2008/09 NFL Playoff Thread - Page 16 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

JayP · 01-19-2009, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browna

With a 1st place schedule next year, and the fact that they only beat 1 playoff team this past regular season going into the playoffs.

The ain reason they were able to back in to win the division was the Seahawks, and thier injury woes which started week 1 of the preseason with an injury to Hasselbeck, then week 1+2 of the regular season losing top 3 receiviers. By the end of the season, 5 non starters on the o line. Next year, even if not back to an upper team in the NFC, SEA won't be as injured/bad as they were this past year and will be a bigger factor....or can the Rams or 49'ers be as bad. The Cardinals go 4-2 in the division this year, they may not have made the playoffs, even in that ultra weak division this year.

Sure, this success may have bouyed the team to a point which they may ride into next year, but this year they backed into the playoffs by some SEA bad luck.
Long story short, ARI didn't fly under the radar in the regular season this year and fool any good teams in the regular season. Next year with a tougher schedule and a target on their back, it will be just as tough. SEA will be at or near .500 next year and the divisional games will dictate the divison winner next year.

You sound like a Canuck fan in 2004.

"Flukey run, but we'll win the division next year and you won't even make the playoffs." It's quite hilarious.

Perhaps you should realize that the Cards were 7-3 at one point, garnering tons of respect, then they played the Giants as close as anyone had to that point, clinched the division and then shut it down until they worked Seattle the last week of the season.

It's funny though - everyone in the NFC West will get better according to you. That's fair. But explain to me why the hell the Cardinals are going to remain stagnant after a run like this?

The Giants barely snuck into the playoffs and went on a run of their own. With primarily the same team they respond the next year by winning the NFC.

Even the Flames had the same sort of run and they had no problems carrying their momentum into the next season, winning the NW.

It's hilarious to think that a young team can go on a run like this, more than likely not lose a single core player through free agency, but the Seahawks and Hasslecrap will assuredly be atop the division next year.

Machiavelli · 01-19-2009, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

What an odd thing to say.

How so? I don't care about either team and thus I think the match-up is boring.

Bobblehead · 01-19-2009, 10:09 AM

I just looked back through the NFL threads and with regards to the Cardinals there are more than a few people who should be eating a nice helping of crow right about now.

Not that anyone could have expected the Cards to make the SB, but there were a few who didn't believe they even deserved to make the playoffs. And while I would have classed the Cards as the underdog in every game, something has clicked in and they are playing some VERY good football right now. They don't hand out the Lombardi trophy for the last 5 regular season games, the Cards seem to have peaked at the right time.

That said, my Niners should have beat them, and next season it is the Niners turn.

burn_baby_burn · 01-19-2009, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

How so? I don't care about either team and thus I think the match-up is boring.

The Steelers would become the first team to win 6 Super Bowls. They are probably the second most popular team which is great for ratings. The Cards are a Cinderella story of epic proportions. This would be their first championship since 1947.

How could this be more interesting? Do the Dallas Cowboys and or TO need to be involved to peak your interest? Untill the game is played their is no way to know how great it is going to be. Did St. Loius and Tennessee look like a great matchup on paper? Did St. Loius and New England look good on paper? Both of those games came down to the wire. Its football, anything can happen.

rubecube · 01-19-2009, 10:49 AM

Vegas has the Steelers by 6.5.

jus_sum_guy · 01-19-2009, 12:54 PM

Steelers are going to rout Arizona!

Displaced Flames fan · 01-19-2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayP

Hasn't everyone been saying that the past few weeks?

I don't see how you watch can watch Arizona handle Philadelphia and then say they have no chance against Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh may have a great defense, but Philly's was third in the league and the Cards dropped 32 points on them, most off on long sustained drives. Philly has a hell of a lot more going for them on offense too.

If Baltimore and their pathetic offense can hang around and be one drive away from the Super Bowl against the Steelers it's completely ridiculous to say the Cardinals have no chance.

Tell me how ridiculous it is in two weeks.

Machiavelli · 01-19-2009, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

The Steelers would become the first team to win 6 Super Bowls. They are probably the second most popular team which is great for ratings. The Cards are a Cinderella story of epic proportions. This would be their first championship since 1947.

Good for them. I don't particularly care.

Quote:

How could this be more interesting? Do the Dallas Cowboys and or TO need to be involved to peak your interest?

Nope; last year I was pulling for Giants to knock off the Patriots.

Quote:

Untill the game is played their is no way to know how great it is going to be. Its football, anything can happen.

That's right - anything can happen, it could end up being a great game. But even if the football is very good, I don't really care which team wins so I'm not excited about it.

burn_baby_burn · 01-19-2009, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

That's right - anything can happen, it could end up being a great game. But even if the football is very good, I don't really care which team wins so I'm not excited about it.

Go put $100 on one of the teams. You will care a great deal then.

Machiavelli · 01-19-2009, 04:57 PM

Ha, maybe I will

HOOT · 01-19-2009, 08:24 PM

I think Pittsburgh will take this one, but I want my Cardinals to win...

GO CARDS GO!!!

JayP · 01-20-2009, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Tell me how ridiculous it is in two weeks.

I don't have to. I can say it right now.

Even if the Steelers end up winning it's a pretty ignorant statement to say the Cardinals have no chance. Have you not been paying attention to the "experts" saying that the past three weeks?

What makes the Steelers so much better than the Falcons, Panthers, or Eagles that Arizona has zero chance? They obviously are a better team, but Arizona's beat three damn good teams to get to this point. It's not as if the Steelers are leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the league.

If the Ravens and their pathetic excuse for an offense were a drive away from beating the Steelers (with 3 minutes to go) there's no reason to think the Cardinals couldn't be in that situation or better in two weeks.

transplant99 · 01-20-2009, 04:29 AM

Quote:

It's not as if the Steelers are leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the league.

Their defense is though...and that is the argument. Defense wins championships...never more true than in the NFL most of the time. This Steeler defense, should they win, will be discussed among the best of all time. The Cardinals? Not so much.

Again however...its one game and things can happen. im pulling for the Cards, but I certainly know its a long shot that they win.

Displaced Flames fan · 01-20-2009, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayP

I don't have to. I can say it right now.

Even if the Steelers end up winning it's a pretty ignorant statement to say the Cardinals have no chance. Have you not been paying attention to the "experts" saying that the past three weeks?

What makes the Steelers so much better than the Falcons, Panthers, or Eagles that Arizona has zero chance? They obviously are a better team, but Arizona's beat three damn good teams to get to this point. It's not as if the Steelers are leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the league.

If the Ravens and their pathetic excuse for an offense were a drive away from beating the Steelers (with 3 minutes to go) there's no reason to think the Cardinals couldn't be in that situation or better in two weeks.

Well, yes, yes there is.

First off, the zero chance comment was pretty clearly hyperbole on my part. I'm sorry if you've missed that, I have missed it with others from time to time so I get that.

Secondly, I would think the Ravens defense had an awful lot to do with the Steelers being within reach at the end of the game. Yes, the Cards D has been very good in the playoffs (sans the second half on Sunday, yikes!) but it doesn't compare to either the Steelers defense or the Ravens. To say otherwise is really silly. In fact, that's more silly than saying the Cards don't have a chance.

As far as the Steelers being heads and shoulders above the rest of the league, they certainly are on defense. Not a single team put up 300 yards on the Steelers this year. They led the league in yardage allowed by 24 yards. That's a staggering gap. That lead is almost all in the passing side of the game too, where they led the league by 23 yards less per game. Huge margin and a statistic that doesn't bode well for the Cardinals pass happy offense which, while loaded with talent, will quickly become very one dimensional when the worst running game in the league can't provide any balance.

So, again, I say tell me in two weeks.

Bobblehead · 01-20-2009, 08:58 AM

I think this games comes down to the Cardinals O-Line. If they can create a bit of a run game and give Warrener time to pass, they have a shot.

moon · 01-20-2009, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayP

What makes the Steelers so much better than the Falcons, Panthers, or Eagles that Arizona has zero chance? They obviously are a better team, but Arizona's beat three damn good teams to get to this point. It's not as if the Steelers are leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the league.

The Steelers are leaps and bounds ahead of the Falcons and Eagles.

Quote:

If the Ravens and their pathetic excuse for an offense were a drive away from beating the Steelers (with 3 minutes to go) there's no reason to think the Cardinals couldn't be in that situation or better in two weeks.

The Ravens were in it only because of a lot of luck and they defense which is roughly 200 times better than the Cardinals.

I think that the Cards have a shot but I am not sure using last weeks performances is a good gauge for what to expect from the game.

Pittsburgh is clearly the better team and the best team that the Cardinals will have faced in the play-offs so far.

The Cardinals are not only going to have play their best game but also hope that they get 3-4 breaks as well.

Bobblehead · 01-20-2009, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon

The Steelers are leaps and bounds ahead of the Falcons and Eagles.

Eagles beat the Steelers this year, 15-6.

Just sayin'.....

moon · 01-20-2009, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Eagles beat the Steelers this year, 15-6.

Just sayin'.....

In what week 6?

Also, not sure why one close game would trump a season of games where Pittsburgh showed they were clearly a lot better than the Eagles.

Bobblehead · 01-20-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon

In what week 6?

Also, not sure why one close game would trump a season of games where Pittsburgh showed they were clearly a lot better than the Eagles.

Because in case you didn't notice, they don't award the Superbowl for the season of games, it is awarded for ... ONE GAME.

moon · 01-20-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Because in case you didn't notice, they don't award the Superbowl for the season of games, it is awarded for ... ONE GAME.

And that game is not in week 6.

You can play the this team beat that team so that means they are better with every team this season.

The Chiefs beat 2 teams this year and I am sure Sylvanfan and all other KC fans will tell you they are not better than anyone (except maybe the Lions) this year.