NFL Playoff Round II Thread

[bhlloy]

Perfectly clean but that will be a rule change in the offseason. Something about how you can't hit a QB from the blind side on a change of possession anymore.

Seriously Warner just needs to GTF out of the way there. He's not going to tackle a 280lb lineman anyway, do the smart thing.

[sabotai]

Warner looks fine on the sideline now.

[Masked]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Perfectly clean but that will be a rule change in the offseason. Something about how you can't hit a QB from the blind side on a change of possession anymore.

Seriously Warner just needs to GTF out of the way there. He's not going to tackle a 280lb lineman anyway, do the smart thing.

Warner was the closest Cardinal to the ball carrier - you have to allow blocks on him.

[Tigercat]

Glad to see Warner is ok. Reggie Bush continues to play very well.

[k0ruptr]

Holding. Cards really need to hold em to a fg.

[Thomkal]

nice to see Leinart string some good throws together.

[Thomkal]

thanks Saints for the time out

[Tigercat]

Good job of Leinart getting the ball downfield for the FG. Helps when you have Fitz at WR, but good job regardless.

[StLee]

Some NFL playoff records on that last Saints TD:

Saints and Cardinals combined for most points (49) in the first half.

Cardinals have allowed most points (80) in two games.

[Thomkal]

sigh

[Ryan S]

Why not try for the endzone at the end of the half?

[jbergey22]

This game couldnt have followed trends any more closely.

Cards cant stop anyone on defense while the Saints are taking advantage of mistakes by the Cardinals offense.

Cards got away from the run way too fast. They must have forgotten the first play they had on offense.

[kingfc22]

And Rackers continues his awesome performance this post season.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

Why not try for the endzone at the end of the half?

Leinhart sucks. They were likely just happy to be in field goal range.

[jbergey22]

Bush would be a great player if he could bring this intensity every week.

[MIJB#19]

It's probably going to be mentioned during tv coverage about 20 times per game in both the Cardinals-Saints and the Cowboys-Vikings games, but in case they broadcasters haven't noticed yet: if the Cardinals don't win today, it'll be guaranteed that there will be a different NFC Champion for the nineth season in a row.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I admit I'm being kind of silly here, but the last Saints possession made me think of something.

It's 4th and 3, and the Saints go up to try to draw Arizona offsides. The Cards don't jump, and the play clock runs out. The Cards decline the penalty so there's less field for the punter. OK, I get that. But why don't the Saints send Brees out to try to get them to jump again? It's still 4th and 3. The Saints would've had nothing to lose by trying it again.

I understand that it probably means nothing in a 35-14 game, but it would've been a savvy and hilarious move by Sean Payton.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I admit I'm being kind of silly here, but the last Saints possession made me think of something.

It's 4th and 3, and the Saints go up to try to draw Arizona offsides. The Cards don't jump, and the play clock runs out. The Cards decline the penalty so there's less field for the punter. OK, I get that. But why don't the Saints send Brees out to try to get them to jump again? It's still 4th and 3. The Saints would've had nothing to lose by trying it again.

I understand that it probably means nothing in a 35-14 game, but it would've been a savvy and hilarious move by Sean Payton.

Mediocre minds think alike Pumpy, I was wondering the same thing. Can a game go through declined penalties until the end of days?

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Mediocre minds think alike Pumpy, I was wondering the same thing. Can a game go through declined penalties until the end of days?

I wonder that, too. I actually thought they had changed delay of game to a penalty that can't be declined for that very reason. I guess I had imagined that.

[Tigercat]

'zona's banged up secondary is doing a more than admirable job in the second half.

[Abe Sargent]

Wow

[Tigercat]

I would imagine the reason Warner is yelling on the sidelines right now is because the Cardinals coaches told him they want him out of the game.

[jbergey22]

Reggie Bush must want to stay in New Orleans after the season.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

I would imagine the reason Warner is yelling on the sidelines right now is because the Cardinals coaches told him they want him out of the game.

If so, I bet they are glad they didn't take him out.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

If so, I bet they are glad they didn't.

The announcers were talking about taking him out as well which I dont understand at all. What would they be saving him for?

Yes it appears over but people were probably saying that when the Bills came back on the Oilers quite a few years back as well.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

The announcers were talking about taking him out as well which I dont understand at all. What would they be saving him for?

Yes it appears over but people were probably saying that when the Bills came back on the Oilers quite a few years back as well.

Well you consider it because 1) A player playing hurt is more likely to hurt himself worse, 2) Leinart looked OK in the 1st half, even if it was against a prevent D.

But if you suggest it to Warner and he yells your ear off like that, you send your leader and his energy back on the field.

[jbergey22]

So Tigercat who do you want at the dome next week?

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

So Tigercat who do you want at the dome next week?

Vikings. Saints pass block well on the edges mainly do to great schemes to hide Bushrod's limitations at LT. (As opposed to what may be the best interior line the NFL, they could block well in any scheme.) The talent of Ware and Spencer can bust up any good protection scheme if you don't have players that can man up on them.

Also, mobile QBs are the bane of the Saints D, Romo rolling out of the pocket killed the Saints early on.

[Tekneek]

Down by 31. 7:31 left. Why is punting a good idea?

[jbergey22]

Either way the Saints will have the coaching advantage. The Cowboys have a lot of weapos on offense but some of them are used sparingly.(Felix Jones in particular)

AP could give the Saints a lot of problems but the Saints offense will score frequently. Id imagine Saints/Vikings will score in the 60s while Saints/Cowboys score in the lower 40s.

[jbergey22]

Way to go out like losers Cards. Punting with 2 minutes left down 30+ points. Go for the first down if you fail they kneel down anyway.

[StLee]

As a Saints fan living abroad, this makes me feel as close to home since I last held Saints season tickets (2006, my last football season living in the States). Hopefully this is the year. If the Saints keep playing like they did today, then all of my Saints dreams will have come true.

[Thomkal]

well that was pretty ugly. Congrats to the Saints and their fans. And I have the feeling my beloved Cards will be looking for a new defensive coordinator in the offseason because that was two pathetic playoff defensive performances on their part.

Congrats to Kurt Warner if he decides to call it a career. Have to admit I had a lot of doubts when the Cards signed him and then played him over Leinart, but I can't imagine them making the playoffs the past two seasons without him.

[Tekneek]

If you're going to punt, while down 30+ points in the 4th quarter of a playoff game, you have little interest in trying to get back into the game. If so, why put the players through that? Just hit the showers.

[spleen1015]

I would take Brown or Hart over Addai any day. Addai is just terrible. That play Hart made on the sideline, Addai doesn't have that in him.

[bronconick]

Does the NFL not have neutral site clock operators? That 2nd down incompletion by Manning where he managed a 5 step drop, move and pump fake in 2 seconds was the longest seconds I've seen since TJ Duckett and the Spartans in 2001.

[Eaglesfan27]

Just arrived at home. The Superdome was rocking throughout the 1st quarter, particularly after that Reggie TD run in the 1st quarter (which looked like something out of a video game.) It exploded again in the 2nd quarter with that flea flicker and really maxed out with the Reggie punt return. Very happy to see Reggie have a great game. It made the whole experience a lot more fun.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by bronconick

Does the NFL not have neutral site clock operators? That 2nd down incompletion by Manning where he managed a 5 step drop, move and pump fake in 2 seconds was the longest seconds I've seen since TJ Duckett and the Spartans in 2001.

They added 2 seconds back to the clock before that play. The play started with 11 seconds on the clock not 9.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

This is the best Reggie Bush has played as a pro. EF27 must be basking in it right now.

That was Barry Sanders-esque.

I was.. the whole stadium was chanting "Reg-gie, Reg-gie, Reg-gie" over and over again and I was shouting as loud as anyone. I'm hoarse right now.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

nice to see Leinart string some good throws together.

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Good job of Leinart getting the ball downfield for the FG. Helps when you have Fitz at WR, but good job regardless.

I was very happy to see Matt do reasonably well in his limited time in the game (well until the team was just beaten down in the 4th quarter.)

[Eaglesfan27]

I can't believe Reed fumbled that. Huge play by Garcon to knock that ball out and keep the momentum for Indy.

[RedKingGold]

Incredible play by Garcon.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I just about jumped out my seat with that play! (and i'm at work...)

[Doug5984]

Just got home from the Saints game...wow, besides that first play we played great today. The D showed up 19 seconds late.

[RedKingGold]

Ravens played like crap tonight.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by Doug5984

Just got home from the Saints game...wow, besides that first play we played great today. The D showed up 19 seconds late.

Something that most NFL fans and many analysts miss is how good the Saints run D (when the D is healthy) gets as games go along. Casual viewers of Saints games see Ronnie Brown, or Turner, or whoever gash us early in games and think the Saints are VERY vulnerable to the run, and teams just give up on it. More often what has happened is teams gave up on the run after the Saints started to shut it down. If you take away the one 70 yard run, Arizona ran the ball 14 times for 31 yards with a long of 7 yards.

When Sed Ellis is in the lineup, the Saint's are amazingly stout against the run once the defense gets its act together. I think it has to do with Williams making adjustments to overcome our weakness on the DL. It takes a while in some games, but when he has a good DT in Ellis to work with, he gets it done eventually.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Something that most NFL fans and many analysts miss is how good the Saints run D (when the D is healthy) gets as games go along. Casual viewers of Saints games see Ronnie Brown, or Turner, or whoever gash us early in games and think the Saints are VERY vulnerable to the run, and teams just give up on it. More often what has happened is teams gave up on the run after the Saints started to shut it down. If you take away the one 70 yard run, Arizona ran the ball 14 times for 31 yards with a long of 7 yards.

When Sed Ellis is in the lineup, the Saint's are amazingly stout against the run once the defense gets its act together. I think it has to do with Williams making adjustments to overcome our weakness on the DL. It takes a while in some games, but when he has a good DT in Ellis to work with, he gets it done eventually.

Yeah, for obvious reasons, I was focusing on Sedrick Ellis tonight and he played extremely well against the run and the pass. He was consistently pushing his man/men back and helping collapse the pocket.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Something that most NFL fans and many analysts miss is how good the Saints run D (when the D is healthy) gets as games go along. Casual viewers of Saints games see Ronnie Brown, or Turner, or whoever gash us early in games and think the Saints are VERY vulnerable to the run, and teams just give up on it. More often what has happened is teams gave up on the run after the Saints started to shut it down. If you take away the one 70 yard run, Arizona ran the ball 14 times for 31 yards with a long of 7 yards.

When Sed Ellis is in the lineup, the Saint's are amazingly stout against the run once the defense gets its act together. I think it has to do with Williams making adjustments to overcome our weakness on the DL. It takes a while in some games, but when he has a good DT in Ellis to work with, he gets it done eventually.

Im not prepared to argue how good/bad the Saints run defense gets as the game goes on but I do know they gave up 122.2 YPG with a 4.5 Avg while being a team that was in the lead most of the season.

Football outsiders has them ranked 29th in rushing defense.

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | 2009 DEFENSE EFFICIENCY RATINGS

From the 4/5 times Ive seen the Saints this year it seems teams give up on the run because the Saints offense is so potent that they get 10-14 point leads so teams think they have to play catch up.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Im not prepared to argue how good/bad the Saints run defense gets as the game goes on but I do know they gave up 122.2 YPG with a 4.5 Avg while being a team that was in the lead most of the season.

Football outsiders has them ranked 29th in rushing defense.

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | 2009 DEFENSE EFFICIENCY RATINGS

From the 4/5 times Ive seen the Saints this year it seems teams give up on the run because the Saints offense is so potent that they get 10-14 point leads so teams think they have to play catch up.

A lot of that occurred when Ellis was hurt or severely hobbled. Look at the Dolphins game as an example. After a 68 yard run early in the first quarter, they couldn't average more than 2 yards a carry. This was the best running team at the time, at home, with a lead for most of the game.

This is also when Sed Ellis was healthy. Don't let runs early in games against the Saints or how bad the Saints run defense was without Ellis fool you, Greg Williams can find a way to stop the run. I am not saying that the Saints are good at stopping the run overall, I am just saying that I am not sure anyone should plan on a team beating the Saints with the running game in the second half of games.

[jbergey22]

I remember that scheme. There was a segment on the NFL Network about it. One of the only teams that could stop the Dolphins run attack for any part of the game.

They are kind of the opposite the Vikings in that aspect. Its very difficult to run on them early in games but as the game opens up a bit you can find some holes running against the Vikings.