2014 NFL Season Thread

[TheOldRoman]

Sometimes it's just about playing on the right team and getting the lucky bounces. There were a lot of times in his career where Peyton just didn't get those bounces.

I agree that a lot of winning a Super Bowl is luck. But Peyton generally crumbled when the pressure was on. Off the top of my head, I can't remember a really bad playoff game Tom Brady had. He's generally played pretty well, even in defeat. But Peyton's teams generally lose because of him on the biggest stage, not in spite of him. Even putting aside yesterday's game because it sure looked like he was injured and at the end of his rope, he has been very Favreian in finding ways to make playoff mistakes. Last year the greatest offense of all time got a safety on the first play and then packed up their tent. The year before he failed to put away a mediocre Ravens team and then threw a terrible pick in OT to end it. In 2005, the Colts were down 21-3 entering the fourth quarter. Peyton threw a tantrum after the game and blamed his line (the best in football) for not protecting him well enough.

I'm not saying he's not one of the best of all-time, I just don't think his playoff failures were chance as much as him :censored:ing up.

Manning actually had better playoff numbers than Brady heading into yesterday. One place Brady benefitted was from the support he received from the defense and running games. Statistically, anyways. Say what you want about Manning in that Ravens game but he did enough to win it and if the defense doesn't make an all-time lapse, they do win it. That game was also notable for the Broncos inability to run on third and one three or four times late in that game.

You can't remember a bad playoff game Brady had? You must not be trying very hard. How about last years AFC Championship game?

Brady wasn't good in the game last year, but he wasn't the reason they lost. He had one TD and no turnovers. Manning has been the reason his teams lost several times. Of course I'm biased by my memory, but it's not like I'm a Brady fan. Far from it. Still, I can't think of a single time Brady shat the bed on a big stage.

[See Red]

They had three points with 9 minutes left in the fourth quarter in that game. The rest of their points, and a good chunk of his yardage, came when the outcome was in little doubt. Manning had more passing yards than the Patriots entire offense. How is that not Tom Brady playing like crap? You're looking at the final stat line and saying he didn't play bad... But he played terribly.

[LAWeaver]

Turns out that Peyton was playing with a torn quad muscle. That probably explains his poor play.

[FiddySicks]

He also played like crap the year before vs Baltimore.

A lot of the idea that Manning's teams lost because of him and Brady's teams lost in spite of him is simply selective memory and media spin IMO.

[OnWis97]

Turns out that Peyton was playing with a torn quad muscle. That probably explains his poor play.

Rodgers was injured and courageous.

All other QBs were fine.

[Sport]

In the Manning-Brady debate it seems like Brady always gets the benefit of the doubt while Manning never does. It's curious.

Not saying Manning hasn't blown his share of playoff games (Super Bowl against the Saints although it's not his fault Hank Baskett couldn't recover an onside kick), but I think there's been cases where Tom Brady has just been luckier and his teammates have come through for him more often. Example: 2006 vs San Diego he threw a game ending interception, except Marlon McCree decides to run with it for no reason, and Troy Brown strips the ball, which the Pats recover. The Patriots end up winning because Nate Kaeding couldn't make field goals in the playoffs. That was as backbreaking an interception as it gets, but Troy Brown and Nate Kaeding bailed him out. Manning then beat him in the AFCCG.

More: Brady lost in the divisional round of the 2005 playoffs just like Manning except it was a Champ Bailey pick six that sealed it whereas Manning lost because the Colts defense didn't show and his kicker forgot how to kick. Who blew it for their team more that year?

[See Red]

In the Manning-Brady debate it seems like Brady always gets the benefit of the doubt while Manning never does. It's curious.

Not saying Manning hasn't blown his share of playoff games (Super Bowl against the Saints although it's not his fault Hank Baskett couldn't recover an onside kick), but I think there's been cases where Tom Brady has just been luckier and his teammates have come through for him more often. Example: 2006 vs San Diego he threw a game ending interception, except Marlon McCree decides to run with it for no reason, and Troy Brown strips the ball, which the Pats recover. The Patriots end up winning because Nate Kaeding couldn't make field goals in the playoffs. That was as backbreaking an interception as it gets, but Troy Brown and Nate Kaeding bailed him out. Manning then beat him in the AFCCG.

More: Brady lost in the divisional round of the 2005 playoffs just like Manning except it was a Champ Bailey pick six that sealed it whereas Manning lost because the Colts defense didn't show and his kicker forgot how to kick. Who blew it for their team more that year?

Also, Champ's pick was in the endzone, which is a little more egregious on Brady's part.

I was going to post something along these lines as well. There were a lot of breaks and bounces that neither player was involved with that played into their postseason history. Brady has one less Super Bowl appearance if Lee Evans doesn't drop a pass in the back of the endzone and then, on top of that, the Ravens kicker shanks a gimme. What if Roethlisberger doesn't reach out and trip up Nick Harper? Then Manning catches a lucky break. Swapping Vinatieri and Vanderjagt alone would probably change some of the postseason wins and losses. What if Rahim Moore doesn't make an all-time bone-headed play against the Ravens? Manning did enough to win that game. Even if Moore blows the coverage and is smart enough to tackle the WR instead of trying to deflect the ball the Broncos still likely win that game. Hell, just if the Broncos could convert a second or third and one on the ground in that game would have sealed the win for the Broncos.

[Jimmy!]

Seattle is a terrific city, and it was by far my favorite place I've ever lived. Also, I generally love the people up there and think they're really laid back and genuine people. But I wanna see them lose SO BAD. I've never seen a group of fans become so annoying in such a short amount of time. In the few months I lived up there I met so many Seahawks fans who had pretty much turned to Cowboys fan "America's Team" level insufferable after the one measly title. I get celebrating a title, celebrate away, but the arrogance was just ridiculous. After moving back to Arizona I had several Seattle based friends who called me IN AUGUST asking if I could help them get hotel rooms for when they were back in the Super Bowl.

I'd love to see the Packers beat them next weekend just to shut them up, but I doubt it'll happen. Best case scenario at this point is the Packers play the Colts in the Super Bowl, but it's gonna be Seahawks vs Pats, and either outcome of that is gonna suck. Either Seattle is gonna get even more ridiculous, or Boston wins another tittle. Yuck.

As a Seahawks fan watching years of mediocre football, the Franco Harris season, Dan McGwire, Stan Gelbaugh, Rick Mirer, "We want the ball. We're gonna score," I will live with "insufferable" for as long as I can.

[Tigers6884]

Meme of the day.

[tBBP]

Seattle is a terrific city, and it was by far my favorite place I've ever lived. Also, I generally love the people up there and think they're really laid back and genuine people. But I wanna see them lose SO BAD. I've never seen a group of fans become so annoying in such a short amount of time. In the few months I lived up there I met so many Seahawks fans who had pretty much turned to Cowboys fan "America's Team" level insufferable after the one measly title. I get celebrating a title, celebrate away, but the arrogance was just ridiculous. After moving back to Arizona I had several Seattle based friends who called me IN AUGUST asking if I could help them get hotel rooms for when they were back in the Super Bowl.

I'd love to see the Packers beat them next weekend just to shut them up, but I doubt it'll happen. Best case scenario at this point is the Packers play the Colts in the Super Bowl, but it's gonna be Seahawks vs Pats, and either outcome of that is gonna suck. Either Seattle is gonna get even more ridiculous, or Boston wins another tittle. Yuck.

As a Seahawks fan watching years of mediocre football, the Franco Harris season, Dan McGwire, Stan Gelbaugh, Rick Mirer, "We want the ball. We're gonna score," I will live with "insufferable" for as long as I can.

You forgot the Vinny Testaverde TD that wasn't a TD...but then who am I to open up old wounds?

(I suppose you also purposely excluded Super Bowl XtraLarge for that same reason...)

[BBTV]

Every body bitches about fans from every fanbase of a team that gets good. I can't think of a fanbase of a good team that people don't hate for some reason.

Fans of well supported teams are pretty much the same everywhere. To act like people aren't saying the same thing about your team's fans is silly.

Off topic, I was just thinking if the Seahawks wore their gray shirts and blue pants then it would be silver-navy-silver vs navy-silver-navy. Thisnis going to be a dull looking SB due to te color similarities of the teams, but that would be horrible.

[tBBP]

Every body bitches about fans from every fanbase of a team that gets good. I can't think of a fanbase of a good team that people don't hate for some reason.

Fans of well supported teams are pretty much the same everywhere. To act like people aren't saying the same thing about your team's fans is silly.

Off topic, I was just thinking if the Seahawks wore their gray shirts and blue pants then it would be silver-navy-silver vs navy-silver-navy. Thisnis going to be a dull looking SB due to te color similarities of the teams, but that would be horrible.

Which would make two in a row if it comes to that...too much navy.

-----------------------------------------

On the topic of the Seahawks...this past Saturday was the first chance i had to get a good look at them up close. Maybe I might still be jaded from the Rose Bowl but I couldn't help but think I was watching the NFL version of the Oregon Ducks defense running around out there...all that speed, and they are some tackling fools out there. (Sorta related, but how did Kam Chancellor only make second-team All Pro this year? Dude was like a heat-seeking missile out there. Him AND Earl Thomas.) Overall, I now see why so many saw them as the favorite to win it all. Yeah the underdog lover in me was going for Carolina, but it wasn't out of any spite for Seattle, as I really don't see anything about them to not like--aside from those uniforms, that is. (I say this without really knowing anything about whatever's going on with Russell Wilson off the field/in the locker room.) I'm not gonna say they're an "easy team to like", a la the Colts or something, but as perennial championship contenders go, I can stomach them a whole lot more than, say, the Patriots or Cowboys (I might've had to shun all forms of social media in the event the Cowboys won it all--I'd never be able to handle that level of pretentiousness).

So yeah, go Seahawks or something--unless the Colts somehow wind up in the Super Bowl, in which case I'm painting myself blue and white for like a week.

[infrared41]

Seattle is a terrific city, and it was by far my favorite place I've ever lived. Also, I generally love the people up there and think they're really laid back and genuine people. But I wanna see them lose SO BAD. I've never seen a group of fans become so annoying in such a short amount of time. In the few months I lived up there I met so many Seahawks fans who had pretty much turned to Cowboys fan "America's Team" level insufferable after the one measly title. I get celebrating a title, celebrate away, but the arrogance was just ridiculous. After moving back to Arizona I had several Seattle based friends who called me IN AUGUST asking if I could help them get hotel rooms for when they were back in the Super Bowl.

I'd love to see the Packers beat them next weekend just to shut them up, but I doubt it'll happen. Best case scenario at this point is the Packers play the Colts in the Super Bowl, but it's gonna be Seahawks vs Pats, and either outcome of that is gonna suck. Either Seattle is gonna get even more ridiculous, or Boston wins another tittle. Yuck.

As a Seahawks fan watching years of mediocre football, the Franco Harris season, Dan McGwire, Stan Gelbaugh, Rick Mirer, "We want the ball. We're gonna score," I will live with "insufferable" for as long as I can.

Maybe it's just because I don't run into many of them out my way, but Seahawks fans seem OK to me. The Seahawks fans around here don't seem to be arrogant or insufferable.

My reasons for not liking the Seahawks are because they routinely beat the hell out of my team and they wear ugly-assed uniforms while they're dispensing said beatings. I haven't liked Russell Wilson since his year at Wisconsin.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

The other thing about Brady/Manning is that their careers have overlapped significantly, and Brady has five AFC titles to Manning's three. By raw numbers, it's easy to pick one as the clear better to the other.

That said, seems like Big Ben should get perhaps a bit more credit than he does. 2-1 in Super Bowls is a lot better than 1-2.

[JayMac]

The other thing about Brady/Manning is that their careers have overlapped significantly, and Brady has five AFC titles to Manning's three. By raw numbers, it's easy to pick one as the clear better to the other.

That said, seems like Big Ben should get perhaps a bit more credit than he does. 2-1 in Super Bowls is a lot better than 1-2.

Whether or not it's valid, the whole cheating issue will be a cloud over the Patriots organization. A win for Brady and Belichick would erase that.

[See Red]

The other thing about Brady/Manning is that their careers have overlapped significantly, and Brady has five AFC titles to Manning's three. By raw numbers, it's easy to pick one as the clear better to the other.

That said, seems like Big Ben should get perhaps a bit more credit than he does. 2-1 in Super Bowls is a lot better than 1-2.

That's not really an accurate way of deciding because if Lee Evans doesn't drop a pass in the endzone in the AFC Championship game, Brady has one less Conference Championship. It was a play he had nothing to do with... Just a fortunate break. So why does that play into which QB is better?

And any time you make the argument that one QB is better than another because of championships, you're making the argument that Trent Dilfer was better than Dan Marino.

Additionally, the season each player missed kind of shows that Brady had more to work with, with the Patriots remaining very competitive without Tom Brady and all.

[illwauk]

As a Packers fan, I'll admit I thought Dez Bryant had a catch. I don't even have a problem admitting my team caught a crucial break. That said, a touchdown and an extra point only puts the Cowboys up by 3... is anyone really prepared to argue that Aaron Rodgers couldn't have gotten the Packers within field goal range with 4 minutes to go? Especially with how he way playing in the 4th quarter.

I also have to admit that on paper, the Seahawks are far and away a better team than the Packers, but there's a reason they play on grass/turf.

I've been saying for two weeks now that Davante Adams is going to make or break this postseason for the Packers. When he gets on the way he did yesterday, or earlier this year against New England, he creates matchup nightmares by forcing opposing secondaries to choose between letting him, Jordy, or Cobb go one-on-one. This is huge, because didn't even see the field when the Packers went to Seattle in week 1.

On the defensive side, Julius Peppers knows he's in the twilight of his career and wants a ring BAD. This much has been obvious the entire season, and he showed it yesterday afternoon.

One other consistency throughout the McCarthy/Rodgers era is that the Packers seem to play better when they're not expected to win. I feel like this might be a case where one team wanting it more is enough to overcome a healthier and/or more talented opponent... GO PACK!

[Gary]

Reports are saying that John Fox and the Broncos have parted ways according to Jason La Canfora

[Jimmy!]

Seattle is a terrific city, and it was by far my favorite place I've ever lived. Also, I generally love the people up there and think they're really laid back and genuine people. But I wanna see them lose SO BAD. I've never seen a group of fans become so annoying in such a short amount of time. In the few months I lived up there I met so many Seahawks fans who had pretty much turned to Cowboys fan "America's Team" level insufferable after the one measly title. I get celebrating a title, celebrate away, but the arrogance was just ridiculous. After moving back to Arizona I had several Seattle based friends who called me IN AUGUST asking if I could help them get hotel rooms for when they were back in the Super Bowl.

I'd love to see the Packers beat them next weekend just to shut them up, but I doubt it'll happen. Best case scenario at this point is the Packers play the Colts in the Super Bowl, but it's gonna be Seahawks vs Pats, and either outcome of that is gonna suck. Either Seattle is gonna get even more ridiculous, or Boston wins another tittle. Yuck.

As a Seahawks fan watching years of mediocre football, the Franco Harris season, Dan McGwire, Stan Gelbaugh, Rick Mirer, "We want the ball. We're gonna score," I will live with "insufferable" for as long as I can.

You forgot the Vinny Testaverde TD that wasn't a TD...but then who am I to open up old wounds?

(I suppose you also purposely excluded Super Bowl XtraLarge for that same reason...)

Meh....Testaverde's TD at least helped pave the way to instant replay. And Super Bowl XL isn't a failure in my book. Had the Seahawks played better, they could have won that game. But they made it, and that's a success.

[Still MIGHTY]

So Tom Brady's official verified Facebook page posted this today with the caption "Six Days":

You know what? I've officially gone from "It's nice to have even got here" and "I don't care if we win or lose" back to my time old stance. Tom Brady. the Patriots. it. I can't wait for a Colts helmet to torpedo that cake eater in the knee on Sunday. Let's go!