NFL divisional weekend thread

[heyabbott]

I couldn’t be cheering harder for the Niners this weekend then if the ghosts of Rice, Montana, Clark and Lott were taking the field.

Don’t you want to see Brady v Rodgers? Or as my literary friend likes to call it, Pride v Prejudice.
Or Insufferable v Terminal.

 

[justgladtobehere]

I caught a glimpse of Rodgers on a State Farm commercial. I caught it briefly, but I also saw Mahomes.

 

[User 149557]

Aaron Rodgers is physically and politically morphing into everybody’s Uncle Randy, who is no longer invited to Thanksgiving after last year’s unfortunate altercation with that mall Santa, who he referred to as a globalist and a socialist.

 

[Batman]

Why does no one tell Aaron Rodgers to **** up and dribble throw touchdown passes?

Because that seems physically impossible?

 

[micropolitan guy]

I spent 12 years as the assistant general manger of a team in the Ontario Hockey League and one of my many jobs was team services. I booked all the buses, pre and postgame meals, hotels if we needed them, managed border crossings, handled ticket and media requests. We were traveling across Ontario and into Pennsylvania and Michigan, not all across the continent like the major pro teams do but we had traffic and weather to deal with.

There weren't many nights when we wouldn't be on the way home 45 minutes after the last whistle, no time to dawdle with a four-hour ride in bad weather ahead. Somebody mentioned it upthread but we really did help each other on the road and we would repay it at home: forget something, need an equipment repair done after warmup or between periods, need a new restaurant to try in the area? If we could help, we'd do it.

It can be a very thankless job and a guy I know who did team services in the NHL said the same thing, players would ***** if the plane was late leaving due to weather or whatever or if their five-star hotel on the road wasn't as nice as the one the Bruins stayed in.

As a kid we got the Thursday night OHA broadcast of the Hamilton Red Wings games, back in the Danny Lawson, Jim Schoenfeld, Mike Veisor days. It sparked my curiosity in Ontario geography, finding out where Oshawa, Kitchener, London, etc., were located. I figured it would be a heck of a road trip from Peterborough to pretty much anywhere, and that the Petes probably had a great bus.

 

[heyabbott]

 

[Michael_ Gee]

I have been away from sportswriting a long time, long enough that my reaction to what was a reasonably big get by a reporter wasn't mild envy, but to realize I could no longer listen to Aaron Rodgers for a full half hour. God, what a bore he is.

 

[DanOregon]

Don't most dudes mellow out when they settle down and start a family - Rogers seems to have become more open about his jerkiness.

I know we all come from different family situations - and unless abuse was involved - I always wonder about people being estranged from their families.

 

[Jake from State Farm]

AFC No preference
NFC Rams vs. Niners

 

[HanSenSE]

I have been away from sportswriting a long time, long enough that my reaction to what was a reasonably big get by a reporter wasn't mild envy, but to realize I could no longer listen to Aaron Rodgers for a full half hour. God, what a bore he is.

Which of course means someone will propose a podcast featuring Rodgers and Aubrey Huff.

 

[swingline]

From your lips to Fox’s ear.

 

[heyabbott]

Ja’Marr Chase has ridiculous speed, but not ludicrous speed

 

[Jake from State Farm]

Ja’Marr Chase has ridiculous speed, but not ludicrous speed

But it was a choice between Chase and an OL, and that’s getting shredded by the Titans

 

[heyabbott]

But it was a choice between Chase and an OL, and that’s getting shredded by the Titans

 

[UPChip]

Did Tennessee get turf or is their grass just in really good shape?

 

[Scout]

I think he got that two.

 

[outofplace]

I know they had it at the one, but the Bengals had already blown up some running plays. Kick the extra point and take the lead.

 

[Batman]

AFC No preference
NFC Rams vs. Niners

How about Bengals-Bills, so we can party like it's 1989?

 

[UPChip]

Because global warming?

I'm only half-joking.

Packers' last six home playoff losses:
2020 NFC Championship: Blew it against Brady.
2013 NFC Wild Card vs. 49ers: That was Rodgers' first broken collarbone year. They finished 8-7-1 and the only reason they were playing in January at all was because Chris Conte got caught looking in the backfield at Soldier Field in the season finale. That team was not good and the 49ers team that beat them was 12-4 and was second-best in the best division in football.
2011 NFC Divisional vs. Giants: Defending champions, started the season 13-0, then no-showed hard after the bye and got lit up by Eli.
2007 NFC Championship vs. Giants: Favre's last game as a Packer. OT in an icebox.
2004 NFC Wild Card vs. Vikings: That was a disgusting act.
2002 NFC Wild Card vs. Falcons: Mike Vick happened (but the Packers also only scored seven points).

Most of Green Bay's playoff disasters have been on the road, like the NFC Championship Games in 2014 (Seattle), 2016 (Atlanta) and 2019 (SF), two different OT playoff games in Arizona (2009, 2015) and 4th and 26 (2004).

 

[User 149557]

[David Letterman voice]

C.J. Uzomah!