What does everyone think?
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What does everyone think?
It's going to be tough, but I think they can do it. If they get past Pittsburgh next week, then they have two patsies (Miami and the Jets) followed by the Giants. If the Giants have clinched the wildcard by then, they will probably be resting their starters, but the Pats will play their starters more because they are shooting for a perfect season.
They will get a bye in the first round of the playoffs and will probably play the Colts in the AFC Championship. Marvin Harrison should be healthy by then, but Dwight Freeney is gone and the Colts injuries make them a question mark. Then again the Colts offense will be much more prepared for a rematch than they were for the first game.
Once they get to the SuperBowl, it's all over. I'm an NFC fan, but playing to become the NFC champ is like a college basketball team playing to get to the NIT. The AFC team will win the SuperBowl.
Well we've seen this situation before a couple of time is the last 10 years, first with the Broncos in '98 (I think) and then with the Colts a couple years ago. It likely comes down to just how the coaching staff decides to approach the last few games, IMO. Both Shanahan and Dungy weren't nearly as worried about posting a perfect record as they were gearing up and getting healthy for a playoff run. Belichick strikes me as a coach who might be more apt to shoot for that 16-0 immortality, particularly since he's already got 3 titles in the bag. But who knows?
I will say, however, that I expect the Giants to be playing for something come Week 17. They may be in the driver's seat for the Wild Card for now, but the traditional second half spiral has begun. They usually struggle this time of year, so I doubt they'll be resting their starters when they play the Pats.
Well the Pats have to get past the Steelers first. Based on what's happened the last two weeks with the Pats, they have shown some vulnerability. they should have lost to the Ravens last night, but for a few really bad calls.
They have shown a vulnerability to the Cover 2 and thay can be run on. With the Steelers, they're going to see a lot more aggressive Cover 2 and a defense that is a lot faster than the Ravens. Willie Parker should be able to run on them. They will also be facing Big Ben at QB and he is a lot more savvy and talented QB than the ones they faced the past 2 weeks.
I think the Steelers can beat them but they'll have to come out of the gate at full speed and never let up. It sure won't be easy.
Originally Posted by Bill Pup60
The Pats looked better in their two close calls than the Steelers did in losing and barely beating Miami even with the rain.
True. The Steelers looked horrible against the Jets. As for the Miami game, no one could have looked good in that horrible muck.
But did you hapen to see the Steelers beat the Bengals Sunday Night? Except for the Bengals first drive, which resulted in a quick 7, the Steelers D totally shut them down from there on out. And despite their record, Cincy does have a prolific high powered offense with a very good QB and great receivers.
As I said, The Steelers will have to start at high speed and never let up. But they can do it. Whetehr they will remains to be seen. No one would have predicted the Ravens would take them to the wire and hold "pretty boy" to a sub 500 night and sack him 3 times.
I see the Steelers beating the Pats. The steelers have the run game that the Ravens showed will give the Pats nightmares. The Steelers also have the passing game that the Eagles showed can give the Pats problems as well. If the Patriots were playing the same football on the defensive side of the ball that they did in the beginning of the year then I would say possibly different, but they simply have looked pathetic in the past 3-4 weeks.
The Patriots offense is also struggling. That means that they are now really good, but they are not playing like the best team to ever take the field anymore.
You also have to watch out for the Dolphins. I know that sounds really crazy, but the Dolphins have had a history of knocking off the Patriots in situations like this, when they suck and the Pats are lights out.
"T"
Dallas can ABSOLUTELY beat the Patriots if they face them in the Super Bowl. They have outstanding pass protection (plus a mobile QB) and the Patriots have very little pass rush (their one guy who was doing a good job this year in the pass rush, Roosevelt Colvin, is out for the year). They also have the ability to get to Brady with Ware and Ellis off the edges. The only concerns I have for them are:
1. They might not be able to fully expose the Patriots' below-average run defense because Julius Jones is an inconsistent runner who is either ON or OFF in any given game. Marion Barber could do some major damage, though...but the Cowboys don't tend to run well until the games are basically decided in the 4th quarter.
2. Wade Phillips plays way too much cushion with that secondary. The Patriots pick those cushions apart. He needs to do a better job of mixing their coverages...pressing their receivers every now and then and giving them too many different looks to get comfortable. Baltimore did that last night, and they should have won the game.
Very insightful post. I agree totally with your point # 2 (Dallas secondary gives too much cushion), but I take slight issue (but only slight) with your point # 1.
It just SEEMS as if the Cowboys "don't tend to run well until the games are basically decided in the 4th quarter". Fact is, the Cowboys typically run well throughout an entire game, but they use the running tandem of Barber and Jones to "milk the clock" and slam the door on tiring opponents late in a game. Barber punishes tacklers with his brutal style of running behind that big offensive line to put people away.
It's not that the Cowboys don't run well until the 4th quarter ......they just don't use the running game as a "time of possession" tool until it's needed to put an opponent away in the 4th quarter. There is a difference.
HD
They go undefeated and win the SB.
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