[Bender2]

Sunday, it doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to reveal... I want Manning Heavy to get his chance to tie Little Bro--

But I fear big's Patty Cakes will again... inhale enough synthetic marijuana, bath salts or aces up their sleeves to win the day--

Yet Impy's Old Chicago Cards... will rule both halves--

And give Kam's Kitties... their due comeuppance--

Now, get your picks in or I'll... make you all lick the bowl!

[Bender2]

Get in you picks or I'll keep on doing my Cam Newton impresonation... kissing my own arse over and over again!

[Dilbert San Diego]

Off topic but:

1. Why is this Super Bowl 50 instead of Super Bowl L using Roman numerals??

2. Why has the NFL all season marketed this as the “Golden” Super Bowl, implying that this is the 50th anniversary of the NFL, when the NFL was actually founded in 1920? Why does the NFL not talk much about football history before the Super Bowl era? Can you imagine if baseball didn’t talk about Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner and Walter Johnson and Cy Young, because they played before the 1960s???

[circlecity]

Cards vs. Broncos (yes, I’m going with my heart over my head with that Broncos pick. Since there’s no money on the line here I can do that. LOL)

[nuconvert]

If the Broncos play the same way next week, they’ll lose to New England

[twister881]

The Patriots won’t have to cheat to beat the Broncos next week...but they will anyway. #Cheatriots #Cheaties #Spygate #Deflategate

[Psalm 73]

Pats too much for Denver.
I like Arizona, but think Carson Palmer will spit-the-bit on the big stage - Panthers win on a late pick-six.

Pats over Panthers because the irony having Roger Goodell hand the Lombardi to Brady would be too sweet for fate to let slip.

[teeman8r]

get ready for the SUPER EGO BOWL...

Patriots vs. the Panthers

neither team being mentioned as it will be referred to as Brady vs. Newton

only two jerseys will be sold

and not since twilight, will two men divide a country...

in my heart i would love to see peyton dethrown both egos... but the broncos defense does not show me they will.

[al_c]

Broncos and Panthers!

[big'ol_freeper]

Here we go!!

After a week of revenge of the home teams, this week will split

[campaignPete R-CT]

predict the home teams victorious

DEN
CAR

busy thread now.

weather report for DEN?

[Zirondelle]

Patriots and Panthers - don’t much care for Pat the Patriot but I am much amused by Sir Purr!

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Patriots
Panthers

[Rummyfan]

Down to four teams. Well, here we go!

Patriots vs. Broncos

3:05 EST

Call me crazy, but I like the Patriots with Tom Brady and a healthy Julian Edelman and a healthy Rob Gronkowski. Doubt the Pats will make much headway running the ball, but that hasn't seemed to make much difference to them in the past. Peyton Manning is - IMHO - done. If the Broncos lose this game it's his last. If they win he gets one more. But he is not the Peyton Manning of old, and I don't trust a neophyte like Osweiler in the conference championship game. PATRIOTS!

Cardinlas vs. Panthers

6:40 PM EST

Well, I've been saying it for six weeks or more, and here we are in the conference championship game, so I'm not changing horses now (and that's not an oblique reference to the Broncos!). Yes, Newton is a beast, and yes Palmer had a terrible game last week, and yes, the Panthers D is very strong. Nevertheless, your Arizona Cardinals are Super Bowl bound. CARDINALS!

[OttawaFreeper]

Somewhat historic NFL Final Four with the following championship droughts:
1947-Chicago/St Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals (longest in NFL, second on all time list to 1908 Chicago Cubs)
1995-Carolina Panthers (never having won a championship)
1998-Denver Broncos
2014-New England Patriots (current defending Super Bowl champions).

[Jim W N]

Here’s my take...

(Mountain Time)

#3 NE Patriots at #10 Denver Sun 1/24 1:05pm CBS

NE: Denver beats NE in yardage superiority and in every category except in NE’s run defense. On offense, it appears NE’s only weapon is a strong passing game and is met with Denver’s NFL’s top pass defense. This should be a great matchup. Tom Brady will need to be on his game, which he usually is in the playoffs.
On defense, against the run, NE is 9th best and should stop Denver’s mediocre rush offense. Against the pass NE’s mediocre defense should neutralize Denver’s mediocre pass offense.

Denver: Denver’s game is their 4th best scoring defense and their top ranked defense in ydg against the pass and 3rd against the run. They will be tested by NE’s 3th ranked scoring offense, especially NE’s 5th ranked pass ydg offense with hero Tom Brady. Denver’s 3rd place run ydg defense should have no trouble with NE’s almost non-existent 3rd worst run game.
Denver’s mediocre offense may have a slight edge in passing against NE’s equally mediocre defense.

When the team with better scoring stats is not the same team as the one with the better ydg stats, it usually means it will be a close game. The key will probably be Tom Brady who may pull another rabbit out of the hat at the last minute. It’s what he does.

Projected winner: NE

#2 AZ Cardinals at #1 Carolina Sun 1/24 4:40pm FOX

Carolina: It is unusual for the top scoring team in the NFL to have such a low ranking (24th) in passing ydg. Carolina is 2nd in the run and their running effectiveness is enhanced by QB’s Cam Newton’s size and running ability. Carolina should mostly run and will be challenged by AZ’s tough running defense.
Carolina’s 6th ranked scoring defense will be challenged by AZ’s 2nd ranked scoring offense and especially against AZ’s 2nd ranked passing game. Carolina’s tough rush defense should slow down AZ’s rushing attack.

AZ: AZ’s 2nd ranked passing game. fueling the NFL’s #2 scoring offense and aided by their fairly strong running game should challenge Carolina’s #6 scoring defense and 11th ranked pass defense. AZ’s running game will be slowed by Carolina’s tough rush defense.
AZ’s strong pass defense should stop Carolina’s mediocre pass offense. Look for some AZ interceptions. AZ will be challenged by Carolina’s 2nd ranked running game.

Here again we have one team with the scoring edge while the other team has superiority in ydg. This again means it should be a close game with the possibility of an upset. The key may be Carolina’s coaching staff sticking to the run including Cam Newton’s running ability without getting hurt. Should be a close, good game.

Projected winner: Carolina

[Jim W N]

Test, testing. Is this thread still working?

[truth_seeker]

West of the Mississippi regional pride demands that I cheer for a Denver-Arizona matchup in the Super Bowl.

[BridgeOutAhead]

Panthers had 6th easiest schedule in the NFL this year, Cards had the 6th toughest. Panthers played in one of the easiest divisions. Cards played in the toughest.

In the NFC West Panthers would have finished third or even fourth.

Az will crush them today!

[38special]

Well, I’m rooting for the Broncos and the Cardinals but I expect the Patriots and Panthers to win.

[Jim W N]

Looks like the penalty, without which Denver would have been facing forth and long, gave Denver a second life on this drive.

I was watching some older games from the 60’s and the 80’s. They just didn’t used to call so many penalties. Anyone else feel like there’s too many penalties and they’re not letting them just play the game and that penalties too often decide the game?