NFL & College Football 2012/2013/2014 & beyond....

[sloopjohnc]

Have had this cap for 20 years.

[Diamond Dog]

Either Sanu or Hogan to score first TD would be sweet too.

[Six String]

Some anmouncer at the SB said to stay tune for the greatest moment of the year in music, speaking of the halftime entertainment. I guess they have to say that to merit them charging artists to perform there. I think that's outrageous.
It's like professional teams asking the local governments to provide them a place to play.

[Diamond Dog]

Atlanta are killing the Patriots in each and every department. Fabulous!

[Six String]

What a game! And it's not over. You're watching live Pete? What a man!

[sloopjohnc]

What a game! And it's not over. You're watching live Pete? What a man!

Yeah, pretty amazing. I was at my brother-in-law's house and left at halftime to watch at home. Everyone was giving it to Atlanta and I left saying, "I wouldn't be so sure of that."

[Diamond Dog]

I went to bed just towards the end of the third quarter - thinking see the rest in bed, fall asleep etc. The Patriots were 25 points down.

Whatever we think of this team - that's a stunning, stunning performance. Superhuman.

[never/ever]

The 1 in 93 and 1.
Wish the team was in all more sympathetic but that was one awesome performance.
Pucker up Gooddell...

[Six String]

If one didn't believe in the Pats before, they should now. When NE got the coin toss at OT I knew it was over. One of my co-workers will be so happy today. A truly fairy tale ending.

[sloopjohnc]

Watching morning analysis all morning on ESPN - both Matt Hasselback and Donovan McNabb didn't bust Matt Ryan's chops for not throwing it away, as he should have, but more blaming Alex Mack, who was playing on a broken fibula, for not being able to make the block up the middle.

Yes, Atlanta could've played it safe and ran it three times, but they were not running it well and passing it was got them there. Seattle played it safe a few years ago and look where that got them?

Last night, Steve Young blamed the Falcons for playing cover one all night, which allowed James White to have the night he had and allowed Brady to eventually figure the coverage out in the fourth quarter.

James White should've gotten MVP - three touchdowns and breaking three tackles for the winning score.

[Diamond Dog]

Watching morning analysis all morning on ESPN - both Matt Hasselback and Donovan McNabb didn't bust Matt Ryan's chops for not throwing it away, as he should have, but more blaming Alex Mack, who was playing on a broken fibula, for not being able to make the block up the middle.

Yes, Atlanta could've played it safe and ran it three times, but they were not running it well and passing it was got them there. Seattle played it safe a few years ago and look where that got them?

Last night, Steve Young blamed the Falcons for playing cover one all night, which allowed James White to have the night he had and allowed Brady to eventually figure the coverage out in the fourth quarter.

James White should've gotten MVP - three touchdowns and breaking three tackles for the winning score.

I actually think the issue was Freeman's completely busted blocking assignment that allowed Hightower free rein on Ryan. But, even so, he has to be aware of a potential sack - especially as it's coming from the open side (which should be the side he sees naturally as a right hander). But, no matter what, it was a fucking horrible playcall by Shanahan. Completely unnecessary and the potential gains in no way outweighed the risk. If you're going to pass - make it a fade or a quick out or something in the flat.... something that gets the ball out of the hands of the QB quickly. Don't put in a play that has to take time to develop and risk exactly what happened. But the Falcs were still averaging about six yards per carry at time - run the fucking thing. If you get the yard, great. If you don't - you still burn time. And then take a pop at the FG. But, fuck me, don;t risk a sack. That's criminal.

"Seattle played it safe a few years ago and look where that got them?" ? You mean throwing a slant on the one yard line with two plays to go and a time out and Beast Mode in the backfield is playing it safe? I think you've got that entirely wrong John.

I think Young is right. They carried on playing the same way even when the Pats had finally worked their coverage out. But the key with their D was that they completely ran out of gas - there was that series just towards the end of the third quarter when they sacked Brady three times in six plays or so - but, after that, they were never getting to him quickly enough. And if you give a decent QB time - and they've picked your coverage- they will swallow you up. And they did. Bit by bit they just ground that D into the dirt. Oh and Brady is a bit more than decent....... Even so - the Pats so nearly fucked up with that pass call at the one yard line that Beasley probably should have intercepted. Another horrible call - and a poorly thrown ball too. After that it was just give it to the RB and get him over. And they did. As they always do.

By the way - here's a question. If White doesn't get in.... does Bellichick take the 3 or go for the TD on 4th down?

[sloopjohnc]

Watching morning analysis all morning on ESPN - both Matt Hasselback and Donovan McNabb didn't bust Matt Ryan's chops for not throwing it away, as he should have, but more blaming Alex Mack, who was playing on a broken fibula, for not being able to make the block up the middle.

Yes, Atlanta could've played it safe and ran it three times, but they were not running it well and passing it was got them there. Seattle played it safe a few years ago and look where that got them?

Last night, Steve Young blamed the Falcons for playing cover one all night, which allowed James White to have the night he had and allowed Brady to eventually figure the coverage out in the fourth quarter.

James White should've gotten MVP - three touchdowns and breaking three tackles for the winning score.

I actually think the issue was Freeman's completely busted blocking assignment that allowed Hightower free rein on Ryan. But, even so, he has to be aware of a potential sack - especially as it's coming from the open side (which should be the side he sees naturally as a right hander). But, no matter what, it was a fucking horrible playcall by Shanahan. Completely unnecessary and the potential gains in no way outweighed the risk. If you're going to pass - make it a fade or a quick out or something in the flat.... something that gets the ball out of the hands of the QB quickly. Don't put in a play that has to take time to develop and risk exactly what happened. But the Falcs were still averaging about six yards per carry at time - run the fucking thing. If you get the yard, great. If you don't - you still burn time. And then take a pop at the FG. But, fuck me, don;t risk a sack. That's criminal.

"Seattle played it safe a few years ago and look where that got them?" ? You mean throwing a slant on the one yard line with two plays to go and a time out and Beast Mode in the backfield is playing it safe? I think you've got that entirely wrong John.

I think Young is right. They carried on playing the same way even when the Pats had finally worked their coverage out. But the key with their D was that they completely ran out of gas - there was that series just towards the end of the third quarter when they sacked Brady three times in six plays or so - but, after that, they were never getting to him quickly enough. And if you give a decent QB time - and they've picked your coverage- they will swallow you up. And they did. Bit by bit they just ground that D into the dirt. Oh and Brady is a bit more than decent....... Even so - the Pats so nearly fucked up with that pass call at the one yard line that Beasley probably should have intercepted. Another horrible call - and a poorly thrown ball too. After that it was just give it to the RB and get him over. And they did. As they always do.

By the way - here's a question. If White doesn't get in.... does Bellichick take the 3 or go for the TD on 4th down?

It was interesting - NE went for two both times, when the league average is under 50% and got both. I think he goes for the win, but coaches tend to be conservative, yet there are those two two-point conversions.

Steve Young was funny - he said in his post-game comments the safety should've just waved to Brady to tell him what the coverage was.

And the Seattle play was the stupidest Super Bowl play ever - maybe you misunderstood me.

I don't know what Shanahan was thinking, to be honest. I was thinking slant too if they didn't want to run. Atlanta's field goal kicker was 25-26 from that range during the season.

Former defensive lineman, Mike Golic, was saying the Falcons were just pooped on interior line. He made a good point - on a pass, interior lineman rush and then follow the pass for a potential tackle. When you're doing that 60+ times a game, it takes a lot out of you.

And yes, Freeman's non-block was the second worst play for the Falcons.

The big question today was did the Pats win it or did the Falcons choke? It takes two to tango and you can't come back if the other team doesn't give you the opportunity. Last night, Randy Moss pointed out how the Pats are the masters of situational football. They are great at that - it seems like they had the comeback all drawn up at halftime and had an answer for everything.

I have a ton of friends who went to Serra High School (the football field is named after Brady). They have produced two of the greatest athletes of all time in their respective sports - Barry Bonds and Tom Brady. Like many guys I know, Brady went to St. Gregory's in San Mateo, a feeder school for Serra, as Bonds went to St. Charles in San Carlos. Redwood City, where I grew up, to Burlingame, are pretty close communities. Brady grew up seven blocks from Serra. My mom grew up in San Mateo and my dad in Burlingame. In the pic below, I coached the guy next to Brady in the Serra Hall of Fame, Tim Kennedy, in youth basketball. From Serra, he went to play hoops at Loyola Marymount, a Catholic college, and has coached two NBA player brothers at Mitty High in San Jose. The guys I grew up with live and die sports.

[pcqgod]

I came that close to switching it off. I was rooting for Atlanta, but since they're not my team I didn't care about the post-game celebration/"I'm going to Disneyworld" crap. This game was the best illustration of how football is a game of momentum, yet.

[Diamond Dog]

Actually it's really strange how being tired and getting carried away with the excitement warps your memory.

The winning TD was scored on 2nd and goal, not 3rd and goal, so my question is largely moot.

And the sack that cost them the FG wasn't the one where Hightower got to Ryan because Freeman missed a block - it was up the middle and Ryan absolutely has no excuse to be caught there. The playcall was utterly shit though - trying to go for a deep pass.... crazy.

[sloopjohnc]

Actually it's really strange how being tired and getting carried away with the excitement warps your memory.

The winning TD was scored on 2nd and goal, not 3rd and goal, so my question is largely moot.

And the sack that cost them the FG wasn't the one where Hightower got to Ryan because Freeman missed a block - it was up the middle and Ryan absolutely has no excuse to be caught there. The playcall was utterly shit though - trying to go for a deep pass.... crazy.

I've talked to three or four diehard football fans at work like me about the game - two played college (lineman and linebacker at Stanford and Univ of Washington) and no one blamed Ryan. No analyst on ESPN has blamed him either - he saw pressure up the middle and didn't expect it right. Your friend, Chris, is an idiot.

They blamed Shanahan. They blamed Mack, but not Ryan. Your friend is not as smart as he thinks he is.

I figured it out that he was that Plaxico dude, and it all made sense. He was an idiot then and he's an idiot now.

[Diamond Dog]

I haven't mentioned Chris and your spat on FB (either here or there) so I'm not sure why you feel the need to mention it here in your defence John.

I'm happy in my understanding of the sack having seen it again today. In that situation a QB knows the only thing he must avoid is the sack. He didn't.

[Six String]

Regardless of any what, why or who, it was one of the best SB I've seen. Anyone who gave up and turned off the tv at the half missed a great game.

[Diamond Dog]

It's the greatest comeback I've seen. In any sport.

[sloopjohnc]

Good conversation, starting at 1:56, on this year's draft, especially QBs

http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=18690226

[Diamond Dog]

I'll read that cheers John.

You know I've been thinking about the Patriots win and season - when you consider they played without Brady for the first 4 games and without Gronkowski for the last half of the season (and playoffs)..... it's really some achievement.