NFL updates/news

[Vetali]

Seattle only really plays well at home. To get home field advantage in some of the rounds they would need the 49ers to lose to..... the Cardinals. Good luck with that. They will in all likelyhood open up as a 5th seed having to face the Redskins/Cowboys in the 1st round on the road. Could they win that game? Im sure they could. Will they win 3 road games to get to the Super Bowl? With these team and their struggles I dont see that happening at all.

This is a terrible assumption with the current state of this team. Maybe pre, and even post bears game you could say that. But the Seahawks are hot right now. Shutting down the 49ers and Bills with 5th and 6th string corners is no easy feat. Browner will be back for the playoffs, and if Sherman is successful with his appeal they will be paired with Thurmond who is a lot better than Trufant in this day and where we were getting torn up defensively.

December is the month to be hot. We are tearing up defenses with the zone read. I want to play RG3 at their turf as a Seahawk. Take the entire hype to ROTY right to them and serve it. Our defense is better than Washingtons, our D is prepared for the zone read RG3 also incorporates, our run game is better, our receivers are better (yeah, I'll say it. Rice, Tate, McCoy, Miller and Baldwin are a different beast from the start of the season), our special teams and O line are very underrated, and Wilson has faced better defenses and QBs through the season.

Yeah, thats my thoughts. I'd be the first to doubt what this team can do, trust me. Right now there is no team that I can say I'm afraid of in the NFL.

[Jibjabb]

Shutting down the Cardinals and Bills is an easy feat in general. They suck. Beating the 49ers is great but once again it was at home where they have played well all season. Whats their best road win? @ Chicago probably when they were already playing poorly and Cutlers 1st game back from injury, it also took them OT to get that win. I dont see a single shred of an evidence that this team can win 3 games against playoff teams on the road. If they had the #1 seed than it would be a different story but chances are they will be the #5.

As of right now I would once again favor the Packers in the NFC. Maybe if they lose to the Vikings I could see a different outcome.

[conscript]

As of right now I would once again favor the Packers in the NFC. Maybe if they lose to the Vikings I could see a different outcome.

I'd agree about the Packers being the favorites. What Rodgers has done with such a patchwork set of guys all year has been great. Their defense is slowly coming around thanks to their improving injury situation. Plus they actually showed a semblance of a run game at times last week although that could have been just the Titans sucking large amount of penis. They are still the one team in the NFC I absolutely want no part of. I think right now Seattle would be the second team, even if they are on the road. The Hawks are flat out a different team since they took the shackles off Wilson. You can argue the Seahawks are a mediocre road team, but you know how many times they have lost by more than one possession? ZERO. They haven't lost by more than 7 points all season. The Seahawks are literally three fourth quarter defensive collapses away from being 13-2 right now. They led every single game in the fourth quarter this year except the first San Fran and St Louis games. The Hawks have never been out of a single game this year thanks to the efficiency of their QB, their great defense, and their running game. Guess what matters most in the playoffs? A hot defense, an efficient QB who can make plays to win you the game, and a running game to eat clock. This team is built for the playoffs more than anyone else in the league right now.

As for the AFC, I can't not look at what the Broncos have done the last 10 games and not slot them as the favorite. Houston can no show for games plus who knows what is going on with Foster right now. The Patriots defense is hit or terribly miss. Denver's offensive is explosive, their defense is shut down. The Broncos and Hawks are the two teams I want absolutely no part of in the playoffs at home or on the road.

[Neazy]

Imagine this:

-Packers lose to Vikings (semi-likely)
-9ers lose to Cards (more likely with 3 of their players injured)
-Hawks beat Rams (very likely)

That would mean Seattle wins the division and has the same record as the Packers. Since the Seahawks beat the Packers on that replacement ref call, that would give Seattle the #2 seed, a bye and a home game. Can you imagine the shitstorm from Packer fans????? I want it to happen purely for entertainment purposes.

[Badpaladin]

That would be ridiculous. I'd shit bricks.

[Vetali]

Shutting down the Cardinals and Bills is an easy feat in general. They suck. Beating the 49ers is great but once again it was at home where they have played well all season. Whats their best road win? @ Chicago probably when they were already playing poorly and Cutlers 1st game back from injury, it also took them OT to get that win. I dont see a single shred of an evidence that this team can win 3 games against playoff teams on the road. If they had the #1 seed than it would be a different story but chances are they will be the #5.

As of right now I would once again favor the Packers in the NFC. Maybe if they lose to the Vikings I could see a different outcome.

Yeah... okay whatever. Last I checked Cutler had pretty good stats that game. Their "top" defense couldn't contain two game winning drives, one consisting of 97 fucking yards.

I've said it all year. I though the 49ers were overrated. Their losses are blowouts aside from the 2 OT games between the Rams. People keep talking about the rivalry between the Seahawks and 49ers. If it shows you anything, when the 49ers lined up the first time they went into a pistol formation and 3 and outed. Seahawks mimicked it and drove for the TD right after.

Imagine this:

-Packers lose to Vikings (semi-likely)
-9ers lose to Cards (more likely with 3 of their players injured)
-Hawks beat Rams (very likely)

That would mean Seattle wins the division and has the same record as the Packers. Since the Seahawks beat the Packers on that replacement ref call, that would give Seattle the #2 seed, a bye and a home game. Can you imagine the shitstorm from Packer fans????? I want it to happen purely for entertainment purposes.

Packers losing to the Vikings might happen. 49ers losing to the Cards is very unlikely, but I could see the Cards coming out to play a game and the niners taking them as a joke.

[Neazy]

I don't know if you can call the 49ers overrated. This season they beat the Bears and Seahawks at home and the Packers at Lambeau, the Saints at the Superdome, and the Patriots at Foxborough. All of those are playoff teams (except the Saints, but I would still consider them a top team even if their W/L record this year doesn't agree with me). Their only losses to playoff teams came against the Seahawks and Vikings.

You look at the other top teams and none of them have as many wins over quality opponents as the 9ers do. The Broncos have losses to the Texans, Falcons and Patriots with their only quality wins coming over the Saints, Steelers and Ravens. And the Steelers aren't exactly a powerhouse this year. The Texans on the other hand have wins against the Broncos, Ravens, Bears and Colts, but lost their two biggest games against the Packers and the Patriots.

If anyone's overrated, it's not the 9ers. They've won their biggest games and managed to stay on top of one of the toughest divisions.

[Novar]

The Seahawks are a completely different team right now. They are super hot when its time to be super hot. If you honestly can deny that they aren't the hottest team going into the Playoffs then you have to be ignorant. I've given proprs where props are due but right now the hawks are absolutely killing everyone. It's not like they're winning by a touchdown either, they've managed to score 150 points in three games, how many other teams are doing that or have done that since the 50's? Make excuses all you want about this and that, but if the Seahawks at a bad time of the year can get too Rodgers 8 times in a half, what would they do to him while they're this hot?

[Badpaladin]

Strength of Schedule as of week 17, for the 2012 season. Computed with a TI-83 Plus Silver Edition and nothing better to do:

Denver: 108 - 117
Record: 12 - 3

New England: 112 - 111 - 2
Record: 11 - 4

Houston: 108 - 117
Record: 12 - 3

Atlanta: 94 - 131
Record: 13 - 2

San Francisco: 116 - 107 - 2
Record: 10 - 4 - 1

<Real SoS/Record is in Parenthesis>
Green Bay: 111 - 112 - 2 (110 - 113 - 2)
Record: 11 - 4 (12 - 3)

In short, San Francisco has the toughest SoS out of all the five best teams in the league. It's not an insane margin, and the numbers aren't strictly representative of every factor involved in how difficult a team's record is (or how difficult it is perceived to be). As far as I'm concerned, the top six teams in the league (aside from Atlanta, Jesus Christ), are within roughly the same range when you consider some play in weaker divisions than others, which skews the numbers slightly. They all have roughly the same record against those SoS's, so I see nothing about overrated on there (aside from perhaps Atlanta, if one is concerned strictly with numbers).

IThe Broncos have losses to the Texans, Falcons and Patriots with their only quality wins coming over the Saints, Steelers and Ravens.

*cough* And The Bengals, on the road! *uncough*

[Neazy]

*cough* And The Bengals, on the road! *uncough*

Good call, they're probably better than the Steelers.

That Atlanta SoS... wow. And they've been barely winning games, too.

[Vetali]

You can bring up numbers, sure. I'll back up and say their D is overrated. All last week I heard how Aldon Smith was going to kill Russell Wilson. I kept telling them to to look at the number of sacks in the first game. Russell Wilson and Russell Okung made a joke out of their pass rush.

[Northy]

Lets' go Pack! Crush those purple dress wearing queenies into the turf and secure the first round bye!

[Pendulous]

How can San Francisco's strength of schedule have two ties, if they were one of those ties?

[Badpaladin]

How can San Francisco's strength of schedule have two ties, if they were one of those ties?

The schedule of the Rams is 7 - 7 - 1, and they played them twice, thus the Rams' contribution to the (as of week 17) SF's SoS is 14 - 14 - 2. SF's contribution to the tie has no more bearing on the SoS than their contribution to a win or loss against another team.

[conscript]

In short, San Francisco has the toughest SoS out of all the five best teams in the league.

You are missing another of the top 5 teams. You know, the one that just slaughtered the 49ers, has scored an unfathomable amount of points the last three weeks, has never lost a game by more than a TD, the true best defense in the NFL even despite blowing literally three games, and has a shot at a bye next week. The Seattle Seahawks.

The Atlanta strength of schedule is fucking hilarious. Their best win on the year is that domination of the Giants that then promptly no showed again the following week which makes you have to at least question the quality of that win a bit (not that they didn't destroy the Giants). Can't wait to watch them get blown apart in their first playoff game by literally anyone they end up with.

[Rukentuts]

Will the Pack even really try to play hard against the Vikes? I mean other than rivalry I don't think the Pack has much to play for at this point do they?

[Neazy]

Will the Pack even really try to play hard against the Vikes? I mean other than rivalry I don't think the Pack has much to play for at this point do they?

Imagine this:

-Packers lose to Vikings (semi-likely)
-9ers lose to Cards (more likely with 3 of their players injured)
-Hawks beat Rams (very likely)

That would mean Seattle wins the division and has the same record as the Packers. Since the Seahawks beat the Packers on that replacement ref call, that would give Seattle the #2 seed, a bye and a home game. Can you imagine the shitstorm from Packer fans????? I want it to happen purely for entertainment purposes.

They need to play to win because if they lose and SF loses then the Seahawks grab the #2 seed and the Packers have to play in the wild card round.

[Rukentuts]

They need to play to win because if they lose and SF loses then the Seahawks grab the #2 seed and the Packers have to play in the wild card round.

Fuck. I was hoping it would be downhill after the Texans slaughter.

At least we're at the Metrodome.

[Novar]

Eh, I have to hear about the Packers so much. My family is all Packers fans. I will never live the Golden Tate "Fail Mary" play down. I will hear about that forever. I want the Seahawks or someone new to get to the Super Bowl. It's been the same damn teams for the last decade. Give us something new!

[draynay]

Eh, I have to hear about the Packers so much. My family is all Packers fans. I will never live the Golden Tate "Fail Mary" play down. I will hear about that forever. I want the Seahawks or someone new to get to the Super Bowl. It's been the same damn teams for the last decade. Give us something new!

the Seahawks have been in the Super Bowl in the last decade

just sayin'