Nfl 2011

[Chieflongtee]

Hummm. The Saints lost to the Rams this year and the Seahawks last year in the playoffs so you guys could be in for a surprise.

[nokids]

Well I'd say 10%.

They're quite ** about the Saints running up the score so Brees could get his record on MNF instead of this weekend.

All the Falcons had to do is commit a pass interference on the final drive and Brees wouldn't have gotten the record. He'd have to get another possession to do it. Either that or one of the Falcons should have hit Brees after he threw the ball, 15 yard penalty, and same thing. They had options, instead they chose to do nothing and cry about it after! I didn't agree with Brees going for it. Sportsmanship would say take him out at that point; but the Falcons and Saints hate each other, so that has to be taken into account.

[mpare]

Are the Patriots inspired by Ali's rope a dope strategy? Losing 21 to nothing in the first quarter, they roared back with 49 unanswered points. They have to stop giving up so many points early. They're wearing out their fans.

[nokids]

Contenders:

AFC, Pats Baltimore, Pittsburgh
NFC, GB, Saints, 9ers.

Which Pats defense shows up in the playoffs?
Can Baltimore win a playoff game on the road?
Is Big Ben healthy?
Can GB beat the Saints at Lambeau again?
Saints don't appear to have a weakness.
How will Alex Smith play in the playoffs?

[HoganWoods]

Pats / Saints Superbowl!

Giants will do some damage in NFC.

[fundonny]

Giants won't get by the Falcons.

[mpare]

Am I the only Patriots fan who wishes that they had not gotten a bye? It's true that the additional week off will given them a much needed chance to heal. However, I have a sense (not borne out by any statistical review) that they never seem as sharp after an extra week off. I hope I'm wrong.

[nokids]

Home field throughout the playoffs Mike; do not complain!!

I think bill should have the pats defense watch nfl gameday every day for two weeks b/c Deion has been calling them the worst defense of all time lol.

[HoganWoods]

I'm just happy that our secondary gets time to get healthy! I have a good feeling this year! Just get to the big game and then anything can happen!

[mpare]

As you know I am a long time Patriots fan. I'd love to see them win, but their defense is generally mediocre and Brady is throwing a lot of duds this year. He's not as sharp as he has been. All of that said, the Pats never give up. They know how to win!

[HoganWoods]

Blasphemy!!!

[HoganWoods]

Well looks like most likely Pats will draw the steelers... I can't believe I'll be cheering for Tebow tomorrow...

[mpare]

Wow. Who would have believed that the Broncos could upset the Steelers? Not me. Heck of a way to win on the first play of overtime.

[brucestats]

what a fantastic finish!

[Chieflongtee]

Great game but the coin toss is by far the most ridiculous rule in all of pro sports.

[mpare]

Absolutely. The rule change is a half-baked measure. Each team gets a possession and a chance to score, unless the offense or the defense scores a touchdown. Ridiculous.

I told my wife that whoever won the coin toss would elect to receive. She asked how I knew that? I responded that if you had the ball and scored a TD, the game would be over. She thought that unfair as the other team would never get a similar chance. She's right.

Great game but the coin toss is by far the most ridiculous rule in all of pro sports.

[Big Johnny69]

I can't believe Tebow somehow managed to put up almost 30pts against the Steelers defence!!!!

[Golfer100]

I thought you were all chatting about Newfoundland (Nfl). Why so much interested in an American sport???

[HoganWoods]

I couldn't help but laugh when they threw on first down in OT and won the game... I'm happy for Denver but now I'd like to see them take a beating next week. Watch out for those giants too!

[mpare]

It's a sport, and an interesting one at that. Why not watch it? Hockey and lacrosse will only take you so far.

I thought you were all chatting about Newfoundland (Nfl). Why so much interested in an American sport???

[Chieflongtee]

I thought you were all chatting about Newfoundland (Nfl). Why so much interested in an American sport???

Thought you knewitall

[Chambokl]

I think it might have been their ONLY pass on 1st down all game... Somebody might remember differently??

I couldn't help but laugh when they threw on first down in OT and won the game... I'm happy for Denver but now I'd like to see them take a beating next week. Watch out for those giants too!

[sensfan63]

I think it might have been their ONLY pass on 1st down all game... Somebody might remember differently??

It was their second pass on first down. I believe the stat was 21 out of 22 first-down runs before OT. AND they were in run formation, so the Steelers were only going by all of the reasonable indications. Fantastic timing and fantastic disguise by the Broncos OC.

How about the egg the Falcons laid AGAIN? I mean, is Mike Smith the absolute worst 4th-down decision maker and play caller in the league? It's almost embarrassing, to be honest. The whole "Matty Ice" thing with Matt Ryan is also overdone and overplayed. Win a playoff game, son. Then you might have a nickname.

[Big Johnny69]

Giants won't get by the Falcons.

Your crystal ball must have been a bit blurry on this one Donny. LOL!

[fundonny]

I'm still not recovered. BUT, glass half full, Falcons are playoff regulars, which considering the Falcons history, I'm quite happy with. Mike Smith is still very young in coaching years, he'll get better.

[nokids]

Absolutely. The rule change is a half-baked measure. Each team gets a possession and a chance to score, unless the offense or the defense scores a touchdown. Ridiculous.

I told my wife that whoever won the coin toss would elect to receive. She asked how I knew that? I responded that if you had the ball and scored a TD, the game would be over. She thought that unfair as the other team would never get a similar chance. She's right.

Let's suppose you give each team a chance to respond like in college. If team A scores a TD, then team B will always go for it on 4th down. I think this is a problem. You can have games go on forever. Remeber that bowl game in college that went to 6 overtimes? Or that tennis match in Wimbeldon? Imagine a football game going hours into the night. Player injuries could be insane.

I'm fine with OT being "sudden death", first to score wins. The new OT rules are better than the old OT rules. A fg was a really cheap way of losing.

In hockey, say the team who wins the faceoff in OT takes the puck and scores on their first shot nobody complains. Should the NHL create a rule that says the team who lost the faceoff (and played terrible defense) to get one last chance to tie it up? You could argue that at least there was a faceoff which is more fair than a coin toss. I would agree with that. So does the NFL drop the ball at midfield and let both special teams race each other to recover the ball like they did in the XFL? That's kind of gimmicky. What about giving possession to the home team at all times? That would make home field adv huge. But really, I think a cointoss is fair. The team that plays Defense first can keep the game going by NOT giving up a 80yard TD to fricken Tim Tebow. Steelers did not deserve to get the ball back after that!


Rambling complete~!

[Chieflongtee]

Let's suppose you give each team a chance to respond like in college. If team A scores a TD, then team B will always go for it on 4th down. I think this is a problem. You can have games go on forever. Remeber that bowl game in college that went to 6 overtimes? Or that tennis match in Wimbeldon? Imagine a football game going hours into the night. Player injuries could be insane.

I'm fine with OT being "sudden death", first to score wins. The new OT rules are better than the old OT rules. A fg was a really cheap way of losing.

In hockey, say the team who wins the faceoff in OT takes the puck and scores on their first shot nobody complains. Should the NHL create a rule that says the team who lost the faceoff (and played terrible defense) to get one last chance to tie it up? You could argue that at least there was a faceoff which is more fair than a coin toss. I would agree with that. So does the NFL drop the ball at midfield and let both special teams race each other to recover the ball like they did in the XFL? That's kind of gimmicky. What about giving possession to the home team at all times? That would make home field adv huge. But really, I think a cointoss is fair. The team that plays Defense first can keep the game going by NOT giving up a 80yard TD to fricken Tim Tebow. Steelers did not deserve to get the ball back after that!


Rambling complete~!

The Steelers should have had home team advantage with their overall record as opposed to the Broncos who play in a weak division. Same deal with Seattle last year.(7-9)
This year the Alouettes in the CFL lost in overtime. Hamilton scored first then the Alouettes did not score. Game over and fair to both teams. Most time you will not go to 6 overtimes ,that is the exception to the rule. Besides the TV networks probably would not mind as their add revenue would increase if games lasted longer. I just think that deciding the isssue of a game by flipping a coin is simply ridiculous especially from a multi billion $ business.

Tennis has a tie breaker which is fair to both players. Baseball has extra innings. All other sports have fair tie breaking rules for both teams.

HEADS OR TAILS?? NAY

[mpare]

Suggesting that a hockey team that wins an overtime game by scoring after winning a face-off is as arbitrary as winning a football game after scoring first after having won a coin toss doesn't wash. The former outcome is based on skill, the latter is determined in large measure by luck.

[fundonny]

They should do a punt/pass/kick contest to see who wins the game. = )

The rule that needs to be changed is playoff seeding, make it by record instead of division winners. Division winners will still automatically get in but they will be seeded according to record. Then my Falcons wouldn't have had to travel to New York.

[jonf]

If you can't prevent a touchdown, you don't deserve to win. Suck it up and play some defence.