NFL 2014-5 playoffs: CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

3 people predicted the divisional games correctly, congratulations. was the mysterious lone correct predictor from the wildcards among those 3? do we have someone on a roll?

FACTOID: All of the Patriots’ eight postseason losses under Bill Belichick were a rematch from that regular season

can't see Indy pulling the upset though I feel that if Luck doesn't turn the ball over they'll have a good chance at it

NFC one is interesting, I'm a diehard Packer fan so I'm probably gonna delude myself into thinking that GB's defense stepping up and not letting Wilson run wild on them (as they love to let Kaep do) could allow them to squeak out a close win

green bay and seattle have played twice in the rodgers/wilson/mccarthy/carroll era, both at seattle, both wins for seattle. green bay scored 12 and 16 points in those games. aaron rodgers is hurt. therefore it is with the UTMOST confidence that i predict GB NE, super bowl XXXI revenge match

jack del rio is the only 2nd round interview candidate for the raiders job. can he fuck it up?

Well that first one was the "Fail Mary" game, the game this year was pretty bad though to be fair the Packers looked way different in the beginning of the season, their receivers in particular were just not on the right page. Not saying GB has a good chance in this game but I don't think going back to Week 1 is gonna tell you much.

yeah that first game of the season does seem like an aberration in retrospect but they really were comprehensively outplayed. i have been thinking about this game more than the NE one even and rodgers' bum leg is a serious variable of course but i really do see them winning this. seattle has gotten better and better as the season has gone along but the defense isn't quite the match of their prime last year and all season they played 2 teams with an offense, that game 1 and then philly on the cusp of their collapse. and green bay have looked such a machine at times, e.g. second half last week.

would be a huge triumph for Rodgers to win this game, and it def is possible, but ill take seattle

would be lovely and poetic for indy to beat ne on a long vinetieri fg but I think pats surviving last week was key and they'll pull this out too, tho I don't think it will be a blowout

exactly - Seattle's win streak is impressive but there's a lot of "getting teams at the right time" there, they aren't utterly destroying teams the way that GB has been

GB looked downright awful at Seattle and Detroit early in the season, but from Week 4 on they are now 12-2, including that bizarre loss at Buffalo where basically every single thing went wrong yet they still had a chance to drive for a win in the end. Rodgers can still perform on one leg, but I think Seattle of all teams is gonna be most likely to know what he can and can't do so I imagine there's a chance they just completely shut him down.

DL coach jim tomsula promoted to HC in san francisco, just like all the pundits were predicting

across the bay, jack del rio aces his 2nd round interview, gets the raiders job

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2015/01/14/colts-linebacker-josh-mcnary-has-been-charged-with-rape/21768817/

Josh McNary, 26, who has been with the team since 2013, faces one count of rape, one count of criminal confinement and one count of battery, court documents state.

john fox is going to interview for the bears' head coaching gig.

I think it is heading to a NE and Seattle Superbowl. I don't think the clubs have met since this version of the Seahawks got good. It would also be a match up of top football coaches with that old NE angle with Pete Carroll.

Based on absolutely no true football analyzing acumen, and only my gut, I think we're looking at a Squawks SB repeat win.

NE lost in seattle just a couple of seasons ago. NE dominated and then fell apart in the 4th, as i remember with much bitterness. at the time it was a bit of an upset but that was p much prime time seattle already even if ppl didn't necessarily know it yet. the biggest change since then is NE's o-line is a good amount worse in personnel and coaching, which is obv significant. it would be a low scoring game which has to favour seattle.

looks like Fox will actually be getting the Bears gig

felt like this one was worth framing

http://i.imgur.com/px3wS56.png

haha nice work man

lol that's a keeper alright

washington grab cowboys o-line architect bill callahan, which i think makes 2 smart decisions in a row and a very worrying trend

http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.608049670256856473&pid=1.7

also spags back at nyg is confirmed.

giants fans disproportionally loove spags, idk hes fine w/e

http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-packers-of-catan-green-bays-board-game-obsession-1421346102

there is nothing to do in green bay.

that's awesome. wkiw.

when i coached the red****s, i wanted to live in a bathysphere

felt like this one was worth framing


--polyphonic

you made gawker man http://gaw.kr/wxr3cAN

yeah i was reading the article earlier and was like whoa

I think the last public figure who got mad at me like that was Tracy Ringolsby. That was a great day.

LOS ANGELES TIMES
✧✧✧.farm✧✧✧@lati✧✧✧.c✧✧

@latimesfarmerAaron Rodgers says when they were at Cal, Marshawn Lynch would often challenge him to throwing-distance contests. Sometimes, Lynch won.

http://www.nflshop.com/Seattle_Seahawks_Gear/Seattle_Seahawks_Marshawn_Lynch_HD_Player_Mask

haha wth

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

The Bears hiring John Fox is pretty much them saying, yeah we probably shouldn't have fired Lovie Smith.

GB NE

http://www.nflshop.com/Seattle_Seahawks_Gear/Seattle_Seahawks_Marshawn_Lynch_HD_Player_Mask

― polyphonic, Friday, January 16, 2015 12:05 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

that is very weird

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

http://www.nflshop.com/search/player%20mask

http://nflshop.frgimages.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx%3Fi%3D/productImages/_1304000/ff_1304089_xl.jpg%26w%3D400

tsk tsk

richard sherman though

wow SHERM

pack shd only run/short pass until sea completely stacks the line etc

oh shit

http://nyt4thdownbot.com/play.html?gameid=01182015_GB@SEA&playid=20150118026576

really think they should've gone for it on one of those short 4th and goals

hahah i hadn't even clicked the link yet but yeah

daria are you a robot

damn the packers are shredding

squawks are gonna get too far down fairly soon

oh man

wilson got hit pretty hard on that INT return too

"Ha ha" indeed

alright this game is too much fun

This rain looks so relaxing

omg

sheesh

this is a real bummer

this game

Amazing

nicely done

don't count out big balls pete

Whoa

I need Seattle to win this because I've reached my fill of Clay Matthews and his stupid hair for this season.

beast mode

was that #5??? wow

FFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

feels like thats it for seattle after that

Looks out

the russell wilson redemption story

I need Seattle to win this because I've reached my fill of Clay Matthews and his stupid hair for this season.
--Johnny Fever

otm

hey hey!

BIG BALLS PETE

wow this game

crazy

hollllyyyy shit

Lmao I need a gif

ooooooh

just insane if seattle wins this

esp with another beast mode run, right

pack really should've gone for it on fourth and goal back then

Yesssss

you were saying daria

O_O

great game

Hahahahaha oh my goodness

amazing, I love it

man. i can't even

Whhhhhuuiiiiiiitttttt

didn't think i'd see a crazier game than pats ravens

wow

this would be like a career defining drive

that he made happen in immed 3 plays ok

now would be a good time for kam chancellor to hurdle the oline again right?

Crosby's eyebrows :(

luv this game going to ot

that 2pt conv was so hueg

pistol pete carroll

i don't remember 22-22 ever

oh shit

ok

man

aww sorry rodgers

R E L A X

Oof

YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I don't understand OT in football.

coin flips are paramount

It's dumb is all you need to know and until they do what college does it will be dumb

nothing will ever be as dumb as when tim tebow beat pittsburgh so there's that

Strains of one more time on the stadium PA sound amazing

Pete Carroll owns, suck it pack!!!

dont often see a qb sacked 5 times / throw 4 picks win a conf final game iirc

<3 Michael Bennett

dont often see a qb sacked 5 times / throw 4 picks win a conf final game iirc
--johnny crunch

first playoff win by a team with 5 or more turnovers since 1982-83 jets, apparently

I hope Sherman's okay. I'd hate for him to be a Super Bowl no-show.

that was, bar none, the toughest loss I've ever had to take

craziest game i've ever seen

v tough loss, lots of things consecutively had to break right & they all p much did rip gb

like I was tense and nervous the whole game even when GB was completely destroying them, and finally relaxed after that last pick. just crazy

not only did every single thing have to go Seattles way but they also weathered a first half in which they easily could've been down 31-0. I've defended McCarthy in the past but holy shit, what an awful coaching performance that was

minor quibble, but on that last wilson INT, the packer defensive player didn't try to advance the ball and just fell on it as the game seemed over...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B7q2gKECYAEEEjN.jpg

that was delightful

wow vinatieri
not even close

Lmao @ new acura ILX commercial using an orchestral cover of where is my mind

Haha and another one, this time with an orchestral cover of pimpin all over the world

I hope Acura is paying royalties

hahahaha what! solder?!

More trickery with last second eligibility changes

that was cute all the linemen were so happy

lil late on this but wow packers gave that game away huh

yeah that's a haunter

so many opportunities to put it away and did not

Lmao @ colts bone broth cooler

haha i just took a picture of that

to post on ilh

:)

i really dislike this refs vibe btw

Trying to tamp down the unorthodox line changed

*changes

Qb sneaks look very painful how has this 38 year old man done 3 this game already

why tf patriots getting cute w the formations on a qb sneak anyway

Dude's tough as nails

patriots own the colts wow

@ESPNStatsInfo: In 4 meetings with Andrew Luck, the Patriots have outscored the Colts, 175-73

Revis is so good

indy just conceded

andrew luck isnt quite as good as everyone thinks but imo his sideline reaction shots are low key hilarious

Bit of a space case that one

What are they punting?

just for kicks

Har

Studenaker got crushed

colts playing like the washington generals rn

superbowl pats favored by 2.5 line moves to 3.5 by game day my predict

trying to think when a superbowl team had two less impressive playoff wins than seattle

the 2014 colts, who last I checked had two wins before this meltdown

sry I misread i was thinking playoff in general

but the pats didn't exactly dominate the ravens - who I would hazard a guess are worse than the seahawks - like at all, and the colts were basically lucky to be involved so this sort of massacre isn't that impressive

massacres are always impressive

It's possible the ravens have the pats figured out much more than most teams

game was a lil flukey imo and the pats persevered anyway

That other game tho

Wooooooooo!!!!!

almost feel bad for the colts, i don't think they had any belief they could win.

Nice jig, Gronk

the jig is not up

too embarrassed for packers to watch highlights

definitely feels worse than 4th and 26, so many things that I find it hard to get over.

I was even sorta ok with them scoring the go ahead touchdown until they pulled that stupid 2 point conversion

That was a crazy loss that is going to linger in Wisconsin for a while I would think. I suppose it kind of makes up for the "we want the ball and we are going to win" game for Seattle fans.

Not surprised NE won handily after the Colts got off to a bad start. It started with Cribbs fumble, you just can't make mistakes like that on the Pats in NE. That happened and then they got the ball back after halftime and got a TD. Indy is hard to read, I think Luck does make up for a shite ton of their problems but they seem to struggle with depth on both sides of the ball. I think losing Bradshaw was kinda big for them, as when he was playing well it gave them another aspect on offense. Indy has some good playmakers on defense, but they could have used someone like Mathis in the pass rush. They seem to be 3-4 players from taking another step and if they want to take that other step, they are going to have to do in the draft.

I think Seattle/NE is a pretty even matchup going into the game. If Seattle wins a second Superbowl that really puts Pete Carroll on an interesting level as a football coach with 2 titles in NCAA (one technically vacated) and 2 Super Bowl wins. It would be big for the Pats to finally get over and get that fifth title which has slipped through their fingers for now a decade. Pats win won't shut up people about 'spygate', but it will be one more ring to finish out the hand.

bill simmons is gonna commit seppuku if carroll beats the pats.

Pats win won't shut up people about 'spygate'

Will anything ever?

bill simmons is gonna commit seppuku if carroll beats the pats.

go seahawks obvs

Well I would suppose Bill B. being able to fly the bird in a fist full of Superbowl rings probably would make up for everyone asking about 'spygate'.

/bill simmons is gonna commit seppuku if carroll beats the pats./

go seahawks obvs
--mookieproof

the motion is seconded and carries

the hatred of big balls pete by a certain v dedicated class of pats fans is weird to me. he had two seasons where they made the playoffs before the 8-8 '99 season. like, he wasn't mike fucking smith with an epic two year decline after years of dominance.

Never seen a team play so terribly in a playoff game and somehow win it. Extremely entertaining game, feel bad for Packers.

is bill parcells hated the same way? weird. anyway gonna be a crazy super bowl

(xp to self)

http://deadspin.com/report-patriots-under-nfl-investigation-for-deflating-1680358128

During the game, the officials took one of the balls to measure and weigh it. Hmm...

yeah there are a few things about this that don't make sense but of course it's already a national story.

the hatred of big balls pete by a certain v dedicated class of pats fans is weird to me. he had two seasons where they made the playoffs before the 8-8 '99 season. like, he wasn't mike fucking smith with an epic two year decline after years of dominance.

― i'm tellin you it was kenard (slothroprhymes), Monday, January 19, 2015 12:14 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

theres something so glib about him idk its really more about his personality than anything

maybe he did something terrible too idk ive forgotten why i hate pete carroll so much

my aunt worked for the 49ers at the time and she said everyone in the org thought it was very funny that he got a head coaching job

pete took a team that parcells had left in really good shape and oversaw its slow and steady regression

he was not a great coach

but thats not unsusal particularly in the patriots of the day

he really rubbed boston the wrong way with his california vibes is how i break it down

today if someone had california vibes it prob wouldnt be that big of a deal, but the world was different then

yeah that's right imo, parcells was such an asshole and people understood that, people here had no idea what to do with pete.

but the '97 super bowl should have been the first step to repeated deep playoff runs for that team instead of three years in the desert.

eh they made the playoffs, that pats teams wasnt like that good

unreasonable expectations imo

tho they prob wouldve been better with parcells

idk they were pretty good. lots of players on that defense were winning super bowls a couple years later.

two playoff appearances is not exactly...the wilderness

steady regression tho, w/e he was bad, but people hate him more than is objectively warrented

now he has taken his team to the superbowl two years in a row AND THIS UPSETS ME

CRUSH PETE

it's not gonna happen

man seattle looks m/l awful currently idk

if green bay had any interest in winning that game we wouldnt even be talking about this rn

every team has a fluke shitty game, pats had theirs early against the chiefs, luckily, and GB did when they got massacred by the fucking New Orleans saints (which...lolllll), Seattle just had theirs at almost the most wrong possible time

it'll be a really good game either way, its outcome won't affect me bc it is not the NBA or the sox

u realize they also played a game last week against a team with a losing record who was within striking distance almost the whole game

within striking distance is a stretch to describe what the panthers did

game was "slightly even" and then "complete fucking bloodbath"

mods is there some way to check if ilxor user slothroprhymes is a bot

here i have something for you this is a test to see if you are capable of decoding images

http://i.imgur.com/KUX0eze.png

u realize they also played a game last week against a team with a losing record who was within striking distance almost the whole game

― lag∞n, Monday, January 19, 2015 10:11 AM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

it's early ffs no need to get snippy

hmmm

Didn't realize until today there is a designated NFL thread. Hi dere!

As a longtime Packers hater and onetime Seattle resident, yesterday was unbelievable. best. game. ever.