I decided to start this early and I’m going to start this off by showing the playoff picture instead of going right into match ups.

Nov 6, 2018 21:27:35 GMT KING KID said:

Let’s take a look at the NFL Playoff Picture if the playoffs were to start today!


AFC-
1- Kansas City Chiefs
2- New England Patriots

3- Pittsburgh Steelers vs 6- Cincinnati Bengals
4- Houston Texans vs 5- Los Angeles Chargers


NFC-
1- Los Angeles Rams
2- New Orleans Saints

3- Chicago Bears vs 6- Minnesota Vikings
4- Washington Redskins vs 5- Carolina Panthers


Holy shit. That’s stacked with some awesome games. I would absolutely love those AFC Wildcard games to go down. The Texans and the Chargers being an absolute blast of a game to watch. Then we would get a third, brutal showdown of Pitt and Cincy where Marvin Lewis would surely be coaching for his career. Just intense match ups.

The NFC seems like a pair of match ups where the division winners would be both going down. However, Chicago and Washington have both gotten this far with great defenses and smart offense. I just feel there’s no question the third best team in the NFC is Carolina right now.

If I were to predict the winners, I would go with LAC, Pitt, Minny and Carolina. Which would give us awesome match ups of KC/LAC, NE/Pitt, LAR/Minny and NO/Carolina.

Who do you think holds on and who do you think sneaks in?

Replace Washington with Philly and those are some absolutely fantastic play-off games. A lot could change in the NFC though. The Eagles, Packers and Falcons could all start playing better and the Seahawks looked pretty good anyway. The AFC looks a bit more settled if only just because there's a lack of good teams behind the play-off teams right now. The Ravens could do something if Flacco gets hot, maybe the Titans as well? There's not a lot coming from behind there.

I think Washington are definitely candidates to drop out, especially now they've been hit by the injury bug.

Carolina are real darkhorses this season, no one seems to be talking about them at all despite some wins over decent opponents and becoming a real powerhouse home team. They have the Saints twice in three weeks to finish the season in what is a bizarre (but crucial) piece of scheduling. The Saints owned them last season, beating them three times, so they will be looking for revenge. That Week 17 game is a potential flex candidate as a winner takes the division SNF regular season finale.

Big week, a win against a solid Panthers team could be a real statement of the team's improvement.

I think the Texans game in DC coming up will be a big indicator, if we can go up there and win that one I think Houston will win out on a 13 game win streak and steal the #2 seed from KC. I predicted Washington falling apart down the stretch back in week 3 when they were undefeated, I dont like the Gruden/Alex Smith duo and I figured what they had going with AP was doomed as soon as the wear and tear of an NFL season starts to take it's toll on him and that o-line.

Going back to the subject of Don Shula and cross referencing another mini-talk we had about Sean Mcvay potentially being a choke artist in the playoffs. Interesting parallel is that Shula at one time when he took over the Colts was the youngest head coach in NFL history and it was big because that Colts team he took over was loaded with talent, and he developed the reputation as a playoff choke artist:

-1964 Colts dominated the NFL finished with best record 12-2(I believe Shula was coach of the year?) and they get shut out in the NFL Championship Game against underdog Cleveland Browns. HUGE upset at the time

-1965 Colts lose to Packers in Green Bay by a field goal in overtime in divisional playoff game

-1967 Colts season comes down to the final game against then division rival LA Rams, Rams were 10-1-1, Shula's Colts were 11-0-1 going into that game, their meeting earlier that year was a tie so whoever won that game won the division and made the playoffs while the loser's season was over. Colts lost the game and missed the playoffs with an 11-1-2 record.

-1968 Shula's Colts are the best team in NFL history up to that point finishing with a 13-1 record and record setting defense as far as total points allowed that year, the only team to beat them was the Browns and the Colts go on the road and smash them in the NFL Championship Game(Shula's revenge for 64) only to lose to the AFL's Jets in Super Bowl III in the biggest upset ever in sports. Two years later in 1970 Shula takes the job with the Dolphins(who were only 2 or 3 years old expansion team at the time) after the Colts move on from him partly because of his chokes in the big games in 64, 65, 67, and 68.

-1971 Dolphins lose to Cowboys in Super Bowl VI, didn't even score a single touchdown(lost 24-3) the only time in Super Bowl history.

So going into that 1972 season he's got this major stigma going as a choke artist coach in the big games. Considering that just imagine the pressure he must have been feeling for the 72 AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh or even Super Bowl VII against Washington, not only did he have his own personal demons to overcome but also their undefeated streak on the line, god almighty.

Of course he washes all of that away with the undefeated 72 Championship and the repeat in 73 but then you look at his coaching run after that and it was more choke jobs, including losing 2 more Super Bowls(82, 84), and the HUGE choke in the 1985 AFC Championship Game getting beat by the Patriots at home. In hindsight Shula is a legend but really I think smart move would have been to move on from him after those 86-87-88 seasons. He chokes a few more times though, losing to the Bills at home in the 92 AFC Championship and then the big comeback loss to the Chargers in the 94 playoffs where they blew a substantial halftime lead to an underdog team. If not for the 72-73 seasons Shula might have gone down as the biggest playoff choke job head coach of all time

(EDIT: After looking more closely I noticed Shula lost 17 postseaon games, more than anybody else in history I believe, a lot of those were big losses at home, 78 loss to Oilers at home, 81 loss to San Diego at home in that epic, 83 when they had #1 seed in AFC with 12-4 record were one and done after upset loss to 9-7 Seahawks at home, 85 upset by Patriots at home robbing us of epic rematch against Bears, 92 loss AFC Championship to Buffalo at home).

I normally change the channel when Stephen A comes on, but this was some grade A heeling.

God ESPN is the drizzling shits. I feel dumber having watched just a couple of minutes of that video. I think we have to put up with their abomination MNF presentation for another couple of years but lets hope someone steals it from them after that.

BREAKING NEWS

Throw up your X.

Dez Bryant has been signed by the New Orleans Saints.

Nov 7, 2018 16:59:08 GMT KING KID said:

BREAKING NEWS

Throw up your X.

Dez Bryant has been signed by the New Orleans Saints.

If anyone can get Dez's career back on track it's Drew Brees and Sean Payton.   We'll see how much Dez really has left in the tank.

Nov 7, 2018 17:04:41 GMT thereallt said:

Nov 7, 2018 16:59:08 GMT KING KID said:

BREAKING NEWS

Throw up your X.

Dez Bryant has been signed by the New Orleans Saints.

If anyone can get Dez's career back on track it's Drew Brees and Sean Payton.   We'll see how much Dez really has left in the tank.

And if you don’t think he looked at that primetime showdown Sunday Night November 29th where he gets to travel to Jerry World to face the Cowboys before he made that decision; then you don’t know Dez.

Mark that game on your calendar.

And the rich get richer.

I have doubts whether Dez is ever going to be close to what he once was , and wasn't shocked it took so long for him to get signed. However in the Saints offense where he I imagine he is going to be asked to be a glorified tight end and red zone threat I could see him making that offense more impossible to defend.

Hse got Michael Thomas and Alvin Kimara taking all the attention away and is going to get one on one coverage in the endzone. I could see him catching a lot of touchdowns over the second half of the season.

Yeah, he’ll probably go Randy Moss against Dallas too. 3 receptions, 150 yards, 3 TDS. Lol.

I’m pulling for the Saints to win the NFC so this would be cool to watch him win a ring with these guys.

Looks like a great acquisition on paper - the one weakness in the Saints powerhouse offence did seem to be a true redzone threat like Jimmy Graham was for them and Dez has always been great at those contested catches in the endzone.

Nov 7, 2018 17:37:11 GMT UT said:

I have doubts whether Dez is ever going to be close to what he once was , and wasn't shocked it took so long for him to get signed.

Well he turned down the Ravens and Browns. You could argue that he overestimated his own market and probably expected to get signed earlier, but it's hard to imagine he could have ended up in a better situation that he has now.

Dez should be a great redzone target for an already exceptional offense, at the very least.

Fact of the day, the Jets offense will cost $13m more than the Rams offense this year. :lol:

Nov 8, 2018 12:19:45 GMT Todd said:

Fact of the day, the Jets offense will cost $13m more than the Rams offense this year.

That's just sad.   When Blindy talks about how incompetent Jets management and ownership is it is not hyperbole in the least.

Nov 7, 2018 23:18:43 GMT @admin said:

Looks like a great acquisition on paper - the one weakness in the Saints powerhouse offence did seem to be a true redzone threat like Jimmy Graham was for them and Dez has always been great at those contested catches in the endzone.

Nov 7, 2018 17:37:11 GMT UT said:

I have doubts whether Dez is ever going to be close to what he once was , and wasn't shocked it took so long for him to get signed.

Well he turned down the Ravens and Browns. You could argue that he overestimated his own market and probably expected to get signed earlier, but it's hard to imagine he could have ended up in a better situation that he has now.

Yeah but people were still speculating that he was going to get signed every week for like the first month (or more of the season) - you are right though that he overestimated his value. He did end up in the best possible situation though , that Saints offense. God damn. 

This Thursday Night Football game is going to be SICK!

I’m predicting a tight one with some big plays. Interesting to see who comes out on top in this one as a win would really solidify one of these two teams as a real threat to make it to the Super Bowl.

I’m expecting big games from CMC and Conner. In the end, I think Pitt just has too many weapons and pull off a big win at home. My prediction is Carolina has a commanding lead heading into the final 8 minutes of the game, up 13. Big Ben gets his team within 6 by hitting James Conner for a 40 yard catch and go screen. On the following possession, Cam gets his team into FG range and Graham Cano shocks everyone by missing a 48 yard FG right off the post. With 2:15 to go and no timeouts left, the Steelers get on the field. Like a sniper in the wind, Ben starts chipping away at the field. However, a pair of incomplete passes put Big Ben at 3rd and 10 from the Carolina 35 yard line with 1:08 to go. That’s when Ben finds a cutting Juju who, thanks to a great block by Vance McDonald, burns through everyone and gets into the end zone. Steeler Nation goes crazy after Chris Boswell makes the XP to give the Steelers a 1 point lead. With under a minute to go, Cam gets the ball at the 25 yard line with only one timeout. Cam starts things off with two incomplete passes in a row. On 3rd and 10, he finds a cutting CMC for 21. yards, but he’s tackled in bounds. Cam rushes his guys up to the line and spikes the ball with 27 seconds to go. That timeout still remains. On 2nd and 10, Cam tries to scramble, but is tackled in bounds for a 2 yard gain. The Panthers use their final timeout but they have 52 yards to go and only 17 seconds left. Killa Cam is under pressure again on 3rd down and tries a sideline pass to Funchess, but it’s overthrown. That brings up 4th and 8 from their own 48 yard line. Cam finds CMC with a drop off pass and CMC gets out of bounds with a first down and only 1 second left. The ball is now at the Steelers 43. Will the Panthers March Gano out for another 60 yard FG?! YES! YES THEY DO! They’re moving quick and Cano is coming off of a 45 yard miss. They hurry the snap! THE KICK IS UP! AND IT’S....

SPOILER: Click to show

NOOOOOO GOOD!

The kick comes up short and to the right. The Panthers lose a tight one and Steel City goes crazy! Big Ben completes an awesome comeback and the Le’Veon Bell noise begins!

I love predicting extravagant things like that.

LETS GO! WEEK 10! Steelers! Panthers! PRIMETIME!

Aikman has been drunk every Thursday this season but he looks extra blasted tonight.

Steelers defence might want to try and defend McCaffrey.

Bit of OPI on that TD, dude grabbed Williams as he came across, but okay, they gave up the rest of the field.

Never mind, I'm wrong, looked different in real time.

CMC- my favorite player in the NFL. I got his jersey and al. That dudes my man crush.

Well, that was quick. Just hope Bos doesn't botch another point.

Should have taken the safety.

This game is starting off great for Pitt. 14 points in 13 seconds. Wild. Cam feeling a lot of heat so far.

Just hope it continues at this pace, too early for a 7 point lead to make much of a difference.

When this offense is on...it's scary.

That Julius Peppers pass breakup is my favourite play of the night. He's 38!!

McCaffrey is the real.

This is why I hate early leads, WAY too much time to come back.