Official 2008-09 NFL thread

[King Jan III Sobieski]

Steelers vs. Tennessee in the AFC Title game.

[GeneralHankerchief]

I picked SD to win the Super Bowl so this may ride against my own interests, but Denver has better coaching than SD, period. When they've won, they've won because of good coaching, and when they've lost they've lost because good coaching can't always make up for a lack of good players. Still, I think Denver is more likely to win a playoff game than SD at this point.

That said, I expect SD to win and get in, and good luck to them. It's worth remembering what path the Giants and Steelers have recently taken to the big game...

As much as I'd like to be right (I also picked SD), the teams in the playoffs they'd be facing have a lot more to worry about than Denver. Don't forget, the Broncos are pretty much all out of running backs.

If the Bolts win, they'll be the fourth seed and probably play Indy. Now, I know that (and khaan will back me up on this) they've vexed the Colts in the playoffs. But Indy is red-hot and this is Dungy's last year with the team - Dungy also being a better coach than Norv.

If they win, then they'll either travel to Pittsburgh or Tennessee, neither of which of those places are particularly easy to play in, especially Pittsburgh for a warm-weather team like San Diego. Both teams have decent offenses and excellent defenses - the recipe for playoff success.

If they come out of there alive, they'll probably face the other team in the championship, or, barring that, an inspired, also defense-heavy Ravens team, or also, possibly, dare I say it... ...New England?

This isn't even factoring in the Super Bowl. Best of luck to 'em, but I don't think San Diego can get it done.

[seireikhaan]

I'm really hoping Denver wins this weekend. San Diego is far tougher on us to play than Denver. We've waxed Denver for about the last 7 years or so, while San Diego is basically nemesis II(Nemesis I being New England, of course). I don't know if its the 3-4 with Williams plugging the middle or what, but we just always struggle against them. It would highly aggravate me that we could finish 12-4, and end up playing AT 8-8 San Diego just because Tennessee was in our division. Going to Denver wouldn't aggravate me nearly as much, mainly because I think we can kick their tail regardless.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Somehow, the heavens have opened and the Eagles are still alive after the early games. All they need to do now is beat Dallas.

They've been given a great opportunity here, which makes me think they'll blow it (as opposed to if Tampa and both NFC North teams had won, in which case I think they would have beaten Dallas even though it wouldn't have mattered). However, I still have hope. Let's go Birds!

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Bengals have a winning record in the 2nd half of the season...

[Hosakawa Tito]

Well it's pretty hard to do but the Lions went winless for the season. First team in the modern era besides the expansion Tampa Bay & Cowboys, and the Colts *in a strike shortened season*.

My Bills went 3-9 after winning their first 4 games. Go Bills...and take the Sabres with you.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Somehow, the heavens have opened and the Eagles are still alive after the early games. All they need to do now is beat Dallas.

They've been given a great opportunity here, which makes me think they'll blow it

They blew it open all right

I was watching the miami game on cbs and whenever I switched over to watch the philly game they were returning a fumble for a touchdown.

[GeneralHankerchief]

That was awesome.

[Proletariat]

Oh yeah, that was. There are two times a year I can bring myself to root for the Eagles and it's whenever they play Dallas. That was almost as good as watching a Skins win, but that was asking for too much when facing the almighty 49ers in a meaningless game.

[Martok]

Holy crap, the Vikings actually won (albeit barely). What the deuce??!

I'll be deliriously happy as soon as I recover from the shock.


Also: Congrats to the Chargers, Dolphins, and Eagles! Well deserved victories, all of them.

[Ramses II CP]

As bad as it was for the Cowboys and Jets (Don't forget the Bucs) here at the end, it was worse for poor Denver. They had two games against under .500 clubs to close out the season and honked them both with eye gougingly awful play to ace themselves right out of the playoffs. An exceptional failure to be sure. I took no small amount of delight in it, I admit.

And here the Raiders are again, giving me hope at the end of a season and even making some of the sportscasters parrot my line about how **** talented this team could be... Well, once again, here's looking at next year.

I'll tell you this, nobody wants to play Atlanta, especially not Arizona. That could easily be one of the biggest blowouts in recent history (Okay, not quite as bad as Marino's last game, but still...) if you ask me. The rest of next week's matchups look pretty good. Can't wait to see Indy-SD.

It's been an interesting year. I really have nothing to say about the Lions.

[seireikhaan]

We go 12-4 and have to go on the road to 8-8 San Diego.

[Crazed Rabbit]

How 'bout dem Cowboys?

I wonder if the Jets are having second thoughts about firing Pennington now. Should we start a pool on whether Farve retires? I'm thinking it's probable.

Sad seasons for Green Bay and the Jets. Oh, well, time to watch some Bowl games.

CR

[Ramses II CP]

Newsbreak: Broncos fire Shanahan.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9...lapse?MSNHPHMA

Al Davis must be laughing in his grave.

(Wait, he's not dead yet? Are you sure? Did you see his last press conference?)

Turned out to be a pretty decent ending to the Raider's season, all things considered. More seriously, good luck to Shanahan, that guy has run one of the class coaching staffs in the league for 14 years. Yeah the last two years have been problematic, but there's just not a lot of talent on that team and there's only so much you can grind out of the 7th & 8th string running backs.

[Boyar Son]

DOLPHINS IN THE PLAYOFFS PATRIOTS STILL GONNA LOSE NUTHIN NEW

PS MIA VS BALTIMORE JAN 4 ! WATCH THE DOLPHANS WIN!

[drone]

That said, the Cowboys have serious discipline problems. Way too many facemask penalties and personal fouls. After the first two touchdowns (quick strikes), I was wondering about the Cowboys D, they were on the field for a very long time. They pulled it out in the end, but I'm not sure they can be depended on in the long run.

I stand by this post. Lots of talent, but they need coaching and discipline. Can't say I'm too disappointed, I don't want TO to get a ring so I'm not too bummed. This never would have happened if Landry was still the coach.

Out of the NFC, Atlanta/Carolina (depending on consistency). AFC, I'm saying Indy, Tennessee, or Pittsburgh.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Looks like LdT will be out. Sucks for the chargers

[GeneralHankerchief]

Gee, Tomlinson out for a playoff game. Imagine that.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Gee, Tomlinson out for a playoff game. Imagine that.

[Ramses II CP]

Whew, I severely misjudged the Card's defense today. They played a spectacular game. Saved their best for just the right time I guess. Color me impressed. There were some mistakes from the Falcons, but none I wouldn't expect from a young team, and the Arizona offense was more or less what we'd expect (Okay, Edge found his stride). Can't really hate on the Falcon's defense too much, they were consistent and held up until that last drive.

No, it was on defense that Arizona won this game, the absolute last thing I would've expected. Good luck to them next week.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Wow, two great games to start the playoffs. Shame about the Colts though. My condolences, khaan.

[seireikhaan]

*happy thoughts...happy thoughts...happy thoughts...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Tony dungy is a little weird if you ask me...

I have some things I want to do with young men, hands-on things...things I think they'd enjoy

Sproles and scifres are awesome though, chargers definitely deserved the win. Would have wrapped it up a lot sooner if they hadn't been caught napping on that substitution.

[seireikhaan]

Go Giants.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

you know

[GeneralHankerchief]

Cross-thread warfare? Bring it on.

At least my team's actually going to play somebody next week.

[seireikhaan]

Cross-thread warfare? Bring it on.

At least my team's actually going to play somebody next week.

At least my team's won a Superbowl.


EDIT: ok, I admit, that was a low blow. Sorry.

[DemonArchangel]

DOLPHINS IN THE PLAYOFFS PATRIOTS STILL GONNA LOSE NUTHIN NEW

PS MIA VS BALTIMORE JAN 4 ! WATCH THE DOLPHANS WIN!

Well, that didn't happen as planned.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Dolphins were the weakest team in the playoffs if you ask me...

[GeneralHankerchief]

11-5 and they played two pansy divisions (NFC and AFC West), IIRC. Meanwhile the Ravens have a great defense and had to play the NFC East. Pats reclaim their throne next year.

[GeneralHankerchief]

It just keeps getting weirder and weirder with Pacman.

(Who, BTW, is now an ex-Cowboy.)