shot against the Steelers and Patriots?

[SoundscapeMN]

Andy Reid is a lot like Marty Schottenheimer and Dennis Green were, great regular season records, but his teams usually flop in the Playoffs.

although to Reid's credit he did get to 1 Super Bowl (but many other less than stellar coaches have too, even won a SB such as Barry Switzer and George Seifert when the talent is just so good on your team)

Granted, as a Vikings fan, I am still expecting them to disappoint, but I would love to see Mike Zimmer be different.

[El Barto]

I'm don't much care for Romo, but he really is good at his job. He might be the most observant announcer there is right now and his understanding of the game is better than I was expecting.

[TAC]

I'm don't much care for Romo, but he really is good at his job. He might be the most observant announcer there is right now and his understanding of the game is better than I was expecting.

He's fantastic and drives home just how lame every other color guy is.

[El Barto]

Damn, reverse DDT for Tyrod Taylor.

I'm don't much care for Romo, but he really is good at his job. He might be the most observant announcer there is right now and his understanding of the game is better than I was expecting.

He's fantastic and drives home just how lame every other color guy is.

A little too opinionated for my taste.

[TAC]

He's a little yappy, but I'd much rather that than everyone else that is out there.

[King Postwhore]

I think for a first year color commentator was great. 

[Dream Team]

So today a receiver went to the ground with a catch, the ball moved, but it was ruled a catch anyway. Yup that’s consistent alright.

[El Barto]

So today a receiver went to the ground with a catch, the ball moved, but it was ruled a catch anyway. Yup that’s consistent alright.

Contrary to Romo's assertion, I couldn't tell that the ball ever touched the ground. I thought his arm was under it the whole time. There was certainly nothing conclusive.

[Stadler]

Can the road teams win today and make it 4 - 0 in the wildcard games?  Do the AFC wildcard winners have a legitimate shot against the Steelers and Patriots?

I didn't see a team this weekend in either league, except for possibly the Saints, that has a legit - as opposed to "any given Sunday" - shot against either New England or Pittsburgh. 

[Stadler]

I'm don't much care for Romo, but he really is good at his job. He might be the most observant announcer there is right now and his understanding of the game is better than I was expecting.

This is kind of my take, as well.  I'm warming to him a little but I still don't like him.  Unquestionably, though, he knows his shit way better than I thought he did while underperforming in Dallas for so many years.

[TAC]

Underperforming? He was a good second tier QB. Maybe that's all he was.


What a lame effort by Funchess on that 3rd down play. And Fuck You Cam Newton.

[KevShmev]

It's actually embarrassing how bad NFL officiating is now.  The on-field officials had to be told by the alternates that intentional grounding with less than 2 minutes left requires a 10-second runoff and the clock starting when they wind it.  Unreal.

[King Postwhore]

Kev what do you think that there's so many damn rules now that it's getting harder to officiate on the field?

 I agree the officiating has been terrible but it makes me wonder if it has so many new rules to follow that it's getting harder for referees to do their job.

[KevShmev]

Boo freaking hoo.

Besides, that rule is not new.

[King Postwhore]

 LOL I'm not talking about that rule. I'm just talking overall in general.  It seems every year refereeing is getting worse and worse.


Or maybe I'm just an old cranky bastard. Back in my day... LOL

[TAC]

Why can't both be true?

[King Postwhore]

 

I'm not the one to say. 

[El Barto]

Every time I watch a game I'm amazed referees can do what they do. Making a call is easy. Applying the rules must be a bitch. Not making an excuse, it's their job and they presumably have the proper disposition for their work, but I'm surprised they don't blow stuff more often.

[King Postwhore]

That's why I feel every time they add rules it's hard from them to make a call.

[black_biff_stadler]

Go Saints. Only game I got to see this weekend unfortunately but I'll gladly miss all other games as long as the Saints keep winning.

[Stadler]

I don't think it's the number of rules now, it's the "safety net" mentality; they don't really have to get it right, because every fart, whistle and burp is reviewed in "New York" and corrected if it's wrong. 

I for one am a fan of the on-field game.   If the refs blow a call, so be it, that's part of the game, but let the players play and the refs ref.   This reviewing everything is getting ridiculous.   And  if you saw the game that Gruden called, it was the ONE reference he made to possibly being a coach next year.  Every time Terico tried to bait him to reveal something he didn't bite... EXCEPT when talking about instant review and how "next year he'll have a voice" and he wants to do something about minimizing the level of review on every single play. 

[kaos2900]

Another brutal Chiefs loss. Time for a coaching change. How to you go into the second half up 21-3 and only have the NFL RUSHING LEADER RUN THE BALL 11 TIMES IN THE ENTIRE GAME?!?! Maddening. Losing Berry in the first game of the season was not worth that early W against the patriots. My brother lives in KC and it sounds like Reid is going to survive but one or both of the coordinators may be looking for jobs. Smith will be traded more than likely.

At least now I can pull 100% for my second favorite team. GO VIKINGS!

[bosk1]

Picks for this weekend:
Ten @ KC
Atl @ LAR
Buff @ Jax
Car @ NO

Probably no real surprises.  But wildcard weekend typically doesn't surprise.  I think the AFC wildcard teams are pretty weak, and I don't think those games will really be contests once they get late into the third quarter.  Carolina is legit.  But I think the Saints are just the stronger team and will be able to pull away late.  But I felt like I had to pick one wildcard team, and Atlanta seems like the most likely.  They certainly have their issues.  But they can be dangerous, and they are hot after last week's win.  The Rams are a powerhouse.  But even though they were resting their key starters last week, I think the manner in which they lost that game was a shock.  They are cold and are perhaps ripe for an upset.  But I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if I were wrong on that pick.

3-1 isn't bad.  But the one I lost is surprising to me.  I thought that was the easiest lock of the 4 games. 

This week:

Atl @ Phi
Ten @ NE
Jax @ Pitt
NO @ Minn

Just going with the favorites here.  Those picks just make the most sense.  Of those, I think NO is the potential sleeper that could most easily go the other way.

[kaos2900]

I'm going:

Atl @ Phi
Ten @ NE
Jax @ Pitt
NO @ Minn

I think the only lock is the Patriots. This could be Minnesota's hardest game in the playoffs. It will be a defensive struggle but I think the Vikings D has the edge and win 17-14. Atlanta has laid a TON of eggs this season and the Eagles are still a really good team. I think the Eagles hang on. The Jags defense will pressure Big Ben into one of his multi-INT games and pull out the win.

[bosk1]

In the Philly/Atlanta game, Philly without Wentz is nowhere near Philly with Wentz.  They just aren't the same team that earned the #1 seed.  Atlanta has a lot of momentum and veteran experience.  The only knock against them is that they have been pretty inconsistent over the season, and we could get the "bad Falcons" this week. 

As far as Jacksonville, I like this description of this past game from ESPN:

The Jags won their first playoff game since 2007 by overcoming the Bills in what might be charitably defined as a defensive struggle.

They can't play anywhere near that level and hope to beat the Steelers.  And I think they will play near that level again.  I don't see them getting very far. 

[Nick]

Do the AFC wildcard winners have a legitimate shot against the Steelers and Patriots?

I agree with Stadler with his "any given Sunday" reference, but the fact for any team to make the SB other than Pitt/NE to make the Super Bowl you need two of those games. Either both Pitt and NE lose this week, which should sound highly unlikely at best, or the same team needs to beat NE/Pitt in back to back weeks, which again should sound like one hell of a long shot. So basically I'm going into the SB with the dull expectation that it'll be either NE or Pitt there from the AFC.

[Stadler]

Another brutal Chiefs loss. Time for a coaching change. How to you go into the second half up 21-3 and only have the NFL RUSHING LEADER RUN THE BALL 11 TIMES IN THE ENTIRE GAME?!?! Maddening. Losing Berry in the first game of the season was not worth that early W against the patriots. My brother lives in KC and it sounds like Reid is going to survive but one or both of the coordinators may be looking for jobs. Smith will be traded more than likely.

At least now I can pull 100% for my second favorite team. GO VIKINGS!

Did you check out Andy Reid's wiki page?

[pg1067]

I half paid attention to the games this weekend:

TEN @ KC:  That was just embarrassing for KC.  If the Broncos aren't involved, I will pull for either the Chiefs or the Chargers (the Raider, on the other hand, should get shut out every game ever).  Amazing how they came from ahead to lose against one of the more mediocre playoff teams in recent memory.

ATL @ LAR:  The Rams just got plain exposed, and their kick returner needs to have his pro bowl invitation rescinded.

BUF @ JAC:  I paid the least amount of attention to this game, probably because it was phenomenally boring.

CAR @ NO:  This was a pretty fun game to watch.  I saw Cam and/or Rivera bitching about the intentional grounding call, but it was an obvious call.  Quit whining.  The Saints stepped up when it counted.

Next weekend:

ATL @ PHI:  I think this is the most likely game where the road team gets a win.  If ATL's defense can play at all like it did on Saturday, they'll beat the Eagles.

TEN @ NE:  I don't know what the line is on this game, but if it's less than New England by 25, I'd be shocked.

JAC @ PIT:  I think this game will look a lot like the Buffalo game, and I wouldn't be surprised if Pittsburgh wins 13-3 or something like that.

NO @ MIN:  Pick 'em.  I'll take the Vikings only because I think it would be fun to see the team get a "home game" for the Super Bowl.

[King Postwhore]

TEN vs. PATS 13 point spread.

[cramx3]

TEN vs. PATS 13 point spread.

Yea, I can that being a beat down.  Whenever people start questioning the Pats, it seems they take out their anger on the next opponent who in this case happens to be a fairly weak playoff team on the road.

[Dublagent66]

Well, let's hope the divisional round brings a little more to the table than the wildcard.  What a snooze fest.  The Panthers/Saints game was somewhat exciting until the last head scratching 5:00 mins where either team couldn't figure out anything.   

[King Postwhore]

Here's Belichick's weekly radio interview.  He talks about the ESPN story and about the Titans.   Funny stuff on Randy Moss.

https://www.weei.com/blogs/ryan-hannable/bill-belichick-dhk-strongly-denies-meeting-roger-goodell-last-week?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[lordxizor]

I for one am so freaking tired of the Patriots I'll be happy when Belichick and Brady walk away. Great team, no doubt. They're just tiresome. Not all their fault, a lot of it is the media though Belichick is a pretty unlikable guy, but I don't want to see them in the Super Bowl again. It's really not fun at all for a casual fan to see the same unlikable team winning over and over (at least this casual fan).

[Stadler]

I for one am so freaking tired of the Patriots I'll be happy when Belichick and Brady walk away. Great team, no doubt. They're just tiresome. Not all their fault, a lot of it is the media though Belichick is a pretty unlikable guy, but I don't want to see them in the Super Bowl again. It's really not fun at all for a casual fan to see the same unlikable team winning over and over (at least this casual fan).

I hear this a lot, but I'm not sure what people expect.   I for one would MUCH - this isn't even close - rather see guys like Brady and Belichick getting down to business and getting it done, no "dabbing" or whatever it's called, no huge celebrations like you just lost your virginity on a 12-yard first down play, no carping about "the journey" and "adversity" (though Brady did throw that bon mot out recently; ), none of the other nonsense that seems to have permeated the league in recent years.   Just win, baby. 

I hear a lot of people say guys like Cam Newton are "fun" to watch.  Well, sorry, in my opinion they're losers, and I'd rather watch people at the apex of their game.  In my view, "Cam Newton" is "Justin Bieber" (or whoever your pop tart of the day is) and the "Patriots" are "Dream Theater" or "King Crimson" (or whoever your prog gods of the day are).