NFL Playoff Thread

As an aside - Peter King wants people to take it in the ass

Peter King @SI_PeterKing

 

Every team from top to bottom in the NFL has flaws. The product of parity.

The ones to watch in the playoffs are the ones with solid defenses and the ones with a hot hand at QB. You don't want to play the Lions right now, for example. And Tebow's Temple (!) could be a trap for the gimpy Steelers.

 

I'd like the Lions in another matchup. But they are going up against Drew Brees. Stafford isn't likely to out-Brees Brees in New Orleans.

 

The NFL needs to reseed like the NBA. No reason the Broncos deserve to host the Steelers or the Giants deserve to host the Falcons.

 

I think the "Saints and Packers are bad on defense" stuff is way, way overblown.

Yes, they are ranked low in total defense - but both are in the top half of the league in both scoring defense and rushing defense which tells me a lot of teams are throwing for a lot of yards and scoring some points late in garbage time when the games are over.

I also think that when you have these fast break offenses, the defenses are on the field for more possessions and that tends to skew their stats as well.

I don't think either defense is a lock-down, shut it down kind of unit, but I also think both defenses are good and both defenses do a good job of getting turnovers and sacks and high impact plays to stop drives - and they also know that they don't have to be great like say, the 49ers defense who has no margin for error, because their offense can outscore most teams without trying.

Now the Patriots defense, I've watched, and I happen to think they are bad early in games until they adjust to some things but the Packers and Saints defenses haven't struck me as "bad" units - they just give up passing yards because teams are chasing them in most games.

 

See ya, Smiley.1

http://www.onionsportsnetwork.com/articles/dallas-cowboys-release-jerry-jones,2815/

1(an oldie but a goodie)

See, I footnote my sources, just like Debka_Boy does. Not.

 

I might agree on the Packers. The Saints have trouble generating pressure with their front four and you can run on them. They've got issues they try to cover up with constant blitzes. Sometimes it works, sometimes they win shoot-outs and all is forgiven.

 

Falcons have not been a good road team this year, but they have a lot of talent and can be dangerous. Really, I think anybody is capable of coming out of the NFC.

The Packers and Saints are the clear favorites for the NFC Championship game, but does anybody think they couldn't lose to any of the other four teams?

The AFC, on the other hand, has to come down to the Pats, Steelers or Ravens. I just don't see any way Cincinatti, Denver or Houston get through those teams.

As a Giants fanboi, I've said all season that they play to their competition, hence dog-ass games such as Washington or Seattle. But I think with the win over New England and the effort they put up against Green Bay, they can beat anyone in the playoffs.

Of course, the key will be the front four. The Giants' offense has been pretty good all year, but if their defensive front is not getting pressure on the opposing QB, their defense won't stop anyone except maybe the 49ers. They aren't good enough in coverage to blitz every down and leave their secondary in man coverage.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/02/rex-ryan-im-not-a-loser/

Comments section gold.

 

The Texans did beat the Bengals on the road this year, so it is not too much of stretch the believe that they can do so again at home. Especially now that Johnson is back. The main thing concerning me right now is the status on Yates' injury.

 

Esp. considering the Bengals have like Zero wins against teams with a winning record.

 

It's official: Mendenhall has a torn knee and has been placed on IR.