2014 NFL Season Thread

[habsfan1]

The funny thing is, if the Seahawks score on that last pass, everyone's commending Carroll for outcoaching Belichick at the most critical point of the game.

Agreed. Instead, it's going to be scrutinized for weeks now.

*sigh* Oh well, At least Seattle won a Super Bowl. I can at least die happy knowing that my loyalty towards the Seahawks wasn't in vain. Hell, they can go 0-16 next year and I'll still be happy.

At least they had one Super Bowl parade. That's about the only thing that will truly console all those devastated Seahawks fans right now.

[infrared41]

Relax, I wasn't referring to you or your post. My point was that 90% of the posts around here seem to go to the extreme (see my reply to Kramerica calling us enormously stupid for even having this discussion.)

Maybe I should've been more clear, who knows, but I was referring to the broad discussing of "all-time great QB rankings", not this specific conversation, mostly because I haven't been following it very closely. The hand-wringing is always the same, and here we are now discussing whether a game where Tom Brady leading his team from two scores down against the "vaunted" LOB defense in the 4th quarter actually did anything to change his purported legacy or not.

I just hate this conversation topic because I would give my left nut to have had a QB half as good as Tom Brady in Tampa Bay for the past 15 years. Ditto for Peyton Manning. Or ditto for anyone who wasn't the motley crew of QB's the Bucs have had in that time frame.

I'd be fine with that if it weren't for the fact that the great Steve DeBerg played for the Bucs.

FWIW, tonight's game did nothing to change my opinion of Tom Brady or his legacy. I believed he was the best QB of this era back in September. I have damned near 19,000 posts and I'm willing to bet that not one of them ever used the "he has the rings so he's better argument" because, like McCarthy, I think it's a stupid argument. If rings were all that mattered, I'd have to argue that Brad Johnson and Trent Dilfer were better than Dan Fouts. Now that would be enormously stupid.

[DarkJourney]

1985 BEARS, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT TO SAY

Still a shame the Doug Flutie lead '86 Bears lost to Washington in the divisionals. A McMahon lead Bears vs. The Giants in the NFC Championship would have been an awesome brawl.

[hbgoo1975]

I thought Seattle had it there too, but this game wasn't in doubt due to Tom Brady. If I were Caroll, I would have ran it then Wilson throw a pick, then they would have made an epic comeback. I think we could only see that happen in Madden with their late Madden Moments.

[Sport]

That's counter-factual. Maybe Phillip Rivers the undisputed GOAT if Eli doesn't demand to be traded from the Chargers. It's all a lot of guesswork and nothing really substantial.

Brady has the rings and the statistics to solidify his status as the best of his era. His only competition is a guy who got steamrolled by the same defence Brady went toe to toe with. You don't have to like him but Brady ended up on top.

You're fighting a losing battle, Mike. Back when the opinions around here were a little more nuanced, we might have been able to discuss this. These days? Brady is either the GOAT or he's a hack who did nothing but benefit from coaching and a system. There is no in between.

NO that's not it and it's a discredit. Tom Brady is very good, but I don't honestly believe he's the best quarterback of this generation.

Put him on the Bengals and he has 0 rings. It's why the rings argument is stupid.

Ok, then who is? We can play hypotheticals all day long. if Belichick stays in Cleveland and the Browns don't move, does that mean Cleveland is celebrating their 4th SB win tonight? To quote the great prophet Madden, at some point we just have to decide someone is the best. In my book, Brady is the best of his era. All the hypotheticals you can throw at me won't change my opinion on the matter.

Peyton Manning.

The guy who got steamrolled by the same all time great defence that Brady just went toe-to-toe with? Manning put up the gaudier numbers, but Brady won when it mattered. No QB who goes one and done nine times is best QB of an era. Much less of all time.

On his way to getting steam-rolled by that all-time great defense he steam-rolled Brady. Also, that defense has changed somewhat in the last season. So has the Seahawks offense and special teams that put up huge numbers against the Broncos (something Manning had no control over). They didn't play the same teams.

Also football is the ultimate team sport. Brady's teammates (or the opposing coaches or kickers) came through more often than Manning's. That's not Manning's fault.

If I'm building my ultimate football team I'm taking Peyton Manning as my quarterback. Tonight didn't change that.

[Brass]

TAWM BRADY IS THE GREATEST THING GAWD EVER CREATED AND IF YOU DISAGREE IM GONNA TAKE A LEAK ON YA PORCH.

[Alex Houston]

I startled my girlfriend when I cheered at the interception. Not because I'm a huge Patriots fan, but I've liked them for being Steeler killers way back way and don't buy into all the hate because of the "cheating." With that said, I'm happy Brady got his fourth ring and if I were him, I'd consider retiring on top like Elway. I know he won't, I'm just saying if I were him, I'd be tempted to it.

Now, if Baltimore had made it through, I would've been cheering for Seattle hardcore, since I've liked them as well since the Hasselbeck and Holmgren days. But their boasting after a while started to get on my nerves, so I wanted tonight's result and was happy to see it. It's funny though. We're having a blizzard here in Chicago, so I went out to shovel my walkway and parking spot when Seattle was up 10 in the 4th, figuring it was in the bag. Low and behold, I come back in about 20 minutes later to find the game with under two minutes and the Seahawks driving. Guess I learned the same lesson some Seahawks fans learned two weeks ago.

If we've learned anything from these games, it's that you have to play the full 60, because every time you don't, you're likely going to miss out on some surprises that can affect the outcome. In addition, let's not lose sight on the fact that Seattle will likely be back here sometime soon, even if they lose parts of the legion. New England is on the way out and Seattle is on the way up.

[DaRadniz29]

I get it to those saying the Patriots didn't win the game, they lost it on a heavy gamble call, and because, at least to me the tempo of the game felt like the Patriots just waited until the last 8 minutes of the game to "show up". However the Seahawks still lost.

In a sport where one play makes a difference, the Patriots won that play and that play won them the game, therefore the Patriots are Super Bowl Champions. Congrats to the Patriots.

[hbgoo1975]

I just don't see them going back-to-back. I'm gonna start hating them if they make it next season.

[waltere]

Can we just leave it at this?

Peyton Manning = Most Talented QB of this generation

Tom Brady = Most successful QB of this generation

Because "Greatest _____" really all comes down to what you perceive "great" to be - is it mostly about skill, or success?

This is a far more succinct way of saying what I was going to say, so I'm just gonna quote it and agree entirely.

I thought Seattle had it there too, but this game wasn't in doubt due to Tom Brady. If I were Caroll, I would have ran it then Wilson throw a pick, then they would have made an epic comeback. I think we could only see that happen in Madden with their late Madden Moments.

Okay, even for a Goo post this makes absolutely no goddamned sense

[rams80]

That's counter-factual. Maybe Phillip Rivers the undisputed GOAT if Eli doesn't demand to be traded from the Chargers. It's all a lot of guesswork and nothing really substantial.

Brady has the rings and the statistics to solidify his status as the best of his era. His only competition is a guy who got steamrolled by the same defence Brady went toe to toe with. You don't have to like him but Brady ended up on top.

You're fighting a losing battle, Mike. Back when the opinions around here were a little more nuanced, we might have been able to discuss this. These days? Brady is either the GOAT or he's a hack who did nothing but benefit from coaching and a system. There is no in between.

NO that's not it and it's a discredit. Tom Brady is very good, but I don't honestly believe he's the best quarterback of this generation.

Put him on the Bengals and he has 0 rings. It's why the rings argument is stupid.

Ok, then who is? We can play hypotheticals all day long. if Belichick stays in Cleveland and the Browns don't move, does that mean Cleveland is celebrating their 4th SB win tonight? To quote the great prophet Madden, at some point we just have to decide someone is the best. In my book, Brady is the best of his era. All the hypotheticals you can throw at me won't change my opinion on the matter.

He probably doesn't have 4 championships, because Modell didn't have Tagliabue's ear the way Kraft does with both commissioners and the Browns didn't have the commitment to dance in the gray areas of the NFL's rulebook that the Patriots do. I'd like to see how Belichick performs without either of those institutional advantages.

[hbgoo1975]

I would have ran the ball instead so.

[CS85]

John Kuhn would've carried that ball into the end zone, I tell ya hwattt

[fumbler]

Greatest ever Super Bowl intercept.

Top stuff Pats

[2001mark]

Patriots fan here... my body is numb lols... gleefully numb.

That Kearse floater catch from his @$$ was def worse on me than the Tyree Helmet Catch... that was DEFCON 3 on my soul... only to have the Seahawks gift it all right back within moments!

INT at the goal line out of nowhere while leaving Beastmode in the backfield?? Pete Caroll dressing up as Jason Garrett for Halloween this year...

4th does feel 2nd sweetest SB as Mr. Kraft put it... what a grind, & not just this one season. Finally the Patriots have a championship calibre secondary to make it all work.

I'm pretty worn out frankly... I was ready to throw up with those rookie giant Seahawk receptions lols.

[Brass]

TAWM BRADY DRINKS DAN MARINOS TEARS AND EATS HIS STEAKS ON PEYTON MANNINGS FOREHEAD GO PATS GO SAWX GO BRUINS GO CELTICS GO SOCCER TEAM.

[Lights Out]

It's only fitting that the worst season in NFL history ends in the least likeable team winning it all, I guess.

Can the laughable idea that the NFL has "parity" be retired now, by the way? It doesn't have any more parity than the NBA. It's always the same teams winning the AFC and usually the same teams winning Super Bowls.

[hbgoo1975]

If Green Bay didn't blow the lead in Seattle, they would have beaten the Patriots tonight like they did in week 13.

[Seadragon76]

If Green Bay didn't blow the lead in Seattle, they would have beaten the Patriots tonight like they did in week 13.

Dude, do you ever shut up? For the love of all that is good... Take. A. Hike.

[hbgoo1975]

If Green Bay didn't blow the lead in Seattle, they would have beaten the Patriots tonight like they did in week 13.

Dude, do you ever shut up? For the love of all that is good... Take. A. Hike.

NO!