ROUND 1 RECAP What did we Learn?

[Sammy Meatballs]

Falcons Rams-----

Falcons defence is playing very good football and seems to be trending in the right direction as they seem to be hitting their Peak at the right time.

The player that is really making this defense very stingy is DEON TURBO JONES-
This man is everywhere- HE seems to be involved in every single play no matter where it is? He has so much speed and just a straight out playmaker--

The secondary of TRUANT and Alford are playing at a PRO BOWL level. Brian Poole is an impressive looking player and with KEANU NEAL you have a PRO BOWL calibre safety--

Don't sleep on the Falcons- They are very balanced now, and defensively they are better than last season and offensively they have more of a ball control run oriented approach--

I think the Falcons can OWN NICK FOLES and knock him out next weekend-- Falcons are the better team at this point in the season--

Titans Chiefs---

Titans showed some heart- Mariotta was 7 for 7 on third downs in the second half. He was playing great last night- Defensively hard to gauge Tennessee, but I don't see them being amazing-- Eventually I feel a good team like the Pats will hang a big number on this defense--

This matchup looks perfect for BILL- He gets another young qb making a road start-- Tennessee can score on the Pats defense-- But Brady should be able to score a lot on Tennesse-- Weather could favour PATS big time in this match--
I would lean Pats, but Im thinking spread will be -10.5 or -11.


Jags Steelers--

Jags defence was as advertised-- Amazing, especially with the pass--

Offensively Jags are not great-- I don't see them advancing if they play like they did today-- They can make turnovers off BIG BEN--

A lot will depend on how they cover ANTONIO BROWN-- Antonio Brown is famous for really dominating this round at home-- Then he plays like the 5th round draft pick he was in the AFC CHAMPIONSHIP games and disappears vs the PATRIOTS every time-- HE just doesn't show up in huge games-- He usually gets hurt also in the big game-

Interesting to see if they use JALEN RAMSEY or BUOYE to cover BROWN?

I think UNDERS are easy winners vs the JAGS-- they will play UNDER the first half total and game total--
Their style is just not an OVER STYLE--

They run run and punt and then stop the other team-- BEN won't be able to do his usual LONG JAVELIN THROWS-- IT seems that all BEN does at home is air 65 yard long passes all game long-?

I will hammer all kinds of under in this match--

Vikings Saints--

Saints showed that Sean Peyton can outcoach and out scheme RON RIVERA every single game-- However SEAN PEYTON decision to go for it on the 4th and 2 validates what I have been saying for a while-- ONE YEAR WONDER_-
PEYTON is not a good game manager--

NO coach goes for it in that spot-- Kick the ball, play the clock and you should win the game- Its not like they had timeouts and your defence was injured? It was the stupidest decision ever--

To next week, I think PETYON will be the one OUTCOACHED as he goes against the VERY CLEVER MICKEY ZIMMER-- Zimmer will dominate PEYTON all game long--
Vikes will shut down Saints offence which really isn't that great--

Vikes have RHODES who can stop THOMAS-- KAMARA will be shut down by KENDRINKS BARR and ZENDEHAS--

I think the VIkes can win that game next sunday-- if the2 o lineman are out for Saints they are finished-- They won't be able to pass protect and run the ball enough--

Summary--

Falcons are trending upwards, and look like the former New york Giants teams that made Super Bowl runs-

Jags can defend like crazy- Bortels is bottles,, not that good-- But can run a bit-- UNDER UNDER UNDER

Titans- Either way Chiefs or Titans are both garbage and weren't going far away-- don't see any threat from them.

Saints-- Good home team- But 2 o lineman hurt and Peyton will get owned next week by ZIMMER--Zimmers isn't Rivera-- VIkes defence has actual guys that can defence the pass unlike Carolina--
Vikings don't give up 50 yard passes routinely--


The Super Bowl LOOKS TO BE A CLASSIC--

If the Falcons don't go on a crazy RUN your FINAL IS

PATS AT VIKINGS--

 

[Sammy Meatballs]

Is it me or does NEW ENGLANDS road to the SUPERBOWL gets easier every year>

Beat Titans and beat steelers who they own and in the finals again.

 

[wiseplayer]

I continue to learn how lost the NFL is. When they review every turnover, how did they not look at the INT that looked like a drop at the most crucial moment of the Saints game. It's absolutely mind boggling how bad the NFL product has become.

 

[Sammy Meatballs]

wise player I echo your sentiments--

However the NFL is not a Transparent Organization.

Since its classified as an Entertainment enterprise, all it owes fans is a paid ticket to watch a professional football match between 2 teams.

The NFL reserves the right to challenge certain plays and be inconsistent, because as an entertainment league they do not have to abide by any transparent or ethical standards-

This is why that late INT was not reviewed-- They could have reviewed it but they didn't feel they wanted to..


There is politics at the local church, the local bingo club, the local high school, there is politics everywhere including the NFL-- Too much money at stake for the league to not want certain teams advancing etc--

The league has created these RIDICULOUS catch standards as A MEANS to ESSENTIALLY give certain teams an EDGE over others-- Since its an entertainment league, this is how they can give teams advantages over other teams-- By making almost every catch subject to review--

If the Patriots make a questionable catch, the replay goes their way, or they don't review the call at all.

If another team makes a catch, the call goes against that team--

By using the rules, the league can push whoever they would prefer in the big games--

the Pats won home field advantage due to that Bullshit Jesse James overturned TD--

 

[braves]

Last year Pats came out flat in that 1st half in the 1st game against that really shitty Houston squad, I doubt they repeat that in this one. I think they blow the doors off Tenny

I have yet to see anyone say they like the Eagles. That’s reason enough for me to probably look at backing them against Falcons

 

[Alan Tongue]

coaches are so risk averse they panic in a high leverage situation like a playoff game

 

[Big daddy naught]

Titans recipe for success is to shorten the game. Grind the clock, 60%/40% run pass ratio. Run Henry, soften up that NE d, get Mariota on the edge, play action here and there, but they gotta own time of possession, for one to tire out pats d, and to keep 12 off the field. They do that they got a shot, but I’ll be honest this isn’t a good matchup for us at all

 

[B.A.R.]

Coaches make way too much money....

For the job they do....

I'd put their salary at about 75k to be honest.

 

[emkee]

Last time 2 home faves blew a 10+ halftime lead and failed to cover was 2001, been a long time between drinks.

Also the first time in league history that not one home team and/or favorite covered the number.

Goodell has somewhat achieved parity I guess.

Most messed up thing of the weekend was seeing Sean Payton with that stupid pout-smile on the sideline after the bogus intentional grounding call on Scam after he'd just run the dumbest play of the season on that 4th and 2 try.

Hard not to hate this league and it's total lack of respect for itself.

League already knows who is playing in the big one.

Things are a changing.

Fantasy Football has really fucked things up.

 

[Sammy Meatballs]

Last time 2 home faves blew a 10+ halftime lead and failed to cover was 2001, been a long time between drinks.

Also the first time in league history that not one home team and/or favorite covered the number.

Goodell has somewhat achieved parity I guess.

Most messed up thing of the weekend was seeing Sean Payton with that stupid pout-smile on the sideline after the bogus intentional grounding call on Scam after he'd just run the dumbest play of the season on that 4th and 2 try.

Hard not to hate this league and it's total lack of respect for itself.

League already knows who is playing in the big one.

Things are a changing.

Fantasy Football has really fucked things up.

I'd say there is some truth to this statement- The league did help Saints get into the next round-- It seems that the league has a liking for the Saints-

The bogus grounding call was bullshit, you see Peytons stupid smile on his face?

Like really why would PEYTON go for it there? There defence was in a statistically great position to win, as Carolina with no timeouts and no downfield passing attack wasn't likely to score a TD anyway--

He acts so careless with a decision at midfield-- Think about Carolina, they were loving the decision to go for it on 4th down- They were absolutely loving it--

IF ADAMS doesn't intercept that pass I think Carolina wins that game--

The league was eventually going to turn like everything else where MONEY effects outcomes-- IT was a matter of time before the league got involved--

They have all the tools to get involved--

REFS to call bogus flags-
REVIEW on every single catch-

These 2 areas can influence a game a lot-

 

[Gandolf]

Since we're going with conspiracy theories here I think the NFL would be angling towards the following:

A Pats-Steelers rematch, which would likely be the highest rated game this year short of the Super Bowl.

A Falcons-Vikings matchup, which brings last year's disgraced loser up against a potential Super Bowl home team.

However, in the end I think what the NFL really wants is a rematch of last year's Greatest Comeback Ever, Pats-Falcons. This time the Falcons hold on for the ultimate redemption. Would be a hit on many levels.

If the games can be taken at face value for a second:

- Titans don't have what it takes to beat NE. They don't have a pass rush to make Brady uncomfortable, their DVOA against TEs is below average (hello Gronk) and against RBs its last in the league. Pats will be able to put themselves in a position to score on almost every possession. That is too much pressure to put on the Titans spotty offense. NE is also top 10 in covering TEs which means Marcus is going to have a tough time finding his security blanket. Typical NE win in the divisional round, maybe a one score game at halftime which expands to a three score lead in the fourth quarter. Keep in mind we haven't seen the Pats at full strength (with Hogan, Burkhead and White all active) in months, and they've still only lost once in 3 months.

- Atlanta is the best team in the NFC right now. Best QB, best WR1, 2nd best RB duo, 2nd best WR2, as good an O-line as any, solid D, and probably the best kicker (Let's not forget that KC missed a FG in their one point loss and Car missed a FG in losing by five with the ball in their hands at the end of the game. FG misses were huge last week).

- If Jax was playing the Steez anywhere other than in Pittsburgh I'd say they'd have a strong chance to win this week. Don't know who the officials are yet but I can guarantee the game will be called a lot different for the Jags than last weeks. Jax was able to play very tight coverage and seemed to get away with their share of handplay. They won't get that in whiny Heinz. Otherwise they match up really well. Buffalo has a better secondary than Pitt, and so they were able to play man and jam the box on Lenny. Pitt saw how Bortles was able to produce with his legs, and they have no respect for his arm, so they'll play more zone so they can control Blake's scrambles better. But Pitt has been getting gashed ever Shazier went out, they've been able to limit either the rush or pass but not both at the same time. This will be the test for Bortles. Can he make Pitt respect the pass enough to get Lenny loose? The Jags have no great WRs but Westbrook, Lee, Coles and even Hurme can make plays.

On defense the Jags are as strong as any team in the league. #1 DVOA against WR1, #8 against WR2 and #11 against WR3. This game will be a 5 yard at a time type of game for Ben, dump offs to Bell, quick flips to James, underneath routes and quick screens to the WRs to slow Sacksonville's grade A pass rush. Ben's mobility has improved in recent weeks but he's still no Taylor in that regard, and Tyrod was eventually destroyed. Throw in three weeks of rust for Ben and Bell and five weeks for AB and this looks like a very low scoring first half is on the horizon. First one to 20 wins, and we could have a strong chance of not seeing that number reached (barring about 120 yards in penalties for Jax, which takes us full circle).

- Saints are a nice team but eventually a flawed one. They have no #2 receiving threat, and against Xavier that means roads closed. Vikings really manhandled NO in week 1 and here we are four months later and I don't really have a compelling reason why that won't happen again, especially considering the injuries on NO O-line. Kamara is dynamic but seems to have slowed since his concussion. Saints D is good but Cam was finding places to throw with a mediocre WR1 in Funchess and a one-legged TE. Vikings have better weapons across the board.

 

[Sammy Meatballs]

pats falcons has a chance

 

[KJ]

So does Vikings Steelers

 

[B.A.R.]

Great thoughts Gandy