2015 NFL Playoffs

[Rupert Patrick]

I meant to start this thread yesterday but was too busy to get it started. First of all, my playoff methodology predicted that with the exception of Cincinnati, all three road teams would win this weekend. I've yet to have a season where the system got every single game correct, but there are a lot of seasons where it got only one game wrong, so we'll see.


Pittsburgh should have had that game salted away if they could have punched it into the end zone instead of opting for those field goals and made it 24-0 going into the fourth quarter. Then, the Steelers made the stupid gamble on the two point play and it backfired, and in retrospect almost cost them the game. The TD catch by Bryant was one of the most amazing catches I have ever seen. Cincinnati caught fire in the fourth quarter but the turnovers cost them, and the penalties by Burfict and especially Pacman Jones for shoving Joey Porter was the one that really cost them the game. This was the first playoff game to have the same score as the football game in the MASH movie of 18 to 16.


Not much to say about the Chiefs and Houston except maybe the 49ers made the wrong choice in keeping Kaepernick over Alex Smith.


Vikings Seahawks should be an interesting game, in that you have the best RB of his generation in Adrian Peterson against the best defense of this era. I think we can finally make it official, the Seahawks defense of this era is one of the best of all time, right up there with the Vikings and Steelers and Da Bears. For one thing, Seattle from 2012-2015 has led the NFL in fewest points allowed for the fourth straight season, which I believe is an NFL record; Minnesota led in fewest points allowed from 1969-71 which I think was the previous record.

I think we as football historians and fans should truly savor this game as this will in all likelihood be the last time we will ever get to see a Vikings home game played outdoors, in the bitter cold. The only thing that will be missing today is the snow. With that being said, I expect it to be a low scoring game as the cold will cut down on passing and make the game more about the run. Peterson is a tremendous force at RB, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the weather and the Seahawks. The Seahawks shut AP down in early December (8 rushes for 18 yards) and I expect him to do better in this game. It won't be enough, as Seattle has lots of playoff experience and Russell Wilson. I don't expect the Vikes to derive an advantage from the weather as the Vikings of the 60's and 70's seemed to. The Vikes lost to Seattle 38-7 in December, I don't expect it to be that bad this time. Maybe Seattle 16 - Minnesota 7.


Green Bay vs. Washington is a tough game, but I am forced to go with Green Bay. Washington has been hot, but GB has playoff experience, and I think that will be the difference. Green Bay 23 - Washington 14.


As far as an early preview of next weeks AFC games, I think both are tossups with a one-point edge to the home teams.

[mwald]

I think we as football historians and fans should truly savor this game as this will in all likelihood be the last time we will ever get to see a Vikings home game played outdoors, in the bitter cold. The only thing that will be missing today is the snow. With that being said, I expect it to be a low scoring game as the cold will cut down on passing and make the game more about the run. Peterson is a tremendous force at RB, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the weather and the Seahawks. The Seahawks shut AP down in early December (8 rushes for 18 yards) and I expect him to do better in this game. It won't be enough, as Seattle has lots of playoff experience and Russell Wilson. I don't expect the Vikes to derive an advantage from the weather as the Vikings of the 60's and 70's seemed to. The Vikes lost to Seattle 38-7 in December, I don't expect it to be that bad this time. Maybe Seattle 16 - Minnesota 7.

The Vikings really blew it by going with the stadium design that they did. Reports have it as impressive if not more impressive than Jerry World down in Dallas but...they had an opportunity to get that home field advantage back that they used to have in the 1960s and 1970s...and they opted for an entertainment center instead. Hard to believe that the Vikings, who play Green Bay every year and know how tough it is to play there, decided against creating that type of environment for themselves. Alas, economics rule.

Anyway, in today's Startribune Bud Grant agrees with you about the weather. “Pete Carroll has been in New England, New York, he’s been here, he’s been all over, it’s not going to bother Seattle at all,” Grant said of his former assistant coach.

[Jay Z]

I think it's unfortunate that an instance where a Steelers defender is clearly targeting the ballcarrier there is no call. Then the Bengals are called twice for "defenseless receiver" when they are clearly making some effort to hold off.

Of course, if they could have run a single running play without fumbling, that doesn't matter.

[LJP]

Bungles had to play against the Steelers and the Zebras.

Porter had no business being on the field, let alone hanging around the Bungles huddle. Smacks of intent; say something to trigger a reacton and a flag. Can't wait for the league excuse.

Burfict should have been ejected, not that it would have made any difference. Based on his past record, a lengthy suspension beckons.

[BD Sullivan]

I think we as football historians and fans should truly savor this game as this will in all likelihood be the last time we will ever get to see a Vikings home game played outdoors, in the bitter cold. The only thing that will be missing today is the snow. With that being said, I expect it to be a low scoring game as the cold will cut down on passing and make the game more about the run. Peterson is a tremendous force at RB, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the weather and the Seahawks. The Seahawks shut AP down in early December (8 rushes for 18 yards) and I expect him to do better in this game. It won't be enough, as Seattle has lots of playoff experience and Russell Wilson. I don't expect the Vikes to derive an advantage from the weather as the Vikings of the 60's and 70's seemed to. The Vikes lost to Seattle 38-7 in December, I don't expect it to be that bad this time. Maybe Seattle 16 - Minnesota 7.

The Vikings really blew it by going with the stadium design that they did. Reports have it as impressive if not more impressive than Jerry World down in Dallas but...they had an opportunity to get that home field advantage back that they used to have in the 1960s and 1970s...and they opted for an entertainment center instead. Hard to believe that the Vikings, who play Green Bay every year and know how tough it is to play there, decided against creating that type of environment for themselves. Alas, economics rule.

Considering the stadium was built with other uses in mind, I think they can live with it. After all, an open-air stadium isn't much use for conventions, etc. in brutally cold weather

[LJP]

Wow! what an ending.

[74_75_78_79_]

Bungles had to play against the Steelers and the Zebras.

Porter had no business being on the field, let alone hanging around the Bungles huddle. Smacks of intent; say something to trigger a reacton and a flag. Can't wait for the league excuse.

Burfict should have been ejected, not that it would have made any difference. Based on his past record, a lengthy suspension beckons.

I think it's unfortunate that an instance where a Steelers defender is clearly targeting the ballcarrier there is no call. Then the Bengals are called twice for "defenseless receiver" when they are clearly making some effort to hold off.

Of course, if they could have run a single running play without fumbling, that doesn't matter.

Shazier should have been called for that helmet-to-helmet hit. Not crazy about the way he celebrated the hit either. Joey Porter should not have been on the field and Steelers should have been penalized. Burf's sack on Big Ben was not malicious at all and his hit on Antonio Brown - although, of course, it still should have been a penalty - I don't think there was malicious intent either, just momentum. However, correct me if wrong, but wasn't it Burf who in his jacket left the sideline after the Shazier hit who caused trouble and didn't get called for it? And his running into the locker room tunnel after that turnover (making a fool of he and the entire franchise) post-game interview behavior in the locker room...(players must address the press)...Deion was so spot-on with his take on that. The penalty on Mike Munchak? Give me a break. He was run into. It was strictly reactionary. Therefore, no 'guilt' about some of the unfair no-calls in Steelers' favor. And Pac Man Jones...knew his antics would resurface soon enough. He charged at Porter with no regard for the officials being in his way. He (and Burf) were the main ones who cost them that game in the end.

I'll 'take' the win/advancement, but I'm not too super-proud of last night's win; and not just because Steelers shouldn't have allowed Cincy to come back from 15-0 in the first place. Albeit unnecessary, illegal celebrations over TDs scored or big plays made, I wish Tomlin would take a page from Noll and make his players tone all of that down. However, it seems to be that it's Marvin Lewis who really is the one who has no control of his own team. Seems like a nice enough, classy enough guy, but he brings in all these known-troubled players and last night was a prime example of it blowing up in his face at the worst time possible. And strictly on a coaching standpoint, end of game, he was calling the timeouts instead of forcing Pittsburgh to do so. He won't lose his job though. Who else can Cincy get who'll keep them perennially in the playoffs as opposed to bringing the Bengals back to the '90s/early-'00? Luckily for Marvin, he's coaching in a rather rare modern-era franchise that for the past ten years has made the '60-thru-'65 Cowboys look quite Steinbrenner-esque.

Side note - in '05 the Steelers beat Cincy on the road first-round and went on the road the following week against Peyton. Panthers played Seahawks in the NFCC. Could history be repeating itself ten years later?

I think we as football historians and fans should truly savor this game as this will in all likelihood be the last time we will ever get to see a Vikings home game played outdoors, in the bitter cold. The only thing that will be missing today is the snow. With that being said, I expect it to be a low scoring game as the cold will cut down on passing and make the game more about the run. Peterson is a tremendous force at RB, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the weather and the Seahawks. The Seahawks shut AP down in early December (8 rushes for 18 yards) and I expect him to do better in this game. It won't be enough, as Seattle has lots of playoff experience and Russell Wilson. I don't expect the Vikes to derive an advantage from the weather as the Vikings of the 60's and 70's seemed to. The Vikes lost to Seattle 38-7 in December, I don't expect it to be that bad this time. Maybe Seattle 16 - Minnesota 7.

The Vikings really blew it by going with the stadium design that they did. Reports have it as impressive if not more impressive than Jerry World down in Dallas but...they had an opportunity to get that home field advantage back that they used to have in the 1960s and 1970s...and they opted for an entertainment center instead. Hard to believe that the Vikings, who play Green Bay every year and know how tough it is to play there, decided against creating that type of environment for themselves. Alas, economics rule.

Anyway, in today's Startribune Bud Grant agrees with you about the weather. “Pete Carroll has been in New England, New York, he’s been here, he’s been all over, it’s not going to bother Seattle at all,” Grant said of his former assistant coach.

Was nice seeing Bud mid-field before the game in a shirt-sleeved shirt (Carroll smiling on the sideline). Bitter-cold defensive slugfest as expected. At least we all got to see at least just one outdoor Viking playoff game in the modern era.

[Rupert Patrick]

Wow! what an ending.

For Ace Ventura fans, it was a replay of the Ray Finkle debacle where the laces were apparently out and the kick sailed off to the side. There was a FG earlier in the game where Walsh booted it with the laces in, but got his shoe under the laces when he kicked it. The problem was not with Walsh but with the holder, but I expect the Special Teams Coach to get the boot, so to speak.

[LJP]

Did the Vikings manage to freeze out their own kicking unit? On 3rd & 4 with 1:15 to play they ran the ball for 3 yards and then took the clock down to 0:26 before calling time out. Given the conditions, you would think getting out there and taking the kick as soon as possible would have been better than standing around for over a minute, getting even colder.

[John Grasso]

In last night's game shouldn't the running into the locker room with the ball after the interception
be a penalty for delay of game?