NFL Championship Round

[Abe Sargent]

San Fran vs Atlanta


and



New England vs Baltimore



Allons-y!

[albionmoonlight]

As Bill Simmons keeps saying, Baltimore is a bad match-up for the Pats b/c Baltimore does not fear them. But New England does not keep winning because other teams are afraid of them. They keep winning because they have the best coach in the league and a lot of talent. I think that they will keep rolling.

NFC Championship will be closer than people think. Atlanta might not be a juggernaut. But they are a good team with a really good coach. They can put points on the board quickly. Should be a good game.

[Alan T]

I think San Francisco is a heck of a team, and one that Atlanta's defense matches up poorly against. Atlanta seems to do better against traditional passing QBs (Peyton and Eli Manning, Brees, Romo, etc) than they did this year against mobile threats.

The fact that I spent all of my child hood watching the 49ers destroy the Falcons twice every year though makes me want this win so badly... I guess I am not going into this game confident, but man I'll re-suffer all of my PTSD from childhood NFL if they lose this one to the 49ers.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Atlanta seems to do better against traditional passing QBs (Peyton and Eli Manning, Brees, Romo, etc) than they did this year against mobile threats.

Based on what ?

Their 3 losses this year were splits with Carolina, Tampa, and New Orleans.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by DougW

Based on what ?

Their 3 losses this year were splits with Carolina, Tampa, and New Orleans.

Based on my non-scientific non-stats just watching the game I guess? They struggled both times they played Cam Newton, they barely beat Washington and RG 3, and probably only because RG 3 got hurt in that game and didn't finish it due to concussion. We saw it this weekend vs Seattle too.. when the other team has a pretty mobile quarterback, it seemed that posed alot of threat against them.

Of course I hope I am wrong about that.. but I guess almost 40 years of watching the Falcons has made me a pessimist

[Logan]

The Niners will win this one for Garrison Hearst.

[bbor]

GO NINERS!!!!!

[Abe Sargent]

i want Falcons and Ravens in SB. I'm happy with 49ers Ravens in Bowl. If either Falcons or 49ers makes in in but the Ravens do not, please STOMP the Patriots. That is all.

[Coffee Warlord]

Don't care too much, but still pulling for Niners. Niners-Pats would be most entertaining.

[Ron Mexico]

Can't help but feel this is '98 all over again for the Falcons. The Bryant kick the inverse of the Gary Anderson miss. I know that was the NFC title game and this was the a round earlier, but still. While San Fran is going to be a tough matchup, I think the team is as relaxed as they're ever going to be now and will turn the Georgia Dome into the advantage it is during the regular season.

Only fear with the '98 parallel-- running into this generation's Elway. Except Brady might actually be better.

At least there's some solace in Matt Ryan over Chris Chandler.

[flounder]

Originally Posted by Logan

The Niners will win this one for Garrison Hearst.

The Falcons will win this one for Charles Dimry.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I think that the 49ers versus the Patriots will make the best Super Bowl, so as a fan of none of these teams I guess that's what I'd like to see.

Though, I guess it would be nice for Atlanta fans to have the Falcons win a Super Bowl, since that's never happened.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Though, I guess it would be nice for Atlanta fans to have the Falcons win a Super Bowl, since that's never happened.

That doesn't seem likely to happen regardless of the outcome of the NFC Championship ... unless of course the Ravens pull out an upset.

[mckerney]

I don't care who wins as long as it's Tom Brady.

[Maple Leafs]

Any other 49er fans waiting for Alex Smith's inevitable Drew Bledsoe moment, when he has to come in late to win a game after Kapernick gets hurt? Like, is that a 100% lock right now or just 95%?

[stevew]

Which Falcons player would have hooker problems this time? I'd probably wager on Jacquizz Rodgers.

Also I love that I couldn't name the Falcons #2 QB regardless of the odds.

[stevew]

Also-

Falcons draft Lattimore in the late first and make due for a year with Rodgers/someone like DeAngelo Williams?

[britrock88]

Originally Posted by stevew

Also I love that I couldn't name the Falcons #2 QB regardless of the odds.

Chris Chandler, I'm pretty sure.

[RainMaker]

It's kind of nice not caring who wins each game and just going into it as a completely neutral observer. Both games sound like they could be great and am really looking forward to Sunday.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by britrock88

Chris Chandler, I'm pretty sure.

I was thinking Chris Redmond.

[Ron Mexico]

Originally Posted by stevew

Which Falcons player would have hooker problems this time? I'd probably wager on Jacquizz Rodgers.

Also I love that I couldn't name the Falcons #2 QB regardless of the odds.

Isn't it McCown? Think so. Essentially it's a loss.

And my money would be on Asante Samuel-- even stays in the secondary for the parallel.

[stevew]

Hmmm. Samuel was almost my choice.

Bigger sibling conventional to bizarre name difference between James/Jacquizz Rodgers?

[Logan]

Originally Posted by stevew

Hmmm. Samuel was almost my choice.

Bigger sibling conventional to bizarre name difference between James/Jacquizz Rodgers?

I'd need to hear D'Brickashaw Ferguson's siblings names to validate that.

[stevew]

I'd laugh if his brother is named "Dave"

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by stevew

Which Falcons player would have hooker problems this time? I'd probably wager on Jacquizz Rodgers.

Also I love that I couldn't name the Falcons #2 QB regardless of the odds.

What about "Most likely to Tank Carter" the Super Bowl?

[Cap Ologist]

Originally Posted by Logan

I'd need to hear D'Brickashaw Ferguson's siblings names to validate that.

Originally Posted by stevew

I'd laugh if his brother is named "Dave"

I have a friend named Odom, his youngest brother is named Bran, the middle brother? Jim.

[mckerney]

I just hope whoever gets busted uses the Homer Simpson defense of, "I want to set the record straight, I thought the cop was a prostitute."

[mtolson]

Originally Posted by Logan

I'd need to hear D'Brickashaw Ferguson's siblings names to validate that.

D'Brickashaw is the son of Rhunette and Edwin Ferguson ... has a brother, Edwin, Jr. My guess is that his mother named him cause I can't begin to pronounce that one.

[Logan]

Would be even better if Edwin is the younger brother:

"What the hell did we just do? Let's go Edwin Jr next time."

[Draft Dodger]

As a Pats fan and I'm nervous about the matchup, but I am looking forward to what should be one hell of a football game.

[Lathum]

I'll be in the car for both games. While bummed I wont be able to watch on TV it will occupy a large portion of an 11 hour car ride.

[BishopMVP]

I remember linking to a Boston Globe article earlier this season on the Patriots embrace of the no-huddle, but here's Chris Brown's take on it - How the terminology of the Erhardt-Perkins system has helped maintain the dominance of Tom Brady and the Patriots - Grantland

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Logan

The Niners will win this one for Garrison Hearst.

Not to mention Dexter Carter and Ricky Watters.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

Not to mention Dexter Carter and Ricky Watters.

I hope they win it for Natrone Means and Stan Humphries.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

I remember linking to a Boston Globe article earlier this season on the Patriots embrace of the no-huddle, but here's Chris Brown's take on it - How the terminology of the Erhardt-Perkins system has helped maintain the dominance of Tom Brady and the Patriots - Grantland

Thank you for the link. I sort assumed that they had a terminology for a series of plays but it sounds like the next play is quickly called at the line with one or two words. I have always loved watching Brady play and definitely want him and the Patriots to win it all. But it is interesting comparing him to Peyton Manning where, because of his brilliant mind, can go through all of the possible plays and call the best one, no matter how long it takes and how many gestures (which can be comical to watch). Tom leads like an unstoppable train while Peyton leads like a an animated professor. Then we have those QBs that can be only limited to a dozen plays (less in the case of Tebow) and lucky if they even know what one receiver (since that's all they see) should do, but that's another story. Go Patriots.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by Logan

The Niners will win this one for Garrison Hearst.

This!

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Thank you for the link. I sort assumed that they had a terminology for a series of plays but it sounds like the next play is quickly called at the line with one or two words. I have always loved watching Brady play and definitely want him and the Patriots to win it all. But it is interesting comparing him to Peyton Manning where, because of his brilliant mind, can go through all of the possible plays and call the best one, no matter how long it takes and how many gestures (which can be comical to watch). Tom leads like an unstoppable train while Peyton leads like a an animated professor. Then we have those QBs that can be only limited to a dozen plays (less in the case of Tebow) and lucky if they even know what one receiver (since that's all they see) should do, but that's another story. Go Patriots.

Here's the Globe article that goes a little more in-depth on some aspects (and brings in the Chip Kelly connection) Patriots no-huddle relies on power of one - Sports - The Boston Globe , but I dislike the hook/intro to the story because the author is over-simplifying when he says they use 6 words to tell them everything - not only is that only in one package/personnel grouping (usually the Woodhead one), but there's also an alignment call and Brady often audibles at the line.

I think comparing his intelligence to a Tebow or Newton based off this is incorrect, because a lot of the work is done beforehand by the coaching staff during the week (and even the initial play call is radioed down by McDaniels). Brady does have, I believe, full autonomy to change the play direction and make the run/pass decision, but he's not choosing from a whole playbook - and I'm certainly not saying Brady is necessarily less intelligent than any of them - but he's got very few basic play-call options at his disposal. The key is using different personnel groupings to get mismatches (and then keeping the opposing defense on the field to continually take advantage of that mismatch for an entire series), and having versatile enough players on the field that we can effectively disguise the same play call by running it out of 4 or 5 different alignments. (Having 3 of the best players at "Choice" routes at their respective positions - Welker, Hernandez and Woodhead, certainly helps as well.)

My secret hope is that Beli sticks around after Brady and we end up with a mobile QB just to see where he would take the offense. Oh Michael Bishop, you came a dozen years too soon (and allegedly had a Wonderlic score of 8.)

[Matthean]

The dude went to Michigan people. It's not like he was asked to sit in the corner with a protective helmet and finger paint. This did make me go look up his Wonderlic score which was a 33. Manning had a 28.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Matthean

The dude went to Michigan people. It's not like he was asked to sit in the corner with a protective helmet and finger paint. This did make me go look up his Wonderlic score which was a 33. Manning had a 28.

I don't think anybody's saying Brady is stupid or couldn't handle a more complex offense or anything - are they?

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

I don't think anybody's saying Brady is stupid or couldn't handle a more complex offense or anything - are they?

Just poking fun at the talk of QBs intelligence.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

My secret hope is that Beli sticks around after Brady and we end up with a mobile QB just to see where he would take the offense. Oh Michael Bishop, you came a dozen years too soon (and allegedly had a Wonderlic score of 8.)

The Belichick/Kraft combo of coaching/roster management managed to get 11 wins with Cassell, so call that a floor. And seems to average 13 or so wins a season with Brady. I think that if you were to put, say, an Andrew Luck, or an Aaron Rogers in that system (i.e. has the ability to make plays with their legs), they would average over 45 points a game.

Brady gets an over-sized share of the credit, but it is really the New England system that's doing things that we've never seen before. And I think that that system actually does not get the credit that it deserves because everyone just thinks "Brady is awesome" without looking at the context in which he is playing.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

The Belichick/Kraft combo of coaching/roster management managed to get 11 wins with Cassell, so call that a floor. And seems to average 13 or so wins a season with Brady. I think that if you were to put, say, an Andrew Luck, or an Aaron Rogers in that system (i.e. has the ability to make plays with their legs), they would average over 45 points a game.

Brady gets an over-sized share of the credit, but it is really the New England system that's doing things that we've never seen before. And I think that that system actually does not get the credit that it deserves because everyone just thinks "Brady is awesome" without looking at the context in which he is playing.

Case in point - guess what New England ranks in yards per play this year? 10th, yet they're easily #1 in PPG, yards and 1st downs (by a stunning 62 - 444 to #2 Detroit's 382). Part of that is due to style (the willingness to take 5 yards on any 1st/2nd down), but a lot is just due to tempo and the no-huddle. The other thing that Brady does incredibly well that doesn't get the recognition it deserves is preventing turnovers - despite running the most plays in the league we finished 2nd in TO's with only 16.

Btw, one thing I noticed when looking at stats is that only 8 teams had 18 or fewer turnovers - WSH, SF, NE, GB, BAL, HOU, SEA, ATL. No other team had fewer than 21. Maybe we're overthinking this game

[Jacob Typer]

Go Atlanta!

[EagleFan]

Go niners, don't just beat them but crush them. Go Sherman on their asses and burn the whole city...

What? Too much?

[stevew]

[Alan T]

I totally just played that entire video for my wife!

[kingfc22]

SFPD investigating Crabtree for an alleged sexual assault...

[RedKingGold]

Of course. . .

[stevew]

Michael Crapetree

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

SFPD investigating Crabtree for an alleged sexual assault...

Man, that sabotage squad worked fast.