jakez4ut
Patience... It's what's for dinner
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- Jul 7, 2005
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Well, the championship games are set. Super Bowl on the line.
i don't think it's worked out exactly like many of us thought it would, but i guess that's why they play the games afterall.
the NFC side 1st:
Arizona has shocked everyone by going on the road and winning a play off game. what they have been able to do is fairly astonishing conidering the following:
1. the cards have never won a divisional playoff game in the modern era.
2. they were 0'fer on the East coast this season.
3. The Panthers were undefeated at home this season.
4. the Panthers were in top three in rushing offense.
5. the cards were not in the top 5 in rushing defense.
6. Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald pulled a Jake Delhomme and STeve Smith.......they beat a team all by themselves.
the Cards have the feel of the 06 colts. they haven't had it "all together" all year.....but in the playoffs, they've been able to run, and they've stopped the run. and they stopped two of the most prolific run games in the league. is it an anomoly? Atlanta and Carolina (two of the best run team in the league) can tell you better than I.
The Eagles however, are doing what they've done when the've been good this season. the question i've got for them is can they do it for two more games? the Eagles have been erratic this year.....and the same team that can beat the Giants twice is the same team that can tie the Bengals.
that said, their defense is playing awfully well. they'll need to continue that, and put pressure on the qb, to beat AZ.
my gut says the Eagles are battle tested and playing in the desert a week after playing in Giant Stadium isn't inimidating at all.
Plus i think the Eagles present a difficult match up for the CArd's defense. it's not a traditional type of offense like they last two teams the Card's faced. can they account for D. McNabb's ability to create on the fly? also, even an older Bryan DAwkins and co. will hit the AZ WR's a lot harder than anything they saw in Charlotte last week.
Card's have been on a great run, but i think the Eagles present a much more difficult matchup..Joe Johnson finds a way to get to Warner and McNabb and Co. don't look prettty, but they get it done...Eagles 23 Cards 17.
on the AFC side, you get round 3 between two teams that just don't like each other. the Steelers won the two regular season games. yippee. i don't think if you ask a player or coach that if that gives them the edge in round 3, they'd tell you yes.
you're talking about two games that were decided by 1) an OT field goal that literaly snuck inside the left upright by inches to win.
2) a catch by Santonio Holmes at the end of the game where the ball simply tuched the plane of the endzone for a split second before being tackled outside the end zone....and i don't feel bad about it...if it can work for Jabar Gafney 8 years ago, it's about time it can work for me.
the ravens wont' lack for confidence. they know they can beat the Steelers. the steelers won't lack for confidence because they have beaten the ravens.
i don't expect this game to be much different that the other two except they might hit each other a little harder, if that's possible, with a trip to Tampa on the line.
as for the game......for the steelers, i definitely think the bye helped them. if they can carry over the offensive productivity in to this game and Ben not make the big mistakes (sacks, fumbles Int's), then you have to like the Steeler's chances. problem is, the Chargers' d is all together different. i don't think you can expect error free football against them.
plus the Steelers have not had exactly a great run as the home team in AFC title games. the Patriots (twice), Chargers and Broncos have all beaten the STeelers in 5 of their last 6 AFC title game appearances....at home. in 05 they were the 1st team to win 3 on the road. oddly, the Ravens are in that position this year. and the lone win in 95 was a Jim Harbaugh hail marry away from being 0'fer at home in title games.
but at some point, isn't it an advantage to be at home and only to have two games to accomplish what it will take the Ravens three? the Ravens didn't exactly have a physical game in round one, but last week they were in a very physical game that came down to a few Titan errors. the Titans moved the ball and were effective in the passing game against the Ravens. turnovers, missed fg's.......the difference.
then there's a rookie qb. he hasn't been asked to do anything to win the game, to the Raven's credit. But can he keep that up in a Title game on the road against the only other defense comparable to the one on your team?
my football iq, and my heart, says the steelers win this game. my fragile psyche says beating a team, especially this team, 3 times in the same year is almost impossible.
i'm going to take the Steelers and their experience and home crowd to finally make Flacco look like a rookie in the playoffs. but i honestly don't think anyone can be surprised one way or the other with these two defenses on the field.
Steelers 17 Ravens 13.
Steelers vs. Eagles in the Superbowl.
i don't think it's worked out exactly like many of us thought it would, but i guess that's why they play the games afterall.
the NFC side 1st:
Arizona has shocked everyone by going on the road and winning a play off game. what they have been able to do is fairly astonishing conidering the following:
1. the cards have never won a divisional playoff game in the modern era.
2. they were 0'fer on the East coast this season.
3. The Panthers were undefeated at home this season.
4. the Panthers were in top three in rushing offense.
5. the cards were not in the top 5 in rushing defense.
6. Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald pulled a Jake Delhomme and STeve Smith.......they beat a team all by themselves.
the Cards have the feel of the 06 colts. they haven't had it "all together" all year.....but in the playoffs, they've been able to run, and they've stopped the run. and they stopped two of the most prolific run games in the league. is it an anomoly? Atlanta and Carolina (two of the best run team in the league) can tell you better than I.
The Eagles however, are doing what they've done when the've been good this season. the question i've got for them is can they do it for two more games? the Eagles have been erratic this year.....and the same team that can beat the Giants twice is the same team that can tie the Bengals.
that said, their defense is playing awfully well. they'll need to continue that, and put pressure on the qb, to beat AZ.
my gut says the Eagles are battle tested and playing in the desert a week after playing in Giant Stadium isn't inimidating at all.
Plus i think the Eagles present a difficult match up for the CArd's defense. it's not a traditional type of offense like they last two teams the Card's faced. can they account for D. McNabb's ability to create on the fly? also, even an older Bryan DAwkins and co. will hit the AZ WR's a lot harder than anything they saw in Charlotte last week.
Card's have been on a great run, but i think the Eagles present a much more difficult matchup..Joe Johnson finds a way to get to Warner and McNabb and Co. don't look prettty, but they get it done...Eagles 23 Cards 17.
on the AFC side, you get round 3 between two teams that just don't like each other. the Steelers won the two regular season games. yippee. i don't think if you ask a player or coach that if that gives them the edge in round 3, they'd tell you yes.
you're talking about two games that were decided by 1) an OT field goal that literaly snuck inside the left upright by inches to win.
2) a catch by Santonio Holmes at the end of the game where the ball simply tuched the plane of the endzone for a split second before being tackled outside the end zone....and i don't feel bad about it...if it can work for Jabar Gafney 8 years ago, it's about time it can work for me.
the ravens wont' lack for confidence. they know they can beat the Steelers. the steelers won't lack for confidence because they have beaten the ravens.
i don't expect this game to be much different that the other two except they might hit each other a little harder, if that's possible, with a trip to Tampa on the line.
as for the game......for the steelers, i definitely think the bye helped them. if they can carry over the offensive productivity in to this game and Ben not make the big mistakes (sacks, fumbles Int's), then you have to like the Steeler's chances. problem is, the Chargers' d is all together different. i don't think you can expect error free football against them.
plus the Steelers have not had exactly a great run as the home team in AFC title games. the Patriots (twice), Chargers and Broncos have all beaten the STeelers in 5 of their last 6 AFC title game appearances....at home. in 05 they were the 1st team to win 3 on the road. oddly, the Ravens are in that position this year. and the lone win in 95 was a Jim Harbaugh hail marry away from being 0'fer at home in title games.
but at some point, isn't it an advantage to be at home and only to have two games to accomplish what it will take the Ravens three? the Ravens didn't exactly have a physical game in round one, but last week they were in a very physical game that came down to a few Titan errors. the Titans moved the ball and were effective in the passing game against the Ravens. turnovers, missed fg's.......the difference.
then there's a rookie qb. he hasn't been asked to do anything to win the game, to the Raven's credit. But can he keep that up in a Title game on the road against the only other defense comparable to the one on your team?
my football iq, and my heart, says the steelers win this game. my fragile psyche says beating a team, especially this team, 3 times in the same year is almost impossible.
i'm going to take the Steelers and their experience and home crowd to finally make Flacco look like a rookie in the playoffs. but i honestly don't think anyone can be surprised one way or the other with these two defenses on the field.
Steelers 17 Ravens 13.
Steelers vs. Eagles in the Superbowl.
