Official NFL Conference Championship Games-Patriots beat Chargers 21-12; Giants beat Packers 23-20

http://www.nfl.com/scores ^

[mainepatsfan]

OFFICIAL FR NFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SUNDAY LIVE THREAD

JANUARY 20TH, 2008

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

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3:00PM ET - CBS

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

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6:30PM ET - FOX

[the scotsman]

Aye, tak’s a Scotsman tae dae the job....lol

[BIGLOOK]

Who are New Yorkers toasting in bars and living rooms tonight? Hillary.....or the Giants?

[cdnerds]

Are you kidding? The giants gave them the hardest game of the season in week 16..

[mountaineer1997]

I had hoped the Packers would win.

Favre was pathetic....yep truly pathetic.

I’m glad the Giants won...they were clearly the better team.

[rlmorel]

Interesting. I find that “hate” for a given team is a sign of immaturity.

I used to “hate” your team, the Dallas Cowboys. I thought Tom Landry was a priss with a stupid hat, and Roger Staubach was a foot-first sliding pussy.

With time, I came to realize that Tom Landry was a fine man and a great coach, and Staubach was a gutsy quarterback with a lot of talent.

I don’t “hate” teams or players anymore. And football is only a game...it is unworthy of “hate”.

Call it perspective.

[Cyropaedia]

I've had stuff to do at work today. Really didn't get a chance to see the game.

Favre was really that bad...?

[RDTF]

YAY GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[meandog]

Favre is just gonna have to face reality. He’s too old and its time to retire.

Too old, you've gotta be jokin' jack! He had one of his best years in 2007-08. It isn't his fault that the anemic O-line and no-show running back couldn't seem to get more than a yard each pop, and he certainly didn't order up the -23-degree weather.
Farve will be back next year...he's a seasoned winner just like John McCain.

[misterrob]

esterbrook reasons like a liberal and having read enough of his suppositions, leaps to judgement and aspirations without fact I no longer read him. The league offered a response and he didn’t like it. Because of that he went off and writes a piece that goes off on tangents with no evidence.

The Pats lost a 1st round pick for the transgression which is not inexpensive and they received no benefit from the taping. And, given the commissioner’s office having a problem with leaks they should have been destroyed since there’s no way of knowing where those tapes might wind up.

[RGPII]

Your right, that Pats team played a fair game.

[1L]

Several years ago, I put together an NFC Championship game history spreadsheet and mapped everything out in order to create a prediction scheme. The scheme worked pretty well in its early years, but has struggled in the last few, I think. I didn’t get in early enough today to put a prediction in before the game, so here goes, knowing that the game is over and the Giants won.

Both teams were playing in their 4th NFC championship game (which started in 1970). Prior to this year, only one team — Chicago last year — had won in their 4th NFC-C game. This would have been a pretty good predictor, except it applies equally to both teams, so is moot.

The Giants haven’t lost an NFC-C game. Green Bay was 2-1, having lost their first one in ‘95 to the Cowboys. 2 other teams came into their 4th game 3-0 and both lost. Only 1 team, the Cowboys, came in having gone 2-1 and they lost. This predictor is also moot.

Teams that were undefeated in their previous NFC-C games, regardless of how many times, were 7-4 in their next NFC-C game. Teams that had lost 1 NFC-C game, regardless of number of times, were 5-5 in their next game. Predictor: Giants.

Home teams are 22-12 in this game, but the difference is clearly due to the home team dominance in the ‘80s where they won 9 of 10. Before today you have 13-11 at all times other than the ‘80s, which provides no measurable advantage for GB. There are other good reasons to throw out the ‘80s for this game, at least in some areas. Dallas is 8-6 in this game and went 0-3 in the ‘80s. SF went 4-1 during the decade, but 1-6 during all other times. Those are the two teams that have been here the longest. No predictor here, except to say that the home field means nothing in this game today.

The “who did they beat” analysis: In the Giant’s 3 previous wins, they beat Washington who was then undefeated, SF, who then was 4-3, and Minnesota, who then was 3-3. The Packers beat Carolina, in their first NFC-C game and then beat SF, who at that time was 5-6 in these games. Predictor: Giants.

This is all statistical, but its had about a 70% accuracy rating over the last few years even though the number of predictors varied with the year. Had I done this earlier today, I would have called the predictors as a win for the Giants. The analysis can still be done after the game, though, its just that I give up whatever perceived brilliance there is for getting a prediction right! Oh, well. Proof I’m not in this for the glory. Oh, and this isn’t self serving. Next year when I (hopefully) do this analysis again before the game, I can have a record of it this year with this post.

At any rate, Dallas is still the king of NFC-C games with 8 wins and 14 appearances. But the Giants are the only undefeated team at 4-0. Washington is close at 5-1. Everyone else is either .500 or losing. This doesn’t mean much except to not bet against the NFC East power (Dallas, Giants, Wash) elite in these games. Washington’s only loss was to the Giants, and Dallas, of their 6 losses, 2 were to the Redskins and 1 was to the East also ran, Philly.

Fun stuff.

[mfccinsd]

Ack...sorry! I knew that! Brain and fingers not at the same speed. LOL

[Last Visible Dog]

I am discussing your baseless assertion that the Patriots admitted that they “lost” something.

So why did you make that statement in a reply to a comment about the Giants? Nothing baseless about it - the Patriots were caught cheating this year (they were punished and they apologized) - that is what they lost.

As for the Giants, sure, I think the Giants have a chance, a good one.

Really. Can you name the last Superbowl where a team was favored by 14 points? The Redskin beat the Giants in week 14 - (the Redskins really kicked their butts) - the Giants look to be more lucky than able to beat the Patriots.

I hope you are right - I think it would a be perfect ending for this season to have the Patriots lose. But I really thought the Packers had a better chance (yeah, what do I know). It is a bit hard to root for a team in the division of the team I have been cursed to be a life-long fan of is in but I really dislike the Patriots...so I am conflicted.

Hope you are right - I just doubt it

[NCC-1701]

Would you rather me use the word detest? Or immensly dislike?Or the term “I can’t stand” in the place for “hate”? I’ll do whatever you want me to. But since this is an open forum, I’ll continue to use whatever term I feel like using. Others here have expressed similar opinions about the Patriots. Are you going to go after them too? Or does the fact that I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan not sit well with you?

[Perdogg]

What really makes me mad are fans of other teams that accuse me of being a bandwagon fan. I have been a Dallas fan since no later than Dec 30th, 1973.

I enjoy rivalry, but here in Washington their dislike of Dallas borders on pathological.

[AliVeritas]

Road games; the Redskins were in Jersey.

[1L]

>>I thought Tom Landry was a priss with a stupid hat, and Roger Staubach was a foot-first sliding pussy.<<

Both of these would have had to have been assessments from pure ignorance. I realize you now think otherwise, but I have to wonder what, other than hatred, would lead you to believe as much. Honestly, Staubach was known around the league as a tough you know what when he played for a lot of reasons. Hollywood Henderson said that if there was one guy he wanted to take with him to a back alley fight, it would be Staubach.

[Chode]

...ny...

[Admin Moderator]

Heh, I just returned from a Saturday night dinner in Green Bay, it was great and we even stayed at the same hotel as the Packers.
Then the Pack lost today. I am very cranky, sorry to take it out on you guys.
Yours truly,
The Green Bay Packer mod.

[Pharmboy]

So what WAS the source of that GIANT sucking sound at Lambeau? Me thinks it was Harris looking like a fool against Plaxico...

Good luck next year. Great game.