2014 NFL Season Thread

[HedleyLamarr]

Denver got pants'ed in New England earlier this season, and that was when Peyton was healthy. I wouldn't have been shocked if the Patriots were beating the Broncos by this same score tonight.

So...Pete Carroll's current employer versus his former employer. Who's ready to hear that for two weeks?

Well, yeah, there's a reason I qualified that statement. We knew what Peyton Manning's health was after they lost last week. It doesn't take away from what I was thinking while watching that game and not knowing his health status. And, really, if Denver wins last week, we still wouldn't know about the torn quad injury.

The more basic point dealt with Denver being better equipped to give New England a challenge in Foxboro, anyway. It would've surprised me if New England blitzed Denver the way they did Indy tonight. Given the track record of Indy's last three games against New England, this score is no shock at all.

We know what it was now, but there was speculation about Peyton's health throughout December. There were more than a few folks noticing that something just wasn't right with Peyton and the Broncos offense. Whether it have been his hip or his neck or whatever, he just didn't seem to be the same as he looked in 2013 and most of this season.

The Patriots had a 20-point lead on Denver at halftime when they played just after Halloween. I doubt a rematch tonight would have had the score any closer.

[JayMac]

A cheating coach and a smarmy QB...the Patriots have both. They have leapfrogged the Cowboys as my most reviled team. Just think, if Brady loses the Super Bowl, he will be a mediocre 3-3. That's hardly elite.

[HedleyLamarr]

A cheating coach and a smarmy QB...the Patriots have both. They have leapfrogged the Cowboys as my most reviled team. Just think, if Brady loses the Super Bowl, he will be a mediocre 3-3. That's hardly elite.

I'll take a "cheating coach and a smarmy QB" if that means my team goes to the Super Bowl six times in 14 seasons and winning (at least) three of them.

Any other football fan would take that as well.

[See Red]

Denver got pants'ed in New England earlier this season, and that was when Peyton was healthy. I wouldn't have been shocked if the Patriots were beating the Broncos by this same score tonight.

So...Pete Carroll's current employer versus his former employer. Who's ready to hear that for two weeks?

Well, yeah, there's a reason I qualified that statement. We knew what Peyton Manning's health was after they lost last week. It doesn't take away from what I was thinking while watching that game and not knowing his health status. And, really, if Denver wins last week, we still wouldn't know about the torn quad injury.

The more basic point dealt with Denver being better equipped to give New England a challenge in Foxboro, anyway. It would've surprised me if New England blitzed Denver the way they did Indy tonight. Given the track record of Indy's last three games against New England, this score is no shock at all.

We know what it was now, but there was speculation about Peyton's health throughout December. There were more than a few folks noticing that something just wasn't right with Peyton and the Broncos offense. Whether it have been his hip or his neck or whatever, he just didn't seem to be the same as he looked in 2013 and most of this season.

The Patriots had a 20-point lead on Denver at halftime when they played just after Halloween. I doubt a rematch tonight would have had the score any closer.

As I said, though, the Patriots embarrassed the Broncos in the regular season last year too and the Broncos dominated them in the playoffs, so that regular season game doesn't matter.

The Broncos would have been beaten today pretty thoroughly, but it's because they're not even close to the team they were to start the season, not because of that earlier match up. What you're saying is the Colts shouldn't have had a chance against the Broncos because the Broncos outplayed them pretty badly until they got ultra conservative with a big lead in week one.

[Lee Noire]

A cheating coach and a smarmy QB...the Patriots have both. They have leapfrogged the Cowboys as my most reviled team. Just think, if Brady loses the Super Bowl, he will be a mediocre 3-3. That's hardly elite.

I'm hoping the Patriots lose too, but 3 of six ain't bad. Some guys haven't been to the dance, let alone won it all.

[hbgoo1975]

A cheating coach and a smarmy QB...the Patriots have both. They have leapfrogged the Cowboys as my most reviled team. Just think, if Brady loses the Super Bowl, he will be a mediocre 3-3. That's hardly elite.

I know that. What if they actually win the Super Bowl?

[2001mark]

Weird world we live in where the Seahawks are now considered a "reviled" team. I mean, I can see why they might be perceived that way, but at no point in the last three seasons have they even come close to gaining my dislike, let alone being anywhere near the Patriots in terms of how I revile them.

I think they're 'considered' reviled because they play ugly & beat everyone who comes into their house.

They've quickly racked up the number of team fanbases who've been screwed by them.

[RockyTopper]

I think this Super Bowl is an important one for Tom Brady's postseason legacy. They haven't won it all in 10 years, and should they lose, TB would only be 3-3 having lost his last three appearances. Of course, if they win, he'll have his fourth ring.

[2001mark]

[FiddySicks]

Ugh, this Super Bowl would be like a Yankees-Dodgers World Series for me.

I've seen some absolutely terrible Super Bowl matchups I my time. This is somehow the worst Super Bowl matchup I've ever seen in terms of how I feel about either team.

Oh well, at least my beers will be free at the Pro Bowl next week.

[infrared41]

A cheating coach and a smarmy QB...the Patriots have both. They have leapfrogged the Cowboys as my most reviled team. Just think, if Brady loses the Super Bowl, he will be a mediocre 3-3. That's hardly elite.

A 3-3 record in the Super Bowl means he got there six times. Name another "hardly elite" QB that's done that.

[Unocal]

The Seahawks are so damn easy to root against. Rooting for them is like rooting for a bully.

Even Wilson, whom I feel is making the leap from endearing to insufferable. By the time SB Sunday rolls around, Wilson is gonna be viewed as the greatest thing since sliced bread, an unbreakable Clutch God.

A month ago, I thought this would be the most insufferable SB, but after the NFC-CG.... I may say Go Pats.

This team deserve some humble pie. For the last 2 years, it seems like the Seahawks have been anointed as this unbeatable invincible team that never loses in money time.

I'm tired of Russell Wilson. I'm tired of the Seahawks.

Like the Greatest Show on Turf, all it takes is a blueprint and this unit will be just another team in a few years.

[HedleyLamarr]

Denver got pants'ed in New England earlier this season, and that was when Peyton was healthy. I wouldn't have been shocked if the Patriots were beating the Broncos by this same score tonight.

So...Pete Carroll's current employer versus his former employer. Who's ready to hear that for two weeks?

Well, yeah, there's a reason I qualified that statement. We knew what Peyton Manning's health was after they lost last week. It doesn't take away from what I was thinking while watching that game and not knowing his health status. And, really, if Denver wins last week, we still wouldn't know about the torn quad injury.

The more basic point dealt with Denver being better equipped to give New England a challenge in Foxboro, anyway. It would've surprised me if New England blitzed Denver the way they did Indy tonight. Given the track record of Indy's last three games against New England, this score is no shock at all.

We know what it was now, but there was speculation about Peyton's health throughout December. There were more than a few folks noticing that something just wasn't right with Peyton and the Broncos offense. Whether it have been his hip or his neck or whatever, he just didn't seem to be the same as he looked in 2013 and most of this season.

The Patriots had a 20-point lead on Denver at halftime when they played just after Halloween. I doubt a rematch tonight would have had the score any closer.

As I said, though, the Patriots embarrassed the Broncos in the regular season last year too and the Broncos dominated them in the playoffs, so that regular season game doesn't matter.

The Broncos would have been beaten today pretty thoroughly, but it's because they're not even close to the team they were to start the season, not because of that earlier match up. What you're saying is the Colts shouldn't have had a chance against the Broncos because the Broncos outplayed them pretty badly until they got ultra conservative with a big lead in week one.

I don't like playing the "what if?" game because there's no one right answer.

Could Denver have given New England a contest tonight? Maybe. But my inclination was that they wouldn't have, based off of seeing Denver not having the same dominant offense for the last month of the season. Many thought that something was up with Manning, and as we found once their season was over, Peyton was injured.

I'll admit, I didn't think the Colts would beat Denver. (I didn't think the Colts would beat Cincinnati either, for that matter. I didn't like how they were playing towards the end of the season, either...losing 42-7 to a playoff-bound Dallas team in Week 16 was ugly.) I thought Denver had enough to get by their first round opponent. But that doesn't matter....what-if didn't need to be played out when the game was actually contested.

Coupling Denver losing the the Colts at home just last week with the thought-turned-fact that Denver's main offensive weapon was injured led me to believing that the Broncos wouldn't have given the Patriots much of a fight tonight, either.

That's what I'm saying. Understand that?

[dbadefense1990]

Ugh, this Super Bowl would be like a Yankees-Dodgers World Series for me.

It'd be more like a year where the LCS matchups are Yankees-Red Sox and Cardinals-Giants.

[Unocal]

It's all Bostick's fault. If he recovers it, only a fumble saves SEA IMO.

[See Red]

Denver got pants'ed in New England earlier this season, and that was when Peyton was healthy. I wouldn't have been shocked if the Patriots were beating the Broncos by this same score tonight.

So...Pete Carroll's current employer versus his former employer. Who's ready to hear that for two weeks?

Well, yeah, there's a reason I qualified that statement. We knew what Peyton Manning's health was after they lost last week. It doesn't take away from what I was thinking while watching that game and not knowing his health status. And, really, if Denver wins last week, we still wouldn't know about the torn quad injury.

The more basic point dealt with Denver being better equipped to give New England a challenge in Foxboro, anyway. It would've surprised me if New England blitzed Denver the way they did Indy tonight. Given the track record of Indy's last three games against New England, this score is no shock at all.

We know what it was now, but there was speculation about Peyton's health throughout December. There were more than a few folks noticing that something just wasn't right with Peyton and the Broncos offense. Whether it have been his hip or his neck or whatever, he just didn't seem to be the same as he looked in 2013 and most of this season.

The Patriots had a 20-point lead on Denver at halftime when they played just after Halloween. I doubt a rematch tonight would have had the score any closer.

As I said, though, the Patriots embarrassed the Broncos in the regular season last year too and the Broncos dominated them in the playoffs, so that regular season game doesn't matter.

The Broncos would have been beaten today pretty thoroughly, but it's because they're not even close to the team they were to start the season, not because of that earlier match up. What you're saying is the Colts shouldn't have had a chance against the Broncos because the Broncos outplayed them pretty badly until they got ultra conservative with a big lead in week one.

I don't like playing the "what if?" game because there's no one right answer.

Could Denver have given New England a contest tonight? Maybe. But my inclination was that they wouldn't have, based off of seeing Denver not having the same dominant offense for the last month of the season. Many thought that something was up with Manning, and as we found once their season was over, Peyton was injured.

I'll admit, I didn't think the Colts would beat Denver. (I didn't think the Colts would beat Cincinnati either, for that matter. I didn't like how they were playing towards the end of the season, either...losing 42-7 to a playoff-bound Dallas team in Week 16 was ugly.) I thought Denver had enough to get by their first round opponent. But that doesn't matter....what-if didn't need to be played out when the game was actually contested.

Coupling Denver losing the the Colts at home just last week with the thought-turned-fact that Denver's main offensive weapon was injured led me to believing that the Broncos wouldn't have given the Patriots much of a fight tonight, either.

That's what I'm saying. Understand that?

The only part I'm disagreeing about is the "because they played earlier this season and the Patriots won handily" because last seasons games showed that initial meeting to be largely irrelevant. That's all I'm saying.

I didn't think Denver would beat Indianapolis so I sure as hell didn't think they would give the Patriots much of a fight should they have advanced. Not only was Peyton hurt, but the offensive line was a complete mess for the last half of the season.

[Kramerica Industries]

Fwiw, I'm not arguing Denver would've beaten New England. I even said I wouldn't have expected that, given the site of the game. Literally all I said is that I was disappointed Denver lost because it was clear as day that Indy stood no chance of winning this matchup. They had met three times in the last three seasons and gotten their doors blown off each and every time, including just as recently as November. At least Denver had a track record in recent years of playing much closer games and even winning one of them (albeit that one being in Denver).

I'm basically saying that I'm not shocked the AFC-CG ended up being a 45-7 game, and that's a disappointing thing to not be shocked by.

[hbgoo1975]

Fwiw, I'm not arguing Denver would've beaten New England. I even said I wouldn't have expected that, given the site of the game. Literally all I said is that I was disappointed Denver lost because it was clear as day that Indy stood no chance of winning this matchup. They had met three times in the last three seasons and gotten their doors blown off each and every time, including just as recently as November. At least Denver had a track record in recent years of playing much closer games and even winning one of them (albeit that one being in Denver).

I'm basically saying that I'm not shocked the AFC-CG ended up being a 45-7 game, and that's a disappointing thing to not be shocked by.

It's the same as last year! The Patriots deserved to do the same old bleep to Indy tonight. Now they have a chance to win a super bowl in Arizona. Were you expecting a shootout? No! I didn't screw the Packers, the Packers screwed the Packers. At least I was right about this boring game tonight! Wasn't it obvious! There was no way in hell Indy would come back!

[Unocal]

When I play Madden, I never kick a FG inside the 5. I don't play conservative with a lead. In other words, I PLAY TO WIN THE GAME.

My rule of thumb- NEVER kick a FG inside the 5 unless there's 2 seconds left in regulation or sudden death OR you get an OT interception and you're tackled at the 1.

If it was at the 7 or 8, that's a little different.

The Packers are a talented team submarined by their coach. At least a handful of members on here would have found a way to win that game for GB if they were coaching.

[oldschoolvikings]

Fwiw, I'm not arguing Denver would've beaten New England. I even said I wouldn't have expected that, given the site of the game. Literally all I said is that I was disappointed Denver lost because it was clear as day that Indy stood no chance of winning this matchup. They had met three times in the last three seasons and gotten their doors blown off each and every time, including just as recently as November. At least Denver had a track record in recent years of playing much closer games and even winning one of them (albeit that one being in Denver).

I'm basically saying that I'm not shocked the AFC-CG ended up being a 45-7 game, and that's a disappointing thing to not be shocked by.

It's the same as last year! The Patriots deserved to do the same old bleep to Indy tonight. Now they have a chance to win a super bowl in Arizona. Were you expecting a shootout? No! I didn't screw the Packers, the Packers screwed the Packers. At least I was right about this boring game tonight! Wasn't it obvious! There was no way in hell Indy would come back!

Calm down.