OT: Earl Thomas Injury- Lower Leg Fracture

[RobertWeathers]

This is a devastating blow to that defense. IR'ing him is a matter of time.

They showed a graphic last night that w/ Sherman, Kam and Earl they allow 15ppg. W/O they allow close to 20.

I don't see SEA getting past DAL w/o Earl.

Earl Thomas out indefinitely with lower leg fracture

 

[MassPats38]

After watching the Minnesota game (no longer a good team with all the injuries), I still believe Dallas is up for a fall in the playoffs (if the Boys run the table to 15-1, even more so). Seattle can still beat the Boys without Thomas.

 

[Sicilian]

Tough break for him. I have a lot of respect for Thomas and the way he plays.

 

[SalemPats]

Earl Thomas is the most important player on that defense and has arguably been the best safety the last 5 years. Loved watching him play, horrible loss for Seattle

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Who has dallas played that is good so far? Seattle will be tough, with or without earl thomas.

 

[aluminum seats]

Sucks. The twitter exchange between him and Gronk was one of my favorite things this year.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

This is a devastating blow to that defense. IR'ing him is a matter of time.

They showed a graphic last night that w/ Sherman, Kam and Earl they allow 15ppg. W/O they allow close to 20.

I don't see SEA getting past DAL w/o Earl.

Earl Thomas out indefinitely with lower leg fracture

Dr chao says he might be out for the season.

 

[50-yard-line]

Bennett, Thomas, Chancellor, and Sherman make Seattle run.

They can survive the Thomas absence, but if Kam goes down again, they become a very ordinary defense.

 

[RobertWeathers]

After watching the Minnesota game (no longer a good team with all the injuries), I still believe Dallas is up for a fall in the playoffs (if the Boys run the table to 15-1, even more so). Seattle can still beat the Boys without Thomas.

Funny. I think the opposite with DAL now. One of those character wins while not playing your best vs a team while void of talent offensively, still plays tough defense. Winning on the road without Jason Whitten catching a pass is a boost for them.

Earl is a big -time playmaker and sets that secondary. Its huge. For them, its like losing Rodney.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Who has dallas played that is good so far? Seattle will be tough, with or without earl thomas.

You can say that about every team this year. Raiders. Patriots. Cowboys. Lots of parity this year. Only a handful of decent teams.

DAL is 11-1 for a reason. They are a good football team.

 

[Dorito Dink]

Anybody catch this Earl Thomas tweet after he got hurt? Seemed very odd that he would tweet minutes after he got hurt and to imply he's considering retirement makes me think that he was probably hacked. Who knows

 

[SHOWTIME15]

You can say that about every team this year. Raiders. Patriots. Cowboys. Lots of parity this year. Only a handful of decent teams.

DAL is 11-1 for a reason. They are a good football team.

I know, I'm not saying they aren't good. I'm just saying they shouldn't be viewed as unbeatable. Seattle just handed the defending NFC champions their butts on a platter. Dallas is a good team, but a team that is not experienced in the playoffs. How will a young QB handle the pressures of the NFCCG? Seattle has been there and done that.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Anybody catch this Earl Thomas tweet after he got hurt? Seemed very odd that he would tweet minutes after he got hurt and to imply he's considering retirement makes me think that he was probably hacked. Who knows

It's just emotions.

 

[MassPats38]

Funny. I think the opposite with DAL now. One of those character wins while not playing your best vs a team while void of talent offensively, still plays tough defense. Winning on the road without Jason Whitten catching a pass is a boost for them.

Earl is a big -time playmaker and sets that secondary. Its huge. For them, its like losing Rodney.

I don't doubt Thomas and his contribution to the defense, or the fact the Hawks are a lesser team without him.

My prediction for Dallas is more based on youth, lack of playoff experience and possibly overconfidence and/or awe when in the one or done playoff scenario. It may also be wishful thinking as the Dallas fans in this Texas city have started popping off about the Boys being better than the Pats (I am not a trash talker), and the lengthy history of crappy teams since the last Super Bowl cause me to refrain from firing back with that readily available history.

Dallas's line negated Seattle's line two years ago (and it is much the same, despite taking last year off for some reason), so it stands to reason that might happen again making the linebackers and d-backs huge factors. If any team can handle the line, then I do not expect the rookies will rule the day. Less a matchup analysis than it is concern that the lack of experience when everything is on the line may cause the Boys to come unglued.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I know, I'm not saying they aren't good. I'm just saying they shouldn't be viewed as unbeatable. Seattle just handed the defending NFC champions their butts on a platter. Dallas is a good team, but a team that is not experienced in the playoffs. How will a young QB handle the pressures of the NFCCG? Seattle has been there and done that.

Like the NEP, SEA has been remarkably consistent and I have no doubt - even without Thomas will do something in the playoffs. As we know so well here, an injury to a key player is sometimes just enough to derail a Super Bowl appearance. Losing Thomas might be enough to allow DAL to squeak by SEA in the NFCCG. Just gotta see what happens.

DAL is an interesting situation. The defense is serviceable but they have a ton of offensive weapons. It'll be interesting to see how as a rookie, Prescott handles the playoff stage. HFA will help. The notable thing with DAL is the offense doesn't solely rely on him to function.

 

[RobertWeathers]

It's just emotions.

Agree. Gronk said when he was carted off after blowing out his knee and a few days afterwards he went to a dark place. If it wasn't for his family, friends and teammates, he wasn't sure he would have climbed out of it.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Great player. Hope he recovers and has a long career.

At the risk of sounding very crass, couldn't this have happened before he hit Gronk though?

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don't doubt Thomas and his contribution to the defense, or the fact the Hawks are a lesser team without him.

My prediction for Dallas is more based on youth, lack of playoff experience and possibly overconfidence and/or awe when in the one or done playoff scenario. It may also be wishful thinking as the Dallas fans in this Texas city have started popping off about the Boys being better than the Pats (I am not a trash talker), and the lengthy history of crappy teams since the last Super Bowl cause me to refrain from firing back with that readily available history.

Dallas's line negated Seattle's line two years ago (and it is much the same, despite taking last year off for some reason), so it stands to reason that might happen again making the linebackers and d-backs huge factors. If any team can handle the line, then I do not expect the rookies will rule the day. Less a matchup analysis than it is concern that the lack of experience when everything is on the line may cause the Boys to come unglued.

As I said in another post in this thread, the fact that Prescott is a rookie cannot be dismissed. If they get a team like the NYG or SEA that is stout vs the run, limit Elliot and force Dax to throw it over 36 times, they could easily lose. Like the Pats D, DAL does not really go after the QB or force TOs.

 

[dannydyn]

Dallas is all but guaranteed to not make the SB. Stats don't lie.... Prescott appears too ****y and is about to have reality b1tch-slap him in the face:

Four rookies—Shaun King in 1999, Ben Roethlisbergerin 2004, Joe Flacco in 2008 and Mark Sanchez in 2009—have led their teams to the conference title stage, only to fall short of making the Super Bowl. Like Wilson, those four quarterbacks relied on solid defense and a steady running game.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Dallas is all but guaranteed to be a one and done. Stats don't lie.... Prescot appears too ****y and is about to have reality b1tch-slap him in the face:

Four rookies—Shaun King in 1999, Ben Roethlisbergerin 2004, Joe Flacco in 2008 and Mark Sanchez in 2009—have led their teams to the conference title stage, only to fall short of making the Super Bowl. Like Wilson, those four quarterbacks relied on solid defense and a steady running game.

You just cited four rookie QBs who won playoff games. By definition that is not one and done.

Prescott may/may not be ****y but he is conservative with the football and doesnt make a lot of unforced errors.

We'll find out what he is made of when they need to throw 40 times in order to win a game.