Oswlek
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2006
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- 9,086
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I hope this doesn't come across as too snobbish or arrogant, but I have to say that I wasn't very impressed with the quality of play this weekend. Amazingly enough, the team that I thought looked the best was.........
The Giants.
It has gotten to the point where you don't expect the lower tier NFC teams to look great, but I don't think the AFC teams looked all that much better. Everywhere I turn, I hear someone else rambling on about how great the Jags are or how hot the Chargers are, but they sure as hell looked anything but in their matchups. Anyway, here are my usual semi-lucid thoughts from the weekend.
* During the final few moments of the SD/TN game when it was apparent to everyone that the Chargers would emerge victorious, I called my football buddy and said, "I guess San Diego didn't get the memo. Shouldn't someone let them know that the Titans stink? Their acting like they just took down a juggernaut out there." I realize that every victory deserves to be cherished, but it almost seemed as if they weren't sure if they were going to win.
* I keep hearing about how great Phillip Rivers played but I just don't see it. From my vantage point he played like a spastic idiot for the first half and then improved in the second half when TN could no longer mount a pass rush and SD had receivers running 10 yards free of any defenders. Yes, I realize that good pass protection and open receivers are key to any QB's performance, but I just can't see Rivers going on the road and beating any decent team.
* Further along this line, SD is going to get annihilated next Sunday. This past game was reminicent of their first week's victory over the Bears. It seemed that they emerged with a hard fought victory over a physical opponent, but in reality they played a crap game against a mediocre opponent. TN, without any receivers and with a gimpy running QB, found themselves in the red zone 4 times all after long drives. No way Indy scores less than 35 points against them. Unless the line is in the 20's, Indy is the best bet for the weekend. They are going to kill that team.
* Watching the Seattle/Wash game my only real thought was, "Is there anyway *both* of these teams can be eliminated this week?"
* So..... Where was this Jacksonville Juggernaut again? Pitt did everything they could to give that game away and Jax still needed a late 4th down to pull it off. Sure, teams can always play better, but they aren't going to have any late game chances if they play like that on Saturday. I'm still trying to figure out how a supposedly great team can let a team with no running game and a QB in the midst of a near-complete playoff meltdown comeback from a 18 point deficit.
* I want to touch on Roeth specifically. He was absolutely terrible in the first half. Not only did he have some obvious garbage plays with the ints, but he was almost solely responsible for Jax's sacks and Pitt's ineffective offense. The OL actually played a good game, IMHO, but Ben just stood there waiting and waiting for something to happen. Other than one where he had to scramble to his right almost immediately, he had at least 4 seconds prior to every other take down. I mentioned this in one other thread, but I'll do so again. On one sack Roeth literally rolled into the only defender who had a chance (and who was blocked out of the play if Ben didn't roll into him). On that play, he pumped a couple times despite every single receiver being open! That's right, he scrambled into a sack on a play where he could have thrown it to any receiver on the team. And that was in the second half when he was playing "well". Just a really bad game for him... and they still almost won.
* Was I the only one to see Jax's LT hold the Pitt defender from getting into the hole on the 4th down scramble?
* After watching the game my opinion of the Pats/Jags matchup still hasn't changed. IMHO, the Jags don't have the DE's to attack NE's tackle weakness on the OL nor do they have a nickle package that can stop NE from scoring 30 points. Barring a hurricane, a repeat defensive performance like this past one will lead to NE moving the ball up and down the field at will. And the jury is still out if the Jags can pass their way into a high scoring victory if needed. Frankly, I don't see either AFC Dvisional game being all that close.
The Giants.
It has gotten to the point where you don't expect the lower tier NFC teams to look great, but I don't think the AFC teams looked all that much better. Everywhere I turn, I hear someone else rambling on about how great the Jags are or how hot the Chargers are, but they sure as hell looked anything but in their matchups. Anyway, here are my usual semi-lucid thoughts from the weekend.
* During the final few moments of the SD/TN game when it was apparent to everyone that the Chargers would emerge victorious, I called my football buddy and said, "I guess San Diego didn't get the memo. Shouldn't someone let them know that the Titans stink? Their acting like they just took down a juggernaut out there." I realize that every victory deserves to be cherished, but it almost seemed as if they weren't sure if they were going to win.
* I keep hearing about how great Phillip Rivers played but I just don't see it. From my vantage point he played like a spastic idiot for the first half and then improved in the second half when TN could no longer mount a pass rush and SD had receivers running 10 yards free of any defenders. Yes, I realize that good pass protection and open receivers are key to any QB's performance, but I just can't see Rivers going on the road and beating any decent team.
* Further along this line, SD is going to get annihilated next Sunday. This past game was reminicent of their first week's victory over the Bears. It seemed that they emerged with a hard fought victory over a physical opponent, but in reality they played a crap game against a mediocre opponent. TN, without any receivers and with a gimpy running QB, found themselves in the red zone 4 times all after long drives. No way Indy scores less than 35 points against them. Unless the line is in the 20's, Indy is the best bet for the weekend. They are going to kill that team.
* Watching the Seattle/Wash game my only real thought was, "Is there anyway *both* of these teams can be eliminated this week?"
* So..... Where was this Jacksonville Juggernaut again? Pitt did everything they could to give that game away and Jax still needed a late 4th down to pull it off. Sure, teams can always play better, but they aren't going to have any late game chances if they play like that on Saturday. I'm still trying to figure out how a supposedly great team can let a team with no running game and a QB in the midst of a near-complete playoff meltdown comeback from a 18 point deficit.
* I want to touch on Roeth specifically. He was absolutely terrible in the first half. Not only did he have some obvious garbage plays with the ints, but he was almost solely responsible for Jax's sacks and Pitt's ineffective offense. The OL actually played a good game, IMHO, but Ben just stood there waiting and waiting for something to happen. Other than one where he had to scramble to his right almost immediately, he had at least 4 seconds prior to every other take down. I mentioned this in one other thread, but I'll do so again. On one sack Roeth literally rolled into the only defender who had a chance (and who was blocked out of the play if Ben didn't roll into him). On that play, he pumped a couple times despite every single receiver being open! That's right, he scrambled into a sack on a play where he could have thrown it to any receiver on the team. And that was in the second half when he was playing "well". Just a really bad game for him... and they still almost won.
* Was I the only one to see Jax's LT hold the Pitt defender from getting into the hole on the 4th down scramble?
* After watching the game my opinion of the Pats/Jags matchup still hasn't changed. IMHO, the Jags don't have the DE's to attack NE's tackle weakness on the OL nor do they have a nickle package that can stop NE from scoring 30 points. Barring a hurricane, a repeat defensive performance like this past one will lead to NE moving the ball up and down the field at will. And the jury is still out if the Jags can pass their way into a high scoring victory if needed. Frankly, I don't see either AFC Dvisional game being all that close.