NFL Playoffs 2010

[Fafnir]

Super Bowl predictions?

Green Bay 21
Pittsburgh 18



Interesting thing to note about the AFC Championship game:

Big Ben had a passer rating of 35.
Sanchez had a passer rating of 102.

Should we all start excusing Sanchez because the Steelers have a good defense like we did last week with a certain Pats QB?

Excusing sanchez for what?  I didnt think he played all that poorly.  He wasnt the reason they lost that game.  Didnt give it away like all the games that Favre gave away in his career.

So you're saying that he has moved up into the elite group of QBs?  I agree it looks a lot like he outplayed Burger, just like he did Brady and Manning this post-season.

He had a worse game than Manning actually, but I forgot that you're incapable of differentiating between a team's play and a QBs.

I think Sanchez has excellent potential, but if he doesn't become more accurate he's not going to have the same level of success going forward. The Jets are still a bad offense despite a solid running game and great D/Special teams. That has to improve if they want consistent success.

[Rondo2287]

Super Bowl predictions?

Green Bay 21
Pittsburgh 18



Interesting thing to note about the AFC Championship game:

Big Ben had a passer rating of 35.
Sanchez had a passer rating of 102.

Should we all start excusing Sanchez because the Steelers have a good defense like we did last week with a certain Pats QB?

Excusing sanchez for what?  I didnt think he played all that poorly.  He wasnt the reason they lost that game.  Didnt give it away like all the games that Favre gave away in his career.

So you're saying that he has moved up into the elite group of QBs?  I agree it looks a lot like he outplayed Burger, just like he did Brady and Manning this post-season.

He had a worse game than Manning actually, but I forgot that you're incapable of differentiating between a team's play and a QBs.

I think Sanchez has excellent potential, but if he doesn't become more accurate he's not going to have the same level of success going forward. The Jets are still a bad offense despite a solid running game and great D/Special teams. That has to improve if they want consistent success.

Don't forget the Jets also have one of the top Offensive lines in the game.

[Fafnir]

BTW I hate the macho NFL player garbage. Everyone is trashing Cutler because they didn't see his injury. If a guy can't plant and explode with his leg he can't throw accurately.

If he'd tried to play on they'd be killing him for not being good enough to take advantage of an amazing defensive performance and good field position. Their attacks are based entirely on the Rick Reilly type perception of Cutler.

He's in a [dang]ed if you do, [dang]ed if you don't. Assuming the coaches would let him go back on after seeing his awful throw in the third quarter.

[Roy H.]

BTW I hate the macho NFL player garbage. Everyone is trashing Cutler because they didn't see his injury. If a guy can't plant and explode with his leg he can't throw accurately.

If he'd tried to play on they'd be killing him for not being good enough to take advantage of an amazing defensive performance and good field position. Their attacks are based entirely on the Rick Reilly type perception of Cutler.

Did you see what Olin Kreutz said?  Basically, the leg was spasming / shaking all over the place in the huddle.

[Fafnir]

BTW I hate the macho NFL player garbage. Everyone is trashing Cutler because they didn't see his injury. If a guy can't plant and explode with his leg he can't throw accurately.

If he'd tried to play on they'd be killing him for not being good enough to take advantage of an amazing defensive performance and good field position. Their attacks are based entirely on the Rick Reilly type perception of Cutler.

Did you see what Olin Kreutz said?  Basically, the leg was spasming / shaking all over the place in the huddle.

Yeah exactly, yet they're still trashing him for 30 minutes never considering what a guy on the field said.

They just added some cover my ass bs about "if it comes back serious that'd change my opinion". If he sprained it bad enough even without a tear its going to be impossible to play on effectively.

[Rondo2287]

BTW I hate the macho NFL player garbage. Everyone is trashing Cutler because they didn't see his injury. If a guy can't plant and explode with his leg he can't throw accurately.

If he'd tried to play on they'd be killing him for not being good enough to take advantage of an amazing defensive performance and good field position. Their attacks are based entirely on the Rick Reilly type perception of Cutler.

Absolutely, I don't blame cutler, I heard people saying he should have come out with a Brace and tried.  But if he knew he couldnt be effective i commend him for not just trying to tough it out for appearences sake and then coming out of the game.

[Roy H.]

Super Bowl predictions?

Green Bay 21
Pittsburgh 18



Interesting thing to note about the AFC Championship game:

Big Ben had a passer rating of 35.
Sanchez had a passer rating of 102.

Should we all start excusing Sanchez because the Steelers have a good defense like we did last week with a certain Pats QB?

Excusing sanchez for what?  I didnt think he played all that poorly.  He wasnt the reason they lost that game.  Didnt give it away like all the games that Favre gave away in his career.

So you're saying that he has moved up into the elite group of QBs?  I agree it looks a lot like he outplayed Burger, just like he did Brady and Manning this post-season.

He had a worse game than Manning actually, but I forgot that you're incapable of differentiating between a team's play and a QBs.

I think Sanchez has excellent potential, but if he doesn't become more accurate he's not going to have the same level of success going forward. The Jets are still a bad offense despite a solid running game and great D/Special teams. That has to improve if they want consistent success.

Don't forget the Jets also have one of the top Offensive lines in the game.

. . . and a very talented receiving corps.  Holmes, Edwards, Keller . . . There's no reason a good QB shouldn't thrive with the Jets talent around him.

[Eja117]

Super Bowl predictions?

Green Bay 21
Pittsburgh 18



Interesting thing to note about the AFC Championship game:

Big Ben had a passer rating of 35.
Sanchez had a passer rating of 102.

Should we all start excusing Sanchez because the Steelers have a good defense like we did last week with a certain Pats QB?

Excusing sanchez for what?  I didnt think he played all that poorly.  He wasnt the reason they lost that game.  Didnt give it away like all the games that Favre gave away in his career.

So you're saying that he has moved up into the elite group of QBs?  I agree it looks a lot like he outplayed Burger, just like he did Brady and Manning this post-season.

He had a worse game than Manning actually, but I forgot that you're incapable of differentiating between a team's play and a QBs.

I think Sanchez has excellent potential, but if he doesn't become more accurate he's not going to have the same level of success going forward. The Jets are still a bad offense despite a solid running game and great D/Special teams. That has to improve if they want consistent success.

In his last 5 games he's only thrown two interceptions. That included three road playoff games, where the other QBs threw 3. And it included road games at Pittsburg and Chicago.

I see why people would say Sanchez didn't outplay Manning.

I suppose you could say Kurt Warner outplayed Brady in Super Bowl 36 with his 365 yards passing, which was the 2nd most ever in a Super Bowl.  But I wouldn't.

Sanchez did his job in that game. Got some help.  Manning lost to the road team with the young QB. And it's not like Manning did anything spectacular in that game.

[Fafnir]

Sanchez did his job in that game. Got some help.  Manning lost to the road team with the young QB. And it's not like Manning did anything spectacular in that game.

Well at least you're acknowledging that players other than QBs impact the game!

Manning completed 69% of his passes, had a TD, and had 225 yards in 25 attempts. That's a good to very good game.

Sanchez completed 58% of his passes, had an INT, and only had 189 yards in 31 attempts.

He didn't outplay Manning. Once again I'll add that he doesn't have to play the Jets defense either. He faces a very different challenge than the opposing QBs.

[Cman]

Should we all start excusing Sanchez because the Steelers have a good defense like we did last week with a certain Pats QB?

Excusing sanchez for what?  I didnt think he played all that poorly.  He wasnt the reason they lost that game.  Didnt give it away like all the games that Favre gave away in his career.

So you're saying that he has moved up into the elite group of QBs?  I agree it looks a lot like he outplayed Burger, just like he did Brady and Manning this post-season.

No he isnt in the elite group of QB's  I would say he went up "good" level of QB's which I would say includes, Eli, Sanchez, Cutler and Bradford.

Sanchez played great, he doesn't need to be excused for anything.  He is certainly not an elite QB though.  A few good games do not an elite QB make.  Once he's got a SB ring I'll revisit my thinking on this.  Or if he proves year and year again that he can take his team deep in the playoffs, likewise I'll reconsider.

[Cman]

BTW I hate the macho NFL player garbage. Everyone is trashing Cutler because they didn't see his injury. If a guy can't plant and explode with his leg he can't throw accurately.

If he'd tried to play on they'd be killing him for not being good enough to take advantage of an amazing defensive performance and good field position. Their attacks are based entirely on the Rick Reilly type perception of Cutler.

Absolutely, I don't blame cutler, I heard people saying he should have come out with a Brace and tried.  But if he knew he couldnt be effective i commend him for not just trying to tough it out for appearences sake and then coming out of the game.

Using a brace.  That's an interesting idea.  heck, you know Favre would've tried that....

[Cman]

Super Bowl predictions?

Green Bay: 28
Pittsburgh: 20

[Roy H.]

Pittsburgh usually seems to come through in these situations, so I'm going with 24-23, Steelers.

[Eja117]

Should we all start excusing Sanchez because the Steelers have a good defense like we did last week with a certain Pats QB?

Excusing sanchez for what?  I didnt think he played all that poorly.  He wasnt the reason they lost that game.  Didnt give it away like all the games that Favre gave away in his career.

So you're saying that he has moved up into the elite group of QBs?  I agree it looks a lot like he outplayed Burger, just like he did Brady and Manning this post-season.

No he isnt in the elite group of QB's  I would say he went up "good" level of QB's which I would say includes, Eli, Sanchez, Cutler and Bradford.

Sanchez played great, he doesn't need to be excused for anything.  He is certainly not an elite QB though.  A few good games do not an elite QB make.  Once he's got a SB ring I'll revisit my thinking on this.  Or if he proves year and year again that he can take his team deep in the playoffs, likewise I'll reconsider.

Actually I guess I agree with that....with one minor caveat.

I get the comparisons to the next level down of QBs like Bradford and whatnot.

Except one thing.  This is a good young QB who is going on the road to beat and outplay the elite QBs.  
Yes he has help.  So do they.

[Fafnir]

I don't like the Pittsburgh offensive line, not with their C looking like he'll be out.

I'll have to hear about health before I make a pick.