Install the app
How to install the app on iOS

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

NFL Thread 2018

Status
Not open for further replies.
SerenityNigh said:
Saints D is much better now than at the start of the season, but a good scheme can walk all over them. Did you see 1stQ Sunday? I don't fancy a neutral site meeting against a Belichek-coached team.
Click to expand...
They absolutely shut down the Eagles thereafter though. Several games this year (like at Tampa) they gave up early scores then locked down. I'm a believer.

No one wants to play the Patriots in the playoffs. Ever
 
Pittsburgh Footy said:
They absolutely shut down the Eagles thereafter though. Several games this year (like at Tampa) they gave up early scores then locked down. I'm a believer.

No one wants to play the Patriots in the playoffs. Ever
Click to expand...

They did, and credit to them, but home field intimidation played a factor too. This defense is much improved, and Apple was certainly a good pickup, but I've seen too much saints to be convinced in this defense. They can protect a lead, but I am not yet depending on them to win a game. I think they need one playmaker, an ILB or S like Vilma or Jenkins, to make this a formidable D again. That said, I'm looking forward to the weekend.
 
Pittsburgh Footy said:
They absolutely shut down the Eagles thereafter though. Several games this year (like at Tampa) they gave up early scores then locked down. I'm a believer.

No one wants to play the Patriots in the playoffs. Ever
Click to expand...
For me, it’s the Saints Super Bowl to lose- just like Super Bowl 47. That Pierre Thomas concussion on the 1 yard line against San Francisco still haunts me to this day.
 

Pittsburgh Footy said:
Saints were the best defense of the remaining teams throughout the season. You could argue they were the best defense in the league other than the Ravens. The Rams have Pitt's own Aaron Donald, but underachieved as a whole this year for me. This is why the Saints were clearly the favorites coming into the playoffs, and nothing has happened for me to think otherwise.

I see the Saints coming out of the NFC. An absolute toss up in the AFC. The Patriots are terrible but I never bet against Belichick. At some point Andy Reid is due to win a meaningful game, perhaps it's this weekend. If you held a gun to my head I'd take the Pats to somehow find a way to scrape a win
Click to expand...

I think these are the 4 best teams left and there are no pretenders in the semis. The high temp on Sunday in KC is 12F so the field is going to be frozen. The Pats are painfully slow on both offense and especially D, but that's not really that important on a slower track (Rams/Saints will put up 35 against the Pats in the SB). I'll take KC though. They played well in the slop this week, the running game also played well. I think Indy was a better team than LA in name only.

In the NFC will take the Saints. They just have the better D while the offenses are similar in talent and they are at home.
 
obc said:
And their reward is shown in regards to the rest of their weighted schedule. They always get a bunch of games against other top finishers of the prior year... hell, they almost played Peyton as often after the Colts moved from the AFC East as they did when he was there.

oh, and there's this from an article posted in July of 2018 (just before "they fell off the cliff" this season):



Playing the rotating divisional games as well as remaining slots against the best teams of the prior year. This year they got to face Chicago, Houston and KC - all of which won their divisions - as well as wildcard Indy. Won them all, though three were at Foxboro. Lost to Pittsburgh who just missed the playoffs at 9-6-1.
Click to expand...
The division record isn't impressive at all. The Bills have made the playoffs one time in that span. The Jets have mad it maybe 3 or 4. I think the Dolphins have two or three but I don't think they've been within 2 scores in any of their playoff games. The Patriots went 6-4 outside of the division this season but because the division wasn't competitive at all, their only loss came on that ridiculous Miami lateral play, they end up as the two seed and only have to win a single home game to get to this point.

Now obviously if they go into Arrowhead and win all of this doesn't matter and they are once again proving their quality. But my feeling is a few of these years they've not really been that great and benefited from the weak division in a huge way. Specifically 2009, 2012 and 2013 were all division championship teams and twice conference championship losers despite not really being all that great. The greatness of Belichick and Brady's consistency are the two biggest factors but the division is a fairly big contributor as well.
 
Osamabindiesel said:
For me, it’s the Saints Super Bowl to lose- just like Super Bowl 47. That Pierre Thomas concussion on the 1 yard line against San Francisco still haunts me to this day.
Click to expand...
That was a good Saints team but weren't they a wild card that year? I think this is a whole different situation. Two home games against teams you beat somewhat comfortably and a Super Bowl against one of two teams who they should put points up on in a city that is significantly closer to New Orleans than the other city adds up to a seriously promising situation. Plus this team is way better than that team.

All that said that San Francisco game was an all time brutal loss.
 
TheBigIguana said:
That was a good Saints team but weren't they a wild card that year? I think this is a whole different situation. Two home games against teams you beat somewhat comfortably and a Super Bowl against one of two teams who they should put points up on in a city that is significantly closer to New Orleans than the other city adds up to a seriously promising situation. Plus this team is way better than that team.

All that said that San Francisco game was an all time brutal loss.
Click to expand...
That Saints team was by far the best team in the NFC. They turned the ball over 5 Times, Pierre Thomas was knocked unconscious at the 1 yard line and they still almost won that game.

Sproles and Pierre were unstoppable
 

Osamabindiesel said:
That Saints team was by far the best team in the NFC. They turned the ball over 5 Times, Pierre Thomas was knocked unconscious at the 1 yard line and they still almost won that game.

Sproles and Pierre were unstoppable
Click to expand...
You know what I was thinking of the wrong season. I was thinking of the next year when the Falcons were the 1 seed. That team really was excellent and they probably don't let the Giants win like San Fran somehow did but I still think that things are better set up this year. If that game in 2011 was in the Superdome like this Sunday is there's no way the 49ers win.
 
TheBigIguana said:
That was a good Saints team but weren't they a wild card that year? I think this is a whole different situation. Two home games against teams you beat somewhat comfortably and a Super Bowl against one of two teams who they should put points up on in a city that is significantly closer to New Orleans than the other city adds up to a seriously promising situation. Plus this team is way better than that team.

All that said that San Francisco game was an all time brutal loss.
Click to expand...

That offense without Pierre Thomas was unhinged and couldn’t function properly
 
Connor said:
View attachment 53041

Huh.
Click to expand...
Yeah, he's terrible in big playoff games, just like the Chiefs are. It's a match made in heaven.

Which is kind of weird b/c Andy Reid is a great coach in primetime games. He's right up there with (cough, cough) Tomlin in primetime big regular season games. Just can't win playoff games.

Playing against probably the best coach of all time and great big game coach. You can see why Vegas has the line where it is. On paper, the Chiefs should be about a 7 point favourite. Us gamblers know better and that's why it would be suicide to Vegas to give anything more than 3 to the Patriots in this one. Hell, it really should probably be closer to a pick 'em to be honest
 
Pittsburgh Footy said:
Yeah, he's terrible in big playoff games, just like the Chiefs are. It's a match made in heaven.

Which is kind of weird b/c Andy Reid is a great coach in primetime games. He's right up there with (cough, cough) Tomlin in primetime big regular season games. Just can't win playoff games.

Playing against probably the best coach of all time and great big game coach. You can see why Vegas has the line where it is. On paper, the Chiefs should be about a 7 point favourite. Us gamblers know better and that's why it would be suicide to Vegas to give anything more than 3 to the Patriots in this one. Hell, it really should probably be closer to a pick 'em to be honest
Click to expand...

I wonder how history will treat the big man. And I wonder how many of his losses were his fault and how many can be pinned on Donovan "pukes in the huddle during the SB" McNabb. Obviously clock mismanagement is a big issue for Reid, but are all the losses his fault? Like, how does he compare to Marv Levy?

*Wow, Levy's record is interesting. 11 seasons, made the playoffs 8 times. 11-8 playoff record. Lost 1x in WC, 2x in Divisional, 1x in Conference Champ, 4x consecutive Super Bowl losses. Ok, so Reid is no Marv Levy, but still.
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Welcome to GrandOldTeam

Get involved. Registration is simple and free.

Register
Back
Top