We're on to Pittsburgh

[TheBostonStraggler]

I know, and they still get a full 7 days between games, which is the same as any other week.

I'm going to go ahead and assume that NE got the game on Saturday because of some rotational agreement, and not because Goodell wanted to give the Pats some kind of advantage.

That said, they truly believe that NE gets preferential treatment, so it's still going to be used as a motivational tool for them. People may believe it or not, but there are other teams who use the "us against the world" mentality, particularly when playing NE.

Yea but we are spot on correct while everyone else is delusional and paranoid .

 

[Guts]

And this is why they will lose.

Can you even imagine anyone on the Pats O being that happy with themselves if they just came away from a playoff game scoring ZERO touchdowns? I highly doubt it.

This tape will be played first thing tomorrow morning at Gillette. And put on repeat in the gym. And in the cafeteria. And on the speakers at practice. And on their phones. It will be their alarm clocks.

Thank you Pittsburgh and Coach Tomlin.

I don't think it matters. I remember Baltimore and the Jets talked and talked and talked a lot of **** but managed to beat us in the Pats backyard. Team just has to go out there and bring it and they will win this game. Full confidence in BB, TB12 and crew.

 

[robbomango]

Antonio Brown posted a video in the locker room on his Facebook. Was just recording with his phone while Tomlin was talking lol. Can hear Tomlin say "we spotted those assholes a day and a half" when talking about the Pats.

Can't WAIT for this game.

He's already coming up with excuses....

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Interesting analysis by Rich Hill, who saw Pittsburgh as the more favorable matchup for New England (although he doesn't say much about the Steelers defense, which has improved considerably in the final 7 games of the season)

Why the Patriots would rather face the Steelers than the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game

There’s no question that Steelers QB Ben Roethlisbeger is better than Chiefs QB Alex Smith; or that Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell is better than Chiefs RB Spencer Ware; or that Steelers WR Antonio Brown is bigger threat than Chiefs TE Travis Kelce.

But once you get beyond Bell and Brown, who represent 51.8% of the Steelers yards from scrimmage in 2016, there aren’t many other consistent threats in the Pittsburgh offense. WR Eli Rogers has 600 yards from scrimmage as the #2 receiver. No other player has more than 500 yards from scrimmage. If the Patriots can limit either of Bell or Brown, as they are capable of doing, then the Steelers offense would be greatly hindered.

The Chiefs have Ware and Kelce, but they also have WR Tyreek Hill (860 yards from scrimmage), WR Jeremy Maclin (535), and Chris Conley (530). Hill, Maclin, and Conleyforce a lot more stress on a defense and the Patriots #3, #4, and #5 coverage players than Rogers, WR Sammie Coates, or TE Jesse James of the Steelers.

Add in Smith’s willingness to checkdown and take the easy passes, while also avoiding turnovers, and you have a recipe for success on leading long, sustained drives against the Patriots defense. Roethlisberger might be more drawn to taking a deep shot, which would end up stalling a drive and helping out the Patriots.

 

[ViperGTS]

I don't think it matters. I remember Baltimore and the Jets talked and talked and talked a lot of **** but managed to beat us in the Pats backyard. Team just has to go out there and bring it and they will win this game. Full confidence in BB, TB12 and crew.

Those teams were flawed. Big time. Brady was sick for the Jets game as well. The Baltimore game was somewhat of an abberation coupled with lesser players.

This is the AFCCG. I expect the Pats to come out clean and focused.

 

[Gumby]

That comment reminds me of Troy Brown and Bill Parcells. If memory serves me (and I may have this one wrong) I recall Brown was inactive for the 96 SB and I believe it was due to an on the edge injury. But the story in the media was Brown was heavily lobbying BP to be activated/allowed to play. Again if my memory has it right that is a classic example of the competitor wanting to play not matter what. ((Brown wasn't quite "Troy!" in 96 so making him inactive probably wasn't exactly an insomnia causing event for BP))

True, but i remember it as healthy scratch (just because BP didnt really want to win-give Kraft a Trophy). Even then the last couple weeks the original TB was a second security blanket for drew. But a small role player as far as most media thought at the time.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Not entirely sure why the Steelers vs. KC game thread was locked @Ross12, but found this pretty interesting

In hindsight this year's fail was somewhat in the cards.
What you want with Alex Smith (who is a good QB in so far as what he is): A good D with an O that can score some, not turn the ball over, game management. Good...
What the 2016 KC Chiefs had with Alex Smith: A middling D and an O that had to win the games for them. Bad...

Just as well -- PITT v NE has some story to the matchup. Better for us from a fan perspective to have these kinds of matchups.

 

[supafly]

10. Anyone know who Dur Fuhrer is sending in a last ditch attempt to derail this train?

Anyone and everyone.

The fact that he'll almost certainly be there only adds to the idea.

 

[SVN]

Final Divisional Round Passer Ratings

1. Ryan: 125.7
   
   
2. Prescott: 103.2
   
   
3. Rodgers: 96.7
   
   
4. Wilson: 75.0
   
   
5. Ben: 72.5
   
   
6. Smith: 69.7
   
   
7. Brady: 68.6
   
   
8. Osweiler: 47.7
   

 

[ViperGTS]

Anyone and everyone.

The fact that he'll almost certainly be there only adds to the idea.

Why will he be there? He'll be back on Atlanta. He ain't coming to Foxborough.

 

[Guts]

Final Divisional Round Passer Ratings

1. Ryan: 125.7
   
   
2. Prescott: 103.2
   
   
3. Rodgers: 96.7
   
   
4. Wilson: 75.0
   
   
5. Ben: 72.5
   
   
6. Smith: 69.7
   
   
7. Brady: 68.6
   
   
8. Osweiler: 47.7

Doesn't matter

 

[SVN]

i tweeted to curran and now its on CSNNE -

Full tomlin quote

“When you get to this point in the journey, not a lot needs to be said,” said Tomlin. “Let’s say very little moving forward. Let’s start our preparations. We spotted those a******* a day and a half. They played yesterday. Our game got moved to tonight. We gonna touch down at 4 o’clock in the f****** morning. So be it. We’ll be ready for that ass. But you ain’t gotta tell them we coming. Because some of us might not like the damn (woofkisses?) The chest pounding. Keep a low profile

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Final Divisional Round Passer Ratings

1. Ryan: 125.7
   
   
2. Prescott: 103.2
   
   
3. Rodgers: 96.7
   
   
4. Wilson: 75.0
   
   
5. Ben: 72.5
   
   
6. Smith: 69.7
   
   
7. Brady: 68.6
   
   
8. Osweiler: 47.7

New England and Houston had the two best defenses out of any of the remaining teams in the divisional round. That has to be taken into consideration when looking at these

 

[supafly]

Why will he be there? He'll be back on Atlanta. He ain't coming to Foxborough.

Nah, I've already been reading that he's almost certain to be here. The fact that the other game is in ATL pretty much solidifies this. He can't hide in the city of Atlanta forever.

Plus he was here in '14, so if there's any rotational pattern he's due back here again.

 

[ViperGTS]

Doesn't matter

I think Mitchell being out was an issue. Also, I think that it was the first game that rally mattered w/o Gronk. They'll learn and move on better for it I imagine.

 

[long distance]

Big game for Elandon Roberts.

(Ladarius Green situation to monitor)

 

[Gronkowski123]

What a travesty of a team in Kansas City


And don't even get me started on the stupid penalties and wasted timeouts. If Im a Chiefs fan, I am livid

KC are a slightly better version of the Texans. OK squads with laughable QB play.

Alex Smith is all kinds of terrible.

 

[Joker]

The two refs this next round will most likely be Vinovich and Clete Blakeman...the crews have yet to be assigned

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

True, but i remember it as healthy scratch (just because BP didnt really want to win-give Kraft a Trophy). Even then the last couple weeks the original TB was a second security blanket for drew. But a small role player as far as most media thought at the time.

Thanks for clearing that up Gumby. I think you're right and Troy was a healthy scratch (though, ahem, I don't quite recall BP not wanting Kraft to have a trophy. My memory is foggy on it but I seem to recall BP just didn't want Kraft always buying the groceries. Something about Kraft always buying organic soy milk and granola cereal, while BP wanted gallons of regular milk and family sized boxes of captain crunch [and other assorted groceries].... )

 

[supafly]

i tweeted to curran and now its on CSNNE -

Full tomlin quote

First off, good job. That's the kind of effort that we all expect of you.

Now I'm curious though. Did the #1 seed in the NFC get the Saturday night game last season? If so, we had it in '14 and '16, so there's an obvious pattern here. Perhaps someone can explain that to Tomlin.