My Quick Thoughts from Division Round Weekend

[brdmaverick]

1.) Selfishly, this weekend could not have gone any better. The Pats destroyed the Titans while the other three games were all really good football games in which the team won that I wanted to win.

2.) Despite three really good games, it was a tough weekend for the NFL given that the final four includes qbs T.Brady, B.Bortles, N.Foles, and C.Keenum when it could have been Brady, Roethlisberger, M.Ryan, and D.Brees.

3.) Jacksonville is NO pushover. I wanted to face the Jags only because I hate, hate, hate the Steelers, but I think the Jags do pose a challenge for us. I look back at the Pats playoffs losses under BB, there have been 9. In all but two those ('06 Colts, '13 Broncos), the Pats lost to a two with a similar build of the Jags in which we lost to bad-to-mediocre QBs like Flacco, Sanchez, and Eli with solid defense. Does that mean we will lose on Sunday? Of course not (we've been our share of those teams, like Houston last year), but these are the teams that present the most problems.

4.) Lots of great, debatable situational football this weekend. A lot of teams going for it on fourth down in not so obvious situations.......including the Titans, Steelers, and Eagles. It was a lot of fun to watch.

5.) I'll be rooting hard to the Pats and Vikes next weekend. I don't care that the Super Bowl is in Minnesota, give me a the Vikes so we can add a different team to our Super Bowl hit list.

6.) Jacksonville - who would have thought they would give up 42 points...........and win? Such an unusual game for their offense and defense.

7.) I think it's garbage that the one of the big storylines from the Pats-Titans game is the refs. The game was 35-14. Sure, the offensive pass interference was garbage, I'll give you that, but that was in the second quarter of a tie football game. That had no influence on why the Titans seemed to lose yards on every drive in the second half.

 

[wizwor]

Three of the teams may have already won their 'Big Games'. Only one top QB left in the mix. I would prefer the Eagles over the Vikings just because of the home field situation, but I agree it's not a big deal.

 

[brdmaverick]

another random thought............I wonder if the NFL will stop setting the divisional round schedule BEFORE the completion of Wild Card Weekend.

The prime time Pats-Titans was predicted to be the worst matchup going into the weekend, and it lived up to expectations.

Personally, I like knowing when the Pats will play (at the end of the regular season), so I hope it doesn't change.........but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

3.) Jacksonville is NO pushover. I wanted to face the Jags only because I hate, hate, hate the Steelers, but I think the Jags do pose a challenge for us. I look back at the Pats playoffs losses under BB, there have been 9. In all but two those ('06 Colts, '13 Broncos), the Pats lost to a two with a similar build of the Jags in which we lost to bad-to-mediocre QBs like Flacco, Sanchez, and Eli with solid defense. Does that mean we will lose on Sunday? Of course not (we've been our share of those teams, like Houston last year), but these are the teams that present the most problems.

Flacco and Eli were not mediocre QBs when we lost to them. They are now. I would say Bortles is better than Sanchez but not as good as Flacco or Eli.

An elite defense by itself won't do anything. Even if Brady struggles, the other team has to put up points. People are disrespecting OUR defense and how well it has played this year.

5.) I'll be rooting hard to the Pats and Vikes next weekend. I don't care that the Super Bowl is in Minnesota, give me a the Vikes so we can add a different team to our Super Bowl hit list.

The better match up is Philly because Keenum is better than Foles (by a wide margin).

 

[RIpats88]

I feel for Saints fans....for brees to get them to come back and put them in a situation to win. and to lose on a play like that on 3rd down is just heartbreaking. a Brees/brady superbowl would've been epic.

Steelers are frauds. Every year its the same story. we hear about how much talent they have. And every year they blow it. At what point do I wonder will people question Tomlin for underachieving each year and questionable decisions that probably cost them the game. two horrible 4th and 1 playcalls when they probably couldve run ben/bell right up the middle probably cost the game. o

And...the falcons proved they are the same team as last year and cant get out of their own way to throw away a game.

 

[captain stone]

5.) I'll be rooting hard to the Pats and Vikes next weekend. I don't care that the Super Bowl is in Minnesota, give me a the Vikes so we can add a different team to our Super Bowl hit list.

Completely disagree regarding the Lucky Vikings. I wanted the Saints to win very, very badly if only to prevent the Lucky Vikings from hosting the SB. I hope that the Eagles tear them to pieces. Shame on Sean Payton for not trying harder to gain that final 1st down, and for kicking a touchback when a return and the time it would've used was the obvious strategy.