2017 NFL Playoffs the road to Super Bowl LI

[Red John]

[Sylvanfan]

Yeah the year the Chiefs get the top pick its the worst first round in like 40 years. Its very much like being a Flames fan.

[station]

Can't believe the Falcons are hosting an NFC championship game. Heading into the season with the league's toughest schedule, a bunch of cast-offs at receiver and tight end and a defence full of rookies and second year players, I figured this was a development year and 8-8 would be the most anyone could expect. Instead we've gotten an all-time great offence, a D that has improved in leaps and bounds all year and now a playoff run with a potential classic against GB.

[transplant99]

1/22 3:05 ET At Atlanta -4 Green Bay 60
1/22 6:40 ET At New England -6 Pittsburgh 51

Bookies are expecting to see somewhere around 111 pts scored in two games next weekend....should be entertaining if nothing else.

Im contemplating heading gto Vegas for the weekend...never experienced NFL playoffs there. Think it would be a blast.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Man the NFL is so boring, it's the same few teams in the championship rounds every year. Atlanta is the only surprise this year

[Corral]

Originally Posted by IceMan

Fox execs now rooting for the Packers and Patriots. No way do they want a Falcons Chiefs Super Bowl.

They are not the only ones hoping for a Brady v Rodgers battle on Super Bowl sunday

Great games today. Love the NFL playoffs. too bad NBC isn't calling any more games IMO.

[Senator Clay Davis]

So in the conference title games, we have the likely top 3 MVP candidates this year, and Ben who has two rings. I imagine the QB desperation will only grow deeper this offseason.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Man the NFL is so boring, it's the same few teams in the championship rounds every year. Atlanta is the only surprise this year

Seriously would you rather see the Chiefs vs Patriots just to have a new team in there? Now that would have been boring. Patriots simply aren't going anywhere because they have played in the worst division in football going back over a decade so that's just not going to change until Brady's play falls off. You can pretty well pencil them in to win their division next year by default.

It's more about QB play than anything else and teams that have the best QB's are going to be in the mix more than not. To you maybe boring but I can't think of anything better than watching Ryan and Rogers going head to head to get into the Super Bowl. The Steelers love them or hate them play an exciting variety of football with big plays. The Patriots are boring I will give you that because they unlikeable and brutally efficient rather than exciting.

I'm pretty excited about the games next week as they are both pretty good matchups.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Just guessing here, but I'm gonna say McCarthy called a draw or a screen, and Aaron said #### this I got it.

Robert Klemko ‏@RobertKlemko 12h12 hours ago
Cobb said the final play was not an actual playcall. Rodgers just told each receiver what to do, like a kid drawing in the dirt. Seriously.

https://twitter.com/RobertKlemko/sta...17124088279042

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Yeah the year the Chiefs get the top pick its the worst first round in like 40 years. Its very much like being a Flames fan.

Since it's only 4 years old it's technically not the worst draft of all time when you look at stuff like pro bowlers produced, super bowl winners, etc but it's on pace to unseat the 1992 draft class pretty soon as the worst draft of all time. Just looking at that first round is depressing just how bad it was for almost every team.

[Weitz]

Ugh. Don't like any of the remaining teams. I guess I will pull for Atlanta, but I think they are pretenders.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Patriots simply aren't going anywhere because they have played in the worst division in football going back over a decade so that's just not going to change until Brady's play falls off.

You keep saying this, though I showed the Pats record against the rest of the league is pretty much the same as it is against the AFC East.

[Cheese]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Seriously would you rather see the Chiefs vs Patriots just to have a new team in there? Now that would have been boring. Patriots simply aren't going anywhere because they have played in the worst division in football going back over a decade so that's just not going to change until Brady's play falls off. You can pretty well pencil them in to win their division next year by default.

It's more about QB play than anything else and teams that have the best QB's are going to be in the mix more than not. To you maybe boring but I can't think of anything better than watching Ryan and Rogers going head to head to get into the Super Bowl. The Steelers love them or hate them play an exciting variety of football with big plays. The Patriots are boring I will give you that because they unlikeable and brutally efficient rather than exciting.

I'm pretty excited about the games next week as they are both pretty good matchups.

Gotta hate on winners eh EE? Did you hate on them through the 80s and 90s as well? Calling the Pats more boring than the Steelers? Not sure how you get to that decision when the Pats are one of the highest scoring teams in the NFL year after year and generally live by the pass. Gronk himself is worth the price of admission let alone watching the best QB ever. The Steelers are your average run, run, pass team with strong Def...but even at that I can still appreciate their game although I hate them.

[CaptainCrunch]

Part of me really wants to see the Pats win so that Brady can get the trophy from the NFL Commish and hand him an autographed semi deflated football.

[zukes]

Originally Posted by troutman

You keep saying this, though I showed the Pats record against the rest of the league is pretty much the same as it is against the AFC East.

Yup, weak argument is weak. The Patriots are the cream of the crop and have been for closing in on 2 decades now. Love them or hate them, you can;t deny that.

Yet, mostly you hear cheaters or weak division. Sour grapes.

There is a cheating chart somewhere showing the violations that teams have had over the past 20 years and the Patriots are somewhere in the middle. Denver or Indy is at the top if I recall. I'm going to look for it. Yet all you hear is that the Patriots cheated.

Oh well, it's just like when the Cowboys were winning in the 90's. I guess it's easy to hate the best.

edit: here is the link, Denver far and away the biggest cheaters. More than double the Patriots, but do you ever hear that? http://yourteamcheats.com/

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Cheese

The Steelers are your average run, run, pass team with strong Def...but even at that I can still appreciate their game although I hate them.

I think that there is still a pre-conceived notion that the Steelers are a big play offence that lights it up for 550 yards every week with 400 passing and 150 plus on the ground while being a bit loose on defence. They're still romanticized as being like the 1999 Rams.

Reality is that Pittsburgh isn't that type of team right now. As you state they are very much a run the hell out of the ball, play good defence, and make a few plays in the passing game with Antonio Brown. Roethlisberger hasn't really lit teams up in the passing game since he's been back from injury. Their defence has been massively improved since they lost to the Cowboys and James Harrison basically told the defence to be selfish and do your job, rather than try and do everyone's job.

Similarly, the Patriots actually were a much better running team this year, didn't rely on the crazy passing stats of the past, and were much better on defence.

I'll be interested to see what Bellichicks game plan is for the Steelers. Realistically, the Chiefs despite their issues stopping Bell kept the passing game to a reasonable level and the overall point total down. One could argue that the Steelers should have tried more runs with Bell in the red zone...but if New England does the same thing on D and holds the Steelers to 18 points, let Bell get his yards, but no touch downs. The Patriots won't lose that game.

As much as the Texans offence get's mocked. The Chiefs are a team who lost 4 of their 5 games this year when they gave up 19 points three times, and 18 the other time.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

It's actually perfect that in order to get to the big game to complete his insane season, Matt Ryan will first have to out-duel the walking absurdity that is Aaron Rodgers. Then, he (almost certainly) gets Brady.

Honestly I'm beginning to suspect that Rodgers has made a faustian deal of some sort. That was obscene.

[habernac]

I still don't think enough is being made of the catch. Jared Cook had ZERO room for error. Incredible play.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I think that there is still a pre-conceived notion that the Steelers are a big play offence that lights it up for 550 yards every week with 400 passing and 150 plus on the ground while being a bit loose on defence. They're still romanticized as being like the 1999 Rams.

Reality is that Pittsburgh isn't that type of team right now. As you state they are very much a run the hell out of the ball, play good defence, and make a few plays in the passing game with Antonio Brown. Roethlisberger hasn't really lit teams up in the passing game since he's been back from injury. Their defence has been massively improved since they lost to the Cowboys and James Harrison basically told the defence to be selfish and do your job, rather than try and do everyone's job.

Similarly, the Patriots actually were a much better running team this year, didn't rely on the crazy passing stats of the past, and were much better on defence.

I'll be interested to see what Bellichicks game plan is for the Steelers. Realistically, the Chiefs despite their issues stopping Bell kept the passing game to a reasonable level and the overall point total down. One could argue that the Steelers should have tried more runs with Bell in the red zone...but if New England does the same thing on D and holds the Steelers to 18 points, let Bell get his yards, but no touch downs. The Patriots won't lose that game.

As much as the Texans offence get's mocked. The Chiefs are a team who lost 4 of their 5 games this year when they gave up 19 points three times, and 18 the other time.

I would expect that Bellichick would rather take the run away from the Steelers, because frankly if Bell chews up the field and the clock it takes the Patriots offense off of the field.

Bell is interesting because he has a unique style of seeking the hole with the whole bouncing around thing, usually his style drives coaches crazy because they preach find the hole follow the block.

BB might be content with running a run blitz all after noon, trying to nullify the gaps and forcing him into the free linebacker who's job is to find work.

The danger of this strategy is it gives you limited pass options, you can either go man to man and hope and pray or say screw it stack the box attack the gaps leave a free flow linebacker and dare Pittsburgh to out throw a Brady offense.

[CaptainCrunch]

sorry I misdrew a couple of things there, the HB is actually a safety the line from the wide receiver on the Strong side is not a pass route that should be a line from the cornerback designating his zone of coverage