NFL: conference championships picks

[silverwhisper]

SDC @ NEP, 3:00 pm (CBS)
NYG @ GBP, 6:30 pm (fox)

so who do you like?

me, i say pats and green bay. i think that SDC is gonna get embarrassed while i expect that the giants will fight hard but inconsistent play in that weather will summon bad eli.

[Wook]

IMHO it depends on Rivers and LT. If they can play then SDC will put up a good fight. I don't know that the result will be any different but I don't think it'll be an embarassment. Now Jersey B on the other hand is going to get spankified in the cold and snow. I'm more than a little confident of that one.

[Parzival]

Pats, Pack.

[Chris]

Yeah, I gotta agree.

Pats & Pack.

[silverwhisper]

much as i dislike the pats, i think they'll get it done.

funny observation i wanted to share from elsewhere: i feel about the pats the same as i do about hillary clinton: hard to stop, bound to experience some success but not the standard bearer i'd choose.

[Detritus]

GB & NE. Volek has had some success in the past subbing for McNair in Tennessee a few years back, but I don't think he'll be equal to the task of winning in Foxboro.

[Laruuk]

I want it to be Pack/Chargers.

I believe it will be Pack/Pats.

The Giants put up a good fight last week, but I'm not sure they can control Favre and deal with the weather. They can do one or the other, but not both.

I think that the Chargers will put up a helluva fight, but in the end succumb to the Pats.

[silverwhisper]

i think san diego's best hope is particularly inspired play by cromartie.

[Chris]

He does seem to be on a bit of a roll of late.

[silverwhisper]

10 regular season picks--that man's having some year!

[Chris]

Plus the one he got against Manning last weekend!

[silverwhisper]

i couldn't remember if he did or didn't--i'll confess i wasn't watching that with 100% focus on the TV.

hm...for the giants, r.w. mcquarters has been coming up w/ key picks...if favre reverts to his bad ways, the outcome might be less certain...

[Detritus]

He picked one off right at the end of the first half and returned it for a TD, but there was a holding call on the return. It was kind of a questionable call, IMO.

[Brother Brian]

Pats vs. Chargers

If LT and Rivers play, and if Gates is 90%+, the Patriots take it 38-24.

If they all don't, Patriots take it 53-10. Including 21 4th quarter points as the other BB's way of flipping y'all the bird.

If some of them play, the score will fall somewhere in between. San Diego has to do what Jacksonville did and put together some time consuming drives to keep the Patriot's Offense off the field. 3 and outs will kill them.

Green Bay vs New York

I hate Eli, and I hate Coughlin. I want Green Bay to win. Green Bay is the better team, and after having lost the chance to beat Peyton again, I want the Patriots to play the better team.

The Giants though are playing with a passion that is truly impressive, and have since the regular season. Throughout the Pat's game with Philly and Baltimore, I knew they would pull it out. New York had me worried. And they did it in a game that meant nothing long term.

I hope I'm wrong, but I see the G-Men taking this one.

[silverwhisper]

why the hate for eli & coughlin? is it the draft-day stuff re: eli or something else?

[Brother Brian]

It is the draft day stuff for Eli. I found it worse than distasteful, and honestly hope he never finds success in the NFL.

For Coughlin, it was the previously mentioned damage he did to BC.

[silverwhisper]

[shrug]

um...OK, then.

[Paulypalooza]

If the Chargers were healthy I would give them an outside chance of a win. With them dinged up the way they are it will take a Herculean effort to stop the Pats.

The Giants have a chance at a win if they pressure Farve into the bad throws everyone knows he sometimes makes but I see the pack taking this one. The Packers are the better team but then again the Cowboys were the better team last week too.

I'm looking for the Farve to beat the Pats in Arizona and retire on top John Elway style.

[silverwhisper]

the bolts are looking a lot like we all thought they would, not quite halfway into the first quarter.

[carmachu]

chargers are look GOOD so far.

[Detritus]

Too many FGs for the Chargers, they need to start putting the ball in the end zone.

[carmachu]

Too many FGs for the Chargers, they need to start putting the ball in the end zone.

yeah, that is their issue. But overall they are hanging with NE so far. Not nearly the blow out folks were predicting.

[Detritus]

Two drives, two picks off of Brady in the 2nd half. Let's see what the Chargers can do with 3rd and 7 on their own 20...

EDIT -- Nothing, as it turns out. Pats back near midfield. Chargers are letting their opportunities slip away.

[carmachu]

14-12 is still not bad. We'll see what happens when the whsitle blows at the end.

[carmachu]

Giants got REAL lucky on that touchdown drive.

[Detritus]

I thought the illegal contact and roughing the passer penalties were good calls. They got a little lucky with the Jacobs fumble that they recovered it after it went through one of the Packers' laps. Both defenses are taking silly penalties in the second half.

[carmachu]

I thought the illegal contact and roughing the passer penalties were good calls. They got a little lucky with the Jacobs fumble that they recovered it after it went through one of the Packers' laps. Both defenses are taking silly penalties in the second half.

Didnt say the calls werent good. I just said the Giants were lucky. With out those calls and the recovery on the 2 yard line after the fumble they wouldnt have scored...

[silverwhisper]

there've been a few interesting calls and non-calls, if you ask me. both teams ought to have had a few penalties called, IMHO.

carm: that's completely fair. OTOH, a giants drive in the 3rd quarter ought to have been extended for illegal hands to the face or something against a GB defender, IMHO.

good game so far! tight, just as i expected it would be. :> i'm loving this game so far--great football, if you ask me.

[Detritus]

Didnt say the calls werent good. I just said the Giants were lucky. With out those calls and the recovery on the 2 yard line after the fumble they wouldnt have scored...
There's no luck in getting calls you should get, though. Not being unlucky isn't the same as getting lucky.

EDIT -- What just happened with the pick by Favre and the Packers' subsequent fumble recovery, that's lucky.

[Laruuk]

Interception and a Fumble in the same play! Holy Crap!!

[Detritus]

The Packers' secondary might want to think about actually covering Plaxico Burress instead of just waving their arms when he makes a catch at the sidelines.

[carmachu]

The Packers' secondary might want to think about actually covering Plaxico Burress instead of just waving their arms when he makes a catch at the sidelines.

Only if they want to win. If their tired and want to go home.....

[silverwhisper]

booth review on steve smith's reception (?).

[Laruuk]

This is an awesome game!

I've been revolving between exhiliration and frustration all night.

Now we're into overtime. Green Bay needs to wake the hell up!

[Laruuk]

and there goes a Giants interception.

DAMMIT!!

[silverwhisper]

go, giants! woo-fucking-hoo! :D

ed

[Laruuk]

It was a good game, but f-you, ed. :troutslap:

[silverwhisper]

so i'm waiting to see that the giants are a 2 TD+ underdog in the superbowl. :>

[Kalzazz]

Well, the saving grace of the Superbowl is that one of the two teams has to lose it

[silverwhisper]

um...huh?

(confuzzledfiller)

[carmachu]

so i'm waiting to see that the giants are a 2 TD+ underdog in the superbowl. :>

Some folks were losing serious money with that(chargers) prediction....

NE looked quite mortal yesterday....

[silverwhisper]

they're mortal, all right. the eagles proved it during the regular season, and the giants very nearly pulled it off once already.

whatever the spread, i'm predicting that the pats won't cover.

[Laruuk]

I don't think the Pats will cover the spread, either. The Giants have a good ball team and I can't help but root for the underdog, even if they did whoop up on my Packers.

[GregorySilverlin]

I just witnessed a complete breakdown in the second half, and a charger team that was less than whole hearted on offense. Yes the Pats did look mortal, but unfortunatly, the Bolts couldn't take advantage. Ted Cottrel, while he has done good things for the D, hasn't fully utilized the Chargers strengths at blitzing.

But still good show by the D. As for the offense, how bout Rivers? Showed heart, and will, and except for a couple bad throws, and a bone headed throw 10 yards short which got intercepted, didn't have a bad day. I feel if he was fully healthy would have done better, and maybe given a few TD's. The line held pretty well, but the receivers appeared sluggish for the most part, and not completely in the game.

As for LT, not sure if was coach's choice, his combo of the two, but there were a few times just having him in would have helped, even if just to run a lazy route, or fake a hand off. Injured or no, he didn't look bad enough to not be put in for a few plays a quarter. Especially the third and one. Put him in, fake a hand off, the D WILL!! go after him, lazy throw to Gates, bam, first down or TD. Him not being in killed the team. Yes great backups, and good line, but him being in jacks the juice for the D more than a backup.

As for the Pats, here is your * for the season as you go to the SB and most likely win. I dislike you guys, and while you have good/great players, I will just wait till you have a bad start to a season, or bad season period. Lets see how long Moss will be a team player then. Eventually your own Ego will destroy you, and I will wait for that day with Joy. Too many Playmakers, and not enough players. Unfortunately if some of the attitude LT showed this season keeps coming our own star might be put into this catagory as well. But lets hope not. We will continue to play teamball, you guys can continue to play a!!ball. Sooner or later it'll catch up, and other football teams that play teamball will be there to mop you up.

Go chargers, less then 4 losses next year and get to that SB

[silverwhisper]

laruuk: i was joking last night when i said 14 point underdogs but i see that lo and behold, that's precisely what the oddsmakers think! :>

hey, it all came down to one bad pass, man.

gregory: the bolts were more competitive for the first half than i expected, but failing to end drives w/ more than a FG just killed 'em. usually, when a QB has a 3 pick day, you figure his team's gonna lose. belichick must've sold his soul or something.

[Chris]

too... depressed... to... type...

[silverwhisper]

hey, LT was on the sidelines, man. the bolts aren't the same when he's not on the field.

[Chris]

Who cares about the Chargers. Ol' Brett showed up at the end of the game last night and threw away a shot at the Super Bowl. :ashamed:

<head hits desk due to lack of will to remain sitting upright>

[silverwhisper]

sorry, figured you for a chargers fan, man.

[carmachu]

Who cares about the Chargers. Ol' Brett showed up at the end of the game last night and threw away a shot at the Super Bowl. :ashamed:

<head hits desk due to lack of will to remain sitting upright>

What did you expect? The didnt run the ball enough and Bret when push comes to shove, willtry and force the issue....

[Laruuk]

laruuk: i was joking last night when i said 14 point underdogs but i see that lo and behold, that's precisely what the oddsmakers think! :>

hey, it all came down to one bad pass, man.

The Packer/Giant point spread was 7, and they didn't cover that. Regardless of what the point spread was going to be, I doubted the Pats would cover it. The Giants are a good team, and as long as they don't give NE too many opportunities, it will be a close game.

meh - One bad pass and several missed opportunities... I drank myself into oblivion last night, I'm over it.

Really ... Is it lunch time yet?

:cocktail:

[Laruuk]

Who cares about the Chargers. Ol' Brett showed up at the end of the game last night and threw away a shot at the Super Bowl. :ashamed:

Ain't that the truth! :bawling:

He gets impatient and tries to make shit happen - more often than not it doesn't work. :ashamed:

ARGH!!!:banghead:

[silverwhisper]

hey, that shovel pass the previous week did...

[Laruuk]

Unfortunately, especially in the playoffs, the previous week's game doesn't matter.

oy....

[GregorySilverlin]

gregory: the bolts were more competitive for the first half than i expected, but failing to end drives w/ more than a FG just killed 'em. usually, when a QB has a 3 pick day, you figure his team's gonna lose. belichick must've sold his soul or something.

Reference Little Nicky, except the devil made the deal this time.

[Brother Brian]

All 4 QB yesterday had trouble with the bitter cold. Of all of them, Eli handled it best, or at least most fortunately. With Rivers, Favre and Brady, when they didn't have a good feel on the ball, the tended to release early and float it. When Eli didn't have a good feel, he held on to long and sent it straight into the ground.

I've got a bad feeling about this. The Giants are playing above their heads.

Although I really hate Coughlin after seeing how he treated their kicker after the first missed field goal. Fuck him, and the horse he road in on.

[Chris]

The school of thought of giving the kicker a ration of shit for missing a crucial FG attempt has never quite sat right with me.

If the entire team stepped it up and played at a higher caliber, they wouldn't have to be gripping so tightly at the clutch kick with their fingers crossed, relying on one guy to win a game for them.

Hey offense, how about you score some more TDs and get a lead on the other team, huh? How about that?

[carmachu]

Although I really hate Coughlin after seeing how he treated their kicker after the first missed field goal. Fuck him, and the horse he road in on.

Excuse me? Didnt your organization let their kicker go one season after he missed a field goal one year and the lost the playoff game in recent years?

[silverwhisper]

BB: that didn't sit right with me, either, but you know something? for tynes, that first FG was a chip shot. in the heat of the game, that kinda thing happens w/ coaches. i think your dislike of coughlin is coloring your perceptions a bit here.

i'm not sure that eli handled it best of the 4. although clearly, the offensive player who handled the cold best was plaxico burress, if you ask me.

[Brother Brian]

Excuse me? Didnt your organization let their kicker go one season after he missed a field goal one year and the lost the playoff game in recent years?

Our organization did not "let him go". They didn't match the offer from another team in free agency, because it was silly money for the position. There's a difference.

[Brother Brian]

BB: that didn't sit right with me, either, but you know something? for tynes, that first FG was a chip shot. in the heat of the game, that kinda thing happens w/ coaches. i think your dislike of coughlin is coloring your perceptions a bit here.

Couglin's an asshole, and he acted like an asshole, and it hurt the team. In sub zero temps, the football feels like a block of ice when you kick it. Nothing outside of 20 yards is a chip shot.

i'm not sure that eli handled it best of the 4. although clearly, the offensive player who handled the cold best was plaxico burress, if you ask me.

Burress being open helped, but I specfically was referring to throwing a hard, slick, cold ball. By tending to hold on to long, instead of not long enough, Eli didn't throw picks, something the rest of the QB did.

Although to be honest, Favre looked to me like age caught up with him. I couldn't perform in that kind of cold for that long, and he's got a couple of years on me.

[silverwhisper]

BB, i've been watching giants games for years now. i see them play 16 (or sometimes more) times/year. i believe that makes me better informed about who coughlin is now than anybody else in this conversation.

what we saw in that game is exceedingly unusual for coughlin.

you're taking a single instance and over-inferring, BB.

[carmachu]

Anyone see lately that Tom Brady was wearing a foot boot while visiting his girlfriend in NYC? Anyone know why?

[silverwhisper]

saw that on ESPN, apparently was banged up during sunday's game. he's downplaying it, but that would help explain why he was uncharacteristically inaccurate in that game, wouldn't it?

[Brother Brian]

BB, i've been watching giants games for years now. i see them play 16 (or sometimes more) times/year. i believe that makes me better informed about who coughlin is now than anybody else in this conversation.

what we saw in that game is exceedingly unusual for coughlin.

you're taking a single instance and over-inferring, BB.

I will conceed that you see him more now than I do. I've watched 3 Giants games this year.

But I still think Coughlin's an asshole. He used to be an asshole at BC. Then he was an asshole at Jacksonville. He was an Asshole to Tynes.

Maybe it was nothing more than a brief return to form for him. I don't know.

Were I Tynes I would have punched him in the mouth.

[Brother Brian]

saw that on ESPN, apparently was banged up during sunday's game. he's downplaying it, but that would help explain why he was uncharacteristically inaccurate in that game, wouldn't it?

I heard him on the radio yesterday. He said it was a large, painful bruise on his leg. Shouldn't be an issue in the big game.

I really think the 10 degree weather was the biggest factor for both QBs, who were floating balls left and right.

[silverwhisper]

i'm at my parents' house today. while reading today's paper, i was dismayed to learn that SI put eli manning on their cover.

damn it.

[Brother Brian]

Ouch. I hope you don't believe in curses.

And it turns out it's a mild high ankle sprain with Brady, and every medical personage asked said that walking as well as he was, in the cast or not, he would be ok to play this Sunday, and it shouldn't be a factor at all come Superbowl time.

[silverwhisper]

well, as i recall, tom brady and the pats have been on SI's cover multiple times this season already, so hey, if they can hack it, why not my giants?

read that re: brady's ankle and yeah, i didn't really think it was gonna mean anything. :>