2010 NFL Season

[OldRamsFan]

I hope you're kidding about that, right? There's no way the Saints get anywhere close to defeating the Saints.

This is fantastic.

Doh. I really goofed up the typing job, didn't I?

[IceCap]

I hope you're kidding about that, right? There's no way the Saints get anywhere close to defeating the Saints.

This is fantastic.

Doh. I really goofed up the typing job, didn't I?

Yes you did, but that's not all. I just love seeing the overreaction and anger as a result of a 7-9 team making the playoffs.

Fact is that the rules for making the playoffs are the same for every single team at the start of the season. Seattle did what they had to do to get in.

Furthermore a sub .500 team making it to the playoffs is a statistical anomaly. No need to act like the sky is falling due to one fluke season.

I have to say, I really do think you would be singing a different tune if the Rams managed to get in at 7-9.

[OldRamsFan]

I have to say, I really do think you would be singing a different tune if the Rams managed to get in at 7-9.

Honestly, I really don't think I would. I would be ashamed. 8-8 is bad enough, but 7-9. Ugh.

[BlueSky]

I hope you're kidding about that, right? There's no way the Saints get anywhere close to defeating the Saints.

This is fantastic.

Doh. I really goofed up the typing job, didn't I?

Yes you did, but that's not all. I just love seeing the overreaction and anger as a result of a 7-9 team making the playoffs.

Fact is that the rules for making the playoffs are the same for every single team at the start of the season. Seattle did what they had to do to get in.

Furthermore a sub .500 team making it to the playoffs is a statistical anomaly. No need to act like the sky is falling due to one fluke season.

I have to say, I really do think you would be singing a different tune if the Rams managed to get in at 7-9.

If you can't see the idiocy of a 7-9 team not only making the playoffs but getting home field advantage in the first round while two 10-6 teams sit home and an 11-5 team flies 2000 miles to play them...well, sorry, can't help you.

[IceCap]

I hope you're kidding about that, right? There's no way the Saints get anywhere close to defeating the Saints.

This is fantastic.

Doh. I really goofed up the typing job, didn't I?

Yes you did, but that's not all. I just love seeing the overreaction and anger as a result of a 7-9 team making the playoffs.

Fact is that the rules for making the playoffs are the same for every single team at the start of the season. Seattle did what they had to do to get in.

Furthermore a sub .500 team making it to the playoffs is a statistical anomaly. No need to act like the sky is falling due to one fluke season.

I have to say, I really do think you would be singing a different tune if the Rams managed to get in at 7-9.

If you can't see the idiocy of a 7-9 team not only making the playoffs but getting home field advantage in the first round while two 10-6 teams sit home and an 11-5 team flies 2000 miles to play them...well, sorry, can't help you.

I just don't see the point in getting up in arms about a statistical anomaly. It's not like a sub .500 team makes the playoffs every season.

Besides, the league rules are the league rules. Just once I would like to see the NFL not overreact to something like this.

[infrared41]

Guys, in 45 years of NFL football (we all know the league didn't really exist before Super Bowl I) a grand total of one team has made the playoffs with a losing record. It happened yesterday. It's a fluke. An 8-8 team has won their division all of twice in 45 years. The world didn't end then and it won't end now. The rules are the rules. The NFL will survive. We will survive. Get over it.

[crashcarson15]

Mangini out in Cleveland. The only bad move Mike Holmgren has made in his first year with the organization.

I think it's his best move yet. Sure he led the team to wins over New Orleans and New England, but you also have to consider that his teams weren't ready for games against inferior opponents (i.e. Buffalo and Cincinnati, and almost losing to Carolina), and the Browns lost countless games by less than a touchdown. When you can't win a close game, that's the coach's fault, not the players' IMO.

[infrared41]

Mangini out in Cleveland. The only bad move Mike Holmgren has made in his first year with the organization.

I think it's his best move yet. Sure he led the team to wins over New Orleans and New England, but you also have to consider that his teams weren't ready for games against inferior opponents (i.e. Buffalo and Cincinnati, and almost losing to Carolina), and the Browns lost countless games by less than a touchdown. When you can't win a close game, that's the coach's fault, not the players' IMO.

Keeping Mangini last season was the right move. He earned a shot after the way the team closed out in 2009. There was no improvement this season. Mangini had his shot. Holmgren probably didn't want to keep Mangini last season but he gave him the chance he deserved.

[BlueSky]

I hope you're kidding about that, right? There's no way the Saints get anywhere close to defeating the Saints.

This is fantastic.

Doh. I really goofed up the typing job, didn't I?

Yes you did, but that's not all. I just love seeing the overreaction and anger as a result of a 7-9 team making the playoffs.

Fact is that the rules for making the playoffs are the same for every single team at the start of the season. Seattle did what they had to do to get in.

Furthermore a sub .500 team making it to the playoffs is a statistical anomaly. No need to act like the sky is falling due to one fluke season.

I have to say, I really do think you would be singing a different tune if the Rams managed to get in at 7-9.

If you can't see the idiocy of a 7-9 team not only making the playoffs but getting home field advantage in the first round while two 10-6 teams sit home and an 11-5 team flies 2000 miles to play them...well, sorry, can't help you.

I just don't see the point in getting up in arms about a statistical anomaly. It's not like a sub .500 team makes the playoffs every season.

Besides, the league rules are the league rules. Just once I would like to see the NFL not overreact to something like this.

Guys, in 45 years of NFL football (we all know the league didn't really exist before Super Bowl I) a grand total of one team has made the playoffs with a losing record. It happened yesterday. It's a fluke. An 8-8 team has won their division all of twice in 45 years. The world didn't end then and it won't end now. The rules are the rules. The NFL will survive. We will survive. Get over it.

Fine, be the voices of reason.

But does that mean you'll change your tune if it happens again? How many times till you're up in arms too?

[The_Admiral]

an 11-5 team flies 2000 miles to play them

You would be elated about God's Team Just Ask Us We'll Tell You getting a wild card game against Seattle if you didn't harbor the smallest shred of doubt regarding the outcome.

[dfwabel]

Mangini out in Cleveland. The only bad move Mike Holmgren has made in his first year with the organization.

I think it's his best move yet. Sure he led the team to wins over New Orleans and New England, but you also have to consider that his teams weren't ready for games against inferior opponents (i.e. Buffalo and Cincinnati, and almost losing to Carolina), and the Browns lost countless games by less than a touchdown. When you can't win a close game, that's the coach's fault, not the players' IMO.

It's really neither. It is random. If Mangini won all the close game this season, was he (and the players) that much better than the year prior? We look for a clear explanation when there are none. The NFL is more random than the other major North American team sports and it gains more scrutiny because there are so little games in the season.

[Jimmy!]

No need to act like the sky is falling due to one fluke season.

If the Seahawks pull off the mother of all upsets, THEN we can talk about the sky falling.

[infrared41]

Guys, in 45 years of NFL football (we all know the league didn't really exist before Super Bowl I) a grand total of one team has made the playoffs with a losing record. It happened yesterday. It's a fluke. An 8-8 team has won their division all of twice in 45 years. The world didn't end then and it won't end now. The rules are the rules. The NFL will survive. We will survive. Get over it.

Fine, be the voices of reason.

But does that mean you'll change your tune if it happens again? How many times till you're up in arms too?

No, I won't change my tune. The thing is, I don't take sports seriously enough to care enough to get up in arms. We have absolutely no control over this stuff so why worry about it? Actually, I'm getting quite a kick out of a 7-9 team making the playoffs.

The Saints should have no trouble dispensing with the Seahawks in short order. If they don't, it's not the NFL's fault or the fault of a team with a losing record reaching the playoffs. If the Saints lose this game then they have no one to blame but themselves. The Saints were on the road whether the Seahawks were 12-4 or 7-9. If anything, you should be happy that the Saints drew the team with the 7-9 record.

You and I are both old guys so I realize that the degree to which you are "up in arms" over this is exclusively in the context of these boards. I'm quite certain that this issue hasn't made it into the day to day happenings of your life. There are however some folks around here who need to get a little perspective.

[Seadragon76]

To all of those who say the 'Hawks don't deserve a home game in the playoffs, all I got to say is.... Haters gonna hate.

The people who say that say it not necessarily because they're haters, but because it's true. No team that loses more teams than it wins deserves to go to the playoffs.

Of course, I wanted the Rams to win. But since they didn't, I'm glad the Seahawks own the tiebreaker, because I wouldn't want the Rams to go to the playoffs at 7-9, even though they are my favorite team.

Now, it's time to bring on the Saints. This time... Let's see how they can handle the Real Loud House.

I hope you're kidding about that, right? There's no way the Seahawks* get anywhere close to defeating the Saints.

*Edited: I originally typed "There's no way the Saints ... close to defeating the Saints", but an observant person caught my mistake.

Awww... Is the poor little Lamb fan sad that his team got whooped? Well, too bad! Those are the breaks. Maybe if Sam Bradford and the Lambs actually played well last night, this whole conversation would never happen. But, Seattle won and they took the division with a losing record. Get over it.

Oh, and I'm not kidding. It's the playoffs. Forget the regular season records because everyone starts over at 0-0. The last time Seattle played New Orleans, it was at the Superdome. This time, the Saints have to come up to Qwest Field, where I know that the place will be jumping come Saturday afternoon. The 12th Man will come alive and give the defending champs a fight.

And this comment of yours:

As an Aggie fan, it made me sick to see the Seahawks raise their 12th man flag at Qwest.

... it makes me want to punch through the computer screen and hope that it hits you square in the face. How dare you... How dare you piss on the one thing Seahawk fans hold dear. Hell, things were all nice and quiet if it wasn't for Texas A&M deciding that, after nearly 30 years of being OK with this, they wanted to bitch over the 12th Man moniker When the Seahawks reached the Super Bowl!. Look, the team has aknowledged Texas A&M as the creator of this and that's fine. It's over with it and everyone has moved on. It seems like that you haven't.

*whew* That was well worth it.

[BlueSky]

an 11-5 team flies 2000 miles to play them

You would be elated about God's Team Just Ask Us We'll Tell You getting a wild card game against Seattle if you didn't harbor the smallest shred of doubt regarding the outcome.

Huh? What does that mean?

Doubt? I've already posted my concern about how the Saints tend to play down to the opposition and that they're going to get embarassed if they take the field in Seattle expecting an easy win.

Guys, in 45 years of NFL football (we all know the league didn't really exist before Super Bowl I) a grand total of one team has made the playoffs with a losing record. It happened yesterday. It's a fluke. An 8-8 team has won their division all of twice in 45 years. The world didn't end then and it won't end now. The rules are the rules. The NFL will survive. We will survive. Get over it.

Fine, be the voices of reason.

But does that mean you'll change your tune if it happens again? How many times till you're up in arms too?

No, I won't change my tune. The thing is, I don't take sports seriously enough to care enough to get up in arms. We have absolutely no control over this stuff so why worry about it? Actually, I'm getting quite a kick out of a 7-9 team making the playoffs.

The Saints should have no trouble dispensing with the Seahawks in short order. If they don't, it's not the NFL's fault or the fault of a team with a losing record reaching the playoffs. If the Saints lose this game then they have no one to blame but themselves. The Saints were on the road whether the Seahawks were 12-4 or 7-9. If anything, you should be happy that the Saints drew the team with the 7-9 record.

You and I are both old guys so I realize that the degree to which you are "up in arms" over this is exclusively in the context of these boards. I'm quite certain that this issue hasn't made it into the day to day happenings of your life. There are however some folks around here who need to get a little perspective.

Does that mean you don't want to buy one of the "Just Say No to 7-9 Playoff Teams" t-shirts I'm having made and you won't be joining me with a protest sign outside Quest Field on Saturday?

You're absolutely right, this doesn't even rise to the level of arriving home to find out the drive-thru crew screwed up my order.

[BBTV]

You have to make a division title worth playing for, and reward the team that wins it. The problem is that with 4-team divisions, teams only play 6 intra-division games, so the (at one time valid) argument that records are only really relevant within the context of common opponents (mostly divisional teams), doesn't mean anything anymore. Any system in which a team can go undefeated in their division but not sniff the title is a flawed one. Either get rid of divisions and just do conference play, reduce the number (but expand the teams per) of divisions, or... well, I don't know. It's just that the "division champion" can't really claim to be the best team in their division anymore. That being said, I'm cool with Seattle getting in... and I hope that they get lucky and win 2 games (and then have to come to Philadelphia for the NFC Championship Game.)

[Lights Out]

Guys, in 45 years of NFL football (we all know the league didn't really exist before Super Bowl I) a grand total of one team has made the playoffs with a losing record.

Nope, counting this year's Seahawks, it's happened three times. The Browns and Lions both got in with 4-5 records in 1982 (a strike year).

[slightly shotgunned]

How many times till you're up in arms too?

After the 10th consecutive time and the portal to Outworld opens.

[infrared41]

Guys, in 45 years of NFL football (we all know the league didn't really exist before Super Bowl I) a grand total of one team has made the playoffs with a losing record.

Nope, counting this year's Seahawks, it's happened three times. The Browns and Lions both got in with 4-5 records in 1982 (a strike year).

You're absolutely right but I think it's safe to say we're all talking about non-strike seasons. Good point though.

[Lights Out]

Ah, I see. It probably beared mentioning that you were excluding strike years, but whatever.

The drama and crying over this Seahawks team is hilarious, hilarious enough for me to hop on their bandwagon for the playoffs. Since my Chargers can't win it all, I'd love to see a 7-9 team win it all and piss everyone off.