How is that disrespectful? The Pats are the type of team the Seahawks relish playing, an immobile pocket QB with an average arm and a pass-first offense. That's really the easiest matchup possible for their D, they just don't have trouble with QBs and offenses that play like that. The Pats have been shaky since about week 14 or 15, they are just begging to get taken out. It's a shame the Jets were such an awful team this season, we totally outplayed them but found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I haven't liked what I've seen from the Pats in a while, but I will credit Brady for having a top 5 playoff game (for him) yesterday, which was the only way they could have won. If you look at Brady's track record in the playoffs the past 8 or 9 years, you will see when he has a game like yesterday he does not duplicate it the following week.
Because for the most part New England usually puts up a battle even as an underdog. But I agree this could spin out of control if things do not go right early for the Patriots. My question about the Patriots now is, was the yesterday game an aberration or is that defense actually suspect? I thought Flacco played very good up until the end, but perhaps the Patriots defense just isnt as good. I don't see how they can stop Lynch though, thats a nightmare (as well as stopping Demarco Murray if Dallas was in it)
Brady is the key. Hit Brady you can win, see giants last two championships. They hit him yesterday, but let up the big play. Ravens should be ashamed for letting 14pt lead slip away twice. Prevent defense or soft pressure on Brady won't cut it ever.
Yeah I agree Pats rarely lose decisively. I don't know we will see, next week's game against the Broncos will be very interesting if that is the matchup. The way Forsett ran the ball on the Pats D yesterday has to be encouraging to Denver if that is the way they want to play with Anderson
Yeah that does setup for what Fox has been working on all year. Running the football for the sake of running it because the stats show if you can run it you have a better chance of winning. Passing got them nowhere last year. Just a big fat loss in the Super Bowl.
NE already put up 43 vs Denver in Foxboro this year. 35 is certainly well within the realm of possibility. Is Peyton even as good as a playoff quarterback as Flacco at this point in his career? I think this a valid question. NE vs Green Bay in Green Bay it was 26-21. At a neutral site it's a toss-up, and with Rodgers hobbled maybe even advantage NE. Seattle though is a load and I think they very likely to repeat.
The Colts have a lot of momentum and have clearly played better the last 2 weeks than the Pats have in a while (have to go back to mid-December). I still think Luck needs to play a mistake-free game, which has been rare for him. It's really a toss-up game to me. Pats have been big favorites and lost that home game several times since their last SB win, them being the "big favorite" on paper has not meant much when the game was actually played. For all the talk of their rally against the Ravens, to be in the situation they were in twice in that game does not speak well of how they are playing at the moment. I can't remember the last time Brady put two strong playoff games together, you might have to go back to 2004. I'm not sure what switch got flipped on the Colts D, but they suddenly have played a very aggressive style with strong coverage.
They had more suitable opponents, just like last night. Manning couldn't throw anything past 5 yards, so kind of easy to defend. Colts have lost by more than 20+ points the last three times they have faced the Patriots. They can't stop the run at all, and the Pats will (again) run them to the ground. When that happens, it's gonna be play action for Gronk or Lafell and Colts can do absolutely nothing to stop Gronk. Add the usual two picks by Luck, and the result will be the same. Let's say 41-20. I'd be shocked if the game is close all the way to the finish.
New England is going to roll the colts. Indy has no balance to their offense and I suspect at least 1pick by Luck throwing 40+ times in a game. Seattle has the best chance of dropping New England. Green Bay has a better chance than Indy, but Seattle has the best chance.
The SeaChickens can do it. I'm hoping Luck can as well, but expecting Indy to get to slaugther-stomped.
Looks like it's gonna have to be Seattle or Green Bay. Fuck. I can't wait for Brady to retire. I'll be stunned if Indy does Gods work.
I think it will be Seattle over New England in the SB. I don't see either home team losing this coming weekend.
Both the Seahawks and Packers are capable of doing it, but I just have the feeling that it is New England's year.
NE will probably beat the Colts easily, unless Luck has the game of his life or if NE loses a couple of fumbles and TFB has an off day. With Gronk healthy, it's too tough of a matchup for the Colts. But if Luck is going to be that legendary QB he's supposed to be, now is his time to step up and prove the naysayers wrong. I think it will be the Seahawks vs the Patriots in the Super Bowl, with a narrow win by the Seahawks. I do have a bad feeling though.
"I'll be stunned/shocked/surprised if the Pats lose this one" has been spoken about every Pats playoff loss since their last SB win except maybe last season. The Colts were supposed to match up "terribly" with Denver too. I understand why New England is the favorite, but it isn't nearly as prohibitive as the board is making it. The Pats were playing a lot better when they last faced the Colts, and the Colts were playing a lot worse.
I prefer SEA over GB if we make it to the SB. I think that NE has the corners to play single coverage with a free safety over the top and sell out to passrush and run blitz against a very shaky OL. Lynch makes everything happen on his own most of the time, SEA offense has incredibly willing blockers but they aren't incredibly good. If NE can play with a heavy DL and keep 6 or 7 in the box they should be able to slow Lynch while keeping tight coverage against one of the leagues most average group of receivers and TEs. GB has a scary number of offenses weapons and the SB is 3 weeks away, I'll be surprised if Rodgers isn't 90+% healthy by then. Tough match for anyone. I'm taking NE's strength, Tom Brady and the offense against the best defense, instead of who is probably the NFL's best QB with arguably the best receiving corps and a very good young RB against NE's defense. A very good unit, but they're not on the same level as the offense. Also, on Revis, his "dreadful" game Saturday is quite overstated. His coverage after BAL went up 14-0 was near flawless and his PI, well, Revis was right, he played the ball and played Smith correctly, they were both handfighting the entire way and the refs called it on Revis when it could have very easily been against Smith. Bad call for being only against Revis, but thats the NFL. His hold that negated a sack/fumble/recovery by Collins was 100% legit and all on Revis, that play could have lost the game. But giving up the TD and that hold were his only truly bad plays. Smiths TD may have been the only catch against Revis in man all night if I'm recalling correctly and lets not forget that Smith made an incredible catch. I know that at least 2 of his 4 catches were against zone early and I don't remember seeing Revis in the area, he had already passed him on.
