AFC/NFC Championship Games for 23 January 2005

FR ^ | 23 January 2005 | rdb3

[rdb3]

Okay FR football fans, this is it. Championship Sunday. We have the Patriots in the Steel City to battle the Steelers. We have the QB/RB/HB/All-around-fast-guy Michael Vick and his Falcons taking on the Chuncky Soup eating Donovan McNabb (his mama made him eat it) and the Eagles in Philly.

Offensive octane in Philly, defensive titans in Pittsburgh. Sounds like it's gonna be a fun day today!

Post your picks. Who do you think will win and why? Here are my choices, so take a peek and tell me where I'm wrong if I'm wrong.

New England is -3 in Pittsburgh. What? The Steelers aren't even favored at home? That's right. And the reason has to be Rothlisberger. Remember, he's still a rookie. The last rookie to go to the Super Bowl was Dan Marino. San Francisco denied him the victory, remember?

Rothlisberger has had a storybook season. He has not made bonehead decisions while in the pocket that gave away a game. But taking a look at last week's game, he damn near gave it away, throwing two interceptions late in the game. Had the Jets gained just one more yard, Rothlisberger and the Steelers would be watching this game taking place in Foxboro.

Expect trench warfare, a thousand casualities for a measly ten feet of gained territory. The Pats easily handled Peyton "Cut That Meat!" Manning and the high-powered Colts last week. Peyton "Here we go insurance adjusters" Manning, after topping Dan Marino's season TD pass record could not throw just one against the Pats. With Dillon in the lineup today for the Pats, ball control will be the name of the game again. Make Rothlisberger beat you. Stack up against The Bus.

My pick: Pats cover the spread and win by the score of 16-14.

Now for the battle of the birds. Well, what can I say? What can anyone say? This game has a very strange aura.

Will Andy Reid devise a defense to successfully box in Michael Vick?

He'd better.

The Eagles are without the field-stretching and locker room booty-call man Terrell Owens. Hey, the team can wait when you have a woman in a towel in your locker room, right?

Anyway, McNabb's key weapon is gone. Look for the Falcons to put eight in the box and force McNabb to beat them with the pass.

After all that, I still have no idea nor a feel for how this one will go. Dome teams normally don't do well in the snow in January. Remember that Mr. "Cut That Meat!"? But, and it's a mighty big "but" (no, not Hitlary's), Vick did beat the Packers in Lambeau Field when it was definitely the frozen tundra.

My, my. So many variables. I thought this was football, not calculus.

My pick: Forget the Falcons being +5.5 point underdogs. The O/U is 37. The smart choice, then, would be to take the over.

There it is, rdb3's prediction. Last week, I went a meager 4 for 4 against the line. Heh, heh... Can I be another Swami today? You tell me.

[Claytay]

Its going to be the Steelers and the Falcons in the Super Bowl. The Pats can't handle the Steelers physical play and I don't think the Eagles will be able to handle Vick.

[mainepatsfan]

Actually Marino made it to the Super Bowl in his second season.

[infidel29]

"...With Dillon in the lineup today for the Pats, ball control will be the name of the game again. Make Rothlisberger beat you. Stack up against The Bus."

Career stats for Dillon vs. Steelers? 6 games 2 games +100 yards. Steelers can throw 4 or 5 WRs at the Pats not 3 like the Colts(although the Colts top 3 are better than the Steelers top 3) the 4th and 5th DB of New England aren't up to the task. The Pats may be missing their top run stopper in Richard Seymour( whom they had when they got stomped on Halloween)

Roethlisberger 3-4 passing for 34 yards in overtime last week(when it counted)

Heart and head say Steelers, but if I was any good at this, I be too rich and lazy to be posting my picks here this morning.

The NFC, Eagles, why? I dunno, just picking them.

[sirchtruth]

The Pats can't handle the Steelers physical play

The last game was as an anomaly. Steeler's came to play "SmashMouth while the Pats thought they could with game plan. However, if you think the Pats can't match the Steeler's SM your in for a rude awakening!!

Just keep playing back in your mind the hit Stokely took last week when Ansante Samuel knocked his block off and Bruschi literally stole the ball right out of the WR hands.

You better not forget R. Harrison, he will come to PLAY today. Oh, what are you gonna do about "Clock Killin' Dillon"?

Pats/Eagles

[Lawgvr1955]

As an angry (at Mike Martz) Rams fan, I would like to see anyone but the Pats win the SB. That is the heart talking.

The head thinks it is going to be New England and Philadelphia. I stated several years ago that Vick will be the most dangerous quarterback because of his scrambling ability. If the field is sloppy, I don't believe he will be able to scramble out of the pocket like usual.

[Claytay]

Yes but I am afraid the steelers aren't the Colts. By the time the 4th quarter comes around the Pats defense is going to be tired after having to deal with Deuce and Bettis, they will prolly run it around 30-35 times at least. Also the Steelers receivers are more physical they the Colts and wont let the Pats jam them at the line, like they were able to do against the Colts.

[Vigilantcitizen]

[Vigilantcitizen]

[sirchtruth]

Yes but I am afraid the steelers aren't the Colts.

Exactly! Bettis has NEVER been able to run against the Pats what do you think is different now?

Pats will JAM those Pitt WR's like Brick walls. The Pats don't get tired!

The HUGE factor in this game is going to be R. Harrison w/ 3 int's!

Please do not forget Bruschi. You didn't see him pass it off on the kick off last week did you, he ran it straight up the middle. Name another linebacker that will do that!?

It's going to be a good game, regardless.

[Claytay]

It is going to a classic AFC championship game. The way football is supposed to be play, smash mouth and in rigid temperatures.

[sirchtruth]

The way football is supposed to be play, smash mouth and in rigid temperatures.

SM is what this game is going to be about...The Pats were a mile high on that victory last week, but they have to even play better this week...

It should be a real fun game to watch!

[rdb3]

Forgot to ping you two gents.

[Petronski]

Thank you much much.

[Petronski]

BTW, I expect a Steeler win of about four points in a clumsy, desperate, defensive struggle, an epic for the ages.

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

Of course, being from Pennsylvania, I just have to go with both Philly and Pitt in the Super bowl.

[mainepatsfan]

Dillon was playing for the Bungles at the time. Pretty good numbers considering.

[mainepatsfan]

When are the Rams going to fire him?

[Lawgvr1955]

When are the Rams going to fire him?

A couple years too late.

I awoke the other day and started surfing the net before I was wide awake and saw an article that said "Rams Fire Coach Mike _____". My mind read it as Martz, it was the special teams coach Mike Stock. I about opened a bottle of champagne.

[Lawgvr1955]

A couple years too late I am afraid