2012 NFL playoff thread

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by cross16

NO question, Capers and the whole defensive unit has struggled. The main spot of dissapointment for me is how they continue to struggle with communication and execution of what is essentially the same defence squad and concept as last year.

But I think Thompson deserves alot of the blame too. He let Jenkins go and banked on an injury prone 2nd year player, Neal, to take up the slack. Without Jenkins (who outside of Matthews was their only real consistant pass rush threat last year), he fails to get any outside LB or DL help in the draft or via Free agency, and he also failed again to get any depth behind Raji (who has been a shade of what he was last year).
Losing Collins to an injury was bad luck but that happens to every team, but the play of the Packers last year really masked alot of the problems this unit had.

yeah the loss of Jenkins really hurt, they had no pass rush except Matthews. if they cant get another pass rusher, they will continue to get picked apart. last year before the playoffs, it was rumored the Pack might trade for Marshawn Lynch from Buffalo, they could have used a guy like him today, Rodgers as the leading rusher is not going to get it done

[OILFAN #81]

Really impressed with the Giants. I actually picked them to win today. I had a feeling that their offense would move the ball on the Packers defense. Green Bay dropped so many balls and had too many turnovers. The Giants have a good defense, can get the run going, and Eli played amazing. The NFC Championship game next week is going to be a fantastic game. I can see it going either way. I want the winner of that game to win the Superbowl.

As for predictions for next week:

New England 31 Baltimore 20
NY Giants 28 San Francisco 24

[Sylvanfan]

I wondered about that lack of a running game, and how it could affect them on a cold day in January. Between the numerous dropped passes and fumbles, the Packers self infilcted wounds bled them out in the 4th quarter.

I think the week off plus off field things also helped do in the Packers. Not only was there the tragic incident with Philbins son, but you had an exec leave for another team, how many assistant coaches contacted for interviews. Whereas the Giants they've just been playing football, and are doing it quite well right now.

[PeteLFan]

Lets go niners and Pats.

[Sylvanfan]

Lack of a running game is a poor choice of words. Packers lacked any commitment to the run game. With Rogers scrambling, they ran for a lot of yards, and their yards per attempt was solid. They just did not mix in enough running plays early on.

Also an offensive team at home...I take the opening kick and try to score on the first drive. Put the pressure on the road team.

[cross16]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Lack of a running game is a poor choice of words. Packers lacked any commitment to the run game. With Rogers scrambling, they ran for a lot of yards, and their yards per attempt was solid. They just did not mix in enough running plays early on.

Also an offensive team at home...I take the opening kick and try to score on the first drive. Put the pressure on the road team.

This is what I would suggest too, its a commitment to run the ball not talent to run the ball. I don't think if they had of acquiring Marshawn Lynch, or something like him, it would change very much the Packers just don't commit to running the ball especially early they want to jump on you and try to put points up early but you need a backup plan if that doesn't work. I personally believe Grant(whose probably gone anyway) and Starks are good enough to be a solid running game but it they don't commit to it doesn't matter so hopefully McCarthy learned from this game to know you have to be much better at running the ball. Another back woudln't hurt, but I think if they fully committed to Starks they could get it done.

[SuperMatt18]

I have a feeling we might hear a bunch of hype about a potential Pats-Giants rematch in the Super Bowl this week only to get Ravens-Niners in the Super Brother Bowl when all is said and done on Sunday.

I would also find it funny that what many were calling the year of the QB in the NFL, could feature Joe Flacco and Alex Smith in the championship game.

[Displaced Flames fan]

New England 38 Baltimore 16
San Francisco 21 New York 20

[rubecube]

Kind of have a soft spot for the Niners this year. San Fran/New England Super Bowl would be fun to watch. I also think the Niners are the most complete team in the playoffs right now.

[darklord700]

Niners vs Pats would be fun. It would be a classic East vs West matchup.

[troutman]

Eli was an assassin on third down.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by troutman

Eli was an assassin on third down.

As I said before the first playoff game, Eli is money in pressure games.
If the Niners can get the Giants off of their game early then I hope we will see the Giants regress back to the mediocre team they were early in the season.

This game will be different than the first one. Bradshaw didn't play in the first one and Gore hurt his knee early in that game too. Carlos Rogers picked Eli twice in that game, but the game still came down to the 4th quarter. A pass knocked down at the line of scrimmage by Justin Smith is what sealed the game first time around.


The weather for San Francisco this week - It is going to start raining on Thursday and keep raining with temperatures in the low teens (Celsius).

[cross16]

Originally Posted by troutman

Eli was an assassin on third down.

He was, but it was made very easy by the fact the Packers got ZERO pass rush on 3rd down, for the most part, and sat in Zone much of the day. Pretty easy for a good QB to find the open receiver with no pressure in his face, how many 3rd down completions were to wide open receivers?

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by OILFAN #81

Really impressed with the Giants. I actually picked them to win today. I had a feeling that their offense would move the ball on the Packers defense. Green Bay dropped so many balls and had too many turnovers. The Giants have a good defense, can get the run going, and Eli played amazing. The NFC Championship game next week is going to be a fantastic game. I can see it going either way. I want the winner of that game to win the Superbowl.

As for predictions for next week:

New England 31 Baltimore 20
NY Giants 28 San Francisco 24

Wasn't it the same in dang near every game and not just this year. Team that turns the ball over the most loses. Just a matter of whether you want to give credit to those defenses or call out the offenses for choking.

Also it sure seemed like there was some pretty crappy O-line play in general on the weekend. Teams not getting any running yards and sacks etc.

[PeteLFan]

I don't think the giants dominated the packers like people make it out too be.

Packers dropped balls on touchdowns and first downs. Rodgers missed wide open receivers, and lack of a running game. If Jennings makes the catch it's 20-17 and a different ball game.

Give the giants credit they came too play and Elisha and his fluke plays that he usually has occurred.

They will be playing a much better defense in the niners come Sunday it won't be as easy, that packer defense was awful. So many great players such a bad defense makes no sense.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by cross16

He was, but it was made very easy by the fact the Packers got ZERO pass rush on 3rd down, for the most part, and sat in Zone much of the day. Pretty easy for a good QB to find the open receiver with no pressure in his face, how many 3rd down completions were to wide open receivers?

I think Coughlin said after the game that GB blitzed on over half of the plays.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

I don't think the giants dominated the packers like people make it out too be.

I think the score flattered GB - both Packer TDs resulted from blown calls.

[rubecube]

The Packers looked like a team who expected to win. Everything about how they played, right to the play-calling itself was sloppy.

[cross16]

Originally Posted by troutman

I think Coughlin said after the game that GB blitzed on over half of the plays.

Oh yeah they did for sure, GB has blitzed on about 45-50% of their plays throughout the seasons but they never seem to get home and that was my point. Capers was dialing up blitzes but they were failing to get any consistantly pressure on Manning so it made 3rd down a pretty easy down for the Giants and was even easier when he calls a majority of zone blitzes as opposed to the man to man he called alot more of last year.

I agree, packers were sloppy from top to bottom. Coaching, playcalling, execution etc, they never got their game going and coudln't overcome it. Questionable decision by McCarthy to onside kick the two times he did and dumb call IMO to go for it on 4th and 5 when they were still in the game. Capers failed to do anything creative to get pressure on Manning and on a couple of 3rd and longs only rushed 2 or 3 and got burned almost each time. Then with the drops, Rodgers being off, and the D just failing to win any one on one battles you get the results you do.I dont think personally believe that they consciously underestimated the Giants, but it's hard not to say that they did because they certainly played like a team that thought they would be in the Super Bowl again on merit without actually earning it.

[Sainters7]

No word from tranny yet? Maybe he's on suey watch. I know the feeling.