The Empire Strikes Back: Luke....could....go....all....the....way!!

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 8:19 pm

HLD,

Panthers won the west in '96; there were only three divisions per conference. The Pats vs. Pack SB I remember well. My two favorite teams. I just watched and enjoyed the game cheering for neither.

Idioteque · Post by **Idioteque** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 2:13 am

Indianapolis
New England
St Louis ( going against my gut here)
Green Bay ( Philly's been my preseason SB pick the last 2 years but that Fav-re guy is pretty good)

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 6:41 am

Patriots
Eagles

This will be the week the Eagles finally make it to the Big Game. McNabb is hot and with Stephen Davis hurt, the Panthers offense must rely on Jake Delhomme and DeShaun Foster. Plus, Andy Reid won't have the kinds of coaching brain farts that have been plaguing Mike Martz all year.

The Patriots are simply the best coached team in the NFL, and with all of their injuries at the beginning of the season, they are healthy now and everyone has had a lot of playing time. They have depth, a QB everyone on the team trusts and defensive schemes that drive guys nuts.

After being spanked by Denver in week 16, the Colts have come on with a vengeance, but I think the combination of having to go to Foxboro and having a defense that was a sieve against the Chiefs last week will leave them at home for the Super Bowl.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 6:53 am

I'm more interested in seeing what Panthers can do with Colts.

Defence vs. offence

Was some great playoffs matches this weekend - I especially loved the Panthers vs. Rams - damned it was exciting

Idioteque · Post by **Idioteque** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 8:43 pm

Indianapolis
Philadelphia

Im also betting New England will end Indianapolis' no-punt streak

Tybaltus · Post by **Tybaltus** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 8:33 am

Originally posted by HighLordDave
Patriots
Eagles

Ditto

Hate to be cheap and pick both the home teams, as Ive been avoiding that the entire playoffs, but these are clearly the best 2 teams.

STL vs CAR and IND vs KC were probably 2 of the best 5 games thus far this season, and both happened on the same weekend!

Congrats to HLD for a perfect 4-0 last week

And GO PATS!

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:45 am

Hey there, Tybaltus! Long time, no see.

Lots of speculation about Mike Martz's future in St. Louis. I'm sure he's not going to lose his job, but I think he's lost a lot of the trust his players have (had) in his system. Going for the kill has been the Rams's trademark, but when push came to shove on Saturday, he backed down with the league's leading receiver (Torry Holt) and one of the game's most dangerous players in his backfield (Marshall Faulk).

Unlike Mike Sherman, who made a reasonable decision in trying to draw the Eagles offsides (I'd have still gone for it, but that's just me) and then punting (after all, it wasn't Brett Favre who let the Eagles convert 4th and 26), Martz sent a message that he didn't trust his QB or offense to take two shots at the end zone and then kick the field goal to go to OT. I think The St. Louis organisation needs to seriously re-think its commitment to Mike Martz. CNNSi's Paul Zimmerman, has a fairly interesting hypothesis about Martz here.

On the subject of the coaching carousel, isn't it interesting that coaches would rather go to Appalachian State than the Raiders?

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 11:22 am

SYM/DCI Standings - 2003
Week 19 Divisional Playoffs
HighLordDave 4/0 – 100%
Gwalchmai 3/1 – 75%
Ned Flanders 3/1 – 75%
Idioteque 2/2 – 50%
Bloodstalker 2/2 – 50%
Tybaltus 2/2 – 0%

Cumulative
Idioteque 91/49 – 65% (even)
Gwalchmai 171/93 – 65% (even)
Tybaltus 120/67 – 64% (even)
Ned Flanders 15/9 – 63% (+3)
Bloodstalker 162/101 – 62% (even)
HighLordDave 130/84 – 61% (+1)

I have to say, those were four very close games! Even in the KC/Ind game, where KC never lead the score, it seemed like the teams were trading touch downs pretty much. All these even match-ups were fun to watch – to what extent is HLD’s most hated word “parity” responsible for this? I mean, if getting some exciting post season action means giving up some seasonal dominance by a few teams, then Ain’t Parity Great? I’m not sure, but it will be nice not to have a Super Bowl blow-out looming on the horizon.

My picks for Week 20, Conference Championships:

New England Patriots over Indianapolis Colts
Carolina Panthers over Philadelphia Eagles

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:07 pm

My wife just sent this to me....

OK... so if the Jacksonville Jaguars are known as the "Jags" and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are known as the "Bucs", what
does that make the Tennessee Titans?

Tybaltus · Post by **Tybaltus** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:25 pm

Originally posted by Gwalchmai

Tybaltus 0/4 – 0%

Whoa there! With due respect, I got 2 right! IND over KC and PHI over GB...If the forum wasnt down over there you can see...but I KNOW I picked those 2 right

HLD, I came back for this thread, for sure. I wanted to come earlier but I was still feeling intimidated to even show my face. Good to talk football. It was only Gwally and I over on the other forum that talked football actively. But Ive been lurking in this tread the last few months.

Well Martz has always been a crazy coach for mine own part. He made ultra-agressive calls and ultra conservative calls at times and Im still scratching my head at half the challenges hes called. It wouldnt surprise me if he stayed though, hes taken the team to the playoffs a 3 of 4 years. But then again, if you lose trust from your players, well then either its a slippery slope or hes gonna get tossed before it all begins.

Which coach went to Appalacian State?

Rob-hin · Post by **Rob-hin** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:34 pm

Good to see you buddy.

Bloodstalker · Post by **Bloodstalker** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 3:41 pm

Martz may stay as coach...but he's made it impossible to keep either Warner OR Bulger as his franchise QB. I'm not sure it was such a horrible decision seeing as how Bulger has been in interception machine this season (including the game in question), but still, at least get the ball in Faulks hands at least. I agree with Tom Jackson....you got a game that went into the second overtime, and Faulk doesn't have 20 carries?

I look at the teams left, and feel confused.

Indy over NE.......... NE is a great team overall, and without a doubt one of the best coached teams around. And I usually pick defense over offense in these games, but the Pats can't run the ball. All I know is right now, Manning looks like Dan Montana-Elway the way he's playing. I haven't seen QB play like this in the playoffs in over a decade. Indy will punt like Idioteque said, but they will also beat the Pats. I don't think a goal line stand is gonna save NE this time.

Panthers over Eagles.

Simply put, Carolina wins close games. Davis may not play, but Foster isn't much of a drop off now that the Panthers have a legitimate recieving threat to go all the way in Steve Smith. GB ran the ball well, and should have ran the ball down the Eagles throats in overtime instead of passing. If they had, Eagles would be at home. Carolina will run, run, and run some more. Oh, and Carolina will kick the field goal just before the half like GB should have.Factor in McNabb getting sacked all over the place by the Packers, and the Panther front four is licking their chops.

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 4:53 pm

Originally posted by Tybaltus
Whoa there! With due respect, I got 2 right! IND over KC and PHI over GB...If the forum wasn’t down over there you can see...but I KNOW I picked those 2 right

Sorry about that, Tyb. I was doing it from memory, and I thought that we had disagreed on 3 picks, with GB being the only one we agreed on, which I lost. It must have been something else. My mistake. I tried to check it out several times the last couple of days, but DCI forums are down, as you know. No harm, no foul.

Scayde · Post by **Scayde** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:22 pm

WB Ty

Tybaltus · Post by **Tybaltus** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 7:43 pm

Originally posted by Gwalchmai
Sorry about that, Tyb. I was doing it from memory, and I thought that we had disagreed on 3 picks, with GB being the only one we agreed on, which I lost. It must have been something else. My mistake. I tried to check it out several times the last couple of days, but DCI forums are down, as you know. No harm, no foul.

Oh, its no problem, I was just taken back by seeing a zero next to my name! Hehe.

But your memory did serve correctly in that we agreed with one game, it was just the Indy game we agreed with. So not so bad basing it on pure memory

Martz may stay as coach...but he's made it impossible to keep either Warner OR Bulger as his franchise QB. I'm not sure it was such a horrible decision seeing as how Bulger has been in interception machine this season (including the game in question), but still, at least get the ball in Faulks hands at least. I agree with Tom Jackson....you got a game that went into the second overtime, and Faulk doesn't have 20 carries?

Yes, that QB situation when both have potential to be great and both have potential to be bad, its a lose-lose situation for Martz. If the one who is playing meh-matsa matsa, then people start to say, why not put in the other guy? But then the benched QB may do worse, and if that is the case, then how can you bring back the first QB without people jumping all over you?

But, it boils down to the run game, absolutely right. I think Martz has always been a passing coach...maybe Trung's fumbles have scarred Martz for life in the running game. Or hes just stuck in overdrive on the West coast offense. The thing is, youve got so many weapons, sometimes you get so focused on one, you forget about the other.

Indy over NE.......... NE is a great team overall, and without a doubt one of the best coached teams around. And I usually pick defense over offense in these games, but the Pats can't run the ball. All I know is right now, Manning looks like Dan Montana-Elway the way he's playing. I haven't seen QB play like this in the playoffs in over a decade. Indy will punt like Idioteque said, but they will also beat the Pats. I don't think a goal line stand is gonna save NE this time.

Yeah, Manning really scares the crap out of me. He is playing 2nd to none right now, and before I picked NE over IND, I went back and forth between the 2 teams, because on one hand, Indy is playing like the best team out there, but on the other hand, NE is also more quietly doing that same thing. NE has beaten Indy 3 straight times. The difference for this game? NE isnt the underdog like they were the 3 previous times, and NE isnt a good favorite. Theyre everyones (Or mine) favorite underdog.

Well, I picked the Titans to win last week for 2 reasons-Yes, the run game, and thats the main thing, and also of course, I picked Titans to go to the superbowl in the preseason, and I wanted to hold on to my early season pick...at least the SURVIVING early season pick. But NE still was able to run the ball a bit and was able to win. I think running is a huge part of the game, but NE can really be surprising...when people start doubting their run game, Antawain, Cloud, and Faulk all step it up.

Simply put, Carolina wins close games. Davis may not play, but Foster isn't much of a drop off now that the Panthers have a legitimate recieving threat to go all the way in Steve Smith. GB ran the ball well, and should have ran the ball down the Eagles throats in overtime instead of passing. If they had, Eagles would be at home. Carolina will run, run, and run some more. Oh, and Carolina will kick the field goal just before the half like GB should have.Factor in McNabb getting sacked all over the place by the Packers, and the Panther front four is licking their chops.

Perhaps, and Im mostly picking from my gut. No team since the 6-team playoff has ever gone 0-2 in consecutive home-hosting championship games. Philly looked really crappy vs GB the first half, but they came blazing the second half. Both teams are pretty beat up, but Ill tell you the biggest game breaker, McNabb looks as composed and healthy as ever. The sack package worries me, though. I dunno...Im just listening to my gut. Also know that Carolina DOES lose close games and have lost close games this season, its not a 100% thing.

Oddly enough, Id rather see Carolina go to the Superbowl. But now that Dallas, Green Bay, St Louis, and Baltimore have all been defeated, Ill be happy who ever wins the superbowl this year

Idioteque · Post by **Idioteque** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 7:49 pm

Re: My wife just sent this to me....

Originally posted by Gwalchmai
OK... so if the Jacksonville Jaguars are known as the "Jags" and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are known as the "Bucs", what
does that make the Tennessee Titans?

the Tites

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:03 pm

Re: Re: My wife just sent this to me....

Originally posted by Idioteque
the Tites

And that rhymes with "bits", right?

Idioteque · Post by **Idioteque** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:14 am

Nope sounds like "tights". Can't change the sound of the "i" in Titans. After all they're not the TB "Bukes" (rhymes with "nukes").

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:11 am

Originally posted by Idioteque
Nope sounds like "tights". Can't change the sound of the "i" in Titans. After all they're not the TB "Bukes" (rhymes with "nukes").

I assume you are saying that with an Irish accent, the way my Irish friend says "Ya scared the sh*te out o' me..."

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 12:20 pm

Originally posted by Tybaltus
Which coach went to Appalacian State?

No one has . . . yet. You get the feeling, though, that nobody wants the job, and guys are seeing Oakland as a professional graveyard and would rather take a job a Appalachian State or Tallahassee Community College (much like Arizona or the pre-Parcells Cowboys and pre-Lewis Bengals). All of the "big-name" coaches have gone somewhere else (Tom Coughlin, Dennis Green) or would prefer to be unemployed (Dan Reeves, Jim Fassel, **** Jauron) than work for Al Davis.

Maurice Carthon, Greg Knapp, and Sean Payton have all interviewed for the job, but none of them have any better credentials than the deposed Bill Callahan, and none are true rising stars among assistant coaches. I just don't think anyone wants to work for a nutball like Davis. Unlike Mike Brown, the new and improved Jerry Jones, or the Bidwell family, who have apparently seen the light and ceded a lot of their closely-guarded control to the coach and/or GM, Davis refused to pay market value for a high-profile coach and won't acknowledge that he's no longer the innovator he once was.