OT: 2013 NFL playoffs and other hirings/firings

[apice3*]

Seahawks are getting so overrated here. I love when people say the Falcons are going nowhere because Matt Ryan hasn't won a playoff game and then pen the Seahawks into the final 4.

Edit: surprisingly Rodgers is the only QB to NFC QB to win a playoff game in his career.

 

[Saugus]

IMO alot of Broncos success was result of horrid division

I think they go 1 and done honestly

Never bet against Peyton. They have the pieces for a run. Good defence, elite QB.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

IMO alot of Broncos success was result of horrid division

I think they go 1 and done honestly

you didn't really watch them, did you?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

also to be fair, Flacco took the Ravens INTO New England and essentially won that game. it isn't his fault that Lee Evans dropped that pass or that the kicker missed that gimme FG.

 

[Scott04]

Seahawks are getting so overrated here. I love when people say the Falcons are going nowhere because Matt Ryan hasn't won a playoff game and then pen the Seahawks into the final 4.

Edit: surprisingly Rodgers is the only QB to NFC QB to win a playoff game in his career.

And the thing I had to point out when the Matt Ryan argument came around weeks ago: the two years he was bounced in the playoffs it was to the eventual Super Bowl champs. Not like it was to a crap team that went out the next round. Yes, he didn't exactly have two stellar games himself, but his defense didn't do him any favors (especially against the Packers that year)

 

[NC107*]

If I see another Patriots Super Bowl.....

Sorry your head is going to ache. Pats again

 

[NJDevs26]

Seahawks are getting so overrated here. I love when people say the Falcons are going nowhere because Matt Ryan hasn't won a playoff game and then pen the Seahawks into the final 4.

Edit: surprisingly Rodgers is the only QB to NFC QB to win a playoff game in his career.

Thing is, Seattle's got a great defense and running game, Atlanta has no running game and a slightly above average D. The only edges the Falcons have would be home field and their passing game, but many times great defenses and running games have won on the road in the playoffs.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Vikings are hot. Packers are not guaranteed.

Nothing is guaranteed when your corners and safety play the most pathetic zone defense possible nearly half of every game. The Pack D is not playoff caliber no matter how potent the offense may be (and it's streaky as hell this season).

It will take a lot of luck and some bad play calling on the other side of the ball for the Pack to even sniff the NFC championship game. They may well toast the Vikings on home turf this week, but I don't hold out much hope beyond that.

I think the Broncos take it this year but the best game of the playoffs will be the AFC championship game.

 

[BrodeurRULES]

It's actually to the point with Seattle where everyone and their grandmother is going to pick them against Atlanta (assuming they get past RG3 this week, and GB beats the Vikes as expected), which is bizarre. That might actually work in the Falcons' favor The NFC's almost impossible to predict...if the Niners were playing Alex Smith I'd give the Packers no shot against the Niners after the way they got beat down in Week 1 but Kapernick's capable of imploding against a healthier Packers D.

The AFC it would be a shock if it were anyone other than Broncos-Patriots for the AFC Championship at this point, though I'll say this - I don't think the Broncos are a great enough team that they can win 14 in a row, Peyton or no Peyton. Law of averages says they're getting picked off, probably against the Pats.

And how do you know Smith isn't going to play?

 

[apice3*]

Thing is, Seattle's got a great defense and running game, Atlanta has no running game and a slightly above average D. The only edges the Falcons have would be home field and their passing game, but many times great defenses and running games have won on the road in the playoffs.

thats because playoff games are generall played in the cold where running and defense is key. Atlanta has homefield and will be playing in a dome every game including the super bowl if they get there.

Theyre either 13-3 or 14-2 and havent gotten an ounce of respect all year

 

[apice3*]

And how do you know Smith isn't going to play?

seriously?

 

[NJDevs26]

thats because playoff games are generall played in the cold where running and defense is key. Atlanta has homefield and will be playing in a dome every game including the super bowl if they get there.

Theyre either 13-3 or 14-2 and havent gotten an ounce of respect all year

Let them win a playoff game before they do. They were 14-2 a couple years ago and Aaron Rodgers is still throwing TD passes on them lol. Shoot, whoever they wind up playing first will have more playoff wins than them.

It's not even the 0-fer as much as the fact they haven't even been competitive the last two playoff games, and both times they were the 'better' team.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Yeah I only think the Patriots can take care of the Broncos. Possibly the Ravens but that would be unlikely.

I think there is so much parity in the NFL this year that any of the 12 teams could beat each other.

 

[Officer Rod Farva]

Redskins over Seahawks
Packers over Vikes
Ravens over Colts
Texans over Bengals

Packers over Falcons
9ers over Redskins
Pats over Ravens
Broncos over Texans

Packers over 9ers
Pats over Broncos

Patriots over Packers

 

[apice3*]

Let them win a playoff game before they do. They were 14-2 a couple years ago and Aaron Rodgers is still throwing TD passes on them lol. Shoot, whoever they wind up playing first will have more playoff wins than them.

It's not even the 0-fer as much as the fact they haven't even been competitive the last two playoff games, and both times they were the 'better' team.

my point is people are picking against the falcons because of past history. Matt ryan has the same amount of playoff wins as ponder, wilson, rg3, kaepernick, dalton, and luck combined. That hasnt stopped anyone from picking those guys to win their games.

The falcons are legit this year. This is the 2013 falcons. I dont see how the packers beating them 2 years ago has any impact on anything. Its a totally different team.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I am not sold on the Falcons (no run game/not a great D), but I agree its silly to say they won't win because Matt Ryan hasn't won a playoff game.

 

[apice3*]

right. Pick against them because they have holes. Dont pick against them because Ryan hasnt won a playoff game, because his first game will be against a QB who currently has 0 playoff wins as well.

 

[Brodeur]

Andy must really believe he can revive Kolb.

Interesting choice because I thought he was a lock to go to San Diego.

Sounds like the Chargers are going to hire a GM first before a head coach. They brought in former Packers GM Ron Wolf as a consultant for the GM search which might take a few weeks. If Reid starts getting job offers in a couple days, then the time frame might not work out for the Chargers.

While I'm happy that Norv was let go, I feel like he was given a bit of a raw deal this year. After Marcus McNeill and Kris Dielman went down midway through 2011, the team went into a tailspin. They brought in Jared Gaither off the scrap heap and to his credit played very well to finish the season. A.J. Smith gave Gaither a decent contract to stick around, but that was a dicey proposition from the start.

As much as people want to blame the Chargers struggles on letting go of Vincent Jackson, the substandard offensive line was the real culprit. Rivers had one of his best seasons in 2010 when Jackson held out and only played in 4.5 games. Robert Meachem was a bust but Danario Alexander put up great numbers out of nowhere.

Norv is still a decent playcaller and will get a chance elsewhere. Wouldn't be surprised to see him have post-head coaching success like Wade Phillips in Houston.

 

[Wingman77]

Ray Lewis is retiring after the season

 

[Darius Dangleaitis]

I think this is the year Matty Ice finally gets it done in the Georgia Dome.

 

[Rhodes 81]

the passing game won't be why the falcons lose, the o-line will
the defense isn't good but it's a takeaway machine, so they can generally hold the other team to a manageable score. white, jones, and gonzalez pretty much all need double coverage, which obviously isn't possible, but any team that can still get a solid pass rush with only 4 rushers is the falcons' worst nightmare. the falcons survive on the fact that on any given play, they will most likely have two recievers open, but if you can contain roddy, julio, and tony and force ryan to go the douglas or one of the backs, you'll really hurt them.

the lack of a running game is a bit overblown though, imo. turner isn't what he used to be and rodgers isn't really an every down back at all, but they don't get nearly as many opportunities as they did ryan's first few years in the league. it's easy to complete short passes with the offense, so there's just little incentive to run them much. i feel like in the playoffs the pass/rush ratio will even out a bit and you'll see higher rushing totals.

 

[DatBoyJPP]

NFL rules state that the head coach needs to be available the week after a season for media interviews. Rex Ryan is on vacation and the league says the Jets will be punished

 

[Jersey Man]

rofl

 

[apice3*]

the passing game won't be why the falcons lose, the o-line will
the defense isn't good but it's a takeaway machine, so they can generally hold the other team to a manageable score. white, jones, and gonzalez pretty much all need double coverage, which obviously isn't possible, but any team that can still get a solid pass rush with only 4 rushers is the falcons' worst nightmare. the falcons survive on the fact that on any given play, they will most likely have two recievers open, but if you can contain roddy, julio, and tony and force ryan to go the douglas or one of the backs, you'll really hurt them.

the lack of a running game is a bit overblown though, imo. turner isn't what he used to be and rodgers isn't really an every down back at all, but they don't get nearly as many opportunities as they did ryan's first few years in the league. it's easy to complete short passes with the offense, so there's just little incentive to run them much. i feel like in the playoffs the pass/rush ratio will even out a bit and you'll see higher rushing totals.

IMO the only teams that can take out all of the weapons ATL has at home are the 49ers and the Broncos. I expect GB to beat the 49ers. I have ATL in the SB but if they face Denver, I can't fathom Peyton losing in a dome, especially with Denver's ability to potentially contain the Falcons offense.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

I'm a Pack fan and not even I expect them to beat SF. I will cheer joyfully if they do however.

Nothing would help me wipe away this disaster of a NHL season more than seeing a Patriots vs. Packers Superbowl again.