NFL Postseason Megathread: Playoffs in the Post-Orton Era

[jimmy olsen]

Pittsburg is definitely the better team than Baltimore, but if Bell doesn't play it's a toss up. If the Ravens win, the Pats will get them at Gillette.

On the other hand, we beat the Bengals bad already and I'm sure we could do it again, so maybe I should hope that Pittsburgh wins so that they'll go to Denver and play the Broncos tough, while the Pats get Cincinnati.

[derspiess]

At least you spelled Pittsburgh correctly the second time.

[Syt]

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[Neil]

I would love to see the Seahawks smack down Brady and the Pats in the Superbowl. 

The Patriots should lose in the divisional round.  Anything else is evil.

Preferably to Baltimore, but anyone will do.

[KRonn]

In the last few games the Patriots stumbled their way into a bye week and home field advantage for all playoff games. Their offense was stopped the last couple of games, and yesterday they lost the final game of the season to Buffalo.  I hope their post season offense improves or else it'll be a short season. Prior to that it was extremely good, and their defense has been very good, but injuries have hurt them too.

They didn't play Gronk, Edelman or Browner. Brady didn't play the second half. They didn't try to win that game, just survive in good health.

Yeah, there is that factor also, but they were unable to do much in the first half, and their backup offensive linesmen were completely not up to the task, so they appear to have no depth there. Even sitting out those players I would have thought they'd do better. And they've been stumbling the last few games, though still winning. Their defense has played very well though, and that's a bright spot.

[DontSayBanana]

I present the famous "giving the business call":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eslz06J9hFw

The point here isn't the call. The point is pinning down a future hall of fame QB and going for blows to his head only got a 15 yard penalty (after sparking guys to come off the bench). No ejection etc.

If we are going to throw out Suh, we should retroactively throw out most of the guys that played before 2000.

I think things started going awry in football when they started making lawyers NFL commissioner and college ADs.

Not to mention force a replay of the Cowboys-Steelers in Superbowl XXX.  I seem to recall the trouble in that game starting with a flying takedown that resulted in Bam Morris' leg being so fucked up they had to cart him off the field.  In hindsight, I wouldn't be surprised if that was a bounty move.

[derspiess]

I would love to see the Seahawks smack down Brady and the Pats in the Superbowl. 

The Patriots should lose in the divisional round.  Anything else is evil.

Preferably to Baltimore, but anyone will do.

I'll drink to that.

[CountDeMoney]

I'm actually glad the Ratbirds are dodging the Bengals the first round;  Pittsburgh, you know what you're getting.  Bengals are just a big fucking variable. 

Seems the Bengals get up for the Ravens, while the Ravens get up for the Steelheads.  If they can get to Rapistburger like they did in Week 2, it will certainly help their chances.  That meathead gets slapped around, the passing game gets unhinged.

[derspiess]

I'm actually glad the Ratbirds are dodging the Bengals the first round;  Pittsburgh, you know what you're getting.  Bengals are just a big fucking variable. 

Seems the Bengals get up for the Ravens, while the Ravens get up for the Steelheads.  If they can get to Rapistburger like they did in Week 2, it will certainly help their chances.  That meathead gets slapped around, the passing game gets unhinged.

If Bell is out or less than 100% (I have the stadium address if you want to send Reggie Nelson a thank-you card) and they get pressure on Big Ben, I think the Ravens can grind out a win.  I won't try to guess the final score, but at the half it will be 3-0, 3-3, or 6-3.

I'd have slightly preferred having a home game against the Ravens over traveling to Indy (another home game = mo money), but like I said I don't like the task of having to beat a team three times in a season.  Plus we avoid all the drama of trying to fill up the stadium. 

Although I'm usually the pessimist, I think the Bengals may have a chance against Indy.  Luck has not been stellar the past month or so and the Bengals have their run game sorted out.  I think the -4 spread is about right.  Given both QBs' playoff history, the over/under on total game INTs has to be about 6 or 7

[CountDeMoney]

I think if Red Retard can keep his head in the game, the Bengals defense can do the job, even against Luck.  The Bengals can run on Indy.

[derspiess]

I think if Red Retard can keep his head in the game, the Bengals defense can do the job, even against Luck.  The Bengals can run on Indy.

They need to go with the formula that worked vs. Denver: run first and throw short, high percentage passes on passing downs.  Make Dalton's arm (not to mention an absent or less than healthy AJ Green) less of a factor.  And it wouldn't kill them to blitz more than they did in Pittsburgh.

[CountDeMoney]

Yeah, I didn't understand that, either:  you blitz the shit out of the meathead, and he gets goofy with his passing.  Dropping seven doesn't work well with Pittsburgh.

[CountDeMoney]

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has won his appeal of his one-game suspension, sources told ESPN.com.

Suh was suspended for stepping on the leg of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the Lions' regular-season finale.

The one-game suspension would have kept Suh out of Detroit's wild-card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

In lieu of the suspension, Suh has been fined $70,000.

[Admiral Yi]

 

[Neil]

I'm actually glad the Ratbirds are dodging the Bengals the first round;  Pittsburgh, you know what you're getting.  Bengals are just a big fucking variable. 

Seems the Bengals get up for the Ravens, while the Ravens get up for the Steelheads.  If they can get to Rapistburger like they did in Week 2, it will certainly help their chances.  That meathead gets slapped around, the passing game gets unhinged.

The problem with the Bengals is that their tackles are so damn good.  You can't get a pass rush on them from the outside.  Whitworth has been erasing Suggs for a while now.  And their corners know how to press, which counters the Ravens receivers, who are bad at getting separation.