2016 NFL Season

[lennytheweedwhacker]

The Falcons should win tomorrow. Seattle is going to have to play near perfect and get a few breaks to get a win. This is exactly the type of game as an Atlanta sports fan I have come to apprehensive about.

So yeah; I'm going to be an anxious wreck by Sunday afternoon and pacing like a caged bear during the game. Like a lot of us I expect a close shootout.
Not that it will matter this post season but Atlanta's defense has improved to not awful. There's some green shoots of hope for the future.

I hope you win, Atlanta. But my experience has taught me that you won't. Fool me once, shame on you... and all that.

i will bet you 12k that the falcons win

No you won't.

why not?

You tell me.

i bet you another 12k i would

Fine, yes.

I bet you 24K.

deal

[Green Habit]

Hey Joey, I just read that Tamba Hali played only seven snaps in last weekend's game. What's up with that? I know he's getting old, but they're paying him a ton of money still, and they would actually lose cap space by cutting him in 2017. I know he's a beloved figure in KC, but for their sake I hope they're not paying him just for the past.

[Monkey_Driven]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I just want to say how much I enjoy watching Aaron Rodgers play football. More please.

[epilogue]

Hey Joey, I just read that Tamba Hali played only seven snaps in last weekend's game. What's up with that? I know he's getting old, but they're paying him a ton of money still, and they would actually lose cap space by cutting him in 2017. I know he's a beloved figure in KC, but for their sake I hope they're not paying him just for the past.

I can't confirm or deny that he only played seven snaps. That seems absurd. But he was definitely off the field a lot more than I'm comfortable with. Perhaps there's some injury they're hiding/protecting that we don't know about? I'm really not sure. I was upset a lot of the time that I didn't see him out there. He was involved in every play that he was in on, though.

He's my all time favorite Chief. I love him. But I do think this most recent contract extension felt a bit... generous. He still has gas left in the tank. I believe that. And his coaching/leadership is invaluable. What he brings to the sideline/locker room is huge. As you noted, he's too expensive to get rid of in the next two years, and he says he wants to play for four more. I hope he's a career Chief. But I'd also love to see him restructure given how little impact he's had more recently since Houston returned.

One of the biggest issues we had against the Steelers was pass rush. And I'm not entirely sure why it was SO difficult for us. Sutton's game plan must have gotten in the way. Houston was spying Bell and oddly playing ILB a lot. The almost never let loose on Big Ben. And Dee Ford has declined since Houston's return. I wonder if it's because Ford is used to playing on Houston's side. Now that Houston's back, Ford has to cover cover the right side and maybe he just isn't good on that side. I wonder if he and Houston could switch? I don't know.

Bottom line, I don't know why we didn't use Tamba more, there must be something they aren't telling us. And our pass rush is so much better than what we saw on Sunday. It's troubling.

[Biff Pocoroba]

Rain and storms are forecast for later in the day Sunday. I have DirecTv. If the satellite goes out during the game so help me...

[spike]

go pack

[Monkey_Driven]

Rain and storms are forecast for later in the day Sunday. I have DirecTv. If the satellite goes out during the game so help me...

You could buy a cheap indoor antenna just in case.

[Electromatic]

Rain and storms are forecast for later in the day Sunday. I have DirecTv. If the satellite goes out during the game so help me...

The secondary ticket market is getting pretty ugly too.

Hopefully the storms will hold off. Go Falcons.

[epilogue]

14 of the last 16 AFC QB's have been Tom Brady, Ben Rapesabigfatburger, or Peyton Manning.

The only other quarterback to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl in the last 13 years was Joe Flacco, whose team topped Roethlisberger’s Steelers to win the AFC North in 2012, then beat Manning’s Broncos in the divisional playoffs and Brady’s Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. Before that, the last other quarterback to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl was Rich Gannon, whose 2002 Raiders dethroned Brady’s 2001 Patriots as reigning AFC champions.

Sunday will be, incredibly, the 11th time Brady has started in the AFC Championship Game. It will be Roethlisberger’s fifth AFC Championship Game. Manning also started five AFC Championship Games.

Since 2001, the Patriots have advanced to 11 AFC Championship Games, the Steelers six (five with Roethlisberger, one without), the Colts four (three with Manning, one without) and the Broncos three (two with Manning, one without). So counting this year, those four teams will have accounted for 24 AFC Championship Game appearances since the 2001 season, with the other 12 AFC teams accounting for a combined eight AFC Championship Game appearances.

Here’s a list of the starting AFC quarterbacks in the Super Bowl for every season in the 21st Century:

Spoiler: show

2001: Tom Brady, Patriots.

2002: Rich Gannon, Raiders.

2003: Tom Brady, Patriots.

2004: Tom Brady, Patriots.

2005: Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers.

2006: Peyton Manning, Colts.

2007: Tom Brady, Patriots.

2008: Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers.

2009: Peyton Manning, Colts.

2010: Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers.

2011: Tom Brady, Patriots.

.2012: Joe Flacco, Ravens.

2013: Peyton Manning, Broncos.

2014: Tom Brady, Patriots.

2015: Peyton Manning, Broncos.

2016: Brady or Roethlisberger.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... rterbacks/

I like Tom Brady. But man I can't wait until that fucker retires.

[epilogue]

By comparison 13 different NFC QB's have started in Super Bowls over the same time period. Only three guys have repeated (Warner, Eli Manning, and Russel Wilson) And each of them have only been twice. That's insane.

Parity seems much stronger in the NFC than the AFC.

[Electromatic]

By comparison 13 different NFC QB's have started in Super Bowls over the same time period. Only three guys have repeated (Warner, Eli Manning, and Russel Wilson) And each of them have only been twice. That's insane.

Parity seems much stronger in the NFC than the AFC.

The AFC has had Brady, Manning and Rothlisburger and not much else... So 2 of the best of the best of all time and one hall of famer.

I mean, the AFC North is the only really competitive division during that time period. The rest is pretty lackluster.

After Phillip Rivers and Joe Flacco who are good enough to win in the playoffs, Matt Schaub and Andy Dalton are the goods during that time. I guess we can go back to Steve Mcnair....

[RussellManiac12]

I picked Falcons/Patriots before the playoffs started, so I'm sticking with that - although i'd be much happier with Falcons/Steelers.

[spike]

The Green Bay Packers have not ruled out any of their key injured players and all are expected to be cleared for the NFC Championship game Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

The question is whether coach Mike McCarthy thinks they can play fast enough or last long enough to be factors in the game.

Barring any setback during workouts before the game Sunday at the Georgia Dome, receivers Jordy Nelson (broken ribs), Davante Adams (ankle) and Geronimo Allison (hamstring) and safety Morgan Burnett (thigh) are going to be available, according to a league source. Nelson, Adams, Allison and Burnett all remained questionable after practice Saturday, which means they have anywhere from a 1-50% chance of playing Sunday.

The Packers made one change to their injury report after their Saturday morning practice, listing running back Christine Michael questionable with a back injury.

The biggest issue coach McCarthy faces in playing the injured is figuring out how to use them knowing they aren't 100% and could drop out of the game at any time. If all four of them dropped out, McCarthy would be down to 42 players in a game that is expected to be a track meet and will require as many healthy bodies as possible.

Thus, he has to make a risk-reward determination with each player.

[verb_to_trust]

Really hoping for Brady Rodgers. Best QB matchup with added media day bonus of people constantly asking Rodgers why he is such a fucking asshole to his family.

[Coach]

I'm just hoping both games today are close....season and playoffs were pretty dull. Sad!

[verb_to_trust]

Packers are toast

[lennytheweedwhacker]

not sure who i'd pull for in a patriots/falcons super bowl

[PHATJ]

I'm cheering for the Pats and Falcons today. Then I'd like to see the Pats win another Super Bowl. I Tom Brady.

[spike]

not good

[Biff Pocoroba]

Atlanta 24-0 at the half? Yeah, I saw that coming.
Got to keep the foot on the pedal though.