Who is the better match up: Cincy or Kansas City?

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

I would rather play Cincy. I think either KC or Pitt will knock out the good ship HGH MANNING in his final one and done.

It will be interesting to see the AJ McCarron led Bengals at home against the Steelers minus D'Angelo Williams.

I'm calling it now- We get the Bengals in the Divisional and KC in the AFCCG.

 

[Wheelman]

I don't know who the better matchup is, but I'd like to play the Chiefs just because.

 

[QB12]

Sad to say, but I get this feeling that Manning in the Super Bowl has that feel of inevitability that Ray Lewis in 2012 did.

 

[SalemPats]

My guess is the Steelers win and then smoke the Broncos. For some reason I could see the Texans beating the Chiefs in a 13-10 game.

 

[Ross12]

For this team, I think the "better matchup" is usually the team with the worse defense. The Patriots offense is a little bit limited ATM, and will perhaps be a bit rusty in the first playoff game with Edelman getting back in action. I think Cincinnati's defense would be easier for a rusty Pats O to move the ball against. On the other side of the ball, I think the Cincinnati offense is maybe a bit better than KC's overall, but I think the Pats D can handle themselves either way.

Plus, you've got to include the fact that Cincinnati could just massively choke at any moment. Of course, by that admission, they'll most likely choke in round 1 and we won't even get to face them anyway.

 

[Ross12]

For Cincinnati, "winning the Super Bowl" would just be winning a damn playoff game for once. Actually winning in the postseason. They'd be so overjoyed, "we did it!! We did it!! We won a playoff game!!!", that they would pack it in the next week and completely fold. Their mission would have already been completed.

 

[dannydyn]

No way AJM can handle KC's defense. KC coming to Foxboro. I guarantee it.

 

[meatface]

I like our chances against any of the Texans, Chiefs or Cinn

 

[ivanvamp]

KC on the road doesn't really scare me, especially if the Pats have the full squad playing.

Honestly, at this point, not knowing if the Pats will truly be healthy and at their best, EVERY team in the playoffs scares me. Even Houston.

 

[slash83]

Honestly, at this point, not knowing if the Pats will truly be healthy and at their best, EVERY team in the playoffs scares me. Even Houston.

Not knowing is what sucks lol

 

[ivanvamp]

Not knowing is what sucks lol

Yep, but what can you do? Just hope they get healthy over the course of the next two weeks and come out and smash their next opponent.

I will say this: If they are healthy, and if they do hammer their next opponent, EVERYONE will be back on the Patriots' bandwagon.

 

[jah]

KC = lose 41-14
CIN = win 41-14

 

[QB12]

KC = lose 41-14
CIN = win 41-14

Feel better now?

 

[jah]

Feel better now?

You implying something? Chicken Littles don't conditionally pick their team to win by 27.

 

[zydecochris]

I cant trust Cincy with Marvin Lewis. McCaron has won two BCS titles so maybe he wont choke like Dalton. Denver is far worse with Cheaton. Osweiler is the better QB by far.

I'm not trying to be a contrarian, but I think Cincy is much more dangerous, and A.J. McCarron under center makes me nervous. Before the hysterical laughter begins, let me at least explain why.

Although Dalton was playing very well this year (and many had speculated that he had finally hit another, elite level), in past years Cincy as a team and Dalton in particular played very poorly in the biggest games on the biggest stages, and so you could somewhat discount them as a threat in games on the biggest stages.

A.J. McCarron is a second year back-up QB, a 2014 fifth round draft choice, so that doesn't sound like he was rated very highly by NFL talent evaluators. He evidently dropped in the draft because he came across to draft evaluators as "too confident". Plus, he was judged as a "game manager" type of quarterback known primarily for not throwing interceptions (in 2012 he had 30 TD's to an absurdly low 3 INT), who benefited from a great offensive line and great running backs at Alabama (both true).

However, I've got to tell you all that even if he is an inexperienced, lightly regarded back-up, there are two things that worry me: i) he has really played pretty well for a QB playing his first few starts in relief of Dalton; ii) he was one of the best "big game" quarterbacks in college I've ever seen, particularly when it came to avoiding mistakes (which plagued Cincy in past playoff games).

McCarron's passing stats in his two Alabama BCS National Championship victories (over LSU in 2012 and Notre Dame in 2013): 43 of 62 for 4 TD's and zero INT. You could pretty much assume no interceptions from him in a big game. He would have played for a third straight BCS championship against Florida State in 2014 except for a miracle play (Auburn's 109 yard TD return of an Alabama field goal attempt with 2 seconds remaining).

He also provided some last minute comeback magic too, such as in 2012 where (after Alabama had been largely bottled up by the LSU defense all game) he stunned LSU with a 5-play 72 yard TD with 96 seconds left in the game.

Thus, IMHO I wouldn't assume that McCarron will come into Gillette Stadium and be overwhelmed by the moment and choke (like Cincy has so many times in the past), Cincy could be dangerous.

 

[zydecochris]

For this team, I think the "better matchup" is usually the team with the worse defense. The Patriots offense is a little bit limited ATM, and will perhaps be a bit rusty in the first playoff game with Edelman getting back in action. I think Cincinnati's defense would be easier for a rusty Pats O to move the ball against. On the other side of the ball, I think the Cincinnati offense is maybe a bit better than KC's overall, but I think the Pats D can handle themselves either way.

Plus, you've got to include the fact that Cincinnati could just massively choke at any moment. Of course, by that admission, they'll most likely choke in round 1 and we won't even get to face them anyway.

Ross 12, I agree with your reasoning overall, but I really wonder if we can just assume that Cincy will choke in the playoffs if they have McCarron under center instead of Dalton. McCarron is an inexperienced backup who has just started his first few games, but he was a great big game player in college who played best when the stakes were the highest, as I documented in a previous post.

And, when it comes to Dalton, although he was playing very well this year before he was injured, IMHO a good deal of the reason that Cincy has choked in the playoffs in recent years is that Dalton has played TERRIBLE in the playoffs. Let's look as Dalton's playoff performances:

2011 0 TD's 3 INT
2012 0 TD's 1 INT
2013 1 TD 2 INT
2014 0 TD 0 INT 1 FUM

So: in his playoff games in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, he has 1 TD and 7 turnovers (6 INT and 1 FUM). I would argue that his playoff performance has been the biggest reason that Cincy has "choked" so many playoff performances. I really wonder if we can assume that Cincy will "choke" again if they come into New England without Dalton.

 

[The Brandon Five]

KC on the road doesn't really scare me, especially if the Pats have the full squad playing.

The Pats would face KC at home (they are the #2 seed and KC is in by Wild Card).

 

[cupofjoe1962]

It doesn't matter......

The Steelers will beat the Bengals & the Chiefs will beat the Texans.

In the divisional round, we will beat the Chiefs & the Steelers will beat the Broncos.

The Patriots will beat the Steelers in the AFC Championshio game on 1/24 & Brady will go to his 7th Super Bowl.

The Patriots will beat the Panthers in the Super Bowl on February 7th....

 

[Ring 6]

We want KC because that means Pittsburgh is out in Denver.
No team with Alex Smith and Andy Reid scares me.

They scared me 15 months ago

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Lol Brady is going be a pineta with his high ankle sprain and bad offensive line