NFL Conference Championships - Sun. 23 January 2005 - Update-Patriots vs. Eagles in the Super Bowl

[CounterCounterCulture]

VS
Atlanta Falcons/Philadelphia Eagles

VS
New England Patriots/Pittsburgh Steelers

ATL at PHI, Sat, 3:00 p.m. EST
NE at PIT, Sat, 6:30 p.m. EST

[faithincowboys]

See my post 1700. I think Cowher, fundamentally, doesn't get critical aspects of the game. His instincts suck. He thought a td and a 2 point conversion would be easy with time dwindling down-- not to mention another fg? Why didn't he just run his 2 point conversion play on 4th down..or on 1st 2nd or third down for that matter?

Their offensive scheme lacked imagination. I acknowledge that the O and D had their troubles, but Cowher blew all of his assignments. His scheme was uninspired and his in-the-game play calling was hideous. Everything he was in charge of, he failed. The team was launching a comeback and he smothered it. I think there has to be some accountability. He's a nice guy, but he's not a winner.

[bikepacker67]

He's a nice guy, but he's not a winner.

I seem to remember the same lament last week - except it was Dungy.

LET'S GO PATS!

[faithincowboys]

Admit it, you would have had a tougher time had Cowher went for it on 4th down... If you were in the Steelers' shoes and Belichick made that call (to go for the FG and lose), you'd think brilliant Bill had lost his mind.

[bikepacker67]

Well.. it was a long yard, and we had pretty much jammed running downs.

But ya, I'da thought Bill was channelling Dungy.

[Ciexyz]

Kudos to the Patriots for playing a fine, competent game. I'll be rooting for you in the Super Bowl.

[Ciexyz]

I was watching the Steelers/Patriots game at a Steeler party, and everyone believed the Steelers should have gone for the TD try on that 4th down. They were mighty disgusted at just going for three easy points.

[RasterMaster]

Maybe they could replace the Colts! HAHAHAHA

[faithincowboys]

I think that's what most people felt. I don't think Cowher can overcome this. His post-game conference was full of blame shifting. He singled Ben out for throwing INTS. That's legit, but Cowher seemed like he didn't want to answer questions about his decisions. I just home the Pittsburgh press and the sports talk shows lay into him for what he did. "Mighty disgusted" is a good way to sum up how I felt (and feel) too.
It makes no sense to me, that was such a amateur call.

[Ciexyz]

I just hope the Pittsburgh press and sports talk shows lay into him (Cowher) for what he did.

Have no fear, it's going to be a bloodbath in print tomorrow. I can't wait to get the sports pages to see how they rip into Cowher for his rotten decision to go for a field goal instead of a TD on 4th down. He ripped the wind right out of the Steelers' sails. That's when you saw people leaving the stands and deserting the game, because Cowher in effect told the world that we we couldn't win.

[Dat Mon]

Here in Philly, people were going nuts after the win!

Philly has a solid team and a good front office this year, and they stepped up their play in the last few games. Whupping Atlanta without TO gave them lots of confidence, and momentum. They deserve to be in the Superbowl.

Brady is the best QB around, and a sure future Hall of Famer if he stays healthy.

Jimmie Johnson is the best defensive guy around too. Dont be surprised if the Philly smash mouth secondary makes the Pats receivers look less than stellar. Theyve done it to others before.

Im expecting a good game, not a blowout.

The spread (Pats by a touchdown) sounds about right.

[Lakeshark]

Does anyone remember what happened after Pittsburgh tried to go for a fourth and less yardage in the first quarter?

I do.

Does anyone remember that Bellicek was reviled as the coach who could never win "the big one" after losing back to back conference championship games many years ago? Does anyone remember that the Patriots were angry and devastated that they lost Parcells and had to do with this loser Bellicek?

The Steelers had a great team, they happened to lose to one of the best teams that have played the game in many years.

Unfortunate but true.

Steelers fans should appreciate their team and stop the whining.

[Ciexyz]

Steelers fans should appreciate their team and stop the whining.

We certainly do appreciate our team...that's why we're "whining". And if I may say so, we don't need you to criticize us.

[RayChuang88]

I see the Patriots winning over the Eagles by about seven points, too. Especially when you give the Patriot coaching staff two weeks to concoct up a game plan to beat the Eagles.

[MIT-Elephant]

I'll rephrase. As I remember, NBC decided their contractual obligation to air 'Heidi' trumped that of the AFL game in progress.

_That_ shows the respect the network had for the AFL. IIRC at the time they were two leagues with different contracts, and the NFL was king.

I bet Heidi was a crappy movie, too.

[MIT-Elephant]

"and the NFL was king."

That reminds me - what was with Greg Gumbel calling Joe Namath "one of the great NFL quarterbacks"?

Give me a break. Outside of Jets-Colts, Namath has little to boast about. A tough guy (he, like Bart Starr, played for Bear Bryant at Alabama), but a thin professional resume.

ESPN Classic doesn't like to tell people that the best player in the pros (and maybe the best ever) John Unitas didn't play in Super Bowl III until the game was decided. Take the best player in the game from any team and I'll bet you hand over fist they'll lose to an underdog team with something to prove.

[Dat Mon]

Yeah...its almost Belechik vs Johnson.

Of course, if the secondary holds Brady and Co to a couple TDs, TO plays, and McNabb effectively mixes up his receivers, like using a highly underrated Chad Lewis, plus TO and Freddie Mitchell having a big games, who knows?

Thats why they say ..any given Sunday.

[MIT-Elephant]

True, but any given Sunday you're not playing the most defensively dominant team in recent memory.

That being said, I say this Super Bowl is almost a toss-up. There are so many good defensive players involved it's hard to identify any one matchup in either team's favor that isn't balanced out somehow.

Here's a guess: the team that scores more points will win.

[ProudVet77]

Philly has a solid team and a good front office this year,
Important observation.
It all starts in the front office. The Red Sox were nothing under the Yawkey family, they sold out and within 2 years they win the world series. The Patriots were really bad for a lot of years, then Kraft bought them, the rest is history. The reasons the Yankees win is because of Steinbrenner. It has to start at the top. The players know when the owner is serious.

[metesky]

[Beckwith]

Sadly, not a lot of fans are left who remember that the Big Apple had both baseball and football Giants

Before the Patriots, most New Englanders were fans of the Giants (football). They are still the team I watch in the National Conference.