2008 NFL Season Thread- The Road to Super Bowl XLIII

[Dark Flame]

Fuck. I can't call games for shit.. I did NOT see this coming.

[The Spartan]

Peyton Manning eating shit own his own 1yd line actually had me cheering in my living room.

What was really funny was the look on his face while SD was driving for the win, "Dammit, stop them and get me on the fucking field! PLEASE!"

Edit: unfucked the quote tags.

[Medic]

Well if Baltimore keeps up their current level of play, I'll be 2 out of 3 on picks so far. That vaunted doesn't-turn-the-ball-over Miami offense did so twice (pics, both ) now and one was run back byyy?

ED REED! Who else? 10-3 Ravens. One more touchdown and that's almost an insurmountable point lead.
Ravens have the ball with less than 2 to go in the half.

edit: I go to get a sub and I come back to a 20-9 4th Q score -- with 2 more Pennington picks. I hate to rub it in Chardok but I hate the fucker -- every Chargers fan with a 7 year memory does. Fucking Pennington.

edit: Willis McGahee just damn near ended it with a big run. TD and that's all she wrote.

[Medic]

Touchdown Joe Flacco. I'm 2 for 3 now. GOO MINNESOTA!

[Elfdart]

Fuck that!

I want to go 4-0!

[Qwerty 42]

Minnesota has scratched half of their starting defensive line. Things are looking good for the Eagles.

[Medic]

Minnesota has scratched half of their starting defensive line. Things are looking good for the Eagles.

sunuvabitch!

[FSTargetDrone]

16-14 Eagles over the Vikings at the half.

Update (finally). Westbrook runs 71 yards for the score. With the kick it's 23-14 with about 6:38 left in the 4th. Eagles finally, finally do something to pull a bit more ahead in this too-close game.

Update with 1:55 to go in the 4th, Eagles kick the ball for the field goal and increase their lead 26-14.

Final update:

26-14 Eagles. They play the Giants next Sunday.

[Medic]

Congrats Elfdart, you went 4-0 on picks.

I went 2-2, or, no better than a football ignoramus. Course, only 2 I cared for I got right but in reality, they were all emotional / bias picks. I like Michael Turner from his Charger days, hence, his new team, hate whatever team Pennington plays for, of course my own -- this game I had no horse in, just a gut call which ended up being wrong as hell.

So, next week in order of appearance (without times -- it's same as this week though):

Saturday

BALTIMORE @ TENNESSEE
ARIZONA @ CAROLINA

Sunday

PHILADELPHIA @ NEW YORK
SAN DIEGO @ PITTSBURGH

I'll take upsets in both AFC games (sure Tennessee's got a super bowl defense, but so does Baltimore, hence, this game's strength-on-strength -- I'll take the Ravens at their strength versus anyone, even on their turf, save Pittsburgh; and, of course, I can't not pick the Bolts even though there isn't a thing in the world I like about going TO Pittsburgh, where we never win). NFC though? There's no way Arizona stops Carolina's run and Steve Smith. Cheat on one -- or the other -- and that other burns you. Eagles and Giants match up a lot better, I'm just picking the Giants.

[Falkenhayn]

Ah what the hell, I'll try this picks thing.

Baltimore: Titans are the better team, I think, but it will be a cold day in hell before I forgive them for Music City.
Arizona
Philly
Pittsburgh

[Havok]

Well my Indy/Carolina Super Bowl prediction is shot, so I will amend to Baltimore/Carolina.

This weekend; Baltimore, San Diego, Carolina, Philadelphia.

Next weekend, obviously, Baltimore, Carolina.

Super Bowl; Baltimore.

[Qwerty 42]

okay:

San Diego at Pittsburgh
Baltimore at Tennessee
Arizona at Carolina
Philadelphia at New York Giants

[Medic]

okay:

San Diego at Pittsburgh
Baltimore at Tennessee
Arizona at Carolina
Philadelphia at New York Giants

Dude, 3 away teams? At least I only picked 2 away teams cause one is my team. I kinda have to. Remember that most wild cards come out of the wild card and just get rolled up like Miami today. There are weak divisional champs too every now and then with super-inflated records (14-2 Jacksonville, anyone?) but one does not just walk into South Carolina and New (Jersey) York and win.

[Havok]

I took 3 aways as well.

The Eagles know how to play the Giants and while I don't think it is going to be a blow out, I think the Eagles have the advantage at the key positions. (QB, RB, CB, FS)

Ravens D > Titans rungame and the rungame is the only advantage that one could attribute to the Titans over the Ravens. Flacco has progressed enough to make him a wash Vs Collins so no advantage there. Wide outs on both teams are mediocre at best.

I think the Chargers are going on pure luck and emotion right now and realize that they should not be where they are and are playing loose, and that is going to give them an edge. They also aren't going to be afraid of the Steelers as they only lost to them by 1 point.

The Cardinals are a joke, and the Panthers, at home, are going to stomp them a new mud hole.

[Dark Flame]

1-3 this week. I'm the Schottenheimer of picking games.

San Diego at Pittsburgh-Defense beats luck, me thinks.
Baltimore at Tennessee-Baltimore is reeeeaaaalllly good. It should still be close though.
Arizona at Carolina- Carolina is just to strong for them. Running, passing, whatever.
Philadelphia at New York Giants- I'm going with home field on this one because the two teams are both very very good.

[Medic]

I think the Chargers are going on pure luck and emotion right now and realize that they should not be where they are and are playing loose, and that is going to give them an edge. They also aren't going to be afraid of the Steelers as they only lost to them by 1 point.

San Diego at Pittsburgh-Defense beats luck, me thinks.

I hope this is how the Steelers coaching staff thinks too, then we're sure to win.

Seriously, what's with this drumbeat? Either we're legitimately good or extremely lucky, but for this long? We've crossed the border between incredulity and hilarity. We were incredibly lucky that winning even meant anything in December -- Denver had to keep losing. We're NOT incredibly lucky just to be winning. Okay, the Steelers defense is at home and is better than sliced bread, bread and butter and cooler than the other side of the pillow. I got all that.

Now what I wanna see is that vaunted Steelers offense steam roll our defense, cause:

1) didn't happen last time
2) we've gotten better since then
3) I relish the opportunity to see how the Steelers handle being backed up to their own goal-line. Indy didn't do too good themselves and Indianapolis, this is not.

Besides, San Diego might've looked "loose" cause Indy very apparently wanted to shut down the play-action-Jackson bombs and our downfield passing game. The result? A nicked-up but wide-open Antonio Gates all-night and Chris Chambers making hooks, come-backs and slants in front of cheating-deep corners, all-night. When Rivers said 'fuck it, I'm going deep' it generally didn't pan out but you see the trade-offs involved in dealing with a down-field passing attack.

[Elfdart]

I'm going with the Chargers, Titans, Panthers and Eagles. I don't think Flacco is ready for the Titans' defense and I'm wary of dome teams playing outdoors in the playoffs. The Eagles whipped the Giants last time and the Chargers have never lost to the Steelers in the playoffs and I see no reason why this time would be any different.

[weemadando]

The Ravens D is just ON FIRE at the moment and Flacco has really hit his stride and is finally playing like a NFL QB meaning that teams can't just stack against the run and count on Flacco to toss it straight to one of their CBs.

If B-More can get past the Titans, then I think they take home the silverware.

[Havok]

Man, HOW THE FUCK does Ed Reed NOT win DPOY. What a crock of fucking bullshit. Hell, he should have won MVP.

Edit: Man I swear that I read that Harrison was the DPOY, but they are saying on NFL Network, that it won't be announced until the week of the Superbowl. Guess I'm trippin' and seeing things.

Double Edit: I was right. He won the AP award.

[weemadando]

Man, HOW THE FUCK does Ed Reed NOT win DPOY. What a crock of fucking bullshit. Hell, he should have won MVP.

I don't get it either - and this isn't fandom talking. In terms of guys who on D made game changing and often game winning plays match after match, you can't go past Reed.

Or was Baltimore's record this season to questionable to give it to him?

[Chardok]

How does one throw 5 INTs in one game, I mean, REALLY. You really have to TRY to fail that hard. Anyway, so ends our season - but what a great season! I sure hope we get more of the same next year. I forsee a long and prosperous career for Tony S. in Little Cuba. At any rate: VIVE LA AFC!

[Dark Flame]

Fuck. And Cleveland is now the home of the so-called MAN-GENIUS! Pfft, more like a mangina. I'm not excited at all, we're gonna suck for another 4 years until we get a new coach that's actually worth a damn.

[Chardok]

Fuck. And Cleveland is now the home of the so-called MAN-GENIUS! Pfft, more like a mangina. I'm not excited at all, we're gonna suck for another 4 years until we get a new coach that's actually worth a damn.

You guys have been hurting since Boomer left....

[weemadando]

Titans should be worried this weekend - according to ESPN podcasts both their first and second string centres are out.

[Cos Dashit]

1 - 4 last week.

BAL @ TEN
SD @ PIT
PHI @ NYG
ARI @ CAR